Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Yuria pushed a teacup, a kettle full of hot tea, and a tray with snacks to go with the tea, and headed to the Dukes office. Ordinarily, another maid was in charge of this task, but today the duke specially ordered her to bring her tea.
The maid in charge was neither sick nor on vacation. She knocked on the office, feeling suspicious.
Duke, I brought you tea and snacks.
Come in.
Yuria was several times more careful than usual and entered the room. Inside the office were seated the Duke and a person believed to be a guest. Originally, in the Duke family, everyone was informed about it and prepared to welcome them a few days before the guests arrived.
The employees could not be unaware of the guests visiting the mansion. But Yuria couldnt quite figure out the identity of the person sitting on the sofa. Could he possibly be the dukes secret guest? So, why did you bring me here? Did my mouth look so heavy that she believed I wouldnt reveal the customers identity?
Yuria, who raised her head after greetings, was so startled that she almost cried when she saw the face of the customer. Why are you here?
It was Alexander.
With dark brown hair and green eyes, he was sitting on the sofa, looking at Yuria with a blank look. His unpleasantly expressionless face wrinkles as they eyes meet.
Why are you making such an annoying face? Rather, its not right for me to make such a face, right?
If the Duke had not been present, she would have run to Alexander right away and inquired what he was thinking. Looking at him reminded me of what happened in Count Nigors mansion. Yuria strained her trembling hands and poured tea into the teacup. The teacup is filled with a soft crackling sound.
Its not strange to think. Lala told me the exchanges between Count Nigor and Duke Emus will increase. Did he even send his aide to start the exchange? Yuria put the teacup down in front of the duke and lifted up the assistants share of the teacup.
Then the duke said.
Alexander Walter, do you want to say hello, though? Isnt that a familiar face? Yuria Hanson has always been your masters lover, wouldnt it be against etiquette if you didnt say hello?
I really couldnt help it. It was truly unavoidable that Yuria dropped the teacup on the floor and shattered it, and spilled steaming hot tea on the floor. She bowed her head and quickly apologized.
Sorry, sorry. I will clean it up quickly.
The hand holding the skirt trembled.
Now, what did the Duke say? Did she say that I am Count Nigors lover? how to?
Only a few people knew that Yuria was being held by Count Nigor, who locked her up in a room in the mansion and blocked most of the employees from entering. However, if it was the dukes power, it would be able to easily find out about that amount of information. Then, does the Duke have to work hard to find out information about Yuria, who is only one of the many maids in the mansion? It must have been useless information to her. Yuria couldnt think any more.
No need to clean it. Just stand there.
When she asked to raise her head, Yuria slowly raised her face. Alexander was staring at the Duke with an angry face.
What is this?
Did you think I didnt know? You should be thankful for pretending not to know all this time. If we hide this fact, wont the trust be shaken between us? I mean, I think Yuria Hanson will be a great help in our work. What do you think?
It wont help. She probably doesnt know anything, and she probably doesnt know any useful information. She is just a victim played by the Count.
Thats your opinion.
Yuria could guess quite a lot from their conversation. There is some kind of contract between the two, and the fact is that she may be of great use in that matter. And, nevertheless, Alexander hid Yurias existence from the Duke
The duke was sipping tea.
Arent you curious what we are talking about now?
She glanced at the duke and shrugged at the dukes question. She was curious, but she didnt want to know at all. Because she had heard that it is not uncommon for the maid to hear their master secret.
If I could, I would have run away from this place. She shook her head in a negative way and said it was okay, but the Duke continued.
As you know, slavery is illegal in this empire. To abolish the slave auction with the previous emperor and exterminate the nobles who held it is one of the most splendid achievements of the duke family. But they say slave auctions are popular in the black market these days.
Alexander jumped up from his seat. In the process, there was a roar from the table, which was slammed with his fists. His face, drenched in indescribable emotions, was dyed red.
Duke! Please stop! Please dont bring that kid into this .
You fool. Dont put your feelings into working for a cause. When you look at that child, does it remind you of your family?
I, I .
Alexander pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something, and then sat down.
No. Continue.
There were only rumors about the slave auction, but no one really knew what it was. Some people may dismiss it as just a stupid rumor and pass it on, but Im not that lame. I started to investigate, thinking that there must be a reason for such a rumor. Then I found out from a nobleman that Count Nigor might have something to do with the auction.
.
