i hid the duke's daughter | completed

Chapter 05

Let's Hold Hands And Go

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The occasional chirping of birds sounded in the otherwise peaceful forest. As he stood quietly, Islay couldn't stop thinking about Evelyn after seeing that little girl that uncannily resembled his lover.

Whenever his surroundings were this silent, he would be reminded of the moment when Evelyn disappeared. What had his grandmother said to him as he stood, unable to escape his shock at Evelyn's disappearance?

Islay's face suddenly showed a disgusted expression at the memory.

***

"Didn't this turn out for the best, after all, such a lowly woman doesn't suit you."

His grandmother said these words, as if she had been waiting for Evelyn to disappear, to the disillusioned Islay.

"You should now meet a true lady who is worthy to marry into the Neidhart family."

"...A lady who is worthy of the Neidhart family?"

Did that mean she thought Evelyn was less worthy?

Islay's eyes sharpened.

"Don't you agree? Weren't you pretending to be lovers with that lowly girl?"

As soon as he heard that, Islay realized. His grandmother had been heavily involved with Evelyn's disappearance.

"In the first place, she isn't someone you have to be so angry or sad over."

She spoke, smiling at her grandson.

"She was someone who didn't know her place...Well, anyway, it's a relief that she's long gone."

Islay's face froze and hardened at that remark.

Long gone?

"Of course, the amount needed to send her away was more than she deserved."

Grandmother gave her money? No way, it can't be that she threw money at Evelyn and chased her away?

He felt as if he'd been dunked in cold ice water.

"Does it make sense for my grandson to be with some good-for-nothing vagrant?"

"...Please leave."

"What? What are you saying to your very own grandmother?"'

"I will have absolutely no contact with you until I find Eve."

And after that, Islay really never met his grandmother. He also formally announced to the empire that he would never marry. Countless rumors sprang up like clouds about what had happened to Duke Islay to make him want to stay single for the rest of his life.