“Then please continue saying that until Thanksgiving. If rumors circulate that the Viscount’s condition is beyond recovery, the entire family will be shaken.”
Sophia spoke with a graceful yet strong smile.
The doctors, unaware of her true feelings, secretly admired the Sophia’s composure.
“We understand. Since the Viscount has no heir…”
Sophia concluded the conversation with a slight nod of her head.
Though the Viscount’s condition was irreversible, and no matter how much money was invested, it would only prolong his vegetative state for a few more days, and Sophia needed that time.
『 Why now of all times, right before Thanksgiving?』
Sophia disliked everything, from the moment Nicholas, who had taken over the estate, urgently requested an arranged marriage to handle all the affairs, to the secretive and suspicious activities he had engaged in since their marriage.
When he suddenly introduced a young man of unknown origin, threatened anyone who dared to touch him, and declared that he would take on the role of a stableman, Sophia thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.
⋙“Sophia, even if you don’t consider Nicholas as an ideal marriage partner… well, how should I put it, the Fortrions have a knack for buying things cheaply and then selling them at a high price… He won’t let you go hungry.”⋘
The comforting words from her mother, who had sent her only child to the Fortrion Estate, now sounded like nonsense.
『 Of course, the most terrible thing was Nicholas’s damned voyeurism, collecting mistresses while fearing to be in the same space with a woman.』
However, his voyeurism ended up helping her in the end.
⋙“She’s blonde. Her name is Edith. Search all the territories if you have to, but find that woman.”⋘
Sophia had overheard the Viscount secretly instructing his servant five years ago.
She didn’t know the details between Edith and the Viscount, but his collection of wives bordered on obsession.
『 I wonder how special of a time you are having.』
Squeak—
Sophia slightly opened the door to the Viscount’s bedroom and saw Edith guarding the Viscount’s bedside with a melancholic expression.
She thought Edith might be up to something in the room, but she merely seemed to lament the Viscount’s condition. Sophia approached Edith and spoke in a friendly voice.
“Great acting, Edith.”
“…”
“All the doctors who have visited this room have said he would either remain in a vegetative state or die. So it’s wise for you to continue to act just like you’re doing.”
Sophia nodded towards the door.
“The preparation of the Thanksgiving dinner will honor the Viscount’s lifelong dedication to safeguarding the House Fortrion to which he has dedicated his life.”
“I understand what you’re saying.”
It appeared Sophia was avoiding facing the second and third wives.
Edith got up and followed Sophia, but her skin itched as she hid some papers under her dress.
──────────✿◦•
Meanwhile, on the west side of the manor, Elizabeth and Isabelle, who had finished their preparations, were heading to their meeting place.
“Isabelle, why do you look like that?”
Elizabeth covered her mouth with a fan to hide her astonishment. Based on her observations, Isabelle sometimes acted more like a child in her early twenties, and this was one of those times.
“I’m sorry. I’m so upset that the Viscount still hasn’t woken up…”
Isabelle’s already swollen eyes became even more teary. Elizabeth looked at Isabelle with pity and offered her a handkerchief.
“Quickly wipe your face. Judging by how Sophia is behaving, it’s likely that even the fourth wife might not be such an insignificant woman. What if you get caught?”
“But…”
“Think about your inheritance, Isabelle. You know very well that the high-born first lady has her eyes on our inheritance.”
“Elizabeth!”
Isabelle insisted that the Viscount hadn’t passed away yet and that the disrespectful act of discussing inheritance was worsening his health.
To Elizabeth’s ears, it sounded nothing but bullshit.
“Elizabeth, aren’t you sad that the Viscount is in this condition?”
Elizabeth answered honestly.
“Not really. The Viscount gave my father 500,000 gold coins in one payment, and I am here after being driven out by my own father.”
“But…”
“I know you’re grateful to the Viscount, but you don’t love him.”
Isabelle muttered even more discouraged.
“Still, you’re so composed. It’s as if you knew this would happen to the Viscount.”
“…”
Elizabeth felt caught off guard.
Isabelle is immature and lacks determination, but she sometimes exhibits good intuition as she’s the only daughter of the influential owner of the Karkus Merchant Guild, who was rapidly gaining influence.
In reality, Elizabeth knew that the Viscount was about to be attacked. She even knew who had attacked Nicholas. The reason she had chosen to be sold and to stay in this manor was to observe the Viscount’s daily life and his activities outside.
“Isabelle, you too… You know that I’ve been in this manor the whole time. How would I know that?”
