'Aha! I guess he can't make his mother worry, huh?'
No matter how I felt, I couldn't show my mother-in-law that a cold wind was blowing in front of me.
I smoothed down my bountiful hair and craned my neck.
The man who was so reluctant to touch me even to put the wedding ring on my finger, for some reason put the necklace on me so easily this time.
But I didn't miss the slight tremor in his hand.
'Looks like he's holding back something he doesn't like.'
"What do you think, Killian?" I asked, pretending to be shy, deliberately trying to annoy him further.
To anyone else, we'd look like newlyweds in spring, but Killian might not feel that way.
He's still looking at me, covering his mouth with his hand, but I can see his molars clenched tightly together.
He stared at my face, around my neck, and at my necklace for a long time before finally replying, "Looks good."
"Really?"
He nodded, his brow furrowing slightly, and turned to the jeweler.
"Give me the bill for this necklace."
"Oh, Killian, it's your first gift to your bride!"
The Duchess clasped her hands together in delight. She must have been quite worried about my relationship with Killian.
I was still smiling broadly as I watched him nod without answering.
I'm actually in a good mood now, unlike when I came here a while ago.
'He has no choice but to be nice to the wife he hates in order to preserve his mother's feelings. He must be very annoyed. Ha! Feel it!'
In front of Killian who had to buy his unwanted wife a present, Cliff gave all the remaining jewelry to Lizé.
"Cliff! What about Edith if you buy all that for Lizé......!"
The Duchess berated Cliff, but we were all in this game together anyway, so I politely waved her off.
"It's okay, Mother. It's not that I have other things I want to buy, I just really like this necklace."
Although I was being sarcastic with Killian, I meant it when I said I liked the necklace.
Sure, getting a big piece of jewelry would make my safe explode, but I don't want to risk having my tail stepped on when I sell it later.
Besides, this is enough to be worn as an accessory for everyday wear.
Killian's gaze snapped to me as he heard my words.
I smiled even more brightly. "Thank you for the gift, Killian. I'll treasure it."
His throat twitched hard.
I didn't want to provoke him further, so I stopped teasing him.
Anyway, the outcome of the episode was the same, despite the change in flow. Lizé, who has been showered with jewelry gifts from everyone, and me, with just one small necklace that Killian reluctantly bought for me.
'I'm a little worried about this.'
Surely, no matter what I do, this story won't change......?
***
For a while, I lived a peaceful life.
I had a few things to worry about, but anyway, I didn't argue with Killian, and I was well on my way to earning the Duchess' trust by helping her with her work.
But things always happen by surprise.
"A letter for you, miss."
As usual, Anna handed me a stack of letters addressed to me.
Most of them were party invitations, and considering Edith was a partygoer in the past, she received several a day.
'In the original story, she goes to all these parties to spread malicious rumors about Lizé.'
Even if she keeps spreading the slander in secret, Killian or Cliff will find the source because she spread it in so many places......
No, maybe the original Edith does it on purpose, hoping Killian realizes how angry and sad she is.
'You certainly hope so, Edith.'
Anyway, by not going to the party, I nipped any possible dead flags in the bud.
I wish I could have finished checking my letters today by tossing a stack of party invitations into the fire, but I froze as I flipped through them blindly.
'Count Riegelhoff......!'
Count Riegelhoff, who had been quiet all this time, sent me a letter.
I had a vague idea that Anna would tell the Duke of Ludwig about it.
'Did she even open the letter?'
The sealing was apparently intact, but envelopes can be tampered with and handwriting can be copied.
I chewed my lip, opened the envelope, and began to read the letter, which was not going to be very pleasant.
– Dear Edith.
It's been almost three months since you got married.
Have you been doing well?
I know it's hard to adjust to a new house, but the time has come for you to get to work.
I know that you've been helping the Duchess with her work and have access to the duchy's internal documents.
If there is any documentation on weapons entering the duchy, take it.
