The visitor who came to Fortrion Manor was none other than a subordinate of the Emperor.
“His Majesty the Emperor has postponed the audience with Viscountess Fortrion to ten days later.”
Helen sent the subordinate off with courtesy, as she had learned from Mrs. Gray.
If the audience was postponed so suddenly, there was an obvious reason.
She called Reinhardt, Walter, and other former comrades into the conference room and asked the servants for simple snacks.
One of her long-standing habits was to serve snacks when discussing serious matters.
“It seems that His Majesty’s health condition has suddenly worsened.”
Others agreed with her. Unless there was a sudden severe health issue, there would be no case for delaying an audience so urgently.
There was no one in the empire who did not know about the health problems of Agnas XIV.
“Since we’ve been called to the capital, it would be best for Fortrion to clarify its position.”
“I agree. You should make a decision soon. Will you support the Imperial Consort Dowager’s faction, which advocates the late emperor’s young son’s accession to the throne and the Imperial Consort’s regency, or will you stand by the aristocratic faction that supports Duke of Lexion as the next emperor?”
“That’s right.”
Helen’s expression grew heavy. It was a very weighty decision for Helen Fortrion to make, having just ousted the former tyrannical lord.
“Honestly, it’s not an easy choice. If it’s a territory-level issue, you just have to make the choice you think is best, and if you’re wrong, you can do your best to help correct it.”
However, in the central politics of the capital, especially in the decision of whom to support as the new ruler of the empire, there was no room for mistakes.
If one side’s candidate became the Emperor, they would likely try to eliminate most of the opposing faction’s members.
『 The prominent noble families will survive by tightrope-walking, but Fortrion doesn’t have the power to do that yet.』
Making the wrong move could jeopardize the survival of the recently re-established family.
“What do you think, Viscountess?”
“As for me, I’d rather align with Duke of Lexion, who has a deeper history and more high-ranking nobles, than the Imperial Consort Dowager’s side, which is a new faction.”
Helen had already heard about the blonde assassin captured during her investiture speech.
⋙“El… Lady Elizabeth… takes orders from Count Gerturk.”⋘
The words she heard after Walter and Cassius used many ways to make him speak were quite shocking.
Why would the Imperial Consort Dowager, who should be focusing on the imperial power struggle, send assassins all the way to a distant place to threaten them?
Moreover, Reinhardt, who interrogated the captured assassins, secretly told her something.
The assassins were ordered to deal with Walter first.
『 If Gerturk really wanted to kill Walter… It means that Walter is a descendant of Lexion, and it would be even more appropriate to side with the aristocratic faction.』
Helen thought that she had done a great job by generously rewarding Walter.
Given the circumstances, Walter could potentially be their savior and save Fortrion.
Since they had captured the same assassins earlier, Helen’s decision was even more resolute.
“But, as everyone knows, our Fortrion still has the shit left behind by Nicholas.”
Though not the most refined expression, it left a silence in the room.
Most of the people present here were well aware of Nicholas’s past tricks that had offended the Duke of Lexion.
As things stand, Fortrion is probably one of those mediocre noble families who aren’t much help to Lexion, but since the previous lord made a mistake, it would be difficult to join that side.
“For now, I hope we can secure a place in the social circles of the families that maintain close ties with Lexion, even if it’s not an event held at the Lexion Manor.”
“I’ll see if there’s anyone who can connect us.”
“If that doesn’t work out, we can gradually establish our presence by attending social clubs throughout the capital.”
“Right. Our people back home are eagerly waiting for good news, so let’s make progress one step at a time.”
Helen offered a refreshing smile to the advisors she had brought along.
If she had come alone, she might have felt discouraged earlier, but having Edith with her made her much more at ease.
She didn’t even want to imagine entering the social scene all by herself, which was said to be a battlefield without swords.
『 Anyway, I don’t know what will happen to them after meeting His Majesty.』
Helen’s eyes, as she looked at Walter, were filled with interest.
──────────✿◦•
While discussions about Fortrion’s fate were ongoing in the conference room, Edith contemplated whether to finish tidying up her room, which was still in disarray.
However, when she walked into her room, there was a mountain of items. They were more than she remembered. When she looked closely, they all appeared to be gift boxes.
“M’lady, did the lessons go well?”
Vivian, who had popped out of the room, was rearranging the boxes to make more space.
