Chapter 38 - Just Because I Wanted to Live (8)
Instead of replying to the letter, Wyatt visited the Royal Palace in person. However, the King refused the meeting, claiming he was too busy and tired to spare the time.
Unable to see the King, Wyatt returned to the mansion. He paced his study anxiously before, unable to contain his fury, he went to Edith's room. Since she was in her own room, Edith was not wearing her veil, and the sight of her wretched appearance only fueled his anger.
"You stupid bitch!"
Edith wore a dazed expression at the sudden outburst of profanity. Displeased by her blank look, the Marquis struck her on the head.
"What the hell have you been doing for the wedding date to change?"
Edith clutched her aching head and curled into a ball, bracing for the violence to come. She hated the pain, but Wyatt's anger pleased her.
'So you're human after all.'
The change in the wedding date must have caused a problem with the Marquis's plans. It was something that could be managed with careful adjustments, but seeing him flustered like this showed her how to handle Wyatt from now on.
After Wyatt had vented his anger for some time and left, Edith took her diary from a drawer.
「The wedding is on April 15th. Less than a month remains. Both the Marquis and I will have much to prepare.」
She wrote that much and hesitated for a moment before taking out the letter she had received from Grayson that morning.
「Miss Edith.
Wedding date; April 15th.
Grayson.」
It always looked more like a brief report than a letter, but to Edith, it felt incredibly warm. So she folded the letter neatly and tucked it into her diary. Then she wrote a letter to Grayson.
「Duke Myers.
I have confirmed the wedding date.
I have a suggestion.
For our next date, would it be possible to meet on Royal Road, to coincide with the spring flower festival?
Edith.」
***
"The party at the House of Count Mason this evening is your last appointment for the day."
As always, Grayson listened to Dwayne's report from his bathtub.
"We'll be skipping the party."
Dwayne was taken aback by Grayson's reply.
"You're skipping the party?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Of course, there's no problem, but..."
"Then do it."
News that Grayson would attend Count Mason's party had spread widely among the noble houses. So Dwayne was well aware of how eagerly Belita had been spreading the news.
Grayson never showed his face at parties without a reason, so he thought it was understandable for the young lady of House Mason to be so excited. He even found it a little cute.
But now he was saying he wouldn't attend.
Dwayne had never seen Grayson break a promise to someone so easily, so he couldn't help but be flustered.
"Um, if you don't mind my asking, may I know the reason?"
"The reason..."
Grayson rested an arm on the edge of the tub and leaned back. Edith's face came to mind. And the look on her face when she said she didn't want to go to the party.
"Just because. I don't feel like going."
Just because he didn't feel like going?
Dwayne was floored, but he had the experience not to show it. He composed his expression and spoke.
"Then I will inform the House of Count Mason as such."
"Wait, Dwayne."
Grayson raised an index finger to stop him, recalling the contents of the letter Roselyn had sent yesterday.
Skipping the useless pleasantries at the beginning, the gist of it was about the stories Belita Mason was spreading regarding his attendance at the party.
「...omitted...
Older Brother, they say you were deliberately kind to Miss Belita and promised to attend the party just to show Miss Edith. Is that true?」
Of course, Roselyn probably didn't ask because she believed the rumor. She was likely just tattling.
He had never particularly cared what stories women chattered about him, but.
「And they say Miss Edith called Miss Belita a damned whore. Is that true?」
That, he could not overlook.
He couldn't go and slap Belita's cheek, but he could certainly give her some measure of embarrassment.
"No need to inform the Count's house. And since my schedule has opened up, let's do something else."
"Something else... you say?"
"Rent out the entire Vamont. And send someone to Miss Edith to inform her that I will be visiting this evening."
***
Julia spoke to Edith, her tone dripping with pity.
"Oh, what will you do, Edith? Can you really go to the party looking like that?"
Only after hearing that did she realize today was the day of the party Belita had mentioned. If so, Grayson would surely have sent a letter in advance to inform her of the schedule, so she found it strange that there had been no word from him.
"I know you're excited since it's your first time attending a party with the Duke, but you know you won't look pretty, right? You'll just be embarrassed and insulted if you go. What are you going to do if he doesn't even ask you for a single dance?"
The words, spoken with eyes full of worry, were not kind at all. Edith, who had been sitting on her bed, lifted her head and stared intently at Julia. Startled by the fierce gaze, Julia flinched and stepped back, then regained her nerve, strode up to Edith, and kicked her in the shin.
"How dare you stare at me like that?"
"Is it okay if I squint?"
"You really can't let a single word go, can you?"
Just as Julia raised her hand again, the door opened and Predic came in.
"Hey, Edith. Grayson is coming to pick you up this evening."
Julia stealthily lowered her hand.
"You heard him, didn't you? Since the Duke is coming to get me, I suppose I have no choice but to go."
"You pitiful thing. Everyone will be talking about your face. The men won't even go near you."
"I'll handle that myself, so why don't you get out and get ready? You'll need a long time with your makeup to hide those freckles."
Julia's eyes widened, stung by the jab, but perhaps mindful of Predic, she didn't raise her hand.
"You nasty little wench. I try to worry about you, and this is what I get."
Even after Julia left in a huff, Predic remained standing by the door.
"Do you have something to say to me?"
"Are you using that toner I gave you? Why is your face getting worse?"
"Ah, the toner."
After receiving the toner from Predic, she had asked Grayson to have Edward check if there was anything wrong with it. Without any particular suspicion, Edward had taken a few drops of the toner and later reported that there was nothing wrong with it.
But she still had a bad feeling about it, so she gave it to Lenny. Lenny was delighted, saying her skin had become smooth and glossy, just as you'd expect from a good toner. To Edith's eyes, Lenny's skin did seem to have improved a lot.
However, if she told him that, Predic's anger might be directed at Lenny, so Edith said,
"I'm using it well."
"Then why isn't it getting better? Did you catch some kind of disease?"
"I've already been to the hospital. They said there's no disease."
She said it quickly, afraid he might offer to call a doctor. A doctor would realize at a glance that the boils on her face were created with makeup.
"They told me to sleep well and keep my mind at ease. But how can I get better when my mind is never at ease in this mansion?"
Predic looked stung by Edith's words.
"What's there to be uneasy about? Everyone's been trying to be nice to you lately."
"You saw what Julia just did to me and you can still say that?"
"No, that's..."
"Can you just leave? What is it you want to hear from me?"
"I just... No, never mind. Oh, and even though Julia said it that way, I'm also against you going to the party. The loose-lipped women will be chattering about your face all night."
"And I suppose your sister will be among those loose-lipped women, Predic."
As if angered by Edith's refusal to back down, Predic scowled, then went out and slammed the door shut. Lenny, who had been holding her breath in a corner, approached.
"Young Lady, will you really be all right? You'll have to take off your hat once you enter the party..."
Even though Lenny knew Edith's boils were fake, she seemed worried about her showing that face to others. Edith stared at her own ghastly face in the mirror.
"Yes, I'm fine."
It's not my real face, anyway. There's no reason to be hurt by insults over something that isn't real. It was better for the arrows to strike this face than to hear them speak ill of her mother.
'This act will be over soon.'
Once she escaped this mansion and entered the Duke's house, small fry like Julia would no longer be able to pull their petty tricks on her. And if the wedding went according to her plan, Wyatt would also have to lie low for a while.
Therefore, she could attend a party she didn't want to go to with a perfectly happy heart.
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