Obsessed with Regressors

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

 

A few days later, Rachel, who visited at her invitation, took the manuscript back from her and said hello. She asked for a ride, but she didn’t. She was worried that she wasn’t sure if not burning it was the right thing to do, but now she thought it was a good thing. She smiled along with Rachel’s smile.

 

“Is your arm okay?”

 

At Rachel’s question, everyone’s eyes in the room turned to her arm. That means not only Rachel but also Elliot was there. She tried to secretly turn her body to hide her left arm, but it wasn’t that easy. Anyone with a bandage wrapped around his forearm and a triangle tendon would look like a patient.

 

“It’s fine. It hardly hurts anymore.”

 

It’s a lie, but it didn’t matter. She spoke quickly to change the subject.

 

“Count Burns asked me if I could turn this into a book.”

 

That’s why Elliot was here. Elliot would introduce Rachel to her publisher. Gilder was dead. She was so surprised to see an article saying that a genius artist committed suicide. But what was more surprising than that was the article that said all of Gilder’s works were likely stolen from others. She heard that some of Rachel’s manuscripts were found in the house of the deceased Gilder. The same goes for music. It was said that claims have been made that the sheet music left behind by an unknown musician before his death is similar to the music released by Gilder.

 

“Publisher?”

 

Elliot raised his teacup and said in response to Rachel’s question.

 

“I have a good printing shop.”

 

The magistrate who heard my testimony pointed out that the death of a musician who left behind scores similar to Gilder’s music was also suspicious. And yesterday, there was an article in Current’s Whisper that said the play might also be someone else’s work. Thanks to this, the social world was in an uproar over Guilder’s fraud. Letters poured in this morning, asking how they knew she was involved in it. Among them, there were many invitations to come to his house. Unfortunately, she had an injured arm, so not only was she not in a position to go anywhere, but it was also difficult to write a reply. Thanks to this, her reply was endlessly delayed.

 

“Thanks to Lady Biscon.”

 

Once again Rachel thanked her. She heard that all of Gilder’s works have been discontinued. From music to theater. Thanks to this, Rachel’s manuscript was able to come out into the world. She said, waving her hands.

 

“What have I done? It’s because a small amount of manuscripts were discovered at Gilder’s house.”

 

That was even published in the newspaper. Thanks to this, we were able to find out that Gilder had stolen Rachel’s work. Rachel opened her mouth with a strange expression, but quickly closed it. And he opened his mouth again and spoke.

 

“No. If it weren’t for Lady Biscon, I wouldn’t have discovered that either. And the fact that Gilder tried to kill me.”

 

Right. At least it’s thanks to me that Rachel was spared the false accusation of setting fire to her own house. Because she testified. Gilder tried to kill Rachel. The house she lived in was their house, so even if she or Oliver started the fire, they could get away with it. As long as there were no casualties. And in fact, Oliver almost burned down his house when he was young. He said that he and the stable keeper’s son were gathering leaves and roasting something to eat. But Rachel’s was in a communal house and it’s not even her own house. The magistrate said that if she had started a fire in such a building, he would have been imprisoned for at least several months. That’s a real relief. She nodded silently.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Elliot asked after Rachel left. She gave up trying to correct her posture and said,

 

“I should change my name to Lady ‘Are You OK’?”

 

Suddenly the surroundings became dark. She looked up and saw Elliot standing next to her, wondering what was going on.

 

“What… .”

 

She was about to ask what was going on, but he snatched the cushion her arm was resting on. Then he took her right hand and helped her correct her posture.

 

“Thank you.”

 

She thanked Elliot as he meticulously placed a cushion under her left arm. She thought he was more meticulous than the people in her house. And what’s better than the people in my house was that he didn’t nag her a single word. Elliot helped her get into a comfortable position, and then she immediately went back to her seat. She thought he was going to sit next to her or something, but he didn’t.

 

It’s simple.

 

That’s pretty surprising considering he confessed to her. Before she became engaged to Awning, she had several suitors, but all of them had differences and were burdensome to her. There were people who pushed out other suitors in order to sit next to her, and there were people who persistently tried to hold her hand while walking with her. When she thought about it, the reason why she decided to get engaged to Awning was because, like Elliot, his behavior was simple.

 

“Have we met before?”

 

Questions came out without her even realizing it. It was only after she spoke that she realized how stupid she had asked. At least she had never met Elliot. If she had met such a handsome man, there was no way she would have forgotten him. But it kept bothering her. Elliot also said that she would fall in love with him. Gilder also said that she kept Elliot by her side on purpose.

