Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Gratitude and a Crested Ring
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"William, what on earth have you done without me knowing?"
"I haven't done anything. I barely saw the countess after His Majesty's birthday celebration."
Even racking my brain for any connection, the only thing that came to mind was hearing brief updates through servants.
And even those were rumors that she was going around praising me.
I'd already heard so much praise and gratitude that I was fit to burst—what reason could there possibly be for more?
"Count Tigris, and madam, I sincerely congratulate you both on finally bearing fruit... but what exactly have I done to warrant such thanks?"
"After receiving clothes from you, both my body and mind felt different than before, and we conceived right away. For our kind, that hellish reproductive period passed in just one day? It was like magic."
That damn magic again...
They worked hard at night and had a kid—why do they keep bringing up magic?
For one thing, I can't even use magic, and secondly, no such spell exists.
As I'd thought before, if there were fertility-boosting clothes, I'd have patented and monopolized them first.
So many noblewomen desperately want children as soon as possible.
"As I've said time and again, my clothes have no such function. It was just coincidence, and any improvement in your relationship is due to your own efforts, not mine."
"Even so, you provided the turning point for our marriage. How can we say you did nothing?"
"...I'm truly at a loss for words with such high regard."
It felt like they had the answer set and were forcing me to agree, so I just nodded awkwardly with a smile.
After all, it was their first child in five years.
Everything in the world must feel beautiful in their joy.
"We've received aid from Duke Howard worth more than mountains of gold, so mere words of thanks would be unseemly."
"No, not at all unseemly."
As the count couple smiled kindly, looking ready to discuss a return gift, I straightened up and cut them off.
They'd already paid handsomely for the clothes and promoted my atelier zealously for a whole month—what more gift?
I'd nearly died from my luck with work exploding because of this; anything more would actually kill me.
"I've already received more than enough."
"No, we're the pinnacle of the Ains, Count Tigris. Such a modest return wouldn't sit well with our pride and our clan's honor."
"So much has changed thanks to you—wouldn't it be shameful not to express our gratitude?"
"It's really enough."
"Here, please accept this."
I couldn't stop Count Tigris from pulling something from his bosom.
This stubborn couple had no intention of listening, so words were pointless...
"Oh dear... really, it's fine..."
With the gift right in front of me, refusing further would be grave rudeness.
I let out a groan and took the small box from Count Tigris's palm.
"This is it, right? Nothing more...?"
"We can procure more if you wish."
"No, if there was more, I'd have bolted regardless of rudeness."
"Haha! We figured as much, so we prepared something small but precious."
"That's a relief."
Smaller than my palm, so probably a gem or accessory.
"So, what is this gift... Oh."
Opening the box with a somewhat eased mind revealed a dainty ring.
But.
Something strange was etched inside the gem.
"Hooh..."
Wondering if my eyes were playing tricks, I glanced at Elizabeth. She was examining the ring with quiet admiration, clearly intrigued.
I turned to the count couple with eyes full of bewilderment.
"No, really—in an occasion like this, you give a ring engraved with your family crest?"
"Isn't it fitting? It shows our utmost sincerity, and its value changes based on how Duke Howard uses it."
"Good grief..."
Even gold or jewels would have been better.
Treatment equal to a Tigris family member.
The value and meaning packed into this ring were far too heavy.
It was burdensome enough to drive me mad.
"Thank you, but I absolutely won't use it? I'll treasure it safely. Don't nag me later about not using it?"
"That's for Duke Howard to decide. But know we have the freedom to object if you revere it too much to use."
"......"
Damn it...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Sigh..."
"You, stop sighing and cheer up your face."
The moment we finished the Founder's Day celebration honoring Her Highness the Imperial Princess and boarded the carriage leaving the imperial grounds, I was met with my husband's sullen expression.
"No matter what, it doesn't change that you've been pushed aside by an 18-year-old brat and fallen from His Majesty's favor."
He'd grumbled all event about being overshadowed by Baron Howard, and now on the way home he looked like death warmed over—I wanted to smack him hard.
"Dear, I'm troubled enough—must you phrase it so harshly?"
