A few days later, the morning at the Duchy of Lexion began with a very light argument.
“Edith, reconsider it now. I will send someone to the Imperial Consort’s palace right away.”
“No, I’ve already agreed to take on the lady-in-waiting’s job. If I get access to the palace, it will be easier to investigate who your father is.”
“I can do it myself.”
“Walter, if you speak, people might be intimidated and keep their mouths shut. There are many experienced officials in the palace, and if you reveal your identity, you might only hear various rumors.”
Walter was very unhappy with Edith’s decision. He had no intention of stopping her from going to work if it was something she enjoyed, but becoming a lady-in-waiting for the Imperial Consort was another matter.
And it drove him crazy that he was the reason she had to bend over to get in.
It was even more painful to be separated from Edith during this golden honeymoon.
However, Edith’s logic was flawless, so he had no choice but to mobilize his allies.
“Adrian, say something.”
“Ah-boo!”
“That’s right.”
“Baaaa!”
Edith burst out laughing, thinking it was cute that Walter involved their child to stop her.
“It’s just a temporary job. If she asks me to do chores or something, I’ll quit right away, so don’t worry.”
“Promise to quit even if you just take a breath to scream.”
“Yes, I already said that I promised.”
Edith found herself smiling unknowingly. The feeling of someone being overly concerned about her going to work wasn’t a bad feeling.
As she had always been alone, whether commuting or working overtime, her home had always felt empty.
“I’m just frustrated that we don’t have any clues, I want to find out even if it’s just something.”
Leah’s letter box, which Lilliette had brought to her, contained numerous letters courting her.
Among them, there was only one meaningful letter.
╭══════
I have received your response well. I hope that you will leave with a good man. If you ever need my help, send some magic to the place where we walked together last night.
══════╯
After reading the letter, Edith couldn’t help but have reasonable doubts.
『 A man… was it not just one?』
The Second Prince, who was poisoned by the Crown Prince, was famous as a military commander at the time the letter was written.
So, it was impossible to know who the man in military attire that Mrs. Leah admired was. Edith’s personal curiosity about Leah’s love life continued to grow.
“I’ll be back, Walter. Adrian, you should listen well to Daddy.”
“Taaaa.”
“I’ll pick you up later.”
“Don’t come too early, Walter.”
“Is it because it’s been a while since you’re going out alone? M’lady looks a little happy.”
“No way. You’re just seeing things.”
Edith shrugged, lightly kissed both men on the cheek, and then got into the carriage for her first day at work.
──────────✿◦•
“Haaam―.”
“My little one is yawning.”
Walter personally placed Adrian, who was starting to doze off, in his crib and headed to his office.
Although he had often been separated from Edith before, his mind had never been so preoccupied with her as it was now.
He can’t seem to handle anything properly as he thinks of his beloved wife having been selected as a lady-in-waiting to the vicious Imperial Consort.
“Damn, I should have said I would go in as Patricia’s lady-in-waiting instead.”
Cassius, who heard his grumbling, burst out laughing in bewilderment. He wondered if he could make a maid out of such a robust physique.
“Agh, that won’t do. Didn’t Whitman always say servants must have the discipline to follow only one master?”
“Are you telling me to believe the sermons of that bastard who went to the convent to stay with Sophia?”
“Still, at least he had principles, right? Although he did expose Lady Sophia’s sins in the end…”
“What principles are you talking about?”
“Anyway, you’ve already been the Lady’s stableman, then her knight, and now her husband, so you can’t be anyone else’s maid.”
“Then you go… As Patricia’s maid.”
“…I would prefer to serve a lady like Lady Edith, if possible.”
Cassius stated firmly. He knew that having an abusive or demanding master did not suit his temperament.
“Why would you serve Edith? That’s my job.”
He didn’t seem to have any intention of giving Edith away, even if it was a joke. Cassius thought to himself as he looked at his burning eyes.
『 I don’t know if it’s separation anxiety or obsession, but things will probably get busy for a while.』
The Walter he knew was not the kind of man who would be shaken by the anxiety of having exposed Edith to danger.
In fact, he was probably thinking of repaying the anxiety he was feeling several times over.
“Did you get Baron Humphrey?”
“Yes. He informed that you were injured the other day at the barony… well, that’s how it goes.”
