Erin and Julia Chalt walked slowly.
Erin informed her of the streets, including the main shops.
Erin knew what she was interested in.
“Lady, you are very kind to me.”
“Everyone would feel the same to
wards you.”
“… Would they?”
Julia spoke with a somewhat ambiguous expression.
“I still feel awkward walking.”
As she spoke, Julia kept adjusting her dress with her hands.
Then, as if something had just occurred to her, Julia opened her mouth slightly wider and looked towards Erin.
“Perhaps… I want to send some things to the place where I used to live before. Could you tell me where to go?”
“You can ask Viscount Chalt for that.”
“…I could, but…”
Julia’s voice trailed off and she avoided eye contact slightly.
She seemed to want to send something without telling her parents.
Erin seemed to understand the reason.
Julia came to the capital to find her parents, but she still cherished the time at the orphanage.
Even after coming to the capital, she did not sever her ties with them, and perhaps she wanted to contact them even now.
“If you go a little further from here, there’s a large auditorium. Next to it is a noticeable red brick building, which is the private transportation office. You can use that place.”
Without further questioning, Erin told Julia the place she was looking for.
“It may be a bit slow, but merchants entrust their goods to be transported whenever they move far away.”
“Thank you.”
“Oh, and there will be a banquet in a while. You’ll probably get a separate invitation, but please make sure to attend.”
“Yes, I will gladly attend.”
The two continued walking, carrying on with casual conversation.
During this time, Erin deliberately did not ask Julia where she was currently headed.
“Come to think of it, I visited the Lienster Duchy.”
Julia brought it up as if it just crossed her mind.
Erin’s head instinctively turned towards her.
“Did you meet my parents?”
Erin asked with a surprised expression that she couldn’t hide.
“Yes. I had to make a few excuses because the weather was too bad on the way. Both of them were really kind people.”
For a moment, Erin was concerned about her own expression.
“They were so kind to me, and even though it was only for a few days, it was a special time, thanks to them.”
Julia smiled sincerely and said, “Actually, I heard a lot about the Lady from the Duchess’s mansion. Lady Isabella spoke highly of her.”
“…”
“She often mentioned her. She insisted that I say hello if I ever went to the capital.”
“Is my mother doing well?”
“Yes. She looked very happy.”
Julia smiled openly, the kind of smile that could make anyone let their guard down.
However, Erin’s lips felt parched.
She naturally imagined the image of Logan and Isabella meeting Charte at a table, with smiles that never faded.
It was clear that Julia had made a good impression on the two. And this meant that even before coming to the capital, the strong connection between Aiden’s circle and Julia had already begun.
“So, when I met the Lady, I was genuinely happy to see her.”
Julia had already felt a special bond with the two. This only deepened the slight unease within Erin’s heart.
Erin couldn’t fully respond to Julia’s smile.
Erin stopped walking and looked ahead. “This is as far as I go.”
“Really?”
“My destination is right over there.” She gestured to a building on the right, which turned out to be a boutique.
“Alright, take care. I really enjoyed today thanks to you.”
Erin bid farewell to Julia.
“Likewise. See you next time then,” Julia replied with a wave before turning away.
Erin watched her retreating figure for a while, unable to turn her head easily.
She only looked away when Mona, who had been trailing behind, approached and called out to her.
“Why are you staring like that? Did something bother you?”
Mona asked, examining Erin’s face.
“No. Let’s go on our way as well.”
Erin maintained a composed expression and walked towards the boutique, but she still felt a dryness in her mouth.
Her heart felt a little suffocated.
The story of meeting Logan and Isabella made Julia feel uneasy rather than pleased.
After having a conversation, Julia found Logan to be even more charming than she had thought.
In a brief moment, she found herself naturally drawn to him and felt a compelling force just from being in his presence.
As a result, she found herself becoming guarded and anxious without realizing it, fearing that Logan and Isabella might be affected by this charm.
Later, she became overwhelmed with the anxiety that even Aiden’s heart might be swayed.
“I really should keep my distance from Julia Charte,” she thought.
Right from the start, she should ensure that there is no connection with Aiden.
