“It was fun.”
She said frankly. It was really fun. She kind of wanted to read more. She already knew this, but it felt different just because the main character’s gender was changed. Rachel’s face lit up when she said that she was having fun. But she quickly straightened her expression and said,
“What a relief. I can even hear that it was fun.”
“Are other people not having fun?”
It couldn’t be. A novel with the same content was gaining popularity in the capital. Rachel wasn’t talking about whether or not it was fun either. She said with a sigh.
“It is not a matter of fun. I’m going to get rid of it anyway. Lady, no, I’m glad Eugenie enjoyed it.”
“Get rid of it? This? Why?”
Why when this was so much fun? To her surprise, Rachel gave her a look that said she really didn’t know. If it’s because there were novels with the same content, shouldn’t it be changed?
“Then it will be a big deal.”
When she asked if it could be changed, Rachel sighed and said, was it? She looked at Ann, but she looked like she didn’t know either.
“No one will believe that my manuscript has nothing to do with the novel.”
To be honest, so was she. It’s all the same, how could it have nothing to do with it? She asked cautiously.
“Have you never read that novel before?”
“Yes. I know because a friend told me.”
Uh, then wouldn’t that friend be a witness? That she wrote the manuscript before Rachel read the novel. But that seemed wrong too. When she said that, Rachel shook her head.
“Everyone thinks I’m mistaken or lying. Some people…”
Having said that, Rachel’s mouth was closed. She hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice.
“They thought all of this was something I made up.”
“All this?”
“Manuscripts, fires, and almost dying. Everything.”
“Did you make it up?”
Rachel’s eyes widened at her question. She looked straight at her and said.
“No. What am I going to do?”
She thought it was the truth. There seemed to be no reason for Rachel to risk her own life and write someone else’s novel just by changing the protagonist’s gender. Even if she did some weird things because she wanted attention from others, she would be doing something different than copying an entire novel with only the sexes changed. She didn’t know what to say, so she kept her mouth shut. Rachel was going through something strange. What could she do?
“I will tell the investigator.”
She would have to ask him to investigate not only the fire incident, but the various accidents that Rachel has been through. As Rachel said, if someone was targeting her, the truth about her would be revealed sooner or later.
“Thank you.”
She said it was too early for Rachel to say thanks and stood up from her seat. Two issues came to her mind.
The case of Rachel’s illusion and the case of non-illusion.
“I-maybe…”
As she left her house after being seen off by Rachel, Rachel opened her mouth. When she asked what was going on, she asked cautiously.
“That manuscript. Did you see everything?”
She didn’t see it all. All she saw was the first part she read on her way down the stairs. She shook her head and she let out a sigh of relief.
“Why?”
“That, I even wrote the second story. If you’ve seen it all, I was going to ask if the second one was similar.”
“I thought you checked?”
Didn’t she check and admit that it was similar? At her question, Rachel shook her head.
“Only the first one. I was afraid that I would not be able to see it again. A little…”
A little? Rachel said at her urging to keep talking.
“It is creepy. That someone not only thought of the same story as me, but wrote the same story. It’s like a fairy prank, isn’t it?”
Maybe. The two novels had the same storyline, events, and characters as if they had been read and written.
“If you want, can you check it for me?”
She had all the books so she could compare with Rachel’s manuscript. When Rachel said it was like a fairy’s bad prank, she was curious. Was the second story similar? At her urging, Rachel hesitated for a moment, then she went inside and got her manuscript. And she reached out to her and she said.
“Can you give me a call when you see everything?”
“Will you burn it?”
“I won’t be able to use it any more. If I get rid of it, there will be no regrets.”
She wondered and sighed before nodding.
“Didn’t you return that?”
When she came out of the building, David, who was guarding the front of the building as she expected, asked. When she came out with the manuscript she had brought in, it seemed that he asked if she had returned it.
“I want to compare how similar it is.”
“Yes?”
David made a face asking what that means. Because he didn’t know what’s going on. She tried to explain, but thoughtlessly cast her gaze across the street. She could see the hire wagons standing in line. Were they waiting for a guest? There seemed to be a lot of people using the hire car on this side. As she thought so, she saw someone riding in one of the carriages in a row. To be precise, someone inside was staring outside with the curtains slightly open.
“Huh?”
What? Seeing her expression, David turned his head toward the wagon. And he immediately began striding towards it.
“What was it?”
Rosie, who was behind her, asked as she passed her. It looked like someone was riding it. Did she see wrong?
“I don’t have anything.”
David, who had checked all the wagons, returned to her and said, Rosie, who was guarding me between her and David, also looked at her. It’s strange. She said frowning.
“It seemed like someone was looking this way.”
“Was it a man?”
It seemed so. Soon after, David asked what he looked like and how old he was, but she couldn’t give him an answer. All she saw was a man’s eyes. He was hidden behind a curtain so she couldn’t see the color of his hair or anything else.
“So you’re not even sure if it’s a man or a woman?”
As they got into the wagon, David said as if he had collapsed. But there was such a thing as feeling whether it was male or female. Did he have enmity or favor with her? And whether it’s a lie or the truth. She didn’t say anything because she got the feeling that if she tried to explain it to David, he wouldn’t understand. The wagon they rode in quietly started running toward the Biscon mansion, and she stared at the manuscript Rachel had given her.
* * *
“Are you okay?”
It was the morning of the next day when Elliot came. This man needed to learn noble manners. Wait, she remembered, it was her who decided to teach this man some aristocratic etiquette. She blamed herself for being an indolent teacher and told Elliot to sit down. Nobles did not visit other people’s homes during the morning unless it was urgent. Of course, sending a card asking if he could visit was a good thing. It’s not a good thing to arrive and send it.
“What?”
She needed to listen first and then teach him how urgent it was. She asked patiently. She didn’t know if it’s okay because he came to her in the morning.
“They said you saw a strange man yesterday.”
A strange man? At Elliott’s question, she remembered the man who had been watching her in the carriage yesterday. But after one night’s sleep, she was not sure if he was watching her. She thanked the servant who brought the tea and wrapped her hand around the warm cup.
“Uh, I’m not even sure if it’s a man.”
“Didn’t you say it was a man?”
It seemed that David and Rosie had told Elliot everything that happened yesterday. Well, they were Elliot’s subordinates. Of course they would. It was still morning, so it was a bit chilly, but the warmth of the teacup made her feel better. She sipped her tea and said,
“I thought it was a man, but I didn’t see it properly.”
“Then it will be right.”
Huh? She made a face at Elliot’s determined words, asking what he meant. He said as he lifted his teacup.
“If you feel that way, then you are right.”
Why did this man have such firm faith in her? She said, putting down the teacup.
“I could be wrong.”
A smile appeared on Elliot’s face. He took a sip of tea and said,
“It’s a little complicated, but I’ll say I trust a woman’s touch.”
Well, she didn’t know if she should feel bad about this or not. Elliot’s smile disappeared, as if her expression had become complicated. He asked, putting down the teacup.
“Have you ever been conscious of who is by your side in a dark garden?”
“Yes.”
She answered, recalling the countless balls and concerts she had attended. If you want to get some fresh air in a crowded hall, you have to go out into the garden. At times like that, she used to get nervous that someone wasn’t near her, that she wasn’t alone with someone. And she was relieved when the other person was a woman. The reason was simple. It didn’t matter if it’s a woman, but if the other person was a man, it’s because they could suffer from useless scandals.
“Oh.”
She knew what he was talking about. She understood what Eliot meant when he said that he trusted a woman’s touch, and she blushed.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Next week there won’t be any new release, see you soon!!
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
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Next post will be released on August, 8.
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