~Chapter 80~
Who could it be? Ancia knew this was something Rosa would never reveal easily, no matter how off-guard she was.
She smiled outwardly, but inside she was surprised at how easily Rosa had revealed her feelings.
She had intentionally asked emotional questions before important ones—acting like a naïve girl—to provoke Rosa and make her careless.
The result was that Rosa focused more on insulting Ancia than hiding her intentions, and she had even slipped up with her words.
Yet Rosa didn’t seem to notice her mistake at all. She only smiled faintly, as if pleased that Ancia had embarrassed herself in front of the knights.
“Haven’t we chatted enough? I won’t say another word until I’m sent back to my cell.”
As expected, you’re not fit to be the Duchess of our household.
Seeing Rosa’s eyes filled with contempt, Ancia smiled sweetly.
“That’s fine. There’s only one thing I really want to know, and you won’t tell me that right now. I’ll just find out myself.”
“What? I didn’t answer anything. What do you mean?”
“I already heard enough.”
As she stepped back, Rosa looked completely baffled.
“Goodbye, Rosa.”
“W-wait! Stop!”
Rosa panicked when Ancia turned away with an ominous finality.
“When a bastard child is born, you’ll be the one crying!
You’ll regret turning me into an enemy!”
But Ancia didn’t look back. Arthur and the knights followed her out, leaving Rosa pale and desperate.
Suddenly the tables had turned.
Feeling cornered, Rosa’s mind raced.
Ancia had only wanted to satisfy her curiosity from the beginning. She had talked endlessly, even “kindly” revealing Bianca’s pregnancy.
Rosa had vented her frustrations and berated Ancia’s foolishness, certain that the Duchess didn’t know anything important.
But Rosa had focused too much on Ancia and failed to notice the knights behind her. She had made a mistake.
She didn’t think Ancia alone could figure out anything from a few words, but the knights? That was different.
And she had made the mistake because she hoped Bianca’s pregnancy could become her salvation.
“Wait! Milady!”
Ancia didn’t even glance at Rosa calling after her as she walked out.
She was actually in a good mood. Thanks to Rosa walking right into the trap, things would go smoothly now.
Ancia had kept one simple rule when questioning Rosa:
Place the important questions in the middle and the most crucial one at the very end.
She asked light, emotional questions like a woman obsessed with love, while slipping the real questions in between.
Rosa underestimated her for it and stayed off guard until the very end.
Ancia knew Rosa would soon realize that the news about Bianca’s pregnancy was false—the dates made no sense if she just thought about it.
“Sir Arthur, you sided with Rosa at first, didn’t you?”
“…I apologize.”
“She’ll believe you if you visit her at night. She’ll think you came to help. See if you can figure out what she needs.
She might ask you to call a close maid or send a letter.”
“Yes, understood.”
A few days ago, Ancia had visited Rosa’s room while searching for Bianca and noticed Rosa hiding a letter. It had been a plain envelope, but there was a unique mark in the corner.
“Also, check Rosa’s old office one more time. See if there’s any special stationery she uses—maybe with a unique symbol or different paper quality.”
“I’ll check thoroughly.”
Ancia was sure Arthur would be meticulous.
As soon as she stepped outside, Rishar respectfully held out his hand.
“I didn’t realize waiting for you could feel this agonizing.”
His graceful gesture made Ancia smile despite herself. He looked so elegant now, she could hardly believe their first meeting had been with him covered in blood and bear pelts.
“It didn’t seem to take that long.”
“I guess we feel time differently.
It pains me that it sounds like I’m the only one who loves my wife.”
Wow. How can he say things like that with such a straight face?
Ancia wondered if he had time to read romance novels between all the monster defenses, festival preparations, and Rosa’s investigation.
He kept his expression calm and stern, but his voice was warm. Probably he was managing his expressions carefully in front of others.
Still, everyone had heard his sweet words. Arthur froze like a statue, and even the knights moved stiffly as they escorted Ancia.
They were all shocked.
But Ancia had gotten somewhat used to this side of Rishar lately—the soft eyes, the tender touches when they were alone…
She followed his lead and climbed into a small carriage—the same kind they used for internal transport within the duchy.
“You’ve worked hard. Go back with the guards and rest.”
“No, I’ll go to town with the maids and look for another building candidate.”
“No. Leave that to the subordinates.”
“What? But you said my opinion was important.”
“I only said that because I wanted to be with you.
And because of that, you ended up in danger.”
That wasn’t true.
It was Rosa’s plan to target Ancia, and Rishar had been caught up in it. No one had expected she would go as far as using a bomb.
The more Ancia thought about it, the more she regretted not hitting Rosa a few more times.
But she wouldn’t need to lift a hand anymore. Just thinking about the grim torture instruments she had seen behind the interrogator made her shudder.
Ancia’s face hardened as she remembered, and Rishar gently held her hand.
“If you’re curious about something or need anything, just tell me.”
“I am. But sometimes it’s faster to do things myself.”
“Even if it’s slower, I just want you to stay safe.
Please remain in the duchy.”
“For how long?”
“I’ll always accompany you once the festival begins.”
His suggestion was kind, but Ancia couldn’t afford to stay locked up during the busiest time when every hand was needed.
She opened her mouth to object, but Rishar pressed a kiss to her hand and whispered earnestly.
“If you’re put in danger again, I won’t be able to hold back this time.
I’ll cut down everyone present and sever the limbs of any suspects until they confess.
I can’t promise I’ll have enough sanity left to judge by proper law.”
This was the opposite of the cold, detached Rishar she knew.
Ancia’s surprised face made Rishar curve his lips in a faint, almost joking smile.
“I swear, if anyone harms you, I’ll become a tyrant remembered in history.”
He was smiling, but his blue eyes were sharp and chilling.
If he truly loved her, then those words were sincere.
The Duke’s first love was always all-consuming.
Before he understood love, he had only devoted himself to monster hunts, even after marriage.
In the original story, he had opened his heart to another woman, and his arranged marriage meant nothing to him.
If things had gone as they had in the original, Ancia would have been invisible to him.
But now she was the only one in his eyes.
He lived for one person alone—
and placed her happiness above right or wrong.
Even if that person was Ancia instead of Bianca, Rishar’s way of loving hadn’t changed.
Ancia understood. She herself had slapped Rosa simply for imagining that Rishar could have been hurt.
So she decided to yield a little.
“Alright. But if there’s something I absolutely must do, I might leave the house.”
“Then I’ll have at least the Vice Captain accompany you.”
Ancia unconsciously looked over Rishar’s shoulder at Arthur, who was waiting nearby.
He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes, proof he had been working all night.
Going out with Arthur like that seemed nearly impossible.
But if she pushed now, Rishar would only repeat the same words, so Ancia reluctantly nodded.
Only then did Rishar’s eyes soften completely, and he gave her a genuine smile.
Ancia smiled back, bright and warm.
She thought things had ended peacefully—until Rishar returned from seeing Rosa with anger written all over his face.
Ancia, who had been fighting sleep as she worked on the festival preparation list in the bedroom, was startled.
“Did something happen?”
“Wife. Is it true the head maid destroyed and threw away all your wedding trousseau?”
That was from so long ago.
The real items were hidden safely in her old room at the Count’s house.
And hadn’t he already received a report about that at the time? Why was he bringing it up now?
