She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 24

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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 24. Evan Becomes a Hays (1)

“Stop right there!”

An urgent voice rang out behind Rainer as he walked leisurely through the palace corridor.

Rainer obediently stopped and turned to look at her.

Elise ran up to him, forgetting all dignity, breathing heavily.

“Dowager Duchess, have you forgotten how to walk with dignity? At your age, if you fall while running like that, it would be terrible. Though I’d prefer that, of course.”

“You…!”

Elise gritted her teeth at his sharp words.

But now was not the time to point out Rainer’s insolent attitude.

“Is it true that my grandson is Evan Machi? How could you know that and yet so cleverly—!”

“I didn’t hide it, I simply had no obligation to inform you.”

“Ha, obligation?”

Elise gritted her teeth at Rainer’s nonchalant attitude.

“That child is my grandson! The true heir of Hays! Different from the likes of you!”

Rainer let out a sneer at Elise’s words.

When was it that she said she couldn’t acknowledge a child with a maid and drove him away?

Now she was using Evan to assert her rights, which was laughable.

Elise breathed roughly, not even thinking to fix her disheveled hair.

Was this the dignity of high nobility she always boasted about?

“I’m going to find that child right now. I’ll take him to the Hays Estate and care for him directly—”

“No.”

Rainer raised his hand to stop Elise, who seemed ready to find Evan immediately.

It was entirely predictable that Elise would act this way.

“I cannot show him to you now. He’s still far too lacking to be presented to the noble Dowager Duchess.”

“Ha! Who’s going to stop me from seeing my own grandson!”

“Before he’s the Dowager Duchess’s grandson, he’s my son.”

“I’ll go back to His Majesty right now and… what?”

Elise stopped dead in her tracks.

Speechless, she turned to look at Rainer with a shocked expression.

“What… what did you say?”

“Seeing your dumbfounded face, your hearing seems to be intact.”

Rainer approached Elise closely with a sneer.

“Yes, I’m going to adopt Evan Machi as my son. My wife is already preparing the procedures.”

Rainer smiled triumphantly.

“I’ll educate him well until he’s ready to be presented before the Dowager Duchess. Until then, stay quietly at the estate and wait.”

“Ha…”

“Shall I send some yarn to the estate so you won’t be bored? So you can knit a scarf for your grandson.”

Rainer patted Elise’s shoulder with one hand and walked past leisurely.

Elise’s whole body trembled.

She whirled around, about to shout.

“You—!”

“Ah, Dowager Duchess.”

But at that moment, Crown Prince Nicholas appeared.

He approached Elise with an oblivious bright smile.

“I was trying to offer congratulations, but you left in such a hurry.”

“Ah, Y-Your Highness…”

“In any case, it’s good news that you found your grandson. How heartbroken the Dowager Duchess must have been after Brother Gilbert passed away like that.”

“…Thank you for your consideration.”

The Crown Prince held onto Elise under the pretext of congratulations and continued talking for a while.

Since he was the Crown Prince, Elise couldn’t readily shake him off either.

She could only glance anxiously toward the end of the dark corridor.

Rainer had already disappeared into that darkness.

* * *

“E-Evan, sir!”

The next day, in Evan’s office.

The door burst open and Thomas rushed in with a pale face.

Evan frowned.

“Why are you making a fuss again? My head feels like it’s about to explode already.”

“Q-quickly come out and see! Something really big happened!”

“What damn thing is it this time?”

Evan cursed and shot up from his seat.

“Which noble bastard wants to break a contract? Or did some journalist come to nitpick again?”

He headed toward the door, fuming.

This time, whoever the opponent was, he was prepared to charge at them recklessly.

That’s how frustrated he felt.

But what awaited him was neither a noble nor a journalist.

“Wh-what is this…?”

Evan’s jaw dropped at the sight of the luxurious carriage parked in front of the building.

The black carriage with intricate patterns carved into it had even its door handles made of pure gold.

Though he had dealt with many nobles, this was the first time he’d seen such a carriage.

Passersby were also staring at the carriage with wide eyes.

That wasn’t the only surprising thing.

“Evan, sir. Please come this way.”

A servant dressed in lower nobility attire got out of the carriage and bowed respectfully to Evan, a commoner.

Evan could only blink at this extremely courteous treatment he was receiving for the first time in his life.

“I will escort you to the Duke’s Mansion. Please get in.”

“…”

“Evan, sir?”

“Yes? Wh-what?”

Evan, who had been staring at the carriage in a daze, belatedly came to his senses.

He discreetly wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.

“Wh-what is all this?”

Evan asked sharply, putting on an act.

Though it was treatment impressive enough to make his eyes go wide, he couldn’t just grin foolishly.

“Shouldn’t you explain where you’re from and why first?”

“Ah, my apologies. You haven’t heard the news yet.”

Though Evan raised his voice and questioned him accusingly, the servant wasn’t flustered at all.

He simply bowed his head and respectfully handed over today’s extra edition newspaper with both hands.

Evan took it with suspicious eyes.

A large headline on the first page caught his attention.

“「Shocking Announcement! Duke of Hays: ‘Evan Machi, hidden son of the late Duke… will be accepted into the family.’」”

“…Wh-what is this?”

Evan rubbed his eyes in disbelief and read it again.

What was written there was definitely his own name.

His mind went blank.

“I’m… the son of the Late Duke of Hays?”

“Yes, Evan, sir. The Duke will explain the details himself.”

The servant opened the carriage door and bowed.

What was all this about?

Evan walked toward the carriage with a bewildered expression.

Evan staggered into the carriage and buried himself in the plush seat.

As the carriage departed, he stared blankly out the window before suddenly raising his hand to pinch his cheek.

“Ow! Wow, this is real?”

His cheek stung from pinching harder than intended.

But that pain confirmed this was truly reality.

‘I’m a noble? And of ducal blood at that?’

His heart began beating wildly.

The Hays Ducal House was the highest nobility in the Ristea Empire.

Even the countless haughty nobles of Brisen bowed their heads before Hays.

And he had become that very Hays.

“Ha… haha… hahahahahaha!”

Evan began laughing like a madman.

His life had been one of endless disrespect due to his status.

At the orphanage, he received pity from nobles, and at the academy, he always had to stand behind them.

Even in business, hadn’t he scraped by day after day, bowing and flattering nobles?

And now, such fortune had come to him.

“Right… there really is no law saying I should die.”

Evan twisted his lips into a crooked, vile smile.

“Those noble bastards who looked down on me all this time, I’ll crush them all.”

He clenched his fist, recalling the names of nobles who had cut ties with him.

‘Look at this! I’m the heir to a ducal house! How dare they look down on me!’

Evan giggled as he swung his palm through the air.

Imagining slapping the faces of servile nobles felt refreshing.

Thinking about it, the ducal house quietly covering up the velvet tea incident was surely all for his sake.

Evan became conceited, thinking he was now an important figure in the Hays family.

“I’ll make all those bastards who insulted me crawl on their knees on the ground. I’ll have them bang their foreheads and beg for forgiveness. If their daughters are pretty enough… well, I might show some mercy.”

Evan clasped his hands behind his head and grinned wickedly.

All this fortune felt like a reward bestowed upon him for living so diligently.

* * *

The carriage soon arrived at the Hays Estate Annex.

“Lord Evan, you may stay here for the time being. We’ve prepared everything so you can adapt comfortably.”

“Mm, y-yes…”

When the servant opened the door, Evan briefly hunched his shoulders before straightening his head and swaggering as he stepped down from the carriage.

“More importantly, where can I meet my uncle…?”

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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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