Chapter 15: Duke Falexis
“Oh, Leia, are we out so early to see the Duke?”
“Yes,” Leia responded cautiously when the Duke was mentioned, quickly dropping her playful demeanor.
“After all, the Duke is the ruler of the country, and he himself said he wanted to meet you.”
“The Duke himself said that?” Yuehai raised an eyebrow, wondering if a person as important as the Duke, who had countless affairs to manage, really needed to meet a rescued young girl.
Could it be that he’s taken a liking to my beauty? Wants to marry me as his concubine!
It’s true that powerful men often have a few young and beautiful concubines, but just the thought of it made Yuehai shudder. Being flirted with by a beautiful woman is one thing, but if it’s an old, rotten man… Yuehai felt she should consider her options carefully.
Leia had no idea, but in this moment, Yuehai beside her had already drifted off into wild fantasies.
The Duke’s study was where Duke Falexis Hillel attended to minor affairs. Currently, Yuehai and the others were near this building.
Surrounded by a clear pond, a pavilion stood tall, with flowers blooming all around and occasional strange birds chirping.
At just one glance, Yuehai was engulfed by a sense of elegance, as if they had stumbled upon a paradise. The hustle and bustle of the servants’ families in the Duke’s mansion seemed worlds apart from this place.
Leia led Yuehai along a small path built over the river, arriving at the middle of the pond where the building stood—the Duke’s study, with the words “Qing Zhu” inscribed upon it.
“Duke Falexis, Leia has brought a guest.”
Leia bowed deeply with great respect, and Yuehai wanted to follow suit, but thinking of the treatment she might receive, she couldn’t help but feel a little less respectful.
In the stillness, a piercing voice emanated from the Qing Zhu, reaching deep into one’s heart.
“Come in,” the voice said.
“Yes,” Leia responded respectfully again, nodding to Yuehai before entering the room.
Although the study appeared to have several floors from the outside, upon entering, they discovered that there was only one floor spiraling up to the ceiling. The room was surrounded by books stacked densely, and Yuehai looked up at the ceiling, which was tens of meters high, feeling puzzled about how to reach the books at the top.
“Leia, you’ve worked hard.”
The voice snapped Yuehai out of her reverie, and she focused to see three figures ahead of them.
On either side stood Laogeri and Claude, needless to say. In the middle was a man who bore a striking resemblance to Claude, and from his appearance, he seemed to be no more than twenty years old. This only added to Yuehai’s confusion. Wasn’t it the Duke who wanted to see me? Why are there others here?
“Thank you, Duke,” Leia smiled slightly, seeming quite pleased with the Duke’s kind words.
Wait, huh? The Duke? Him? Yuehai’s jaw practically dropped when she realized who Leia meant by “Duke.”
Wasn’t it said that the Duke is Claude’s grandfather? How can he be so young? I remember the Shadowstone reported yesterday that the Duke was about to celebrate his 120th birthday. Does this man look like he’s 120? Then wouldn’t I be in my seventies or eighties?
Seeing Yuehai’s surprised expression, Duke Falexis looked at her with amusement, stroked his chin, and asked,
“What’s wrong? Is there something on my face, miss?”
“Oh, no, it’s just that I heard the Duke was about to celebrate his 120th birthday… but now, it seems…” Yuehai hesitated to continue.
“It does seem like a coming-of-age ceremony.”
“Haha…” With this remark, Yuehai suddenly heard a stifled laugh behind her, thinking to herself, Leia, you didn’t tell me beforehand that this Duke is young at heart, did you? How come you’re secretly enjoying yourself back there?
The Duke was also taken aback. He hadn’t expected this little girl to say something so offbeat. Laogeri and Claude exchanged glances, thinking that this was probably a disguised compliment to the Duke’s agelessness.
“You little girl…” Duke Falexis forgot to correct his language in surprise, shaking his head with a smile.
“Yeah, calling you little girl feels more comfortable.”
Duke Falexis murmured to himself, then looked at Yuehai.
“Warriors possess strong physique and incredible abilities. Although I don’t know the extent of your amnesia, you must be aware of the common knowledge that someone with a certain level of achievement in martial arts can rejuvenate, right?”
Rejuvenate? What’s that? Yuehai was utterly confused, but she maintained a respectful demeanor on the surface.
However, this little pretense couldn’t fool Falexis. He didn’t expose it, but he couldn’t help but wonder how this little girl, who seemed to remember nothing and had no power, ended up in the Sang Zang Forest.
“Let’s not dwell on that, little girl. Hmm, is it Yuehai?”
“Yes, yes,” Yuehai’s heart skipped a beat, wondering if the Duke really had that intention. Since she entered, she felt that the Duke’s gaze was a bit off, but she couldn’t believe he actually wanted to take her as a concubine…
A chill swept over Yuehai’s entire body, causing her spine to tingle all the way to the top of her head. With each word the Duke uttered, Yuehai felt like he was striking her soul.
“No need to be so nervous,” the dignified Duke, though shrewd, had no idea how far-fetched the thoughts of the young girl in front of him were. He simply thought she was too restrained.
