Spring in My Grasp - Chapter 70

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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(70) Find Your Allies

“He may lack divine power,” I said.
I was spending time in the Glass Garden with the High Priest, Leonius, Eloze, and Lea.
“Isn’t that because he’s not Alexis’s biological son?”
Lea cried out indignantly. When the paternity scandal involving Alexis erupted, Lea was the first to lose her composure. After all, she had witnessed Alexis following me from the Count’s Residence to the East Annex and all the way to Valerian Castle, the way he treated me. No one understood better than she did just how devoted Alexis was to me.
Lea simply could not fathom the possibility that Alexis had another child. She was thoroughly exasperated.
“We cannot be so hasty in our conclusions.”
The High Priest spoke.
“Those blessed with divine power do not necessarily pass it to all their descendants. It is the will of God, and therefore we cannot assume it follows purely hereditary lines. There have been cases where a Holy Knight’s descendant lacked divine power themselves, yet their children inherited it in the next generation. However, divine power is a blessing only God grants to the truly worthy. Take Alexis himself—he came from no bloodline of divine power, yet it manifested in him suddenly.”
At the High Priest’s explanation, Lea’s shoulders sagged in defeat.
“And here is our lady, a proper Marchioness Hartwood, conducting herself with such restraint while raising only Young Master Leonius, yet that woman flaunts herself at every party and tea gathering. Isn’t it shameless? What right does she have to carry on like that!”
“Hmm.”
The High Priest was weak on such matters. When it came to women’s affairs or matters of the heart, he simply did not know what to say. He only concerned himself with whether the child claiming to be his had divine power.
“Leave her be. She must be bored,” I said.
I spoke.
“That is not something we can simply ignore, my lady. We cannot live without regard for High Society’s opinion.”
Eloze spoke carefully, her gaze fixed on me.
“Though it may seem unhelpful now, considering the future of the Valerian Family and Young Master Leonius’s prospects, we cannot avoid engaging with Aristocratic Society. Your discretion when you first arrived was wise, but now that woman is building her social reputation by parading Alexis’s son—this could become a fatal problem for the Valerian Family later.”
My eyes widened.
“Ah, I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”
The idea struck me that cultivating connections with influential people early could benefit Leonius when he came of age. If I considered only Alexis, he had said I need not engage in social activities for his sake, and it was true. I had thought a Holy Knight’s wife gained little from socializing.
‘But Leonius…’
My eyes warmed as I looked at the child. What could I not do for this boy? Leonius’s blue-violet eyes curved as he gazed back at me, and he toddled toward me, wrapping his arms around me.
“The lady speaks wisely. Though I do not engage in social activities myself, I have heard that women’s connections can sometimes benefit a family.”
Then I added one more thing.
“And sometimes become enemies.”
I tilted my head thoughtfully, then spoke to Lea.
“Lea, could you bring me those invitations I’ve been collecting?”
“Of course!”
Lea hurried out of the Glass Garden with enthusiasm. Shortly after, she returned with both arms full of invitations. The envelopes in her hands were stacked with thick cards, each bearing the crest of a noble house, still carrying their subtle fragrance.
Lea set them on the Table and spoke.
“I’ve gathered all the ones that came while you were away.”
“Wow.”
A small exclamation escaped my lips.
“There were this many?”
“They came almost every day.”
Lea pouted her lips.
“That’s because you ignore everything.”
I cleared my throat awkwardly.
“I couldn’t even manage to review all of them.”
Just then, Eloze quietly approached and gazed down at the pile of invitations.
“Would it be alright if I took a look?”
At Eloze’s words, I brightened considerably.
“Of course! You’d know far better than I would! That would be such a tremendous help.”
Eloze’s hand moved slowly. Then she carefully opened the first envelope. But almost immediately, she shook her head.
“This won’t do.”
“Huh? Already?”
I asked with astonished eyes.
“Yes.”
Eloze answered crisply.
“This woman talks too much.”
“Ah….”
“And she has no discretion—her tongue is loose.”
She casually pushed that invitation aside.
“Let’s look at the next one.”
