Chapter 45âRead translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com
The masked woman who was thought to be Miri was Anna, the dukeâs maid, whom I had spoken to several times when I was engaged to Leanhardt-sama.
When she revealed herself to me, I was in a state of shock.
At the same time, I believe that such a strange thing as her speaking Albanian happened.
When I think about it, even if Elmhardt-sama did his best to teach Miri, it would be too difficult for her to give a speech in a few days.
âBut I donât understand. I had my suspicions about Miri Arzelâs double, too. Thatâs why I checked her face last night⦠She was clearly a different person then. She was calmerâ¦â
His Highness Alfred seems to have the same doubts as I do.
Miri seemed calm and honest last night.
This gave me a strange sense of security that she would not make a fuss at the wedding.
âI used hypnosis⦠I hypnotized Miri-sama, and thenâ.â
Anna begins to speak.
That he had ordered her to be her double when time was running out; that she had hypnotized Miri so that we could see her face first, so we wouldnât find out; that Elmhardt-sama had put Miri to sleep in the carriage and hadnât even hired a guard to keep the secret from usâ
Elmhardt-sama, who was so confident, implicated Annaâ¦
I pity her because she was good enough to make a statement to His Highness Alfred in Albanian without an interpreter.
â⦠Iâm not so stupid as to not realize my own sins. I think Iâve been a part of something stupid.â
Anna finishes her story without making excuses.
Her family must have received a lot of support from the dukes, and it would have been difficult to oppose Elmhardt-sama.
âIâm not impressed with what you did. As a result, our wedding was postponedâ¦This marriage was not just a marriage⦠it was to further the friendship between Albania and Ezersta, and at the same time, it was decided to focus on diplomacy from now on.
âYour Highness, Alfredâ¦â
The wedding of His Highness Alfred and I was supposed to be a wedding ceremony that would also signify the beginning of a closer diplomatic relationship with the Kingdom of Ezersta.
I knew that postponing this wedding meant that this goal was far from being achieved, butâ¦
âI have no words to reply with. Please take whatever action you need to.â
ââ¦â¦Our diplomats are looking for someone who is familiar with the affairs of the nobility in Ezersta and is fluent in the language⦠If you work with the intention of making up for the delay, Iâll consider granting you immunity. Youâve been thinking about a new job, havenât you?â
ââWhat?ââ
Your Highness Alfred, Are you planning to hire Anna at the palace?
She is certainly an excellent and valuable person, and she is very hard-working.
I think she is a very generous person.
Iâm sure there will be opposition, but as the crown prince, Iâm sure he felt it would be a shame to condemn her.
For one thing, I also think she had no choice but to obey Elmhardt-samaâs order, so I didnât want her to be punished heavily.
ââI thank you for your generous words. If you allow me, I will do my best.â
âYes, But you will be under house arrest for a while. I have a great deal to discuss with the Dukes.â
In a calm but firm voice, His Highness Alfred said that he would settle the matter with the Dukes.
This puts the Dukes in a tight spot, and Elmhardt-sama will not be able to return to Ezersta easily.
Also, my sisterâ.
âAlfred-sama, Charlotte-sama. Miri-sama has awakened. â
âYouâre going to her, arenât you? Thatâs the way it has to be.â
âYes, I will talk to my sister until she understands the gravity of her actions.â
With a kind of determination in my heart, I got up and went to the doctorâs office, where Miri said she had woken up.
I made eye contact with her and vowed to make her realize what she had done before I blamed her for her actionsâ.
âU-Um. Who are you? Do you know me?â
ââ!?ââ
Miri has lost her memory due to the shock of the head injury.
I never thought this would happen.