TTMLPTWW ~ Chapter 76

* * *

Hans, rubbing his throbbing head, realized that the person in front of him was Lady Cynthia, whom he had seen on the ship before, and he gnashed his teeth.

“Hey, you pasty b*tch. I was already looking for a chance to pay you back, and you dare show up in front of me? Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a noble!”

Hans lunged at Cynthia with a menacing aura.

But he was once again struck by a candy, his face filled with bewilderment and pain.

‘Fast! I can’t even see her hand?’

Cynthia, confirming that the candy had shattered, smiled sweetly and looked at the merchant next door.

“Mister, do you have any useful weapons?”

“As it happens, I have an efficient weapon with a wide striking range, good durability, and easy disposal by burying it in the ground.”

Seeing the hardware store merchant recommend a shovel, Hans slowly backed away, thinking of escaping.

Then he stopped, feeling the cold barrel of a gun against the back of his head.

“Not only did you assault your wife, but you also tried to lay a hand on my woman?”

At Masera’s chillingly honed voice, Hans raised both hands in surrender.

Crack!

Soon, he was struck on the back of the head with the gun handle and collapsed.

Lady Cynthia, wielding the shovel, came running up, panting.

“What, he’s already passed out? I was going to spank him!”

“Calm down and take care of the pregnant woman first.”

At Masera’s words, Cynthia snapped out of her rage and quickly went to Anita.

Anita, with trembling hands, pulled up her hood and looked at Cynthia.

“My lady, what brings you here… I’m so sorry for causing you trouble…”

“What happened?”

“Well…”

Anita hesitated and explained the situation.

After being exiled from Medea, they had been living here, and whenever Anita earned money by doing odd jobs, Hans would squander it all on alcohol and gambling.

“Today, I said I wasn’t feeling well and would rest, but he got drunk and tried to hit me. So I ran away and was caught… and then I happened to run into you, my lady.”

Cynthia bit her lip, looking at Anita’s pale face.

She knew that Anita hadn’t asked for help despite having her address because she didn’t fully trust her.

“Come with me. I know you don’t trust me, but I can’t leave you like this. Stay at the residence, at least until the baby is born.”

“But…”

“It’s a military facility, so you won’t be found out.”

Anita stroked her swollen belly and lowered her head.

“Thank you.”

* * *

Meanwhile, someone recognized Anita from afar.

‘Anita?’

A woman standing in the corner of an alley widened her eyes.

She was Anna, the Queensguard maid whom Helene had kept alive to use as Cynthia’s weakness.

‘She’s alive.’

Anita and Anna had been colleagues who had worked together at the Count’s residence their whole lives.

She had thought she had died in the purge that day, but to think she was alive and well.

‘If they know each other is alive, they might both die. Let’s pretend I didn’t see anything.’

Anna pulled her scarf down deeper and headed to the address the Duke had given her. She had just left the Duke Rukanosa’s residence on his orders.

Soon, she arrived at a house tucked away in a corner of the alley.

The Duke, sitting inside the small but tidy house, placed an envelope of money on the table and said,

“Stay hidden here for a while. Don’t worry about the money.”

“Pardon? What’s suddenly…”

“My wife seems to be planning to get rid of you for giving her a fake note.”

Anna’s face turned pale with shock and fear, and she hesitantly asked,

“But why are you saving me?”

The Duke curved his lips, looking at Anna’s large, tearful eyes.

“Just because.”

He was a powerful man who could save someone with a fleeting act of kindness that he would forget as soon as he turned around.

But to the person receiving the favor, it was like a lifelong benefactor.

Anna bowed deeply.

“Thank you so much. I will never forget this kindness.”

The Duke was very pleased with this structure, where he could easily become someone’s savior.

And apart from that, he wanted to see Cynthia’s face filled with emotion, sincerely thanking and praising him.

The Duke’s purpose in bringing Anna here was to steal an important card that Helene was trying to use to pressure Cynthia.