Another envelope was opened.
“This person won’t do either.”
“Why this time?”
“She appears gentle on the surface, but she’s skilled at belittling people behind their backs.”
“Goodness….”
I clicked my tongue.
“That’s terrifying….”
“That’s simply how High Society is,” Eloze said matter-of-factly.
Eloze spoke with perfect composure.
“Next.”
Thus the invitations were sorted one by one through Eloze’s hands. Each invitation she set aside was mercilessly discarded by Lea.
While the three of us were absorbed in examining the invitations, Leonius’s care naturally fell to the High Priest. Yet for him, this was nothing but happiness.
The three of us huddled together, poring over the mountain of invitations piled on the table, while beside us the High Priest wore an utterly delighted expression as he indulged Leonius’s whims. Sunlight pierced through the glass and descended softly upon us all.
“What about this one?”
After sorting invitations for quite some time, Eloze’s eyes paused very briefly.
“This one isn’t… so bad.”
I leaned my body forward slightly.
“Oh, really?”
“The family is stable, and they maintain political neutrality.”
“I see….”
“However.”
Eloze continued speaking.
“She has a tendency to be overly cautious and reads the room too much.”
“So she’s not ideal?”
Rowan asked.
“She’s not bad to know casually, but there’s no need to become deeply entangled with her.”
Eloze’s eyes narrowed sharply as she looked down at the invitation.
“However, given the timing, such a disposition… if you were to respond to this invitation now and begin an exchange, it doesn’t seem like it would be particularly beneficial.”
She set the invitation aside on the table.
“Hold.”
“Wow!”
Rowan’s eyes widened as an exclamation escaped her.
“So one must deliberate this carefully before acting!”
“Of course.”
Eloze answered matter-of-factly.
“After all, you’re selecting people to exchange with going forward. Given your current position, you must be extremely cautious in choosing each individual to associate with. All the other noblewomen conduct their exchanges with such calculations as well.”
Her hand moved again. Several more invitations were quickly filtered out.
“What about this one?”
“Absolutely not.”
“And this one?”
“This noblewoman is currently close to the Glister Family.”
“Ah.”
Rowan’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Then she’s immediately disqualified!”
“Yes, exactly.”
As Eloze reviewed the invitations, her hand paused before one envelope.
“This person.”
She spoke quietly.
“Marchioness Matia.”
Eloze turned to look at Rowan.
“She seems to be the most optimal choice.”
Rowan examined the invitation. Reading its contents, she found nothing particularly distinctive—merely a courteous invitation. She looked up at Eloze.
“What kind of person is she?”
“She’s discreet, cautious, and doesn’t create unnecessary conflicts.”
At those words, Rowan nodded.
“That sounds good?”
“And there’s one more distinctive trait.”
Eloze’s eyes sharpened ever so slightly.
“Marchioness Matia has a hobby.”
“What is it?”
“Cultivating gardens.”
Rowan’s eyes widened slightly.
“Really?”
“There are indeed some noblewomen who take pleasure in tending their gardens personally.”
The High Priest, who had been playing with Leonius while getting dirt on his hands, added his comment from beside her.
“Unlike the lady here, who only grows things to eat.”
Rowan’s gaze fixed on the High Priest.
“You might have saved such remarks for after lunch. Yet you ate every last bite.”
“Wasting food is a sin.”
The High Priest turned away as if he hadn’t heard, returning his attention to playing with Leonius. Rowan, watching him with narrowed eyes, lowered her gaze back to the invitation, her fingers tracing its edge lightly.
“Someone like that… I’d like to meet them.”
Eloze nodded in agreement. Lea, who had been listening beside them, tilted her head curiously.
“But…”
Rowan and Eloze turned to look at Lea simultaneously.
“Doesn’t this feel like preparing for war?”
Rowan paused for a moment, then broke into a sharp smile.
“It is war.”
She lifted the invitation.
“We need allies.”
The High Priest, hearing those words, clicked his tongue.
“I’ll never understand women’s conflicts in all my life.”
“Be quiet!”
In the end, he found himself rebuked by all three women.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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