Newlywed Life Begins with a Mistake - Chapter 39
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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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Chapter 39
“I’m sorry, Dowager! Rose was flustered and said something strange! She misspoke!”
Mary quickly stepped in to cover for Rose’s slip of the tongue.
But despite her words, her body was rigid as if the truth had been exposed.
As Mary, unable to hide her anxiety, stepped back with Rose, Christina approached with a crooked smile.
“There’s no need to be so guarded. After all, it concerns my son.”
Christina, who had vaguely caught on, spoke in a whisper as sweet as candy. But the two maids wouldn’t open their mouths at all.
‘I thought they’d obediently tell me everything I asked, but they seem to have some sense after all.’
“Even if you don’t tell me, I’ll find out eventually. So hurry up and…”
“Have you arrived, my lady!”
Before Christina’s pressure could intensify, Sophia appeared.
She must have rushed over, as her neatly tied hair was slightly disheveled.
“You may go now.”
“Yes, Dowager!”
Christina clicked her tongue and dismissed them, and Mary and Rose retreated as if fleeing.
“I almost had them hooked.”
“First, please rest from your journey, my lady. Or rather, I should call you Dowager now.”
As Sophia drew the line, Christina showed a disappointed expression.
“There’s no need for that between us. Call me ‘my lady’ like before.”
“I cannot do that. It’s already presumptuous enough to serve someone of such high status, let alone lower the title.”
“Sophia, you’ve become stiff while I was away. You’re Casian’s person now, aren’t you? If I had known this would happen, I would have taken you with me when I went for treatment…”
After expressing her regret, Christina reluctantly returned to her room after chatting with Sophia.
“I’ve prepared your bath water.”
The maid who had followed along arranged the dress and bowed her head.
Christina nodded and moved to the window.
“Yes. Let me have some tea first.”
Christina ordered her favorite snacks and black tea, then leisurely savored her tea while gazing at the scenery beyond the window.
“How was it?”
As she finished a cup of tea while admiring the lush green scenery, the maid asked while refilling her teacup.
“I haven’t met her yet.”
Christina answered briefly and frowned.
She had returned to the Duke’s Mansion out of curiosity from Daisy’s letter, but she couldn’t see the person presumed to be Casian’s woman at all.
“He must cherish her quite a bit. Seeing how thoroughly he’s hidden her.”
Still, it wasn’t entirely without gain.
For a brief moment, complex emotions had flickered across Casian’s face.
Her son, who was usually indifferent to everything, had shown a particularly sharp reaction.
Though he was still cold as usual, she had seen raw emotions in him that were different from normal.
“Let’s call it a day for now.”
She was pleased to discover this new side of her son, but since there was still time left, she figured she could investigate slowly.
“What shall we do about Baroness Muet?”
“Ah, there was that too? Where is Baroness Muet now?”
“She’s imprisoned in the underground prison. They say Count Muet’s family was involved in the Pican fire incident.”
“Oh my, what should we do about this.”
She was the child who had provided entertainment.
Christina, holding her teacup, pondered for a moment before finally reaching a conclusion.
“Release Baroness Muet.”
* * *
“What? Baroness Muet has been released?”
My mouth fell open at this shocking news.
Marco, who had been working as a spy, had clearly provided evidence that it was definitely Count Muet’s family’s doing, so how could this be?
“We decided to release Baroness Muet on the condition that she remains under house arrest at the Marquis’ Mansion. Count Muet and the others are still imprisoned.”
They said Daisy had been released.
I looked at Casian, wondering if I had heard wrong, but nothing changed.
“There were circumstances.”
He answered briefly and kept his words to a minimum.
“Honey, you’re not sick, are you?”
“I’m fine.”
When I placed my hand on Casian’s forehead, he had no fever.
But it was strange.
[My lady, please pack your things quickly. We’re going to the villa right now.]
Suddenly suggesting we go on a vacation.
[I heard there’s a new restaurant that recently opened in the shopping district. They say the desserts are delicious, so let’s eat there.]
Every mealtime, he’d suggest going out to eat, claiming he’d found a good restaurant.
