Chapter 31 - Just Because I Wanted to Live (1)
After Lillian and Julia left, only a couple of boxes remained in Edith's room. Lenny hovered next to Edith, who was sitting on the edge of the bed gasping for breath, and muttered.
Her head ached. Her stomach, her arms, her legs—there wasn't a place that didn't hurt.
Even in his rage, Wyatt had made sure to hit places that wouldn't be visible. If not for the blood on her lips, Edith's appearance was little different from before.
"Young Lady, what should we do? Are you all right? Sh-should I sneak out and get a doctor?"
Edith let out a wry laugh.
"Do you think Marquis Reynolds would let a doctor be brought in?"
"B-but... you coughed up... you coughed up blood."
"I bit the inside of my cheek. I thought I was really going to die if I just kept taking his hits."
She had simply bitten the inside of her cheek, let the blood pool, and then spat it out all at once. If she had truly been beaten badly enough to cough up blood, she wouldn't even be able to sit up like this.
Even after Edith explained she hadn't suffered any internal injuries, Lenny only cried harder. *My Young Lady, my poor Young Lady,* she muttered, weeping openly. It was because Edith, who had to resort to such a thing, was so unbearably pitiful.
"Lenny, I'm fine. I'm not crying, so why are you crying so much?"
"Because you're not crying, Young Lady. Because you're holding it in, I'm crying for you."
Edith gave a small smile at Lenny's stubborn words. Saying it was heartbreaking to see Edith smile even in a situation like this, Lenny cried even louder.
"Lenny, stop crying and bring me those boxes over there."
Only then did Lenny try to stop her sobs, sniffling.
"They're truly wicked people. To tear through everything like that. They could have at least left a few more things."
Inside the two boxes were a strange-looking sculpture that seemed useless no matter how one looked at it, and a teddy bear with a ribbon around its neck. She didn't remember paying any special attention to these things. It seemed Count Hestin had mistaken where her gaze had lingered while she was lost in thought and packed them for her.
It was likely just a kind gesture for the future Duchess, but in a moment like this, that consideration felt so tender it brought tears to her eyes. Edith took out the hard sculpture and the soft teddy bear and gently hugged them.
The sculpture was cold and the teddy bear had no warmth, but to Edith, they felt warm.
***
Wyatt opened the letter in front of Edith. It was the weekly date plan sent by Grayson.
Though reading someone else's letter was an incredibly rude act, Wyatt shamelessly read the contents of the plan aloud.
At this time, here. At that time, there.
After confirming there was nothing of note, Wyatt forced Edith to write a reply in front of him. Since there was nothing she couldn't show him, Edith wrote her reply as calmly as ever.
「Duke Myers. Yes, that sounds good. Edith Reynolds.」
"Is that all?"
"Yes, this is how I've always replied."
Wyatt handed the well-sealed envelope to Lenny, then spoke to Edith.
"If you meet the Duke and say anything unnecessary, I won't let you get away with it. Understand? Well, not that there's anything the Duke could do even if you told him."
"Yes, Father. I understand perfectly."
After Wyatt left, Edith went to the mirror and took off her veiled hat. Wyatt, claiming the sight of Edith's face was disgusting, had ordered her to keep her face covered at all times, even inside the mansion. It was just what she wanted.
'It's gotten much better.'
The effect of the herbs the old woman had given her was beyond imagination. She had thought a deep scar would remain because the blisters had burst when Lillian hit her. But the pus-filled boils, the minor blemishes, and even the large blisters had all disappeared. There were still some scabs, but they were fading quickly.
'At this rate, it should be completely clear by next week.'
Of course, she had no intention of letting people know even when it did clear up. Lillian must have been seething after what happened a few days ago. If she found out Edith's face was healing, she would try to find another way to disgrace her. Next time, she might even use a poison that could truly threaten her life.
Just as Edith put her hat back on and covered her face with the veil, someone knocked on the door. Assuming it was Lenny, she called for them to enter, but the person who opened the door and came in was Predic.
Edith frowned at the unexpected visitor.
