“It seems the Grand Duchess truly believes in fateful love.”
The Empress spoke in an envious voice as if she was having a good time.
“Yes. That’s understandable. How much fun it would be to be newlyweds. Even when the Grand Duchess was sick and on the verge of death, the love didn’t let up on the marriage.”
And he naturally complimented the sweet newlyweds.
"His Highness is a man of strong faith.”
But Cecilia said their union was one of duty, not love.
“The Grand Duchess is very shy.”
“...”
“How can waiting for a woman you don’t love to miraculously come back to life not be love?”
Everyone giggled at the Empress's words. It was an attitude of sympathy.
“Yes. As His Highness the Grand Duke’s wet nurse, I can be sure of that.”
Countess Casper also hurriedly joined the conversation. Considering Eden’s cold temperament, even if it seemed like it, it was unlikely that he would make such a decision unless he had some feelings for Cecilia.
It was an uncomfortable topic. In her previous life, Eden had waited for Cecilia to shake off her illness and wake up, but he had not loved her. Now she knew that, but it was not pleasant to recall the memory of having held unnecessary expectations.
“Is that so?”
It was the first time she realized that the Empress was a woman who cared about emotions like love. Cecilia cut off the unpleasant conversation and quietly raised her teacup.
But before the teacup reached her lips, she remembered something she had forgotten. Cecilia put down the teacup without even touching it and naturally swallowed the scent that was floating in the air. It was an unfamiliar scent.
“...By the way, Your Majesty, have you changed your perfume?”
The Empress nodded to Cecilia's question.
“I guess you have a sensitive sense of smell. I changed it about half a year ago. Even though I don’t come here often, Damon keeps saying that the rose scent gives him a headache.”
The Empress grumbled that boys are neither cute nor fun when they grow up. Cecilia ignored her words.
Perfume is a matter of taste, so it wouldn't be strange if she changed it. Moreover, the time of change was half a year ago. The person who recently sent a letter to Curtis couldn't have been the Empress either. It was a groundless suspicion.
“The changed scent suits your Majesty very well.”
“Thank you for saying so, Your Highness.”
The Empress had a relaxed and comfortable expression on her face, without any trace of discomfort.
“You look like your father.”
It was time to put aside her doubts and avoid eye contact with the Empress. The Empress's subsequent words stopped Cecilia in her tracks.
“ ..Do you know my father?”
In response to Cecilia's question, the Empress let out a short exclamation of "Ah."
“Of course I know.”
"How..."
The Empress blinked in bewilderment at Cecilia's question.
“Wyatt, is there anyone who doesn’t know Curtis Lane?”
The Empress was right. It was only natural. Moreover, as Empress, she knew many nobles who came and went from the palace. It was even more suspicious that she had not exchanged a word with Curtis.
“I asked a funny question.”
When she thought about it again, Cecilia foolishness seemed ridiculous, if not stupid. When the noble ladies saw Cecilia like that, they giggled, saying that it seemed embarrassing to talk about love.
Cecilia lowered her head with an embarrassed expression. The Empress smiled, finding that cute.
“Yes. Someone told her to do it. She left early in the morning in a hurry.”
Mada. Monte nodded and answered.
“Actually, it was something I could have gone to do, but that girl kept insisting that she go...”
Madam Monte muttered. Her tone was suspicious. Even though she had witnessed the secret relationship between Abby and Diego right before her eyes, Abby had never shown it to Madam Monte. It seemed that mothers were always this sensitive.
“I guess she wanted to go out. After all, she doesn’t have as much freedom to go out as she does when she's at Duke Lane’s townhouse.”
Madame Monte reluctantly nodded at Cecilia's indifferent response. Cecilia was about to say that perhaps Abby had a lover, but then closed her mouth.
If Madame Monte didn't like Diego and it became difficult for Abby to visit Diego, then it would be Cecilia who would be the one in trouble.
'Abby. Please give this letter to the owner of the Morak Pawn Shop.'
'Yes!'
Abby is on her way to see the man she has her heart set on, so she sets off with the letter without any curiosity, but Madame Monte will definitely be curious about what it contains.
“...”
The contents of the letter were too embarrassing to show to anyone. Of course, she couldn't show it to Eden, whom she trusted the least, and she couldn't reveal it to Madame Monte and Abby, whom she trusted the most, for fear of being misunderstood.