***
The boutique was a unique place. It was a place where one could expect to see something new and unheard of, with rumors that if you wanted to see something you’ve never seen before, you should come here.
That was why this place was responsible for handling all the preparations for the banquets and tea parties organized by Erin.
“Welcome. I’ve been expecting you,” the madam said as Erin arrived at the boutique.
The madam led Erin to the most private and secluded room in the back. This space was reserved exclusively for Erin and no other guests were allowed.
“Here is the list of food and drinks for the banquet, as well as the decorations and potential gifts. Please review and let me know, and we will prepare them immediately,” the madam said.
Erin carefully read through the list.
“Everything else seems to be in order. I will just think a little more about the gifts and let you know,” Erin replied.
“Understood.”
“Then, is everything else related to the banquet almost done?”
“Yes. I will report on the progress of the remaining tasks later.” Erin nodded.
“Shall we discuss other matters then?” Erin pushed aside the list of the banquet handed to her by the madam as she spoke.
Her expression had changed more seriously than before.
In fact, the boutique was not just a simple space.
The madam was her network that Erin had established a few years ago.
All information went through her.
The boutique was a place where various people visited, accepting new trends.
Moreover, it was a place where many employees, including deliverymen, came and went.
It was easy for the informants to come and go naturally.
Naturally, many stories flowed in here.
So far, she had come here to find out all the necessary information.
Today, she had come to find out something she was curious about.
Erin had already sent a letter in advance about some recent questions.
“I’ve looked into what you mentioned in your letter. One of them is about Lady Quiness.”
“Yeah. Did you find out anything?”
“Yes. I have some knowledge about this matter as well.”
“The madam?”
She said that it was not something she found out separately, but that the madam knew about it.
“I have lived in the capital of Alzarshan for over 30 years and was one of those who listened to the whispers of the courtiers.”
This meant that there was indeed something in the past.
“There was a minor scandal before Lady Quiness got married. Of course, it was covered up before it became a topic because of the marriage issue.”
“A scandal?”
“Yes. It is said that Lady Quiness had a separate lover before her marriage match. Furthermore, there were rumors that he was not of noble birth.”
Erin’s expression sharpened at the madam’s report.
If that were true, the palace would have tried to hide it by any means.
“However, it’s such an old matter that I haven’t been able to find the exact information from that time. If you give me a little more time, I will continue to investigate.”
“Yeah. Find out as much as you can about who that person was.”
Erin couldn’t help but wonder if the idea that had briefly flashed through her mind could actually be true.
“Perhaps, he might have known Lady Quiness,” thought Erin. She was sensitive enough to notice even small reactions from people.
The sight of Brody in “Angela” last time had definitely gotten under Erin’s skin. If that were the case, it would likely affect her future actions.
“And make sure that nothing leaks out, be careful.”
“Yes, I’m being extremely cautious to prevent anyone from suspecting anything.”
“Okay, I’m counting on you.”
Her mind was racing at this moment. She recalled Aiden mentioning his intention to assist Lady Quiness with her divorce.
Would Lady Quiness’s past have any influence on Aiden? Erin had to consider that possibility and plan her next moves accordingly.
***
Meanwhile, Aiden had already received several letters from Lady Quiness. She had proposed a deal in exchange for his assistance with her divorce. To Aiden, it wasn’t a bad idea for Lady Quiness to return to the empire.
“With this letter, make sure to send someone who can move freely around Lady Quiness,” Aiden made a decisive and cold order.
“Alright, I’ll handle it right away.”
A thorough calculation backed Aiden’s decision to take Lady Quiness’s hand. Her proposal was quite appealing.
If she returned to the empire, she promised to give half of her property within the empire to Aiden and Frederick. Additionally, she proposed to stand by their side when she had a say as a member of the royal family.
Having someone who could speak from the opposite side of the Emperor was particularly necessary for Frederick and Aiden. So, there was no reason to refuse her proposal.
“…….”
Aiden, lost in thought, twisted his lips and smirked.
“Is it not so? Or is it just an excuse?”
That wasn’t the entire reason.
