Angelus Carduus

Chapter 8: The Duchess Became Famous?

Valeria walked around the town, never once finding it boring. Every spot had a shop and it was filled with people walking around.

Her face held no expression but her eyes twinkled every now and then. It has been such a long time since Valeria has ever come out, too long that she couldn't remember the last time she did go out.

Valeria noticed a food stall and stopped walking. Her eyes were stuck on the street food that was being sold at the sides of the road where carriages go through. Myra stopped walking as well.

"Would you like some, your grace?" she asked once she found out where Valeria had been looking.

Valeria nodded and without a word she walked over to the stall. There weren't many people around the stall so she was able to buy four grill sticks.

She walked back to where Myra was standing and handed her one stick while another one was in her mouth. She handed the other two to the two guards that had followed them out to the town.

"Thank you, duchess!!" the two guards thanked and accepted it from her.

Myra on the other hand, shook her head, "You can have it, your grace."

Valeria was stubborn and continued holding it in front of Myra who in the end gave in to her and gratefully accepted the food. After that, Valeria continued walking around, buying food once in a while.

"Your grace, I think we should head back to the mansion now." Myra said, noticing the day was soon ending.

Valeria nodded and followed Myra back to where the carriage was waiting when they were forced to come to a halt due to a crowd forming in front of them.

She stared at the crowd before walking inside it. She walked past everyone, standing in front of the crowd now. In the middle of the crowd was a carriage and a young boy.

"Do you not see where you're looking!?" a man with shiny accessories that decorated his body shouted angrily.

The young boy flinched at the voice which shouted at him. Valeria could see that the young boy was injured and she knew it was caused by this noble's carriage.

"Please stand back, your grace." one of the guards said.

She wanted to ignore the scene happening in front of her but her guilty conscience wasn't allowing her to do so.

'You're the duchess now.' her brain reminded her.

She sighed to herself. "Right...I'm the duchess now." she murmured.

The noble was about to hit the young boy but Valeria walked over to them, standing in between him and the young boy.

"Who are you to intervene?!" the noble glared but Valeria didn't flinch or blink an eyelid at him.

This caused the noble to become more irritated. "Do you not know who am I?! I am Count Fabius!!"

Valeria sighed and cocked her head to the side. "So?"

"So?! I will destroy your whole family!!" he fumed.

She nodded, "Alright."

"..What?"

"Then do you know who am I?" Valeria directed the question back at the noble.

He scoffed, a smirk on his face as he spoke, "You must be from a poor noble background obviously. Look at your clothes, it's so plain."

He snickered at her. Valeria nodded again, her facial expressions never once changing.

"But you must know my husband."

"Husband? He must be shitty as well." Count Fabius cackled at his own jokes.

Valeria didn't say anything else and turned to the young boy who was on the ground behind her. She extended her hand towards the boy who accepted it.

"Hey I'm not done talking to you! How dare you turn your back in front of me!"

"This noble is really annoying.." Valeria mumbled to herself.

She checked the young boy's body and nodded to herself once she saw the injuries he had received weren't bad but minor only.

"I command you to look at me!" he yelled furiously, grabbing her shoulder, forcefully turning her around to make her look at him.

She slapped his hand away and glared icily, "Don't touch me."

Count Fabius jumped in fright after seeing her fierce glare but didn't dare to back away.

He quickly cleared his throat, "Tell me what family you come from and apologise to me, maybe then I'll spare you and that boy who got in the way of my carriage."

Valeria stared at him with disinterest before nodding. "Alright."

Count Fabius lifted his chin uphigh proudly as he waited for her to apologise.

"Your grace!!" Myra called out to her as she struggled to get out of the crowd, running over to her side.

His eyes widened in shock as he heard Myra's words.

"Your grace...?"

"Duchess please don't do that next time!" one of the guards said, running over to her side after getting out of the crowd.

"Yes duchess, let us handle it." the other guard said.

"Myra take care of his injuries." Valeria said, pushing the young boy to Myra.

"Yes, your grace."

"Wait.." Count Fabius' voice shook as cold sweat ran down his spine.

"Are you...Duke Rubis' wife?" he shakily said.

The crowd surrounding them began whispering to each other loudly with surprised looks on their face. They never saw the duchess until now.

Valeria nodded, lifting her chin upwards just like what he had done previously, "That's right."

His face paled in horror before going on his knees, "P-p-please forgive me duchess!!!"

"You have insulted the duke and duchess' name. Don't think we will show any mercy!" the guard shouted, about to take his sword out when Valeria stopped him.

She looked down at the sad figure kneeling at her, "Stand up."

"D-duchess!" Count Fabius beamed and quickly stood up.

She stood in front of him and touched his shoulder before coldly speaking with a smirk on her lips, "I'll let the duke handle this."

Valeria turned back to the young boy and patted his head before walking away back to where the carriage was, leaving the noble who was now in despair, regretting everything he had done.

The two guards glanced at him before following Valeria. Myra smiled at the young boy,

"The duchess is an amazing person isn't she?"

The young boy nodded, "Yes! I wish to work in the duke's army for the duchess!"

Myra chuckled at him before waving goodbye at the young boy and headed back to Valeria's side.

Without Valeria knowing, news of her and what she had done would spread across the dukedom and soon she was known widely by all the townspeople. As for the noble, Count Fabius, his family would be at a disadvantage thanks to what he had done.