I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 49

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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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#.49

As the sun set and night deepened, Edith entered the bedroom and found Marius reading a book upside down, causing her to narrow her eyes.

Even when acting carelessly, he was a man who was quicker at calculations than anyone and had a heart as cold as ice.

For such a man to be so lost in thought that he didn’t notice his book was upside down was not a common occurrence.

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, ah. Well…”

His nonchalant shoulder shrug was quite clumsy.

He wasn’t this sloppy in front of the nobles.

“What would you do if Lilliana grew up and stabbed a dagger into your heart?”

“Pardon?”

“She might try to take your life or disappoint you by doing something unreasonable. Would you still be able to love Lilliana like you do now?”

“That’s a strange question all of a sudden.”

“You might come to regret loving your sister in the past, right? Children and siblings are different after all.”

“I won’t regret it. People think I’m playing the role of Lilliana’s mother, but they’re wrong. By taking responsibility for Lilliana, I’m experiencing happiness that others haven’t.”

“…”

Seeing Marius’s darkened face, Edith continued her explanation.

“Because I love her, I can handle whatever happens.”

“You’re mature.”

Marius rubbed his chin with his long fingers.

I should have had that kind of affection too.

Marius knew well how selfish and self-centered he was.

Because he was such a person, he couldn’t understand Edgar’s heart, which led to this situation.

With a heavy heart, Marius asked Edith.

“Have you ever fought with Lilliana?”

“Of course.”

“Really? It didn’t seem that way.”

“Don’t even mention it. We fought over snacks just recently. She wouldn’t take her medicine and only wanted to eat sweets, I was so angry for a moment.”

“Not that kind of thing, but a fight serious enough to make things awkward for a long time?”

“Do you want to make up with Edgar?”

Since they shared the same room and lived in the same palace, she couldn’t help but notice that Edgar was unilaterally avoiding Marius.

“I don’t know how to make up with him.”

“Why did you fight?”

“We didn’t fight… I was the one who did wrong unilaterally.”

Since Marius had returned through time, he still carried the wound of raising Edgar until he was fifteen only to be betrayed.

But Edgar was different.

From Edgar’s perspective, his brother who had been getting along well with him suddenly distanced himself one day, which must have hurt him greatly.

“Haah.”

He let out an uncharacteristically heavy sigh and roughly rubbed his face with his palms.

While he was skilled at light pranks, Edgar wasn’t a child who would respond to jokes like Lilliana.

He didn’t know how to openly and honestly confess his feelings.

Having lived his entire life without properly bowing to anyone, he didn’t know how to apologize either.

So he couldn’t gauge how to earn Edgar’s forgiveness.

‘If it were Lilliana, I could deliberately play pranks until her anger subsided.’

Edgar was a more mature and sensitive child than his peers.

So if he tried to resolve the situation half-heartedly, he might cross a river of no return.

To him who didn’t know what to do, Edith approached.

“You can make up, so don’t worry.”

“…Can it be undone?”

“It’s possible. I…”

Edith bit her lower lip tightly.

Unable to reveal her past, she closed her eyes tightly and changed the subject.

“I wasn’t close with Lilliana from the beginning either. So it’s possible.”

At least you didn’t try to abandon Lilliana like I did, so it’ll be fine.

But since those were words swallowed internally, no one but Edith heard her confession.

* * *

“It’s already been a month since the wedding. That woman is gradually taking control of the Imperial Palace, and you’re just going to watch? The Empress’ Scholarship Foundation is also running quite smoothly.”

Count Ruman anxiously scratched his nails.

Even though less than a month had passed since Edith’s wedding, she was quickly establishing her position.

The experienced leadership and charisma she had built up in Trowance were shining through.

Because of this, the servants working in the Imperial Palace could no longer treat Edith carelessly.

They no longer gossiped behind her back or mocked the Berchio sisters and the foreign Empress like before.

But the nobles were different.

With their status and inherent power, they couldn’t readily accept Edith.

“We need some kind of method.”

Duke Berg nodded at Baron Gresli’s words.

“Though they held the ceremony, since she hasn’t properly established herself yet, there’s still time.”

“I still don’t understand why His Majesty chose such a woman. Moreover, look how she interfered with the soul oath. He’s clearly infatuated with that woman!”

“Count Ruman. Come to think of it, there’s something I’ve been curious about for a while.”

“What is it, Your Grace?”

“About Her Majesty the Empress. There’s only an 18-year age gap between her and her youngest sister who was supposedly a late child?”

“Pardon? Yes. That’s what I heard.”

“Lilliana, I think it was. There’s a 24-year gap between that child and Her Majesty’s brother… Isn’t that an incomprehensibly late child?”