Suddenly, he thought of Cynthia’s large, ruby-like eyes and her uniquely innocent and pitiful appearance.

“It would have been nice if she had married a kind Duke instead of a stoic Brigadier General…”

As if scattering the useless thought that had suddenly popped into his head, the Duke covered his mouth and quickly waved his hand.

“Duke, will you come to visit me here sometimes?”

At Anna’s question, the Duke paused for a moment and nodded.

He was planning to continue participating in the volunteer activities organized by Cynthia.

Anna’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the Duke, who had suddenly become taciturn.

‘Could it be that the Duke thinks of me as special?’

His casual act of kindness had created an unexpected misunderstanding.

* * *

Cynthia hurriedly took Anita to Captain Carlton. He had followed them here for the children’s health checkups.

“It’s only after they’re born that it’s my domain…”

Captain Carlton, a pediatrician, sighed and examined Anita.

“The spotting could be a sign of a miscarriage, so it seems like she needs to be hospitalized.”

“Hospitalized?”

Startled, Cynthia immediately asked Masera for help.

Hans had stolen money from the Everett barony and run away, so the barony was also looking for them. After explaining that Anita was in hiding, Masera sent Anita to a military hospital where she could be protected.

Even when Cynthia requested that she be protected at the residence for the time being after her discharge, he agreed without asking any questions.

“Brigadier General, thank you for granting my request.”

Cynthia poked Masera and said with a very grateful expression.

Masera, who had been watching the soldiers and children making snowmen in the front yard, looked down at her.

“There’s no need to thank me.”

“Why?”

“Isn’t it natural to follow one’s wife’s orders?”

“Oh, nice words.”

It wasn’t like he had said it with the intention of looking cool. In fact, soldiers had the belief that they should follow their wives’ orders ingrained in their heads.

After conveying her thanks, Cynthia focused on her work again.

Her role was to oversee all the people who had come to volunteer.

The volunteers each showcased their abilities, and those who passed were assigned to be the children’s teachers.

If not, they would have to put on an apron and be put to work doing housework without exception.

“How is it?”

Duke Rukanosa showed her a word puzzle he had made to match the children’s level.

“Wow, how are you so good at this? I can’t do it because it’s too difficult. You pass as a Korean language teacher.”

At Cynthia’s praise, the Duke puffed out his chest like a child and went back.

“Lady Cynthia, I made picture cards for word education. I learned to draw when I was young.”

Major Rodriguez then showed her cards he had made with his amazing drawing skills.

It was a dynamic drawing of a rabbit that looked like it would come to life at any moment.

“Wow, cute! You pass!”

She wanted to say a long review, but that was all she actually said.

Soon after, Valeria ran up and said with a flushed face.

“Princess, I play the piano very well?”

“That’s really amazing! Future sister-in-law, you pass as a piano teacher!”

Valeria, who received her certificate of passing, hummed and walked away leisurely.

Even Carlos came and flew a paper airplane he had folded with his amazing origami skills out the window.

“I have a history of winning first place in the paper airplane distance flying competition.”

“Open an origami class or something.”

Behind Cynthia, who was staring at the paper airplane flying into the invisible distance, Masera approached and whispered.

“I can see where that trash is falling.”

“You pass as a clairvoyant.”

Somehow, it seemed to have turned into a time for the best talent show in the world.

‘These people are crazy for recognition…’

Masera added in a low voice, as if warning Cynthia, who was making a dazed face.

“You shouldn’t praise men carelessly.”

“Why?”

It was then that Cynthia asked the question.

“Wah!”

Edford, who was passing in front of the two with a plate, tripped over something and fell with a crash.

“…Because something bad will happen.”

‘I didn’t praise him, though? I only said sarcastically after seeing him do the dishes, ‘You might as well switch careers to become a submerged ceramic technician.’?’

Suspiciously, Masera, who had quickly returned his leg to its original position, calmly concluded.

“So it would be better to only praise me.”

He was surprisingly grumpy.