The Reason Why the Forsaken Fake Returned Chapter 122

“So-Someone who knows Milady’s identity and face?” At those thunderbolt-like words, Rose’s eyes flew wide open.

 

Shailoh quickly blended into the crowd and moved along without drawing attention.

 

“Because he must have come looking for me.”

 

“Why would His Majesty be looking for Milady…?”

 

The more Rose heard, the more puzzling it sounded. Rose tilted her head in confusion. There was something oddly off about the atmosphere between the baron who’d come as the king’s envoy and the duke. They weren’t openly at odds, but there was a tense, probing distance between them, as if they were cautiously sizing each other up. On top of that, hadn’t they already said they’d found the young lady she served…?

 

Whatever it was, the king had clearly gotten something wrong. Even if the sky fell, there was no way the duke would ever mistake his own sister and bring back the wrong person.

 

After mulling it over for a long while, Rose suddenly stopped just short of the door. “I heard His Majesty doesn’t have a queen right now. Could it be that he intends to take Milady as his queen?”

 

“…”

 

“How about revealing that Milady is the real duke’s sister? Earlier, everyone was too shocked to step forward, but if there’s a fake pretending to be Milady in the capital, that’s a serious problem…”

 

“Rose.”

 

Having listened to Rose’s hushed words the entire way back to the room, Shailoh finally made up her mind. Of course, a mere maid like Rose couldn’t possibly know the truth hidden behind all this. The vassals gathered there were probably drowning in confusion as well. Sir Kianan would explain it to them later.

 

“I have something to tell you. I need you to keep everything I’m about to say a secret.”

 

“If that’s what you wish, Milady.” Looking taken aback by the unexpected request, Rose nodded.

 

After steadying her breath, Shailoh staggered over and dropped onto the soft bed. “Like I just said, the king is looking for me.”

 

“His Majesty… is looking for Milady?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“W-Why?”

 

“Who knows…” She gave a little shrug, but in her head she already knew the answer.

 

Shailoh remembered every word of the last letter she’d left him. A letter crammed full of raw profanity, accusations, and even outright curses. Not only had she rejected Caleb’s offer to stay by his side as his concubine, but she’d also gone so far as to treat every moment she’d spent with him like so much filth.

 

No matter how beautiful and dazzling the beginning had been, it was now a memory more futile and hollow than a pile of burnt ashes. Merely looking back on it felt like digging up someone’s grave. That was how horrible it was, and how hard.

 

“It’s not because of the reason you just mentioned. Of course, you wouldn’t know since you’ve always lived here, but I was actually a fairly well-known singer. Under the name Sasha Griche.”

 

Rose’s face, which Shailoh had expected to stay blank, suddenly went rigid. “Sasha… Griche?”

 

“You’ve heard the name?”

 

“I heard it once from a band of gypsies passing through here not long ago. We only crossed paths for a moment, so I didn’t hear much.”

 

Shailoh was briefly taken aback by Rose’s words, then let out a bitter little smile. She remembered that she’d once been a woman who’d set the capital buzzing. Even if she’d never meant to.

 

“What did they say?”

 

“They said you were a woman who could captivate men with just a look. Like a siren who corrupts the men she ensnares… that kind of woman.” Rose blurted it out absentmindedly, then belatedly realized what she was saying. She immediately threw herself flat on the floor. “I-I’m sorry, Milady! Please forgive me if I offended you.”

 

“It’s fine,” Shailoh answered softly and pushed her hair back from her face. “Please get up.”

 

“…”

 

“Rose.”

 

“To think I said something like that about His Grace’s only and only precious sister… I deserve punishment.”

 

“Rose. I really am fine.” Letting out a heavy sigh, Shailoh took Rose’s hands and helped her to her feet. “I won’t tell anyone.”

 

“Really…?”

 

“Of course. You’re keeping my secret, Rose. So why would I tell anyone?” Her voice was gentle, but there was a hint of threat beneath it. If Rose ever revealed who she really was, Shailoh would make sure everyone heard about Rose’s rudeness just now.

 

Instead of shrinking back in fear like Shailoh had expected, Rose only blinked quietly, then lifted Shailoh’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Thank you, Milady! You really are a good person. Serving someone like you is an honor far beyond anything I deserve.”

