CH 39

It must be difficult to eat meat with a knife while looking at documents. Did you eat something like a simple sandwich so you could pick it up and eat it with your hands?

“You must be so busy that you can’t eat on time.”

“Not at all. If it bothers you, I’ll come to the dining room in time to eat.”

“Oh, no. You don’t have to.”

I didn’t mean to disturb your work.

Fabian’s work may have increased because I declared that I would do nothing.

By the way, why does the Grand Duke have so many things to do?

‘Can’t you just share it with your subordinates?’

I looked at him pitifully. He looked back at me and asked, “How is life here?”

Are you joking?

I can’t find a better place than here!

“Great. Larissa seems to be getting used to it little by little.”

He nodded in satisfaction at my answer.

Soon, the servants took the soup plates and served the next course.

It was quality venison made with old wine.

“It looks really delicious. You came just in time.”

I picked up a silver knife and fork.

And as always, from the other side, Richard said sarcastically, “That’s right, coming in time for the main course of dinner, coming to the mansion just in time when my grandfather was about to die and getting married just in time……”

Richard continued, “How did you two meet?”

Startled by the unexpected question, I looked at Richard.

“Who? He and I?”

“Then who else? Looks like you two haven’t known each other for a long time.”

– Since when did they plan all of this? Since the wedding? Or since the will was announced?

He looked at me and Fabian as he twirled the meat fork with his fingertips.

– Hmph…… It wouldn’t be strange if anyone in this crazy family had touched my grandfather’s medicine bottle.

Richard gave me a suspicious look.

‘This kid was also thinking that the Grand Duke might have been murdered.’

And he doesn’t seem to know who the culprit is.

At least this cheeky boy did not seem to have anything to do with the sudden death of the former Grand Duke.

That was good information.

‘But that doesn’t mean I can let my guard down.’

If Fabian is removed from the post of Grand Duke, it will be Dominic and his son Richard who will benefit the most.

‘I thought he was just a cheeky boy……’

Could it be that the people who have stayed in the mansion until now are trying to find fault with our marriage and somehow cancel the marriage or take advantage of other weaknesses?

‘I have to be careful with my answer.’

My answer will be delivered to Dominic immediately.

It’s better to equivocate moderately here.

With such thoughts, I was about to answer.

“She saved my life on the way by chance when I left the estate for a while.”

But Fabian was one step faster than me.

Oh! I looked at him with a little admiration.

It’s not wrong. It was a neat explanation, omitting useless information.

Then he added in a nonchalant tone, “At that time, I fell in love with her at first sight. So I brought her here.”

“What?”

“Yes?”

“Ugh……”

Leonid and I shouted in astonishment at the same time, and Richard frowned.

What? What does that mean?

Then I heard an insulting question, “Are you sure she didn’t try to sell Larissa?”

I pretended to wipe my mouth with a napkin to cover my shocked face.

And I quickly looked at Larissa without realizing it.

She must have heard the conversation from a while ago, but she sat quietly like a doll.

After seeing her unchanging expression, I was able to quickly calm down.

‘Yes​​, that’s right. If you say it like you’re in love at first sight, then the sudden marriage would be more understandable.’

But even so, how can you suddenly say things that you can’t handle!

Fabian cut the meat and put it in his mouth with a nonchalant expression.

There was no slight shaking in his eyes.

Even though he had told such an obvious lie a while ago, I couldn’t hear a single word from his heart.

It was probably a lie that didn’t matter to him.

It must be a lie with nothing to worry about.

That’s why he wasn’t nervous and didn’t even think that it was wrong.

He doesn’t feel guilty even though he lied about how he fell in love with me. That’s how he probably felt.

I picked up my glass and looked at Fabian, pretending to be drinking to cover my face.

Leonid opened his eyes wide, looked at Fabian, and asked me, “Is that true?”

“Uh, that, that, um…… yes, yes!”

This is force majeure. It is not my will……

However, the smile on Leonid’s lips faded away.

He continued, “What happened to you that she saved your life? You’re not so weak that you owe your life to a woman you meet for the first time……”

“An assassin disguised as a beggar chased me, and my wife talked to him in a loud voice and he was caught by me.”

Fabian said as he sliced ​​the meat on the plate.

“Oh, what a great coincidence. That’s great. Was it a woman’s intuition?”

No, it was not my intuition, it was my ability.

“As you said, it was just a coincidence. It was fortunate that His Highness was able to recognize his identity quickly.”

“The word coincidence refers to something unexpected, but even so, it was a really cool coincidence.”

Fabian said, “She insisted on having the beggar take his hand out of his pocket, but really, a poisoned dagger came out of it.”

Leonid looked at me in surprise.

‘Why are you looking at me?’

……wait, did Fabian tell me about it before?

No, I don’t think he did.

‘Then, this is the first time I’ve heard of that poisoned dagger……’

So, is this kind of reaction appropriate?

“……Oh my God, there was a poisoned dagger in the beggar’s pocket?”

I pretended to be surprised.

A dagger aimed at Fabian, and that it was poisoned.

Dude, I had no idea.

–You’re really bad at acting……

A voice of heart could be heard from the side where Leonid was sitting.

Maybe…… Fabian doesn’t think the same thing, does he……?

Before I could even hear Fabian’s heart, Richard asked sarcastically, “Isn’t that a self-made drama?”

“What do you mean……?”

“How did you know there was a poisoned dagger in the beggar’s pocket?”

No, I don’t know. I just found out.

Why don’t you believe me?

“Isn’t it a trick to make a connection with the Grand Duke of Laurent by giving someone a few pennies and having him put on a play?”

Look at him. His words were sharp.

It’s true that I was trying to make a connection with the Grand Duke. But it was for the purpose of getting Larissa married.

“You’re wrong.”

I smiled and responded kindly.

“I just didn’t like the fact that the beggar didn’t politely extend his hands to accept my gift.”

I raised my head proudly and added, “How did I know what was in the beggar’s pocket? Besides, I didn’t know that the Grand Duke was a member of the Laurent family until I came here.”

“So you mean you followed someone you didn’t even know?”

To the question that Richard asked with anger, I answered confidently, “I did that because he was handsome.”

clang- pop-

There were strange noises everywhere.

Leonid quickly picked up a napkin and wiped the spot where he had just spilled the wine.

“Ex-excuse me.”

The servant came quickly and picked up the knife Fabian had dropped on the floor and brought a new one.

Larissa rolled her eyes and looked at the two adult men, and Richard narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

Why does everyone react like this? It’s true that he’s handsome.

‘It’s not just that he’s handsome, he is so handsome that no one can compare him.’

“Your Highness, if the beggar boy was an assassin, did you find out who sent him?”

I shrugged and asked Fabian before Richard could say any more nonsense.

Fabian, who had regained his composure, answered, “No, but I can roughly guess who sent him.”

He looked at Richard naturally as he spoke.

Oh, nice shot.

Richard frowned.

‘It’s obvious who will benefit if something bad happens to Fabian.’

The most likely ones are close relatives, and Richard must have known that well.

I bet that doesn’t include Leonid, right?

He smiled and looked at Richard for a moment, and said with a bit of exaggeration, “A fate that saved a life!”

“It’s not just that.”

Yeah? What else?

There’s nothing else I’ve done apart from the fact that I mistook the former Grand Duke for Fabian.