“The Imperial Consort sent you an overly simple wedding gift. It’s just a necklace to congratulate you on your marriage.”
Elizabeth said in a tone that lacked humor as she extended a small gift box. Edith didn’t even think about opening it and simply left it on the table.
“Please convey my thanks. I’m a bit scared to actually wear it, wondering what kind of trap might be in it.”
Elizabeth smirked at the firm response.
“You’re wise. The Imperial Consort is not as sloppy as Gilbert, so it would be better to be careful.”
Elizabeth’s face became extremely cold when she mentioned Gilbert’s name, leading Edith to realize without asking that she hasn’t yet gone to see him detained in the temple.
“Patricia is planning to completely sever ties with her younger brother. I think she’s trying to silence Baron Humphrey too.”
“If it’s about Baron Humphrey, you don’t have to worry. I heard that we have already secured all the evidence that the Imperial Consort was deeply involved in hiding the magicite mine.”
Edith’s words were not ambiguous at all, so Elizabeth couldn’t help but be a little surprised.
How can a woman in a pure white dress be both threatening and relaxed, like a hunter who has set all her traps?
『 Indeed, sticking to this side is the most certain way to bring down Patricia.』
Elizabeth gritted her teeth inwardly as she thought of the Imperial Consort who had tried to sell her precious daughter as if she were her property in order to obtain a magicite mine for her own use.
“I don’t think you’d be interested in small talk, so I’ll get straight to the point. The Imperial Consort apologized for what Gilbert had done and offered you the position of lady-in-waiting.”
“Lady-in-waiting?”
It sounded good, but it probably meant holding her hostage. However, if she immediately refused, she didn’t know what else they might say.
Since Patricia considered herself the oldest among the imperial ladies, this senseless offer might be her response to the attempted assassination.
Fortunately, Edith had an excuse to avoid answering immediately.
“I’ve just had a baby, so tell her I’ll think about it and get back to her with an answer.”
In fact, her body had recovered quite well for someone who had given birth a month and over ten days ago.
Since the Duke of Lexion personally interviewed and selected a nanny who was chosen to live in the manor, Edith was able to get plenty of rest at night, and Walter brought strange, never-before-heard health food to the table every time she ate.
『 Adrian was also very cooperative.』
When Edith worked at the clinic, she saw countless mothers who had suffered difficult childbirth. In particular, mothers with poor nutrition often faced risks and exhaustion during childbirth.
As her expression darkened, Elizabeth cautiously spoke.
“I will convey that. But… are you really not feeling well?”
“No. I’ve got a lot of people taking care of me, so I’m recovering well. Thank you for being so concerned.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Actually, I was almost in danger when I gave birth to Elise, though that was only natural since I had to do it in secret.”
“What did Gilbert do then?”
“Well, I’m not sure. I suppose he was thinking about where to sell the daughter I painfully gave birth to so he could say he’d done a good job?”
Elizabeth smiled bitterly. As she looked at Edith, the truth struck her even more clearly.
Gilbert said he always cared for her in words, but he never showed it through his actions.
If Gilbert really loved her, he wouldn’t have hidden their daughter but instead would have protected both of them through an engagement or some other means, as Walter did for Edith.
『 I’m so foolish that I only realize that fact these days.』
Elizabeth mocked herself as she always did. Amid her self-reflection, as she repeated that it was her own fault for not noticing earlier, Edith’s voice reached her.
“… It must have been very difficult. I had several trustworthy people by my side, but I was still afraid.”
“…”
The moment Edith said that, Elizabeth became aware of one more thing.
Until now, no one, including Gilbert, had ever said such words to her. She was ignoring the emotions of the moment because no one cared about the fear she felt.
For some reason, her eyes became watery. Elizabeth struggled to suppress her choked-up feelings and extended a note she had hidden.
“And this is a report. Patricia is growing impatient, claiming she has been unable to reach her lady-in-waiting.”
The note she held out contained personal information about a woman named Rosaline.
“Did she quit?”
“From what I can piece together, the former lady-in-waiting, Rosaline, has been by the Imperial Consort’s side since she was fourteen, but she took a leave of absence due to pregnancy. That’s why she decided to use me as her lady-in-waiting.”
“I don’t know why the Imperial Consort is nervous. There are plenty of reasons to delay her return.”
Perhaps she found the baby she gave birth to beautiful and wanted to personally care for it more, or her recovery was slow.
