[He looked handsome, but he also seemed to have some personality issues, and it turned out he indeed has some serious problems. Rubica, just endure it a little more. I am going to study hard and become successful, I will also support you when you leave that horrible household.]

Edgar eventually exploded at that sentence. In the end, he called a professional letter forger.

-Rewrite this letter and leave out everything bad about me.

Moreover, the forger was remarkably good. He could even recreate the worn-out envelope which went through its long journey on the ship.

-Wouldn’t this eventually be revealed when Ms. Berner comes?

Carl pointed out at seeing the forged letter, and Edgar went silent for a long time.

-I will win her to my side before that. Send enough gifts and money to her in my name. Oh, and send maids and guard knights for her. She will be treated as a Claymore’s relative.

Carl wanted to say Angela wasn’t the type of person who could be bribed, but he kept his mouth shut. The duke wasn’t going to listen to him anyway. Instead, he just said he would send the maids who could give her the best impression of him.

And fortunately, Rubica didn’t notice that the letter she got was fake.

“And did she ask for anything after reading that letter?”

“No, she asked for nothing.”

“That can’t be right.”

Edgar looked down at the real letter from Angela on the table. Even though Rubica had received only twenty pages, he had about thirty pages. So, about ten pages were just criticism about him.

“She should have at least asked us to look into Isaac’s matter.”

Edgar had already gotten enough information about that troublemaker, and he was going to take care of him as soon as Rubica asked for his help.

“Maybe she doesn’t want to tell me as it is her family’s matter.”

“Well, it’s not a thing anyone would want to talk about…”

“I think she is planning to ask you herself.”

Edgar’s frown faded a little. Carl was right. How could Rubica talk to the butler about such a sensitive matter? Of course, she could tell her husband.

‘I must be her strong supporter and protector.’

Rubica had said she was practically an orphan without any relatives. She had only two people she could call family: Angela, who was far away, and Edgar. Who else could she turn to when she needed help and support?

He was ready to solve any trouble she had if only she told him about it.

“Oh, and Your Grace, I’ve been wondering this for some time, but what have you been making?”

There was no blueprint on Edgar’s table. Instead, it was in a mess with wires, wood pieces, and sawdust. Edgar looked a little embarrassed at the question.

“It’s done now.”

“Done?”

“Yes. It was a difficult idea and I wandered a little only because I didn’t have enough information, but it’s all done now.”

Then, he quickly put the things on the table in a drawer. Carl held his breath at witnessing that hurrying move.

‘Has he been distracted from his project?’

However, that was impossible. Edgar had been diligent since the moment he was born. He sometimes focused so hard that he even forgot to eat. Him, being distracted? That was just not possible.

‘He must have made one of the parts that are too important to entrust to others.’

Carl tried to think of what he had just witnessed in the best way possible. He tried not to think that making such an important part with wood instead of iron couldn’t be right.

“Then please, call me if there’s anything you need.”

Edgar let out a sigh of relief after Carl left. He had finally come up with quite a good idea and had forgotten to hide what he had been doing. He took out a needle and thread from a drawer. Then, he put them in what he had just invented and hit the button.

“It works perfectly.”

Was this what moved Rubica’s heart?

‘If it isn’t, I will find a hint and make another invention.’

It was his invention, after all. There was no way he couldn’t make it. He was sure he would win Rubica’s heart, sooner or later.

***

Rubica spent the entire afternoon writing back to Angela. She wrote about all that had happened in the meantime. It went on for over ten pages, but it was so pleasant that she couldn’t feel the pain in her arm.

Then, she started to make table cloths in the evening.

Rosa and the other seamstresses made delicate laces next to her.

“Why don’t we make round laces and use them instead of coasters?”

“That would be nice. We should use rose patterns for it.”

“And it would be good to lightly embroider the edge of the napkins.”

Edgar stopped the servant from announcing his arrival and stood by the door to look at the scene.

Rubica diligently embroidered but, at the same time, she looked up at hearing what the others said and sometimes smiled quietly. Just looking at her moved his heart.

He wished her to enjoy the peace and happiness there forever, and he felt like he could do anything for that.

“Woof woof!”

However, that dream ended the moment Latte saw him. Edgar didn’t like the dog running at him, but Rubica smiled at seeing him and looked quite cute. As Rubica found him thanks to the dog’s barking, he patted its head as a reward.

“Ohh.”

The maids exclaimed as the duke had never patted Latte before. They thought the tale of a man being transformed by his wife after marriage was nothing more than a legend, but it turned out it wasn’t that impossible.

“Why are you working so hard on it? You don’t have to do all of this yourself.”

Edgar protested. He didn’t like that the guests would wipe their hands and mouths with the napkins Rubica was embroidering.

“But it would be better to put more time and effort into it.”

It is so fun to gather around with working as an excuse and chat.

Rubica pouted, her eyes still on the needle. Edgar sounded so annoying that she couldn’t believe he had said he loved her only a day ago.

“Use your time and effort only on me.”

His light smile was quite mischievous, and Rubica was shocked by the sudden attack that she touched the thread that was barely hanging at the needle’s eye.

“Oh no, I accidentally pulled out the thread.”

“Elise, you should bring a candle to her.”

Threading such a small needle was hard, especially at night. She grabbed the needle again, frowning hard. But then…

“Give it to me.”

For a moment, she didn’t know what he was talking about. However, he asked again, pointing at her hand holding the needle.

“Come on.”

What could not match Duke Edgar Claymore more than a needle and thread?

Rubica tried to hide her surprise and handed him what he wanted.

He smiled and then took out a device that was the size of a palm from his right pocket. Then, he put the thread in a groove on top and put the needle in a hole next to it.

“Look.”

Edgar pressed the button with everyone watching. Boing. There came the sound of a spring bouncing off and then he pulled out the needle.

“Oh!”

“It has been threaded.”

“What just happened?”

Everyone exclaimed while Edgar smiled happily. Days of hard work were finally paying off.

At first, he hadn’t known what to do. He knew nothing about embroidery, so he didn’t know what was annoying and irritating about it. After a few experiments, he concluded threading a needle was something trivial but difficult.

“Just press the button and the needle will be threaded.”

Edgar showed them how to do it again, and the old seamstresses whose eyesight was not good as before were extremely delighted.

“Oh, it’s amazing!”

“Now we won’t have to struggle with magnifying glasses anymore.”

“Your Grace, may we try it?”

Edgar handed them the device, and everyone took their turn to try it. It was an extremely simple invention, but they were all so impressed.

“But how did you get it? Is it from Sharman?”

Rubica asked curiously, but Edgar was slightly disappointed by her reaction. She didn’t seem to be falling in love with him.

‘This one’s a failure.’

It looked like what made her fall for Arman was yet another invention. He decided to postpone the development of Stella. He was going to make the invention in a few months no matter what.

“I didn’t buy it. I made it.”

“You made it?”

“He made it?”

Everyone looked at him in shock, but Edgar was so used to being praised that he didn’t like the mood.

“I got some time and made it as a pastime.”

Edgar pointed at the door with his chin and everyone left reluctantly. A few old seamstresses couldn’t take their eyes off the device on the table.

“What is this about?”

Rubica asked why he sent everyone out, and he didn’t have anything he could say. He just couldn’t tell her he had done it because he wanted to be complimented by her and was irritated when everyone was so shocked.