FTP-96

The weary Duke Glasster grumbled, wrinkling his nose in displeasure.

 

“Well, I was told it was rural, but… this is the back of beyond.”

 

Although his appearance, including his hair and eye color, bore no resemblance to Anje, his frowning expression was strikingly similar.

 

He jabbed his cane against the butler’s shin.

 

“How much farther?”

 

“We’re almost there, Your Grace,” the butler replied in a placating tone, despite wincing in pain.

 

Traveling in a much smaller carriage than usual and accompanied by only a few attendants to avoid drawing the emperor’s attention, the duke was in a foul mood.

 

“It’s unbearably far.”

 

He grumbled, shifting irritably in his seat. If he had brought along a mistress or at least a pretty maid, the long journey might have been less tedious. However, given the secrecy of this endeavor, such luxuries were impossible this time.

 

TL/N: EWW. PERVERT!

 

Suddenly, the carriage began to slow. The coachman called out from beyond the wall.

 

“Someone’s stopping the carriage, Your Grace. What should we do?”

 

“Who is it? Is it Aiden Fitzroy?”

 

“It’s a woman… She seems to be a local.”

 

“A woman?”

 

The duke peeked out of the window, and his jaw dropped.

 

Standing there, wearing a plain cotton apron tightly tied over a modest dress, her hair and dress fluttering in the breeze, was a woman glaring at the carriage. On closer inspection, he realized it was his daughter.

 

“W-What…?”

 

Was this rural-looking woman truly his daughter? This woman, indifferent to the autumn sun, without a hat or parasol? A woman without white silk gloves, high heels, or a fan?

 

The butler, who accompanied the duke, also widened his eyes in disbelief upon recognizing the plainly dressed woman as the duke’s daughter.

 

“S-Stop!”

 

At the duke’s command, the carriage came to an abrupt halt, kicking up a cloud of dust.

 

Originally, the duke’s plan did not involve speaking with Anje. At most, he intended to nod in response to her greeting before discussing important matters, such as the imperial succession, solely with Aiden.

 

To the duke, women were creatures who wouldn’t understand complex matters like politics or economics. Even if they were informed, they would only gossip and spread it. However, seeing his daughter roaming the countryside in “unladylike” attire, he felt compelled to say something.

 

“Hello, Father.”

 

Anje greeted cheerfully, her confident tone showing no regard for whatever her father might be thinking.

 

Duke Glasster angrily stepped down from the carriage.

 

“Hello? Do I look well to you? What on earth is that appearance?”

 

She chuckled.

 

“I was working in the kitchen and came out in a hurry. What’s wrong with comfortable clothes? You’re the one who showed up unannounced, Father.”

 

“…Kitchen? Work?”

 

“Yes, the hazelnuts are ripe, so I was busy shelling them.”

 

Witnessing the duke’s dumbfounded expression, Anje nearly burst out laughing, forgetting for a moment that he was her father.

 

The word “work” likely didn’t exist in the duke’s vocabulary—or if it did, it was something performed by subordinates and had nothing to do with him.

 

Satisfied with rendering her father speechless, she asked,

 

“What brings you here? You wouldn’t even attend a nearby wedding. Surely, you didn’t suddenly feel like seeing your daughter.”

 

Normally, Duke Glasster would have detected the sarcasm in her words and reacted with anger or irritation. At the very least, he might have shouted or raised his cane.

 

However, even his dull instincts told him that the Anje before him was different from the obedient, submissive daughter he once knew.

 

Thus, he responded only with a sulky tone.

 

“Move aside. I have business with your husband.”

 

Anje promptly blocked his path.

 

“If you have something to discuss with my husband, I have the right to hear it too.”

 

“Who are you to—?”

 

“I’m Sir Aiden’s one and only wife.”

 

TL/N:

 

She placed her hands on her hips. Despite her small stature, her flushed face and fiercely shining eyes commanded attention.

 

As the two bickered, the butler and coachman, who had been silently watching, couldn’t help but admire her.

 

When they first saw their “young lady,” they were shocked by her appearance, which seemed completely different. They had even looked down on her, thinking the rural lifestyle had tarnished her refinement, much like a gem dulled by dirt.

 

But upon closer observation, they noticed a new charm emanating from her.

 

The characteristic sulky and irritable expression of the Glasster family had disappeared, replaced by natural smiles that graced her eyes and lips. Her rosy complexion, fuller hair, and stronger arms and legs gave the impression of a healthy tree in spring.