Patricia might be uncomfortable not having the child who had been by her side for a long time, but it didn’t seem like something to be overly anxious about.
“The Imperial Consort went as far as to investigate her whereabouts, but she vanished as if she was not from this world. And since she was the only survivor of a fallen noble family in the first place, there was no family to contact.”
“When did Patricia realize that Rosaline had disappeared?”
“A couple of months ago. Since then, she has been instructing Count Gerturk to continue investigating the traces of Rosaline. It doesn’t seem like she’s simply acting out of concern for her lady-in-waiting.”
“Why do you think so?”
“I overheard a conversation between Count Gerturk and her. They said that Rosaline might have changed her mind, so they should find her and bring her back before she falls into the hands of others, especially the aristocratic faction.”
“Hmm…”
Edith narrowed her eyes. What kind of conspiracy could Patricia have with that lady-in-waiting?
『 Even if there wasn’t any specific conspiracy, she would have a lot of information to gain from someone who had been serving Patricia since she was a count’s daughter.』
Edith memorized the note she received from Elizabeth and hid it under her clothes.
“I’ll have to see if there’s any reason why the Imperial Consort needs to get in touch with her. Thank you for your hard work.”
“No problem. If there’s anything else to uncover, I’ll inform you through the informant you provided earlier.”
Elizabeth bowed her head and turned around. She feared that Patricia might start to doubt her if rumors spread that she and Edith had been alone for a long time.
Edith watched her retreat with a polite demeanor and then asked a question that had suddenly occurred to her.
“Elizabeth, let me ask you one last question. Do you think Nicholas Fortrion knew who Walter’s father was?”
“If it’s Nicholas Fortrion, hmm…”
Elizabeth opened her mouth in surprise at the mention of a name she hadn’t heard in a long time.
──────────✿◦•
“This is fitting for Lexion’s dignity. Father put a lot of effort into it.”
Melissa smiled contentedly as she looked at the luxuriously adorned garden of Lexion for the wedding.
Luxurious marble fountains and fresh flower arrangements centered around the carpeted path the bride and groom would soon walk down.
When she saw the mountain of gifts and packed guest seats, it reminded her of her own wedding here.
『 Leah Unnie will be watching from heaven too, right?』
Soon after, a priest from the capital’s central temple came to officiate and began to recite a passage from the scriptures.
This part is always recited at traditional weddings, and its main purpose is to explain to the guests how important it is to have a pure heart for peace in the home.
“In essence, a peaceful family is built upon pure hearts and obedience towards each other. The spirit of serving one another is indeed an essential requirement for a mature couple.”
Walter and Edith, who had not yet entered, were waiting together inside the manor’s chapel and listening to the officiator’s words, as is tradition.
To be precise, Edith was stealing glances at Walter’s face, dressed in ceremonial attire and with his hair neatly brushed.
『 … I can’t stop thinking about what I saw this morning.』
If Walter had been raised here since childhood, he would not have done such a thing, but having grown up as the stableman, there were times when he walked around with his shirt off.
Since it happened in the bedroom anyway, Edith saw no reason to correct his behavior.
Though he claimed to be hot, Walter had the freedom to choose his attire. It was never because her eyes were having a feast.
Anyway, Edith, who was watching him this morning with the corners of his mouth drooping because of the heat, noticed something.
Her cheeks became hot as she glanced at him. Not long ago, her first thought was that he was strong and reliable enough to protect Adrian and her, but this morning, her first thought was that his muscular upper body was very erotic.
『 I must be crazy.』
Just as the priest was reciting about pure hearts, Edith felt a strange sense of immorality.
And the sense of immorality was something that Walter, who playfully lifted her veil slightly with his eyes sparkling, never felt.
“They say when you get married, you have to be more obedient to your wife.”
A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
“I think I listened well to M’lady even when I was a stableman. If you say take it off, I take it off.”
He didn’t seem the least bit interested in the word ‘purity’ that the priest was passionately reciting outside.
Edith cleared her throat, unnecessarily loud, as if she had been caught having a serious thought.
“Walter. The priest is reading the scriptures. You should listen.”
“You kept looking at me earlier, so I wondered if there was anything else you wanted, and…”
He added, putting Edith’s veil back on, which he had slightly lifted.
“I was listening. He said being a good husband means serving your wife, or something like that, right?”
“…”
But perhaps because of his low voice, his words had another completely different meaning.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