By the way, if you look for Alice's father among the people living in the eastern village of Laner Island, there will be a girl named Alice who works as a maid in the townhouse of Grand Duke Burnett.
Instigate conflict between the Benian Navy and him. If you disobey them and get detained in Benia, that's fine. I'll take care of the rest.]
Approaching Count Casper and asking him to whisper something or cause chaos on the island was obviously suspicious to anyone.
[...And if possible, find out if there’s a woman my father is seeing.]
Besides, she was also concerned about the fact that she asked him to find out if her father had a woman. After talking to the Empress today, Cecilia realized that it was a ridiculous fantasy, but she couldn't turn the letter away.
“Why are you sighing like that?”
“It’s nothing.”
Cecilia shook her head with an awkward smile. Then she leaned back against the backrest of the carriage, staring blankly out the window at the setting sun.
“Yeah. I’ve been really tired lately.”
Madame Monte consoled Cecilia as if she understood everything.
“You must be worried that you couldn’t deal with that vicious woman to the end.”
“Not to that extent.”
“Don’t lie. You even suddenly looked for alcohol yesterday. You can fool everyone else, but you can’t fool this nanny.”
Of course, she didn't forget to criticize Ilya. Cecilia laughed briefly, forgetting how tired she was.
“That’s right. I guess it’s impossible to fool Madame Monte.”
“Look at that.”
“But now Ilya doesn’t even have a home to stay in. Wouldn’t it be more miserable to only have a title?”
Cecilia knew the misery of losing something she loved most, so she could deeply understand the despair and misery that Ilya must be feeling now.
“That’s true too.”
Madame Monte praised Cecilia's kind heart, but at the same time looked sorry.
In fact, as the saying goes, the darkest place is under the lamp, and Madame Monte was the one who knew Cecilia the least. And that also meant that Cecilia was doing a horribly good job of pretending to be pitiful, kind, and elegant as a Grand Duchess.
“Is your head really okay now?”
Cecilia nodded quietly. It was both an answer to Madame Monte’s question and a confidence in herself. Yes, she was sure she was doing well.
The aggressive tone of the Benia Navy cut through the air.
“When did you secretly leave the net here?”
“Please look at me just once.”
Alice's father, Gideon, made a mean request, unable to let go of the net he was holding in his hand.
“I heard that the Wyatt Imperial Family is also developing an island anyway?”
“What does that have to do with me?”
The Navy shook its head firmly. Gideon tried to argue that such business had nothing to do with him, but it was no use.
“You have a way to make a living, so why do you keep loitering in our waters? The royal family has also ordered that you be dealt with decisively, so we cannot let that go.”
“Oh, I see. That was really fatal...”
Gideon reluctantly let go of the net. The strength in the eyes of the navy that had been glaring at Gideon with triangular eyes opened slightly.
“Go! Tell your friends. If you go any further, you’ll be shot.”
Diego grumbled and turned his boat. Before he knew it, they were moving away from the ship.
He's very good at acting. Diego, who had come to Laner Island purely out of curiosity, apart from Cecilia's request, thought peacefully on Gideon's fishing boat.
“Come back to this area tonight with your friends.”
Gideon nodded obediently at Diego's words. At first, it seemed like Gideon would follow Cecilia's orders, but he was skeptical.
He didn't know because he didn't care, but the people of Laner Island were complete strangers to Benia. They said they would use force if they made a mistake. Since they were really on the verge of losing their livelihood, they had no choice but to obey Cecilia, who offered to find a way for them to survive.
“Stop what you’re doing and put your hands up!”
Isn't she a woman who is truly adept at reading situations and people?
Late at night, Diego raised his hands in front of the Benia Navy and declared his intention to surrender, and that was all he could think about.
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The Empress spoke in an envious voice as if she was having a good time.
“Yes. That’s understandable. How much fun it would be to be newlyweds. Even when the Grand Duchess was sick and on the verge of death, the love didn’t let up on the marriage.”
And he naturally complimented the sweet newlyweds.
"His Highness is a man of strong faith.”
But Cecilia said their union was one of duty, not love.
“The Grand Duchess is very shy.”
“...”
“How can waiting for a woman you don’t love to miraculously come back to life not be love?”
Everyone giggled at the Empress's words. It was an attitude of sympathy.
“Yes. As His Highness the Grand Duke’s wet nurse, I can be sure of that.”
