Chapter 43: The villainess is unfair (part 2)

The voice continued to flow out from the bracelet.

[I know you are there.]

Clie said in a confident tone. 

I chose to remain silent. But, she continued to speaking.

[Two days ago, a tea party was held by Countess Prarel. There I met the Young Lord’s hidden daughter.]

Clie said something completely unbelievable!

She was saying that she met Ruelle two days ago?

Thinking about it again, I found that there was indeed something strange about this incident. The duration of the pearl that Ruelle used was about 3 days.

The first time Shael and I met Ruelle was on a park bench. But then we separated right away.

After that day, we met each other again today. But the time Ruelle and we spent together was only about five hours. So, what was Ruelle doing for the rest of the time?

It was something I needed to investigate in detail.

***

[Duke Jespen’s POV]

Duke Jespen was talking to a man called Viscount Gileon. 

Viscount Gilleon opened his mouth to speak, “Duke Jespen, I heard a rumor that make absolutely no sense.”

“What happened?”

Duke Jespen was carrying a box of cookies. In fact, he usually didn’t do anything rude like eating cookies when he was talking to someone. But this time, it was different.

“Someone is circulating an absurd rumor, saying that, Lady Shael and Young Lord Eran have a hidden daughter!”

Duke Jespen nodded his head, as if he wanted him to continue.

“From what I heard, a lost child came to the tea party in Countess Prarel. Then she claimed to be the daughter of Young Lord Eran and Lady Shael.”

Viscount Gileon took a moment to catch his breath before speaking.

“It is even said that the young child demonstrated the magic of the Azbel family and the swordsmanship of the Baslett family.”

‘But it was obviously a false rumor!’

Viscount Gileon knew Shael’s personality very well. It was hard for him to believe that she would fall in love with someone.

In fact, it was possible to have a child even if there was no love. But… Eran was an aristocrat who he only heard good rumors about, so there was no way Duke Jespen would’ve let Eran be if he tried to harm his daughter.

So when Viscount Gileon got to know about it, he immediately came to inform Duke Jespen about the rumor.

He was a noble, and he was also someone who respected Duke Jespen a lot.

He thought that Duke Jespen would be furious if there were bad rumors about his daughter.

But, it didn’t seem like that was the case at all. Rather, the Duke was just nodding his head. It seemed like knew about the rumors from the start.

“Duke Jespen?”

“That rumor is fine, so leave it alone.”

Duke Jespen said while eating the cookies. 

‘Leave the rumor be? However, wouldn’t that make it seem like the rumors were true?’

“If the rumor is left unattended, the road to her marriage will be blocked!”

“It’s okay because Eran is there.”

‘But that is only an engagement.’ Gileon knew that even that engagement was due to the villainess’s prank. 

Duke Jespen added, “Anyway, Shael’s path to marriage has been blocked for a long time.”

“Because of her personality and stubbornness.” Duke Jespen whispered under his breath. 

Viscount Gileon said in surprise, “Then can’t you…”

“Yes, what you think is pretty much right. I’m going to see Enella, so you may leave.”

‘Finally, he wants to do something.’ That was what Viscount Gileon thought.

But he had a question, ‘What is Ezran Baslett, the head of the Barslett family, not blocking the rumor?’

Actually, Duke Jespen was quite weak in dealing with rumors. He spent most of his time at the side of his wife, Enella. So he didn’t have much interaction with others.

But as far as Gileon knew, Duke Ezran was quite adept at dealing with the rumors. So that begs the question.

‘Why was Duke Ezran remaining silent about a rumor that was potentially blocking Eran’s marriage path?’

The reason was unknown.

And, the questions didn’t end there.

‘To think that the overprotective Duke Jespen would act like this.’

Viscount Gileon simply left the Azbel estate with a head full of doubts.

Duke Jespen still remained seated, and then he smiled, ‘Things are progressing quite smoothly.’

It was a smile very much suited for a villain. At the same time, he reminisced about what had happened a few days ago.

A child who looked exactly like Shael when she was at that age, came to visit Duke Jespen. And, that child claimed to be his granddaughter!

‘Coming from the future, honestly, I considered it to be impossible…’

But, for some reason Duke Jespen was sure that the child was his granddaughter.

At the same time, his granddaughter asked for several things.

One of those requests was to create a teleportation magic circle towards the zoo. 

In fact, the teleportation magic circle was there from the beginning.

It was because Duke Jespen liked to travel with Enella to various places. Once he heard the request, he made the magic circle towards the zoo even stronger.

Turning a blind eye to this rumor was also something requested by his granddaughter.

And at the same time she made those requests, she also gave a box of cookies to Duke Jespen.

Just thinking about the cookies, Duke Jaspen reached out for the cookies his granddaughter had given him.

Crunch!

‘It’s delicious!’ It was worlds apart from the muffins Shael had given him. 

To be honest, Duke Jespen’s wife and daughter had no talent for cooking.

But his granddaughter was different. His granddaughter obviously had a talent for cooking!

‘Fortunately.’ Duke Jespen thought as he ate the cookie with relief.