 

“…Not at all.”

 

It seemed Shailoh had underestimated how much the people of the North revered the Yesiol family. Hiding her tangled feelings, Shailoh led Rose over to the couch.

 

Aside from Declen and Kianan, almost no one here knew her circumstances. It was the kind of situation that became dangerous once people knew, so she’d never intended to tell anyone. But Rose, who stood right at her side and assisted her, needed to know the truth.

 

“Rose, I’m only telling you this because I trust you to keep all my secrets.” Guiding Rose to sit on the couch, Shailoh took the seat beside her. Then she confessed quietly. “I was once a singer sponsored by His Majesty.”

 

“Whaaat?”

 

“Wasn’t that what you heard from the gypsies?”

 

“No… What I just told Milady was all I heard.”

 

Rose covered her mouth and stared at Shailoh, her face a picture of shock. It wasn’t an unexpected reaction, so Shailoh calmly began to unfold her story.

 

“My connection with His Majesty goes back further than you might think. I lost my birth mother when I was young and grew up in an orphanage. Then, around the age of ten, I entered a noble family, for a certain reason. It was to stand in for their missing daughter.”

 

“…”

 

“For a while, I was happy. I felt like I’d been given the whole world, just because I had a family again. But eight years later, their real daughter returned. After that… they cast me aside.”

 

There was no need to spell out every last detail. Choosing her words with care, Shailoh skimmed over some parts of her past and emphasized others.

 

“Then, by chance… I met His Majesty while staying at the home of a madam who had taken me in. At that time, neither of us knew each other’s identity.”

 

“My goodness!”

 

Hands clasped, Rose listened intently, nodding along. Shailoh gave a silent little smile at the dreamy look on Rose’s face, as if she were picturing some fated encounter, and went on.

 

“We got along better than either of us expected, and we grew close. But that was the end of it. His Majesty disappeared soon after. I thought I’d never see him again. And then…”

 

“And then…?”

 

“I fell into a trap set by the family I had once lived with, and that’s where we met again. His Majesty helped me. He also helped me greatly in succeeding as a singer.”

 

“Good heavens!” Covering her mouth, Rose nodded in admiration. “So that’s the kind of connection you two had!”

 

“That went on for three years. He couldn’t have treated me better and… naturally, I grew close to His Majesty.”

 

“And then?”

 

“And then we became lovers, because His Majesty confessed that he loved me. And because, before I even realized it, I was in love with him too.”

 

As if she had expected that much, Rose nodded with a flushed face.

 

“But… things fell apart.”

 

“Why?”

 

“There were complicated circumstances that are difficult to explain one by one. There was something fundamentally incompatible between us… Although I tried to leave, His Majesty wouldn’t let me go. Then, by chance, I learned my true identity and asked my brother for help.”

 

“I see…” Rose listened closely to Shailoh’s calm explanation, then murmured in understanding. Only now did everything that had just happened make sense. “Does Milady have any thought of… trying to make things work with His Majesty again?”

 

“Make things work…” At the cautious question, Shailoh gave a bitter little smile.

 

Had Caleb realized that she was the duke’s sister? Maybe he had, maybe he hadn’t.

 

The years they spent together had made her know the man called Caleb better than anyone. He likely knew only that Declen had taken her away. Caleb had probably thrown out bait to lure Declen to the capital, intending to make him reveal where Shailoh was hiding by whatever means necessary.

 

“It’s far too late for that. I’ve realized we were never meant to be.”

 

“Milady…”

 

“So while that envoy stays here, will you help me keep out of sight? And keep my identity a secret as well?”

 

“Of course! Please don’t worry!” Rose nodded over and over as if taking an oath, then pushed herself up from her seat a moment later. “I’m thirsty. Shall I bring you a cup as well, Milady?”

 

“Sure. Thank you.” Though she’d only shared it in pieces, Shailoh nodded, feeling lighter for having finally talked about her past.

 

“I’ll be right back.” With that, Rose closed the door and headed for the kitchen. She was hurrying back upstairs with some tea she thought her lady would like when she ran into someone.

 

“Oof.”

 

“Oh my goodness!”

 

The steaming hot black tea splashed across the man’s chest, staining it. Startled, Rose went ashen and jerked her head up.