# 66
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Count Bayern couldn't ignore that look. Although he feigned ignorance at that moment, he knew that once this meeting was over, he could gladly inform the emperor.
'Thanks to Theodora, everything is already ready.'
Even if Kenneth Clifford was speaking confidently in front of everyone now, the power of the noble's words depended on his family being flawless internally and externally.
The easiest way to distort Kenneth Clifford's words was "the one-day princess." as always.
* * *
About two weeks after Kenneth left by train, Roger carried out Arianna's request to place surveillance on Theodora.
The reports were more detailed and accurate than she expected, leading Ariana to expect that Theodora Byrne's plans to get closer to her had largely failed.
“We have placed surveillance on the villa where Mrs. Byrne is staying, but she is only meeting with southern families she knows here.”
“Hmm...”
Is this just an unsettling feeling for Ariana? Is it something not worth investigating?
'Anyway, now I have to focus on whether I'm pregnant.'
Ariana bit her lower lip anxiously.
In fact, if she was going to escape from Kenneth, now was the perfect time. He is not there, the station that leads to the port is nearby, and a temporary identity document has already been prepared.
She even opened an account at Dobris via Damien, isn't that perfect?
'If I just wait another week, I'll be sure.'
Her menstrual cycle was regular. So, if she gets past it this time and starts showing some early symptoms, she can be fairly confident.
Until then, she hoped Kenneth would stay stuck in DC.
'I've told Edith Clarke everything she needs to know.'
Ariana went to great lengths to tell Edith everything that happened during their harrowing engagement. There were moments when she wanted to resort to tranquilizers, but she overcame them.
Now, with nothing more to say, she arranged a final meeting that would be her last.
“You've done a great job so far, Miss Clark.”
“No, ma’am. I’m the one who should thank you for trusting me and giving me this opportunity.”
Edith shook her head quickly. The amount of time she could survive doing the fashion plate was coming to an end.
So, she had to prepare to return to the capital, but Edith hesitated because of something that worried her.
“Ma’am, didn’t I tell you that I would be looking for more information?”
“Of course, I remember”
Edith had said that the stories of empire Ariana told were not enough to write an “engaging article.”
'So she said she would try to find additional details.'
Edith continued with a hesitant explanation.
“There are other branches of ‘Protector’ in this area, ma’am. I was trying to find useful information through them...”
“So what next...?”
“It's not directly related to the prince, but there seems to be a strange rumor recently. It's said that women disappear when they come here.”
"What?"
Ariana tilted her head, not expecting this topic.
Even before Kenneth left, she had been attending some social gatherings, but she had never heard of this before.
'Did I hear about such an incident in my previous life?'
Even if she had been disoriented during and after the pregnancy, if there had been a mass disappearance, she would have remembered it.
“Most of those who disappeared were maids, ma'am. People from abroad who came in response to recruitment advertisements.”
“Ah...”
With that explanation alone, Ariana guessed why this story didn't catch on.
It was common for maids to leave work because they could not handle the pressure of working in a strange place, to run away after stealing silver spoons, or to disappear with another man.
“…Anyway, the police don’t care much about the cessation of contact with the maids, believing that they will return one day.”
“But you, Miss Clark, think that is not the case.”
“Yes”
“But, Miss Clarke, why are you telling me this?”
The talk was about researching the Empire's flaws, so why mention seemingly unrelated information?
Edith looked at Ariana and bit her lip.
“When I heard their description, I thought… the disappearing maids resemble you in some way, ma’am.”
Ariana opened her mouth several times but couldn't speak.
Blond hair is not uncommon in Cremisa. Blue eyes are not rare either.
However, upon hearing Edith's words, she felt a shiver as if two thousand feet were walking on her back.
[You don't want those beautiful eyes to be pierced, do you?]
She didn't know why the sarcasm of those days had clearly returned. The blood quickly drained from Ariana's face, and Edith stopped speaking.
"Ma'am? Ma'am, are you okay?"
“…Who are they said to have hired those maids?”
“I couldn't be sure of that, ma'am.”
Edith replied embarrassedly and presented a notebook. The notebook contained details of the recruitment advertisements that the disappeared maids had seen.
“There were several places that made announcements, but, you know, I, um.”
“You couldn't have checked any further.”
Edith Clarke concealed her identity as a journalist for Protector, and appeared to others as a fashion plate reporter. She had no right to walk around as a policewoman.
'Even if a family puts pressure, it might be difficult.'
The Cliffords are perhaps the only ones capable of interfering with public authority here.
But after saying goodbye to Edith, Ariana stared at the paper she had given her, thinking.
'Should I delve into this matter?'
All she wants is to have Baby and leave.
‘But…the maids who responded to these ads were once little girls like Baby.’
How much will their parents suffer from losing contact with their children who have gone away to work?
Having a child seems to make a person care about unnecessary things. It makes her empathize with parents she will never meet.
In the end, Ariana called a confused Roger and gave him the paper.
“Ma’am, what is this-?”
“It is said that maids who came to work in this area recently have lost contact with their families.”
“There were several places that issued recruitment advertisements, but none of these names have well-known families here, right?”
Although Ariana didn't show it to Edith, the names in the recruitment ads were not familiar.
Families looking for maids were supposed to be fairly well known.
Roger also seemed to realize that the situation was strange, but he still looked at Ariana strangely.
“Madam, with your pardon, why do you care about this matter...and how did you know about it?”
“Ma’am, if I didn’t know, it would be difficult to help you.”
“Mr. Engels, I can't tell you how I found out about this.”
“What? But-”
“I know you don't trust me because of the opera incident. But just this once.”
If I revealed Edith's identity now, it might affect the articles she wrote later.
So, she had to rely on her recent improvement in her relationship with Roger and move on.
“I promise you that this will not hurt the Duke in any way.”
“So, check it out first, and tell the Duke as well.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
Ariana sighed in relief when Roger nodded reluctantly.
Again, she wasn't sure if this intervention made any sense, but it did.
* * *
After the meeting with the Emperor ended,
Kenneth was on his way back from the royal palace.
Exhausted from dealing with the Emperor, he pressed his forehead hard.
'It seems that I have succeeded in restraining him temporarily.'
When reality is presented objectively, even the Emperor can't help but hesitate.
'In the end, the topic will be raised in Parliament at once...'
But he once explained how ridiculous the sayings are, which will affect the opinions of those around him.
If he could get Parliament to his mind one last time before leaving, that would be enough.
But when he turned his head, he saw from the car window the central cathedral illuminated by a dim light.
“Stop here for a moment.”