Chapter 58 …
“Count, have you ever heard anything like that before?”
Count Pellua shook his head.
Right. There definitely isn’t such a thing as a gumiho in this novel.
Even Epher, an imperial royal who could access the Empire’s hidden knowledge, hadn’t thought of a gumiho when he first saw me—he’d just assumed I was a deformed fox with nine tails.
It was suspicious enough that the knights started making things up when the leopard first appeared, saying, “The fox must have summoned it,” and that the wedding reception was filled with nothing but fox talk. But the fact that rumors were spreading so precisely about my existence was downright strange.
Why are stories from outside the novel being heard here too?
At that moment, Count Pellua added another ghost story.
“But the liver-eating story was nothing. Well, foxes do eat chickens, so it probably just got changed to humans….”
“Hm?”
“The other rumor was even scarier. Some say the nine-tailed fox is the reincarnation of nine executed criminals….”
Because it had nine lives, it had nine tails. Every time a tail fell off, something bad would happen. It was a fox that would kill nine people around it—things like that.
After hearing all 101 ghost stories about the nine-tailed fox, I finally relaxed and crossed my legs.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Must’ve just been coincidence.
Like Count Pellua said, they probably just meant that since foxes eat chickens, they must eat people too.
Still, it was impressive that he remembered all 101 rumors and recited them so smoothly.
“Anyway, I thought it was strange. It felt like someone was deliberately creating public opinion that the fox you brought was ominous.”
“……I thought you were completely dense, but I guess not.”
“Pardon?”
I already knew who was behind it.
That petty Herian, who was still holding a grudge because the fox took his meal.
It looked like he planned to spread rumors that I wasn’t a divine creature but a monster, then pin the blame on me when something happened.
There was no better place than a wedding to spread nonsense when so many people were gathered.
Seriously, he needs to stop obsessing. How small-minded do you have to be to vent your anger on an innocent animal.
Though that animal is me.
“So what do you plan to do going forward, my benefactor?”
At Count Pellua’s question, I uncrossed my legs.
“Well….”
Honestly, it was so childish that I wanted to get childish revenge too—just like I’d thought before, by turning into Herian and making him publicly humiliate himself.
From unhygienic and disgraceful acts to secret things that absolutely must not be discovered—
I had everything prepared. But now I couldn’t do that.
Because the situation has changed.
Epher likes me. —Well, he didn’t actually say that.—
If I just keep charming him a little more and we spend a hundred nights together, I’ll become human here and live on in this very form.
Epher will become my real husband, and I’ll firmly establish myself as the Grand Duchess.
The reputation I’ve secured now will clearly follow me for life.
And if Epher and I have a child in the future, I’ll have to think about that child’s future too. —We haven’t even spent one night together yet.—
“I can’t just sit still either.”
“Then what should I do?”
“Just act like nothing happened. If anything strange occurs, report it to me.”
“How should I report it? What if someone intercepts the letter…?”
I shrugged while looking toward the window.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll send a very well-trained bird.”
After lunch, I saw Count Pellua off.
He was a bit clumsy and his acting awkward, but thankfully he wasn’t stupid.
As I turned back after watching the count’s carriage disappear into the distance, I saw the last guests preparing to leave some distance away.
That’s Count Rangviu.
I watched them for a while, then started walking.
Count Rangviu was one of Epher’s close aides. And I seemed to get along fairly well with the countess. So—target the Rangviu family first!
As I approached them, everyone except Epher, who had his back turned, looked at me with startled eyes.
“Oh my. Your Grace.”
Epher glanced back briefly, but the moment our eyes met, he turned away again.
Come to think of it, this was the first time seeing him since I headbutted his lips yesterday.
Is he embarrassed?
Thinking he looked cute, I greeted Countess Rangviu, who was about to depart.
“Countess, are you leaving now?”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
All the other countesses present answered too, thinking I was speaking to them, which made things awkward for a moment.
Fortunately, Countess Rangviu spoke first.
“Your Grace, I wanted to talk more, but yesterday’s commotion was unfortunate.”
“Indeed. I really wanted to hear more about the puppet theater business.”