Then he was found dead the next day. Even if I wasnt that kind of person. No further information could be obtained from the body. After that I tried to find evidence of the auction or the actual location of the auction, but could not find it. Walter worked hard as a spy, but to no avail. I would have to find evidence or capture the scene before accusing the crime or not. Someone with a power equal to mine must have been Count Nigors back. First of all, Im assuming that the ship behind it is the Duke of Nikerman. Strangely enough, he got along with the Count.
Slave. At those words, Yuria remembered something. But she tried to think differently, as fear, disgust, and unbearable anger surged from her just peeking at her memories. Alexander was the dukes spy? Since when? So he felt pity for us and helped us escape? I wanted to evacuate my swollen stomach, but I held it in.
Why Are you saying that to me?
Because I think you will help. Youve been with Count Nigor for almost a year, havent you? How did I know without asking? Because in this world, if you give money and frighten, you will confide in anything. You must have been nominally lovers, so you would have known the secret circumstances of Count Nigor. Yes?
Now I know. Obviously, the duke had ordered the tea to come out to inquire about this.
I.
Yuria grabbed her stinging forehead. The hand that wiped away the cold sweat was uncomfortably wet. I dont know. slave? Auction? Black market? She couldnt have known that. Even if she knows. She doesnt want to remember what happened there. Just like no one wants to relive the dream after waking up from a nightmare.
Didnt I tell you about the slave auction?
I am that .
Without realizing it, Yuria retreated back and forth. She may have acted out and desire to run away. She grabbed the doorknob, but wasnt confident enough to open it. Because she was afraid of the duke, who lived in fear of her employees and others, and she was not confident enough to handle her wrath after she went on her own.
Tell me everything you know. If the information is useful, it can be a big reward.
When she couldnt speak properly, the atmosphere in the room became heavy in an instant. Yuria thought that it was difficult not only to move, but also to breathe. The duke was expressionless, but uncomfortably, she tapped the table with her finger.
I dont know anything Really. I am I just.
You dont know? dont make that face. Do you not want to speak or do you cant? Did you receive any threats from Count Nigor?
I didnt even receive any threats. However, some memories silence people more effectively than threats. When Yuria started to sweat with a face that looked like she was about to collapse at any moment, the Duke said, Hmm she made a sound and sipped her tea. Alexander, unable to see, opened his mouth.
Duke. She looks like she needs more time. Those days are not very good memories. She will suffer a lot just thinking about it.
Then Ill give you more time.
Yuria was able to leave the office only after receiving the Dukes permission and a request such as threatening not to tell anyone about todays affairs. Even though we only met for a few dozen minutes, my legs were shaking. Yuria leaned against the wall and slapped with her fists until her immobile legs could move.Th.ê most uptod/at𝓮 n𝒐vels a/re published on n(0)velbj)n(.)c/o/m
So much had happened in that short amount of time, I had no idea what had actually happened.
At this moment, I wanted to see Lala like crazy. She wanted to be held in her little arms and complain that it was hard and painful. As if Yuria possessed, she tried to walk into my sisters work area, but she stopped. And she wept over her own pity. She sobbed silently, covering her face with her hands.
I am a very stupid and pathetic person.
Even in the midst of this, you are thinking of relying on your younger sister! Isnt that why Lala keeps trying to solve it on her own? Lala lost her memory. It was all her fault, that she was not as mature as her age, who could not understand what she was doing and turned into a child. Even Lala can now depend on herself, and it hurts so much that her joy has changed for a while from that moment.
If you know how difficult Lala has been but try to rely on it, you are not ashamed. Yuria wiped the tears with her sleeve and slapped hard on her cheek.
She seemed to have come to her senses as much as the tingling pain.
If the duke confided to me like this, it was said that she was likely to tell Lala as well. Lala, too, was the person who stayed in Count Nigors mansion for almost a year. Perhaps she had called Lala before calling herself.
Thinking like that, I wanted to see Lala again. This time she was concerned, not because she wanted to depend. As she held the little child in her arms, she wanted to ask if something had happened with the Duke, and whether she had been terrifying to you.
Yuria was searching the mansion to find Lala and found knights approaching her.
They held Yuria with a frown on her face and made her immobile. She asked what they were doing, but there was no answer.
She struggled instinctively, but her body could not beat the knights. How could Yuria even win over a knight who had trained their body so much? The knights grabbed Yuria, who was exhausted, and took her somewhere.
After a while, Yuria realized that they were taking her to the female employees quarters, her and Lalas room.
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