 

“I mean…”

 

She quickly opened her mouth. She wondered why he said that to her.

 

“You don’t know much about me.”

 

It was only a few months ago that they met. Couples who were in a burning love may decide to get married after just one season, but they were not in a burning love and it didn’t even last one season. Even she was engaged.

 

“Well.”

 

Elliot sat down in her seat and crossed his legs. His right leg rose gracefully over his left leg. And as the hem of his pants went up, his ankles were slightly exposed.

 

“I know who you are.”

 

What kind of person was she? As she was about to ask that, the sound of shoes starting to get closer from somewhere. Has her mother returned? She raised her head to the sound of her mother’s shoes, which somehow seemed to be in a hurry. Soon, her mother appeared through the open door.

 

“Count Burns.”

 

“Countess Biscon.”

 

Her mother opened the door wide without knocking and she greeted Elliot. It’s pretty rare. It was not polite to barge in when there were guests. And it was not something her mother, who valued manners, would do. Something seemed to be happening. She was so startled that she stumbled while trying to get up. Not being able to use her left arm was much, much more inconvenient than you might think. At that time, Elliot quickly helped her up.

 

“Thanks…”

 

“It would be best to go back.”

 

As she was about to thank Elliot, her mother came over and interrupted her. She took her arm out of Elliot’s hand and tried to push him away from her. Of course, it was her mother and she who were pushed back.

 

“Mother?”

 

She was surprised by her mother’s rude attitude and tried to stop her. But Elliot spoke obediently first.

 

“All right. I’ve been out too long.”

 

It seemed that her mother was surprised by his polite attitude. She sighed and got between me and Elliot. And she said with an apologetic look on her face.

 

“Count Burns, it’s not your fault. No, it’s hard to say that it wasn’t your fault at all.”

 

What was she talking about? Her mother looked at her as if it was her fault, and then she spoke again to Elliot.

 

“There are rumors going around that things are not going well between you and my daughter. I heard Lord Rencid is complaining.”

 

What? She was startled and stumbled while trying to move. Since she couldn’t move her left arm, it’s hard to keep her balance. Fortunately, Elliot was quick to put her hand on her back and support her.

 

“Awning is complaining?”

 

What was he complaining about? She was more embarrassed than angry. Her mother turned to her and she said to Elliot.

 

“I’m not blaming you. I would like to, but it’s also my daughter’s fault.”

 

“Lady Biscon did nothing wrong.”

 

Elliot said quickly. No, that’s what she was going to say. He spoke to her mother without even looking at her.

 

“No matter what Lord Rencid says, I can prove that it’s all nonsense.”

 

Really? She was surprised by Elliot’s confident words and looked at him. Could he prove it? It’s hard to prove he didn’t do something he didn’t do. Her mother seemed to have similar thoughts as her. She said to Elliot with a frustrated expression.

 

“But your honor will decline. It’s just a rumor that my daughter has been unfaithful to her fiancé.”

 

“How dare he say that?”

 

Was he spreading rumors that she did something unfaithful with Elliot? Only then did she start to get angry. Was this kid crazy?

 

“Do not worry. Lady Biscon’s honor will not be harmed one iota.”

 

At Elliot’s firm words, her mother and she looked at him as if wondering what he was talking about. Didn’t he hear what her mother said just now? Awning dared to frame her? In the end, her mother said to Elliot as if it was nonsense.

 

“Count Burns, even if you duel Awning, kill him, and marry Eugenie, the rumors about this girl will still remain.”

 

“Mother!”

 

She screamed in surprise. A duel with Awning. That too would become social gossip. And for that reason, she didn’t want to marry Elliot.

 

“I took care of it…”

 

Elliot tried to say more, but her mother wouldn’t listen anymore. She said, waving at him.

 

“Please just go back. Because this is our housework.”

 

Elliot looked at her for a moment at her mother’s stern refusal. Could they really call this their housework? For a moment, that question came to mind. Elliot was also involved in this. Awning eventually started a rumor that Count Burns had seduced a woman who was now her fiancé. Of course, this kind of gossip was more friendly to men. As far as she knew, an unmarried woman who had a scandalous rumor with a married man would either be kicked out to a convent, or she would become the second wife of a much older man, and vice versa, she would get married without much harm.

 

She went straight up to her room on this floor. She wanted to cry, blaming God for why something like this had suddenly happened to her, but before that, her anger towards Awning rose up.

 

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