The Lady and the Stableman

After Walter disappeared, a servant of Sophia’s approached her, presenting a pen and a marriage certificate.

“The Viscount signed this in advance before fetching you, M’lady.” 

“…” 

Edith pondered whether their words were true or if someone had forged the viscount’s signature.

What they want now is the marriage certificate itself, which would be shown to others.

Unable to resist the threat, Edith reluctantly wrote only her name, ‘Edith’, omitting the surname Lowell. The maids then led her to a bedroom in the eastern part of the mansion.

As they walked, the maids examined the marks Walter had left on Edith’s body: red fingerprints on her skin, disheveled hair, and a face filled with despair and sadness.

“You will be staying here from now on. Rest comfortably.” 

The maids pushed Edith into the room, as if locking up a caged animal, and then left.

She washed her body with the water provided in the room and collapsed on the bed, exhausted.

As she quietly closed her eyes, she overheard the conversation of the other maids outside the door.

“It seems our master got into trouble by fooling around with a lowly woman.” 

“That woman must be feeling pretty foolish herself. She must have been so excited about changing her status soon. But now that the Viscount is in a coma…” 

“Isn’t she a woman who used to do dirty things anyway? Everyone here knows the Viscount’s strange taste, which is also quite poisonous.” 

Rumors spread within a few hours, and the servants viewed her as a woman who used her beauty to climb the social ladder, assuming she intentionally seduced the Viscount to elevate her status.

It was said that she recognized the Viscount, who had secretly visited a disreputable bar, and she desperately rushed to him.

『 I can’t even recall when I last drank wine because I’ve been living surrounded by the smell of disinfectant. A bar, you say?』

But there were other stories that puzzled Edith even more.

“Who’s the real pitiful one is Lady Sophia. She must have faced many troubles because the Viscount chose a lowly woman to be his other wife.” 

“If it were me, I would have secretly thrown that woman Edith away while the Viscount is in a coma, but the Viscountess said that she would accept the woman as a member of the Fortrion Family because it was the Viscount’s will.” 

“Lady Sophia is really… Maybe it’s because she’s a well-bred aristocratic lady, but she doesn’t seem to be able to take care of herself. If the Viscount dies, she will have to share the inheritance with her too.” 

“Jane, shh! What if someone overhears us?” 

From then on, the maids lowered their voices to ensure the conversation couldn’t be overheard.

Edith sighed as she sat down on a chair.

Ever since her parents passed away, she had been supporting herself with dignity, but she never expected to be treated like this.

She thought about proclaiming Sophia’s true nature aloud. However, her mother’s advice soon came to mind.

⋙“Edith, you don’t have to care about how others see you or what kind of person they think you are. All that matters is what you want to achieve.”⋘

『  Mother is right.』 

Edith thought quietly, suppressing her anger.

Given the current situation, it might be better to be regarded as a commoner. Nobody would believe any rumors coming from a newcomer about the Lady who had been managing the viscountcy for so long.

People don’t pay much attention to those they consider insignificant.

Therefore, if she planned to escape secretly, it would be safer to be treated like someone who knows nothing.

All that mattered was escaping from the terrible Viscount Fortrion and safely reaching the capital’s academy, where she should be. To do that, she needed to gather information and seek someone’s help.

『  Occasionally, people who worked at the Fortrion Manor came to the clinic as patients, and they said people often run away during the night.』

From what she had heard, the viscountcy manor had been doing relatively well until the current viscount took over. The Viscountcy of Fortrion fell rapidly, and as wages gradually fell behind, some resorted to stealing expensive items and ran away at night.

There were so many that had run away that the Fortrion Family didn’t even try to catch them.

『 What is the intention of even buying me from my uncle when their family fortune is declining?』

In her doubts, she suddenly remembered a man who had left a strong impression on her.

⋙“Listen. I couldn’t care less about Sophia’s orders or your body.”⋘

『 Who the hell is Walter?』

If he had excellent fighting skills, he would have escaped from this ruined manor and become a mercenary or a knight. Considering the fact that he remained in the mansion, is it all just a bluff?

