Chapter 70

“Then may I call you Eli?”

I had expected him to say Elicia, so hearing him jump straight to a nickname surprised me.

I didn’t know what nickname she actually used in this life, but…

Anything was better than being called madam, so I accepted it.

I nodded, and Edwin continued.

“Then I hope you’ll call me comfortably as well.”

“That’s true. It’s weird if I’m the only one still calling you my lord. Then would Edwin be all right?”

“Ed… would be good.”

I blinked in a daze.

Were my ears broken or was my vision off.

Even while saying Ed, his voice shrank little by little like he was embarrassed, which honestly felt a bit cute.

That cold voice I’d heard outside the cave felt like a dream now. He couldn’t even look me in the eyes and seemed flustered, which made me want to laugh.

I couldn’t hold it back.

“What was that? It’s just calling a name so why’d you make it sound like the hardest thing in the world!”

“Don’t laugh…”

“No. It’s too funny. Everyone should’ve seen the face you just made. It’s wasted on me alone!”

I laughed so hard I poked a bruise on my wrist and almost died from the pain.

Then I nearly passed out all over again watching Edwin bolt out to call the physician, pale as a ghost.

And suddenly this thought came to me.

Maybe living as Elicia would be more fun than I expected.

* * *

Edwin wanted to move me somewhere better for my recovery.

He first suggested the Lombard family’s villa, but I refused immediately. I couldn’t stand the idea of being eight hours away from my bed.

I was very serious.

For some reason Edwin looked disappointed, then he suggested the governor’s residence an hour away.

Honestly, since my identity as duchess was now exposed, it was hard to stay in the inn considering security issues.

But what really swayed me wasn’t logic. It was Edwin’s sincere eyes hoping I’d recover somewhere safe and comfortable.

I’m weak to that kind of thing, so I couldn’t refuse.

“We’re here, Eli.”

“Goodness. This is the governor’s residence…?”

Looking past his shoulder after he stepped down from the carriage, I saw a palace-like building.

Mediterranean marble, lapis lazuli inlaid everywhere, pillars drenched in gold.

Even if he threw money at it, it should’ve at least been beautiful, but the governor’s taste was so horrendous it looked like some bizarre tourist attraction sculpture.

Truly awful.

Edwin saw my expression and smiled.

“Since the governor’s residence has no owner, this building should become yours, Eli.”

“What?”

“We were supposed to hold the wedding mass and exchange gifts, but we never got the chance. How about this in its place? Of course this won’t be the end.”

“Oh…”

I didn’t hear anything after that.

The tacky monstrosity suddenly looked dazzling.

Even Sir Giovanni, the greatest sculptor of the Holy City, wouldn’t produce a masterpiece like this.

While I fell in love with the extremely expensive building, Edwin and Gareth were talking outside.

“My lord, I’ll carry the duchess.”

“What do you think you’re doing.”

“Yes?”

“Eli is a noble lady. I can’t let just anyone carry her, so I’ll do it myself.”

Calling Gareth just anyone was nonsense considering he was also from an ancient noble house.

And it was certainly not proper for the duke to personally carry someone like a servant, but Edwin looked completely unconcerned.

After glaring Gareth away, Edwin tapped the carriage wall lightly.

Meanwhile I didn’t care about anything they were discussing. I was busy counting the golden pillars.

“Eli, may I?”

“What is it?”

“Because of your ankle…”

“Oh right. I can’t walk. Sir Gareth can carry me if needed.”

So that’s what they were whispering about. Figuring out who’d carry me.

I didn’t care either way. Whether it was Gareth or someone else, it made no difference.

Royal types hate being touched, but I’m not one of them.

“No. That won’t do.”

“Huh?”

“It isn’t something to entrust to anyone else. Excuse me.”

With a firm answer, Edwin lifted me into his arms.

I wore a heavy velvet dress, a thick fur coat, and had plaster holding my ankle, so the weight couldn’t have been light. Yet he held me like I weighed nothing.

What shocked me more was this.

A duke serving someone like this in public was unthinkable. He wouldn’t even do this for the emperor.

“M-my lord!”

“We agreed you’d call me by name.”

“R-right… Ed.”

It was just a name but it felt embarrassingly intimate.

My fingers tingled, my heart fluttered.

I bit my lip and turned my head away from him, only to see a horror.

A grotesque, eye-damaging statue stood at the entrance courtyard.

I recognized the face.

Though beautified beyond belief, I’d seen it a few times in my previous life.

The former governor Count Dorva.

And it was shamelessly beautified. He was depicted grinning with shining teeth as if waxed by the gods themselves.

Whatever atmosphere I’d felt with Edwin vanished and rage shot up.

Edwin followed my gaze and muttered.

“Gareth.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Cut off that thing’s head.”

“Wait! Bronze is expensive so don’t throw the head away. Keep it properly!”

I added quickly. Melted metal is still money.

Gareth nodded, fetched an axe, and with a thunderous crash, the statue’s head fell cleanly off.

Unbelievable strength.

He carefully picked up the fallen bronze head and placed it on a sturdy torch stand nearby.

‘I must sell that before leaving.’

Money is always good.

Feeling much better, I rested my head on Edwin’s shoulder and went into the grand residence that would soon be mine.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gibson and the people of Bellamare waited anxiously for a chance to meet the duchess.

They had committed tremendous rudeness toward the most noble lady of the North.

They hadn’t realized it while surviving the cave, but with things calmer, they finally grasped how outrageous they had been.

They fed the duchess something like pig slop and told her those who don’t work don’t eat while making her watch the children.

They even made her wipe the drool and other… things the children produced.

‘Not knowing doesn’t excuse anything.’

The infamous villainess Elicia’s reputation had reached even the far northwest Bellamare.

The monstrous deeds she was rumored to have committed in the Capital.

They had to apologize. Even if they lost their lives, if they could redeem others by doing so, Gibson thought it was worth it.

As he nodded resolutely, someone asked carefully.

“But aren’t we safe? The knight said not to worry.”

“You don’t know anything!”

Nobles were fickle and two-faced. Their words couldn’t be trusted.

They didn’t take responsibility. What they promised today could flip tomorrow.

And this was the duchess they wronged.

“Wake up. The duchess isn’t our only problem.”

“Y-yeah…”

Gibson had another concern.

When Count Dorva was caught attempting escape, the people of Bellamare had executed him themselves.

They should have left the decision to the duke or duchess, only roughing him up a little. But blinded by rage, they had torn him apart.

And Dorva was the duke’s uncle and the only elder of the family.

They couldn’t help but fear the consequences.