Her busy actions made her look like an ant diligently carrying cookie crumbs, so Edith couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Vivian, what’s all of this?”
“Don’t ask me. Cassius had the knights carry these back and forth several times. He said Walter ordered these items, thinking you might need them.”
“All of these?”
Vivian looked at Edith with sparkling eyes as if she were about to burst with excitement.
“Shall I open them for you, M’lady?”
“I feel a bit guilty receiving all of these on top of the coat…”
“But returning all of these gifts would be even more difficult.”
Vivian had a point, as there were so many gifts.
Edith decided that she would find a suitable gift for Vivian in return later, and she grabbed the end of the ribbon that Vivian was carefully handing her.
Inside the beautifully wrapped gift box was a cozy-looking winter nightgown.
『 It’s the perfect size for me, even though he didn’t take my measurements.』
Walter’s actions were innocent, but Vivian was more sure of who the father of Edith’s baby was.
The gifts primarily included clothes and shoes that she could comfortably wear in her bedroom and indoors, and there were also many cute accessories that any woman her age would like.
Edith’s rule in life was to think at least five times before deciding whether the item she wanted to buy was necessary, given her difficult financial situation.
“Wow, they’re beautiful…”
However, it was a habit she had acquired as a result of her family’s decline. Her rules of life inevitably became blurred in front of the beautiful wooden jewelry box decorated with crystal and gold.
“I was wondering where I should put M’lady’s jewelry, but I think I can organize them here.”
“You’re right. Let’s finish unpacking while we’re at it. The audience with the Emperor has been postponed, so it looks like we’ll be staying here for a long time.”
Edith organized the lavish gifts with Vivian.
While splurging with Sophia’s money had been exhilarating, unwrapping Walter’s gifts filled her with an indescribable sense of happiness.
“I’ll take care of the gift wrapping paper, so could you please handle the jewelry, M’lady?”
“Of course. Could you gather the ribbons for me?”
“It would be a waste to throw them away anyway. I’ll organize them in a box.”
Vivian felt the need to tell Walter how Edith could not even throw away the gift-wrapping materials.
It wasn’t particularly because Walter had given her some gifts as well.
While Vivian sorted the ribbons, Edith transferred her treasures to the new jewelry box.
Among them, a necklace at the bottom of her old jewelry box caught her attention.
『 This necklace is definitely…』
Click —
As Edith opened the locket pendant, an image of a woman appeared on one side.
⋙“Edith, I’ve been happy to spend time with you. Please accept this. It would make me happy if you think of me from time to time.”⋘
On the day that Mrs. Leah and her son were leaving Lowell Manor and returning to their hometown, Mrs. Leah had given her this gift while she was crying her eyes out.
When she saw a familiar face from the depths of her memory, Edith’s expression immediately softened.
『 Thanks to Mrs. Leah, I received praise from the etiquette teacher.』
She offered a brief word of gratitude to the portrait and then finished organizing the jewelry box.
Among the precious items she had carefully brought, there was only one thing that didn’t go into the jewelry box.
<Acceptance Letter>
Edith gently stroked the fruits of her efforts and then told Vivian.
“I’ll take care of the rest; you can go.”
“Alright, then, I’ll head in first, M’lady. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me.”
Walter’s gifts filled the drawers, closets, shoe racks, and jewelry boxes in the room where Edith would stay, and yet, there were still some left.
Edith thoroughly examined the closet, which Vivian had almost finished organizing, before looking out at the window.
Helen’s words about offering the Lady of the house’s room with a great view were not a lie. From Edith’s room, she could enjoy a splendid night view.
Among the capital’s prominent buildings, including the Imperial Palace and Lexion’s Manor, the one that undoubtedly caught her eye was the Academy.
『 When I have time, I have to go to the academy and apply for deferred admission.』
Although Edith was determined to protect her baby, she did not give up on the academy completely.
She thought if her deferral application was accepted, she could still enroll later.
As she contemplated the academy’s regulations regarding deferral, she suddenly thought it might be better to go to the administrative office now that the audience with the Emperor was postponed and apply for the necessary paperwork.
Even if Walter couldn’t accompany her, they could provide her with an attendant.
『 It would be nice if we could go together. While we’re out, I can buy him some gifts, and we can enjoy some delicious food.』
She began making plans to see if she could visit the academy sometime, possibly tomorrow, without even thinking that something would happen there that would change Fortrion’s fate.
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