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nTranslator and Editor: Lily and Nabi

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nChapter 8 – She’s The Bad Mother-in-law?

n“Miss Sierra, I am the maid, Lexel.”

n…Lexel, the maid of Duke Idios, has come to their room. Sierra got up after dressing up in a hurry.

n“Come in! What brings you here?”

nThe door opened, and Lexel carefully stepped inside.

n“I’m Lexel, the maid of this mansion. Please call me when you need so.”

nThe maid.

nNo matter how low her title may be, she was at least a fallen noble, and it was self-evident that she was in a higher position if she is the maid of a duke. Sierra said cautiously.

n“Drop the title.”

n“You are someone valuable to His Grace, so I cannot.”

nSeeing as she speaks so formally, Cassius seemed to have properly educated her. Can this situation be settled…?

nSierra, a little confused, looked at the maid with a curious look.

n“But what’s the matter…?”

n“That’s…”

nThe maid was a loyal and professional servant. What could she be hesitating about?

n“Miss Sierra, I’m afraid you’ll have to chat with the great mistress, then leave immediately.”

nThe great mistress, who is that?

nShe whispered low when she noticed the strange look of Sierra.

n“She is the wife of the late predecessor, Marquis Mails, the venerable of this estate.”

nSierra covered Hanael with a quilt and stepped out of the room.

n***

nWhile looking at Sierra, the maid predicted a crisis would hit Duke Idios.

nThe estate of Duke Idios has a total of two powerful people.

nOne is, of course, Cassius, the Duke of Idios.

nThe other was the sister of the late Duchess of Idios, Marquis Mails’ wife, who is the mistress of the Idios family, which was vacated by her sister’s death.

nSo far, the maids who have served her walk on thin ice. She had a cold temper.

nFortunately, she was perfect at her job. The godmother was skillful and cared for her nephew, Cassius Idios, even though she had no direct connection with her sister. Thus, she was able to care for the Idios family without much disagreement with Cassius.

nDuke Idios is usually indifferent, but he left the godmother completely in charge of housekeeping. It was a courtesy to the godmother, who devoted more than a decade to the Idios family.

nThanks to their harmony, the family’s external image and internal state were managed quite perfectly.

nThough, would Sierra continue to stay in the duke’s mansion?

nIn addition to her sharp temper, she had a reputation as a bad wife and a bad mother-in-law.

nEveryone was convinced that the snobbish godmother would not find interest in an ordinary commoner woman, like Sierra.

nWhen the maid first learned that Sierra had arrived at the duke’s mansion, she reported to the godmother, feeling anxious.

nTo make matters worse, she was convinced that she had provoked the already sensitive godmother.

nI’m sure she expected it, but the godmother’s complexion turned white.

n“The duke brought… a commoner woman who he claims was his first love…”

nThe maid bowed down, judging that the godmother would be angry immediately.

n“Yes, her name is Sierra. I’ve brought you the details, Godmother.”

n“I remember her, Sierra…”

n“Yes, yes. Rumor has it that she’s a commoner who graduated from the Academy of Pharmacology…”

nThe maid spits out Sierra’s personal details, and the godmother’s hand was trembling. She had a blunt face.

n“…The one I got rid of with my own two hands.”

nThe maid, not knowing of such secret circumstances, widened her eyes. The godmother’s face was white as a sheet.

nNow that the woman she kicked out has returned to the mansion, she would resent that knife-like temper. The maids trembled, anticipating a bloodbath blowing into the mansion.

nThe maid peeked up at her.

n“Get out.”

nThe air in the room where the godmother stayed has become especially cool.

n***

nSierra was unaware that the maid was worried and continued walking down the hallway without much concern.

nA woman who was officially invited to a noble mansion must pass a test.

nIt is to have tea time with the mistress of the mansion.

nAfter unpacking and putting Hanael to sleep, Sierra decided to say hello to the family’s mistress.

nCassius told her she didn’t have to, and everyone else told her to do whatever she pleased, but you must never do that. What if she, a commoner, is hated by the godmother and gets into trouble!

nNow, Cassius is very nice to her, but we don’t know what will happen when Cassius’ misunderstanding is resolved in three months!

nI’ll have to kneel down in front of godmother!

n‘…Godmother, I’ve seen you once, but you were a very nice woman.’

nSierra smiled warmly, recalling the warm events of five years ago.

nIn the past, she had spent a night with Cassius and was in a terrible state. But then the godmother appeared like a comet. She offered me money to break up with Cassius.

nShe didn’t slap me in the face and handed me the money gracefully and politely! The amount she handed me was huge. But there is one thing I regret. I broke up with Cassius, but after five years, he was right in front of me again…

n‘I’ll apologize. I’ll keep him as far away from Hanael as I can. You’re not going to slap me in the face if I bow down, right?’

nSierra closed her eyes and arrived at the door of the room, where the marquis’ wife was staying.

