[CHAPTER 63]
Lady Hofmann wants to rule the social world after you, so she’s keeping a closer eye on me.
Nelle told me that.
“What are you doing here?”
“Just taking a break.
If you came to rest too, I can move to another terrace.”
I didn’t want trouble, so I tried to leave, but the Count’s daughter seemed determined today.
“Your lady ruined the Hofmann Marquisate and you don’t feel guilty at all?”
At her sharp accusation, I quietly turned my head and looked down at her.
She was short and tucked her shoulders in, but her fierce glare didn’t soften.
She was trying to shake me with nonsense.
“That wasn’t my fault, Lady.”
My voice was dry and sharp, drawing a clear line.
“Please watch your words.
They’re unpleasant to hear.”
At the blunt warning, the Count’s daughter bit her lip and clenched her fist.
I tried to walk away again, but for whatever reason she still wasn’t done with me.
“Did you know?
My fiancé works under the Ducal Court Magistrate.”
“Really?
Congratulations.”
Clap, clap.
I clapped lazily, and her face twisted in anger.
Then she snapped at me.
“He said he’s never seen a marriage registration from you and your husband.”
What was she talking about.
I frowned and looked at her.
Her eyes were filled with nothing but malice.
“Northern nobles must submit their marriage documents to the magistrate no matter where they marry.
Not even a duke is exempt.
But you didn’t, so…”
Her red lips curled into a crooked smile.
“Are you sure you’re really married?”
…Another ridiculous question.
I remembered the merchant from the capital and frowned deeper.
“So you’re saying my marriage is fake?”
“It’s just strange.
I’ve never seen anyone from the Kreutz Viscounty except you.
Isn’t that suspicious?”
Her rude words accusing my entire family froze my expression.
If I let this go, the next rumor would be that I was pretending to be a noblewoman alone.
Did that make any sense.
She was still young, so she didn’t know what to say or not say.
I stepped closer to her.
“The Lottier Count family recovered from illness with my medicine, didn’t they?
Isn’t this petty, just for social standing?”
She flinched, her face turning red.
“And your fiancé isn’t a magistrate.
He’s an assistant who works under one.
It’s easy to overlook documents.”
“N-no!
He said he checked everything—!”
“Only speak words you can take responsibility for.
Can you handle it when your claims are proven wrong?”
Even if I was only a viscountess, I wasn’t someone she could insult freely.
Unable to answer, she clenched her fists, then finally spun around and stormed off.
Left alone, I leaned against the terrace railing and let out a long sigh.
Good grief, what a day.
And—
Why are people trying to question me and my family again?
A merchant could be dismissed as a fool, but a northern noble saying similar things bothered me.
Honestly, it made me uneasy, wondering if the documents had actually been overlooked.
I should look into the Kreutz Viscounty myself.
Why did these doubts keep coming up?
Even if I trusted my family, I needed to investigate.
* * *
Nelle’s party ended with great success.
After that, no one spread strange rumors about me.
Maybe it was temporary, but it was still satisfying.
Now I was on my way to the Schweiger Viscounty.
The Viscountess, who couldn’t attend the party, had written that she missed seeing me.
When I entered the sitting room, Lady Müller was there too.
We were delighted to see each other and gathered around the table.
“Have you been well?”
“I almost died from Black Breath, but thanks to you I lived.”
I laughed shyly and thanked them for their sincere congratulations.
We talked for a while, and when the room fell quiet as we drank tea, I spoke carefully.
“There’s something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Ask anything.”
I wanted to learn more about the Kreutz family but didn’t know where to start.
Then on the way here, I realized these two women had long social experience in the North.
“Have either of you ever heard of my family before you met me?”
“Hmm… I don’t think so.”
“Honestly, I didn’t know your family existed until I met you.”
Both shook their heads, disappointing me.
Lady Müller patted my arm as I slumped a little.
“Why are you asking?”
“I’m just curious.
I wondered if anyone knew our family before.”
“Now that you mention it, I didn’t know there was another viscounty.
I must not pay enough attention to my surroundings.”
The Schweiger Viscountess tried to comfort me, worried I’d be hurt by my past treatment.
Then she suddenly remembered something.
“Ah!
But my son seems to know your maid.”
My maid?
Greta?
How would they know each other?
“How?”
“My son is a knight trainee.
He said your maid looked familiar, maybe a knight?
Is it true?”
Our Greta, a knight…?
I had never heard anything like that.
I denied it uncertainly.
“Uh… no, I don’t think so.”
“Really?
He insisted she must be a knight.
He must have mistaken her for someone else.”
She laughed and waved it off.
It still bothered me, but pushing further wouldn’t get answers.
Instead, I clasped my hands sincerely.
“If it’s not too much trouble, could I ask a favor?”
“Of course!
You saved our lives.”
“We’ll help if we can.”
“Then… could you look into any information about the Kreutz family in the North?”
They’d find more than I ever could.
I held my breath, worried they’d refuse, but both nodded without hesitation.
“That’s easy.”
“We won’t ask why.
We’re friends.”
I’m going to cry…
Even though I hadn’t been as close to them since meeting Nelle, they still stood by me.
I looked at them with a scrunched brow and wobbly lip, and they burst into laughter.
I decided to send them tea leaves and perfume when I returned home.
* * *
As I left the Schweiger estate, Greta approached with my cloak.
She draped it over my shoulders neatly and stepped back.
Her movements were crisp and precise.
Maybe because I had heard the knight comment earlier—
She really looks like a knight right now…
Her straight posture, sharp movements, the lean muscles, the combat skill she showed sometimes.
“My lady, is something wrong?”
She blinked at me as I stared at her.
“Greta.”
“Yes.”
“Were you a knight?”
Her green eyes shook hard for a moment.
She calmed quickly but avoided my gaze as she answered.
“…No.”
Hmm.
I tried again.
“I’m ugly, right?”
“No.”
“You really weren’t a knight?”
“Yes.”
She answered faster, but still avoided my eyes.
Aha.
I pointed at the sky with a grin.
“The sky’s clear today, right?”
“Yes.”
She looked straight at me as she agreed.
“And you’re not a knight?”
“Yes.”
She avoided my eyes again.
So she only looks away when she lies.
I learned her habit, but that alone wasn’t enough to make her confess.
If she denied it, there was nothing I could do.
So I changed topics.
“Greta, are you originally from the North?”
“Yes.
I was born in Bruten Village, east of the Kalad Territory.”
She met my eyes as she said it.
“Is it far?
You must miss home.”
“It’s about an hour by horse.
I visit when I can.”
“I see.”
An hour away by horse.
I nodded brightly.
I couldn’t ask the two noblewomen to look into Greta too.
This one I had to handle alone.
* * *
The next afternoon, I told Greta not to let anyone into my room until dinner so I could “research medicine.”
Once she left, I pulled my hooded cloak on and slipped out to the stables.
“Hello, Pingping.”
“Hrrr!”
Pingping, now fully healed, greeted me happily.
I stroked her lush mane and mounted her.
Then we took off.
Where?
To Bruten Village!
I was going to her hometown to uncover what Greta was hiding.
