#14

Arwenzylle blinked, her vision clearing as she looked around. She was standing in the familiar courtyard of the orphanage, surrounded by the children she had once known. But something felt different this time. The air was thick with a strange unease, and the world around her seemed altered, as though she had stepped into a different reality.

Then, a shadow fell over her, casting a cold chill across her skin. She glanced up, her heart skipping a beat.

It was the Duke of Whales.

What’s this? she thought in confusion. Why is he here? What happened? This isn’t what happened before…

The Duke stood tall, his cold, piercing gaze fixed upon her, and though he didn’t say a word, the sense of authority emanating from him was unmistakable. She felt a sense of dread settle in her chest, but it was mixed with something else—a strange pull, as though fate had tied them together once again.

He stepped forward, his presence commanding. The children in the orphanage looked on in silence, as if they, too, recognized the gravity of the situation. Arwenzylle felt frozen, unsure of what was happening. She couldn’t understand it, but she was powerless to stop it.

Before she could gather her thoughts, the Duke motioned for her to come with him. His commanding gaze softened just slightly as he addressed her.

"Arwenzylle," he said, his voice like smooth steel.

She blinked, her mind reeling. "Yes? ... I mean... Duke? Huh? ... No... I...."

The confusion and uncertainty poured from her in a flurry of words, but none of them made sense. Her heart raced, her thoughts tangled together.

"That will be your name," the Duke said, his voice firm and unyielding. "Arwenzylle Nyur Whales."

Her name. Arwenzylle Nyur Whales. It felt so foreign to her, yet it also resonated in some deep, ancient part of her soul. She had never thought she would be tied to this name, to this man—especially not after everything she had been through, after all the times she had tried to change fate.

But here she was, once again, standing before the Duke, unsure of where the path would lead her.

As the Duke took her by the arm, she was too stunned to speak. She couldn’t make sense of the situation. She was led to the Duke’s carriage, the world outside the windows blurring by as her mind raced with questions, with memories she couldn’t quite place.

What was this? Was this another chance? Or had she simply been caught in a loop she could never escape?

The carriage jolted as it began to move, and Arwenzylle sat silently across from the Duke, her hands folded tightly in her lap. The weight of her thoughts bore down on her, but she couldn’t find the answers.

What was this new reality she had woken up to? Was it another attempt to change her fate—or was this the fate she was meant to accept?

The Duke’s gaze fell upon her, his expression unreadable. There was no comfort, no warmth in his eyes. Yet, as always, his presence carried a certain gravity, and she couldn’t help but feel that this was a moment that would shape everything to come.

"Arwenzylle," he repeated quietly, his voice almost like a whisper now. "You wouldn't mind if I adopted you, right?"

The words hit her like a wave, crashing over her in a sudden, unexpected rush. Adopt me? The thought lingered in her mind, unsure of how to process it. She opened her mouth, but no words came out at first. Her mind was a whirlwind, trying to grasp the magnitude of the Duke's offer.

Adopt her? It seemed unreal, impossible, considering the cold demeanor he had always displayed toward her. The Duke of Whales, a figure of power and authority, asking to adopt someone like her? She wasn’t sure whether to feel honored or confused.

She glanced up at him, her heart pounding in her chest. He didn’t appear to be joking, nor did he seem to expect an immediate answer. His gaze remained steady and serious, waiting.

"But... why?" she finally managed to whisper. The question felt silly even as it left her lips. Why would the Duke of Whales, a man who had always been so distant, want to adopt her? Was this another twist in her fate, or something else entirely?

His expression didn’t change, though there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Because I don't have a child?" She looked at Arwenzylle and for the first time in Arwenzylle's life she saw the duke smiled.

"......"

Arwenzylle swallowed hard, her thoughts swirling like a storm. She wasn’t sure what he meant, but in this moment, she understood one thing for certain—her journey had not ended, and whatever path she was on, she was no longer the same person she had been.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***