I’d only said it as a courtesy, but I noticed the eyes of those watching me suddenly sparkle.
“As it happens, I’m planning to host a tea party in a few weeks. Would you be able to attend, Your Grace?”
The invitation came so smoothly, as if she had been waiting for this moment, that I was a little taken aback.
Judging by how Epher is even seeing them off, they really must be his close aides.
Becoming friendly with people capable of standing against Herian didn’t seem like a bad choice.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
“Su—”
“How dare you summon her so lightly.”
I was about to accept the invitation, but Epher cut in first, rejecting it irritably.
A subtle power struggle filled the air.
From what Moria had told me, tea parties in the Empire were extremely important social events.
There were quite a few picky rules of etiquette, and the very first thing I had to keep in mind was the invitation.
For a tea party invitation, the superior must invite the subordinate first. Of course, if the two were already close, strict etiquette wasn’t always enforced.
They’re his aides anyway, so does it really matter?
Even in the novel, people only fussed over etiquette when trying to snub someone they disliked.
“I misspoke. It’s not a tea party but a puppet performance preview. The ladies here said they wanted to see it once, so we were planning to hold it in a few weeks.”
Countess Rangviu waved her hands in flustered denial.
“Since Your Grace seemed interested in the business we invested in….”
“Did you not see she was injured yesterday? Should the Grand Duchess trouble herself to travel so far in that condition?”
What is he talking about? He himself went to the Rangviu estate and back in half a day, yet now it’s suddenly far?
“No, I’m fine—”
“Whether it’s a tea party or a preview, you should come here instead.”
The faces of the others, including Countess Rangviu, had turned pale. At this rate, I was going to become a social outcast.
I laughed heartily while watching Epher’s mood.
“Haha. His Highness worries about me so much—I hardly know what to do.”
Then I took Countess Rangviu’s hand.
“Countess, please send the invitation. I very much want to see the puppet show. If my body has recovered by then, I’ll attend.”
Color seemed to return slightly to the countess’s pale face.
If I accepted after Epher had refused, it would damage his pride, so I slipped my arm through his and lightly rested my head against him.
“If I recover, please don’t worry and send it. I’ll focus on treatment until then.”
He flinched the moment I touched him and turned his gaze elsewhere.
“Th-then… please do.”
I didn’t expect him to agree so easily.
“I’ll send the invitation soon. I’m really looking forward to it.”
After an extremely awkward farewell, all the remaining carriages—including Count Rangviu’s—left the Grand Duke’s castle.
Epher turned and shook my arm off.
“Let’s return.”
I stared blankly at my arm left hanging in the air after trying to hold him.
This is a bit embarrassing. Is he mad?
I quickly followed a few steps behind Epher and asked,
“Do you not like me going to the Rangviu estate?”
Startled by my sudden question, Epher stepped slightly to the side.
“It’s not particularly that. I thought perhaps you wanted to refuse but couldn’t say so….”
“Why wouldn’t I be able to refuse? If I dislike something, I’ll say so.”
“……That’s true.”
The way he looked at me felt oddly strange.
Epher’s gaze lingered on me briefly before turning forward.
“You should go in and rest. You must be tired.”
“I’m not really tired, though….”
“There should be bath salts good for relieving fatigue left. Moria will know where they are, so use them if needed.”
At his words, I imagined soaking leisurely in a warm bath for the first time in a while.
“Be careful with your shoulder wound as much as possible.”
Though he spoke casually, his words seemed full of consideration, which oddly lifted my mood.
After all, he was worried about me traveling far because I was injured.
Smiling, I nodded to him.
“Yes. I’ll rest well. So Your Highness should rest well too.”
I thought Epher would head toward the Grand Duke’s castle now, but strangely, he started walking toward my residence instead.
Don’t tell me he’s planning to rest with me.
The moment the image of us bathing together crossed my mind, the corners of my lips naturally lifted.
I pressed them down with both hands and asked him,
“Where are you going?”
“To the stables. I haven’t seen Siena for two days.”
Ah.
“To me, seeing Siena is rest.”
Epher’s smile looked truly wicked to me.
“Well then, rest comfortably.”
Rest… my foot…!
