I Accidentally Imprinted On The Wolf Duke (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9
Yet Chloe’s legs stopped dead in their tracks before she could even take a few steps.
Run away? That’s insane.
Naturally, the unspoken command following the words, “I’m returning to the ducal residence for now,” was “Come with me immediately.”
The Duke had left ahead of her as if granting her the freedom to choose her next move, but unless Chloe was a fool, there was no way she could possibly flee.
Not after he’d openly left a guarantor behind.
This was exactly why guarantees were so dangerous.
If she broke free of the leash around her neck and ran, that very leash would instead be fastened onto Carcus, who had helped her time and again.
Thud… thud…
With the sensation of being dragged by an invisible yet undeniably powerful leash she couldn’t even touch or see, Chloe took heavy steps toward the ducal residence.
[This is the timeline separator]“You arrived rather quickly.”
The moment Chloe stepped into the Duke’s office, a sharp voice greeted her.
It was a reproach for arriving so late—after all, she’d walked slowly on foot while the Duke had already ridden off on horseback, long before even her carriage could catch up.
Hello there, Master holding my leash.
Seriously, what ox in their right mind would eagerly sprint toward the slaughterhouse?
“I’m sorry.”
Yet despite her inner thoughts, Chloe lowered her head and apologized.
Walking slowly had been her minimal act of resistance.
But now was the time to grovel. After all, the Duke held documents in his hand.
The very documents that had forced her to return here.
Just as she’d suspected.
The employment papers Mr. Wilson had possessed. This was precisely why documented evidence was so terrifying.
It even listed her family relations.
Her suspicions during the walk had been correct—the Duke had discovered her lie because of those documents.
In truth, she hadn’t entirely ruled out the possibility that family information might be recorded in the documents.
But even if such details were included, she’d assumed the Duke would never bother reading the employment papers of a mere servant.
After all, she was just a personal attendant—someone utterly unworthy of the Duke’s attention.
So why, of all things, had the Duke happened to see those papers? Among countless servants whose names he likely didn’t even know, why had he taken interest in the documents of a personal attendant who’d intended to leave after just three months?
Then again, thinking back over the past few days, the Duke had indeed shown unusual personal interest in her lately.
Only to later shoo her away as if she were vermin.
“Are you going to stand by the door like that indefinitely?”
At the Duke’s words, Chloe set down her belongings and moved toward his desk.
But she stood much farther away than usual, hands neatly clasped over her stomach. She didn’t dare get closer—after all, he might once again complain about her scent or say something frightening.
“Chloe Reeden.”
“……!”
That was an even more terrifying phrase than hearing about her smell.
Chloe Reeden?
She nearly blurted out, “Yes!” out of sheer shock.
“It’s your younger sister’s name.”
“Oh… yes.”
He hadn’t been calling her.
He’d simply confirmed the name of Klein Reeden’s younger sister—though in truth, it was her own name.
So the documents listed even her family members’ names.
Caught between astonishment and panic, her palms grew so sweaty from the nervous tension that her clasped hands began to slip.
Now that Sir Joyce had already discovered the woman the Duke had slept with was named “Chloe,” and the Duke had just seen the name “Chloe” on her documents…
Most likely, the Duke hadn’t summoned her to interrogate her about lying about having no siblings. Rather, he probably wanted to ask, “Could your younger sister Chloe possibly be the woman I slept with?”
Given their matching names, it was only natural he’d suspect as much.
This also explained why the Duke had gone all the way to the Information Guild alley to fetch a servant who’d already resigned—simply because she’d lied. She had to stay sharp. One careless word, and she might slip up under the Duke’s intense scrutiny.
“Chloe. Same scent.”
The Duke muttered to himself.
Seeing his expression as he murmured, Chloe had a sudden premonition.
The Duke didn’t seem to be merely questioning whether the woman he’d slept with was the younger sister of his servant—he appeared already certain of it.
Same name, same scent—it must be Chloe Reeden, Klein Reeden’s younger sister, who was that very woman.
What nonsense about “scent sealing one’s fate”! Since when did humans have such overpowering natural scents!
Did only you spend the whole night smelling my scent?
I smelled yours too, you know! But I don’t remember a thing about your so-called “scent”!
Why must you be so particular about it…?!
‘Huh…? What… is this?’
It was truly bizarre. She’d never experienced anything like it before, yet suddenly, she caught the Duke’s scent.
Was it an illusion?
A symptom of nervous exhaustion from extreme stress?
She’d never once detected someone else’s scent from this distance before—especially now, when she was standing even farther away from him than usual.
Then why was she suddenly aware of the Duke’s scent out of nowhere?
Scent, scent…
Because of that cursed Duke endlessly singing about “scent,” even her own nose and head felt scrambled.
Utterly bewildered by this indistinguishable sensation—whether real smell or mere delusion—Chloe bit the inside of her lip.
“Why did you lie about not having a younger sister? You must have realized the woman I’m searching for is your sister.”
As expected… the Duke was completely convinced.
Absurdly enough, his certainty seemed to stem less from the name “Chloe” and more from the “scent.”
Even more absurdly, despite how flimsy that reasoning was, it happened to be the truth.
