To be honest, I wasn't too bothered by Ethan's cold treatment.
It could be said that Ethan was just acting like Ethan, just maintaining his personality.
Ethan lost his father when he was sixteen and became the head of the Duchy of Dumont.
He had no family and no friends.
All he had was the Dumont family, his father's legacy.
Those under his command and subordinates were people he had to protect, but they were never his family.
Ethan was afraid of starting a family. He didn't want to lose another member of his family or be betrayed by someone again.
It was this sense of duty to continue the family line that led him to marry Camille, but he never succeeded in opening his heart to her for the same reason.
And in the end, Camille betrayed Ethan through an affair...
Of course, things changed after I became Camille, but Ethan's doubts about me hadn't completely dissipated.
So it was natural for Ethan to be cautious and cold towards me.
From his perspective, it seemed like I had become a completely different person overnight.
Although I felt very upset when he belittled me because of some books...
This time, I was determined to get revenge on him.
Now that I had the materials I wanted, all that remained was to read “History of the War of Eärendel” carefully and wipe that angry look off Ethan’s face.
I couldn't help but smile when I thought that Ethan might be rendered speechless.
At that moment, I made eye contact with Victor.
“Why?” I asked him.
“Nothing”
"Nothing? You were just looking at me. It's okay, tell me," I encouraged him.
“……”
My urgent looks made Victor insist on speaking hesitantly: “...Actually, I thought you seemed very cheerful today.”
“Today? Do I usually look this sad?”
I joked, causing Victor to immediately duck his head.
“No, that's not what I meant. I'm sorry.”
“Just kidding, kidding. Why so serious?” I said with a sarcastic smile.
In the original story, Victor was mainly a serious character, but he was not that strict.
Unlike Ethan, who was initially a tsundere, Victor was kind to Elodie from very early on.
He was the first to stand by Elodie at the Dumont Palace.
That's why readers called him "Big Mama."
Of course, the way he treats the lady may vary, but I hope he is not so careful with every word.
Honestly, despite the complicated situation I was in, jumping into my favorite romance fantasy novel was very exciting.
Meeting the characters I adore in the book was something I never dreamed of.
"Don't be so formal. Feel free to treat me more relaxed from now on," she suggested.
“……”
Victor remained silent with a strange expression.
I laughed as I spoke, “Was that a difficult request?”
"…no."
“The lady and the servant need to cooperate, don’t they? It would be nice if we could get along,” I continued.
“……”
Victor still seemed at a loss for words.
I think Camille may have treated Victor badly before.
In fact, the original story did not describe their relationship. As I've mentioned repeatedly, Camille was an extra in a cast of extras, and her name was almost never mentioned at first.
Of course, it was previously mentioned that the servants secretly ignored Camille.
But it seems Victor wasn't one of them.
“By the way, considering the adoption, does the gentleman not think of marrying again at all?”
“That's what I'm saying. He's still very young.”
“But it is better for the gentleman to remain single than for someone like the previous lady to return to him.”
“Oh, that's a given.”
In the first chapter of the original story, there was a scene between two maids talking like this.
Victor passed by and scolded them severely.
“No matter how unfortunate the circumstances, she was once your mistress. “Don’t hide it.”
This scene clearly showed what kind of personality Victor had.
In fact, Victor must have served Camille with the utmost diligence simply because she was the Duchess, no matter what kind of person she was.
But Camille's treatment of Victor was completely different.
From what I learned from Marie, Camille seemed to have a difficult personality. Her mood was constantly changing, and those around her had to always remain tense.
Maybe that's why Mary initially tried to fool me with a lax performance, but she quickly changed her attitude when she realized something was wrong. She knew from experience that things could spiral out of control if Camille's mood worsened.
Most likely, the reason Marie became Camille's loyal servant was her quick adaptability and sharp intelligence. Her ability to flatter when needed must have played a role as well.
By contrast, Victor was polite, but not the type to give insincere compliments. So, it would not be surprising if he fell out of favor with Camille.
“Victor”
“Yes ma’am. Please speak.”
“I know I haven't been the kindest lady to you. So, it must be strange to hear you say that all of a sudden.”
“…Not at all, ma’am,” Victor replied, even though his eyes said otherwise. Looks like I hit the target.
If I were him, I would also be wary if a boss with a bad character suddenly became friendly. Naturally, I suspect that this is the calm before the storm.
"Given my actions so far, I don't expect you to change your opinion of me overnight. I will try to make you see me differently," I continued.
Victor looked surprised and quickly bowed.
“Please, don’t say something like that. You are the Duchess of Dumont. You don’t have to worry about a petty person like me. I will serve you better from now on.”
Oh my God...amazing. Character is really important in a man.
If only Ethan could emulate even half of Victor's integrity.
Of course, I couldn't believe Victor's words.
It will take time to gain his true trust.
“I'm leaving then. Call me if you need anything else,” Victor said, bowing respectfully.
I smiled warmly at him, “Thank you, Victor.”
***
“Then deal with it accordingly.”
“Yes, Your Majesty”
Ethan's secretary, Mathis, placed the documents under his arm and bowed gently.
Mathis was approaching sixty years old and had been serving the Dukes of Dumont for two generations, and had previously assisted Ethan's father, Philip.
“And as for what we discussed earlier, are you absolutely sure?”
Although Ethan's words were vague, Mathis immediately understood their meaning.
“Yes, without a doubt. Since the Duchess’s arrival, the location of ‘that thing’ has only been mentioned twice during conversations with you inside the palace, and in both cases there was no eavesdropper – neither her, nor anyone else.”
Mathis' voice was low but firm.
“I understand”
Mathis nodded, then left the office.
Ethan opened the buttons of his shirt and leaned back in his chair.
“I overheard a conversation between you and your secretary. And this is how I knew the location of the real account book.”
“Think about it. What other way? "You will not leave these records exposed, and if I had searched your documents, you would have arrested me."
Although it may seem as if Camille was stubbornly insisting, her claim had a certain logic.
In fact, there was no other way for Camille to know the notebook's location other than to eavesdrop on a conversation between Ethan and Mathis.
Camille couldn't be so good at stealth as to be able to fool Mathis and me.
Ethan was adept at self-defense and swordsmanship.
As for Mathis, who served as the Duke's secretary for many years and handled many confidential matters, he was very sensitive to the presence of others.
It was practically impossible for Camille, a noble woman, to spy on their conversation without being discovered by both men.
“Could there have been another leak, or perhaps...”
Ethan frowned, thinking deeply.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.