I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 53

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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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#.53

04. The General’s Daughters

Monday morning, the Rose Knights began their week with sweat and battle cries.

Leopold, who had served as a sparring partner for the knights’ swordsmanship, shook his head after defeating all his subordinates.

Though he had no intention of starting a war, he couldn’t tolerate those who were supposed to protect the country in times of crisis being this weak.

“Get up. You need more practice.”

“C-Captain. Just ten minutes. No, five minutes! Th-three minutes!”

Not just one or two, but more than half the knight order pleaded with dying voices.

Leopold sighed and lowered his sword.

“Exactly ten minutes.”

“We’re saved!”

The knights immediately collapsed where they stood and gasped for breath.

Leopold sat down heavily among the knights and handed them water.

Knight Louis, who had quenched his thirst, spoke up.

“By the way, Captain. Are you still dating Her Majesty the Empress’s younger sister?”

Since the two met at the Imperial Palace, they often encountered the knights.

However, since he didn’t explain in detail that they had briefly dated, the knights only thought Leopold had gone on a few dates with Regina.

Even if Leopold liked her, their current relationship was nothing more than friends.

So he shook his head.

“No. Why do you ask?”

“That’s a relief. She has a bad reputation.”

“What kind of rumors are going around?”

“Well, that is…”

Louis carefully opened his mouth.

“They say her ability is to control people. When you make eye contact, she steals your heart and leaves you completely entranced. That’s why she goes around meeting this man and that man…”

“That’s nonsense.”

Leopold spoke curtly, frowning at the ridiculous false rumor.

“But they say Patrick Doonan and Jonas Hapan fell victim to it. They had no feelings at all, but the moment they made eye contact, they found themselves asking her on dates without realizing it.”

“Did those two really say that?”

“Hans Obitz did. Hans is close with both of them. He spent the entire weekend helping Patrick and Jonas come to their senses, and it completely drained him.”

Regina wasn’t that kind of person.

To her, her ability wasn’t a tool for seducing others, but a wound she wanted to hide.

Leopold suppressed the sigh that was about to escape.

“Hans Obitz is a nasty fellow. Are you believing what a guy like that says?”

“Not exactly, but having such a terrifying ability means it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. Just in case she might use her ability on you, Captain, please be careful.”

If he defended Regina here, he’d surely be told that he’d been thoroughly enchanted by her ability.

If that happened, sharp arrows of criticism would ultimately be directed at her.

Though he wanted to immediately find Hans Obitz and smash him to pieces, he had to endure for now.

‘I hope Regina doesn’t get hurt by this…’

Seeing how Hans Obitz’s rumors were gaining traction, it seemed the checks against the foreign empress were beginning in earnest.

The Imperial Palace would likely be noisy for a while.

* * *

While Leopold’s heart was heavy with false rumors, Regina was attending Edith’s first tea party, helping her sister.

“I was curious about what kind of food Her Majesty’s country eats, and I’m tasting it today! It’s not as bad as I thought!”

“Oh my, these cookies have cinnamon in them! Did Trobancha have cinnamon too? Looking closely, I can taste sugar too! How fascinating!”

Regina struggled to keep her smile from becoming distorted.

Earlier they asked if Trobancha had wine, and now they were treating it like a country without cinnamon or sugar.

If it were Emilia, she would have shown her discomfort and gotten angry, but Regina didn’t.

She didn’t want to create controversy at her sister’s first tea party.

However, she couldn’t just stand by and watch Trobancha and her sister being disrespected.

“Oh my. I’ll pack some cookies and wine for you to take home. These are common foods in Trobancha, so I didn’t know they were luxury items in the Empire.”

The nuance was that being surprised by such common food made them seem like country bumpkins.

When the ladies blushed and coughed awkwardly, Viscountess Greslly stepped forward.

Unlike her husband who followed Duke Berg’s orders, Viscountess Greslly was practically the queen of high society.

Though her family background wasn’t particularly good, the reason the viscountess became the center of high society was due to her special talent.

“I’ll gratefully accept just your words. But how old are you this year, Miss Regina?”

“I’m twenty-one.”

“Oh my, that’s perfect!”

“Pardon?”

“It’s the perfect age for marriage!”

That was precisely it – Viscountess Greslly was skilled at matchmaking.

Thanks to her natural sociability that allowed her to know all the major and minor affairs of various families, she was good at pairing up men and women of marriageable age.

