88 CHAPTER 88

'What is that?'

Layla slowly approached the window and carefully picked up the envelope that had been pushed through the window frame.

- To Miss Layla Sinclair.

She didn't know who sent it, but she knew it was for her. Layla carefully opened the envelope, and she felt half worried, half excited, and unfolded the letter inside.

- dear Miss Layla

. . . . . Miss Layla, who was looking at Killian Ludwig at the Founding Festival Day today, looked quite nervously. In fact, I was also angry when I saw Edith Riegelhoff's rudeness behavior is ridiculous and outrageous. We shouldn't just let Killian fall at that sly fox trick, right? I have a plan how to get rid of Edith Riegelhoff, but it's hard to carry out alone. If Miss Layla is angry with her, too. Please come to the address I write below tomorrow.

She read the letter but skipped all the formal greetings part, it was a letter that was written in a polite tone with a proposal to get rid Edith together. An ordinary person would have been suspicious of the letter's sender, but Layla, who had been burning with anger against Edith all day, rather being suspicious she was pleased with that.

'As expected, I wasn't the only one who hated seeing her!'

It felt like her anger was justified. Only then, Layla finally able to calm down and get some sleep. The next day, Layla went out to the address, which mentioned it the letter, accompanied by a maid and a knight. It was one of many alleys on both sides of Le Bel Marrie Street.

"It was here?"

Layla checked the address on the letter against the number on the building several times. And before she could knock, the door creaked open.

"Please come in, Miss Sinclair."

It was a knight with an expressionless face. The Sinclair's knight, who was escorting Layla, was nervous as he grabbed the sword handle, but the knight from inside the building was very polite. Layla raised her hand and calmed down her escort knight. She looked around before entering the building. The old red brick building looked so gloomy from the outside, and it was dark inside.

"Why is so dark inside."

Unlike the shabby exterior, the inside of the building was decorated like a house where wealthy commoners lived. However, unlike the state of being cleaned without dust, there was no warmth from people in this house.

"Sorry. Since this is a secret meeting, I have taken you to a place that does not suit Miss Sinclair. I ask for your understanding with a generous heart."

Layla's heart softened as she saw the knight still in a polite attitude. The knight guided Layla to the second floor of the building, and he opened the drawing door room on the second floor. There's a woman waiting for Layla with calm expression. She seems to be in mid-20 years old.

"Welcome, Miss Sinclair."

Without unaware of the woman's rank or status, Layla merely nodded slightly and sat down on the couch as she suggested.

"I'd like to know the identity of the person who sent me the letter first."

Layla said, raising her chin, and the lady across from her smiled weakly.

"I can't tell you exactly who it is, but. . . . .but this is enough for you guess."

That person slightly lifted up her coat on the outside and showed her a small badge on her left chest. It was a badge worn by a servant of the Ludwig family.

"Then. . . .so do you mean that all of you and that knight are from the Ludwig family?"

"That right."

"Lu, Ludwig? Why would people from Ludwig send me. . . . !"

"Why did we call Miss Sinclair? Didn't you finish reading the letter?"

"The letter said to get rid Edith Riegelhoff. . . . . ah. . . . . "

Layla opened her eyes widened as if she realized something.

"She also wants to get rid of Edith Riegelhoff from the house of Ludwig, right? Is that right?"

Then the woman across from her smiled again.

"We only do what our master tells us, and we must not make hasty decisions or make a fuss. My master's intentions are the same as those stated in the letter you received."

Layla smiled widely as she felt her heart suddenly fill.

'Even the Duke Ludwig are looking for an opportunity to get rid of her! but the fact that you called me in to do it. . . . . '

There is bright hope. At the same time, I thought I should give Damian a punch for ignoring me.

"Alright, what do you want from me?"

"It is not a difficult task. Do you know the person named Viscount Sicily?"

"Viscount Sicily. . . . . ah! The guy who was crazy about Edith Riegelhoff?"

"Yes, that's right. All you have to do is just send some words to him."

"But wasn't he kicked out from his house?"

Viscount Sicily, or Fred Sicily, was a man who had been following Edith around to an annoying level since the last years before. Edith had seduced him to get information about the railway business, in which the Viscount of Sicily was involved in it. Fred, who had never been seduced by a beautiful woman, was completely in love with Edith. However, Fred, who leaked all the information, was cruelly abandoned, but he so obsessed with Edith and has been followed her around for a while until his father sent him to their estate.

