Chapter 4.28

“Miss, are you really sure about this?”

Kate asked while helping Liz change into an indoor dress. Liz nodded calmly.

“Of course. It’s all over now, isn’t it?”

“Even so… I’m worried you’ll end up hearing unnecessary things.”

“Well, I can say unnecessary things too, can’t I?”

At Liz’s joke, Kate clicked her tongue and said, “Tsk.”

“You’re not the type to say unnecessary things.”

“No, I’m good at it.”

“You’re not.”

“You just haven’t heard me do it. I’m serious.”

“Hmm… I don’t believe you.”

Liz chuckled softly and stood up from her vanity table.

“Anyway, you should rest too. You’ve worked hard.”

“I’ll just sneak a bite of some expensive snacks.”

The two laughed lightly and left the room together.

“Let me know if there’s something you like. I’ll have more baked for you to take home when you go on holiday.”

“Really?”

Kate asked with a delighted look.

“Of course. I can at least do that much for the Duchess’s personal maid, can’t I?”

The two chatted warmly as they arrived at the guest room. However, as they stood in front of the door, they couldn’t help but feel tense.

“…Miss.”

Liz took a deep breath and signaled to Kate with her eyes. Kate knocked politely.

“Excuse us. Lady Isabel Myra.”

Kate opened the door.

As per Valentine’s instructions, two of Winchester’s escort knights were already waiting inside the room for Liz. At the table sat Isabel Myra. Her short hair was simple, without a single decoration. Her dress, too, was so plain that one might not recognize her if they passed her on the street. Isabel spoke.

“It’s been a while… Miss Liz.”

Liz’s eyes widened at Isabel’s clumsy use of honorifics. Isabel, as if expecting this reaction, quietly added.

“…You’re no longer my maid, Miss Liz. It’s only right that I use honorifics.”

She was right. Liz calmed herself and approached the table to sit down.

“What business do you have with me, …Isabel?”

Isabel. Just saying that name felt like committing an act of disrespect. But Liz forced herself not to show it and took a sip of tea. Isabel, who had been silently gazing at Liz, finally spoke.

“I have something to give you.”

Isabel placed a thick bundle of documents on the table. Liz gasped at the sight.

“This is…!”

The documents were account transaction records. For an ordinary individual’s account, the amount of money exchanged was extraordinarily large. Isabel explained calmly.

“It’s a borrowed-name account belonging to Archibald Winchester. The evidence proving this account belongs to Archibald is included here. Both the royalists and the revolutionaries have been consistently sending him money. With this, he won’t be able to deny the charges of selling secrets for money.”

Liz stared at Isabel in shock.

“How did you…?”

“Have you forgotten what kind of family Myra is?”

Liz let out a sound of realization.

The Myra family owned a massive bank. With their reach in finance and loans, it was no surprise that they could obtain such information.

“But hasn’t the Myra family already left Florang?”

At Liz’s question, Isabel answered quietly.

“As long as money exists in this world, the Myra family’s influence will continue.”

“That’s…”

“Even though it seems like the Myra family has been driven out of Florang, there are still countless people who cooperate with us. Both the Florang Revolutionary Army and the royalists. In the face of capital, there’s no real difference. The same goes for commoners and nobles.”

Isabel turned to the next page of the documents.

“Judging by the details, it seems they not only traded information but also smuggled some weapons. Check it out. You might be able to apply even higher charges.”

With that, Isabel withdrew her hand from the documents.

“Uncovering the rest of the truth is your job. I’m merely delivering the Myra Bank’s records.”

Liz, who had been staring at Isabel as if possessed, finally spoke.

“Why are you helping me? I… ultimately betrayed you, Isabel.”

“Well. Can that really be called betrayal?”

Isabel looked out the window for a moment before speaking.

“Liz. When I first heard about you, I couldn’t help but be startled, but… I wasn’t angry. From the beginning until now, I’ve never once wanted to marry Valentine.”

“But you came back. And you tried to become the Duchess of Winchester.”

At that, Isabel nodded calmly.

“I wanted my child to become a Winchester. That’s the truth. Surely you can understand that?”

Liz bit her lip lightly. Who wouldn’t want their child to grow up in the best environment? Liz herself had been momentarily swayed by Archibald’s temptations for the same reason.

“But Isabel, as a person, didn’t want to become Valentine’s wife. Even if the whole world wanted to marry him, I didn’t. Can’t that be the case?”

