Become The Duke's Wife Or Die

"Will Wereal be attacked?"  asked Gena like a shriek, failing to get an answer.  The maids who had been gossiping didn't provide any other meaningful information except their anxiety about telling Mrs. Melisa or Mr. Bertus so that it could be passed on to Duke Kleo.

"Is that possible?"  Now Ella bit her lip, darting her eyes in several places, looking for an ambiguous answer.  "But who did it?"  Just like Gena, she didn't get any meaningful answers either.

Not long after that Lyra came with a cheerful face as if the sun had just risen and shone on her face.  Even the twilight couldn't beat her, her beauty, and also the charm of happiness.

"Ella!  Gena!"  she called out waving, past several crowds of maids who were busy carrying things in their hands.  Carrying her inflated skirt, she immediately ran as fast as she could, leaving the serving maids behind and following her from behind.  "Sorry that I'm late.  There were some things I had to do earlier," she complained, gripping the hands of the two maids, grateful that her life felt better now.

Even though Ella and Gena weren't, or haven't, been able to serve her like they used to, at least they could talk as usual.  This is more than enough, let things go slowly.

"It's all right, My Lady," Ella shook her head, pretending to smile.  Her teeth lined oddly in the dim twilight, which Lyra failed to catch.  "The most important thing is that we can talk and meet you as usual."

Gena seemed bad at hiding her fear.  Even though she had tried her best, as a result, she looked like someone who was holding back defecation.

Lyra frowned at that, instantly catching something wrong.  "Is there something wrong?"  she asked, to the point.  "You didn't get any punishment or anything, did you?"

"No, My Lady," said Ella after having looked at Gena a moment ago.  "It is just…"

"Just what?"  Lyra asked after Ella had been silent for a long time.  Her hand tugged at the two maids' hands to find a safer place to share secrets, at least no other ear could hear them.  "Just say it if you want to," she whispered after arriving at the appropriate place, by the lake near a tree that was quite shady.

Gena gulped, rubbing the back of her sweaty neck.  Her gaze fell on a large tree not far from where they were standing, suddenly remembering the whispers of the maids a moment ago.

"Can we find a place away from the trees?"  asked Gena, making Lyra dumbfounded but still obeying her.

The three of them walked towards another place, close to the park, the most spacious place without any obstructions within a radius of several tens of meters.  From that position, Gena and Ella were sure of the security of their secret that would be leaked.

"Now just say it!"  Lyra asked in a whisper, turning around to make sure they were safe one more time.  "Is something threatening you?  What frightens you?"

Together Ella and Gena nodded softly, causing Lyra to stiffen on the spot.

"What's that?  Who did it?"

"We're still not sure, My Lady," Ella muttered anxiously, her eyes always wary.  "We heard the maids gossiping.  They said they saw someone sneaking around and spying on Wereal."

"Some of them said they saw a black shadow lurking," continued Gena.  "But it's not a ghost."

Ella rolled her eyes, while Lyra pursed her lips trying to be patient.

"Then do they know who the stranger is?"

Ella shook her head in response to Lyra's question.  "They all still don't know, My Lady, and yet they are not sure about their vision."

"If plenty of maids saw that, then they didn't see it wrong," Lyra commented, plausible.

"Maybe they're too scared and stuff," Ella muttered.  "Whatever it is, we don't have a problem.  Sometimes some young people are obsessed with Wereal.  But what we are afraid of is if the spies are from the enemy."

Lyra was silent as she listened.

"There was an attack in Wereal, My Lady," explained Gena.  "We are just afraid it will happen again."

"You must report this to Duke Kleo now!"  Lyra asked firmly and panicked.  "Because perhaps you can prevent the great danger that awaits."

"We lost courage for that, My Lady.  We're not allowed to report anything that doesn't appear to have been proven."

"God," Lyra growled in response to Ella's words.  "Let me just say this to him directly."  Then she stomped her feet, took a stride forward to meet Duke Kleo, across a wide meadow and a few busy maids.

The hallway passed, while Ella and Gena looked helpless as they chased after her, waving repeatedly and asking her to stop.

"My Lady!"  cried Ella with exhaustion.  "Stop, My Lady!  Don't act rashly!  Let us confirm this first!  My Lady!"

Gena did the same.  Her hands kept waving while her feet ran to catch up with Lyra.  Not much different from Lyra, she also failed to stop Lyra.  Only gasps and heartbeats beat, like a death drum.

"God, what would have happened if Miss Lyra had said something to His Grace?"  asked Ella breathlessly, standing at the door of Duke Kleo's study, where Lyra had entered.  Several guards looked at them in confusion and strangeness.  "Can you help me stop Miss Lyra's madness?"  There was no answer at all as her brain went blank, failing to find a solution.

"Maybe His Grace will be mad," Gena responded earnestly.  "Perhaps His Grace will soon track down anyone who is talking about this, and find the source of the spreader."

"Our names must have been taken out," Ella worried, sitting slumped on the floor and ruffling her hair.  "Oh my, if only time could be turned back!"

Meanwhile, inside Duke Kleo's study, Lyra stood breathless after successfully entering.  Duke Kleo greeted her sincerely and cheerfully, although it didn't necessarily make her get his time.

Looks like he has a lot of work to do today or this afternoon.  So he will stay drowned in a dizzying pile of documents.

Lyra subconsciously looked out of the window at the shady trees, which looked dark and scary too.  Then her brain spontaneously reflects on her fears by generating various imaginations that hit her.

Shortly after that, she choked on having just seen strangers chasing her in her mind as if she had been dreaming.

Just then Duke Kleo raised his head, tilted it, then asked, "What is it?  Why did you come here?"

Though somewhat hesitant, Lyra told him what she knew.  "There are spies on the Wereal," he whispered.  "Shouldn't you be doing something?"

"Spies?"  asked Duke Kleo, repeating Lyra's question.

***