TDWO Chapter 26

On the other hand, Edwin did not easily understand.

Just last night at the ball, she was asking for the stars in the sky, so why is she suddenly asking not to hurt her?

Edwin hid his incredulous thoughts.

 

“There’s no way I would harm Miss Anri or cause any trouble for her family, so you can rest easy.”

“Thank you!”

 

Anri bowed her head and gave a bright, cheerful smile.

She had finally gotten the words she wanted.

 

“And one more thing.”

 

However, Edwin took the contract Anri was looking at and flipped to the very last page.

It was a page that Anri hadn’t gotten a chance to check.

Along with the signature line, one more clause was written.

 

[Edwin Askar will actively support Anri Wentworth’s life.]

‘Ah…’

 

After reading that sentence, Anri looked up at Edwin with round eyes.

Edwin silently looked at her, as if to say, “Do I still look like someone who would harm you?”

He looked a bit smug and confident.

As if he were trying to crush her absurd concerns about her own life.

Anri now felt like she had a slightly clearer idea of how to deal with Edwin.

… It’s time to strike!

 

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

“I’ve checked everything, Your Grace.”

Finally, Anri closed the last page of the contract with a gentle smile.

Overall, the contract terms were satisfactory.

She particularly liked the last clause.

Even if she searched with her eyes wide open, there was no one else in this world who would actively support her life as much as Edwin.

 

‘Who else in this world can give me wealth and freedom?’

 

The desire to sneak away from marrying Edwin had completely vanished.

For the time being, she decided to stay close to Edwin and receive help until she could stand on her own.

As she made up her mind, she couldn’t help but think about the original female lead, whom Edwin would fall in love with.

Should she not worry about whether Edwin meets Erze or not in the future?

Or should she prevent them from meeting?

If they did meet, should she interfere with their love?

If Edwin saw a beauty like Erze, he would surely fall in love at first sight.

Until now, Anri had avoided entangling herself with Edwin and Erze to avoid being caught up in their political troubles and to stay alive.

She had no intention of interfering in their lives.

She just wanted to avoid the catastrophic fate from the original story and live a humble life as an extra.

But now, things are different.

To enjoy leisure and freedom, Anri needed Edwin. She had to stay close to him instead of avoiding him.

But there was a problem.

As she recalled the events that Edwin had gone through around this time in the original story, she felt dizzy, and her vision blurred.

Edwin was akin to a potential villain with a dark side…

 

‘After meeting Erze, Edwin killed Crown Prince William. William was the first in line for the throne.’

 

It was only a matter of time.

That incident was the first act of devotion Edwin made to win Erze’s heart.

 

‘William had to die for Erze to ascend the throne.’

 

To Erze, William was a foolish and naive person who lacked the charisma to rule the country.

She would often mock him, calling him a “stupid brother,” and looked down on him, thinking that she would be a better ruler.

She was also resentful of her own birth, feeling that she should have been born earlier than William.

In the end, Edwin assassinated William to fulfill Erze’s wish.

After Prince William’s death, those who suspected foul play began to investigate Erze and Edwin.

Edwin, however, dealt with them all.

When it came to matters concerning Erze, Edwin showed no mercy.

With that, Edwin laid down a path of red blood in front of Erze.

All the while, he enjoyed watching Erze’s delight.

Of course, reading about such events in print had been merely entertaining.

But now, it felt like an utterly absurd and suffocating development.

She wanted to protest against Edwin with both hands raised, holding banners and placards.

If Edwin fell in love with Erze, he wouldn’t return home frequently and would completely forget about Anri.

Edwin didn’t get married because of Erze; how could she expect him to get rid of her?

If that happened, Anri might end up back at the dreaded Wentworth mansion, marrying without dreams or hopes, spending her life raising children and supporting her husband, slowly withering away.

Somehow, she had to prevent Edwin from meeting Erze, or if they did meet, ensure they didn’t become too close.

 

‘Who cares about the original story? This is my life now!’

“Then I will make a few revisions and show it to you again. The signing will be done in the presence of a lawyer.”

“Wait a moment, Your Grace!”

 

Just as Edwin was about to stand up, Anri called out to him, stopping him.

He had a look on his face as if asking if she had more to say.

Anri had one more important matter to address before the wedding.

 

“Your Grace, now that I’ve met the Grand Duchess, I have one concern.”

“…?”

 

However, as she tried to speak, it was a bit difficult to find the words. Still, Anri couldn’t pretend she didn’t notice.

Though it’s called a contractual marriage, from the perspective of someone like the Grand Duchess, it might be seen as a fake marriage.

If she were to find out later that Anri’s marriage was fake, she would be very disappointed.

Anri didn’t want her marriage to hurt others.

Moreover, the Grand Duchess was already expecting so much…

 

“Um, I’m sure the Grand Duchess will want a child. What should I do about that? I’m worried it might seem like I’m deceiving her…”

 

Anri’s eyes darted nervously from side to side.

