ALL NOVEL Chapter 21
Chapter 21. The White Stork (2)
Initially poised to apprehend the twins, the guards lowered their swords at the Duke’s signal. Lois and the twins, faces and clothes smeared with soot, bore the unmistakable look of having narrowly survived an attack on their village. No one present doubted their plight.
“Oh dear…”
“Are the children the only survivors?”
Displaying their hidden talents, the twins’ and Lois’s quick wits had woven a credible tale of woe.
“Poor things…”
Despite soiling her pristine garments, the Duchess embraced the twins with barely a tear in her eye, setting off another explosion of their fabricated lamentations.
“Huhuh!”
“We were so scared!”
Taken-aback by the twins’ astonishing performance, Lois nearly ceased his act. He couldn’t help but wonder,
‘Are their usual antics all an act?’
The level of their feigned crying made him suspect it, but there was no time to ponder that possibility now.
Sniffles and sobs—
The trail of tears on their dirt-stained faces made the children appear even more pitiful, prompting the Duke to step through the guards and crouch before the feigning Lois.
“Did you live in this village?”
Sniffle—
Lois nodded.
“Are you the only survivors?”
“…Yes.”
His voice trembled on cue.
“And your parents?”
“……”
Lois didn’t lie, nor was it necessary; his mournful expression allowed the Duke’s own assumptions to fill in the blanks, his crestfallen face confirming Lois’s silent narrative.
“…You’ve had a rough time.”
Petting Lois’s head, the Duke then rose and rejoined his wife, who looked at him pleadingly.
“My Grace… no, dear.”
Her earnest gaze stirred a sad chuckle from the Duke.
“Do you want to take them with us?”
“…Yes.”
A faint glimmer of hope shone in the Duchess’s sorrowful eyes, compelling the Duke to nod in agreement. Lois, overhearing this exchange, felt a tremor of alarm.
‘Wait, just a minute here?!’
The plot had taken an unexpected turn.
‘You can just leave us to continue on our way!’
When the Duke had inquired about their parents, Lois realized he had erred in not claiming they were waiting for their return. Underestimating the compassionate, well-to-do folks who wouldn’t pass by in distress was Lois’s first mistake.
‘…Did I overdo it?’
Not anticipating the twins’ overwhelming talent for drama was his second. Before he could react, Lois found himself held firm by the guards.
‘Hold on a moment! Can we talk this through first?’
By the time Lois began to fluster, the twins had already been scooped up like teddy bears and placed into the carriage.
‘Oh no!’
Lois soon followed suit behind the twins. The carriage bearing Lois and the twins set off, and amid fallen planks,
Rustle—
Finn’s small head popped up in bewilderment.
“…Lois?”
Separated unexpectedly from her charge, Finn was left to gaze blankly after the vanishing carriage.
* * *
Clickety-Clack—
The carriage’s atmosphere was warm and cozy. The Duke had removed his cloak and draped it over Lois and the twins. Initially, the Duchess had wanted to give her own cloak, but the Duke had given his instead to shield his frail wife. His sizable cloak was sufficient to envelope all three small children.
Ensconced in the cloak, Lois blinked his eyes.
‘You don’t have to be this kind…’
Not only was the Duke and Duchess’s kindness overwhelming, but the unforeseen sequence of events was disconcerting.
‘What should we do now…?’
Lois’s thoughts spun in a whirl as he sought a solution. Mistaking his wary gaze for awe, the Duchess caressed his head with a gentle smile.
“It’s alright. You can relax.”
Lois silently nodded, the best he could manage under the circumstances. The Duke and Duchess looked on tenderly.
“How old are you?”
Lois considered for a moment before answering, moistening his lips slightly.
“…Ten years old.”
“You look younger than your age? I’d guess about seven.”
“We haven’t been able to eat well…”
Lois’s half-truth, half-lie elicited from the Duchess another pained expression—clear evidence Lois’s semi-fabricated story had taken hold.
“Are the other children your sister and brother?”
“No, they’re friends from the neighborhood.”
Though Lois responded soberly, no one detected his true meaning. They merely gazed at him fondly, impressed with his articulate responses for his age.
“Hehe, such a bright child.”
Lois, maintaining an appearance of calm, inwardly cried out in exasperation.
The children, now dressed, were lined up by the maids who admired their own handiwork as exclamations of amazement echoed around.
“Wow…”
“They’re so pretty.”
“I wish I had a child like this.”
The maids readily praised, comments that would have sent Genelocer and the twins’ father into a frenzy had they heard. Yet their admiration wasn’t unwarranted; Lois, with his fair skin, white hair and gem-like amethyst eyes, looked dashing in his navy-blue attire. Khan and Kani, with their silver hair and turquoise eyes, stood out in their red-hued clothes. They exuded a princely and princely vibe while boasting supreme cuteness, making the maids almost rush towards them.
Had the Duchess not appeared, they likely would’ve already flocked to the children.
“Are you all finished?”
The maids respectfully bowed and stepped back at the Duchess’s elegant voice. She entered the room and was astonished to see the children, clean and properly attired.
“…Goodness!”
Though they had stood out even when dirty, proper grooming made them shine.
“Hehe. His Grace will surely be pleased.”
The Duchess was smitten, asking with affection,
“Are you hungry?”
“I’m hungry!”
Khan’s eyes sparkled as he replied, prompting the Duchess to gesture to them.
“Come, follow me.”
The twins hurried after the Duchess, who led the way, while Lois sighed and trailed behind them.
And thus they arrived at the banquet hall, laden with a variety of dishes seldom seen at a commoner’s table.
“Wow!”
“Wowww!”
The sight of steaming, delectable food made the twins’ eyes shine. The kind-hearted Duchess tended them, and while the maids fidgeted, her evident joy prevented them from interfering.
After being lavished such luxury, Lois and the children finished their meal and returned to their room.
That day marked the beginning.
One day, two days, three, four… Ten days passed since they stayed at the resplendent castle. The Duke rarely showed his face, leaving only the Duchess visiting daily to watch over Lois and the twins.
While most children could never dream of such luxury, not everyone there appreciated it.
“It’s time to slip away…”
Lois paced anxiously in the room, the weight of restlessness visible on his face.