Ch#48
Their curved eyes held a cruel anticipation. Joy at being able to look down on ‘Edel Canyon,’ who had possessed everything they so desperately wanted but could never have.
“I heard the Imperial Knights were dismissed because of you? Still got that spell over men, huh?”
“No, more than that... A criminal should stay meek and hidden, so how can you come out smiling like this? Are you sane?”
“Her head must be a bit off. She must’ve endured all sorts of things being dragged here, right? If it were me, I’d have chosen an honorable death.”
They mocked her deliberately in a snide tone, clearly expecting Edel to be hurt and burst into tears.
Marsha overlapped with them in her mind.
Once her thoughts reached that point, Edel no longer feared them. She just felt sorry for Daisy.
“You can check the military trial records for details on the Imperial Knights incident. Count Criserus graciously permitted my outing. And fortunately or unfortunately, I’m still in my right mind.”
They stared at her in bewilderment as she responded with an unperturbed smile.
*Spoils of war*
*Duchess*
She had no desire to prolong the conversation with them and ruin her pleasant day, so Edel decided to end it.
“Please understand that I cannot explain more about my situation. The Count has ordered silence. Enjoy your outing.”
She curtsied lightly once more.
Truly written by Lemon Frog
She couldn’t leave first as the social inferior, but she could issue a polite dismissal without breaching etiquette.
Lucille’s friends had no choice but to turn away upon Laslo’s mention.
But not Lucille.
“So the great Edel Canyon wasn’t content being sold off as an old man’s second wife—she’s become a mercenary’s mistress too?”
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
“Calling a mercenary scum ‘Count’ so politely, and still walking around unscathed after being dragged off as a slave? Isn’t it obvious?”
Old man’s second wife, mercenary scum’s mistress, slave.
She used vicious terms to trample Edel, raising her voice as if for all to hear, drawing everyone’s gazes to Edel at once.
- 2 -
.
However, Laslo showed her no mercy.
“That’s not true! Sister Edel...!”
“Edel. What’s this lady’s name?”
Just as Daisy bristled to intervene, Edel stopped her.
“...Her maiden name is Lucille Arten. I don’t know her married name.”
“Spreading baseless rumors about me seems like an attempt to tarnish His Majesty the Emperor... Whom should I hold accountable for that?”
“I didn’t know I had a mistress.”
Lucille gasped in shock, clasped her hands, and begged.
A familiar voice cut through the murmurs, making Edel turn toward it.
“Forgive me, Count! I truly apologize! I had no intention of insulting you!”
“I’m curious how you know things even I don’t.”
“You say you didn’t intend to insult me, yet ‘mercenary scum’ slipped out? Even if you meant to demean my house’s maid instead, it’s the same. Do you think I’d just laugh it off?”
Laslo approached slowly, parting the gathered onlookers.
His glare was fiercer than ever.
Not just Edel and Daisy—even Lucille and her friends, facing away from him, startled.
Lucille stomped anxiously, nearly in tears, while her friends averted their eyes in embarrassment.
Regardless, Laslo stepped right up to Lucille, looking down at her as he asked again.
But the most bewildered was Edel.
“How do you know?”
*Our fun Saturday with Daisy...*
“N-no, that’s not what I... ”
“So you were spreading rumors about my private life without knowing anything?”
She had planned to draw portraits with Daisy, shop lightly, grab some tasty food, and return. But this threatened to escalate with guards arriving.
Then Laslo glanced at Edel and suddenly changed his attitude.
Lucille stammered in panic, her friends exchanging uneasy glances.
The onlookers caught on and began mocking Lucille.
“I’m annoyed, but too much hassle to dig deeper—let’s end it simply. Apologize to me and my maid here, and we’ll call it even.”
“Looks like that lady’s jealous of the maid over there.”
“The maid’s prettier, after all.”
“Looked like she was picking a fight on purpose from the start!”
Lucille promptly apologized to Laslo.
“Truly sorry. I was thoughtless and rude. It won’t happen again.”
“Good. And there’s one more person you owe an apology to.”
Their jeers were faint, but Lucille couldn’t miss the mood. She yelled as if scolding.
“Are you threatening me? Is that what an Imperial Guard Captain should do? Uphold chivalry!”
“Weren’t you calling me ‘mercenary scum’ earlier? Be grateful I’m speaking this gentlemanly.”
Edel doubted Lucille would apologize to her. But surprisingly, she approached quickly and bowed.
“Sorry, Edel. I was wrong. Forgive me?”
Lucille paled further.
Her hands trembled. Whether sincere or not, Edel wanted this over quickly and nodded.
.
Edel hadn’t known Linia viewed Laslo that way. Perhaps natural as family.
“I accept your apology.”
Laslo seemed to change his mind too.
“Thank you, Edel.”
“Then let’s go somewhere else. Too many eyes.”
Fortunately, the matter ended there.
“Where to?”
Laslo permitted Lucille’s group to leave, and they fled. The crowd dispersed.
“A place that only serves nobles.”
Edel then realized Linia and coachman Marco had witnessed it too.
“You know places like that too, brother?”
Linia glared at the retreating group with displeasure.
“If you don’t want to, forget it.”
“No!”
“Noble ladies aren’t all that, huh.”
Linia shook her head, then turned to Edel and Daisy.
Uttering remarks dismissing the noble women she’d once feared.
“What are you doing? Let’s go.”
“What are you doing here anyway?”
“Pardon? Us too?”
Laslo asked Edel, the unwitting cause of the commotion.
As Edel hesitated, Laslo tossed in a word.
“We came to get portraits with Daisy. We were looking around when we ran into familiar faces. Sorry.”
“Not something to apologize for. But... portraits...?”
Edel finally noticed passersby and nearby artists glancing at her. After that scene, leisurely portraits here seemed impossible.
Pity for Daisy too...
He surveyed the bridge full of easels and artists, then asked again.
“Portraits here specifically? Anything special about this place?”
“They’re quick and cheap.”
Edel nodded and followed Laslo with Daisy.
She hoped he’d take Linia and leave now. She and Daisy still had much to do.
But Linia suddenly cut in.
The place Laslo took them was a renowned portrait artist’s studio. Reservations only, apparently, but after a few words from Laslo, they were ushered right in.
“I want to get a portrait with brother too.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Pastel portraits? You’ve come to the right place! We finish in under 30 minutes.”
“Crazy? I only have one family member—brother—and who knows when he’ll die, so I need a portrait to remember his face!”
The artist beamed confidently.
.
