'Aha! He must don't want to make his mother worry, did he?'
No matter how we felt, we couldn't show the cold wind blowing around me and him in front of my mother-in-law. So i curled my pretty hair that spread out and submitted my neck obediently.
The person who reluctant to touch me even put the wedding ring on my finger, for some reason, put on a the necklace normally this time. However I didn't miss his hand shaking a little.
'He seems forced himself with things he doesn't like.'
Then i asked him, pretending to be shy, on purpose to annoy him even more.
"How is it, Killian?"
If anyone sees it, it will look like we are newlywed couple in love, but Killian probably feel annoyed by it. He looked at me and covered his mouth with his hands, but i could see he clenched his molars tightly together. He started at my face, around my neck and the necklace that hung on my neck for a while and finally he answered.
"Look good."
"Really?"
He nodded his head with a slight frown on his brow and turned to the jeweler.
"Give me the bill for this necklace."
"Oh my gosh, Killian! It's your first gift to your bride!"
The Duchess happily and clasped her hands together. She must be really worried about her relationship with Killian. She was still smiling as she saw him nodding his head without answering. Actually, she feels pretty good now, unlike when she came here for the first time.
'He hate his wife to death, but he have to reassure his mother feeling. He must be so annoyed, did he? Ha! It's fun.'
In front of Killian, who had to buy a gift for his wife whom he hates so much, Cliff buy all the remaining jewelry to Lizzy.
"Cliff! What about Edith if you buy all of it for Lizzy. . . . ."
The Duchess scold Cliff, but since everyone was in the same boat anyway, I gently waved my hands.
"It's alright, mother! It's not that I have other things that I wanted to buy. Just this necklace it's enough, because i really liked this necklace."
Although Killian didn't pleased it, but i really meant it when i said i liked this necklace. Of course, if I got a big piece of gem, i could filled my safe vault with it, but I don't want to risk getting my tail stepped on when I sell it later. Beside, i think just wore this everday as an my accessory it's enough for me. But somehow, Killian's gaze turned to me when he heard the words i said.
I smiled even more brightly and said. "Thank you for the gift, Killian. I'll cherish it."
His throat twitched wildly. I thought I shouldn't have provoked him more, so I stopped teasing him.
By the way, although the flow of the original episode has changed the outcome of the episode are same. Lizzy received a lot of jewelry gifts from everyone, and me who just got only one small necklace that Killian reluctantly bought for me.
'I'm a little worried about this for some reason.'
Surely, no matter what I do, this story won't change. . . . .?
* * *
For a while, I had a peaceful daily life. There wasn't one or two things to worry about, and now Killian didn't argue with me anymore. Also It was good to make progress to gaining the Duchess's trust by helping her with her work. but things always happen by surprise.
"This is a letter addressed to you, miss."
As always, Anna picked out the letters addressed to me and handed the letter over. Most of them were party invitations, but how much of Edith 'love party in the past, several invitations were sent every day.
'In the original, Edith didn't miss this whole party. She went out and spread vicious rumors about Lizzy, right? ugh, you're such a daredevil.'
Even if she had kept secretly badmouthing about Lizzy, Killian or Cliff would have found the course, but since she already spread it in so many places. . . . .No, maybe the original Edith did that on purpose. She hopes Killian will notice how angry and sad she is.
'You shouldn't have hoped for it, Edith.'
Anyway, I've sealed off the dead flag that might happen by not going to the party. It would have been nice if I could finish checking the letter by throwing a bunch of party invitations into the fire today, but as I flipped through the invitations with cloudy eyes, I quickly frozen.
'Count of Riegelhoff. . . . .!'
Count Riegelhoff, who had been silent for a while, sent a letter. I guessed roughly that Anna would tell this to the Duke of Ludwig.
'Did she even open the letter?'
The sealing was clean, but the envelope can be replaced, and the handwriting can be copied as much as possible. I chewed my lips, opened the envelope, and began to read the letters, which is i'm not very pleased about it.
~[To Edith. It's already been almost three months since you got married. How have you been? I know it's hard to get used to the house, but it's time to get to work. I heard that you are helping the duchess with her work and touching the duke's documents. If there's a document related to the weapon that goes into the duke, steal the information. If it is difficult to steal, it is good to write a summary of the contents and send it. . . . .]
