The dinner with Baron Turner was scheduled for Friday evening.
Contrary to what she had expected, that she would have dinner with her father at the Duke of Bedford’s residence, the Baron sent a letter saying that he wanted to have dinner alone with Ariella at a restaurant with a good atmosphere.
His explanation was that he wanted to meet her properly and make a judgment before making a firm decision about the marriage.
A mere Baron daring to evaluate Bedford. The Duke was furious at his arrogant attitude, but he couldn’t refuse the offer. The money Baron Turner offered as the price for the marriage was considerable.
The Duke urged her to go out dressed as splendidly and beautifully as possible and to suppress the Baron’s unimpressive spirit to the fullest, and Ariella nodded obediently.
David mocked her situation when he heard the news, but Ariella didn’t care. Rather, she bought expensive and pretty dresses and accessories, preparing for the meeting on Friday.
While spending such peaceful days, Adam came with welcome news.
“Lady, it seems we have finally found Lizzy’s informant.”
The informant was the person who told Lizzy information that only the real Duchess would know.
She had thought it was hopeless because she had paid a lot of money and a long time had passed without any news. It seemed that the results were finally out.
“Really? Who is it?”
“It’s Baron Lonnie Griffith.”
It was a name she knew. Aaron’s low-quality friend, and the very man who had been babbling about her in a vulgar way at Lizzy’s debutante ball.
“We have confirmed traces of Lizzy contacting Baron Griffith several times. It seems she learned about the Crown Prince’s tastes and memories through him.”
Aaron, whenever he hung out with low-quality people, would get drunk and blurt out things he shouldn’t have. Then, the next day, he would completely forget what he had said the day before.
If Baron Griffith had made up his mind, it wouldn’t have been impossible to get Aaron, who was drunk, to reveal his first meeting with Ariella.
After that, Aaron would have completely forgotten that he had even said such a thing.
“Lizzy does something you don’t remember! I’m talking about our first meeting!”
Ariella laughed as she suddenly remembered Aaron shouting with a vein popping out of his neck.
He acted so serious, but it was just a story he told over drinks. It was pathetic, but as a result, she benefited from his patheticness.
“I think I know how the situation went. Please erase the confirmed evidence well. So that no one else finds out.”
“Yes. And Baron Griffith said that the Crown Prince’s words at the first meeting with the Lady were-.”
“…He asked if I was a fairy.”
Adam’s eyes widened in surprise at Ariella’s muttered words.
“Did you know?”
“Yes, I remember. Everything about when I first met Aaron in the Imperial Palace garden.”
When Ariella was five years old, she went to the Imperial Palace garden with her mother and met Aaron for the first time. The young Aaron was surprised to see her and asked if she was a fairy.
Then he ran to Empress Genevieve and said,
“Mother, I want that fairy! I’ll raise her!”
She remembered everything, including the Empress’s embarrassment at the innocent claim and her glancing at the Duchess of Bedford.
“…Since when?”
“From the beginning.”
Yes, in fact, she had known from the very beginning.
Even on the day Lizzy claimed she was the real one, even when Aaron argued that she didn’t remember their first meeting. Ariella had the memory to prove that she was the real one, but she didn’t reveal it and kept her mouth shut.
It was because she instinctively realized. That this was the hole she could escape from, that she had to pretend not to know in order to survive.
“I’m sorry. I should have explained it to you in advance.”
“…No. Please don’t say that.”
Adam shook his head with a serious expression. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be in a bad mood.
“Thank you for understanding. Oh, by the way. I heard that Baron Griffith also frequents gambling dens, is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right. He spends at least three or four nights a week at the gambling den.”
“Does he go to the same gambling den as David?”
“No, it’s a different gambling den. I heard that he doesn’t have a very good relationship with the Young Duke, perhaps because they hang out with different groups.”
Ariella nodded as if she understood.
David and Baron Griffith were similar in many ways. Both of them were fond of women and liked to be involved in everything, and they were overly proud despite having nothing but their families.
