“My goodness, Leitz. I am so sorry for not holding your hand properly.” I push him away to check if he has no injuries. “Are you okay? I am worried.”
He giggled. “I am okay, mom!” he kissed me on my cheek. “So, don’t worry, mom. And I am sorry for letting go of your hand.”
Ahh, ~ Leitz, my ever so sweet adorable, Leitz!
“Leitz, where did you go?” I ask worriedly.
“I am sorry, mom. I got excited to see the weapons displayed at the stall, and I unconsciously let go of your hand…” Leitz explained.
“Goodness… you made me worried. Next time don’t ever let go of my hand, okay?”
“Okay!” Leitz nodded with a beam.
“Duchess…” a pair of feet is standing behind Leitz.
I flinch upon hearing someone addressing me with that title. I glance behind Leitz and see a pair of feet. Does this man behind my son call me duchess? Did he recognize me? No, I shouldn’t look at him. If our gaze meets, I will be doomed!
Leitz turned around and look behind him. No, Leitz!
“Ah, mom! He is the knight who helped me!” Leitz introduced him.
I look away. I wanted to grab Leitz’s hand and run away, but that would be rude of me. After all, he is the man who helps me and my son meet again. Let’s just do what we can do for now.
“I am very grateful to you sir knight for helping me and my son…” I said gratefully. “However, you might be mistaken for someone.”
“No… I am not mistaken. And this kid…” the knight looked at Leitz again. “I wondered why you look so familiar. Now I just realized that you look like the duke a lot when he was a child!” he said amusingly.
“I guess you are mistaken about someone else, sir knight. We should get going now. Thank you for your help.”
I turn around and drag Leitz but the knight grabs my wrist. I look back.
“Sir Knight, you are being rude to a lady. Grabbing my wrist without my permission, how presumptuous!” Leiana said dignifiedly.
“Ah!” the knight let go. “I am sorry for my rude actions but why are you denying your identity, Duchess?”
“I am not your Duchess, Sir Knight. Sorry…”
“But…”
“If you say more than this I will shout here and accuse you of harassing us,” I said threateningly.
The knight paused. “Fine. But how did you that I am a knight?” he asks suspiciously.
“Didn’t my son introduce you as a knight? Is he wrong?”
The two of us look at Leitz. He seems troubled but then his eyes landed on the sheathed sword at the man’s side.
“Ah, because you have a sword with you. Mostly, only knights bring swords with them even if they are wearing casual clothes.” Pointing at the sheathed sword.
The man glances at his sword and touches it. “I see.”
“Then, we will get going. Thank you once again…”
I turn around and walk away dragging Leitz. For goodness’ sake! He has the crest of the Galhardo as his badge! I as well glance at the sheathed sword at the man’s side when Leitz glances at it. On the head near the handle of the sword is the crest of the Galhardo Duchy.
This is well really reached to the duke. Should I run? No, what will be my excuse to the Renmann’s Couple if I suddenly left.?What should I do? I accidentally grip tightly Leitz’s hand.
“Mom?” he called out.
“Ah, yes?” I came back to my senses. “Is there something wrong?” holding my hand with his other hand.
“No, darling,” I give him a reassuring smile. I should calm down. They still didn’t know where I am staying and the reason why I am there. It is impossible he can find me that easily.
[ THRAX POV ]
I watch the duchess and the young master back while walking away from me. I furrow my brow.
“But I am sure that she’s the duchess. Even though it is already ten years ago and she looks more mature now than before. But it is her. That dark red hair and pair of blue eyes, that is her.”
I couldn’t be possibly wrong. However, that child is… could be their son. Having that appearance, it is the duke’s son? My eyes widen at the sudden realization. Then… the duke has an heir!
Nevertheless, why is the duchess repudiated her identity? Does she intend to hide their son from the duke? What could be the reason? She also left the mansion without saying a word and didn’t leave a trace. Should I tell the duke about this?
The more you look into it, the more the duchess becomes mysterious. I turn around and walk to the other side. While being torn on whether should I report the duchess and the kid, I unknowingly arrive at the duke’s mansion.
Dang, it! Why I am torn about it? It is his wife and son, so he has the right to know. After all, he is the master I am serving so, I must report to him if I ever found something that involves him.
“Okay, I should tell him!” clenching my hands.
I march towards the mansion and head directly to the duke’s office. I’m about to know when I stop my hand in the middle of the way. I wonder what will be his reaction if I say to him that I found the duchess and he has a son with her.
I put down my hand back. Now, I remember it, ever since the duchess ran away, it is like immediately became an unspoken rule with the duke, to never mention the duchess. The duke tries to attempt to find her but there is always something stopping him.
