Obsessed with Regressors

Oh, what she wanted to say, but couldn’t. She wanted to clap her hands at Elliot’s words, but she held back. Instead, she decided to lend a helping hand to the Queen who had lost her speech.

“I am willing to apologize if Lord Masterson’s accusation is wrong.”

The Queen’s gaze returned to her. She asked, squinting her eyes.

“Publicly?”

She grinned.

“If I am wrong, of course I should apologize publicly.”

A smile appeared on the Queen’s face for the first time since entering this room. She looked at me and said “I like you.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Soon after, the Queen’s gaze turned to Elliot.

“How about you, Count Burns? Are you also willing to apologize if Lord Masterson’s accusation is wrong?”

Elliot didn’t quite understand what kind of deal was being made between her and the Queen. He looked at her with a puzzled expression, then fixed his gaze on her and said.

“I will follow Lady Biscon.”

“Good.”

Feeling relieved, the Queen raised her body. Then she shook hands with her and Elliot in turn, and she said it was okay for her to go.

“What was it?”

Elliot asked as they came out of the room where they had met with the Queen. This was not a reception room. Not even the Queen’s office. Maybe a small tea room. The Queen wanted to meet Elliot with her privately.

“What?”

Elliot and she walked behind the attendant and asked back. Then he leaned over to her and whispered.

“Just before. Are you really going to apologize if Lord Masterson’s accusation is wrong?”

“Sure.”

“In public?”

“You said that?”

She still didn’t understand what was going on. When the attendant stopped at the entrance of the building, she thanked him for guiding her. And she looked at Elliot.

“It’s not very pleasant to apologize publicly.”

Elliot said as the attendant left. It was uncomfortable to meet people inside the palace, but the palace was good. The garden was well laid out here. She said looking at the garden in front of the building.

“But if I am wrong, he must apologize.”

“I don’t think you’re wrong.”

“You said you would follow me anyway?”

“Because you are always right.”

Elliot’s unwavering faith was a bit disconcerting. Did she do anything to give him this much trust? She didn’t think there’s ever been such a thing. She nodded her head along the garden as a sign for a short walk, and moved on.

“I told Her Highness. If Lord Masterson’s accusation is wrong, I will apologize.”

“Yes.”

Elliot replied like an obedient knight. When she even saw knights patrolling in the distance, she felt even more strange.

“How do you know it’s wrong?”

Elliot had a look of incredulity. He opened his mouth with a puzzled face.

“Lord Masterson said he was wrong…”

Elliot’s face brightened after saying that. He closed his mouth and looked at her, then began to move his steps. And he spoke in a more relaxed voice.

“There’s no way he’ll prove he’s wrong.”

Lord Masterson accused Count Serado of chagrin that only he could not be a bad person. Now, for no reason, there was no way to say that the truth was that he was the only bad person and that Count Serado was unfairly framed.

“But what about Count Serado? Either he puts pressure on Lord Masterson or…”

“They might try to help you with your financial problems.”

She said looking at the roses in full bloom. Sir Masterson was in trouble financially, so he might say that he was wrong. It was doable enough. She bent down and checked the roses. 

‘Wow, this rose had two colors.’

After all, the royal palace garden was different no matter what. Elliot said, thinking we should ask the gardener to plant something like this.

“What are you going to do if Count Serado comes out like that?”

It couldn’t be. She covered her mouth with her hand and laughed. She was not familiar with Count Serado, but he was a Count.

“Will Count Serado want to receive my apology that much?”

“Isn’t that what you asked the Queen for?”

“Oh, no. What Count Serado wants is a quiet apology.”

Only then did Elliot’s eyes light up, as if he understood what she was saying. She said to the Queen: If Lord Masterson was wrong, she would apologize. If so, what should be preceded was Lord Masterson’s declaration of correction. People would remember that it happened a week ago, and maybe people who didn’t know will know. What if she apologized publicly after that? This time, it’s completely coming back to the surface. Those who were quiet would start talking about how Count Serado treated the child he sponsored, regardless of Lord Masterson’s declaration of correction.

“As an aristocrat, and as someone who grew up in a county family, I would say that being noisy is something the county never wants.”

Wasn’t her mother like that too? 

“Be quiet for a while If you keep quiet, people will forget.”

All Count Serado would have wanted was for her to come quietly to his house and hang her head and apologize that it had been a mistake. And she would be the first to attend all the events held at Count Serado’s family. People would know that this was a misunderstanding and that she had apologized to Count Serado just because she attended all the events held at Count Serado. After that, no one would care what Count Serado was doing to the children he sponsored.

“Hmm. Then the Queen asked if you would apologize publicly earlier…”

“You helped her.”

Of course, she lightened the Queen’s burden first. She said she would apologize if Lord Serado was wrong. Now the Queen has to say this to Count Serado.

‘Lady Biscon says she’ll apologize if Lord Masterson is wrong. That too in public. Now that I’ve done this much, all you have to do is get Lord Masterson to tell that he’s wrong.’

She allowed Her Highness the Queen to open her shoulders to Count Serado and she made a hole for her to slip through. At the same time, she returned Count Serado’s arrow from Elliot to Sir Masterson.

“Her…”

Elliot was looking at her with a curious expression. He held out his arm to her and asked.

“What if Count Serado wants your public apology?”

It couldn’t be. She was about to say that it could never happen, but then stopped. Yes, as Elliot said, the Count might want it at least once in a lifetime. Because he didn’t know how people work. She put her hand on the inside of his arm. Then she said as he walked along the small trail made for walking.

“Then you have to. I’m happy.”

“Are you happy?”

“Will my apology make people look back at what happened? If that’s the case, the child that Count Serado is sponsoring will get people’s attention.”

Then she might be able to help them. The more eyes they gather, the greater their strength. Elliott was still curious. 

‘Oh, did I just explain it?’

Suddenly, she started to regret it. A little while ago, the Queen and she made a deal of some kind. She judged whether the Queen was on her side or the Countess of Serado, and when she seemed more sympathetic to her, she extended her hand to her. And she, too, held out her hand to Eugene.

She stood up and looked up at Elliot and said.

“I know that all this looks sinister to you. This is how nobles do things. It’s about getting the best results possible with the least amount of damage.”

As a commoner, and for someone who ventures out to slay the dragon, these aristocratic tasks can be inconvenient. Oddly enough, she didn’t want him to be disappointed in her over this.

“Eugenie.”

Elliot bowed his head towards her.

Huh?

She was taken aback for a moment, then he took her hand and kissed the back of her hand. Oh, he was just trying to kiss the back of the hand. For a second, she thought he was trying to kiss her. So embarrassing.

Her face was about to heat up with embarrassment, but Elliot took his lips off the back of her hand and continued.

“I want everyone to get the most out of the least effort.”

That’s it. When she didn’t say anything, he took her hand and stretched his back.

“And I have never seen anyone do things with as much grace and generosity as you.”

What? Her surprise was to the extent that her head turned white because of the excessive evaluation. She stood with her mouth open, not knowing why he thought so highly of her.

‘Uh, should I say no? I felt compelled to say no. Not because I’m humble, but because I’m embarrassed.’

But then, Elliot let go of her hand and slipped away. She was about to ask why, but she felt a presence and turned around.

“Lady Biscon, from the Iron Palace.”

It was the Marquise of Henderson. She reflexively looked at Elliot. As an attendant of Her Highness the Queen Mother, she was staying at the Iron Palace of the Queen Mother. So when she saw that the Marquise of Henderson came out of the Iron Palace, it meant that Her Majesty the Queen Mother was calling her.