Hiding My Identity From My Husband - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 20

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She’s been needling me this whole time.
I smacked my lips and fixed my gaze on Cecile.
In truth, I wasn’t that upset about it.
Back in Katakle, this sort of thing happened all the time.
But…….
‘Should I cut her down?’
I was already wrestling with the problem of Everine’s obvious affection for me, and now this.
If I shot Cecile down here, my reputation in high society would crater.
‘Go ahead. Do it.’
I grinned and fixed Cecile with a hard stare.
That’s when it happened.
“I beg your pardon?”
But those words hadn’t come from my mouth.
It was Rue’s smooth, measured voice.
“How curious that you’d say such things when my fiancée is standing right beside me.”
Cecile’s face drained of color in an instant—apparently she hadn’t expected Rue to step in.
“I—no, that is, I didn’t mean——”
“Miss Cecile. Are you perhaps unfamiliar with the concept of courtesy?”
Oh, here we go.
Rue’s sarcasm had kicked in.
“Or is it perhaps a new social custom of yours to treat someone as invisible even when they’re standing right in front of you? That would certainly be original.”
This soft-spoken mockery was Rue’s signature attack, pure and simple.
Cecile’s face grew rigid with each word.
“No, no, I was simply stating a fact. Objectively speaking, you and Everine are so well-matched!”
“Objectively, you say.”
Rue tilted her head lightly.
“I’m fascinated to know where this objective analysis concluding that my fiancée and I are poorly suited came from.”
The eyes around us began to gather quietly, though Rue showed no sign of stopping.
“Or perhaps your eyes have some specialized function for evaluating other people’s engagements? If so, what a shame. I do wish you’d dispensed that ‘objective’ wisdom to more important couples than us.”
“I—no, I wasn’t——!”
“Have you considered, ‘objectively’ of course, that offering advice to someone who hasn’t asked for it is actually rather rude?”
Cecile’s face burned crimson. Rue smiled sweetly.
“Well, ‘objectively’ speaking, I’m already engaged to Charel anyway. Whether we’re well-matched or not is our concern, wouldn’t you say?”
She’s going to cry.
I wished she’d stop, but our Rue was never one to quit halfway through.
“Taking excessive interest in other people’s affairs is indeed a time-honored tradition among the nobility. I respect that. But being subjected to advice this way is rather novel. Refreshingly original, one might say.”
Rue delivered the final blow like a nail driven through wood.
“Of course, the advice was useless anyway.”
Pummeled without mercy, Cecile finally staggered backward as snickers rippled through the crowd.
“I—I was just——”
Cecile’s face was starting to glisten with tears. I hurried to intervene.
“Come now, let’s stop. We didn’t come all this way to see you get flushed in the face, did we? Why don’t we just go back to shooting?”
It was considerate of me, really, taking Cecile’s position into account.
If I let Rue keep going, Cecile would actually start crying.
But then.
“……Why don’t you go shoot more, Miss Charel!”
Cecile let out a shriek and stormed away.
Wait, what?
Why is she mad at me?
It was Rue who wound her up.
“Oh, Charel.”
Just then, Rue approached and whispered close by.
“The sister-in-law who stops the fight always ends up being hated more—that’s just how it works.”
Then she chuckled to herself.
“That’s tactless of you.”
Ah.
I felt like hitting her.
* * *

