Chapter 318

“…You received the letter I sent, didn’t you?”

The moment Rebecca sat down, she brought up the main point, and Marquis Crewe frowned.

“To start with that the moment you arrive, tsk, tsk.”

“It’s because I’m in a hurry, Grandfather.”

“No matter how urgent it is, are you really going to skip even a proper greeting?”

At the sharp reprimand, Rebecca bit her lip.

It couldn’t help but displease her, hearing a lecture on manners from the very person who had turned her household into a wreck.

“By the way, where has that bastard gone?”

“…I sent my husband ahead to the villa. It would only make your blood boil if you meet him now.”

“Tsk, tsk. You can’t even keep proper hold of your own husband, and what a fine job you’re doing.”

Marquis Crewe clicked his tongue.

He felt he knew why she had entered the palace alone without even having to ask.

“More importantly, what happened with the thing I asked of you?”

“I’m preparing it, so don’t worry.”

Every year, during the winter charity event, noblewomen personally visit lower-class residential districts.

At such times, they offer prayers to God for the sick among the poor, and deliver donated goods including medicine.

This was precisely the moment Marquis Crewe was aiming for.

There was no better time than this to tear down Duchess Bayern’s reputation.

“Preparing it, meaning what sort of…”

“We’ll make trouble break out in the district the Duchess is going to visit.”

Duchess Bayern was noble by birth.

No matter how kindly a mask she wore, how could her true nature possibly disappear?

“Rebecca, you don’t need to do anything else. You just need to pretend to be kind, the way the Duchess did at the last event.”

Pretend to care for the poor.

If she did only that, it wouldn’t be difficult at all to draw in the popularity Duchess Bayern had gained.

“…Yes. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Rebecca nodded.

* * *

It was only when the sun had climbed high into the sky that the unpacking was more or less finished—

Of course, the organizing was the attendants’ job, but perhaps because her whole body had been ‘overworked’ in more ways than one during the journey.

She had been slumped in the rocking chair before the fireplace like a limp heap of greens, and had ended up dozing off.

“Mmmgh…”

She had fallen into a deep sleep even if only briefly, but the moment she came to her senses, Nina opened her eyes with a groan at the dull ache washing over her.

“Madam, are you awake?”

“Mmh…”

Marsha wiped around her eyes with a damp cloth and said,

“His Grace had business at the Imperial Palace, so he went out. He said he’d be back before evening, and that you should rest.”

Nina nodded, letting out a long yawn.

She had heard earlier that he had submitted a petition to His Majesty the Emperor.

He had probably gone to seek an audience with His Majesty to find out how that matter was progressing.

Until the New Year Festival ended, His Majesty would be so busy he likely wouldn’t have time for a private audience.

“Marsha, please give this to the attendants.”

“What is this?”

“Money for a staff outing.”

They had suffered for more than ten days carrying heavy luggage and traveling, so shouldn’t they at least be given a bit of free time today?

“Yes!”

After Marsha hurried out of the drawing room to deliver the outing money to the attendants, Nina pushed herself up.

The charity event would be held in three days.

Last time, she had stayed in the Imperial Palace, but this time she had decided to focus on resting at the villa to recover from the fatigue of the journey.

If she stayed at the Imperial Palace, she wouldn’t be able to relax comfortably.

“…Madam, Lady Barrington has come to visit. How should we proceed?”

“Mm, Miss Catherine?”

Marsha, who had gone out to deliver the outing money to the attendants, returned holding a thick document envelope in her arms.

“Yes. She said that since you must be tired, Madam, she would just leave this and go, but just in case, I told her I would ask you first.”

When Nina had been drugged at the Imperial Palace.

It had been Catherine who helped her so that she wouldn’t collapse in the corridor and make a spectacle of herself.

After that incident, Nina had said she would think of Catherine as a benefactor.

So even though Catherine had come without prior notice, she seemed to think there must be a reason for it.

‘House Barrington runs a newspaper, so…’

Since they were based in the capital, there was a high chance she had come to deliver information Nina would need.

“Duchess Bayern!”

With Nina’s permission, a lively young lady with brown hair and brown eyes entered the drawing room.

“Miss Catherine, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Of course, I’ve been very well. More importantly, I’m sorry for coming without notice. I was only planning to pass along a bit of information and leave because I thought you might be uncomfortable, but…”

“You came in person because it was important information.”

“Ahem, there’s a little personal interest mixed in too… but that is true.”

Just what information had brought the daughter of Baron Barrington here in person?

“So, what is it?”

At Nina’s words, Catherine smiled faintly and parted her lips.

“It’s information about this winter charity event. Information that you absolutely need to know, Madam.”

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