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Chapter 3 — Mother-in-Law, but I Hate Mother-in-Law Conflicts
It was just a guess, but the reaction was more intense than I expected.
Helene’s eyes widened for a moment, then returned to normal as if nothing had happened. It was a subtle change you wouldn’t notice unless you were watching closely, but the meaning behind that change was obvious.
I had several other candidates in mind, but her reaction confirmed it.
*‘So the Emperor gave them a warning, huh?’*
Come to think of it, wasn’t it last year that the new Emperor ascended the throne?
And I’d heard the Emperor was pro-Eastern Faction. They said they’d provided significant help with the succession.
*‘On the other hand, Leyton is the head of the Western nobility. Helene is the eldest daughter of the late first Empress, and the current Emperor is the child of the second Empress.’*
The late Emperor’s first Empress gave birth to the First Prince and Helene, then died.
Afterwards, the child born to the new Empress was the Second Prince, the current Emperor.
The Second Prince defeated the First Prince, who was the Crown Prince, and ascended the throne.
The First Prince and Helene are siblings from the same mother.
So, from the Emperor’s perspective, the Leyton family and Helene would undoubtedly appear as political adversaries.
However, the Leytons have solid territories and outstanding wealth, making them a powerful family in social circles. They aren’t the head of the Western nobility for nothing. They are a major force that a newly enthroned Emperor cannot recklessly touch.
It wouldn’t be easy to tarnish such a family or carry out political maneuvering against them.
…It shouldn’t have been.
If only the previous Duke hadn’t died suddenly.
His death created a crack.
Because of that, the Leyton Duchy’s vulnerability—me—appeared.
*‘Judging by Helene’s reaction, the Emperor is the main culprit. I’m starting to see the general outline.’*
The vicious previous Duke, who killed four wives, died suddenly.
Yet, the Leyton Duchy, which ‘purchased’ the fifth wife, now wants to discard her because she’s no longer needed.
For the Emperor, who manages the noble registry, there was ample justification to intervene.
Moreover, unless it was someone of the Emperor’s caliber, they wouldn’t have dared to present such a harsh choice as making the fallen family’s daughter the Grand Madame (the wife of the heir).
In the end, the Leyton family chose to embrace the ‘bedbug’ named Wilhelmina to eliminate the justification, rather than risk the Emperor’s disfavor by burning her. Even if there was gossip in social circles, they judged this was the right decision for the family’s future.
*‘Even if the Emperor hadn’t given a warning, the Ducal family might have been scared preemptively.’*
It meant that the Leyton Duchy was that sensitive to the empire’s political situation.
Now, instead of trying to kick me out, they were in a position where they had to prevent me from running away.
I was worried about receiving an eviction notice, but I never expected to be asked to stay on as the Grand Madame.
“How interesting.”
“…….”
It was fascinating. So this is what political strife looks like.
Helene said nothing in response to my brief comment, merely staring at me.
“……Life in the annex is comfortable. It seems there will be no problems in the future, either.”
She meant she wanted to continue staying in the annex.
“Since you’re asking, I’ll attend the banquet, Helene. But I lack many things, so I’d like your help.”
I have no dresses or accessories. Even someone as clueless about banquets as me knows I can’t enter wearing pajamas like this. So buy me some.
“And also…….”
I paused for a moment.
It was a silence asking if she could accept up to this point. Helene, understanding immediately, nodded slowly.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“……I heard winters in the West are cold. I’d like some outerwear.”
“I’ll send a seamstress right away.”
“No, not for me. For the kids working in our annex. About thirty sets, I think?”
“…….”
Helene’s eyes widened again. This time, much more visibly shaken.
*‘The servants’ clothes were too thin.’*
I could tell they used good fabric, but they prioritized appearance, so the warmth factor was terrible.
It was obvious who made the maids wear those tight-fitting tops.
I recalled Anna muttering ‘it’s warm’ every morning when she entered my bedroom.
Since they’ve worked hard taking care of me all this time, this much is only right.
“That should be enough.”
“Are you…… sure?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps she hadn’t expected me to agree so easily, Helene closed her mouth, lost for words.
Did she think I would ask for money or jewels now that I understood the situation?
*‘Greed leads to trouble.’*
Even if our positions have reversed for now, I’m still a clueless nobody with no connections to the Ducal family.
