She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 67
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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 67. Fake Jewel (4)
“Stay still while I’m saving you. Wouldn’t it be better to be called senile than to be thrown into a mine at your age?”
“…!”
Elise froze at Rainer’s cold warning.
A bitter smile spread across his lips.
“Now, escort the Dowager Duchess away.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
At Rainer’s single word, the Imperial Palace servants all approached at once and grabbed Elise’s arms.
“Let go! Let go of me! This is all a conspiracy! A conspiracy!”
She screamed and struggled.
But no one listened.
Everyone just thought Elise had gone a bit mad, as Rainer had said.
The Dowager Duchess’s screams grew more distant.
With the sound of the door closing, a strange silence settled over the banquet hall.
People exchanged awkward glances.
To think such a thing would happen on the Crown Princess’s birthday of all days.
“Now, now.”
Then Nicholas clapped his hands together and smiled.
“How can the atmosphere be like this on the day my beloved wife was born?”
Nicholas joked around and affectionately took Mary’s hand.
He lightly kissed the back of his wife’s hand.
“I hope there will be no more unpleasant talk at a gathering for my wife, who is the Empire’s treasure.”
“Your Highness really… even in this situation.”
Mary lowered her head as if embarrassed.
But she didn’t seem to dislike her husband trying to smooth over the atmosphere.
The Imperial couple also quietly nodded their heads.
“Conductor! Play the music!”
As soon as the Crown Prince’s command fell, music began to flow through the banquet hall again.
The murmuring people also scattered one by one.
The servants and maids hurriedly cleaned up the messy floor.
As if nothing had happened, the banquet quickly returned to normal.
‘…It’s over now.’
Cecilia let out a small sigh.
She only then realized that she had been much more tense than she thought.
“Phew…”
A sigh flowed out along with the feeling of something loosening in her chest.
Then, she felt the warmth of someone quietly taking her hand from beside her.
When she turned to look, Rainer was looking down at her.
“Cecilia, shall we rest for a moment?”
“Yes, that sounds good.”
The two of them headed to the balcony together.
Cool night air brushed against their cheeks.
Cecilia placed her hands on the railing and caught her breath.
Her heart was slowly returning to its normal pace.
“Are you alright? You seem more shaken than you appear.”
“I’m fine. I guess I was a bit nervous since we were in front of the Imperial family.”
Cecilia nodded with a smile.
Suddenly, Rainer’s swollen cheek caught her eye.
It must be from when Elise hit him earlier.
“…Rainer.”
Cecilia carefully raised her hand and stroked his cheek.
Rainer obediently bent his waist and accepted her touch.
Cecilia’s eyes filled with sympathy at the heat transmitted through her palm.
“Why did you do that.”
She had expected Elise to react emotionally.
She had been prepared for that since she scratched the jewel.
But she hadn’t thought Rainer would take the hit for her.
“I started this, so it’s my responsibility to handle it.”
“No.”
Rainer took Cecilia’s hand and lowered it.
And held it firmly.
“There’s no reason you should have been hit. Cecilia.”
His thumb lightly stroked the back of Cecilia’s hand.
“I won’t let that happen.”
Cecilia’s lips parted slightly then closed again.
It would be foolish to stubbornly insist that she should have been hit.
But in front of those eyes, any argument seemed meaningless.
Everywhere his fingers brushed over the back of her hand felt like it was burning hot.
“A-anyway, I’m glad the jewel is safe. When I heard Evan had put this up as collateral, I was really shocked.”
Cecilia looked down at the box she had been holding, her face reddening.
And she held it out to Rainer.
“Anyway, I’ll return this to you. It’s yours.”
…More precisely, it would belong to your real wife.
Cecilia swallowed those last words.
“…”
Rainer looked down at the box for a moment.
To be honest, even at this moment, he had no interest in the tiara.
But if it was in his hands.
And if it should belong to his wife.
There was only one person who could have it.
“Cecilia.”
Rainer opened the box and called her name in a low voice.
The name of the person he wanted to be his one and only wife.
Slowly, very carefully, he took out the tiara.
“This is…”
Rainer placed the tiara on Cecilia’s head.
It was a touch without any hesitation.
“Yours.”
“…What?”
Cecilia blinked and looked up at Rainer.
Rainer looked down at her with gentle eyes.
At this moment, her eyes were shining more beautifully than peridot.
“Please continue to be my wife.”
“…Ah.”
Cecilia’s cheeks turned red.
She nodded her head.
‘Don’t get too excited. He must be talking about the contract.’
After all, she still had to be the Duchess for another two years.
It wouldn’t be strange for her to keep this tiara during that time.
“…I’ll do my best. As your wife.”
“Good.”
Rainer simply nodded with satisfaction.
He could guess what Cecilia’s words meant, but today he decided not to bring up the contract.
“I’ll also do my best as a husband.”
Rainer’s hand gently caressed Cecilia’s cheek.
The night air was still cold.
But the air surrounding the two of them was unusually warm and gentle.
* * *
Evan’s hard labor sentence was immediately executed.
He was sent to a mine on the outskirts of the capital Brisen.
Though it was near the capital where nobles were often assigned, the intensity of the work was by no means easy.
Evan had to continuously wield a pickaxe and mine ore without rest.
“Cough!”
He coughed roughly.
His hair was covered in dust, making it impossible to tell if it was brown or gray.
His work clothes were covered in dust and sweat.
There was no trace of the once arrogant young Duke of Hays to be found.
“Damn it, Rosena just went off all by herself.”
On the first day of hard labor, Rosena wailed and suffered all day long.
But the merciless guards showed her no mercy.
‘Hey! Aren’t you going to do it properly?’
‘Kyaah! It hurts!’
‘If you don’t do it right, you’ll get beaten more!’
‘I’ll do it! I just have to do it, right?’
After being whipped once.
Rosena moved as instructed without complaint.
Then, two weeks later.
As soon as Rosena’s sentence ended, she left the mine without looking back.
There was no trace of concern for her husband to be found.
“I really married the wrong person…”
“Hey! Don’t stop your hands!”
Behind the grumbling Evan came the stern voice of a guard.
The guard approached and roughly struck Evan’s back.
“Aren’t you going to get your head straight? If you don’t meet today’s quota, there’ll be no dinner!”
Snap.
The moment he heard those words, something broke inside Evan.
He was already exhausted from the harsh and grueling work.
His pride as a young duke was crumbling from being treated as an inferior by those around him.
And now a low-ranking soldier was ordering him around!
“Hey! Who do you think you’re bossing around right now?”
Unable to bear it any longer, Evan threw down his pickaxe.
“I’m the heir to the Hays Ducal House! Even though I’m here now! In just six weeks I’ll be going back!”
“Ha, isn’t this guy completely crazy?”
The guard snorted.
He even put his index finger to his temple and spun it around.
Nobles who were sentenced to hard labor yet still denied reality were a common type in this place.
Of course, the name Hays wasn’t something to be taken lightly, as Evan said.
“Hey, buddy. Since you brought up the ducal house.”
However, the guard, who seemed to have something to rely on, patted Evan’s shoulder with his thick palm.
“The Duke of Hays and the Duchess made a request of me, you see?”
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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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