nOne maid looked at her and murmured, like a tiny pep talk.

n“C-Cheer up…”

n…What’s going on?

nHowever, the door to the room opened before she got to ask about her intentions. Sierra looked at her with a curious look and nodded.

nIt’s finally time to see the godmother.

n***

n“Hello, I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

n“Yes, Sierra. Sit.”

nThe upright godmother and Sierra sat face to face with a tea table between them.

nOn the table lay many sweets, such as Madeleine and Financier, as well as Éclair and Fromage.

nWhat’s this?

nThere was a strawberry-flavored senbei that was not at all suitable for a noble mansion. Sierra smiled inwardly with her hands clenched on her knees.

n‘I always used to overeat these sweets while I was at the academy to the point where I always felt nauseous.’

nThis mansion was very strange. It was like a customized dream house that Sierra wanted.

n‘…I haven’t seen her in a while, and it reminds me of the old days.’

nHowever, when she looked at the broken Cassius, she could not help but feel what kind of tragedy she had caused him.

nWhen Cassius, who had never cried even when he was criticized for being the duke’s illegitimate child, showed tears. She thought his heart would sink more.

nCassius’ mad search for Sierra, made him suffer the whole time, investigating through all the commoner pharmacists…

nI felt like I was responsible for everything and not being able to understand my niece’s feelings.

nClink!

nThe cup of coffee dropped to the floor. Her hands were shaking.

n‘…What’s wrong with me?’

nThe godmother muttered in a trembling voice toward the servant.

n“Clean it up.”

n“Yes, ma’am.”

nThe servant closed his eyes as if he knew it would happen. With a hunch that the shattered glass was similar to the relationship between Sierra and the godmother.

nThe godmother must be trying to discipline Sierra!

nHowever, contrary to her belief, the expression of the godmother did not turn out well.

n“Sierra… you should chat with me.”

nThe broken cup of coffee had been cleaned up. A still silence hovered on the table. She sighed low, reminiscent of that day five years ago.

nThe day she learned of Sierra and Cassius’ love affair was still in front of her.

n***

nFive years ago, inside a small cafe.

nThe godmother was fed up with the maid who followed her and sat across from Sierra. The owner of the cafe shook while offering unsweetened coffee, tea, and dessert. It was extremely difficult for her to treat a noble lady when she had been doing business mainly for commoners.

nKnowing that fact, the godmother arrogantly crossed her arms and looked Sierra up and down.

n“What brought you here to find me?”

nIn the general judgment, she was a woman who was irregularly thin. She looked pretty good, but to sum up in detail, she looked like she was about to shed tears.

nIf I tell this lovely young woman to break up with my nephew, I’ll be a villain.

nHowever, she was a noble with a high nose, and her opponent was just a commoner woman who was a hindrance to the family.

nThe godmother whispered to Sierra with an arrogant look on her face.

n“I will be straightforward.”

n“…Ah, yes?”

nThe godmother pretended not to notice Sierra’s delicate physique and pale cheeks. She turned her gaze away and murmured.

n“Leave Cassius.”

nSierra’s eyes shook at her words.

n“What…?”

nThe godmother clicked her tongue at Sierra’s shameless objection. Sierra looked so vulnerable that even she, who reigned as a vicious social empress, was almost knocked over by her conscience.

nThe godmother took in a long breath of air, then pretended to be calm again. She repeatedly said, handing over a white envelope she had in her hand.

n“There’s money in it, so you won’t be dissatisfied. Take it and don’t come near my family anymore.”

nHer lips twitched, contemplating adding something more, then she opened her mouth again. Sierra spoke carefully first. Unwittingly, the sweaty woman stared at her lips.

n“Yes, my lady.”

nSierra even had a gentle smile around her lips.

nAs if she were saying don’t worry. LIke she was really all right…

nIt couldn’t be, but that was it. The end.

nThen the godmother took a serious look at Sierra’s face. And it happened.

nSierra bowed to godmother since she was leaving and suddenly felt nauseous for a second.

n“Uuk.”

n“What…”

nSierra looked sick with a pale face.

n“Oh, no. It’s not something my lady should care about.”

nWith a clear expression, her tone was also soft. At that time, the godmother called Sierra, a good lady with a good reputation.

n“…I see.”

nThe godmother glanced up at Sierra, and left calmly, thinking that it wouldn’t be a big deal.

nAt that time, I kept thinking that I was missing something for some reason, but I ignored it.

nIt made her heartbeat with regret the whole time.

nI shouldn’t have separated them then.

nIf I had known that Sierra was pregnant, I wouldn’t have left so coldly when I saw her feeling nauseous…

nShe ripped her heart out five years ago.

nI feel terrible for being so hard on a pregnant woman…

nThe godmother, who was determined not to repeat the past again, blinked her eyes.

nContrary to the public opinion in the duke’s mansion, which assumed the godmother would condemn Sierra, she was just the second Cassius Idios in Sierra’s eyes.

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