The Stepmother's Trembling Spoon

"H-Hieee..." Poor Shinia looked as if she had forgotten how to breathe. Well, she was already terrified of Carmel to begin with. With Carmel making a face like that, it would be hard for anyone to stay calm. Though to me, she only looked adorable.

"Y-You... Shinia, you..."

"Yes? Y-Y-Yes?!"

"How dare you knock without... No, wait, more importantly... if you breathe a single word of what you just saw to anyone, I will kill you!"

"What? Ah, yes, y-yes! I-I will never say a word!" Shinia stammered, answering as she was pressed, but she seemed utterly confused about what exactly had triggered Carmel's wrath.

Perhaps Carmel was in the same boat. She probably didn't even understand why she was so embarrassed by her own actions just now. Frankly, I wasn't entirely sure either. From Carmel's perspective—where she always had to maintain the image of a perfect Queen—the scene that had just unfolded should have been the ultimate display of her benevolence.

The two of them stood there, lost in their respective states of confusion. Cutting through the awkward silence, I cleared my throat. "Ahem. Now, Shinia. Didn't you come here because you had some business?"

"Ah, yes, yes... W-Well, you see..." Shinia hesitated, unable to speak easily. It seemed she wasn't just intimidated by Carmel's presence. Carmel, too, seemed to notice something suspicious. Regaining a fraction of her composure and dignity, Carmel demanded, "Speak up."

With trembling hands, Shinia pulled a letter from her bosom. "I-I was asked by the Knights... to deliver this to P-Princess Sera..." My, aren't you spilling the beans a bit too easily, Shinia?

Carmel snatched the letter away instantly. Then, without even asking for my consent—the rightful recipient—she tore open the envelope and began to read.

"Mother, even if I am under house arrest, I still have the right to send and receive letters. Though you may be the master of this room, opening my mail so recklessly is...!"

I stopped mid-sentence when I noticed something peculiar. It was the expression on Carmel's face as she read. It wasn't the face of someone who had caught their prey. If she had found a weakness to exploit, she would have worn a triumphant smirk. Instead, her brow was deeply furrowed.

Even after her eyes reached the bottom of the page, Carmel's gaze returned to the very top. It was as if she were trying to decipher some cleverly hidden code within the text. At that moment, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠realized: this was a fake letter, a dummy prepared in case it was intercepted by Carmel. In that case, I needed to look anxious. I watched Carmel read with tense, nervous eyes.

"...How trivial," Carmel muttered. After reading it thoroughly about five times, she thrust the letter toward me. Taking it, I saw that, just as she said, there was nothing of substance. It merely expressed regret that the Royal Guard had to oversee my confinement, along with a formal promise to ensure my safety and comfort. It was written not as a personal note from Filgret, but as an official document bearing the seal of the Knight Commander. Naturally, there was no mention of the recent commotion. Well, it must have been written quite some time ago.

"The Royal Guard must be truly idle to waste time writing such nonsense. I should inspect them to see if they are actually doing their jobs properly," Carmel grumbled in dissatisfaction before turning her gaze back to Shinia. Shinia, who had been standing awkwardly, flinched.

"Is there anything else?"

"T-The c-cleaning is still..."

"Forget about that. Go and attend to other chores."

"Ah, yes, I understand!"

Relieved to escape Carmel's presence, Shinia bowed her head in a hurry. As she turned to leave, Carmel spoke to her retreating back. "Let me repeat myself, Shinia. Forget everything you saw here today. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I will forget everything! I-In fact, I saw absolutely nothing! Truly!" With that, Shinia ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bolted out of the room as if fleeing for her life.

Judging by Shinia's behavior, there had to be another letter hidden away. Most likely the real one, containing updates on Carmel and the Lorencia family's movements over the past couple of days. Delivering it right in front of Carmel would have been impossible. However, as long as Carmel remained in this room, she wouldn't be able to make any moves either. In fact, stalling for time was to my advantage. It would buy William more time to investigate the Lorencia family.

