ITTWACP • NACP

Chapter 39

-Chapter 39-

Killian

"Did you come looking for me on purpose?"

It was ridiculous.

I sarcastically asked if she was happy about such a thing, but Edith said it as if she was someone who would disappear at any moment.

"It's exciting to know that someone cares where you've gone, isn't it?"

The look of loneliness on her face was something I would never forget.

But any thoughts of softening toward Edith were stiffened by Lizé's words at the end of the day.

"It may be my mistake, but I heard something strange at the Ermenia mansion earlier." Lizé mentioned.

"What happened?"

"Well...... I was talking to Cliff in passing, and I distinctly overheard the heir to Count Rigelhoff say something to the Count about the Duke of Ludwig".

"......what?"

Lizé fidgeted with her small hands, then spoke up at my request to elaborate.

"I didn't really hear much of it, it was such a fleeting moment that even Cliff didn't see it...... but I'm pretty sure I heard the words Duke of Ludwig and Edith's name. Did he meet Edith yesterday?"

A chill of anxiety ran down the center of my chest.

Then, a few days later, in the morning, Shane brought in one of his family's maids, and he seemed to feel the need to put her next to Edith.

'I wonder if they've been talking before......'

I thought of Count Rigelhoff, who had been trying to get a maid for Edith since before we were married.

At first glance, the maid Shane had brought in didn't look like a normal maid.

What kind of maid could be so rude in the presence of the duke's family?

'Maybe Edith told Shane about her plight, and that's why he was so angry with the Ludwigs that he offered to give her a maid, and maybe Edith was so moved that she showed tears.......'

Maybe the flush on her cheek was really from the sun, as she said.

Because of these doubts, Edith's repeated refusals seemed like an act.

There were even rumors of Edith's persecution, so there was no way she was not going to take the maid in.

'We'll see. Is Edith's attitude an act, or is she genuine?'

The next day, Sophia became Edith's full-time maid, and the Duke secretly increased the number of guards around them.

* * *

Edith

It was a thought that I had several times in my previous life, and it's one that I think about every day as Edith.

'I'd rather be working.'

I finally catch my breath as I make it to the morning office hours, where I can escape Sophia's scrutiny.

'Besides, if I come to Renon's office, I can at least have tea and snacks!'

I don't usually enjoy refreshments when I'm working, but I was starving.

Sophia was starving me.

"You seem to be enjoying...... the refreshments today," Renon said, his face unreadable as to what the hell he was thinking.