Chapter 37

When Marie opened her eyes, the sun was setting. She rubbed her stomach, still feeling the lingering effects of the pain. She must have eaten something bad. Otherwise, why would she have suddenly felt nauseous and fainted?  

“Are you awake?”  

“Eek!”  

Marie, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling, screamed in surprise. She had thought she was alone in the room because it was so quiet. The voice belonged to Angelica.  

It was too late to pretend to have fainted again. Angelica, her eyes sparkling, was already staring intently at Marie.  

“Since we all ate the same thing, it doesn’t seem like food poisoning.”  

“It seems like it was just a simple stomachache.”  

“Are you pregnant?”  

“W-what?!”  

For the second time, Marie was startled. She instinctively clutched her stomach and turned her body away. Of course, there was no way she could be pregnant.  

“Did you have your period this month?”  

“W-why are you asking that…?”  

She was just like Natalie. To think there was another person besides Natalie who could ask such things so casually.  

Still, despite her embarrassment, it was an important question.  

Marie’s voice became as small as a mosquito’s.  

“Not yet.”  

“Well, there’s still half a month left in this cycle, so there’s a chance you could be pregnant. Did you…”  

“I’m fine now!”  

Marie hurriedly interrupted before Angelica could finish her sentence. Having spent so much time with Natalie, she could already guess what Angelica was about to ask. Surely, she was going to ask if she had used contraception.  

“That’s a relief. For a moment, I thought I was causing you stress.”  

That’s exactly so.

“Hm? Why so quiet? Is it true?”  

Angelica leaned closer, her bright face scrutinizing Marie’s expression. She seemed to interpret Marie’s silence as confirmation.  

“Well… I don’t think I’ve done anything since coming here.”  

If only Marie had the courage to say that Angelica’s mere presence was stressful. But, unfortunately, she didn’t.  

Marie, disliking the uncomfortable atmosphere, tried to act normal to get Angelica to leave. Usually, Natalie would intervene in situations like this, but for some reason, Natalie was absent.  

“By the way.”  

Angelica leaned toward Marie, who had just gotten up. Surprised, Marie stumbled, but Angelica deftly caught her. In the process, Marie’s chest accidentally pressed against Angelica’s.  

“Whoa!”  

Angelica suddenly let out a snort and jumped back. Marie, thinking it was because she was heavy, shrank even further. Standing next to Angelica, who was slim and toned, Marie couldn’t help but feel the contrast even more.  

“I just lost my balance for a moment!”  

“Y-yes.”  

Angelica gently helped Marie back to her feet, though she couldn’t help but pout at Marie’s indignant expression. Their heights were similar, but Marie had something Angelica didn’t—such as her chest, her chest, and, well, her chest.  

“I’m jealous!”  

“Pardon?”  

Marie buttoned her blouse, trying to avoid Angelica’s persistent gaze directed at her chest.  

“But what were you going to say earlier?”  

“Ah.”  

Angelica smiled mischievously and sat back in her chair. The two of them wore similar white blouses, but their styles were different.  

Marie’s blouse featured large frills to hide her chest as much as possible, while Angelica’s blouse emphasized order and lines with four pintucks. For her bottom, Marie chose a voluminous skirt to cover her wide hips, whereas Angelica wore slim cotton pants, ready to arm herself at any moment.  

Marie quietly observed Angelica, who was scrutinizing her in return. The more she looked, the more she thought they had nothing in common. Aside from both being women and holding the title of Earl, their only shared trait was their cheerful personalities.  

If Kalik’s type was someone lively like Angelica…  

“Marie.”  

“Yes.”  

Angelica casually called her by a nickname. Marie, too stunned to marvel at how her nickname had become public property, tensed up instead. While physical harm didn’t seem likely, she couldn’t predict what Angelica might say.  

“Do you think there’s something going on between me and him?”  

“Pardon?”  

“I mean, it seems like you think so.”  

“N-no?”  

“You’re a terrible liar.”  

Angelica’s upper body shook with laughter, her hair flying as she laughed so hard. Embarrassed, Marie repeatedly denied it but eventually stopped, realizing it made her look even worse.  

Honestly, while she wasn’t sure about Kalik, she couldn’t completely deny the possibility of something going on with Viola.  