“Falling rocks can be painful.”
Walter responded shamelessly even when he was not even touched by a grain of sand.
“Anyway, Lexion held Baron Humphrey responsible for what happened, so we sent him to the convent first.”
“Was there anything else?”
“He was grateful for saving his life and repeatedly asked me to seek revenge against Gerturk who tried to take advantage of him.”
“That’s not even funny, at all.”
To think that someone who was planning something against a young girl using a magicite mine speaks as if he were absolutely clean.
However, in conclusion, sending Baron Humphrey to a convent was an excellent choice.
“Sending him to a convent known for its isolation from the outside world means he will be isolated from society and work hard on self-sufficiency inside until he dies. No one from the Imperial Consort or the Gerturks will be able to threaten him, as no one will be able to send him letters or send people.”
Hiding a magicite mine of that size was a serious crime.
Even if Patricia belonged to the Imperial Family, she might not receive the death penalty, but the ethical impact would be significant.
Therefore, Walter was focused on getting rid of anything that might get in the way of revealing evidence of the Imperial Consort’s involvement.
“Anyway, I spoke to Mr. Benjamin at the wedding, and he said the article will be out in the papers tomorrow morning.”
Cassius didn’t bother to mention that Benjamin’s eyes were swollen because of the radiant smile of Edith in her wedding dress and the adorable Adrian.
“The timing is good. Any word on the research on the magicite that Gilbert’s mages have been working on?”
Apparently, there seemed to be a delay, probably because most of Lexion’s mages were focusing on his magic outburst research.
But Cassius delivered the news he had been waiting for.
“A few of the elite, including Theos, have been assigned to work exclusively on the magic outburst research, while the rest have been assigned to work on the magicite, so we should see results soon.”
“I have to thank Gilbert for taking the bait.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Little Duke, for skillfully throwing the bait. Those mages probably never thought they’d be drained of their magic and die there.”
“So what do we do? Because of my memories and magic, Edith is even working as a lady-in-waiting.”
It seemed that Walter did not like the fact that Edith had to see the Imperial Consort for his sake.
“So, Cassius. If Patricia were to be accused of rebelling against the current Emperor and trying to take over the capital by force in order to increase her authority, would she be willing to let her go?”
And he, too, was not the kind of person who just endured without retaliating.
──────────✿◦•
“Thank you for accepting my offer, Lady Fortrion. Oh, should I call you Duchess of Lexion now?”
Edith arrived at the Imperial Consort’s Palace and greeted her following etiquette.
“It is truly an honor to be called so, Your Highness.”
This was the woman who had taken the County of Gerturk from a mere county house to one of the leading families of the Agnas Empire.
Patricia bore a striking resemblance to Gilbert but in a much less favorable light.
『 Elizabeth was the same. Patricia is cunning, so she won’t assign difficult tasks or slap me without reason.』
She didn’t seem like she would ask for physically demanding work, but Edith knew what she meant, having encountered all kinds of people during her work at the clinic.
This may mean that it will cause mental distress instead of physical.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t invite the Young Lady of Lexion to do chores. I heard you’re very knowledgeable in medicine.”
There was sarcasm in her deliberately chosen polite language, but Edith replied without showing any concern.
“I’m just interested, so I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m skilled.”
“Oh, you’re so humble. Lately, my hands and feet get cold, and sometimes I get chills. Could you please prepare a tea that might be effective for such symptoms instead of medicine?”
“… Not medicine, but tea?”
“Yes, I just told you. I don’t think it’s worth taking medicine. Then, bring it to me as soon as it’s ready.”
Patricia spoke softly, mocking her inwardly.
『 She will feel lost because there is no one familiar in the palace.』
Of course, if she had any sense, she might think of going to the Imperial Health Bureau and getting medicinal herbs herself. However, due to the Emperor’s illness, the doctors there were always extremely busy, to the point where they were consistently sleep-deprived.
It means that it will be difficult for the doctors to patiently listen to the immature young lady’s rambling explanation.
『 Will she just stand around like a sack of barley and then come back?』
However, Patricia was unaware of one thing.
『 If it’s both hand and foot coldness and chills, it’s a combination that everyone can relate to.』
After all, what did Edith do for a living before being sold to Viscount Fortrion?
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
