Edith was startled and retorted at Walter.
“The first time Isaac came to my house was when I was 11 years old. He stayed for about four years, so we were both young.”
Walter slightly raised his eyebrows and apologized for his mistake.
Even if they weren’t particularly close, it wouldn’t have been a big deal since they were at an age when the blood hadn’t dried on their heads.
T/N: The phrase ‘not a single drop of blood has dried on one’s head’ is used metaphorically to indicate inexperience.
But another point caught his attention.
“I can’t believe that the reason you called me Isaac when we first met was because you confused me with someone else.”
“We weren’t even close.”
Edith said with a pouty face. When she heard Walter’s words, it felt like he was implying that there was a deep connection between her and Isaac.
“If it was such a special relationship, he wouldn’t have stopped contacting me after he said he would send a letter upon returning to his hometown.”
“…”
“He’s a bad guy. He has been despicable since he was young, always teasing and making fun of me.”
“That’s a bit lengthy to describe him as shrewd and lousy.”
“That…”
“Normally, you wouldn’t explain so much to someone you dislike.”
“…”
Edith tightly closed her mouth. It wasn’t the first time she had heard such words.
Whenever she happened to discuss Isaac in the clinic, Edith would uncharacteristically voice her complaints, and those who listened would respond with knowing looks.
“You haven’t forgotten that boy, have you?”
It was a statement Edith would never admit.
“Anyway… that’s the only unusual experience in my life. I heard he has a large scar on his thigh.”
“A scar?”
“I didn’t confirm it myself. I heard it from his mother. I wonder if you have a scar on your thigh too.”
Walter seemed to ponder for a moment before replying.
“No, nothing like that. If you’re suspicious, feel free to check.”
His gaze traveled down the lower half of his own body.
Edith glared at Walter, who teased her whenever he had a chance.
Her face would turn red whenever she heard slightly embarrassing remarks, and she resented him for it.
“Fine. And if you really are the diligent servant you claim to be, you won’t tease a lady like this.”
As Edith brushed off her skirt and stood up, Walter playfully grabbed the reins and helped her back onto the saddle.
“I’m not entirely sure, but it seems like you need to know how to use and discard those beneath you to become a master.”
It’s not about making alliances.
Edith’s expression puffed up as Walter added.
“Do you mean that you will make fun of me because I’m a fake lady?”
She asked coyly, but Walter just tightened the reins. Following his leisurely pace, the horse moved toward the east side of the manor again.
The prison where she was supposed to be confined was getting closer.
──────────✿◦•
“The dressing shop has already sent the items, M’lady.”
Vivian arrived with a simple refreshment and had been in Edith’s room since morning. Anne and Marie were there to help organize the dressing room.
“Thank you for coming early.”
“Not at all, M’lady.”
Anne and Marie lightly bowed their heads and went to the dressing room to start tidying up. As Vivian was about to follow them, Edith called her in a hushed voice.
“Vivian, do you know anyone who has worked here for a long time?”
“Someone who has worked here for a long time?”
“Yes, I want to ask about the tower that was mentioned to be in the manor. Someone reliable, if possible.”
During her walk in the garden, Edith had been trying to memorize the layout and geography of the Fortrion Manor.
However, no matter how much she looked around, she couldn’t find anything resembling the ‘tower that imprisons the servants’ that Jane had mentioned.
『 The Viscount wanted to keep Walter locked up in the manor for a long time, so he must have hidden the imprisonment spell in a place where no one could find it.』
In that sense, the tower—where no trace now exists and most of the current servants don’t even know the exact location—was a well-kept secret.
Therefore, Edith decided to learn more about the tower.
“There is someone. She was the Head Maid until recently and retired due to health reasons. She was very close to my mother.”
“Really? Could you send her a letter from me then?”
“Of course. I’ve been in touch with her from time to time, and the person in charge of the postal service at the manor is close to Walter.”
Edith wrote down the questions she had on a piece of paper, then sealed it with a delicate gold necklace.
“Then I’ll ask for your favor, Vivian.”
“Of course. It might take some time, but she will definitely send a reply.”
As the two spoke in hushed tones, Anne and Marie diligently continued organizing the dressing room.
However, they still hoped that Edith might share something with them, just as she had done yesterday. They sold the pearl earrings they received from Edith, allowing them to have a rare hearty meal with their family.
They were well aware that the First Lady wielded the greatest power in the manor, but they thought there was nothing wrong with being kind to the Fourth Lady in order to gain a bit of favor.
Edith discerned the subtle psychology in Anne and Marie’s expressions.
“I’m worried regardless. Today’s schedule involves dining with the Viscount’s other wives.”
“Don’t worry, M’lady. Lady Elizabeth and Lady Isabelle are not difficult people.”
“Really?”
Edith listened to their conversation as if she was eager for an interesting chat, just as she had done before.
『 It seems that Sophia deliberately spoke ill of the other Nicholas’ wives.』
It was clear that Sophia wanted to separate Edith from the other wives. This way, the chances of her schemes being discovered would be lower.
