Chapter 25

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As the cooling tea and the untouched cake were brought to their mouths, Eugenie and Edith continued their conversation, sharing whatever came to mind. Edith, feeling the warmth in her heart grow as she spoke, found her guard and tension gradually easing. She felt a sense of familiarity and comfort, despite Eugenie's beautiful appearance and graceful manners, which belied her unexpectedly approachable nature.

Eugenie suddenly asked Edith with a look of interest:

"Did you help your parents with their apothecary shop, Lady Edith?"

"Yes. Mainly, I learned the ways of business from my father and the methods of decocting herbs and compounding medicines from my mother. It was a small apothecary, but I loved our shop because it was close to the patients who came to us."

"Your parents must have been warm and wonderful people..."

Eugenie narrowed her eyes, and Edith nodded.

"Yes, and they were very much in love. I only learned after my father passed away that he was the heir to the Oakridge earldom, but he had left his family to elope with my mother, a commoner. Even after that, he always cherished my mother."

"Oh, how lovely. And your father was so brave... unlike me."

Eugenie smiled sadly, her face shadowed.

"If I had been able to tell my parents that I wanted to be with Lord Craig, even when Lord Lionel was still well... If I had, I wouldn't have hurt Lord Lionel so much, and I might have been able to support him in a different way..."

Eugenie sighed deeply and continued:

"Because of my selfish actions, I must have caused an invisible rift between Lord Lionel and Lord Craig, who were such close brothers. They are both kind and considerate, and I'm sure they still care for each other, but my betrayal and engagement to Lord Craig must have cast a shadow over the Granville marquessate. And..."

Eugenie's gaze fell weakly.

"I have completely lost Lord Archer's favor. It seems he saw me visiting Lord Lionel from a hiding place. Even as a child, he must have been furious that I had hurt his beloved brother. No matter how much I apologize, I doubt he will ever accept me."

"That's how it was..."

Edith recalled Archer, who had been wary of her from the moment they met. She thought that he must have been worried that she, as the new fiancée, might hurt his brother again, after seeing the state of his brother when she visited him.

Eugenie spoke quietly to Edith:

"Everything that has happened is my fault. I deserve to be disliked, but I hope to gradually resolve the disharmony I have caused in the Granville marquessate... though it's difficult."

"But, Lady Eugenie, you have been researching the lineage of white mages for Lord Lionel. If Lord Lionel and Lord Archer knew about this, wouldn't it change their impression of you?"

Eugenie immediately shook her head at Edith's words.

"No, what I have done is far from enough to make up for my actions. Besides, Lord Lionel must have already experienced your abilities firsthand. There's no need to tell him, so please keep it to yourself. ...I am very grateful and happy to have spoken with you, Lady Edith."

"I am also very glad to have spoken with you, Lady Eugenie. Thank you for inviting me."

Edith, feeling a warm sensation in her chest, thought about what she could do for Eugenie and the Granville marquessate as she made her way home.

***

"Edith, it's getting warmer. Thanks to you, my condition has improved a lot. If you're willing, I'm thinking of going to our villa in the mountains for a change of scenery and some recuperation. I never thought I'd be able to consider such a thing when I was bedridden. ...I plan to bring a few servants along."

Seeing Lionel's cheerful smile from his wheelchair, Edith smiled happily.

"That's a good idea. I would be delighted to go with you."

Edith was pleased to see that Lionel seemed to have regained the energy to try new things.

"Is it the villa where you used to go every year as a child?"

"Yes, it's been a long time since I've been there."

Understanding that it was the same villa where Lionel and Eugenie had played as children, Edith hesitantly asked:

"Will you invite Lord Craig and Lady Eugenie to the villa?"

"No, I don't plan to. Apart from the servants, I want to bring you and, if possible, Archer. What do you think?"

"Yes, I would be honored to be by your side, Lord Lionel."

Noticing that Lionel's expression had stiffened slightly, Edith felt a pang of guilt and quickly smiled.

I had told Lionel about the day I met Eugenie, how she was worried about him and wished for his recovery, but his expression hadn't changed much. Feeling the depth of his resentment, Edith hoped that one day, everyone could laugh together as they used to.

"Perhaps it was too early to suggest inviting Lady Eugenie and the others, but I'm sure it will happen someday. ...First, Lord Lionel's health is the most important thing."

Lionel had shown remarkable recovery since Edith had met him. Although he was still in his wheelchair, his appearance had regained a vibrant beauty that made her heart skip a beat every time she saw his smile.

"The villa is in a spacious, natural setting with clean air. I hope it will be a good change of pace for you."

"I'm looking forward to it. Hehe, it will be my first trip with Lord Lionel."

At Edith's words, Lionel's beautiful face lit up with joy, and he looked up at her lovingly from his wheelchair.

Thank you all for your warm words. I am truly grateful, to the point of tears. I will try to update regularly within my capabilities, so please continue to support me.