About an hour before Walter met Edith…
The servants talked about nothing else all day as if they couldn’t believe a pregnancy party was being held when the Viscount is known for his obsession with voyeurism.
“Do you think the Viscount thinks Lady Edith is special?”
“It’s a blessing that Lady Sophia didn’t throw Lady Edith out.”
“Are all nobles like that? I really can’t believe it… Lady Sophia is too soft.”
The maids carried the items needed for the pregnancy celebration party to the garden and exchanged opinions about the Fourth Lady’s pregnancy.
Walter, who was helping them carry heavy decorations while passing the time nearby, listened carefully to the information they shared without missing a single word.
When he returned to his cabin after finishing his work, Cassius was waiting for him.
“Everyone is talking excitedly about the Fourth Lady’s pregnancy with bright faces, except for you, Walter.”
“Is that so?”
The news of Edith’s pregnancy had left Walter with many thoughts.
Of course, Walter knew that Edith wasn’t actually pregnant.
It seemed that she had manipulated the pregnancy results by using the ellickberries as she had warned him that it would make outdoor activities difficult for her.
Seeing her deceive everyone by using what she already knew, it seemed Edith was not an ordinary woman.
Cassius looked at Walter’s complicated expression and bluntly asked him.
“Do you hate the fact that Lady Edith is having another man’s child?”
Cassius immediately felt Walter’s piercing gaze.
“Why are you talking like that when you know she’s not really pregnant?”
“But everyone thinks that Viscount Fortrion loved Lady Edith so much that he had a child with her. You don’t seem to like that either.”
“…”
Walter didn’t respond and only frowned slightly.
Cassius’s eyes lit up as if he had discovered something interesting.
“Now that I think about it, Walter, you’ve always wanted to have children.”
“Who thinks about having a child who doesn’t even exist!”
Walter felt like his head would explode if he thought about Edith’s pregnancy any longer, so he cut off Cassius.
However, Cassius, who had taken care of the amnesiac teenage boy Walter almost as if he were his own, remembered quite clearly.
⋙“Cassius, do you think having a family would really make me feel less lonely?”⋘
⋙“How would I know when I don’t have a wife or children, kiddo?”⋘
Walter, who wasn’t sure if he could ever escape, was afraid of losing his memories and being forever trapped in Fortrion Manor. More precisely, he seemed confused about who he was and how he could fit in and become close to other people.
Upon reflection, he remembered that back then he had told him, “If you want to rid yourself of those thoughts, come with me”, while he believed it was a good idea back then to throw a worn wooden sword at the depressed boy who was wondering how he could avoid feeling more alone.
“Well, that aside, whenever you have concerns related to romantic affairs, feel free to consult with your big brother here.”
Walter didn’t want to continue discussing this topic with Cassius, who had an incredibly sharp intuition.
“Alright, what about Helen?”
“She’s back safely. After discussing the condition of the embankment and flood cycles, she managed to persuade the commander to send a militia squad there.”
“And?”
“They asked me to pass on their thanks to Lady Edith for providing valuable and useful information. They mentioned that they were already interested because a related article had recently been published.”
Cassius said so as he handed Walter a copy of the newspaper.
[Flood Preparedness Status]
But what bothered Walter more than the headline Cassius pointed to with his chin was the name of the journalist who wrote this article.
-Benjamin Homan.-
It was the name of the man Edith had introduced as her close friend.
Judging by the faint trace of Fortrion accent in his speech, it was clear that Benjamin had been away from this place for at least a few years.
When Walter realized that such a man had returned to Fortrion territory for Edith, he became even more uncomfortable.
Cassius continued talking, oblivious to the fact that Walter was staring at the journalist’s name.
“Anyway, there’s no sign of the Viscount waking up, and there’s no way he can return your memories, so there’s nothing more to worry about.”
If their planned generational change in Fortrion went smoothly, it would mean an end to Walter’s suffering in this place.
And Edith, who had to act like a pregnant woman, could also be brought out of this prison.
⋙“Walter, let’s both make sure to escape from this place. I’ll do my best to help you get out.”⋘
Walter recalled her clear blue eyes that had once held him and replied, diverting his gaze from the newspaper.
