You Said I Was a Persecuted, Terminally Ill Grand Duchess? - Chapter 53

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 53

 

The Duke’s Castle was filled with the gentle spring breeze.

 

“La la~”

 

I headed to the library with steps as light as the beautiful weather.

 

I planned to enjoy some leisure time and read books after so long.

 

The massive library greeted me with its usual imposing presence.

 

No matter how I thought about it, it would take at least a hundred years to read all the books inside.

 

“Hmm, shall I explore a new archive today?”

 

Come to think of it, I’ve never been to that inner archive.

 

With that sudden thought, I headed straight to the most secluded archive without hesitation.

 

It was a place I never even thought to visit since books were overflowing right at the entrance.

 

I went straight to the last bookshelf against the wall and habitually scanned the books with my eyes.

 

But then…

 

“Huh? What’s wrong with this?”

 

Among the books that were arranged fairly neatly.

 

There was one book that stuck out strangely by itself, as if it had been placed incorrectly.

 

‘It’s oddly bothering me.’

 

Thinking I’d put it back properly, I casually pulled out that book.

 

Rumble-

 

“Eek? What?!”

 

Suddenly there was a loud noise, and the bookshelf slid to the side!

 

“Cough! Cough! D-dust…”

 

My vision became hazy from the tremendous amount of dust flying around.

 

I frantically waved my hands and waited for the dust to settle.

 

It seemed like a space that no one in the Duke’s Castle had discovered for at least ten years.

 

I clutched my pounding chest and opened my eyes wide.

 

‘Gasp, what is this?!’

 

A sudden unexpected event in my peaceful daily life?!

 

My dopamine is surging!

 

I felt excited like a child who had discovered a secret space.

 

And what was inside there…

 

“This is…?”

 

Surprisingly, behind the bookshelf was another hidden bookshelf.

 

The books placed there had unusual titles from the start.

 

『Marriage Clinic: War and Love』

 

『Why Did the Lady Give Meat to Her Servant?』

 

『The Daughter-in-Law Has Returned』

 

『The Marchioness’s Thrilling Temptation』

 

…

 

Gulp.

 

These were thrilling(!) titles that made me unconsciously swallow my dry saliva.

 

My goodness, this genre of literature exists here too?!

 

I sneakily pulled out the last book, 『The Marchioness’s Thrilling Temptation』 and opened it to a random page.

 

[“You, you are… Mimi?!”

 

Everyone gathered at the banquet was shocked.

 

Mimi, who they thought was dead, appeared with such a calm face alongside a wonderful man!

 

Even the mistress who had finally secured the position of second marchioness couldn’t help but be surprised.

 

“No, no! That’s not Mimi! Don’t you see that watermelon seed-sized mole on her cheek? Mimi doesn’t have a mole!”

 

“Oh my. Who’s Mimi? I’m Princess Chacha from the neighboring country.”

 

Mimi, who had now completely become Chacha, gritted her teeth and cried out inwardly.

 

I even had this huge mole implanted on my cheek for this.

 

Marquis, I will seduce you again and destroy that family!]

 

“…A-amazing.”

 

Dopamine surged after so long, making my vision dizzy.

 

Wait, does this mean all the books here have such dramatic plots?

 

“Wow! It’s a goldmine!”

 

Since no one was watching anyway, I jumped up and down on the spot to express my joy.

 

Right, no matter how much I valued peaceful days and was quite satisfied with my current situation.

 

In the end, the dopamine I had once tasted in the 21st century was something I simply couldn’t forget.

 

“Of course. Yes, this is also a place where people live. There’s no way there wouldn’t be popular novels.”

 

What a stroke of luck. What should I read first?!

 

It would take quite some time to read all the books packed tightly on the bookshelf.

 

I carefully chose a book while rolling my eyes.

 

But wasn’t there a hardcover notebook without a title stuck in that corner?

 

“What’s this?”

 

It’s not a book, and it seems like someone left it behind in the library.

 

When I opened it, as expected.

 

It wasn’t a book but seemed like someone’s diary.

 

No, to be more precise.

 

『The Marchioness’s Thrilling Temptation』

 

Rating ★★★★★

 

A perfect masterpiece. Mimi’s journey to becoming Chacha was so sad. The scene where the marquis regrets like crazy and licks Chacha’s feet was the highlight.

 

『Why Did the Lady Give Meat to Her Servant?』

 

Rating ★★★☆☆

 

Good tension but lacking in plausibility. Wouldn’t it have been better to emphasize the servant’s pure love? But that scene was really… worth reading just for that alone.