"What is it?"
"Hey, is your face okay?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Why? I'm worried you'll lose the trail you so luckily caught."
"You were the one telling me not to get married."
"I never said not to get married. Well, I guess that place is better than here."
The last part was almost a mumble, so Edith couldn't hear it properly. Predic looked around Edith's vanity for no reason and then spoke.
"Hey, you get breakouts on your face because you use cheap toner like that."
"Then what should I use? I have no living expenses allocated to me, so I have to mend and wear the clothes Lillian leaves behind. I don't have money to buy toner, so I have to get it from my maid. Should I steal Lillian's?"
"But... I heard you're getting an allowance these days?"
"It's an allowance that could be cut off at any time, so I have to save it carefully."
Predic mumbled his lips together. Edith wished he would just leave. Predic wasn't as insidious as the other Reynolds, but he was openly confrontational, which made being around him exhausting.
"Hey, use this at least."
Predic placed a bottle on the vanity as if tossing it down. Inside a glass bottle crafted in the shape of a rose, there was a light pink liquid. A gold foil band wrapped around the cap made the bottle look luxurious.
"What is this?"
"I don't know. They say it's popular with women these days. I'm leaving."
Before Edith could say anything, Predic spun around and left the room. At the same moment, Lenny returned after delivering the reply to the Duke's messenger.
Lenny asked worriedly.
"Did the Second Young Master pick a fight with you again?"
"I'm not sure."
His tone had been blunt, but unlike usual, she didn't get the feeling he was trying to pick a fight. Edith picked up the bottle Predic had left. Seeing it, Lenny's eyes widened.
"Oh my. It's a Henanche toner."
"Henanche?"
"You don't know? It's a brand the Sidewether Kingdom is famous for. From toner to cream, oil, powder, and lipstick, it's incredibly famous. In our country, it's sold exclusively at Argo Department Store."
"Is that so?"
Come to think of it, she thought she might have seen a similarly shaped bottle at Argo Department Store.
"It's very expensive... Did the Second Young Master happen to give it to you?"
"He did, but..."
Why would he give her something like this?
The toner looked brand new, no matter how she looked at it. There was no reason for Predic to give her such a thing. Until now, Predic had never hit or pinched her, but he had always wounded her with his sharp words.
'So why now?'
The thought that he was trying to be nice now that she was getting married and leaving, reflecting on his past actions, didn't cross her mind.
If he were that kind of person, he would have been nice from the time her mother passed away.
'But his words have certainly softened a bit since Mother died. No, no. People don't change that easily.'
Edith opened the toner cap and sniffed it. A soft fragrance, a mix of rose and something sweet, tickled her nose. It didn't smell suspicious, but after being poisoned by Julia, she couldn't possibly use a toner given to her by a Reynolds without suspicion.
'Should I take this to Professor Porte next time and have him check it?'
***
While Belita was excitedly telling all her friends, "Duke Myers pro-mised me, him-self, in per-son, that he would come to my party," Grayson and Edith had their sixth date.
After finishing a walk along the Tebon River according to Grayson's plan, Edith spoke before getting into the carriage.
"Duke, there's a place I'd like to go next."
Grayson was silent for a few seconds before asking slowly.
"Where?"
"The Lion Theater."
Grayson was silent again for a moment, and just when she thought he might refuse, he opened his mouth.
"Very well."
Sitting in the quiet carriage on the way to the theater, Edith lowered her gaze and was lost in thought.
Even after seeing her ruined face, Grayson didn't seem to have any intention of breaking off the marriage. And even after witnessing that chaotic scene at the Reynolds' mansion, he didn't seem inclined to take their side either.
If that was the case, then it was about time she started revealing to him that she wasn't just some crazy woman. That was why Edith had decided to have Grayson accompany her on her way to meet Zelton at the Lion Theater.
Although she had sent Lenny to inform Zelton of her visit, Zelton, who hadn't been told she would be coming with Grayson, blinked his eyes with a pale face, and only after a long delay did he bow obsequiously.
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