After that, the content was long, but what he wanted from me. Was one thing. To steal the documents related to the weapons information. Of course, the letter was written in special ink, so I had to heat it up in a candle and read it. I had Edith's memory, so I could read the real content of the letter, but to anyone else, it would look like a letter written by an incomparable father, borrowing an old poem, worrying about her daughter's well-being.
'By the way, how did you know that I'm managing Duke's documents?'
In other words, there is a spy of the Riegelhoff family in this house. There's no way the Duke of Ludwig could have been talking about it outside.
'Well. . . . . There will be a spy from the Ludwig family within the Rigelhoff family. Is that a bloody wave?'
I was a little nervous when I first saw the letter, but I'm no longer Riegelhoff or in a position to live on the leash of Count Riegelhoff. I immediately took out the paper and wrote a reply.
~[To my father. (Long Greetings) When I came and saw for myself, the Duke of Ludwig was so entrenched and powerful. It's more than you can imagine. If you try to take them down, you're going to have to be prepared for extinction. Besides, the Duke of Ludwig didn't do anything wrong in the first place, did he? It was His Majesty the Emperor's will and authority to do so, so why do you hate the Ludwig family much? Also, there's no reason for Archduke Langston to become emperor. At this rate, we'll be accused of treason. Therefore, I think it's better to let it go and build Riegelhoff's strengths under the protection of the Ludwigs family. So let's call it a day. I didn't want to look too insincere, so I wrote it in special ink like Count Riegelhoff did.]
'I'm sure Count Riegelhoff would not give up easily his ambition like this, but. . . . .'
It was enough for him to give up on me. I can imagine him screaming and saying that I'm a traitor and gnashing his teeth, but it's not bothered me. Well, it's better if you grab the nape of your neck and go to your goal. It was one day when I waited nervously for Rigelhoff's response after sending the letter like that.
"Miss. the Duke is looking for you."
"Huh? his Excellency the Duke?"
It was sudden and puzzling. The Duke of Ludwig is so busy with the affairs of the palace and the dukedom, so it's hard to see his face in person. But why is he looking for me. . . . .
'I'm feeling a little chilly. . . . .'
The fact that one other knight besides Anna came to pick me up also fueled my anxiety. But with no reason or way to escape, I prepared myself well and followed Anna. In the Duke's office, not only the Duke but also the Duchess, Cliff, and Killian were seated.
"I heard you called, Your Excellency, the duke."
"Yeah. sit there."
It felt like heavy air was pressing down on my top head from above. Something big seems to have happened. The Duke and Cliff's facial expressions were heavy, the Duchess looked nervous, and Killian was. . . . .it was pale.
"Edith."
The silent Duke Ludwig called me.
"Yes, Duke."
"I'm going to ask you directly. Did you leak the duke's documents to the outside?"
"What? me?"
The duke was looking at me with scary eyes without answering. He looked as if he was sure I had leaked the document. I stared at him, my mouth hanging open in disbelief before coming to my senses.
"No! I've never done that."
"Okay? Do you swear by your father's honor?
"I swear by my honor and life, not to mention my father."
The Duke's eyes narrowed at my exasperated expression.
"Then you have just thrown your father and your honor to the ground."
"What on earth are you talking about?"
The duke threw some papers he had in his hand in front of me.
"Isn't that the document you organized?"
I lifted up the document he threw and looked over it. It was a document about the purchase of weapons and armor that I organized a while ago.
"Yes, that's right, it's me who organized it."
"I heard that you even drew and organized the contents as a table?"
"Yes, it is. You've seen the Duchess and Miss Lizzy together at the time, so you'll know."
"Yes, that's right. Everyone remembers. . . . ."
The duke's mouth was faintly peppered with ridicule.
"The truth is. Edith. the documents are fake."
". . . . .Yes?"
"Everything written there is fake."
It was absurd. No, yes, let's say it's fake. So what?
"There must be a reason why you organized the fake documents for me. I just did what you told me to do. I don't know what the hell is the problem here."
"Edith Riegelhoff!"
The duke screamed as if he couldn't stand it anymore. I was surprised by his loud voice, but more surprised that he still called me 'Riegelhoff'.