I'm the Real One, Duke! - c1
“Flora, you’re Maggie starting today. Never say your own name from now on.”
Flora fell into despair when the count, her own father, said those words.
Theodore, her first love and the heir apparent of the duke, had proposed to her, so she thought they would finally be married.
Theodore and Flora met only once when they were children, but they had promised to wed each other back then. He returned to fulfill that promise, and he came to the count’s mansion to propose officially.
It had been 10 years since they last met, but Flora saw him once three years ago. He had become a very handsome young man.
She thought it was a pity that they didn’t have the chance to talk to each other, but she didn’t expect that he would keep that promise. Flora was deeply moved. She was immersed in the joy that she would finally meet her beloved once again.
However, something unbelievable happened.
“The woman who will marry the Duke won’t be you.”
Her father, the count, coldly spat out.
She had been forced to become a servant and live in the attic three years ago.
Maggie, the daughter of the second wife, took the beautiful room that had been hers.
Flora, who had been the noble daughter of the count before that time, became a servant doing chores within the mansion.
Because of financial difficulties, the count couldn’t employ many servants, so he used Flora instead.
And yet, he doted on Maggie, the daughter of his second wife.
Flora was heartbroken when she saw that, but three years was enough for her heart to cool down.
When news came that Theodore visited the count for marriage talks, Flora was filled with happiness, but that joy was instantly shattered when the count told her that Maggie would replace her as the duke’s bride.
“Father, please reconsider! I am Flora. I am the one who promised the Duke we’ll get married when we were young. Please, please allow me to meet him…”
“Shut up! You daughter of a harlot!”
The count slapped Flora.
She fell to the floor because of the impact.
It was then that Maggie entered the room.
Maggie was wearing a blood-red dress, and she sneered at Flora.
“Oh goodness me, how filthy! Trying to reach beyond your status, are we? Do you honestly think you can marry His Grace?”
Flora bit her lips.
“Daddy, I’m going to marry His Grace, right?”
Maggie cheerfully asked the count, who then beamed in reply.
“Yes, my dear. You, my one and only daughter, will become the Duchess.”
“How splendid!”
“His Grace didn’t make that promise with you, he came to propose to me! I already endured everything until now, but this is the only thing I will never yield to!!”
Flora glared at Maggie as she desperately yelled. Maggie coldly stared at her, before grabbing the wine glass on the table and dumping the contents on Flora’s head.
“Ahahaha. Goodness me, I spilled the wine. Even though this is so expensive.”
“You don’t have to worry about that, Maggie dear. We just have to punish Flora for her impudence. She’s just a mere servant, after all.”
“You’re right, Mother.”
Flora, thoroughly drenched in wine, stared daggers at the both of them.
“The Duke will visit the mansion tomorrow. You’ll be acting as Flora from now on. Don’t make a mistake.”
“Yes, Daddy, I know. I’m Flora from today on.”
“Stop it! I’m Flora! That’s my name!!”
Flora angrily protested.
“Ahh, so noisy. Is the sorcerer not here yet?”
Flora’s heart jumped when she heard that.
A servant entered, escorting an old hag clad in black hooded robes.
The count smirked when he saw her.
“I’ve been waiting for you. Hurry up and curse this woman.”
“Curse!?”
Flora tried to scramble to her feet in an attempt to flee, but the servant seized her hands and pushed her down to the floor.
“No! Let me go!!”
She desperately tried to flail around, but she couldn’t move. The hag drew closer and grabbed her head. In that instant, Flora received a shock as if she was hit by lightning.
“GYAHHHH!!!”
She was about to faint, but the hag ordered the servant to pour water on her.
“Alright, it’s done. You will never be able to utter your name again with this.”
“How long will it last? It’ll be a problem if she can say her name again after a while.
The count asked, and the hag then replied.
“As long as the curse isn’t broken, she won’t be able to say it for the rest of her life.”
A creepy sneer appeared on the count’s face when he heard the hag’s response. Maggie grabbed Flora by the hair and lifted her up.
“Come now, try to say your own name. Hurry up and spit it out.”
“Urk…Ugh, F…f….”
Flora’s voice didn’t come out.
Maggie’s eyes widened at the sight, then she burst out laughing.
“Ahahaha! So wretched! Alright, from now on, I’ll be Flora, and I’ll be the one to marry the Duke! Ahahhaha!!”
Flora’s tears streamed down her face as she helplessly glared at Maggie.
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T/N: Hello, Hanazakura here, this is a short novel I decided to translate while waiting for more chapters of Hundred Blossom Palace. Schedule will be 1-2 chapters per week, no fixed days 🙂 Hope you enjoy it 🙂