"Is that correct? May I inquire as to why your buttons are in that rest room?"
Eugene appeared to be growing frustrated with Edgar. The man shifted his gaze upward. Edgar's ink-black pupils met the dark grey irises.
"Does the Marquess really not know, or are you just pretending not to know?" he asked, opening his mouth without averting his gaze.
Edgar's jaw tightened so much that he held back his annoyance. "I simply want to be clearer. Directly acknowledged by those involved."
"That is exactly what you believe. Is that understood?"
"What exactly do you mean? Did you actually do something?" Edgar's eyes became sharper, almost distorted by rage.
"Why are you so upset? Displeased with yourself or someone else? You did not take good care of your wife, Marquess. Someone then framed your wife. Consider this: isn't half of it your fault? You don't look after your wife. That's exactly the point."
Eugene had also lost interest in manners. He spoke sharply, word for word. Being gentle in the face of this enraged love rival was pointless for him.
Eugene's words had astonished Edgar. The thought that Cheryl had fallen into the mud pit because of him made Edgar's heart feel like it was being grabbed.
He also realised that anger was pointless. So the young Marquess relaxed his tense expression.
"So, where has she gone?"
Eugene set his teacup down after a few sips because "she's cleaning herself."
Eugene's response was ambiguous when heard from any angle.
Edgar had previously discovered that the two people in the resting room were consuming aphrodisiacs. Because the original targets were Cheryl and Eugene, it was almost certain that they had also taken the aphrodisiac without their knowledge.
They were brought together in a room under the influence of an aphrodisiac. Is it possible to avoid rolling over in bed? Eugene also clearly likes Cheryl. When confronted with the woman he likes in such circumstances, he is unlikely to do anything. The buttons on the coat he discovered are strong evidence.
Edgar's heart darkened once more.
"Are you thinking too much, Marquess?" Relax, I have my own bottom line."
"Really? How can I believe you after the buttons I discovered?"
"There is nothing to demonstrate our innocence. But one thing is certain: it was an unrelated accident."
Eugene's sentence continues with a description of buttons. That is perfectly reasonable. However, Eugene uses the word "we," making it difficult to believe.
The tension between the two was palpable from the start.
A maidservant appeared, bowing behind Eugene.
"I finished cleaning up and reported to Your Highness, Fifth Princess— uh, Marchioness. In the dining room, I've prepared medicine and snacks."
For a brief moment, the maid forgot about Edgar and referred to Cheryl by her pre-wedding title. She corrected the call immediately, but it had already been recorded in the Marquess' mind.
Eugene receives a hard stare from the man.
"Turns out he still doesn't want to acknowledge Cheryl's new identity," Edgar remarked wryly.
"Crown Prince, there's no need to go so far for my wife. Simply inform her that her husband is waiting for her to pick her up." Edgar stated flatly.
After a while, Eugene replied, "Do as he says."
The maid left, leaving the two men in an emotional spat.
"I have a request," Eugene said.
"Simply say it."
"Her and I did absolutely nothing in the dugout. You may not believe me, but you should never doubt her, "Eugene begged.
I don't understand why Eugene isn't speaking in a formal manner anymore. To be honest, these were the most sincere words Eugene had ever spoken to Edgar as a love rival.
Eugene was well aware that Cheryl adored Edgar, as evidenced by her previous and current lives. That's why he didn't want her to feel the discomfort of being suspected by someone she cared about.
Eugene's sincerity appeared to be well received, but Edgar chose not to respond.
Cheryl appeared from behind. Her green gown had transformed into a luxurious golden gown. Her appearance changed from soft and fresh to luxurious and elegant, despite her wistful and powerless expression. Maids to her left and right assisted her in walking.
Cheryl's shaky and trembling gait was unusual, and anyone who witnessed it will strengthen the seeds of suspicion.
Eugene quickly reminded Edgar before Cheryl got too close.
"Promise me you won't have any doubts."
"You don't have to say it over and over," Edgar said, his face expressionless.
After saying that, the man who was also known as the demon general in a previous life stepped forward and grabbed Cheryl impatiently.
She was soft and frail, as if she had used up every ounce of strength in her body. Edgar was forced to pick up his wife and carry her away. It didn't matter if they said their goodbyes to the crown prince, who was standing there nervously.
Cheryl wasn't fully awake yet. The raging emotions began to calm down after she was grabbed and carried by the strong arms of someone familiar to him.
The woman inhaled a familiar scent, smiled contentedly, and tightened her grip.
"Edgar," she called out weakly.
"Yes?" Edgar responded. His voice was soft and gentle as always.
"Your body is amazing. So convenient."
Eugene had previously only put Cheryl to sleep. She hadn't had a chance to take any poison-removing medicine yet, so the sedative aphrodisiac effects were quickly reviving.
Her soft hand warmed, slid into a certain man's coat, and frantically groped.
As the spot on his chest was pressed, Edgar trembled. He wasn't expecting it and nearly collapsed in shock.
"Stop, Cheryl. We still have to return." With his mouth clenched, Edgar rebuked.
Of course, people under the influence of drugs do not listen. She began to contemplate biting the Marquess' neck.
Edgar's body was filled with a sense of temptation. With his original unhappy self staring at his little wife's innocent face, he couldn't even rebuke her. His dissatisfaction had vanished into thin air.
Edgar accelerated his pace towards the carriage, despite the seductive touches on his body.
Harold was already back from the investigation.
"Report back later. Return to the Mansion as soon as possible."
Harold suspected the Marchioness was in a dangerous state as a result of Edgar's orders. So he stepped in for the coachman and drove the horse-drawn carriage back to the Baldwin Mansion.
-
Cheryl gradually began to regain consciousness after a lengthy session on the "eliminate aphrodisiac."
Armed with the memory of being helpless under the influence of the aphrodisiac, she is grateful that Eugene did not harm her.
"Despite this, he maintains control of himself. That's fantastic! What a true gentleman!" Cheryl expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Eugene.
While Cheryl was still processing what had just occurred, there was a knock on the door and Beth's voice came through the crack.
"My Lady, are you alright?"
"...Yes."
Beth was the first to arrive, followed by Judy and Mary. The woman was about to apologise to the Marchioness for being careless and leading her master into a trap. But Beth couldn't stop crying when she saw Cheryl's frail, pale, and helpless state on the bed in soiled clothes.
"Please forgive me, Lady. Because I didn't do a good job, you fell into the hole they dug."
Beth knelt beside the bed with a thud.
The suffocation lingered in Cheryl's body, but she was conscious the entire time she was going insane from the aphrodisiac, except for the moment Eugene knocked on her sleep.
She was well aware that Beth had done her best.
"Beth, it's not your fault. I was the careless one, allowing myself to catch on until someone fed me something bad without my knowledge "Cheryl said, somewhat reassuringly.
Beth was relieved to hear this. Nonetheless, seeing the Marchioness's pathetic state on the bed, the 29-year-old maid assumed that the Marquess had simply punished his wife. She couldn't help but feel hurt once more. Her tears flowed once more.
"Beth, come on. Why are you crying all the time? You should get some water ready for me. I'd like to take a bath."
"All right, my Lady."
The three maids were quick on their feet. The warm water with floating rose petals was ready in an instant.
It's very relaxing to soak while being massaged. Cheryl's body felt better after she finished bathing, and her strength gradually returned.
-
In contrast to his wife's calm, the atmosphere in the Marquess' study was thick with the smell of gunpowder and tension. Like something that could blow up at any time.
Edgar Baldwin took a seat in his chair. His index finger tapped the table's corner. Each tap brought a thumping to the hearts of several of the kneeling followers on the floor, including Harold.