The seated man's revelation hung in the air, a bombshell that echoed through the dimly lit dungeon. Zaden's stoic expression wavered for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. The head butler, too, couldn't entirely conceal the astonishment that registered in his eyes.
"You claim that the duchess has been living a dual life, posing as the wife of Marquis Archer," Zaden stated, his tone carefully neutral.
The seated man leaned back in his chair, a triumphant glint in his eyes. "Indeed, my observant friend. It seems the esteemed duchess has been hiding in plain sight, concealing her true identity behind the guise of another man's wife. A clever ruse, wouldn't you agree?"
The head butler's mind worked quickly, processing the implications of this revelation. The complexity of the political landscape, the interconnectedness of noble families, and the potential consequences of such a clandestine arrangement weighed heavily on him.