If you can't get it, write a summary of the contents and send it to......
The rest of the letter was long, but he wanted one thing from me: to take away any weapons-related documents.
Of course, the letter was written in special ink and had to be heated by candlelight to read.
I had Edith's memory, so I could read the true content of the letter, but to anyone else, it would look like a letter written by a father concerned for his daughter's well-being.
'How did he know I was managing the internal documents, anyway?'
There's no way the Duke of Ludwig could have been talking about it outside. In other words, there is a Riegelhoff spy in this house.
'What...... Riegelhoff have a spy in Ludwig?'
I was a little nervous when I first saw the letter, but I was no longer on a leash with Count Riegelhoff.
I immediately took out the letter and wrote a reply.
– Dear Father.
(A long, long salutation omitted)
Now that I've come and seen for myself, House Ludwig is so solid and powerful. It is beyond my imagination.
If you try to take them down, you'll have to be prepared to be executed.
Besides, the Ludwig family did nothing wrong in the first place, did they?
The Duchy is the will and authority of His Majesty the Emperor, so why do you have nothing but hatred for the Ludwigs?
Besides, there is no justification for Archduke Langston to become Emperor; he would be accused of treason at this point.
So I think it's best that you give up and instead seek the favor of the Ludwigs and build on Riegelhoff's strengths.
Okay, that's it for now.
To avoid appearing too insincere, I wrote it in special ink, just as Count Riegelhoff did.
'Although Count Riegelhoff won't give up his ambition......'
All I want is for the Count to give up on me.
I could picture him gnashing his teeth as he called me a traitor, but that didn't bother me too much.
Well, if he grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and knocked me over, so much the better.
So I sent the letter and waited nervously for Count Riegelhoff's response.
"Miss, the Duke wants to see you."
"Huh? The Duke?"
It was sudden and surprising.
The Duke of Ludwig was rarely seen, busy with the affairs of the palace and the dukedom.
But why is he looking for me......
'This is kind of creepy......'
My anxiety was compounded by the fact that Anna wasn't the only one picking me up.
But with no reason or way to escape, I braced myself and followed Anna.
In the Duke's office was not only the Duke, but also the Duchess, Cliff, and Killian.
"I am here, Your Excellency."
"Have a seat."
Heavy air seemed to press down from above my head.
It seemed like something big was about to happen.
The Duke and Cliff's expressions were heavy, the Duchess looked nervous, and Killian was...... pale.
"Edith."
The Duke, who had been silent, called to me.
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"I'll ask you bluntly. Did you leak the duchy's internal documents to the outside world?"
"Pardon? me?"
The Duke didn't answer, just looked at me with frightening eyes. It was as if he was convinced that I had leaked the documents.
I stared back at him, my mouth hanging open in disbelief, and then I came to my senses.
"No, I didn't."
"Really? Do you swear on your father's honor?"
"I swear on my honor and my life, as well as my father's."
The Duke's eyes narrowed at my look of anger.
"Then you have brought dishonor upon both yourself and your father."
"What on earth are you talking about?"
The Duke tossed a handful of papers in my direction.
"Aren't these the documents you organized?"
I scooped up the papers and flipped through them.
They were the weapons and armor purchases I'd organized some time ago.
"Yes. I did organize them."
"And you even organized them by drawing up what you call a table?"
"Yes, that's right, and the Duchess and Miss Lizé also saw me do it, so they would now."
"Yes, they did......"
There was a faint hint of mockery in the Duke's words.
He added, "The truth is, Edith, those documents are fake."
"Yes......?"
"Everything written on there is fake."
I was dumbfounded. No, okay, let's say it's fake. So what?
"I'm sure there's a reason you had me organize the fake documents, and I was just doing what I was told, I'm not sure what the problem is."
"Edith Riegelhoff!"
The Duke bellowed, as if he couldn't take it anymore.
I was surprised at his booming voice, but even more surprised that he still called me "Riegelhoff".