Chapter 56
Seriniel woke up much later than usual.
“…….”
Rubbing her swollen eyes, Seriniel blinked several times.
Through the window, sunlight was pouring in, indicating that it was much later than her usual waking time. Seriniel realized this without even checking the clock. She had overslept.
…Why hasn’t Kina come to wake me up?
Since becoming a duchess, Seriniel always had breakfast with Lexion.
But it seemed like it was well past noon already….
As she was thinking about this,
“…I thought I might have overslept yesterday, but it seems my worries were unfounded.”
At the sudden voice, Seriniel stopped and turned around.
There stood Lexion, leaning against the doorframe.
“Duchess?”
“It seems your maid has cast some doubts on me.”
Lexion chuckled.
“You were sleeping so soundly that I couldn’t wake you up. She told me to come and check on you.”
Though it was something Lexion wouldn’t refuse as a butler.
“How long have you been here?”
“About an hour.”
Seriniel’s cheeks blushed at Lexion’s words.
“I didn’t have to wake you up….”
“…It wasn’t bad. Just watching you quietly.”
“What?”
Seriniel still blushing, her eyes widened in surprise, but it wasn’t a lie.
Just seeing Seriniel sleeping was enough. Even mumbling in her sleep was enjoyable. It was cute.
So Lexion didn’t end up waking Seriniel.
Considering the time felt much shorter than it actually was.
“…Anyway, I really should get up now. I’ve told you before, but you’re too thin, you need to take care of your meals.”
He was worried again. Seriniel stared at Lexion with a slightly puzzled expression, then asked.
“And when did Duke Lexion wake up?”
“This morning. I always wake up at the same time. It was the same today.”
…Even if he went to bed late, he never seemed disheveled. It felt unfair for some reason.
No… Maybe Lexion brought her to her room and went straight to bed on the second floor.
When she thought about it, Seriniel’s expression twitched slightly.
…I couldn’t sleep properly because of someone.
“….Seriniel?”
Lexion didn’t miss her expression. He narrowed his eyes slightly and started approaching the bed.
He was worried if she caught a cold because he had left the study window open all day yesterday. Maybe that’s why.
“Where does it hurt?”
Approaching Seriniel, Lexion bent down slightly. Then he cautiously reached out and gently touched her forehead.
“…I don’t think you have a fever.”
At Lexion’s sudden action, Seriniel was at a loss. She sat down awkwardly and hesitated.
Lexion’s large hand covered not only her forehead but also her entire field of vision, so Seriniel thought it was fortunate. Otherwise, she would have been confused about where to look.
Maybe because she couldn’t see his face, or maybe because of her twisted feelings… Seriniel subconsciously licked her lips.
“…Even if I say so myself, I didn’t sleep well.”
Lexion muttered to himself again, but his curse didn’t sound as menacing as before.
On the contrary, it was the opposite.
“….”
Seriniel still blushing, but at his words, she couldn’t help but quietly smile.
“Anyway, I should stop being here.”
If he kept staying with Seriniel like this, he might end up looking more foolish. Or he might start babbling nonsense.
“So wait for me outside.”
Before Lexion could finish his sentence, someone’s footsteps approached hurriedly.
The sound of footsteps getting closer and more urgent made both Seriniel and Lexion reflexively look at the closed door at the same time.
“…Duke Lexion, Lady Seriniel.”
And not long after, Vain’s heavy voice echoed.
Without a word, Lexion opened the door wide…
For some reason, Vain’s contemplative expression looked confused at them.
“…What’s the matter?”
Something unusual had happened, and Lexion, sensing it, looked at Vain and asked, and Vain, with a heavy sigh, spoke up.
“They sent someone from Calian Helcar’s side along with this.”
In Vain’s hand was a tightly rolled piece of paper.
“What’s this…?”
Seriniel, hastily putting on her robe and draping it over her shoulders, approached Lexion’s side.
“The owner of Mine 1 claims that while Lady Seriniel may be the owner, she alone has the authority over the business conducted so far.”
Vain spoke with a puzzled expression.
…But something was off. He already had a suspicion of what it could be. Even if he had to accept the divorce due to unavoidable circumstances, he would persist in insisting on his rights regarding the mine business.
So why was Vain looking so contemplative?
In the meantime, Lexion unfolded the tightly rolled paper…
Seriniel’s gaze also fell on the paper.
“Seriniel Verdellet manipulated the books, withholding profits that should have been returned to the investors gathered by herself and Viscount Belles Verdellet… And for the same reason, Lexion Rosenvester, who is about to marry Seriniel Verdellet, is also untrustworthy…”
The contents were truly unbelievable.
“…The investors were gathered by Belles and me…?”
All the investors in the mine business were people colluding with Belles.
So, they were traitors.
“…Ha.”
Lexion’s expression froze, and he crumpled the paper he was holding in his hand.
It was Belles’ doing. Calian Helcar, that idiot, was not even intelligent enough to come up with such a scheme.
It was a shallow plot.
Anyway, Belles was aware that Lexion knew everything. Waiting for him would only lead to his downfall.
So he involved Seriniel.
Before Lexion could deal with them all at once under the pretext of ‘Belles, Calian, and their gang conspiring to fund rebellion through the mine business.’
“…Pathetically begging until the end.”
The Lexion in front of them was completely different from the one who had been conversing with Seriniel.
So Seriniel vaguely sensed it. The fact that Belles had started to move in earnest.
