By Zephyria 
I need to create an opportunity to show Ruben that I’m doing well, but since Ruben is currently very upset, should I prioritize resolving my mother-in-law’s misunderstanding? Thinking about it felt like a distant task, so I wracked my brain. I stopped Lucilla, who was getting up to leave the room.
“One last thing, I have one more question.”
“What is it?”
“Ruben said that the Empress Dowager misunderstood and thought I would become Emperor, surpassing Ruben… Do you, as my senior, know anything about this—”
“You?”
Lucilla’s eyes widened as she scanned me from head to toe.
“Ruben said that? Does he want to do something illegal? If he’s going to make you do it, I’d rather do it myself…”
“…No, he didn’t say anything like that. He just said his mother seemed to be misunderstanding.”
“Uh-huh. My mom doesn’t know you well yet…”
“Ahem.”
“Honestly, this whole thing was a bit funny. My mom might be quite suspicious, but she’s not bad at reading people. From my perspective, I think it’ll be fine if you just give it some time… What, do you need help?”
“…No. That’s enough.”
Now, it was hard to stop smiling.
I let out a hearty laugh, and Lucilla laughed back. After we looked at each other and laughed for a while, I felt a bit awkward. Before leaving the inner room, Lucilla stood on tiptoe, patted my shoulder, and said something else.
“That’s right. After you get married, I’ll bring my pretty one to introduce you too. I chose someone very smart and handsome with the next Emperor in mind, so you can look forward to it.”
“Haha, yes. I’ll be counting on you in advance.”
“Uh-huh. See you again, little godfather.”
Judging by her behavior, it would be more fitting to consider Lucilla as an elder sibling.
I let Lucilla go, humming a tune. Now, she would go to her mother and act affectionately, clinging to her. Thinking about that put my mind at ease in various ways.
❖ ❖ ❖
Thursday morning.
Even though it wasn’t that early, the air I breathed was damp. A brief shower had passed in the morning, so the dust should have settled, but the sticky mud kept clinging to the soles of my shoes, making it uncomfortable to walk.
Still, I couldn’t just rush ahead alone.
“…Can’t I just go home?”
“Even so, wouldn’t your wife be surprised if I, your husband, suddenly showed up at her house alone?”
“No, Ernhardt, no, she’d probably faint just from you visiting directly.”
“But she’s met me before, so wouldn’t that be okay?”
“Okay? What’s okay! Why me…”
Even if I had business, it felt awkward to visit a woman living alone with a group of men. Nor could I, a grown man, go in and out of a woman’s house alone. Also, most of the young ladies I knew were Knights, and they looked sturdy and robust at a glance, making them easy to arouse suspicion.
Marianne? Marianne had been living in the laboratory day and night lately, activating the Magic Circles I taught her. Would it be right to bother such a busy child?
Therefore, who else could be more suitable for this task than Poplar? She was a scrawny young lady, had to show her face periodically under the guise of etiquette lessons, and had no one to spread rumors to.
“I don’t know many young ladies. I can’t bring Duke Yeldidus, can I? Please think of this as a field trip with me.”
“Is this why you said you wanted to take more etiquette lessons?”
“I’m paying the tuition handsomely, aren’t I?”
Poplar Kiadris, dragged out due to her idleness, clutched the sides of her wide-brimmed hat and pulled it down.
Thanks to the thin cloth wrapped around her head and tucked inside the hat, not a single strand of her bright red hair was visible outside. And that wasn’t all. Her navy skirt, which was more modest and shorter than usual, reaching just to her ankles, also played a significant role in concealing her status and identity.
Poplar and I were still not very close.
However, Poplar needed money, and my wallet was full. When I suggested extending the lessons for another month, Poplar immediately asked me to secretly give her one or two gold coins at each lesson, away from Hestia. Knowing the child’s circumstances, I readily agreed, and we began exchanging gold coins behind Ruben and Hestia’s backs.
Since then, Poplar has treated me more gently. She became gentle enough not to run away, even when brought out to the street without detailed explanations like now, and even if she grumbled.
As we entered Street 58, her complaints intensified.
“If we were to do this according to etiquette in the first place, we should have sent word at least a week in advance.”
“But wasn’t it you, Young Lady Poplar, who guessed that the other party might run away if we did?”
“Well! …Of course. Who would expect someone like you… to visit Street 58?”
Even though there was no one around, her caution with every word was amusing.
Whether human or beast, isn’t it the law to bring prey to gain favor? Before the end of this month, I must somehow remove my mother-in-law’s biggest worry.
I listened to her chattering voice with one ear and let out a deep breath, not entirely ignoring it.
“There’s another reason I came today.”
“What is it?”