"I heard that he came to the capital recently."

"I think he was finally forgiven by viscount sicily, didn't he? But if you just need to contact Fred, do you really need me to lend my hand?"

"Our master wanted it to look natural, even in the smallest details. So that everything looks like an 'accident' later."

"Well, is that so?"

"Yes. I'm sure that you've received an invitation tea party from the Viscount Sicily tomorrow, haven't you?"

"That's true, but. . . . "

"All you have to do is attend the event and deliver a piece of information to Fred Sicily."

The young lady from the Ludwig family once again handed Layla a small note. There was information written on it that Layla had to deliver.

"Do I really just have to do this?"

"It's not that Ludwig doesn't have the ability to do so and burden the lady. However, with this amount of help, the rest will move on its own."

I was a bit nervous, but the task was given to me not too difficult to do. Besides, if something happens, there's no way the investigation will reach me. All I have to do is leak some piece of information.

'There's nothing to lose, right?'

Layla nodded slowly.

"However. . . .I want you to at least tell me what will happen after this plan. I don't want to be taken advantage of it without knowing what will happen."

"Nothing interesting. We're just making Edith Riegelhoff meet Fred sicily at the remote place."

"Well, then. . . . What's going to happen?"

"Well, I don't know. It was for Fred Sicily to figure out what he would do that day. In Miss Sinclair's opinion, what do you think he will do that day?"

Layla, who was staring blankly at the young lady, slowly began to laugh.

"I don't know. . . . . what's going to happen, but I'm looking forward to it."

Then the young lady also asked with a smile.

"Would you like to accept this work?"

"Of course."

Layla held out her hand to the young lady, and she took Layla hand tightly. It was a plan for something so simple, yet with serious consequences.

***

After returning from the founding festival, Killian and I stayed up all night finishing up the thing that we couldn't finish on the balcony. And the next day, I had to rest in the bed almost all day.

'He has a stamina like a beast, really. . . . .'

I was struggling like this, but Killian had such a refreshing look on his face that I found it a bit annoying. However, when he gave me a warm kiss after suffering all night, covered me well with a blanket, and told me to call him right away if I felt a little uncomfortable, it felt so good that I wondered if this was what it felt like to be loved. Fortunately, Edith was very healthy, unlike me in my previous life, so the next day, I was able to get up refreshed. And as if waiting for me to wake up, Lizzy invited me to tea her time.

"Edith!"

"Thank you for asking me to have tea with you, Lizzy."

"My pleasure."

As I looked at Lizzy smiling with a clear face, I smiled too.

"But today. . . . . It's just the two of us?"

Cliff and Killian, who were always together at Lizzy tea time, were nowhere to be seen. Of course, I thought they would be here too. . . . .

"I purposely didn't invite them today so I could have drinks just with Edith alone."

Then she laughed so cutely that it made my heart about to explode. Right, let's hang out with my sister, oh oh. . . . No, let's put yourself together! Lizzy said lightly as she poured me a cup of tea and set the delicious tea food on my side.

"As soon the Foundation Festival passed, the street will be take the end of year's atmosphere. I heard that it will be decorated very beautifully soon."

"It's already. . . . .the end of the year."

For me, the image of the word the end of year has a long change from a warm and happy feeling to an anxious and fearful one. The end of the year. . . . Winter is coming. . . . . But there was no way Lizzy would know inside my heart. She smiled a little shyly and coyly.

"Come to think of it, I don't think we've ever gone out to have fun together, Edith."

"Well, that's right."

"I like the Le Bel Marrie Street, how about Edith?"

"Uh. . . . I haven't been go to the Le Bel Marrie Street several times, but it'a good street for ladies. I've been out to Darthus Street a few times."

"Uh, really? there are so many pretty things on the Le Bel marrie Street. How about we go out together sometimes? If you go down to the estate with Killian later, you'll never get a chance to buy or see anything pretty."

Ummm. . . . . Is this a sign that something else will happen? if you think about it, in the original story, there is no episode where Edith and Lizzy went out together to have fun. In the original, Edith must try to kill Lizzy if she went out together alone with Lizzy. Also, Cliff and Killian wouldn't let Lizzy and Edith go out alone.