『 There’s something off about Elise. It seems like Gilbert is hiding something from me too.』
Since Elizabeth wasn’t able to stay with her daughter until she turned six years old, she understood why Elise was shy and didn’t feel comfortable with her.
⋙“Then I’ll go in.”⋘
But the moment Elise spoke those words, Elizabeth was indescribably shocked. She felt like her heart was being broken by her daughter’s attitude towards her as if she were a complete stranger.
╭══════
Mom, I miss you. It would be nice if we could go on a picnic together.
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╭══════
Thank you for your hard work. Thanks to you, I’m doing well.
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Gilbert sometimes included their daughter’s letters in his letters. He added that since Elise was still young and had difficulty writing, he was writing on her behalf.
『 She says she misses me so much, but she hates it when I hug her.』
Elizabeth couldn’t be sure whether the words written in Gilbert’s handwriting really came from Elise’s heart.
╭══════
Due to some circumstances, I am raising her as if she were my brother and his wife’s daughter for a while, but I go to Elise every evening and show her your portrait. After all, she shouldn’t forget her mother’s face.
══════╯
Elizabeth believed Gilbert’s letter without a doubt as she was confined to Fortrion territory where she knew no one.
But now that she sees it, that transparent trust was created by the circumstances. Because she had no choice but to trust him.
After she finished her work, she thought that if she went to the capital, she would be able to live with Gilbert and their daughter under the protection of Count Gerturk, but the only positive change that happened to her was purchasing a manor with the inheritance from Viscount Fortrion.
『 Even that will be taken away if it’s revealed that I was involved in the murder of the Viscount.』
Is it because I failed to get rid of Walter? When she arrived in the capital, everything was different from what she thought.
“Elizabeth, don’t say that. Let’s go to the café, shall we? There’s a new place right in front, created for dignified guests.”
When Elizabeth realized that her relationship with her daughter had become irreparable, Gilbert, who used to affectionately make her feel better, no longer seemed as kind as before.
“They built a large building and decorated it like a palace. They say time flies when you’re sitting there.”
“… Alright then.”
If it hadn’t been for the hat she wore, Gilbert would have immediately noticed that Elizabeth’s gaze did not have the same warmth as before.
But Gilbert, unaware of Elizabeth’s cold gaze, led her to the café, one of the most reputable in the capital.
『 It was inevitable that we couldn’t prevent the Little Duke from regaining his position…』
Among the women Gilbert had met, Elizabeth was the smartest. She wasn’t the type to let anger explode and mess things up.
Moreover, she had been playing the role of the wife of Nicholas Fortrion for an impressive five years for his own sake and had inherited a substantial fortune.
『 If it’s Elizabeth, she will always make a move for me. Besides, my Noonim still trusts Elizabeth, so she will surely entrust her with other matters.』
Gilbert instinctively realized this when they first met. In order to claim something for himself between his ambitious older sister, the mother of the previous emperor’s son who stood at the pinnacle of power, and his elder brother, who inherited everything from the family, he needed Elizabeth’s help.
However, bringing her to the café was undoubtedly a clear misstep.
“Cassius, could you pack two slices of strawberry cake for me? I think it would be nice to bring it to Theos.”
“Yes. Theos will really like it.”
Following the guidance of the café staff to the place with the best lighting and scenery, Elizabeth, recognizing a familiar voice, abruptly stopped in her tracks.
“Look who is this? It’s been a while, Edith.”
Edith, who had come out to personally buy new clothes for Theos and the wrapping material and ribbon for the handkerchief she planned to give to Walter, recognized her at once, and her face hardened. It was impossible to avoid the conversation that was coming.
“Elizabeth. How have you been?”
Even with the formal greeting that lacked sincerity, Elizabeth couldn’t muster a smile. It wasn’t just because Cassius and Gilbert were standing stiff, almost on edge.
Since there were no other customers nearby except them, who were about to leave the café, Elizabeth briefly held back the employee and let out a sneer.
“I see that Lexion has been publishing about me lately. I’m having fun each day. Judging by your complexion, it looks like you are living well, oblivious under Lexion’s protection.”
In fact, those articles were largely to blame for her delay in living with Elise. The Count and Countess Gerturk said they were worried that people’s criticism would be directed at the child, so they had agreed to take care of the child only until public opinion calmed down.
Elizabeth couldn’t refute that, so she temporarily postponed starting her own family for a while.