[It’s still bright outside, shall we stay a bit longer? We could take a walk to help with digestion.]
He kept subtly interlocking our fingers and leading me outside, constantly taking me out.
Even when I said I had to go to meetings to prepare for the banquet.
[There’s no need to hold meetings face-to-face, right? Isn’t that so, everyone?]
[That’s right! It’s actually better to communicate without seeing each other!]
[Absolutely correct, Your Grace! Appetizers, salad, and alligator pie for dessert. If we’ve decided this much, isn’t that everything!]
Casian pressured his retainers and interfered.
Having intimate dates was nice, but shouldn’t solving the Pican fire incident come first?
Being too busy to even see my mother-in-law was a bit…
‘Wait! Come to think of it, when do I meet Mother?’
“Honey! What about Mother? We haven’t even shared a single meal together! What do I do! I completely forgot! I must be crazy!”
As I buried my head in Casian’s shoulder and blamed myself, he gently stroked my back and answered calmly.
“…It’s fine. She’d probably be more comfortable not seeing you.”
“What?”
At his puzzling answer, I raised my head to find Casian subtly avoiding my gaze.
“I’ll explain everything later.”
He clearly seemed to be avoiding the topic.
‘Could it be…’
Are they an awkward mother and son?
He seemed uncomfortable when I mentioned his mother.
A typical romance novel heroine would have played the role of a bridge to improve their relationship.
“Alright. Let’s do that.”
But I won’t do that!
Their relationship is something they need to resolve between themselves. Why would I interfere?
‘Still, I should at least pay my respects, right?’
I felt I should maintain minimum courtesy.
Whether my mother-in-law was harsh or kind, she was still my elder.
* * *
The next day, morning.
Unlike usual, I woke up early and dressed in a proper dress, intending to pay my respects.
But as soon as I asked about Mother’s quarters, Sophia and Sebastian strongly opposed.
“Not now!”
“Please go later, Madam!”
Was this really something to oppose so strongly?
“The Dowager loves sleeping in!”
“She gives terrible punishment to those who wake her from her sleep!”
Ah, then I should go later.
“I understand. Where are her quarters? I’ll visit in the afternoon…”
“She said not to visit first! Not until she calls for you directly!”
“What? Mother said that?”
Why? Could it be because she doesn’t like me?
Whether it was territorial behavior or cold treatment, the fact that she didn’t view me favorably had been conveyed through Sophia’s words.
So that’s why Casian kept taking me outside?
I thought it was strange how he’d been acting so uncharacteristically these past few days…
“He was worried about me being treated coldly!”
“Pardon?”
“What are you saying now…”
“…Our honey must have suffered a lot being caught in the middle.”
How much he must have suffered between Mother and me!
Now I finally understood his puzzling behavior that had been frustrating me.
I sent away Sophia and Sebastian, who looked uncomfortable, and headed to the shopping district under the pretense of buying desserts.
“Shopkeeper! One scroll please!”
“Just a moment, customer!”
Originally I should have gone to the cake shop I had my eye on, but I stopped by a scroll specialty store.
“You can specify the destination, right?”
“Of course. The price varies by location, so where are you going?”
After mentioning the destination, I confirmed the scroll was fine before throwing down a large sum of money.
Then after returning to the Duke’s Mansion, I immediately went to find Casian.
“Honey, want to go to the North?”
“What? The North?”
As if my words came out of nowhere, Casian’s hand reviewing documents suddenly stopped.
“If Mother was uncomfortable, you should have told me earlier! Let’s go to the North together this time.”
“It’s fine. I do have work remaining, but distant places—”
“All the urgent work was finished yesterday. The trivial matters can be left to the assistants.”
“What kind of talk is that, my lady!”
“We just barely finished our work, and now more work again!”
I could hear the assistants’ complaints from behind me, but I steadfastly looked at Casian.
To persuade him, I brought out what I had ambitiously prepared.
“There’s no need to decline, darling. Think of it as taking a vacation while you’re at it, and go see my family. If you’re worried about the distance, I’ll tear the scroll right now.”
It was a northbound scroll to the Seldian Duchy.
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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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