# 7
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Even if you die once, you will never forget some fears.
A strange grip held her.
And hearing the innocent mockery over the fallen body.
As was the case the day before her engagement, Ariana, who was staying in the Imperial Palace, was captured by Andrew Claude's dirty hands and dragged into the inner room.
“Haha, what’s wrong with doing what we’re going to do on the first day in advance?”
“Your Highness, no! We still-”
“Ariana Aberdeen. Are you going to put your family in harm's way like this now that you've gained my trust?”
“Ugh!”
Ariana, who had been slapped, crouched in fear and trembled.
But when Ariana's face started to look puffy, Andrew remembered that they were about to get engaged.
Despite his drunkenness, he was a man who took pride in his outward appearance as a “noble prince,” so it was unacceptable for the doll placed next to him to be ugly.
“Tsk. It's annoying having to take pictures.”
“Ah, ah...”
“Shed at least one tear abroad, Aberdeen.”
Andrew smiled and patted Ariana's eyes. In his other hand he held a candlestick with a sharply shining tip.
“You don't want to get holes in those pretty eyes, do you?”
There has never been a day where I laughed as hard as I did at the engagement party.
Having made such a threat, Andrew cleverly spread a rumor that 'the Lady of Aberdeen had come to visit him before the ball was given'.
He said that although the beautiful woman sacrificed herf willingly, he was a man who knew morals, so he consoled her and sent her away.
This was an attempt to cover up the atrocities he committed while drunk, but people believed the Crown Prince's words even more.
Thanks to this, Andrew became a romantic man, and Ariana became a rare seductress.
As if to fuel these rumours, Andrew sent the Aberdeen family extravagant gifts.
If the gifts had been returned, would there have been fewer rumors?
However, despite Ariana's disapproval, Josefina was happy to receive all the gifts.
So Andrew fled, but Ariana's stigma remained as inextricable as dried clay.
An evil, dirty, extravagant, greedy woman.
So, after marrying Kenneth, I did my best to defend myf...
“I shouldn't do that this time.”
Because deep down I know that all this effort will be in vain anyway. Instead, I will try to put my energy into something more practical.
At that time I heard a knock on the door. This time, it was not Kenneth, but the person who lived in this palace.
“Come in”
“Hello ma'am”
There must be another maid who secretly criticizes her like every other employee here.
Ariana, who was half resigned, smiled even brighter when she saw the maid who came at this time.
The maid, with her thickly braided dark brown hair, looked as if she had just arrived from the country with a big dream.
“Hi Emily”
“…Ma’am, how did you know my name?”
“I know the names of everyone who works in the palace.”
There was a time when I tried to act like a respectable palace hostess.
Emily Vance, who turned 17 this year, looked so happy. In that child's eyes, Ariana, the wife of a great nobleman, would look gorgeous.
'But this child will soon be influenced by other senior staff.'
She knew people would talk about her behind her back later. So, the expression on her face of happiness that I remembered her name today will soon disappear.
Although it would be a fruitless relationship, Ariana smiled slightly.
“I didn't call you, what brings you here?”
“Because today is Wednesday. Would you like to ask about your schedule?”
“Ah,”
Ariana made a frustrated sound.
With so much going on, I realized I forgot to ask Kenneth when I saw him in person.
'I forgot to ask him what I'm doing for dinner on Wednesday'
Unlike Aberdeen House, Clifford House was a spacious mansion, so if you wanted, we could live for a few days without seeing each other.
Kenneth left her in this spacious mansion and only visited her when he wanted to. Even if you were a criminal who deserved to be punished like a rat, a palace that only had people to use was a stifling prison.
'Kenneth, can you give me one meeting on Wednesday?'
The only time he finishes work early is on Wednesdays.
I wanted to spend at least two hours of that day together properly. If we sit down and talk face to face, I wonder if there is any room for improvement in this frozen relationship...
“I'll see if there's time in my schedule.”
“Thank you. Then I’ll wait.”
But he didn't take the time to come.
“Wednesday Dinner” was truly Ariana’s sad, unrequited love.
Since I had received no notification that he would not be able to come, I had no choice but to wait in vain.
But the torment of hope may come next time.
It is time to put an end to this foolishness.
“… No. There is no need to ask His Excellency what his agenda is for Wednesday.”