I don’t know what is their relationship with others. One thing I am sure of is that, ever since the duchess went missing, the duke became colder and indifferent than before. In the first few months, the duchess ran away, and the duke is becoming difficult to approach or talk to. to
All the servants and other people who wanted to approach him are like walking in an ice lake. They are afraid to make a wrong step that might lead to cracking the ice. If I enter there and just randomly talk about the duchess.
I gulp at imagining that the duke will cut my head off. He doesn’t care about the rumors that are going around him and the duchess. It is said that the duchess ran away with her lover since her marriage to the duke is all about politics.
Despite that, I can tell that the duke cares about the duchess. The duchess might not see it but whenever the duke pass by the duke will just watch her until she’s gone away. When he caught a glimpse of her, he will stare at her looking contented.
They might don’t have a good and loving relationship, but the duke isn’t treating the duchess badly either. I just don’t understand why he didn’t even once try to approach the duchess besides the times when it is necessary or he has something important to tell.
He is her husband after all! He has all the right to spend leisure time with his wife. He seems doesn’t hate her, on the contrary, his eyes immediately soften, and look at the duchess lovingly. I don’t know what is making their relationship complicated.
While the duchess… ah! Memories flash into my mind.
“How can I forget about the duchess?” I blurted out.
While the duke is stealing glances at his wife, the duchess is clearly showing her affection for another man. I sighed at the thought. It is as bright as the sun, that the duchess does love the second son of Duke Dollenos.
Who would have not noticed it? Whenever the two meet at a gathering, the duchess brightens up and will dash to the young lord. My goodness, I sympathize with the duke. The duchess did never show that smile and liveliness toward her husband.
The duchess looks like putting a boundary between herself and the duke. Then one day, it just became warier for him, and almost wanted to run away whenever he sees the duke. The duke can and competition with the second son of Duke Dollenos, even the imperial princes.
Just what did the duchess sees the duke that she treats him like that? Does she hate the political marriage between them? Can’t he just give him a chance? Then, other memories flash in my mind. I remember how the duke train us like we are planning to live in hell.
Haa~ maybe he shows that side of him to her whenever they are facing each other. Poor, duchess. Ah, whatever! Let’s just try our luck now. I calm myself and compose it first before knocking on the door.
“Come in,” the duke answered from inside.
I open the door and step inside before closing it behind me. He is sitting as usual behind the desk while scratching the paper on his desk.
How should I say it to him? Hey, Azriel did you know that you have a son? I shake my head. No that is not nice to say. How about… Azriel, I saw a child in the street earlier who looks like you. I shake that thought off, that is too random.
How about I say it first… Azriel I have something to report. Hmmm… that is fine but isn’t sound too formal? Azriel glanced in my direction. He puts down the pen he is holding and lean on the chair he is sitting on.
“So? Is there something you want to say?”
I ACCIDENTALLY FOUND YOUR WIFE AND YThat is SON!
That is what I wanted to say but I know I shouldn’t say it that way. I deeply sighed and walk toward the couch. I sit there and lean on the couch. Why I am stressing over this?
“That’s new… you have never been like that.” Standing up and walking toward me.
He sits across me. “Is it that serious for you to look so troubled and stressed?”
“I wonder whose fault is this?”
“Pardon?” he looks confused.
“Azriel…”
I call him by his name and all the other vice-captains since we all grew together, played, and trained together. Aside from the vice-captains, Azriel is also a friend of the recent butler since he is as well one of us who grow up with him.
The vice-captains are like his older brother and teacher who help him during his difficult days, especially when his father suddenly died. While I and the butler are like his brother who is the same age as him. But of course, we address him ‘his grace and duke’ whenever there are other people around us.
Still, I don’t know how to say this! Aaah! I am going crazy! Why is this so hard to say? Huh?
“Azriel, what if I tell you that I found the duchess?”
“What?” he blurted out flabbergasted.
“Azriel, you have a son…” I said secondly not letting him overcome his shock.
The room is filled with silence and Azriel is just staring at me with a dumbfounded look. If he gasps at the shocking use of his wife, I guess he didn’t breathe when he heard about his son.
“Did you hit your head somewhere?” was the first thing he said when he came back to his senses.
“I didn’t…” shaking my head calmly.
“Then why are you saying crazy things?” t calm down.
“Azriel, I am not joking!”
“And so am I…” he answered firmly.
He looks at me sharply with a chilly ambiance.
“Azriel…” I sighed.
“Thrax, you are one of the vice-captains of my knights and yet I didn’t know why I appointed someone like you in that position.” He sighed as if everything is absurd. “I am starting to doubt myself in choosing people.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask confusedly.
“Look… the captain of the famous Black knights is imagining that his master had a son?” he said as if the most ridiculous thing he ever heard. “Why would I have a son when I never slept with someone?”
“But you have a wife ten years ago…” I pointed out to him.
The duke flinches and realizes Thrax's point. Leiana’s image flashes in his mind.