 

The duke swung his hand irritably through the air.

 

“Move aside! This is not a matter for you to hear!”

 

“How would you know that without letting me hear it first?”

 

Anje’s polite smile faded, replaced by a cold gaze.

 

“If it’s about remarriage, I’ve already made my refusal clear in a letter.”

 

Her voice was firm, but her trembling fingertips betrayed her. After all, defying her father in writing was one thing; doing so face-to-face was another.

 

The fear and trembling were undoubtedly stronger with the latter, but the thought of protecting Aiden gave her courage.

 

“That’s a different matter from such trivial things. It’s something important, my dear.”

 

The Duke, who had tried to push Anje aside, shifted his strategy to a gentler tone upon seeing her steadfast demeanor. He had no idea what gave her such confidence to lift her chin like that, but if upsetting Anje hindered his efforts to win over Aiden, it would be a disaster.

 

No matter how it appeared on the surface, weren’t Anje and Aiden invaluable chess pieces destined to become the Duke of Glasster’s king and queen? There was no need to make enemies from the start.

 

The Duke of Glasster, who grew weak before the strong and strong before the weak, justified his own diminished presence in front of his daughter this way.

 

Anje, while relieved that the Duke’s visit wasn’t about divorce or remarriage, didn’t let her suspicion fade.

 

“So, what is it about, then?”

 

“It’s confidential, so I’ll have to tell your husband directly. In any case, it’s something good for you, your husband, and all of us. Got it?”

 

The Duke lightly tapped Anje’s cheek. The cold, clammy touch of his fingers was far from pleasant for her.

 

She raised one eyebrow and retorted,

 

“All of us? You used the same expression when you told me to enter the balcony where His Majesty William was, didn’t you?”

 

Back then, loitering near the balcony with transparent motives, she ended up humiliated and kicked out of the party. Meanwhile, the Duke of Glasster had pretended to know nothing, feigning complete ignorance.

 

“Isn’t it something that benefits only you? Based on what you’ve done to me so far, it’s not exactly a trustworthy expression.”

 

“What?”

 

Aside from William or the nobles in his faction, no one had ever spoken so directly or critically to the Duke of Glasster. And now, hearing such words from Anje—his daughter, whom he thought he had firmly under control—left him stunned. He raised his cane high.

 

“I went easy on you because you’re my daughter, but now you’re climbing all over me!”

 

Anje swiftly grabbed the end of his cane. Though the Duke exerted force, he was just a frail middle-aged noble, while she was someone hardened by farm work.

 

“The cane looks heavy; let me hold it for you.”

 

“Let go, let go of it!”

 

“I’ll ask again. What brings you here? If you don’t answer, you won’t be allowed to come any further.”

 

“What makes you think you have the right—!”

 

She sneered. She couldn’t believe she had once been afraid of this bent, red-nosed old man with his ridiculous mustache.

 

There was a time when she wanted his love and recognition, to become the proud daughter of the Duke of Glasster, someone he could present anywhere with pride.

 

But the man in front of her now was nothing more than a foul-tempered, stubborn fool who believed the world revolved around him.

 

“I am the owner of this farm. The owner of this house, too. Oh, of course, Aiden is also an owner.”

 

Without warning, she released her grip on the cane. The Duke, losing his balance, tumbled to the ground. The sight of him spitting dirt out of his mouth was quite a spectacle.

 

“You wretched thing! Rolling in the mud with commoners has lowered you to their level. What are you all doing? Remove this girl at once!”

 

Caught between their former lady and the Duke, the butler and coachman, unsure how to act, hesitated before rushing forward.

 

But just as they were about to help the Duke up, a sudden cascade of hot water drenched him.

 

“Ahhh!”

 

“Oh dear, my apologies.”

 

A nonchalant voice came from behind Anje. Anje turned around with a wide smile on her face.

 

“Aiden!”

 

A firm hand settled on her shoulder, pulling her close. This time, he offered an apology with a more sincere tone.

 

“Sorry about that, Anje. It seems the plumbing is faulty, and the hot water isn’t coming out properly.”

 

His icy gaze turned toward the Duke.

 

“And in my hurry, I happened to ‘accidentally’ spill the water meant for washing your hands all over the floor.”

 

Watching the Duke, drenched and in disarray, Anje bit the inside of her cheek to stifle her laughter.

 

“It’s fine; we can always fetch more water.”

 

The Duke’s once-oily gray hair now clung limp and soggy, resembling seaweed floating on the surface of a pond.

 

* * * *

 

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