However, contrary to her worries, Edwin reacted nonchalantly.

 

“Oh, I should have mentioned this earlier. You can just make some excuse and say you’re infertile.”

“Pardon?”

 

Who, me?

 

“There are other male relatives who can carry on the family line. It’s not necessary for my son to be the heir. It’s just my mother’s wish.”

 

He smiled slyly.

It seemed like a smile meant to alleviate Anri’s burden, but she didn’t feel reassured and awkwardly smiled back.

They would be living as a couple for at least three years, and if they didn’t have a child during that time, the Grand Duchess would be devastated.

There was no way Anri could avoid her pressure.

She could already imagine the scene of the Grand Duchess elegantly pressing her.

 

‘But I have to endure it! You need to earn your keep, Anri!’

 

She already felt very sorry for the Grand Duchess, but she couldn’t do anything about it.

 

“Understood, Your Grace. Can I go home now? Please let me know the wedding date as soon as it’s set.”

 

As Anri stood up, Edwin followed suit.

Since it seemed likely they would have the wedding within a month, she needed to quickly return to the Wentworth mansion to handle necessary tasks.

She had to say goodbye to the servants and inform her relatives about the marriage.

Speaking of which, she still hadn’t seen her father. She had completely forgotten about him.

He probably didn’t even know she was getting married.

Anyway, Anri had a lot to pack, including clothes, paintings, books, and other belongings.

She also needed to write a letter to her father.

 

“…Home?”

 

Just as Anri was about to open the door, Edwin lightly pushed it with one hand and looked down at her.

Blocked by him, Anri looked up past his long arms and chest before meeting his face.

She was once again struck by the difference in their height and build.

 

“…Which home?”

 

Edwin leaned slightly forward, casting a shadow over Anri. His dark eyes, usually indifferent, seemed to deepen slightly.

He looked genuinely confused about which home Anri was referring to.

However, as Edwin’s smoothly shaped forehead and straight nose came unexpectedly close, Anri felt the need to take a step back.

 

“Of course, it’s the Wentworth mansion!”

“Oh.”

 

As if realizing something he hadn’t known before, Edwin withdrew his hand from the door, straightened his posture, and crossed his arms.

 

“I thought this was now Miss Anri’s home.”

“…?”

 

Why was he saying that already?

 

“What are you planning to do there?”

 

What was she planning to do? There were so many things to take care of.

However, Edwin’s attitude was as if there was no need to go to the Wentworth mansion anymore, and his tone was filled with a sense of leisure and disregard.

Or perhaps he genuinely didn’t understand, appearing innocent and clueless.

Anri blinked her round eyes and smiled wryly.

It was as if she were rebutting Edwin’s perplexing question.

 

“Shouldn’t we greet the priest and also get our things organized?”

“If that’s the case, I don’t think it’s necessary for you to go, Miss Anri. I’ll send someone to your place.”

“Oh? But I feel like I should say goodbye to the servants too. I won’t be seeing them for a long time.”

“…”

 

Edwin thought deeply with an expressionless face. Then he said,

 

“Can’t the servants come here?”

 

He finished as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Anri was so dumbfounded she couldn’t even find words to respond.

 

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

“Goodbye, Mother! Sisters!”

 

The carriage carrying Catherine and her sisters finally drove away.

Anri waved her hand with a look of regret, but deep inside, she felt a sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted. Especially now that Catherine and Candice are gone.

The carriage, temporarily loaned by Edwin, had become a gift and now belongs to the Wentworth family.

After seeing off her family, Anri turned around.

In the end, she didn’t return to the Wentworth mansion as originally planned.

It wasn’t like the world would end if she didn’t go, but she had been looking forward to visiting her hometown one last time before the wedding, but now she wouldn’t be able to.

She had wanted to take a nostalgic walk around the Wentworth estate before the wedding, but it wasn’t an absolute necessity…

Moreover, as Edwin said, there were indeed many preparations for the wedding, including the dress and other details.

 

“Miss Wentworth.”

 

Albert approached Anri. When she turned around, she saw a pleasant-looking woman in her fifties standing next to him.

It was obvious that she was a senior servant of the Duke of Briston’s household.

From the keyring at her waist, she seemed to be the head maid.

 

“I’m Loran Chester, Miss. I am the Duke of Briston’s head maid. It’s such an honor to meet you.”

 

Mrs. Chester finished her introduction with a proud expression and bowed to Anri.

Anri responded warmly.

 

“It’s nice to meet you. It seems I’ll be relying on you a lot in the future.”

“Relying on me? It’s only my pleasure to be of help to you, Miss.”

“Thank you for saying that; it’s reassuring. I look forward to working with you.”

 

Loran Chester.

She was a familiar character.

She recalled information from the original story about Mrs. Chester.

 

‘In the original story, Chester was Edwin’s head maid…’

 

At that moment, Anri suddenly realized something and turned her head toward Albert.

 

‘Wait a minute! Was Albert also Edwin’s butler in the original?’