Not My Sins

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Rain was cooped up in her room, for the week, just as the doctor had advised she decided to rest her body well, she didn't feel anything out of the ordinary with her body, apart from the fatigue.

Maybe the doctor was wrong and she didn't have a serious illness, such light cold or fever could also disrupt the flow of one's mana that should be the case with her as well. From the books she read the past few days, it says she is supposed to have pain in her abdomen or her muscles, then convulsion followed by a contraction finally a dry cough that comes with vomiting of blood. 

 But Rain feels fine…

 She was right to have told the maid not to worry, she would have gotten them killed for nothing and there was still no guarantee the Duke would do the same thing he did for her sister Iris. Since she was an illegitimate child, this could be a perfect opportunity to get rid of her.

"My lady, I have prepared your bath," Marine said with a light bow, and Rain snapped the book shut in her hands and handed it to the maid. "Where do you have in mind?"

 Rose got out of bed steadily, she still felt dizzy but if she did everything with caution it didn't bother her as much.

"Remember the doctor had suggested you get good bed rest." She answered with a light shake of her head, Marine walked towards Rain and supported her from the sides. "You shouldn't be walking around, unless it's important or you are summoned."

"Yes, I understand, but I have to see the Duke." She rephrased confidently. "The young Duke." 

"Why would you go see that maniac?" The maid panicked and Rain steadied on her own two feet, the lightheadedness had gone, she unfasted the belt that held her dress together and peeled the soft material away from her body. "Who knows what he would do to you? I'm sorry, I cannot allow you to go."

"I'll be fine, Marine." She assured. "If he tries to assault me, I will tell him about my sickness."

 Even though Rain assured her she would be fine, Marine was still uneasy.

"I will follow you," She urged. "You know he has ill feelings for you, what if he uses that as an excuse to harass you, when you are alone with him."

"What?" Rain burst into a short laugh. "Are you my escort?"

"No but…"

"But nothing Marine." Rain undid her undergarments too, and she picked the clothes that was now on the floor and handed them to her handmaiden. "I thought hard and well about what I want to do, and I know my brother may be cunning, he will not harass me out open under the nose of the duke or his mother."

She sounded a bit too confident, maybe it's because it's her premonition.

"If he wanted to try anything he was going to come down here," She raised an eyebrow. "Where no one would see."

"You do have a point but," Marine rubbed her upper arm and she shook slightly with unease. "I don't want him to hurt you."

"Trust me, Marine. Moreover, he promised not to do anything until my coming of age."

"Have you forgotten you are already of age?" Marine reminded her. "The Duke didn't throw you a party just because he wanted you to celebrate with Lily your younger sister." 

 Rain tightened her fist as she walked towards the Young Duke's residence, she was able to convince Marine to stay back, her brother might be offended by the presence of the maid, since she didn't allow him vent his anger out on her the last time.

He might just continue from where he stopped and use it as an opportunity to blackmail her.

 She wasn't so sure he wouldn't try to harass her but her goal is to bargain with him, she met with his secretary, at the annex of his office.

"My lady, what brings you here?" Mr. Oh the Secretary asked with a brief smile, he was an old man in his mid-60s, his wrinkled eyes closed slightly as he smiled. "Do you want to see the Young Lord?"

"Yes, Mr. Oh." She smiled back at him. "I would like to see my brother."

"Oh who is it?" Rain stiffened when she heard the voice of the young Duke from inside the office, outside had been quiet for a while, but he suddenly heard his secretary chatting.

"My Lord, the Lady Rain is outside here to see you."

"Let her inside," He ordered, his voice lighter than before.

"Good day, young Duke." She greeted with a slight bow as she walked into his office, Izekiel was seated behind the oak desk, a lot of paper sprawled on the table, he handled most of the Duke's businesses, and he is the most successful young Duke the Empire has ever known. He was thoughtful and sly just as Elias had described him to be.

 He didn't need to rely on his father's wealth, he used his own skills and strength to make out a name for himself, his father couldn't have been more proud to have a son like him.

 The only flaw the Duke had was despite being a responsible, young man of 24 years, he had refused to get married. 

"What brings you here unannounced?" He asked curiously, he kept on scribbling down on the papers, he set another book down and flipped through the documents in a blink of an eye. "Did you miss me so much you would rather stop by to say hi than to wait patiently for me?"

"I came along because I have something to discuss with you." She said nearing the table, her eyes scanning through some of the papers on the table, they were all property agreement forms, and she wondered if the Duke was acquiring more land.

 He already had a lot of land in the estate, according to Lily the land of the estate is almost one third of the entire empire. 

That was more than enough for them.

But what does she know about business anyways.

"Speak on, pardon me if I am unable to give you maximum attention, I am to submit these papers to father for another review before noon." He continued what he did but stretched out his hands to her. "Please have your sit."

"Some few days back, I was attacked in my residence." She blurted out and almost instinctively Izekiel raised his face at her, his eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed the faded bruise at the ends of her lips and the edge of her eyes. "Since the residence is at quite a long distance from the main building, it was easier for them to break in, and there were no royal guard, the handmaiden who would usually stay with me, had retired to her room that evening."

"What bastard did this to you?" He reached for her face, and his thumb caressed the wound, even though faint, there was still pain there. Rain moved her head away from his touch, but not because of the pain, it was because she was uncomfortable. "What did they do to you?"

"T-They robbed me…" She lied. "They took away the jewelrys, and I was beaten as well."

"Did you see their faces?" He queried and Rain shook her head, lying again, she had promised Doni she wouldn't tell the Duke anything. "Oh!"

"Yes, Young Duke." The old man rushed into the office.

"Gather some of the most skilled guards and go to the servants quarters, search every nook and cranny, find any piece of jewel that belongs to the lady, bring whoever is in possession of the jewel to me, I will skin them alive." He growled the words at the poor old assistant. "No one can hurt my sister, no one, most especially those low lives."

"Brother," Rain gasped. "I am sure whoever did this must have gone."

"I am going to find them and make them pay, Rain." He rests his back against the chair, he had given up on working even though he had claimed to have a lot of paper work to finish that day.

"What will you do if you find them?"

"I will kill them." He answered bluntly, she didn't doubt him, it was something he would do.

"I didn't come here for you to take revenge," Rain defended. "I believe it is now a waste of effort to try to find a missing jewelry that must have been sold."

"Then tell me, dear sister, why are you here?" He asked folding his large arms across his chest.

"I came here because I want you to help me," She answered, gripping the edge of her dress tightly. "I want to move to the main residence where everyone stayed."

Izekiel suddenly started to chuckle, a small laugh that offended Rain.

"I am the daughter of the Duke, and your half sister, I believe we are doing nothing but dragging the Duke's name in the mud if I am available for the servants." She explained further and the Duke's eyes tightened.

"Well, I made no such law," He unfolds his arms. "For as far as I can remember the Duchess is in charge of the affairs of the estate, why don't you talk to her?"

"I am talking to you because I am being targeted by people who had grudges against you." She answered. "I believe you should take responsibility, the Duchess might not listen to what I have to say, but I am sure if you spoke on my behalf, she would let me use a room."

A sly smirk spread across his lips.

"Are you trying to blackmail your older brother now, sweetheart?"