Turning back, Carmel stared at the still-steaming potage with an indescribable expression. Was she experiencing some sort of post-pleasure clarity? I flashed her a natural smile. "Now then, Mother... shall we continue? There is no one left to disturb us."

"Ugh..." Though there were plenty of spare spoons beside the tableware, Carmel couldn't bring herself to pick one up easily. She still seemed unable to shake off the confusion from her sudden embarrassment.

"Y-You are perfectly capable of eating on your own... Do I really have to do that for you?"

"But didn't you feed me so willingly just a moment ago? And you looked so pleased doing it, too."

"Kh..."

Even remembering her actions from moments ago seemed to mortify her. Her face flushed even redder than when Shinia had first burst in, and she stared fixedly at a random corner of the floor.

"To be honest, I was truly happy, Mother. It felt like the first time we did something a real mother and daughter would do. Please, Mother. Just for this moment... yes?"

Mother and daughter. Perhaps this was a fundamentally flawed approach. Carmel was a villainess who should never be swayed by such emotions. If she were to strictly follow her original character settings, an appeal like this would never work on her. Yet, if Carmel were truly that cold-hearted, she wouldn't have been so shaken when we were caught. Instead, she would have seized it as the perfect opportunity to maintain her disguise.

Slowly, Carmel picked up a fresh spoon. "...Only this once, Sera..." The still-warm potage was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scooped up and brought to my lips. Suppressing the twitching corners of my mouth, I accepted the food.

Munch, munch... Though her actions were identical to before, Carmel's expression was entirely different. She looked almost despondent. It seemed she herself couldn't comprehend why she was doing this. Yet, even so, her hand moved diligently. Spoonful after spoonful, the bowl was soon emptied.

"...Are you satisfied now?"

"Yes, thank you, Mother." It was a truly gratifying experience. The potage, seasoned with Carmel's inner turmoil, was undoubtedly the most luxurious meal I had eaten since coming here.

"Do not get any strange ideas, Sera. This was merely a formality. You don't actually expect me to feel sympathy for you, do you? If this little stunt of yours was intended to win my pity, I can only call it foolish." Her voice was cold and arrogant, just like the usual Carmel. It seemed that while she was feeding me, she had managed to quickly rebuild the mental defenses that had been shattered by the sudden intrusion. Well, this was enough for now. It had been a thoroughly worthwhile experience.

"Of course, Mother. After all, sympathy is not what I want."

"I will not abandon my plans to ruin you. I will destroy you, your family, and your entire kingdom."

It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sounded almost as if she were speaking to herself—trying to steady her own shaking heart, or perhaps trying to kill whatever was beginning to sprout inside her.

"And... I will return everything you did to me tenfold."

...Wait, return everything I did to her? Did she even realize what that implied?

Of course, in the original novel, Princess Sera suffered all kinds of humiliation at Carmel's hands—torture and degradation that utterly broke her spirit. But the "humiliation" I had inflicted on Carmel was of a slightly different nature. The abuse Princess Sera suffered in the novel was akin to being trampled under muddy boots, designed solely to destroy her body and mind.

But I was different. I had absolutely no intention of breaking Carmel. That was out of the question. The purpose of my "humiliation" was to savor every single inch of Carmel's body and mind. Did Carmel understand that difference when she spoke? If she did... it meant a change was occurring within her as well. A change that she could not suppress, no matter how hard she tried.

Before I knew it, Carmel had regained her cold expression. The face of a beautiful villainess who would trample me without a second thought. "Keep that in mind, Sera. I will strip you of everything you have without a single shred of hesitation."

With those parting words, Carmel stood up. Stepping right past the spilled potage from earlier, she headed toward the door. Looking at her retreating back, I spoke.

"Wait, Mother."

"Do you still have something to say?"

"Of course. I haven't told you yet, have I? The reason why I was bleeding. It is a very important matter, and it concerns you as well, Mother."

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