“Since you were the first to give money to Countess Carter, I’m just not staying silent.”

“…….”

Elizabeth scanned Edith’s face as she walked past. The clever yet chilly face that was there when she revealed the pregnancy scheme and pulled out Sophia was right in front of her.

‘I gave money to Countess Carter, but it’s known to only a few people.’

It was something that happened in the capital, and since Countess Carter was not perfect, even Lexion’s informants could collect information.

The problem was that the high-nosed Lexion people seemed to have secretly shared information with Edith.
Sold to Nicholas and having lived the life of a Duchess for only a few months, Edith couldn’t believe she had already earned the Duke’s trust. Still, she couldn’t shake off the eerie feeling.

From what she had observed, Edith wasn’t foolish. Seeing her confidently speak about knowing that she had given money made Elizabeth uneasy, making her wonder where her confidence came from. Did she know something more about her?

‘Surely… those newspaper articles can’t be the result of Edith’s scheming.’

Elizabeth thought, suppressing her anger for no reason, and continued walking. Edith didn’t follow her; she simply watched her retreating figure.

There was no need to be anxious since, in a few days, as agreed upon, Edith would file a lawsuit against her for the deprivation of title and the recovery of the inherited fortune.

Knock, knock…

“Theos, Edith. Can we come in for a moment?”

“Sure, just a moment!”

Upon hearing the sweet and elegant voice, Theos, who was hunched over the desk, abruptly got up.

‘I dozed off again without realizing it…!’

He quickly wiped the drool off his mouth and opened the door. There, he saw Edith smiling with something in both hands.

“Take this first. It’s a cake, and you can share it with your brother later. It’s delicious.”

“Madam, why do you keep giving me things like this… Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“And this is a winter coat I bought while I was out. Would you like to try it on when you have time? It’s good to dress warmly when you stroll through the garden, even if you’re busy with your studies.”

“A, a coat is expensive, Madam!”

“But during the New Year, children get new clothes. I asked to make it a bit roomy, so it should be comfortable and warm.”

Even though someone passing on their old clothes might be condescending, from Edith’s words, it seemed like she had estimated the size and body shape, perhaps even custom ordered it.

Feeling both grateful and sorry, Theos hesitated to accept the items. Edith, noticing his hesitation, smiled warmly.

“When I was young, I envied kids who got new clothes for the New Year the most. But the director of the clinic I worked at even gave me a dress. I can’t tell you how happy I was.”

Even though she grew taller and wore it for a few years before passing it on to another child, when Edith received a new dress, it felt like she had everything in the world.

“It feels nice when someone thinks of you during the holidays. Please accept it.”

“Madam… Then, I’ll gratefully accept it. Thank you so much for taking care of us.”

Theos ultimately accepted the cake and winter coat, and without realizing it, he sniffled. His eyelashes were already warm, and tears welled up.

Edith, who had been living hand-to-mouth while earning a living by buying medicine for her sick brother, was grateful for the environment that allowed him to study. She kept remembering her childhood, so she bought something for him.

“Do you want to try on the coat? If it’s too big, we can take it for alterations.”
“Thanks to you taking care of meals these days, I don’t think I’ll gain much weight.”

Theos, looking embarrassed, nonetheless took out the new coat as Edith suggested. The sight of him marveling at the neat and thick coat showcased the appearance of an authentic teenager.

“I’ll try it on in the room with a mirror!”

Edith sparkled her eyes, watching Theos rush towards the side with a mirror, and burst into laughter.

“At that age, it should be like that.”

According to what Vane mentioned, it seemed like Theos was doing a task specifically instructed by Valtter, who recognized his talents.

Occasionally engaging in conversations with chief physicians suggested that he might be conducting some research combining magic and medicine. However, Edith didn’t ask Theos for more details, considering it might burden him.

As Edith was about to move the cake Theos had placed on the desk away from the sunlight, she unintentionally read the documents that were spread out on the desk.

“[… damage to memory due to side effects of……]”

Although it was written in a dreadful handwriting, the word ‘side effects’ was clear enough to read.