“Duke Yeldidus said he found something out last night.”
“…You didn’t say that!”
“It’s not a story related to Young Lady Kiadris. I just became curious as I listened, so I came to see for myself. You just need to do what I asked.”
“…You’re really annoying.”
“I know.”
Fortunately, as soon as Poplar arrived at the door of our destination, she instantly adopted an adult demeanor.
Following her nod, I knocked twice on the front door. After a moment, I heard a rustling sound and a muffled sound of someone peeking outside. I stepped back three paces and stood behind Poplar to act as a bodyguard. Soon, the door opened.
Melatia Floyd’s gaze, filled with wariness and suspicion, briefly met mine before fixing directly on Poplar’s face.
“Who… are you?”
“Hello, Mrs. Melatia. I was introduced to you. May I come in for a moment?”
“Yes? Ah, well, by whom were you introduced?”
“Countess Austin introduced me.”
“…Yes. Please come in.”
As I had seen before, the small house had no reception room or sofa. Without hesitation, Melatia led us to the dining table attached to the kitchen. On the square table, which could seat up to four people, a couple of flowers in a wooden cup were wilting from the heat.
Melatia poured each of us a wooden cup. It was cold tea, made by steeping dried fruit in cold water for a long time instead of tea leaves. Still, they seemed to be living with some semblance of order.
Last time, when I visited with my mother-in-law, Melatia had been cheerful and lively, but today she looked very anxious and nervous. Her gaze, which didn’t meet mine directly but looked down at the table, and the way she tightly clasped her hands, trembling, both indicated this.
“…My home is, it’s modest, isn’t it? What kind of embroidery do you want?”
“I have to gift several handkerchiefs to distinguished guests. I’d like a small floral pattern embroidered on each corner of the handkerchiefs. Do you have any samples?”
“Yes? Yes, of course! Please wait a moment.”
Poplar acted so convincingly, as if she were genuinely in need of embroidery.
Meanwhile, I kept watching Melatia. She smiled brightly, then looked fearful, and while busily picking up and putting down her sewing box, she explained various things about thread types. All the while, in my mind, I recalled the telegram I received from Hestia late last night.
“To my dear prospective Duke.
Until just a few years ago, ‘she’ was said to be a melancholic and quiet woman.
After leaving the palace, ‘she’ has been under the protection of the name ‘Countess’ until now, but there were more than a few people watching her under the Countess’s name. Among the eight or so Baronesses, five seemed to pity her.
While it’s understandable that her embroidery skills aren’t improving, it’s concerning that she doesn’t wash often. They said she doesn’t get along well with neighbors and is difficult to converse with due to her lack of sociability.
Would you believe that the time she regained her spirits was more than two months after ‘that elder’ passed away, whom you also know? It was around that time that ‘Grace’ started visiting ‘her’ as well.
I’m telling you this because these events seem to be related. I hope this information is useful to you, prospective Duke.
From your diligent neighbor.”
Although I spoke indirectly, as if someone else might intercept it, the message was very clear. Melatia Floyd regained her spirits after meeting my mother-in-law.
Her well-washed, lustrous hair was adorned with inexpensive but shiny hairpins, and her simple, self-made clothes were embroidered with colorful threads at every fold.
The interior showed signs of being meticulously swept and cleaned to the last corner, and the cold-brewed tea, steeped with care for a long time, was prepared. It was as if she were expecting a meeting with someone.
On the other hand, my mother-in-law cried on her way to meet Melatia and did not hide her displeasure on her way back. She threw a scarf, embroidered with delicate patterns by Melatia herself, at me.
My mother-in-law’s actions resembled those of a child who repeatedly picks at a scab with their own hands, drawing blood.
Therefore, I now wanted to know how this woman was draining Kate’s vitality.
Poplar and Melatia talked extensively about embroidery theory. During that time, Melatia’s gaze unnaturally never met mine.
After talking so much that she finished her cup, Poplar subtly drew me into the conversation.
“Madam, you have a deep appreciation for etiquette as well as embroidery.”
“…Yes?”
“You’ve never looked at my bodyguard. Usually, people look at him and wonder if it’s really him.”
Melatia jumped.
“Ah. …Ah! Are you, Ernhardt, yes, are you him? Ah, I couldn’t believe it.”
“Yes. It is I. We met once before.”
“Yes, we… did. Back then,”
“I recall visiting to escort a distinguished guest.”
Melatia no longer put on a show. She chewed her lower lip a few times and then pressed her fingertips to the corners of her eyes, where faint makeup remained. It looked like she was trying to hold back tears, or perhaps an action to endure a headache.
Melatia asked in a very frail voice,
“…Then… will the Empress Dowager not be coming anymore?”