Just as Elizabeth made a sarcastic remark at the woman who was clinging to Lexion and tried to walk away, Edith spoke up.
“Since you gave Viscountess Carter money first, I’m just not staying quiet.”
“…”
Elizabeth scrutinized Edith’s face as she tried to walk away. The sharp yet cold face that had exposed Sophia’s pregnancy scheme was right in front of her.
『 Only a few people know that I gave money to Viscountess Carter.』
Considering that it happened in the capital, and Viscountess Carter wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t the information that Lexion’s intelligence officers couldn’t have gathered.
The problem was that the arrogant people of Lexion, with their high noses, gave information to Edith.
Could it be that Lexion leaked the information they secretly discovered because Edith was acquainted with Walter and they had a special relationship?
Elizabeth felt a chill thinking that Edith, who had been sold to Nicholas and lived as his wife for only a few months, could not have already won the Duke’s trust.
From what Elizabeth has observed, Edith had proven herself not stupid. She even wondered where her confidence came from, hearing her say that she knew that she was the one who gave the funds. It made her ponder if Edith knew something more about her.
『 No way… Surely, those newspaper articles are not the result of Edith’s manipulation, right?』
Elizabeth continued walking, pretending not to be angry for no reason.
Edith didn’t run after her but just looked at her back. There was no need to rush anyway, as in a few days, Isabelle would file a lawsuit against her to strip her of her title and reclaim her inheritance, as agreed in advance.
──────────✿◦•
Knock, knock—
“Theos, it’s Edith. Can I come in for a moment?”
“Wa-wait a minute!”
Theos, who had been lying face down at his desk, suddenly got up when he heard a sweet and elegant voice.
『 I fell asleep again…!』
Theos hurriedly wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth and opened the door. Then he saw Edith smiling, holding something in both hands.
“First, take this. It’s a cake; you can share it with your sibling later. It’s delicious.”
“M’lady, why do you keep doing this… Thank you. I will enjoy it.”
“And this is the winter coat I bought while I was out. Do you want to try it on when you have time? Even if you are busy studying, I think it would be a good idea to dress warmly when you want to take a walk in the garden.”
“A-a winter coat is expensive, M’lady!”
“But at the New Year’s festival, all children receive new clothes as gifts. I asked for the coat to be slightly wider, so it will be comfortable and warm.”
Even if someone passes on clothes they used to wear, the receiver would be very grateful, but when he listened to Edith’s words, it seemed like she had the clothes made to order based on his measurements and physique.
When Theos hesitated to receive the clothes, Edith smiled warmly.
“When I was young, I envied the kids who wore new clothes for the New Year’s festival. But you have no idea how happy I was when the director of the clinic where I worked gave me a new dress.”
Although Edith grew taller and passed it on to another child after wearing it for several years, when she received the new dress, she felt like she had the whole world.
“It feels good to have someone who thinks of me during the holidays. So please accept it.”
“M’lady… Then I will gratefully accept it. Thank you so much for taking care of us.”
Theos ended up sniffing without realizing it as he accepted the cake and winter clothes. His eyes were already warm and filled with tears.
Even though Theos was barely making enough money to survive, as he had to cover the cost of his sick younger sibling’s medication, he was grateful for being provided with an environment where he could focus on studying. But Edith kept bringing up memories of her own childhood and buying him things, which made Theos even more grateful.
“Would you like to try on your coat? If it’s too big, we might need to have it altered.”
“I don’t think I’ll get any bigger. I’ve gained weight these days thanks to the meals provided to me.”
Although Theos felt a little awkward, he still did as Edith said and took out the new coat. His appearance, admiring the neat and thick coat, was that of a typical teenage boy.
“I’ll try it on in front of the mirror!”
Edith burst out laughing as she saw Theos running toward the mirror, his eyes sparkling.
『 That’s how it should be at his age.』
According to what Vane had mentioned, it seemed that Theos was doing work specially instructed by Walter, who recognized his talent.
Judging from his occasional conversations with the doctors, he seemed to be conducting some kind of research combining magic and medicine, but Edith did not ask Theos for details out of fear of being a burden.
Edith, who was trying to move the cake that Theos had placed on the desk to a side out of the sunlight, unknowingly read the documents lying on the desk.
[…due to side effects, causing damage to the brain and memory…]
Although it was terrible handwriting, the words ‘side effects’ were clearly legible.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