“Oh, yes!”
“And you don’t have to do this task in the future.”
“Yes?”
Emily's light green eyes widened in embarrassment.
Even though Emily is new to the palace, she has at least heard what “Wednesday dinner” means to the Duchess.
Like foolishly waiting hours for a meal for two in an empty dining room.
Emily asked a question while muttering,
“Well, I must tell Mr. Ingalls... I may be assuming, but may I ask you what the reason is?”
“Please tell him I'm back to my senses.”
“Yes?”
How much will I hate it when a criminal asks for time to defend himf?
So, to avoid hurting each other's feelings anymore, it was right that there were no more places to beg for intimacy other than marriage.
Ariana smiled awkwardly at a nervous Emily,
“Also say that I won't bother him so he can give me more time.”
“…yes,”
Emily responded with a look and then backed away.
Ariana was once again thinking about making plans for the future.
I had to focus on meeting my baby girl from now on.
'First, I need a place to hide with the baby girl.'
All of Aberdeen's family assets were confiscated and all of her relationships were severed, so there was no one she could rely on.
As long as the Clifford family existed, anyone who saw them would report it unconditionally.
'Then at least it would be difficult to survive in the Cremisa Empire, right?'
This may be an extreme conclusion, but the correct answer may be to disappear from the country altogether.
How to Sneak Away… Prepare Money Accordingly … Secure Settlement…
“I need to get out for a while”
It might be a little risky, but I had to go out and verify the information.
* * *
Every Wednesday, a small card will be delivered to Kenneth.
Last week, there was a slightly thick white card with familiar font written on it. It is like a flower petal falling and fluttering.
[Dear Kenneth.
As the flower season opens, I hope warm sunshine falls on you today.
Actually, I'm sending you a message under the pretext of flowers because I want to know if your afternoon is going well. I would be happy to have dinner with you tonight.
However, if this is not possible, please feel free to let me know.
Your wife Ariana]
She remained steadfast, as if she did not remember that he had ignored this request throughout the past year.
If she had deceived a man in this way, I could be praised for my great patience. And this Wednesday, I was planning to throw the letter away if it arrived on my behalf.
But this time it was the maid who came to him empty-handed.
Kenneth looked indifferently at the extremely terrified maid.
Emily Vance.
She was a maid who had undergone strict examination in Clifford Mansion, so she was flawless.
Since she was not someone Ariana treated much, there was no way she could think of the Duchess and make up an answer.
“You won't ask about my schedule for this Wednesday?”
“Yes”
“Why?”
“She said she had come to her senses, Your Excellency.”
Kenneth narrowed his stark turquoise eyes.
What happened again after the polite way that got on his nerves last time?
'She has come to her senses?'
Isn't it like "losing her mind" that she used to crave attention and forgiveness from him, and now she has a firm attitude and will completely stop clinging to him?
Does this mean that she will leave him first before he decides when to get rid of her?
Only the maid stuttered under the pressure of the Duke's energy.
“She said she wouldn't bother you about it anymore.”
“Okay”
In a gesture of gratitude when he asked her to leave, Emily ran away.
Roger opened his mouth, looked at Kenneth's thoughtful expression,
“Isn't that better? Anyway, you're busy arranging a meeting with Dobris...”
“That's right”
How much better it would be if that woman took fewer steps.
How much easier it would be if you could stay calm without getting on his nerves with a piece of paper.
“But Roger...”
“Yes”
“I feel uncomfortable when unexpected variables appear...”
“Ah...”
Once something happened, I couldn't let variables outside my control show up. Also, how frustrating it is to be affected by these variables.
“Let me know when Ariana decides to come out. I want to know what her plan is.”
“Yes!”
* * *
For a few days, Ariana stepped out in simple outfits.
There were attendants following her as she left, but she knew very well that she was already being watched.
However, praying on weekdays at the religious site of Cremisa was something a noble lady would normally do.
Even if she was criticized as a seductress, Ariana was also a noble woman.
Ariana prayed earnestly in the central cathedral, dazzled by stained glass.
'Please let us meet Pepe again.'
Because I will definitely be a good mother this time.
However, the reason the central cathedral was chosen among the many cathedrals in the capital, Rentia, was not only because of its size.
From Ariana's perspective while observing her, the cathedral was a place where she could obtain current information without being suspected.