There were quite a few cases that started with casual meetings and led to marriage, so parents hoping for their children to meet good partners often sought her connections.

“If you came all the way here with Her Majesty, you must be planning to settle down in the Empire, right?”

“Pardon?”

“Why wouldn’t you? Since you’ve come to the Empire, meeting a good man here and getting married would be the best choice for your sister too. Right, Miss Regina?”

While Regina was flustered, Viscountess Greslly exchanged glances with the other ladies.

Viscountess Greslly planned to use Regina to completely deflate the foreign empress’s spirit.

Every time she had to bow and greet that barbarian from nowhere, it dealt a huge blow to her pride.

The proud Imperial nobles had no intention of watching the foreign empress act high and mighty.

‘Though His Majesty is frightening, he’s not interested in social affairs.’

Marius only cared about consolidating imperial power and running state affairs.

That’s why he didn’t even notice the courtiers treating Edgar rudely.

Though he recently gave the empress the authority to appoint and punish courtiers, this was to accommodate the foreign Edith, with no other meaning.

‘He’s not someone who would just stand by and watch foreigners exercise power in the Empire.’

Since the empress wouldn’t know much about the Empire, if they coordinated properly with the ladies, they could completely crush the sisters’ spirits.

“I have no intention of marrying yet.”

“Good heavens! Miss Regina, what on earth are you saying! Trobancha might be fine since it has no social order, but in the Empire, if a woman doesn’t marry until late, people talk behind her back. They think there’s something wrong with her.”

“Ah.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take special care of you. Just trust me and you can live in the Empire without any gossip.”

Viscountess Greslly gently waved her fan.

The Berchio sisters were just beginning to adapt to this foreign country.

So if she first threatened them cleverly and then extended her hand, they’d have no choice but to follow her, if only out of anxiety.

Once they took her hand, a natural hierarchy would form.

“Miss Regina. Just by listening well to Viscountess Greslly’s words, you’ll be able to meet men you couldn’t meet before.”

Edith’s eyes narrowed.

The implication was that due to her low status, she probably couldn’t meet decent men.

When Edith was about to step forward, Regina grabbed her hand under the table to stop her.

It meant not to cause a commotion from the very first day she was taking her first steps as empress.

When Edith stayed quiet, the other ladies excitedly chattered more.

“That’s right. Just leave it to Viscountess Greslly. Oh, unless you’re already dating someone separately…”

“Dating? Are you saying I’m currently dating someone?”

When the ladies deliberately changed the topic, Regina tilted her head as if she couldn’t understand.

Then Viscountess Greslly pretended to scold the ladies who had brought up the topic.

“Everyone, watch your words. Trobancha has a different culture from ours. So we need to understand. There, playing the field might be perfectly normal!”

Then she raised her voice to emphasize it as if Regina was playing the field.

As proof of this, the ladies who were hearing the term “two-timing” for the first time gasped in surprise.

Regina’s eyelids trembled.

Viscountess Greslly tensed her lips, trying to suppress the corners of her mouth from rising.

Edith decided to wait and see how the situation unfolded, just as Regina had advised her moments before.

“Lady Regina. You’re well aware that Trobancha and the Empire have very different cultures. Actually, in the Empire, whether you’re a man or woman, seeing multiple people at the same time is considered extremely rude. That’s why such rumors have emerged, so please keep that in mind.”

“Are you saying I have men I’m dating? Such rumors are going around?”

“Well… Lady Regina. That is just a rumor, right?”

“Since I’m the person involved, please tell me. How did these rumors start?”

Viscountess Greslly bit her lips tightly as if it was difficult to speak about.

It was quite theatrical, but Regina didn’t mind.

However, her face had turned pale, making her look exactly like a frightened lamb.

“I heard you’re dating several young nobles. That’s why some of them even dueled over you…”

“Do you know their names as well?”

“Lady Regina. You don’t look well. Don’t worry about it. I misspoke.”

At Regina’s anxious voice, Viscountess Greslly inwardly cheered with delight.

Regina looked ready to burst into tears at any moment.

When her younger sister was in distress, the Empress would have to humble herself before her for her sister’s sake.

Then Viscountess Greslly would be able to continue wielding her influence in high society.

At her gesture, facts become rumors, and baseless rumors disappear without a trace.

Edith, who had clearly grasped Viscountess Greslly’s intentions, suppressed a sneer.

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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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