“Alright, it’s time for us to start moving.”
Through Cassius, Walter heard how far Helen and the Militia Force’s plans had progressed.
When they heard someone asking for help, they changed their direction and headed towards the garden, but Walter suddenly stopped in his tracks.
“…”
He stood frozen, like a broken man, when he spotted Edith, smiling while touching the flowers.
『 It’s the first time I’ve seen him react like this.』
Cassius found it a little strange to see Walter unable to take his eyes off Edith as if time had stopped.
Of course, the Fourth Lady was attracting some attention right now.
Her already glamorous appearance was accentuated by a white dress and an elaborate headpiece, making her look like a graceful swan.
Although they couldn’t engage in a friendly conversation with so many eyes on them, just a brief exchange of glances between these two revealed a lot to Cassius.
“Let’s go, Walter.”
Cassius urged him to walk to a quieter place so he could question him.
Walter reluctantly tore his gaze away from Edith and followed Cassius.
He had a feeling that Cassius was about to ask some unnecessary and irritating questions.
“Wait… Isn’t that Geoffrey? Why is he here?”
Cassius frowned as he spotted a familiar face.
──────────✿◦•
“Indeed, noble manors should always host such parties, don’t you think?”
Isabelle was delighted by the lavish feast and struck up a conversation with Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, who had attended numerous parties of this scale in the capital to the point of exhaustion, didn’t want to disrupt Isabelle’s enjoyment.
“That’s right. The day when such parties are held in Fortrion has come.”
“I didn’t even know there were so many nobles nearby to send invitations to.”
Elizabeth smiled weakly and agreed with Isabelle’s statement.
“There are so many people that it makes me feel fortunate that we’re not pregnant.”
At the far end of their gaze, Edith was on the verge of suffocation.
“Congratulations, M’lady. How did you meet the Viscount?”
“I wonder if Viscount Fortrion was a kind lover.”
“Haha, this is a happy occasion. What do you like about the Viscount?”
Nobles who had dressed up for the rare social gathering and merchants’ wives bombarded her with questions.
Edith knew that these people were not genuinely curious about her.
『 They want to confirm if I’m really pregnant with the Viscount’s child.』
It’s well-known that Nicholas Fortrion is a voyeur who can’t even be alone with women; that’s why they suspected that a woman was really pregnant with his child.
Moreover, according to Benjamin, the rumor that the Viscount had bought a woman from a gambling house and made her another of his wives had spread far and wide.
『 I shouldn’t make any unnecessary comments in this situation.』
Edith took a sip of water with an awkward smile. Fortunately, when the truth is revealed, she won’t be the only one in trouble.
“I appreciate everyone’s kindness, but please understand that Edith is not accustomed to such gatherings.”
Sophia subtly alluded to Edith’s non-noble background, putting an end to the barrage of questions.
“Edith, you seem a little chilly. How about going inside and putting on a suitable coat before coming back?”
“I’ll do that. Thank you.”
Not ordering Vivian to fetch her a coat but going for herself was a way of temporarily avoiding the gaze of others.
Edith felt a sense of relief as she left the garden briefly with Vivian.
“People are showing a lot of interest in you…”
At that moment, with a swift motion, someone approached Edith.
Vivian, who had been walking behind her, widened her eyes to the maximum extent.
In an instant, the silhouette of a man with a mask covering his face appeared before her.
“M’lady… Ugh!”
“Vivian!”
The thug struck Vivian behind her neck, causing her to lose consciousness, and then used a threatening hand to cover Edith’s mouth.
The cool blade of a dagger touched the side of her neck.
“If you don’t stay quiet, I’ll stab you in the stomach.”
“…”
Trembling like a leaf, Edith nodded her head.
If this man had the audacity to kidnap someone from the Viscount’s manor, which was more crowded than usual with guests barging in, he was clearly not in his right mind.
When dealing with lunatics, it was better to go along with their whims.
“Alright. Then, just nod or shake your head to answer my questions.”
As Edith nodded, the man checked once again that there were no signs of anyone nearby.
“Is it true that the child you’re pregnant with is not the Viscount’s seed but that of the kidnapped stableman?”
“…!”
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