“Even for a late child, it’s very late, which I thought was strange. But why do you ask…”

“Eighteen is an age where it wouldn’t be strange to have a child.”

Baron Gresli, sensing the malicious intent, agreed with Duke Berg.

“Proper verification should have been conducted. We were too gentlemanly, so we didn’t realize how vile these barbarians could become.”

What this meant was that Lilliana might be a child that Edith secretly had before marriage.

Others would have laughed at this scene as pure comedy, but they were serious.

Duke Berg was one of the most powerful nobles in the Capital City.

Count Ruman, who flaunted tremendous wealth, was Duke Berg’s reliable right hand, and Baron Gresli was the networking king and action leader of the capital.

Therefore, when the three conspired together, they became a large snowball that could easily devour any victim they targeted.

The last time with Edith’s soul oath would have gone their way if Marius hadn’t stepped in at the end to add ‘several conditions.’

“Baron Gresli. I hear your wife is quite popular in high society?”

Rumors that started with the secret conversations of wives would soon become accepted facts and create a stir in the world.

Thus, they would inevitably cause political problems.

They shared vile smiles and announced the beginning of discord.

* * *

“A soulmate refers to a soul’s partner. Someone more precious than a mega best friend, someone you love so much your heart overflows.”

“Huh, what?”

When I asked Edith what a soulmate was, I was greatly flustered by the answer I received.

I thought it meant someone you’d want to remain friends with even as a ghost, but this is serious.

Someone you love so much your heart overflows!

I made such a promise with Edgar?

“Lilliana. Do you have a soulmate?”

Edith asked while stroking my head.

I shook my head vigorously.

“N-no. There’s nothing like that.”

“It seems right though. If Liliana catches you lying, she’ll scold you terribly, won’t she?”

“It’s really not true!”

What should I do? I promised to only make a soulmate bond with Edgar.

That means I’d have to live as Edgar’s soul mate for life, but what if my real soulmate appears when I become an adult.

What if someone I love with all my heart asks me to form a soulmate bond, but I can’t because the spot is already taken…

“Our little sister-in-law is going to cry, she’s going to cry. Who exactly did you form a soulmate bond with? Can’t you tell your brother-in-law just a little?”

“No way. That’s too embarrassing— Hic. I told you it’s not true! I didn’t form any such thing!”

Marius, who had been quietly listening to my conversation with Edith, slyly asked.

I almost answered reflexively after thinking seriously, then glared at Marius.

“Gotcha!”

Marius pulled me over to sit next to him.

Feeling annoyed, I hit his thigh with my hands, chop chop.

Marius didn’t seem to feel any pain and giggled as he teased me.

“The youngest sister-in-law should just form a bean fist with her brother-in-law. Hahahaha.”

“You’re not my brother-in-law! You’re just mister!”

“You should call me brother-in-law. Lilliana.”

When Edith made a stern face, I unconsciously averted my gaze.

Marius’s eyes beside me curved mischievously.

“Come on. Repeat after me. Broth-er-in-law.”

“…”

“You have to repeat it. Broth-er-in-law.”

“Br, br, broth, broth… Puuuuuu.”

Hmph. I can’t do it. I can’t accept that this rascal married our Edith.

“Pupu is fine too.”

He grinned, showing his white teeth, and patted my head, telling me not to feel burdened.

I looked at the invitation that Edith had been folding.

“Who are you sending that to?”

“To noble ladies and young ladies. I’m going to hold a tea party.”

“Can I go too?”

“Children can’t. But I’ll invite Helene instead. This time you can eat sweets together and draw pictures and have fun.”

“Mm-hmm. Good.”

As I watched the process of melting sealing wax and stamping the seal, Edith asked me.

“Lilliana. Edith has a favor to ask of Lilliana. Can you do it?”

“A favor? What favor?”

Edith is asking me for a favor?

While I often whined asking her to buy me this or that, it was rare for Edith to ask favors, so my eyes widened.

“Your brother-in-law says he wants to have fun playing with Edgar and Lilliana. But Edgar doesn’t want to play with your brother-in-law, so can Lilliana persuade him?”

“Hmm… what would you play?”

“We’re going to see the circus.”

“Circus? Whoooooa!”

I quickly covered my gaping mouth.

Oh my! A circus!

My heart was pounding so hard I couldn’t contain it.

In Trobancha, I couldn’t go see the circus because I almost got hit by a carriage.

Finally, the opportunity is coming. But…

“If Edgar says he doesn’t want to, I won’t go.”

If Edgar says he doesn’t want to be with Marius, I have no intention of forcing him.

I don’t want to leave Edgar behind and go see the circus alone with Marius either.

Even though we bicker every day, we’re friends after all.

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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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