Despite this, Edith continued to willingly listen to the maids’ talk. Most of it was trivial chitchat meant to make themselves look good, but their attitude towards her was quite positive.
“I didn’t know anyone here, so I was lonely, but thank you for talking to me.”
When Anne and Marie received a pair of earrings each with small embedded jewels, the reward they had hoped for, they planned to clean the fourth lady’s room as frequently as possible.
After getting ready, Edith left the room.
Sophia, who noticed her, gave Edith a cold, sweeping gaze. Though everything Edith was wearing was ready-made, it made her stand out as much as a custom-made dress would.
“Edith, you’d better not make a slip of the tongue in front of the other wives or do anything deliberately reprehensible.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Sophia. By the way, I really like the dress you bought me.”
Edith smiled warmly. Her expression seemed to remind Sophia not to forget about sharing the profits, as Edith had faithfully participated in her plans.
“Oh, right. There’s a place I want to stop by on the way.”
Sophia’s voice carried a hint of plotting, and she took the lead with footsteps that could be straight from an etiquette textbook. She naturally stopped in front of the Viscount’s bedroom.
“Ah, Edith. I have something to discuss with the doctors, so please go in first.”
“Yes?”
“You mentioned you wanted to see the Viscount.”
“…”
Sophia sneered. Seeing Edith taken aback by the unexpected request seemed to somewhat relieve her.
Although Edith would obediently comply whenever money was involved, her sometimes ignorant behavior was annoying to Sophia.
“Thank you, Sophia.”
As expected, Edith entered the Viscount’s room.
The attending doctors, who had just come out of the examination, were at a loss about how to interpret Edith’s behavior as she entered the bedroom, even though they clearly knew that the Viscount was in a coma.
Sophia offered a bittersweet yet graceful smile as if seeking understanding.
“Please understand. Since her own fate is tied to the Viscount, she would want to hold his hand and pray, even though he’s in this condition.”
“Ah…”
Only then did the doctors figure out how to feel about Edith and what to think of her.
『 Well, she must want to appear as the Viscount’s wife in front of others.』
『 She married a man who fell into a coma, so her inheritance rights might be at risk…』
『 Why doesn’t Lady Sophia throw away this woman?』
Sophia chuckled inwardly. She was relieved to see the pity and contempt in the doctors’ eyes as Edith carefully closed the door.
“I want to ask you a little more about the Viscount’s condition. In the report you submitted earlier, there was a mention of this herb…”
Meanwhile, Sophia fooled the doctors, making it seem like she was the only person in the world who cared more about Nicolas Fortrion.
『 I never thought I’d enter the Viscount’s bedroom.』
Edith scowled as she surveyed the interior of the bedroom.
While the room was decorated in an old-fashioned manner overall, she barely noticed the furniture.
There were medical instruments she had seen in the Academy’s medical entrance exam textbooks.
Meanwhile, Nicholas Fortrion lay motionless.
This bedroom was nothing less than a stage set up dramatically to showcase his impending death.
“… Viscount?”
Edith anxiously pretended to call his name as she looked at the medical instrument. Judging from the color and wave of the medical instrument, it was clear that the Viscount was completely unconscious.
“Nicholas Fortrion. You’re an absolute son of a bitch.”
Of course, there was no response even after cursing at him. Feeling slightly relieved, Edith looked around.
After the Viscount collapsed, the servants in charge of cleaning had been paying attention only to the bed in which he lay. The rest of the room was covered in dust as if no one had touched it.
She vowed that if she found anything that would help her escape, she would offer a prayer of gratitude to God.
And as if in response to that thought, not long after, as she rummaged through the desk, she discovered two thin ledgers wedged between the thick books inside a drawer.
<Financial Report of the Fortrion Merchant Guild>
<Fortrion Manor Accounting Ledger>
『 Is this last year’s account ledger?』
She knew that Nicholas had withdrawn from managing both the accounts of the Manor and the businesses, as she had heard from Walter and Vivian.
The previous viscount, that is, Nicholas’ older brother, was a person who took care of the accounting, but Nicholas had lived a luxurious life after his older brother took the title.
Since his older brother passed away suddenly, he inherited the title, so of course, he had no knowledge of accounting. Thus, Sophia, who hastily married for convenience while receiving the title of Viscountess, along with Whitman, the butler, ended up managing the ledgers.
『Since Nicholas was spending his personal fortune only on his debauchery, it must have been easy to manipulate the ledgers.』
After confirming once again that no one was coming in, Edith examined the ledgers.
The Homan Clinic where she worked often had a heavy workload, and there were many times when she had to learn things for which she hadn’t received formal education. Managing accounting books was one of them.
⋙“Edith, learning accounting will be useful both in the capital and in the temple, so there’s nothing to lose by learning it.”⋘
Mrs. Homan was right.
As Edith alternated between examining both ledgers, she soon discovered something odd.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
I still think he’s Isaac and she definitely should have done an inspection 🤭