Chapter -024.

Chapter -24.

[Effie's pov.]

Effie stood in the dimly lit corridor, her mind racing with the implications of what she had just overheard. The words of her husband echoed in her ears, a mix of disbelief and concern swirling within her.

"Did Lucien really destroy a wooden dummy?" she pondered, her heart heavy with worry. The thought of her husband stirring up trouble for Lucien, a young man who had shown nothing but promise and dedication, gnawed at her. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she barely noticed when she reached her destination, the door to Daphne's room looming before her.

With a resigned sigh, Effie chastised herself for her overactive imagination. "Why am I getting so worried? If Lucien has grown stronger, then that's a testament to our training," she reasoned, trying to shake off the unease that clung to her. "Anyway, I need to focus on Daphne until midnight." The promise of their training session later that evening provided a sliver of comfort, a chance to confirm her suspicions and perhaps ease her mind. With a determined nod, she knocked twice on the door, announcing her presence. "It's me, young miss."

"Come in," came the sweet, melodic voice from within, and Effie pushed the door open, stepping into the room with a sense of purpose. However, the moment she crossed the threshold, her eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively raised her hands to shield her gaze. "Miss Daphne! You should have let me know you were changing! I would have stood outside and waited," she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Daphne, seemingly unfazed by Effie's reaction, flashed a playful smile. "Come on, don't be like that when we're alone, Aunt. Besides, I need your suggestion." The young woman stood before her, her attire revealing more than Effie had anticipated, her bosom almost visible to the naked eye. Daphne pouted adorably, her cheeks puffing out as she swayed her figure, playfully tugging at Effie's hand and drawing it toward her.

"Suggestion?" Effie stammered, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected turn of their conversation. Her gaze fell upon the array of elegant robes strewn across the luxurious bed, and realization dawned on her. "Daphne, anything you wear would look good on you," she said, her voice softening. "But did you get the chainmail armor to wear underneath the dress? You know how some goblins can be sneaky."

Daphne rolled her eyes, a playful tsk escaping her lips. "Aunt Effie, you're no fun anymore." The young woman's disappointment was palpable, her pout deepening as she crossed her arms. Yet, before she could let her frustration boil over, Effie reached out, pinching her cheeks gently. "Well, I'll help you pick the perfect dress for marking your sign on the battalion tomorrow," she promised, her tone turning serious. "But don't forget, your safety comes first before anything else."

In that moment, Effie couldn't help but see Daphne as a reflection of someone who she saw as if she was her own daughter, a young woman who had blossomed into adulthood yet still retained a hint of childlike innocence.

...

"Wow, that was tougher than I expected!" Effie sighed, suddenly reminded of the chaos that comes with picking out dresses. It had been a while since she had to deal with that, and she realized the night had crept up on her faster than she thought. She found herself rushing to the training spot, hoping Lucien wouldn't just leave if he didn't see her.

When she finally arrived, she was taken aback by what she saw. Not too far from their usual training area, Lucien was practicing with his sword all by himself. But this time, there was something different about him. Each swing was precise and smooth, a skill that took someone like her a lot of hard work to achieve.

"Looks like what that husband of mine was saying with those guys was spot on," she thought to herself, feeling a wave of happiness wash over her. Just a few days ago, she was worried about having to protect him, but now, seeing his progress made her feel so much better.

"Anyway, I shouldn't keep my sweet Lucy waiting too long, or he might get upset!" With a warm smile lighting up her face, Effie decided to sneak up on Lucien to see just how ready he ready was for the upcoming hunt, which could be pretty dangerous if he wasn't prepared.

With quick, quiet steps, she approached him and swung her sword toward his waist without drawing it. Just as she thought she had successfully surprised him, she was met with an unexpected response.

Clang!

The sound of metal echoed around them, and Theodore, who had been focused on his own practice, turned around with a serious expression. But as soon as he saw Effie, his seriousness melted away into a big smile. "Oh, it's you, Miss Effie! You startled me! I thought our meeting spot had been discovered since you were late."

Effie gave him an apologetic smile and explained why she had arrived late.

"So that's how you managed to come here yesterday? But wouldn't he check with Miss Daphne if he sensed something was wrong?" Lucien was a bit surprised by Effie's clever plan to stay out of the house. But knowing Adam's clingy nature, he couldn't help but worry. Who knew when that guy might show up at the crowfield family's manor to see his wife?

"Don't fret, that won't happen. I'm sure he's out there having a great time with some woman he's been seeing for a few years now; and here i'm enjoying yours." Effie, who had plenty of reasons to be unfaithful to her husband, shared one of those reasons with the man whose company she enjoyed, even laughing with him.

Deep down, she realized that there might come a day when Lucien could also decide to leave her, as he was young and has a long life ahead,so, she thought it would be best to clarify a few things if it helped ease the guilt for both of them.