What should she do? Should she just confess outright that it was her who’d shared that night with him? Admit she’d concealed her gender for three whole months?
Once again, that painfully familiar dilemma crashed over her with renewed intensity.
“I absolutely despise lies, Klein Reeden.”
“…Yes.”
Who on earth liked lies? But the Duke, staring directly into her eyes as he spoke, seemed to hate them more than most.
His glare felt like a warning: “If you’re found to have breached employment terms, I’ll absolutely collect the penalty fee!”
Under that gaze, her courage to confess the truth melted away like snow under summer sun.
“Of course, everyone makes occasional mistakes. For instance, a trivial lie like claiming you have no younger sister when you actually do. But if that sister happens to be the woman I slept with, then it becomes a grave lie—potentially fatal. So it’s best to tell the truth, Klein Reeden.”
“…”
Potentially fatal? Did one night really warrant risking her life? That’s unfair!
But in that moment, the Duke’s desperate pleas from that night flashed vividly in her mind.
Hah…!
She’d forcefully pinned down that man who’d resisted so violently.
Simultaneously, Sir Joyce’s furious words echoed in her memory.
She’d stolen the purity of that man who loathed women.
“Tear to shreds,” “punish.”
Hearing those words alone made her feel as if she’d committed a capital offense.
Was she truly expected to offer her life as recompense for that single night with the Duke?
Combining the Duke’s and Sir Joyce’s words, the path forward became painfully clear.
She couldn’t possibly die over a mere one-night mistake.
“I apologize for not informing you earlier. In truth, my younger sister Chloe Reeden passed away a few months ago.”
“What?”
The Duke frowned.
“To be precise, she died in an accident just before I moved into the ducal residence.”
“Died… in an accident?”
“When I mailed my employment documents to the ducal residence, it was before my sister’s death. That’s why the documents list her, but since she’s no longer alive, I said I had no sister.”
By switching the deceased from Klein to Chloe, everything aligned perfectly—and she wouldn’t even technically be lying.
“I was also shocked to learn the woman His Grace slept with shared my sister’s name.”
By now, Chloe was calmly spinning her falsehoods.
Perhaps because she was merely recounting Klein’s death as it happened, her lies flowed as smoothly as truth.
Of course, while the circumstances of death remained unchanged, she’d swapped the deceased person’s identity.
But what could anyone do about someone already dead?
In a way, it might even turn out for the best.
Even if the Duke disbelieved her and sent someone to verify the truth in her hometown, they’d struggle to discover that the deceased twin wasn’t her, but her brother.
Only her mother, Carcus, and she herself knew of her brother’s death.
Their home lay deep in the woods, far from the village, and her family rarely visited town.
Thus, no one would specifically remember that her family lived there.
Carcus was the exception, of course—but with him, there was nothing to worry about.
Though Carcus had opposed Chloe disguising herself as a man to enter the ducal residence, once she’d made her decision, he became her strongest ally.
It was Carcus who’d warned her never to get caught and procured all sorts of items suitable for her disguise.
“I’m sorry for bringing up such painful memories about your sister’s death—and for wrongly suspecting you.”
The Duke, who’d looked slightly dazed, finally spoke again.
Sorry?
His apology pricked her conscience slightly, but sticking to her lie seemed the right choice.
Now she’d surely slip off his list of suspects.
Even if Sir Joyce or the Information Guild pursued investigations under the name “Chloe,” they’d redirect their search toward the “deceased Chloe of Vergen.”
As a child, she’d often grumbled to her mother about why their family had to live so isolated in the woods.
When Klein was killed by unknown attackers, the remoteness of their home meant there wasn’t even anyone nearby to call for help.
Yet now, ironically, that very isolation was working to her advantage.
No one in Vergen would know whether the deceased twin from the woods was the brother or the sister—or even whether twin siblings had lived there at all.
Still, when she eventually returned home, she’d need to remain disguised as a man and stay cautious for a while.
“It’s alright, Your Grace.”
Chloe accepted his apology with the dignity of a brother who’d truly lost his sister—though in her case, she had to recall the memory of losing her brother instead.
“Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, may I return to my hometown?”
The Duke stared at her intently.
Without a word. For several seconds.
“Your Grace?”
Slightly unnerved by that look, Chloe called out to him again.
“There’s just one more thing I’d like to ask. Answer this, and you may leave.”
Finally, the Duke spoke again.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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Chapter Comments (91)
Inline Comments (181)
Just as the Duke had fitted every circumstance neatly into his own misunderstand
I actually find this hilarious. The Duke was overly delusional, so she might as well go big im her falsehoods too! 😂🤣 Fight delusion with more extreme delusions!
Moreover, he was kind, courteous, cheerful, and thoughtful—the kind of man whose
I hope this guys isn’t a 2nd male lead. I don’t like feeling bad for a childhood friend when we all know who the end game is.
She wanted to cover her ears—this conversation between two men discussing her si
OMG, I can’t breathe right now😭😭😭
They’re talking about her body, and she can’t stop the conversation
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😂🤣😂🤣 I mean, she DOES like men so it’s not a lie. 😂🤣
And the misunderstandings abound! How long will it take for the Duke to realize she is the one he is looking for?
Reallllllyyy hoping Carcus isn’t the 2nd male lead!