"Exactly, who told you to get upstaged by some wet-behind-the-ears kid? From the moment your decades of loyalty as Marquis Illi were eclipsed by a pretty-faced boy's few months, my words won't be sweet."
"......"
Whether he was troubled or not, I didn't stop nagging till the end, so my husband glared at me with displeasure.
"What do you have to look so smug about?"
"Tch..."
But refusing to avert my fierce gaze and firing back sharply, he clicked his tongue and looked away.
"...So, did you learn anything from talking to him?"
"Not really. Beyond being a bit unusual, he seemed like your typical immature young noble. He can't hide his expressions well, and his eyes are so transparent you can easily read his thoughts."
"No way. That boy went toe-to-toe with a count like it was nothing. He can't be that simple—it's surely an act."
"Well... you should have seen the baron's eyes."
The moment he heard about neckties, Baron Howard's eyes sparkled like the Milky Way, pure joy shining through. Ask a hundred, no, a thousand people if that was acting, and they'd all shake their heads.
Kindly explaining to someone who'd been glaring murderously moments before is hard even for a high noble rotten in politics for decades.
And a teenage boy did it? The same timid, gloomy teen who'd been a wallflower in high society before?
Impossible.
Even if it were acting, you'd humor it once out of courtesy.
You couldn't presume how much effort an underage young noble put into that performance.
Nor judge the bone-grinding practice to fool even himself.
No heavenly talent could let a teen pull that off.
"I don't see why we must target that boy. Wouldn't checking other bigshots be better?"
"Because His Majesty chose him as his blade. You saw what His Majesty showed today, dear."
"Hmm..."
My husband seemed convinced Baron Howard was the emperor's new blade, but I was still skeptical.
His Majesty clearly favored the boy, but his eyes held affection too deep for mere tools.
As a woman and mother of three, I'd guess His Majesty's gaze resembled a "mother-in-law eyeing her lucky son-in-law."
If so, unless the baron committed high treason, His Majesty would cradle him to the end.
So I thought targeting other powers was wiser, but...
"Not because of your pride?"
"Do I seem that petty?"
"A bit."
"Hmph, think what you will."
"Sure you aren't."
A husband blinded by jealousy wouldn't hear it.
Jealous of a boy closer to grandson than son?
Pathetic, utterly pathetic.
"...Not sure, but I overheard Baron Howard in suspicious talks."
Still, I wasn't thrilled with the baron's moves either, so I had no urge to stop my husband.
Young and skyrocketing? Time to flatten his nose before arrogance sets in.
Recalling the usable bits from shadowing him all day.
"Suspicious talks? What kind?"
"When he spoke with the Tigris count couple... talk of breeding, magic, that sort."
"Breeding... magic?"
"Yes. And Countess Tigris has been acting strangely lately. Even now, they were unusually deferential, even gifting him what looked like a ring."
"Hmm..."
Each action reeked of something off.
Proud Tigris acting meek to scrawny Baron Howard.
And gifting him.
Magic and breeding from the same talk—unlikely.
"Suspicious, but... seems insufficient."
"Right?"
Probably not, high odds.
No matter how naive Baron Howard was in politics or society, he wasn't dumb enough for odd talk in public.
Princess Victoria was there too—no way he'd slip.
"But not bad for slander."
"Magic, breeding... rumors say he's mingling with witches lately?"
"Some contact, yes."
"Church'll love that."
"The Imperial Cardinal's watching his moves..."
"Oh my... quite the vicious tale."
Witches, breeding, magic, church, plus that count dispute months ago.
Mix truth and lies right, and perfect headache-inducing rumor fodder.
"When, then?"
"Next month. Hume Count's house gets chaotic then."
"Birthday gift for Count Hume—something exotic."
"Treasures are cliché now."
"Hehe~ True. Time for special gifts. He'll love it?"
"May not love it, but dying in agony? Easy to picture."
"Perfect."
What faces will the count couple make seeing their child in peril on their birthday?
A twinge of guilt pushing a teen down a harsh path to see it...
But politics spares no youth.
If he wanted peace, he shouldn't have entered the fray.