#23. You Fool

From the very beginning of the request, she had clearly said that wasn’t the case—but this guild member had gone ahead and assumed it on his own and even told the elderly people about it. The fact that his guess happened to be true only made her more annoyed.

“Anyway, as soon as the old folks heard it, they got excited and said, ‘As expected, the woman really is a beastfolk.’ When I asked what they meant, they just said it was their own speculation and brushed it off. It all sounded ridiculous to me, so I left. And those dogs and cats kept fighting so loudly it was driving me crazy.”

Chloe frowned.

Dogs and cats? Was this guild member a fraud?

No—but he had actually investigated and found five people named Chloe, so he must have done some research. Still, he came back saying such absurd things like her being a beastfolk, and now this nonsense about dogs and cats fighting.

“Did you actually visit that inn?”

Maybe he only used the information she provided and pretended to have worked hard by claiming he went there himself.

There were no dogs or cats at the inn called Dog and Cat’s Night.

He must have just assumed things from the name. He probably didn’t even know she had stayed there three times.

It wasn’t even part of the request to personally visit the inn for investigation, so she couldn’t understand why he would lie about something like that.

“Hey, what do you take our information guild for, saying things like that? I did go there myself. Are you doubting me just because I relayed what those old folks said? Hah, this is infuriating.”

The guild member’s face turned red, as if he were genuinely offended.

Chloe wanted to argue that there were no dogs or cats at that inn, but she couldn’t say it without revealing she had been there before.

“So you’re saying there were dogs and cats at that inn? How many were there? Dogs and cats, I mean?”

Instead, she changed her question.

“Hey, the information I was supposed to gather was about a woman, right? I didn’t know I had to count dogs and cats too.”

He was clearly avoiding the question. Chloe became convinced he was lying.

“Well, if you really want to know, I can tell you. There were seven in total. Three dogs and four cats.”

At his answer, she was momentarily speechless.

Seven? Three dogs and four cats?

Wasn’t that too specific to be a lie?

Even after the guild member left, Chloe’s mind was filled with three dogs and four cats running around chaotically.

And somehow, it didn’t seem like he had been lying. That was the most unsettling part.

She had thought she would at least get a full day of rest, but Chloe’s expectation was ruined when the Duke returned in the afternoon.

She had assumed he would come back late at night at the earliest—but he returned while the sun was still up.

It had only been three hours since the guild member left, and just seven hours since the Duke had departed the estate.

Kinden was located in Roizen, where it normally took about five hours by carriage.

A round trip would take ten hours.

And he returned in just seven?

Her disappointment over the ruined day off aside, the unusually early return left her somewhat stunned.

Of course, the Duke and Sir Joyce had gone by horse rather than carriage, so they could move faster.

But even so, completing a ten-hour round trip in seven hours meant there couldn’t have been much time spent meeting Chloe of Kinden.

Well, it wasn’t her concern anyway.

Especially since that woman wasn’t even the Chloe the Duke was searching for.

“Prepare a bath.”

As he entered the study, the Duke gave the order to Chloe standing behind him. His face was stiff, and his voice carried fatigue.

“Ah! Y-yes!”

Chloe, who had been mentally calculating travel times, only snapped back to attention under his heavy presence.

A bath? Was he asking her to assist with bathing again?

Although the Duke had started assigning her all kinds of duties, he had never asked for bathing assistance again after the first time.

Was he that exhausted from traveling such a long distance so quickly?

Regardless of whether she had a choice, Chloe rationalized his order while recalling his darkened expression. It felt different from before.

Of course, the thought of seeing the Duke’s bare body still made her face heat up just as much as before.

However, after learning about the kindness the Duke had shown to her mother the previous night, she no longer felt like grumbling at his orders.

She wanted to repay his kindness in any way possible. Since she couldn’t help him find the woman he had slept with, she would at least do her best as a servant!

With that thought, Chloe quickly ran to prepare the bath.

After finishing the preparations, she went to call the Duke.

Knock knock.

There was no response.

“Your Grace, I will come in.”

Carefully, she opened the door and stepped inside.

The Duke was sitting at his desk, elbows resting on it, both hands covering his head. It was a posture she rarely saw.

He looked like someone deep in thought—or simply extremely exhausted.

“Your Grace, the bath is ready.”

Still, there was no answer.

The water would cool down if he didn’t go soon. Would he be disappointed to learn that the Chloe from Kinden was not the woman from that night?

Why was he so determined to find that woman in the first place?

A new question arose in her mind about his intentions.

Could it be… he fell for me that night? Is that why he’s looking for me?

Ha! What nonsense. Chloe Liden, what are you even thinking?

She quickly dismissed the idea.

The Duke didn’t even know her face.

Not only her appearance—he didn’t even know her voice. All she had made that night were suppressed, meaningless sounds.

At least she hadn’t spoken any meaningful words.

Any sounds that slipped out were uncontrollable.

And even those were unrefined, unlike the deep, disguised voice she usually used in the estate.

After living here so long, she had grown used to speaking in a low tone to the point that her voice had become naturally rough.

Yes, it was impossible that he had fallen for her.

But if not that… did he perhaps enjoy that night with me too much?

Was I that…? Ha! I’ve really gone crazy now.

She quickly shut down her wandering thoughts.

“Your Grace.”

Lowering her voice further, she called him carefully.

At last, the Duke lifted his head from his hands and looked at her.

Startled, Chloe took a step back.

How did that sun-like face turn into something like a solar eclipse?

His expression was that dark.

Guilt washed over her.

He had saved her mother’s life—yet instead of repaying him, she had violated his innocence, deceived him, and continued lying ever since.

Perhaps she was the reason he looked so worn down.

If she hadn’t approached him that night… or if she hadn’t been disguised as a male servant and could have told him the truth…

Then he wouldn’t have needed to waste his day like this.

As Chloe looked at him with guilt, their eyes met in silence.

He simply stared at her.

The silence made her guilt heavier.

“Your Grace, I’m sorry to bother you when you must be tired, but I think bathing in warm water will help relieve your fatigue… I’m sorry, but if it’s okay, you should go now…”

What am I even saying?

She kept repeating “I’m sorry” over and over, becoming flustered.

“You really like saying sorry, don’t you.”

The Duke finally spoke.

Sigh…

How strange it was.

She felt like a fool for constantly apologizing incoherently—but at the same time, that foolishness had finally made him speak.

She had deceived him, yet he had saved her mother. That was why she felt both gratitude and guilt.

“I’m sorry for rushing you when you must be tired. I just thought warm water would help you recover. If it’s alright, I think you should go to the bath now… if that’s okay…”

“Ha.”

“…!”

The Duke laughed. He actually laughed.

It was faint, but it was laughter nonetheless. Seeing that faint smile on his dark face made her feel relieved.

If I can make the Duke smile, I don’t mind being a fool like this!

“What’s with all the apologizing? You fool.”

As expected, he pointed out her foolishness and let out another small laugh.

But Chloe didn’t mind.

Yes, yes. Even if I’m a fool, it’s fine.

As long as you’re smiling, I’m happy.

Go ahead and bathe now.

She was happily thinking this when the Duke walked toward her, and—

Rustle.

He playfully messed up her hair.

“…This foolish girl… to think I came all this way just to see her…”

Before she could understand the meaning of his words—

“…!”

A tremor started from her hair, where his hand had touched, and spread down her neck, freezing her entire body in an instant.