“Don’t worry. There’s nothing between us.”  

“That’s…”  

“You’re wondering how you’re supposed to believe me?”  

“That’s not what I was going to say…”  

“Sure sounds like it.”  

Help me, Natalie.  

Marie looked desperately at the door behind Angelica, silently calling out for Natalie.  

“I can prove there’s nothing between us.”  

Angelica’s calm and cheerful voice caught Marie’s gaze.  

Marie’s expression grew complicated. She knew very well that proving something that didn’t happen was the hardest thing in the world. The burden of proof lies with the one making the accusation. In this case, it was those who doubted the relationship between Angelica Hinsward and Kalik Escael.  

In other words, it was Marie who had to provide evidence.  

“Because…”  

Marie tried to move toward the edge of the bed to avoid Angelica, who was slowly approaching her. For some reason, her eyes were drawn to the heavy sword strapped to Angelica’s waist. She couldn’t help but imagine herself being sliced by it.  

“Come closer.”  

As if hypnotized, her upper body leaned forward. Angelica’s finger beckoned her.  

“Closer.”  

“W-why…”  

Finally, their faces were so close they nearly touched. Angelica puckered her lips.  

Suddenly, a loud smooch echoed as Angelica kissed her cheek.  

“I like women.”  

“Wha—?!”  

“Oh, that reaction. It’s been a while.”  

Marie froze, her hand covering her cheek. 

What just happened?!

Her body understood, but her mind refused to process it. She tried to convince herself that it was Angelica’s nose that had touched her cheek, but the soft, plush sensation was undeniably lips.  

“Do you understand now?”  

“Uh, I mean… maybe…”  

“If you understand, just say you do. What’s with the ‘maybe’?”  

Angelica burst into laughter, slapping the bed in amusement.  

Marie understood that Angelica liked women. She hadn’t heard it directly in words, but after experiencing it firsthand, she wasn’t foolish enough to demand verbal confirmation.  

“I-I’m sorry.”  

“There’s nothing to apologize for. Anyway, he knows too.”  

“Oh.”  

“Why do you think no marriage proposals ever came up?”  

Angelica’s expression was carefree, as if she found the whole situation endlessly amusing.  

“Marriage between friends? Gross! I’m purely here to celebrate your marriage, Marie. I have no intention of doing anything else.”  

Marie didn’t know how to respond. She felt like her ability to comprehend was being drained by this straightforward conversation. Not that she doubted Angelica’s sincerity, but…  

“I didn’t come here to break the two of you apart.”  

“Then why did you suddenly show up…”  

“Well, your mother-in-law, the Countess of Escael, asked me to arrange a meeting with Odillia.”  

“Pardon?”  

Now this was even more confusing.  

Angelica paused when she saw Marie’s expression change.  

“Should I bring you some water?”  

“Natalie usually does that…”  

“That maid of yours ran off earlier in a hurry.”  

“Oh…”  

“I’ll get it for you. The other servants seem to have gone to check on your condition.”  

Angelica willingly got up and walked toward the door. She wanted to let the others know Marie had woken up and give her some time to think.  

“I’m not sure…”  

But Angelica stopped at Marie’s words.  

The phrase “I’m not sure” carried a lot of weight. It was a comprehensive statement, encompassing curiosity, anxiety, worry, and all sorts of indescribable emotions.  

“I think my mother-in-law…”  

Marie hesitated, her lips forming silent words. She wondered if the Countess had used the excuse of asking Angelica to mediate, while secretly considering her as a potential daughter-in-law.  

She couldn’t know for sure since she hadn’t been inside the Countess’s mind, but the timing was too perfect. Angelica had shown up at the worst possible moment.  

Even if Viola had meant well, from Marie’s perspective, it felt like she was using someone else’s presence to voice her opposition.  

“Hmm. This doesn’t seem like something I can handle.”  

Angelica scratched her head but didn’t sit back down. She seemed to think it wasn’t her job to comfort Marie, even though she had played a significant role in creating this situation.  

“Wait here. I’ll bring the culprit.”  

“What?”  

With that, Angelica left the room as if fleeing.  

Leave it to the pharmacist to handle the medicine.