I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 156

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#.156

“Lilliana.”

Regina must have heard the carriage wheels, as she had come out to the front door to greet them.

Lilliana, who jumped out of the carriage faster than anyone else, fled into the ducal residence as if escaping.

“Regina. It’s been a while.”

“A while? We saw each other just last week.”

She replied to Marius more coldly than usual, then turned to Edgar with a bright smile and greeted him.

“Edgar. You must have had a hard time with those troublemakers.”

“Not at all. More importantly, are Emilia and Francois doing well?”

“Both of them are healthy.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Rather than standing here talking, let’s go inside. I can at least offer Edgar and me a cup of tea.”

“Not today.”

Though she was from Trowance and thus more free-spirited compared to Empire citizens, she had lived in the Empire for 10 years.

The reason Regina came out to greet them personally as the duchess was to hide Edith from Marius.

Moreover, since Emilia had warned her about what would happen to me, Regina couldn’t let Andrea stay at a hotel with a 5-year-old child.

“There really isn’t anything wrong, is there?”

“My sister came. That’s why.”

In truth, Edith was in military training, but since she didn’t think Marius would know the detailed schedule, she made up an excuse.

Regina looked up at Marius with a slightly sulky expression.

Though it was a contract marriage, her sister Edith had quite liked Marius.

Being a foreigner in a strange land, she had unknowingly relied on him, and their opposite personalities seemed to make her feel more attracted to him.

Marius also liked her sister, so she thought they would get along well, but then he suddenly declared divorce.

‘The fact that he still won’t tell me the reason means it must be something very serious.’

Since Marius didn’t try to hold onto Edith and readily agreed to the divorce, the fault must clearly lie with him.

How hurt must she have been to hide it even from her own sister until her nephew turned 5?

‘I understand she was worried about news reaching the Empire, but…’

Setting aside her disappointment in her sister, she was furious at Marius and felt her insides boiling with anger.

“I’m really curious – what exactly did you do wrong to our sister?”

“Huh, what? Did Edith badmouth me or something?”

“Our sister isn’t that kind of person. I’m just angry on my own.”

Regina approached Marius with a cold expression, her arms crossed.

Marius, who had been looking gloomy, instinctively stepped back when he met her flashing eyes.

Meanwhile, Edgar heard a faint sound coming from one side of the estate wall.

‘What’s that?’

While Regina was cornering Marius, Edgar went toward the direction of the sound.

Tap. Tap tap tap. Tap tap.

It was the sound of fingernail-sized stones flying from beyond the wall and hitting it.

‘It’s the twins.’

He had told them so many times never to play such pranks.

Edgar glanced at Regina.

For some reason, she seemed reluctant to let him enter the ducal residence, but it should be fine if he just scolded them briefly and came back.

In situations like this, giving immediate warnings was also good for behavioral correction.

Edgar quickly climbed over the wall and went inside. As soon as he landed lightly on the ground, he saw small shoes right next to him.

“Yanma. Filippo, Yosiyas. I clearly told you…”

Edgar, who was getting up while holding his small head, couldn’t continue his words when he saw the child.

Much shorter than the twins, with an even smaller head. And a face that looked exactly like young Marius.

“Th-this is…”

Brilliant golden hair, blue eyes, even the shape of the eyebrows. He looked remarkably similar to Marius.

While Edgar’s mind went blank from shock, Filippo came running from the other side of the garden.

“Edith. You were here? You can’t disappear in the middle of hide-and-seek.”

“Edith? Filippo. Is this child’s name Edith?”

“Uh-huh. He came to our house a few days ago.”

Edgar’s eyebrows twitched for a moment as he immediately grasped the situation. And he finished all his calculations.

The Berchio family was hiding this child, and if he didn’t step forward now, his brother might live his entire life without knowing of his son’s existence.

Whoosh. Edgar took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his voice.

“Brother! Marius, brother! Come inside quickly!”

“Hey! Marius von Zemelhofen—!”

Marius leaped over the gate before Regina could stop him.

His cousin, who had caught up to his brothers in both height and build, rarely raised his voice.

For such a kid to be shouting while even calling his name meant something big had definitely happened.

He even considered the possibility that dark mages might be positioned in the ducal residence and placed his hand on his sword hilt.

“What’s the matter that you’re calling my name without permission?”

Edgar was standing with his back turned in the garden near the gate.

“Hello!”

“Oh, hello Filippo.”

Marius waved at Filippo and grabbed Edgar’s shoulder to turn him around.

Edgar fidgeted and gestured downward with his eyes. Following his gaze to where he was looking.

“Brother. You had a son.”

