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Chapter 33
Is the surname “Prim” common?
Edward examined the documents more closely.
“Mother: Candice Keller, died giving birth to Edith Prim. Father: Isaac Prim, petty officer in the Dorchilia Navy, died in the war.”
Muttering to himself, Edward let out a sigh.
“So the Duchess is the daughter of Petty Officer Isaac Prim.”
He gripped the paper tightly and then recalled an old memory.
Their first meeting hadn’t been bad, but afterward, his encounters with Isaac Prim had been almost cursed.
It was when Edward, on the king’s orders, had gone to the Baltic ship where Johannes Schultz was docked to pick a fight over trivial matters.
“Are you in charge of the engine room on the Baltic? You don’t have to be so stiff all the time.”
“…I believe I just inspected the fleet recently. Not long ago, actually. So why now…”
It was no wonder he was so meticulous, being a direct subordinate of Johannes Schultz.
Perhaps he harbored some deep resentment toward the royal family.
What could a mere commoner do with such feelings? Edward recalled that he had treated him with pity and tried to be friendly.
“Stiff, yes. I’m tired of this too. But if it’s an order from above, what can I do? If the higher-ups say do it, I do it.”
Edward’s expression darkened further.
So that Isaac Prim’s daughter—of all people—ended up marrying Johannes Schultz.
A disgustingly entangled fate.
Now that he thought about it, those intensely green eyes were identical.
Edward’s eyes narrowed.
Perhaps the reason she shows such hostile feelings toward him…
“This could be interesting.”
It might turn out far more interesting than he expected.
Going to Musen, seeing that woman’s face again…
“The daughter of someone I once cared about ends up as Johannes Schultz’s wife of all people.”
After finishing the thought, Edward grabbed the railing and laughed heartily.
Some time later, he stopped and said,
“Isn’t that right, Frederick?”
Frederick, Edward’s gardener, who had been quietly writing in a corner, slowly nodded.
“Your condolences are late. I suppose you should meet the Duchess soon, to offer some comfort.”
The murderer from the recent killing still hadn’t been caught.
I couldn’t sleep, worrying endlessly. Eventually, I ended up staying the whole night in the office.
“So that means people are still in danger.”
I frowned deeply and looked up at Sir Fret, who had come to deliver today’s documents.
“Yes, at the moment.” Sir Fret said in a calm, composed tone.
How could he be so nonchalant? I couldn’t hide my concern, so he changed the subject.
“About the house you used to live in…”
He successfully diverted my attention. I lifted my head sharply.
“The house?”
“Yes. Since the murder case drew so much attention, and complaints from the neighbors about the noise, there are no more journalists around. It should be fine for you to visit now.”
“When would be a good time to go?”
“You can go whenever you like.”
“Really?”
I recalled the last time I left the house.
Mrs. Pensler had looked at me with a puzzled expression.
She must have heard that I married Johannes Schultz…
She had always treated me like a daughter and helped me a lot when my father passed.
I didn’t want her to find out through just a few lines in a newspaper.
Though she probably already had.
“Then may I go to town today? I also want to visit the lady next door. She helped me a lot, and I must have surprised her by disappearing without a word.”
“Of course.”
Sir Fret offered to prepare a carriage, but I firmly declined. I didn’t want to draw attention by riding in the Schultz carriage.
I also declined an escort. Though there were knights, my face wasn’t widely known. Any escort would only attract attention. Besides, the house was quite close to the castle anyway…
“I’ll just look around the house briefly and then go see Mrs. Pensler, so it’s fine.”
I smiled, and Sir Fret reminded me,
“You must return to the castle by six.”
After finishing today’s work, I left Evanshtein Castle.
It was my first outing since the wedding.
“Master, I have a report.”
Johannes, who had been leaning back in his chair, slowly straightened up.
A report before the Duke’s work was even done? Was it about Edith or the royal family?
Judging by his expression, it didn’t seem serious—but it wasn’t particularly welcome news either.
Johannes gestured, and Sir Fret Gurner continued,
“Madam has gone out. She did not request a carriage or escort, but I arranged a discreet escort, and she is to return by six.”
Johannes’ brows furrowed, his voice sharp.
“So you took the liberty to allow that without reporting to me?”
“There is nothing to worry about. I selected the top-tier staff for the escort…”
Sir Fret Gurner trailed off, sounding frustrated.
It wasn’t unusual for him to react like that, but the situation itself wasn’t ordinary.
“Nothing to worry about, you say.” Johannes spoke irritably.
The murderer hadn’t been caught yet, and who knew what the royal family might do regarding Edith.
“I thought you seemed overly worried about the fact that the murderer hasn’t been caught, so I recommended an outing to lighten your mood. You’ve been confined to Evanshtein Castle for a while, haven’t you? I didn’t realize that permission was required.”
Sir Fret added in a tone of mild exasperation.
“Fret Gurner, you’re not under the impression that I married that woman casually, are you?”
“…Of course not, but she is the Duchess of the Schultz family. Does the lady’s outing always need your permission?”
Naturally, it didn’t. Normally, a lady didn’t need the master’s permission to go out.
But Edith wasn’t raised as a noble and wasn’t yet recognized publicly, so who knew what might happen.
She seemed cautious, but no one truly knew how careful Edith Prim could be.
Letting her go alone in this situation wasn’t right.
But since she was already out, arguing wouldn’t change anything. Johannes closed his eyes and asked,
“What is the reason?”
“…I thought it safe because the journalists seem to have left your former house.”
“Fret Gurner, you know the habits of journalists, don’t you?”
“Still, we completed a thorough inspection, and it seemed safe. I judged that it would be better for her to visit before her face became known.”
Sir Fret’s judgments were usually correct, and Johannes generally trusted them.
This time, his decision wasn’t bad either. Normally, Johannes wouldn’t have objected.
So why was it so annoying?
Johannes exhaled briefly.
“I will say something, though it may be presumptuous. I know why you care so much for her. But—”
“….”
“If you keep acting this way, she will never open her heart to you.”
Johannes didn’t reply. He leaned back into his chair.
After a moment, he spoke quietly,
“…Add more guards. If she’s late even a little, I’ll go myself.”
Whether it was genuine concern or just practicality, it was hard to tell.
Sir Fret nodded.
“Also, the western castle’s basement needs repairs. We’ll need to move the contents elsewhere soon.”
“Good. Make sure the lady doesn’t go there.”
He was acting out of necessity.
I felt a pang of sympathy for Edith, unaware of everything.
Seeing Johannes remain cold to the end, Sir Fret shook his head silently.