Countess Casper also hurriedly joined the conversation. Considering Eden’s cold temperament, even if it seemed like it, it was unlikely that he would make such a decision unless he had some feelings for Cecilia.
It was an uncomfortable topic. In her previous life, Eden had waited for Cecilia to shake off her illness and wake up, but he had not loved her. Now she knew that, but it was not pleasant to recall the memory of having held unnecessary expectations.
“Is that so?”
It was the first time she realized that the Empress was a woman who cared about emotions like love. Cecilia cut off the unpleasant conversation and quietly raised her teacup.
But before the teacup reached her lips, she remembered something she had forgotten. Cecilia put down the teacup without even touching it and naturally swallowed the scent that was floating in the air. It was an unfamiliar scent.
“...By the way, Your Majesty, have you changed your perfume?”
The Empress nodded to Cecilia's question.
“I guess you have a sensitive sense of smell. I changed it about half a year ago. Even though I don’t come here often, Damon keeps saying that the rose scent gives him a headache.”
The Empress grumbled that boys are neither cute nor fun when they grow up. Cecilia ignored her words.
Perfume is a matter of taste, so it wouldn't be strange if she changed it. Moreover, the time of change was half a year ago. The person who recently sent a letter to Curtis couldn't have been the Empress either. It was a groundless suspicion.
“The changed scent suits your Majesty very well.”
“Thank you for saying so, Your Highness.”
The Empress had a relaxed and comfortable expression on her face, without any trace of discomfort.
“You look like your father.”
It was time to put aside her doubts and avoid eye contact with the Empress. The Empress's subsequent words stopped Cecilia in her tracks.
“ ..Do you know my father?”
In response to Cecilia's question, the Empress let out a short exclamation of "Ah."
“Of course I know.”
"How..."
The Empress blinked in bewilderment at Cecilia's question.
“Wyatt, is there anyone who doesn’t know Curtis Lane?”
The Empress was right. It was only natural. Moreover, as Empress, she knew many nobles who came and went from the palace. It was even more suspicious that she had not exchanged a word with Curtis.
“I asked a funny question.”
When she thought about it again, Cecilia foolishness seemed ridiculous, if not stupid. When the noble ladies saw Cecilia like that, they giggled, saying that it seemed embarrassing to talk about love.
Cecilia lowered her head with an embarrassed expression. The Empress smiled, finding that cute.
***
Tea time ended when it was almost dinnertime. The topics of conversation that passed by were diverse, including Count Nova, Ilya, Viscount Jackinson, and the Duke of Lane, as well as works of art and the connections between families.
It was a story that had slipped away before and she couldn't even remember it. If she remembered it, it might be helpful in the future, but now she was just tired.
“Did you have a good time?”
As Cecilia got into the carriage, Madame Monte, who was arranging the seat for Cecilia, asked a question naturally.
“It’s much more enjoyable and comfortable to talk to Madame Monte and Abby.”
Madame Monte smiled faintly at Cecilia's answer. She already knew that Cecilia was just saying it to make her feel better, but she didn't feel bad hearing it.
“Did Abby go to the Morak pawn shop?”
It was a story that had slipped away before and she couldn't even remember it. If she remembered it, it might be helpful in the future, but now she was just tired.
“Did you have a good time?”
As Cecilia got into the carriage, Madame Monte, who was arranging the seat for Cecilia, asked a question naturally.
“It’s much more enjoyable and comfortable to talk to Madame Monte and Abby.”
Madame Monte smiled faintly at Cecilia's answer. She already knew that Cecilia was just saying it to make her feel better, but she didn't feel bad hearing it.
“Did Abby go to the Morak pawn shop?”
“Yes. Someone told her to do it. She left early in the morning in a hurry.”
Mada. Monte nodded and answered.
“Actually, it was something I could have gone to do, but that girl kept insisting that she go...”
Madam Monte muttered. Her tone was suspicious. Even though she had witnessed the secret relationship between Abby and Diego right before her eyes, Abby had never shown it to Madam Monte. It seemed that mothers were always this sensitive.
“I guess she wanted to go out. After all, she doesn’t have as much freedom to go out as she does when she's at Duke Lane’s townhouse.”
Madame Monte reluctantly nodded at Cecilia's indifferent response. Cecilia was about to say that perhaps Abby had a lover, but then closed her mouth.
