Chapter: 749
My father hurt his back while hiking.
Upon hearing the news, I was completely taken aback. All the siblings had become independent, leaving only our elderly parents in our hometown, and the neighbors were all getting on in years too. It’s tough to rely on someone for help in such a situation.
So, I quickly made preparations to head back home. If I left my mother to care for him, it would be a situation where the number of patients doubles. If the neighbors got involved, the whole village would turn into a hospital.
“Here, take this.”
“What’s with all this money?”
“Your father-in-law is also getting old; if he gets treated normally, he’ll be lying there for a while. We need to ask a priest to make sure he recovers quickly.”
Before heading back to my hometown, he handed me a significant amount of money.
It was enough to cover treatment with the priest, and it made my heart swell. The leftover money was a quiet gesture for my parents and my hometown.
“I didn’t need this much…”
“Don’t fuss. Thanks to my promotion to Second Manager, my salary has gone up. Plus, now that we bought a mansion, I have no other place for spending. So feel free to use it when necessary.”
His confidence brought a smile to my face. My husband, who had been just an ordinary guard, swiftly transitioned into an office role, became a team leader, and then was promoted to Second Manager. Then he was granted knighthood, shedding his commoner status.
Because of this, I always felt proud and grateful for my husband, but to see this caring side of him made me love him even more.
“Still, don’t stay too long. The recently reformed department is preparing something big, so there’s a chance I might have to work late.”
“Helen might be bored alone. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
I firmly nodded at his request.
If I step away and he gets caught up in work, our little Helen will be alone in the mansion. While we employed quite a number of servants when we bought the mansion, nothing beats having a parent by your side over ten servants.
So once I got back to my hometown, I quickly hired a priest, confirmed my father’s recovery, spruced up my parents’ house, and donated the remaining money for the town’s development. All that took just under 20 days.
“I knew I had luck with my son-in-law, but I never expected it to be this much.”
Father, who watched this unfold right beside me, nodded with a satisfied smile. It seems like he thought he’d have to call me son-in-law, but now that his son-in-law has risen to a high rank, he’d have to call him ‘Your Excellency’ going forward.
There may be true high-ups somewhere, but I didn’t bother correcting him. It was such a rare sight to see my usually stoic father break into laughter.
After all, calling him a high-up isn’t entirely wrong. Sure, there are many who rank higher than him, but there are even more below him. Being a knight, regardless of rank, is certainly above being a commoner.
“Father, my husband, and Helen have a castle!”
“Haha! I see you’ve become a true noble!”
Just mentioning the castle made my father even happier.
I felt a little embarrassed and a bit apologetic. If I had known he’d be this happy, I should have mentioned my husband’s promotion and the castle when I first shared the good news. I thought it wasn’t that crucial of information and left it out.
“Well, you better get going now.”
“Yes?”
“You’re no longer just my daughter; you’re the mistress of the Niden family! You should care more for your family than your old father, ahem!”
Now that I think back, it was probably a good thing I left that detail out. If he had known from last year, he might have opposed my visit home with a “You need to protect your family, not come back here!”
As I received my father’s half-forced send-off and my mother’s various gifts, I returned to the system.
“Oh my.”
I was met with an unexpected sight.
“Jenny! Titi! Hand!”
– Woof.
– Woof!
“The other side!”
– Woof.
– Woof!
“Good job!”
In the garden, there was Helen playing with none other than Jenny, the dog, and a dog I had never seen before.
“Sis! Titi can do more than just shake hands!”
“More?”
“Titi! Do a handstand!”
– Woof!
“Whoa!”
‘Wow…’
There was my daughter giving commands to a dog she’d never seen before, and that dog performing those commands.
I almost clapped without thinking. A big dog like Jenny can do a handstand? Just standing on its hind legs is a spectacle; but it’s doing a handstand with front paws? Amazing!
“When did you teach her this…?”
“I didn’t teach her! Titi learned it by herself!”
“Is that so…?”
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that near Helen and Jenny, the strangers were also dogs and a child I’d never seen.
A man with striking black hair and eyes, someone who looked to be about the same age as my husband or maybe a bit younger.
‘Who could that be?’
It suddenly dawned on me that an outsider was beside my Helen, but I didn’t feel worried. The guards were securing the front gate, and Jenny, who cherishes Helen, was calm. It meant the person wouldn’t harm our family.
‘Is he a newly hired servant?’
That thought crossed my mind for a fleeting moment, but the chances were slim.
We had already hired enough servants, and even if we were to hire more, my husband would never make such decisions without consulting me. Since I’m the lady of the house, the management of the servants is part of my role.
Plus, if he were a servant, he wouldn’t be able to explain the presence of the child and the dog. Surely, they weren’t hired too.
‘Must be a guest.’
After some brief contemplation, I arrived at the conclusion that he was indeed a guest. The guards must have allowed him into the garden.
“Madam!”
“Madam, welcome back!”
“Yes, thanks to everyone’s concern, I returned safely.”
As I approached the gate, the guards greeted me with booming voices.
“Mother!”
Just then, Helen, who had been watching the dog do a handstand, ran towards me.
“Our Helen, did you do well? Mom’s sorry for being late.”
“No! I made tons of friends, so it’s all good!”
“Friends, huh.”
A gentle smile bloomed on my face. So the visitor really was someone who came as a guest.