“I performed reasonably well today, didn’t I?”
On the carriage ride back, Lu sat across from me and giggled as she spoke.
“Even Everine thanked me. That remark from Cecile was nothing short of an insult to us all.”
The truth was, I’d disliked Cecile so intensely that I’d overstepped.
If neither Lu nor I had stepped in at that moment, Everine could have become genuinely furious.
‘I won’t be seeing Cecile for a while, at least.’
Since I’d only just met her today, there was no real loss in that.
‘Though it is strange that she’s angrier at me than at Lu.’
But it was understandable enough, so I let it pass.
“Did I do well or not?”
Lu couldn’t bear even my brief moment of silence and pressed for affirmation. Good grief.
“Yes, yes. You did well. You were perfect.”
Lu narrowed her eyes and gave me a sideways look.
“Your response feels rather half-hearted.”
“No, really. I do think you did well.”
“Do think?”
I debated whether to say this or not.
Usually, when you’re torn about saying something, you shouldn’t say it—but with Lu, I have to. Otherwise, I won’t be able to let it go.
“I suppose it’s more of a relief that you’re on my side… that kind of feeling.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“No, it’s closer to—you’re on my side, but why are you so infuriating?”
I shuddered, recalling Lu’s trademark Sarcastic Remarks.
“I genuinely wanted to hit you a moment ago. You were absolutely maddening.”
Lu blinked slowly, pressing her lips together.
“Is that praise or an insult?”
“Honestly, I don’t know myself.”
I folded my arms and shook my head.
“You’re on my side, so it’s reassuring, but you’re also so infuriating that the longer I listen, the more I want to throttle you. Do you understand?”
“No, I’d rather not understand. Please say no more.”
“Fine. Not another word.”
I thought I’d teased her enough, so I decided to stop.
The moment I mimed zipping my lips, Lu let out a hollow laugh.
“You really are peculiar in every conceivable way.”
As if I had any right to comment.
It was absurd.
“In any case, I don’t know how you went from saying you’d attend the Funeral Hall to somehow ending up at the Shooting Range with those young ladies.”
“Don’t bother asking. I don’t fully understand it myself.”
“I may not understand, but I do want to say you did the right thing.”
“Why?”
At that, Lu tilted her head and leaned forward with a slanted smile.
“The Rockwood Earldom has invited us.”
The Rockwood Earldom…

-We’re going to do Clay Shooting. Come with us. I’m sure Charel would like it too.

It referred to the house of Agatha Rockwood, Everine’s friend who had extended that kind invitation.
“It seems Agatha has taken quite a liking to you.”
Damn it.
If I’d known this would happen, I should have made a proper scene and gotten her to hate me.
“Apparently, they’ve recently hired a sommelier who worked for the royal household of the Duchy. He’ll be presenting wines that he personally selected.”
And it’s yet another gathering of notable people.
I have a headache.
“Don’t tell me that’s somehow connected to a Sacred Object?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
A sigh of relief escaped me.
But I couldn’t let it show, so I forced a smile instead.
“Still, wouldn’t it be better to keep the possibility open?”
“That… is true.”
“We might get lucky and find a lead if we go.”
“Well… yes.”
“So let’s go together.”
If I refused here, I’d become suspect.
Why won’t you go?
Is something bothering you?
What’s the matter?
And so on.
So I had no choice but to nod.
“Ha, haha. That sounds fun. Excellent, really.”
“You look uncomfortable.”
“What? I’m being completely natural right now. I’ve never been more natural than this.”
“Charel can’t lie to save her life.”
Lu shook her head lightly and spoke again.
“Anyway, this is all because Charel’s become close with Everine and Agatha.”
Hmm?
“Who became close?”
“Charel with Everine and Agatha.”
“I’m not close with them.”
Lu’s brow furrowed slightly.
“You’re not close, so why did you go to the Shooting Range together?”
I tilted my head in confusion.
“Because they asked me to come along.”
Lu laughed at my answer like a teacher explaining something to a child.
“That’s exactly what friends do when they go out together. Usually people invite their friends on outings.”
“……Oh?”
“It seems Charel doesn’t understand these things because she has no friends.”
“Ow. Why did you hit me?”
Right. I have no friends. I mumbled this and turned my head away sharply. Lu’s laughter echoed softly behind me.
“It seems Charel doesn’t understand herself very well.”
She continued, speaking leisurely.
“You’re quite endearing, you see—the sort of person people naturally want to befriend.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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