Elizabeth replied, concealing the fact that she was a spy in contact with the capital’s forces.
Soon, the two entered the dining room where dinner would be served. One side of the wall was entirely made of glass, typically capturing attention with the view of the beautiful garden.
“Elizabeth, that must be her.”
But today, the woman who captured Elizabeth and Isabelle’s attention was someone who looked back at them with a slight nervousness.
With rich golden hair cascading down to her waist and clear blue eyes, she resembled the dolls that young girls play with.
Elizabeth realized that Nicholas Fortrion’s standards for women were becoming even higher.
Where on earth did a woman like her come from, and how did she find her way here?
“This is Edith Fortrion.”
When Sophia introduced her, Edith forced a smile that seemed somewhat strained. Fortrion – the name of the Viscount’s family, yet hardly honorable.
To maintain her composure, Edith recalled what she had learned from Vivian.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Elizabeth Fortrion.”
Elizabeth, the Viscount’s second wife, was an illegitimate child of a family in the capital. She had caught the Viscount’s attention with her vibrant red hair and golden eyes.
“A pleasure to meet you, Edith. My name is Isabelle.”
The third lady had very bright blonde hair and emerald eyes. At just twenty-one years old, she was the youngest among them.
『 Though I’ve heard it’s been almost two years since she married the Viscount… the Viscount’s conscience… well, he had none.』
It was clear. He absolutely had no conscience.
Edith felt distant upon seeing Isabelle, who looked much younger than she had expected. It was somewhat fortunate that the Viscount didn’t lay a hand on his wives.
“Then let’s talk about something important over dinner.”
Following Sophia’s gesture, the chefs brought out the prepared dishes. This kind of dining experience was new to Edith, and though she was nervous at first, she soon displayed her unique sharpness and was able to follow what others were doing.
Sometimes, when Isabelle showed curiosity and blinked at her, Edith smiled uncertainly, not knowing how to react.
“As you know, the Viscount is in critical condition right now. It feels like my heart is going to break every day.”
As Sophia began speaking, Elizabeth let out a sneer.
“You look like you slept pretty well, considering that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean…”
As Sophia fell speechless, Edith found herself in a slightly relieved mood.
“Look at Isabelle. Her eyes are swollen from crying every day. If you’re pretending to be heartbroken, you’d have to cry this much, Sophia.”
Sophia responded to Elizabeth with a hint of annoyance.
“Isabelle’s honest appearance is good, but my mother and tutor have taught me that a lady should never openly display emotions in any circumstance.”
Sophia pointed out again that the other wives weren’t of noble origin, but the others didn’t seem to be upset about it.
“Oh, really?”
“Anyway, what I mean is that we shouldn’t show a messy appearance to others. Even with the Viscount’s illness, we must present that the Fortrion House is still intact.”
“How can Fortrion be intact, Sophia? The head of House Fortrion is the Viscount.”
This time Isabelle also joined in, and Sophia looked exhausted.
“Of course, I know that the Viscount is the master of this manor. But with the Thanksgiving banquet happening the day after tomorrow, I hope everyone presents themselves with composure.”
Edith thought to herself as she watched Sophia using tableware in accordance with etiquette while raising her voice.
『 I can see why she’s using me to create a fake heir for the Viscount.』
Sophia’s dominance over the other wives was weaker than expected
The only power she had was to represent the other wives and oversee Fortrion’s accounts; this was the extent of her power. Given that the Viscount neither sorted out the hierarchy nor hesitated to bring in new wives when he got bored, her parents, who were provincial nobles, didn’t seem to be able to help her.
Additionally, if the Viscount died, people associated with the merchant guild and acquaintances would undoubtedly come forward quietly, asking if there was something for them in it.
『 So if I use this, I’ll be able to strike at Sophia.』
Edith recalled the contents of the ledger hidden under her dress.
What she had carefully examined were the expenditures of the Fortrion Manor, and it seemed that the number of servants listed was three times more than what she had seen in the past few days.
If they had fabricated non-existent individuals in the ledger, inflating the payroll with fictitious hires…
『 It’s embezzlement. Sophia and the butler Whitman must be accomplices.』
From what Vivian had heard, the salary seemed to be delivered directly by the butler, so it appeared that the two of them were manipulating the documents together, with the butler deviating the money.
However, regrettably, Edith didn’t have the authority to boldly demand the Fortrion accounts.
Therefore, she discreetly observed Isabelle. Being well-versed in calculations due to her merchant background, Isabelle, as the third lady, was more likely to have easier access to the accounting ledgers than she did.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