 

“Reading impressions…? Like reviews?”

 

It was organized with short impressions for each title along with detailed star ratings.

 

Feeling a bit dazed, I looked at the front page of the diary.

 

Except for the initials D.S. written small on the very first page, there was no other information.

 

“Hmm. Was there a romance novel enthusiast among my ancestors?”

 

This person has similar tastes to mine.

 

Anyway, it was the best thing for me.

 

“I should read them one by one using these reviews as reference!”

 

I picked up 『The Marchioness’s Thrilling Temptation』 first without hesitation.

 

* * *

 

[“Ella is Sincere’s daughter.”

 

“What?”

 

Drip drip.

 

The orange juice the shocked duke was holding flowed right out of his mouth.]

 

“Crazy…”

 

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and instinctively covered my mouth.

 

The novels of this world also had quite high quality.

 

It was enough to give me, who was steeped in 21st century short-form dopamine, a considerably fresh shock.

 

“Ha! Ella was Sincere’s daughter… I’m going crazy.”

 

Having already become an overly immersed otaku, I could only keep hitting my forehead.

 

As I was burying my head in the text, reading as if being sucked into the book.

 

Knock knock knock!

 

Along with quite fierce knocking, a sharp voice flew in.

 

“Rene! It’s Katarina.”

 

“Oh oh…!”

 

I quickly closed the book.

 

But Katarina, who was one step ahead of me, had already flung the door open and was approaching me.

 

“Reading books again? Hmph! You haven’t even gone on outings with me lately. What exactly are you reading so intently?”

 

“Haha…”

 

I couldn’t bring myself to say I was reading a trashy novel… As a duchess, I had some dignity to maintain, so I could only let out an awkward laugh.

 

Still, knowing Katarina’s personality so far, she’d probably quite enjoy trashy novels too?

 

I scratched my head and asked lightly.

 

“Ka, Katarina, do you want to read it too?”

 

But Katarina firmly shook her head.

 

“I have a condition where I fall asleep if I read more than two pages of a book!”

 

How boldly she declares that…

 

Should I say it’s good that she’s so spirited?

 

I just nodded with a benevolent expression.

 

“I see…”

 

Phew, thank goodness Katarina is pure even in her mind…

 

No matter how close friends we are, revealing secret preferences is always embarrassing.

 

“Anyway! Let’s hurry to the vegetable garden. The cabbage I grew is already fully grown! It’s huge, I tell you?”

 

Fortunately, she really had no interest in books whatsoever, as Katarina clung affectionately to my arm.

 

Being fawned over by a beauty is always thrilling.

 

Though it was getting to the interesting part, I put down the book and pretended to give in as I stood up.

 

“Alright, let’s go.”

 

Then I put the book back deep in the drawer and hurriedly followed Katarina out.

 

* * *

 

The same day, a bit late for lunch.

 

“…Hmm? Why is there no one here to greet me? Cal!”

 

Adjusting her wide-brimmed hat, Diana entered the lobby of the Duke’s Castle.

 

But unexpectedly, the lobby was eerily empty without even a single servant.

 

‘Though I did return unexpectedly…’

 

A slight wrinkle formed above the noblewoman’s expressionless brow.

 

“My goodness. Lady Diana!”

 

Just then, Cal came running at full speed from the end of the corridor to greet her.

 

“Have you finally returned? Did you have a good time in Pielle?”

 

“Well, I…”

 

Diana looked Cal over with inner surprise.

 

His face was practically glowing, and his whole atmosphere was different from before, as if his fortune had changed.

 

“Cal, you seem to have been… doing well.”

 

Feeling somewhat unfamiliar, Diana cleared her throat and looked away.

 

Though this was the Duke’s Castle where she’d lived her entire life.

 

Somehow it felt strange.

 

Even the air floating around seemed mysteriously softer.

 

The perceptive Cal noticed Diana’s mood and chuckled.

 

“Haha. While Lady Diana was briefly away, there have been quite a few changes at the Duke’s Castle.”

 

“Really? What happened?”

 

“Hmm… Would you like to see for yourself?”

 

The old butler’s eyes curved beneath his monocle.

 

‘He’s always been sly like that. Actions over words, is that it.’

 

Actually, that aspect of Cal perfectly matched Diana’s temperament.

 

“Lead the way.”

 

Diana haughtily followed behind Cal.

 

But…

 

“…Don’t tell me that’s Jenos?”

 

At the absurd scene before her eyes, even Diana, the queen of the social circle skilled in managing her expressions, couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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