“Heuk, brother.”

“Deborah?”

“It seems that sister misunderstood that I pushed her.”

“What?”

“I was scared, so I tried to help my sister down. So I think I can misunderstand it enough, but still.”

Eric glanced at Alicia after hearing Deborah’s words.

Their eyes met, but there was no change in her expression.

“Come out, Deborah.”

“But.”

“Hurry.”

“Yes. Brother.”

Wiping her tears, Deborah reluctantly stood up from her spot and followed Eric.

“Um, brother.”

Deborah called Eric, who was walking ahead without a word.

“It’s not sister’s fault. The doctor also said that she might be confused because she hit her head. I can understand enough.”

“Alicia wouldn’t have misunderstood.”

“Huh?”

When Eric stopped walking and looked back, Deborah was surprised.

The Eric who was looking at her now was different from before, the Eric that Deborah had known for a long time.

“Brother, you don’t believe in what I say more than that woman you just met, do you?”

“Deborah.”

“Do you know how much our family has dedicated to the Duke’s family? We wouldn’t talk carelessly. We know very well what happens if we are disliked by the Duke’s family. So even if that woman falsely accuses me, I say it’s okay.”

“Deborah Clayton.”

Excited Deborah, who had been continuously speaking, shut her mouth at Eric’s cold tone.

“I told you before, Alicia doesn’t say such things carelessly.”

“How do you know that? How can you trust it?”

Deborah bit her lip as if wronged and stared at Eric.

“The fact that she is my fiancee is reason enough to trust.”

Deborah blankly looked up at Eric.

Even though tears fell from her eyes, Eric’s gaze was so cold that the slender Deborah involuntarily trembled.

“So, make sure you don’t stand out in the eyes of me and my fiancée.”

He passed the frozen Deborah, standing still, and moved towards the room where Alicia was.

‘She’s stupid.’

Eric clicked his tongue inwardly.

Although she was in the Knights, she had enough experience to quickly understand such lies, even if it wasn’t her original mission.

There were things the Viscount had done for the Duke as Deborah said, but he intended not to let it go.

He was just curious about what Alicia thought.

The reason he told Deborah ‘first’ was because of that.

Eric, who entered the room, was surprised to see Alicia, who had suddenly sat up on the bed.

“Why are you up?”

“I want to go home.”

“You can’t move yet.”

“I just tried to move a bit, and it was fine. I think it would be better to rest in a comfortable place.”

“All right. Then I’ll take you.”

Eric wrapped Alicia in a thin blanket on the bed and lifted her lightly.

“Eric?”

“Just stay still. You’re struggling to walk.”

“Oh. Yes. I think it’ll be hard.”

She hesitated as she stared at Eric, then leaned her head against him.

She had acted as if nothing was wrong, but she was curious about what Eric and Deborah would talk about when they left. No, she was anxious.

So even though she was staggering, she walked, slightly opened the door, and listened.

Deborah’s words were within the expected range, but Eric’s words were not.

“The fact that she is my fiancée is reason enough to trust.”

The headache that had been tormenting Alicia until a while ago, like a lie, eased comfortably.

Inside the carriage, Alicia, who had been leaning against Eric’s chest with her eyes closed, quietly opened her mouth.

“Um, Eric.”

“Hm?”

“What are you going to do?”

“What do you want to do?”

At Eric’s counterquestion, Alicia hesitated to answer.

“How about just letting this one go.”

“Alicia.”

“There’s no evidence to bring up, or a witness.”

“Even so, I can’t just do nothing.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

The Viscount family has been trusted by the Duke’s family for a long time, and the Viscount’s trust is thick, and as the Duchess said, Deborah’s reputation is also good.
How many of the Duke’s relatives, newly engaged to Alicia, would believe her words?

Without evidence or witnesses, if Eric expelled the viscount based solely on Alicia’s words, surely both the Duke’s family and Eric would face criticism.

Alicia did not want that situation, and Eric also understood why Alicia was saying so.

Despite Eric’s serious expression, Alicia opened her mouth with a slight smile.

“Besides, you know I love orange silhouette tea. Thanks to the viscount, the quality has improved a lot.”

Finally, at Alicia’s teasing, Eric gave a slight smile and silently comforted the Alicia he held.

Upon arriving at the Lancaster Earl’s residence, Eric, who had laid Alicia on the bed, met the Countess of Lancaster separately.

“I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“It doesn’t seem like she was severely injured. Right?”

“According to the doctor, she should get better after a few days of rest.”

“That’s a relief.”

The Countess of Lancaster, observing the pale Eric, spoke comforting words.

“It’s not your fault, Eric. It was Alicia’s carelessness.”

“But still.”