If Madame Monte didn't like Diego and it became difficult for Abby to visit Diego, then it would be Cecilia who would be the one in trouble.
'Abby. Please give this letter to the owner of the Morak Pawn Shop.'
'Yes!'
Abby is on her way to see the man she has her heart set on, so she sets off with the letter without any curiosity, but Madame Monte will definitely be curious about what it contains.
“...”
The contents of the letter were too embarrassing to show to anyone. Of course, she couldn't show it to Eden, whom she trusted the least, and she couldn't reveal it to Madame Monte and Abby, whom she trusted the most, for fear of being misunderstood.
[I'd suggest approaching Count Casper after I've contacted him separately, whispering here and there at the same time would be suspicious.
Instigate conflict between the Benian Navy and him. If you disobey them and get detained in Benia, that's fine. I'll take care of the rest.]
Approaching Count Casper and asking him to whisper something or cause chaos on the island was obviously suspicious to anyone.
[...And if possible, find out if there’s a woman my father is seeing.]
Besides, she was also concerned about the fact that she asked him to find out if her father had a woman. After talking to the Empress today, Cecilia realized that it was a ridiculous fantasy, but she couldn't turn the letter away.
“Why are you sighing like that?”
“It’s nothing.”
Cecilia shook her head with an awkward smile. Then she leaned back against the backrest of the carriage, staring blankly out the window at the setting sun.
“Yeah. I’ve been really tired lately.”
Madame Monte consoled Cecilia as if she understood everything.
“You must be worried that you couldn’t deal with that vicious woman to the end.”
“Not to that extent.”
“Don’t lie. You even suddenly looked for alcohol yesterday. You can fool everyone else, but you can’t fool this nanny.”
Of course, she didn't forget to criticize Ilya. Cecilia laughed briefly, forgetting how tired she was.
“That’s right. I guess it’s impossible to fool Madame Monte.”
“Look at that.”
“But now Ilya doesn’t even have a home to stay in. Wouldn’t it be more miserable to only have a title?”
Cecilia knew the misery of losing something she loved most, so she could deeply understand the despair and misery that Ilya must be feeling now.
“That’s true too.”
Madame Monte praised Cecilia's kind heart, but at the same time looked sorry.
In fact, as the saying goes, the darkest place is under the lamp, and Madame Monte was the one who knew Cecilia the least. And that also meant that Cecilia was doing a horribly good job of pretending to be pitiful, kind, and elegant as a Grand Duchess.
“Is your head really okay now?”
Cecilia nodded quietly. It was both an answer to Madame Monte’s question and a confidence in herself. Yes, she was sure she was doing well.
***
“Can't you fuck off?”
The aggressive tone of the Benia Navy cut through the air.
“When did you secretly leave the net here?”
“Please look at me just once.”
Alice's father, Gideon, made a mean request, unable to let go of the net he was holding in his hand.
“I heard that the Wyatt Imperial Family is also developing an island anyway?”
“What does that have to do with me?”
The Navy shook its head firmly. Gideon tried to argue that such business had nothing to do with him, but it was no use.
“You have a way to make a living, so why do you keep loitering in our waters? The royal family has also ordered that you be dealt with decisively, so we cannot let that go.”
“Oh, I see. That was really fatal...”
Gideon reluctantly let go of the net. The strength in the eyes of the navy that had been glaring at Gideon with triangular eyes opened slightly.
“Go! Tell your friends. If you go any further, you’ll be shot.”
Diego grumbled and turned his boat. Before he knew it, they were moving away from the ship.
He's very good at acting. Diego, who had come to Laner Island purely out of curiosity, apart from Cecilia's request, thought peacefully on Gideon's fishing boat.
“Come back to this area tonight with your friends.”
Gideon nodded obediently at Diego's words. At first, it seemed like Gideon would follow Cecilia's orders, but he was skeptical.
He didn't know because he didn't care, but the people of Laner Island were complete strangers to Benia. They said they would use force if they made a mistake. Since they were really on the verge of losing their livelihood, they had no choice but to obey Cecilia, who offered to find a way for them to survive.
“Stop what you’re doing and put your hands up!”
Isn't she a woman who is truly adept at reading situations and people?
Late at night, Diego raised his hands in front of the Benia Navy and declared his intention to surrender, and that was all he could think about.
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