If I act with reckless arrogance, I might really end up merely ‘existing’ as the Grand Madame.
Or one day, someone else might suddenly start pretending to be Wilhelmina instead of me.
Let’s accept the Ducal family’s kindness in moderation.
I’ll make that my motto from now on.
“Then I’ll be going. I have a morning appointment.”
It was time for the children working in the laundry room to come into my bedroom to warm themselves by the fire and escape the cold.
This world supposedly has magic, too. I wonder if they can’t make something like a washing machine that produces warm, flowing water?
As I turned, the butler opened the door, waiting to see me out.
Just before leaving, something occurred to me, and I turned my head.
“Oh, and.”
Helene was resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
I let out a small chuckle and spoke to her.
“Helene, I think you’re a remarkable daughter-in-law.”
“……What do you mean by that?”
“It’s a compliment, not empty flattery.”
It’s hard to call someone you can’t stand to look at ‘mother’.
I felt anew how strong the inner resolve of a hostess who wears a mask for her family must be.
I swallowed my lingering words and stepped outside.
Helene’s faint, muffled breath followed me, then was cut off and disappeared by the doorframe.
—
* * *
The Duchess’s private office.
Helene sat alone in the darkened room, curtains drawn, recalling the investigation results regarding Wilhelmina.
*‘She’s a kind person, unlike her appearance.’*
*‘She treats the servants with special care. She memorized all their names within two days.’*
*‘Her tone can be sharp sometimes, but she’s actually looking out for us……’*
These were all answers given by the servants of the annex.
There was no doubt about the servants’ loyalty to the Leyton family. For them too, Wilhelmina should have been a contaminant seeping into Leyton, yet the evaluations coming out were uniformly full of praise.
The most objective ones were probably from the annex’s baker and gardener.
However, even their reports contained nothing untoward. Just evaluations like she has a neat personality, she likes this kind of bread, and so on.
*‘Is she merely a kind woman?’*
No, that couldn’t be. Wilhelmina had firmly denied the assumptions Helene had made.
Although she didn’t particularly try to hide it, she was a woman who, in their brief conversation, read the political situation and even understood the predicament Leyton was in.
Her status might be lowly, but her ability to assess situations was clear. Didn’t she say her major at the academy was political science?
One who knows politics cannot be innocent. That was the wisdom Helene had gained over 27 years of living as a royal.
*‘It could all be an act.’*
If she had been plotting this situation from the moment she arrived at the Duchy, it was possible she had done preparatory work with the servants to latch onto the family.
She was the mother-in-law they had accepted, even at the cost of tarnishing Leyton’s honor.
It was necessary to thoroughly investigate what kind of person she was and to be suspicious.
Sending someone who could view her objectively, not through the eyes of uneducated servants, might not be a bad idea.
*‘Should I send the butler?’*
The man who had escorted Wilhelmina to the castle was Helene’s personal butler and a close associate she had brought from the Imperial Palace.
Of course, internal appointments required the Duke’s permission, but the Duke had left everything concerning Wilhelmina to Helene, so it wasn’t a problem.
Even amidst the empire’s precarious political situation, he remained as calm as ever. While being kind and fair to everyone was his strength, he was unreliable at times like this. Matters within the Ducal family were Helene’s responsibility as the hostess.
Helene rose from her chair and walked to the window.
As she slightly parted the curtains, she saw her children strolling through the autumn garden.
Come to think of it, she had a meeting with them scheduled in 30 minutes.
*‘It was a one-hour schedule, but I should shorten it. I’ve wasted too much time.’*
It was because she had spent too long contemplating Wilhelmina.
*‘But why are they already outside? I’ll have to remind the nanny to keep time properly.’*
The children had come out early, excited about meeting their mother, but Helene didn’t know that.
Closing the curtains again, she walked to leave the office.
She recalled that Wilhelmina had left a puzzling remark before leaving the reception room.
*‘……A remarkable daughter-in-law.’*
It was an incomprehensible statement.
She wanted to ask how she could make such a judgment when she’d barely seen her, but she didn’t open her mouth as it would have been an impolite question to ask her mother-in-law.
Those dark blue eyes, similar yet unlike her own, flickered in her memory. An intelligent gaze that seemed to see right through her heart, despite being younger.
