# 56
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“Kenneth, you stubborn soul.”
A woman stood in front of Kenneth, her face blurry and indistinct.
Kenneth sat leaning against the altar, bleeding, listening to her disturbing talk.
“Is this really your wish?”
He didn't answer. He had confirmed this before, and he was really stubborn.
“You may regret this choice today.”
Maybe.
But aren't humans creatures who make choices even when they know they will regret it?
So, Kenneth knew that even in his dream, he would forever regret it but he would not go back on his choice.
But at the next words, he wanted to scoff.
“The guilty person who pushed his wife to commit suicide.”
Me, let Ariana die? Me, I could be that stupid...
But the burning pain in his heart was so real that he couldn't even laugh. Instead, he wiped his chin.
The moment he felt a strange dampness, Kenneth woke up.
As is the nature of dreams, the details faded away like sand washed away by the waves.
But the words “the guilty person who pushed his wife to commit suicide” remained stuck in his mind.
‘Even after stopping steroids, I see such strange dreams.’
As morning dawned, Ariana was still asleep in his arms.
How could he let her die? Of course, if she had died before his eyes, maybe everything would have been easier, but…
“Ha.”
Should he investigate that damned cathedral?
Maybe they were using bad drugs to scam people.
He got up first, got dressed, and waited for Ariana to wake up.
It was a secret pleasure to watch her short golden eyelashes tremble, and her blue eyes gradually reveal.
"I woke up?"
Her eyes will frown when she sees him.
Expecting Ariana to make fun of him, he prepared sarcastic words. But she looked at him in astonishment, nodded her head, and whispered gently.
“…yes, good morning.”
“You stay up this late?”
Kenneth did not show his surprise, but he was amazed. In a satisfied mood, he scolded her.
Ariana didn't respond, but remained calm as he pulled her into his embrace, and that was enough. He stroked her hair contently.
“Let's have breakfast. I'll wait, so get ready.”
“…okay”
While Ariana was raising her marked body with difficulty, he ordered the servants to prepare breakfast.
The food was based on what Ariana liked when he visited the Aberdeen family previously.
‘If you keep this attitude and eat well, it will be perfect.’
During the train ride, Ariana was hesitantly eating in front of him.
Even in recent mornings, she would even avoid drinking tea, which got on his nerves many times.
But, contrary to his fears, Ariana ate slowly but with appetite.
Kenneth looked at her contentedly and spoke.
“Ariana”
“Yes, Sir Duke.”
“Call me by my name, not by my title.”
Ariana blinked her clear eyes silently.
Since last spring, he has been annoyed that she keeps calling him “Sir Duke.”
“Go back to the original”
“Stop thinking strange things.”
“…okay”
Ariana whispered gently.
“Kenneth”
Kenneth nodded silently.
He finally felt satisfied and as if everything was back in its right place.
It was a name she used when she was annoying him, but hearing it after so long was like a gently flowing river.
Their conversation stopped with the clanging of dishes.
But Kenneth liked that silence too.
He was enjoying the realization that Ariana was finally starting to submit to him.
Since she is an intelligent woman, she must have realized what was best for her.
‘If time continues like this, everything will be fine.’
He admitted to himf that he had fallen in love with her again.
In the end, for Kenneth, there was no woman other than Ariana Aberdeen from beginning to end.
It didn't change anything if you didn't like him.
* * *
Ariana remembered the moment she traveled back in time.
'I thought I was keeping a good distance from Kenneth.'
But she was wrong. Even “indifference” required “effort.”
Because all her life, Ariana has been accustomed to waiting for her family to look at her.
Kenneth was, unconsciously, part of that.
Her love and tolerance were cheap.
Like worn out coins that people throw into fountains making wishes.
Moreover, with Kenneth trying to shake her in ways she didn't expect, it became harder to bear.
'But the nun...no, Saint Colette, she has assured that Pippi will come.'
With her greatest fears fading away, she was finally able to fill the weakness of her heart.
She could laugh when he commanded her, and do whatever he asked without hesitation.
'Now I'm really indifferent.'
This was true indifference: the peace of mind that allowed her to laugh without laying down her heart, no matter how the other party behaved.
That day, the two people she had included in her plan arrived.
First, Ms. Greta, the most famous seamstress in the area, greeted her enthusiastically.
“Hello, Ms. Greta.”
“Hello, ma'am. Thank you for the invitation!”
Lady Greta smiled at Ariana with great joy. Despite her notoriety in D.C., Ariana was an alluring muse to sew.
Her flawless skin, her cheeks like cherry blossoms, her clear blue eyes, and her shiny blonde hair.
Every ambitious person would love to see a dress designed by her on her body.
Moreover, the Duke's secretary had presented her with a blank check.
To her, the Lady Duke was an angel without a halo.
“I heard you need a party dress. As you can see in our catalog, colorful jewel-encrusted dresses are my specialty...!”
“Good. So, the party dress you make will appear on the fashion boards in the capital as well.”
“I invited someone from the capital.”
Ms. Greta's eyes, adorned with cat-eye makeup, widened like a cat seeing a fish.
Ms. Greta got up excitedly after measuring the sizes and explaining the materials at a brisk pace.
"Thank you for taking the time, ma'am! I'll be back with the dress fitted."
“Thank you for your effort, ma’am.”
In fact, the party dress was just an excuse.
Ariana turned to the person who was quietly observing the situation from the corner of the room.
In contrast to the lively and talkative Lady Greta, this character has been taciturn since her entrance.
Ariana sent the servants out of the room and smiled.
“Miss Clark, do you think this dress will get a good reaction as well?”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Edith answered quickly and animatedly.
In fact, the fashion board that featured the "Princess for a Day" cruise dress sold like wildfire.
Even with the vaguely drawn face, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed lady was easy to spot.
'But, did the Duchess invite her for another purpose?'
Even though it was a long business trip, the “Protector” reporters sent her enthusiastically.
[The Duchess appointed you? Go immediately! Bring whatever you can get!]
So, Edith came south in a long train half expectantly, half wary.
But from today's actions, Ariana looked like an ordinary gentlewoman who wanted to show off a new dress.
Ariana tilted her head and smiled.
“By the way, Miss Clarke. At our last meeting, I didn't hear an answer to a question.”
"What?"
“Miss Clark, do you have no intention of working for Protector?”
Edith corrected her thoughts a minute ago.
Well, no...be careful of nice-looking people.
No doubt the Duchess saw through her camouflage...
Edith coughed and asked Ariana.
“Madam, if I may ask, why do you care again?”
“Well, I have confidence that Miss Clark can publish articles in other fields.”
Ariana couldn't say she knew the future thanks to her extra life. She also knew very well how dangerous it was to reveal her weaknesses to someone who was not cloy related.
But others might scold her if they heard her story, saying, "So what? If you suffer, what's the loss?"
But this woman, running for justice, may be the last hope for help.
“…When the time comes, can you spread the scandals of the empire with my words?”