At that moment, Marius had the most dumbfounded expression Edgar had ever seen in his life.

* * *

Edith had entered military training, making contact difficult for the time being.

Thanks to this, Andrea ended up dealing with Marius instead of Edith.

“Why don’t you explain.”

He tried his best to calm his excitement, but couldn’t hide his face that had gone pale with surprise.

When no answer came from Andrea, he asked again in a trembling voice.

“If we hadn’t been discovered like this today, when were you planning to reveal this to me?”

“Around when he comes of age.”

“Ha.”

Marius let out a scoff and ran his hands through his hair to calm down.

Even after drinking water, taking deep breaths, and pressing his forehead firmly, the shock wouldn’t subside.

“So you actively participated in hunting down the Order, then suddenly returned to Trowance because of the child. Without telling me, his father, anything.”

“That was what was best for Edith.”

“This isn’t just anything else – it’s about a child! A child! No matter how much you hated me, you should have told me!”

Bang! A harsh sound rang out as he slammed the table. Andrea, sitting with his legs crossed, closed his eyelids.

“I’m the father, yet I didn’t even know I had a child! What about the child!”

“If you had known? Six years ago, if you had known of your son’s existence, what would you have done?”

“Of course I would have taken responsibility. How can you even ask that?”

“Right. You’re the guilty spouse, but Edith is the one who suffered to give birth. Edith would have had her child taken away just like that. You’re the Emperor, and divorced Edith is a citizen of Trowance.”

Unlike the excited Marius, Andrea responded calmly enough to seem cold.

“She wanted to raise him in a free atmosphere rather than an environment where he’d learn responsibility and duty before developing his own identity. I also thought that was right.”

“Inheriting the Empire is a right only my son can have.”

“Growing up with his mother is also Edith’s right.”

“Edith?”

“Eduard Berchio.”

Veins stood out on Marius’s hands as he gripped the edge of the table.

Marius let go of the table and hastily gulped down water. The hand holding the glass trembled finely.

“Eduard… that child doesn’t even know I exist.”

“I was planning to tell him at least when he’s as grown up as Lilliana, old enough to judge and choose for himself.”

“So the whole family banded together and kept it secret? Ha. Haha. You’ve made me out to be a complete fool.”

“Regina and Leopold did nothing wrong. They only learned of Edith’s existence yesterday.”

Marius couldn’t overcome his surging anger and grabbed Andrea by the collar.

“I know my sins are great. You can hate me, you can punish me! But this is a different matter! You should have approached this differently!”

His jaw trembled so much that his teeth chattered together.

Beyond anger, his head went blank, yet his reason, honed by years in politics, calculated the flow and gains and losses of the current situation even in this moment.

He too had to kill his brothers for the throne. Hadn’t that past remained as a wound, causing him to misunderstand Edgar for so long?

Knowing that fact, Edith would have wanted to raise the child in Trobancha, not the Empire.

“I need to… talk with Edith.”

He released his grip on the collar and dropped his head.

Apart from his resentful feelings, he couldn’t help but understand Edith. And he thought.

‘If I… if I hadn’t committed such wrongs…’

Would things have been different if they hadn’t been in the midst of divorce proceedings?

Even now, the past held him back.

The thought that he might have ruined everything made him want to tear himself apart.

“I want to see the child, Eduard, just once.”

“Another day. Meeting in your current state would only confuse both you and Edith.”

“But—”

“Go cool your head first. That would be best. Edith seemed startled by your sudden appearance too.”

Andrea’s words weren’t wrong.

Marius briefly rubbed his face dry and let out a rough breath.

His mind was filled with the face of the wide-eyed young child.

Only today did he learn that extreme shock could make one’s entire body tingle.

“I’ll go speak with Edith directly myself.”

“Alright.”

He weakly got up and shuffled out of the manor.

Edgar hurriedly followed him.

“Brother.”

“Edgar. Please stay here for a while.”

Having hidden the child for so long, they might suddenly take him to Trobancha one day.

If that happened, the possibility of seeing the child again would become slim.

Since he couldn’t forcibly take Eduard from Edith, Marius was asking him to watch over the Berchio family.

Edgar quickly grasped his intention.

“Don’t worry, and go meet Leo first when you get to the palace. Leo will be able to help you.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

After giving Edgar a light farewell, he hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

“Thank you for calling me quickly earlier.”

“I got my quick thinking from you, after all.”

Though they resembled each other in their brilliant blonde hair and clear, striking features, Edgar’s light smile meant to lighten the mood made them look exactly like father and son.

Marius thought it was fortunate to have Edgar with him at times like this.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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