CH 126

Count Cardel was not too far away, so I could get ready slowly. 

So I sat absent-mindedly accepting Irene’s relaxed preparation.

“Madam.” 

At that moment, Irene called me. I gently raised my eyebrows.

“You must be not feeling really well today, so I’ll dress you comfortably.”

Irene’s eyes smiled insidiously as she spoke.

You—! 

“Are you going to make fun of me like this?”

“Ey, how can I make fun of Madam!” 

Irene shouted, waving her hand.

“I’m just telling this because I think Madam is going to have a hard time with what happened yesterday.”

“How do you know what happened yesterday?”

I asked in a real surprise. Irene laughed more insidiously.

“There’s no way we don’t know, Madam. Hehe.”

“Huh!” 

My face turned red.

No, no matter how much the servants know about everything in the house, do they even know these things?

Isn’t that too much?

I wrapped my arms around my chest and glanced at Irene.

“I really hate you.”

“Oh my.” 

Irene opened her eyes wide.

“Madam seems to be getting cuter and cuter.”

Then she covered her mouth and burst into laughter. No, I thought I was angry—but I let go of my mouth, wondering what this has to do with it. 

“Nevertheless, congratulations, Madam.”

“You don’t have to congratulate me.”

“But,”

said Irene, glancing at me.

“You’ve really gotten along with each other, haven’t you? That’s why I should congratulate you.”

“We were always on good terms,”

Hmph, I said with a snort. Irene burst into laughter again.

“That’s right, both of you were always on good terms.”

She said, holding her hands together.

“Now the only thing left is to have a child between the two of you! Right, Madam?”

Then again she smiled insidiously.

Oh, this is weird.

I narrowed my eyes.

“What did you hear?”

“No!”

Irene shout out in panic.

But I know well that Irene is not the kind of girl who would say something like this for nothing.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Speak quickly. Where did you hear that?”

“No, that’s—” 

Irene said slowly, rolling her eyes.

“I just heard a little bit about what the Grand Duchess did. I have a close friend working on the Grand Duke’s family.”

“What story?”

“So, the two of Madam and Master, and pregnant—” 

“Oh my. They can’t get their mouth shut.”

I couldn’t believe that the Grand Duchess was such a cheap person, so I kept my mouth shut.

“I wonder if the rumors are all spread around the social world—”

Irene said. 

Ugh, my head. 

I sighed as I grabbed my forehead.

“It’s a lie.” 

“Pardon?” 

“We lied for some reason, and I wasn’t pregnant.”

Irene’s eyes trembled finely.

“Then what about the rumors?”

What can I do?

I answered her by clicking my tongue.

“We did the same thing yesterday to make the rumor true.”

“Ah!” 

Irene clapped her hand as if she understood now.

“Then you will have to do it every day from now on.”

Whoo, she said with a more insidious smile hanging around her mouth.

“Oh my. I’m embarrassed.” 

Why are you the one who is embarrassed? 

I’m dumbfounded.

*****

I arrived at Count Cardel’s mansion.

I could see Countess Cardel walking through the carriage window. So I got up and unfolded my dress.

The carriage door opened.

“The Duchess!”

The Countess welcomed me with a look on her face as if she had met an old friend.

“How long has it been? It’s been a long time since I saw you. It’s nice to see you!”

Countess Cardel tried to hug me. I wondered if we were this close… but I accepted the hug anyway. I can’t just turn down a favor.

“Come in. Everyone is waiting for the Duchess.”

I know it’s a lie.

Everyone is waiting for me.

They’re afraid of me, and they’re probably wondering when I’ll come or not. 

But since Countess Cardel had said something nice on purpose, I had no choice but to accept her with a smile.

“Yes. If they wait, I’ll have to go quickly, right?” 

“Yes!” 

Countess Cardel folded her arms with me.

As she walked along, she said.

“I don’t know about Madam, but Madam’s reputation has improved a lot recently.”

“…Really?” 

I’ve never heard of this before.

I tilted my head. Then Countess Cardel continues. 

“Yes. The Grand Duchess has said so many good things. On top of that, I heard you built a nursery and a school this time! And under the initiative of the Duchess. Thanks to this, people’s views have changed a lot. You’ll be surprised when you come in.”

It was also useful for a big mouth like this.

I feel a little better.

Now I’m going to live well with Sylvester, and now that I’ve thought about it, my desire to raise my reputation has grown a little bigger, but I can’t believe the rumors have gotten better!

It seemed that the sky was on my side.

“And….”

Countess Cardel said, glancing at me like this.

“I hear you have some good news.”

Oh my. 

Another pregnancy story.

The words of the Grand Duchess seem to have spread all the way here.

I couldn’t tell the truth that it was a lie here. Irene is a member of the family, so even so, people outside can’t find out.

“Yeah.” 

So I answered with a straightforward look.

“I’m happy to give you good news.”

“Congratulations!”

Countess Cardel said with applause.

“I heard that the two of you got along well, but you must have gotten closer so quickly! I congratulate you with all my heart. Really!”

No, uh… It was embarrassing. Because it felt like everyone caught me doing something like that with Sylvester.

I lowered my head with a slight blush.

“Have you decided on the godmother of the child?”

I’m not pregnant, but you want me to choose a godmother already?

I shook my head.

“Not yet.”

“Then!” 

Countess Cardel shouted. 

“Me! I’m one of the candidates! Please don’t forget me!”

No I mean, you sound like you’re in an oratorical contest.

“Oh—.. Okay. I understand.” 

I answered in a low tone.

Was my answer not satisfactory?

Countess Cardel raised her voice more.

“It’s because our family doesn’t get pushed anywhere!”

“Uh, yes.” 

“Of course, the Grand Duchess is a strong rival, but—”

Countess Cardel bit her nails.

“But please don’t forget us!”

I told you I got it. 

I’m not even pregnant yet. What do you mean godmother?

I really want to say it, but I can’t!

I tried to comfort Countess Cardel with a smile.

It was then.

“Huh?” 

Countess Cardel’s eyes turned to a certain place. I turned my head towards it too.

At that place—.

“Countess Fleur?” 

There was Fleur. 

Did Countess Cardel invite her? 

I looked back in surprise at Countess Cardel. Countess Cardel immediately shook her head with an expression of resentment.

“I’ve never invited her!”

“But why is she here?”

Today’s Fleur was a little different from usual.

If before, she showed a modest and simple appearance, but today—’

‘Just like me.’

Like me, she is wearing an off-the-shoulder dress with fine shoulders. In addition, earrings, necklaces, and rings were extraordinarily colorful.

Why is she dressed like that?

“It’s like the Duchess.”

said Countess Cardel. I nodded in agreement.

“Why is she dressed like that…”

Scared to say, Fleur came towards us. I and Countess Cardel greeted Fleur with a little nervousness.

Fleur stood right in front of us.

And she spoke with her characteristic sweet and beautiful smile.

“Hello?”

******

Fleur stared at Ophelia, who had come this way and had no change in her expression.

She’s a tough girl, after all.

Fleur thought so and clenched her fist slightly.

And she remembers the conversation she had with the 2nd Prince, Largo.

‘Your purpose is to become an Empress, right?’

Largo touched Fleur’s desires too casually.

‘I can do it for you.’

He said, clasping Fleur’s hand tightly.

‘Therefore.’ 

Largo flashed his eyes.

‘Kill Ophelia.’

‘Then I’ll do whatever you want.’

“…”

Fleur took a big breath.

Then she looked at Ophelia in front of her.

If it had been in the past, she would have felt helpless at the thought of a woman she could not beat, but not now.

Now.

‘The woman who I must kill.’

Fleur’s lips twisted.