Isabel shrugged. Liz asked cautiously.

“Will you marry Sir Kay?”

“Well.”

Isabel let out a long sigh. After taking a sip of tea, she looked at Liz.

“What do you think? Do you think it’s possible?”

Liz smiled without answering. Isabel let out a faint chuckle.

“Well, seeing you… I suppose it’s not entirely impossible.”

Isabel stood up. Her short hair swayed lightly by her ears.

“Well then. Thank you for your time.”

“Thank you for helping me, Isabel.”

Standing at the door, Isabel slowly turned around. She looked straight at Liz.

“Liz Garrett.”

In a meaningful tone, Isabel spoke.

“To live under the name of Winchester… you’ll need even more tenacity than this. You’ll have to deal with schemers like Archibald and greedy people like me.”

Isabel wasn’t wrong. Liz, who was about to become the Duchess of Winchester amidst Holt’s greatest scandal, would face countless people trying to tear her apart. And just as many would come running to her for their own gain. Liz had no powerful family like the Myras or a wealthy business to back her. All she had was Valentine Winchester.

“Can you endure it?”

Liz took a deep breath. But she wasn’t afraid. Some might worry about Liz being all alone, but in truth, the one truly alone was Valentine. Liz was the only one who could see the solitude of Valentine. The one who saw his loneliness. The one who held his hidden left hand. That could perhaps be called love. Liz believed in that love.

‘…But there’s no need to tell Isabel that.’

Liz smiled lightly and held up Isabel’s documents.

“If I’ve realized that by accepting this information, I’ll have to help you someday become Countess Myra… can I survive among Holt’s nobles?”

Isabel chuckled.

“Not bad. Make sure to establish yourself well.”

Liz nodded. Isabel gave a formal bow as she left the room.

“Take care, Liz… Winchester.”

“Goodbye, Isabel Myra.”

Isabel left Liz, and Winchester, at last. The next time they met, the two would be entirely different people. Liz felt certain of it.

***

After Isabel left the mansion, Valentine entered Liz’s room as if he had been waiting.

“Liz, are you all right? That woman didn’t say anything unnecessary, did she?”

He looked at Liz with worried eyes. Liz shook her head with a smile.

“No. Isabel came to help us.”

Liz handed him Isabel’s documents.

“This is…!”

Valentine reacted almost the same way Liz had when she first saw the documents. He couldn’t fully hide his surprise as he placed the documents on the table and flipped through them with his left hand.

“With just this… it’s enough. We can corner Archibald completely.”

He looked at Liz and asked.

“Did she give this to you willingly? Without any conditions?”

“Well. Maybe I’ll have to support Isabel when she returns to high society?”

“That’s…”

Valentine trailed off, looking displeased. Liz smiled and asked.

“But isn’t this a good deal for information like this? Don’t you think?”

At her words, Valentine let out a long sigh. Then, with a serious expression, he asked.

“…Are you really okay?”

His eyes were filled with concern for Liz.  

If Liz had said no, he seemed ready to find another way, no matter how important the information was.  

But Liz nodded her head.

“Of course. After all, I’m now by the side of the person I love, aren’t I? What could possibly not be okay?”

At Liz’s words, Valentine paused for a moment.

“…I see. Understood.”

He tried to leave the drawing room with the documents.  

However, his limbs moved awkwardly, as if they were broken.  

He attempted to hold the documents with his splinted right hand, but realizing his mistake, he switched to his left hand to push the door. Yet, he bumped his shoulder against the door in his haste to leave.  

Liz stared at his retreating figure with a dumbfounded expression.

“Valentine? Are you okay?”  

“No… I’m fine.”

He gave up leaving and released the door handle.  

Then, with his back to Liz, he spoke.

“Could you say it again?”  

“Pardon? Say what?”  

“That…”

Valentine hesitated for a long time before continuing.

“Who it is that you’re with.”

“Oh.”

Realizing what she had just said, Liz’s face turned red.  

Now, it was Liz who seemed broken.

“Well… That is…”

Feeling embarrassed, Liz grabbed the documents lying on the table.

“I’ll go sort this out first.”  

“Liz.”

As Liz hurriedly tried to escape, his left hand caught her arm.  

Then, his chin rested on her shoulder.

“Tell me. Who am I to you?”  

“Ah, uh…”

As his lips brushed against her ear, Liz twisted her body.

“Quickly, hmm?”

His breath was relentless.