『  Perhaps he dislikes Sophia and is merely pretending to be obedient to another of the Viscount’s wives. Or…』

Edith was pondering several assumptions.

Knock-knock— 

“Lady Edith, this is Jane, the maid. I will take care of you at Lady Sophia’s request.”

“…” 

Edith felt an instinctive reluctance to be called the Fourth Lady. Moreover, wasn’t Jane the maid who had been belittling her just now?

『 Even more reason to dislike it, knowing that it’s someone sent by Sophia.』

When she didn’t respond, Jane said, ‘I’ll come in’, and opened the door.

It was because Sophia had ordered her to take care of Edith, even if she didn’t want to.

『 I heard she did such jobs before coming here, and I think she must not know anyone at the viscount’s place anyway… It was said she’s a commoner.』

Sophia, whom she originally served, comes from aristocratic parents.

But Jane, who had a strong sense of dignity despite being a maid, didn’t like the idea of serving a common-born woman like Edith.

Especially if she is a woman who uses her gorgeous looks to fix her fate.

“Would you like to eat, Lady Edith? If there are any foods you like to eat, please let me know. Our chef cooks street food very well.”

A straight smile hung on Jane’s lips as she mentioned that she was from a lowly background.

However, her eyes were full of contempt and disregard for Edith.

Edith, who had been listening, looked straight into Jane’s eyes.

She could become a vulgar woman, but she never entertained the thought of becoming a complacent lady.

“Jane, then why don’t we ask the kitchen for some street food and share a table together? Since we just met, it’s an opportunity to get to know each other.”

『  To say such things to a maid. Is she out of her mind?』

Whether born into a prestigious family or not, it was common knowledge that maids and their masters didn’t share meals together.

Jane felt embarrassed to see someone like Edith, who lacked even basic background knowledge, trying to act refined.

“I’m sorry, but as a maid, I can’t share a meal with M’lady at a table. Our social statuses are different, so you should also mind your words.”

“Oh, really?”

However, with a faint smile that seemed to be waiting for this response, Jane belatedly realized Edith’s intention.

From the beginning, Edith had been waiting for these words to come out of her mouth, to make the maid who criticized her humble origins aware of her own position.

“Come to think of it, you’re right. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

When Edith smiled innocently, Jane felt her stomach twist.

She had looked down on this ignorant woman, only to find out that she held a higher status than herself.

And seeing Edith point out that fact not with her own words but through the maid’s mouth made Jane feel that she wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

『  Disgusting. She only succeeded by conforming to the Viscount’s preferences.』

However, Jane, being a maid of the Fortrion Family, couldn’t possibly point out that fact.

Especially since she had just stated that the social status gap between a lady and a maid is so great that they cannot be equals.

“…I missed something in preparing the meal.”

Jane lowered her head, grinding her teeth silently.

Her pride wouldn’t allow her to serve Edith until the woman finished her meal.

Jane closed the door and left.

『  Just how worthless does she think I am?』

Edith leaned back against the backrest of the chair with an indifferent expression.

Dealing with all kinds of absurdities at the clinic seemed to have cultivated her composure, and it made her chuckle a little.

It was her first smile since she was brought to this viscounty.

Not something forced to ward off crises, but a true, spontaneous laugh.

As she became aware of that fact, she longed to go back to her routine of smiling several times a day.

『  I wish I could go back to the clinic as soon as possible.』

While pondering how to escape, someone politely knocked on the door.

“M’lady, I’m Vivian, I’ll be filling in for Jane. May I come in?”

“Vivian?”

The name sounded common, yet she had a vague memory of hearing it somewhere.

The polite knock and the absence of mockery in the inquiry felt somewhat warm and comforting.

“Come in.”

Edith, who spoke awkwardly, stared at the face of the maid who opened the door and entered.

The deep brown hair and her eyes with hints of green and orange didn’t feel unfamiliar. Her eyes looked gentle, and her mouth was neat.

It was undoubtedly a face that faintly existed in her memories.

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