The door closed behind them with a soft thud, and silence settled over the study. His eyes stopped on the girl at the back—nervous, quiet, her hands clenched tightly in front of her. Millie Cartwright.
He straightened his back and spoke firmly. "You are aware of why you are called here, right?"
Millie looked up quickly, startled. She swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded, voice barely above a whisper. "Y-Yes, Duke."
His stare hardened. "I expect an honest answer. If you try to lie, you know what will happen."
Millie’s heart pounded louder in her chest. Her knees trembled, but she stood her ground and gave another small nod. "Yes, Duke."
The Duke leaned slightly forward, his expression now far more serious than before. "You... who are you?"
The room felt heavier.
Millie opened her mouth and quickly answered, almost as if trying to prove herself before being misunderstood again. "I’m not lying about my Identity, I’m Millie Cartwright... fifteen years old, Duke. You took from the orphanage three years ago. I’m just a servant..."
The Duke gave a small nod. His voice ca again, lower this ti. "Based on your actions earlier... how long have you known you are capable of such a thing?"
Millie hesitated Her mouth opened, but no words ca out at first. Then, slowly, she looked down at her feet, her voice small and trembling.
"My... my mother. She had it too," she said. "She used to heal people in secret in the village. But when I was ten... she got very sick. She knew she was dying. Before she passed, she... she said she would give it to , when she held my hand, there was this... warmth. A light. And after that, she was gone. And I... I could feel it. Her gift But my mother made promise to hide it so she teached how to hide any healing traces. She said... healing attracts danger. That people would use it. Or worse."
"And yet today, you revealed it."
Millie looked down. "Because I couldn’t... I couldn’t just watch Young Master die, Duke. I know my place. But he... he’s the young master. I just—"
"You chose loyalty," the Duke interrupted gently, but firmly. "And that is not sothing I punish."
The room was quiet again. Not even Vivienne or Andrius moved. The Duke narrowed his eyes. He repeated softly, "Your mother’s na was...?"
Millie’s voice shook as she answered, "Danna Cartwright."
He repeated the na under his breath. "Danna Cartwright..." He leaned back slightly in his chair, frowning. "That na... it’s not familiar to the noble registry, and I don’t rember it from the battlefield records either."
Then his eyes slowly lifted toward Millie again. "But that ability... healing... it is not sothing common. Not even among awakened bloodlines. It is one of the rarest gifts known to this empire. In this generation alone... Only one posess it."
Vivienne and Andrius listened quietly, knowing better than to interrupt.
The Duke continued, "One of them is a prince of Archantia. Prince Caldrein. Ten years ago, during the Eastern War, he was wounded by a cursed blade and was supposed to die within the night. But sothing strange happened. A woman—unknown, never seen again—healed him. The prince later awakened with that sa power. He claid it ca from her. So said she was a saint in disguise... others believed it was a transfer of blood."
He paused, letting the weight of history settle into the room.
"To see that sa light here... in my own estate..." The Duke’s voice quieted, but there was no softness in it. Only thought. "It ans your mother—whoever she truly was—carried sothing far greater than you knew. And now that gift lives in you."
Millie stared at the floor, her fists trembling. "I didn’t want anyone to know. I was scared. I didn’t want to be taken away."
The Duke stood slowly from his chair.
"You won’t be taken," he said. "But this gift... it cannot be allowed to spread beyond these walls. No one can know you possess it. Do you understand , Millie Cartwright?"
Millie quickly nodded, her voice small and tight. "Yes, Duke. I understand."
"Good," the Duke said. He looked at Vivienne and Andrius. "You two will ensure this secret stays hidden. No one else speaks of what happened tonight."
They nodded without question.
The Duke turned back to Millie. "You will remain in this household as you always have. You will continue your duties. But if ever this power must be used again... it will be by my order alone. Do you accept that?"
Millie slowly bowed her head. "I accept, Duke."
The Duke muttered quietly to himself, his brow furrowed. "I didn’t even know Axelius had such a maid."
Vivienne, who had lingered respectfully near the side, took a small step forward, her hands clasped. "If I may, Father," she said gently, "Millie has only served as Axelius’s personal maid for five days."
The Duke turned his head toward her, eyes narrowing slightly. "Five days?"
"On her first day, she was assigned to assist Cyruz, Father"
The Duke’s eyes narrowed slightly, confusion flickering across his face. "Cyruz?" he repeated, turning his gaze back to Millie.
Vivienne gave a nod. "Yes. But she requested to be reassigned as Axelius’s personal maid. It was approved because no one else wanted the position at the ti."
This new information only made the situation more puzzling. The Duke frowned deeper, "Then why..." he murmured, mostly to himself, before his voice rose again. "Why would a maid who barely knows Axelius risk everything? Why would you act so quickly, expose such a power...?"
Millie felt that the Duke questioned her loyalty imdiately kneel, Her hands balled tightly into her apron as she lowered her head.
"I–I was just doing my duty, Duke," she said, her voice shaky. "That’s all."
The Duke raised a brow. "Duty?" he echoed. "You were prepared to bleed for him who you just served for 5 days than Cyruz that you served for three years. To risk being discovered. To faint from exhaustion. That goes beyond duty."
Millie’s heart thudded against her ribs. Her breath hitched. "I–I really care about Young Master Axelius," she blurted out suddenly, too fast.
The Duke expression shows that he don’t believe her making Millie panic,
"Duke!" her voice echoing slightly in the wide office, "You took and my two orphan brothers from the orphanage. You gave us a ho, gave them a chance to study, gave work and dignity. Because of that... I swore to the deities that I would give my loyalty to this house, no matter what."
Her words ca quickly, laced with emotion. "I swear on my life—I will never lie to you. I will never betray this family."
The Duke said nothing, watching quietly as her voice cracked again—not with fear, but regret.
Millie lifted her face slightly, just enough for him to see the guilt in her eyes. "But... because of that gratitude, I beca proud. Too proud. I forgot that I am only a maid. I acted as if I was more. But... Young Master Axelius reminded —he made realize how far I’ve stepped out of my place."
The Duke remained still, Then after a long pause, he finally spoke—his voice low but commanding.
"I felt sothing missing...I want the whole truth."
He turned slightly, eyes flicking toward the door. "Call Cyruz," he ordered the butler standing outside. The butler, who had been waiting in silence, gave a small bow and quickly left to fulfill the command.
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