Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 400

Chapter 400 The Forbidden Book

To be honest, seeing her own name appear in a gossip pamphlet felt strangely surreal.

Meanwhile, the young shopkeeper continued lamenting beside her.

“In earlier years, my family’s shop used to sell the novels written by Azure. Business was incredible back then. We could barely keep up with demand.”

He sighed.

“But in recent years, no one knows what happened. Azure suddenly stopped writing. There have been no new stories since.”

He shook his head regretfully. “Other novels do not sell well. Ordinary readers do not care for them. The books that sell best now are those scandalous romantic tales. I still have some principles. I really do not want to sell those kinds of books. That is why I ended up printing these pamphlets. It was the only way left.”

His voice grew quieter. “If only Azure would start writing again.”

Elowen lifted her eyes suddenly and looked at him.

“What is your name?”

Her gaze was clear and calm. Yet the young man was already terrified because of the pamphlets. Being asked his name by the Duchess of Duskmoor made his heart leap into his throat. He assumed she was preparing to report him later.

His knees gave out beneath him.

He dropped to the floor with a loud thud.

Elowen jumped in surprise and stepped back. “What are you doing?”

The young man spoke with desperate sincerity. “Your Grace, I have elderly parents above me and children below me to support. If an investigation must happen, please allow me to return home first and settle my family’s affairs. After that, whatever punishment awaits me, I will accept without complaint.”

The tragic tone of his declaration made Elowen almost laugh.

“No one intends to punish you,” she said gently. “Please stand up.”

She placed the pamphlet back on the table.

The young man hesitated before slowly lifting his head.

“Truly?”

In his view, Elowen stood against the sunlight pouring through the doorway. The warm winter light surrounded her like a halo, softening the edges of her figure until she almost seemed unreal.

She smiled slightly. “Of course it is true. Now, will you tell me your name?”

The young man barely dared to look at her again. A strange feeling of embarrassment rose in his chest, as though he were far too ordinary to meet her gaze.

He lowered his head again and answered honestly.

“My name is Finn.”

Elowen nodded slightly. “Finn.”

After a moment she said clearly, “I came here today only to browse. I have no intention of pursuing the matter of the pamphlets. You do not need to be afraid.”

Relief flooded through Finn immediately. “Yes, Your Grace.”

He scrambled to his feet, stumbling slightly because he had dropped down so quickly earlier.

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