“Thank you for keeping an eye on Helen while I was gone. Although he’s at work, my husband will be back soon—”
“Ah, Madam. Just a moment.”
As I was about to greet the guest, a guard quickly approached and whispered in my ear.
“That man is Count Tailglehen.”
“…What?”
My mind froze in place for a moment.
The last person I would have ever expected was here at our mansion.
*
I had managed to meet my husband’s mother-in-law right after meeting his father-in-law.
I was wondering when I might see her since I had gone back home in a rush, but as expected, she ended up coming here. Patience is truly the answer in life.
“I’ve heard so much about you from my husband. Without your kindness, none of us—my husband, me, or Helen—would be here today. I’ve always wanted to express my gratitude, yet I lacked the courage to meet you. Meeting you like this is such a blessing.”
And Titi’s mother—oh wait, I must refer to her as Luciano’s wife—showered me with thanks as soon as she realized my identity.
“Luciano would have eventually reached that position even without anyone’s help. The blessings merely expedited the timing a little; there’s no need for gratitude.”
“Please don’t say that. Truth is, before my husband met you, he was carrying a resignation letter with him.”
“What?”
I jumped at her words.
‘What… was he carrying?’
He carried a resignation letter…?
‘That’s dangerous.’
I almost swallowed my spit at the thought. When I met Luciano, he was swamped by various visitors. If I hadn’t given him that recommendation out of gratitude and to apologize, he could have very well resigned.
That thought sent chills down my spine. Even with my help, he had risen to Second Manager in just four years. Had things gone a little differently, this talented individual might have slipped away from me.
“Thank you once again, Count. It’s because of you that he can head to work with a smile on his face.”
“…Well, yes. That’s quite a happy thing.”
Hearing about him smiling while going to work brought forth a wave of complex emotions I couldn’t quite express.
“Can people really go to work with a smile? That’s amazing!”
Since meeting Luciano’s wife, I began refraining from visiting Luciano’s mansion.
I’ve met everyone I needed to meet for Titi’s spring days, and the word about the closeness of my relationship with Luciano had spread enough. Visiting any further might burden him.
In truth, I think I had already imposed enough, and now it would be wise to refrain from visiting to prevent pushing Luciano towards an early grave from stress. If a higher-up was at the mansion when he returned home from work, how could he have a peaceful rest?
Of course, Titi visits every day as if it’s an attendance event. Her presence doesn’t stress anyone out.
“Minister.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I heard that your children made some new friends recently.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Along with this, my kids, too—while not daily—occasionally embarked on adventures to play with Helen. That news had even reached the Emperor’s ears.
“The Crown Princess feels a bit lonely. She went to play with Pedi, but how bewildered would she be to find that Pedi isn’t there?”
“Well, the other kids are certainly having fun with her, Your Majesty…”
“True, but Pedi is the Crown Princess’s first sibling. No matter how much she loves all her siblings, there’s bound to be a special bond with her first.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the solemn nod from the Emperor.
He wasn’t wrong. Even though I aimed to love all the children equally, I found myself ever so slightly more concerned about first-born Pedi, so how much more overwhelming must it be for the Crown Princess? She likely wouldn’t be able to contain her affection for him.
“If there’s a chance for Pedi to go outside, I’ll choose a day when Your Majesty isn’t coming.”
“No, that’s unnecessary. The Crown Princess can go with Pedi.”
“…Huh?”
I reflexively questioned him at that unexpected statement.
Has this guy finally lost it? Knowing full well that Pedi was going to an ordinary knight’s mansion, he suggests that the Crown Princess should go with him too?
‘How dare you try to get our dog-related in-laws in trouble!’
I have the title of ‘Benefactor from the Recommendation Letter,’ while you’ll just flip around the moment the royal family gets associated with Luciano. I can’t lose our dog-related in-laws like this!
“Your Majesty, I must point out that Pedi’s friend is the daughter of a mere knight. While the gap between a noble and a knight may not be too wide, the gap between royalty and a knight is immeasurable.”
“Well, in the end, she’s going to become a noble, so what does it matter?”
“Excuse me?”
“Young and capable, and close with the Minister—her promotion to deputy is a foregone conclusion. If she keeps this up, she’ll likely end up as Minister in her later years. In that case, Lady Luciano will also be elevated to the ranks of nobility, so they might as well meet beforehand.”
His argument was so ludicrous that I couldn’t bring myself to speak.
So what if it’s predetermined? Shouldn’t we maintain decorum? Whether you or I turn to dust, is it okay to speak casually?
“Therefore, Minister, let me ask you one thing.”
“…Go ahead.”
“No matter how close you and Lord Luciano are, the kindness you’re showing is excessive. Was there another incident that I’m not aware of between you two?”
I took a moment to collect my thoughts after that rather direct question.
Would it be alright to say, ‘he’s my dog-related in-law’? Am I unwittingly opening an opportunity for him to mock me?
However, if I conceal the truth, he might start sniffing around for information voluntarily. Making the Emperor’s eyes and ears turn towards Luciano and his family would be a bad move.
“Titi has fallen for Luciano’s dog.”
“What?”
“She went out in the morning and came back just before sunset. Thanks to that, I’ve become closer with Lord Luciano.”
At my words, the Emperor fell silent for a moment, then burst into laughter.
It was such a hearty laugh that my feelings were somewhat mixed.
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