When I Announced A Divorce, The Obsessive Maniac Went Crazy Chapter 133 - Side Story Chapter 5

Chapter 133

 

 

Side Story

And once again, the real power in the mansion changed hands.

Five years had passed since the birth of the first child.

Aiden was already five years old, and the second child who followed was now four.

Cesare had changed a lot in the meantime.

Especially in the sense that he had become a fairy?

The fairy wings attached to Cesare’s back fluttered in the breeze.

They were exactly to the taste of his second daughter, Lizbeth.

Lizbeth beamed and asked,

“Fairy, is it delicious?”

“Yes.”

Cesare answered with a helpless expression.

Ever since Lizbeth had read a fairy tale about fairies, she had been completely obsessed, and to match her taste, Shannet and the maids had crafted an oversized pair of fairy wings.

The servants were barely holding back their laughter as they watched Cesare wear them on his back.

Who would have thought Cesare would end up like this?

Even I hadn’t expected it.

“Fairy, do you like strawberry cake?”

Cesare’s eyebrows twitched.

Uh-oh, strawberry cake was a bit dangerous.

Strawberry cake probably didn’t bring back good memories for Cesare.

After all, when I had taken a strawberry cake to Gabriel, things hadn’t exactly gone well… Ahem.

When Cesare didn’t respond, Lizbeth’s lips jutted out dramatically.

Ah, seriously, who did she take after to be like this?

“Lizbeth, don’t be like that. The fairy might like something else…”

“Is that a no?”

Lizbeth widened her round eyes and asked.

“Hmph. But I like it!”

She started sniffling and then suddenly burst into tears.

Wait, what? We were having fun just a moment ago, and now this?

Cesare, flustered, quickly pulled Lizbeth into his arms.

As her wails echoed through the mansion, he lifted her up into the air.

“Why are you making her cry?!”

“I wasn’t—”

Just as Cesare was about to defend himself, the head butler came rushing in with a startled expression.

Glancing at Lizbeth, the butler spoke in an anxious voice.

“Your Grace, the Duke!”

“What is it?” Cesare asked, his voice already weary.

“His Majesty the Emperor will be arriving soon! His carriage has just passed through the Burstoad territory! And the imperial attendant he sent ahead has arrived—”

“Greetings, Your Grace, Duke. And Duchess.”

Cesare turned toward the approaching imperial attendant, his face full of displeasure.

The butler, looking troubled, stepped back.

“As you just heard, His Majesty the Emperor is expected to arrive shortly. He will be staying in Burstoad for a while. You must make preparations to receive him.”

“You… call this an announcement?!”

Cesare, likely mindful of Lizbeth, kept his voice as low as possible while shouting.

Lizbeth, still sniffling, turned her head curiously.

The attendant met Lizbeth’s gaze and gave her a gentle smile.

“This empire belongs to His Majesty. There is no place he cannot go. As the Duke of Burstoad is also His Majesty’s subject, he should welcome him with joy.”

“Do you think this is proper etiquette for an attendant?”

“I am merely conveying His Majesty’s will.”

This time, Gabriel had definitely crossed the line.

It wasn’t just a matter of disregarding the Duke of Burstoad.

But what could we do? The situation had already unfolded.

“Let’s think positively, positively! There’s barely any time to prepare as it is. Shannet!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It’s going to get busy. Tell the head chef to check the food storage first.”

“Yes!”

“Cesare, can you change Aiden and Lizbeth’s clothes? Ugh, just look at how messy Lizbeth is!”

“…Ugh.”

Cesare answered with the sound of grinding teeth.

That counted as a response, right?

It seemed the strawberry cake had been a foreshadowing.

Considering that Gabriel was making an appearance now.

There was no more time to console Cesare—I hurried out of the garden.

 

 

****

 

 

Lizbeth was a completely different child from Aiden.

Even though she was only four years old, she often spoke in a far more refined manner than Aiden.

“I don’t understand why Daddy doesn’t give Lizbeth kisses.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Who did she take after to speak so well?

Cesare laughed too and pressed a kiss to Lizbeth’s cheek.

Only then did the proud little girl’s expression finally soften.

Aiden clung tightly to my leg, watching the scene unfold.

“His Majesty the Emperor is arriving…!”

Shannet whispered in a hushed voice.

The sudden visit from the Emperor had thrown the mansion into chaos.

The servants were rushing back and forth, tidying up the estate, while the kitchen was filled with the warm, sweet aroma of delicious food.

It had only been thirty minutes since we received news of Gabriel’s arrival.

What on earth was going on?

Cesare held Lizbeth in his arms, looking displeased.

The large ribbon tied around Lizbeth’s head fluttered in the breeze.

“Don’t be like that, Cesare.”

“Seeing him occasionally at the palace is already unbearable…”

“The children can hear you.”

“…is… more than enough.”

Cesare let out a deep sigh.

With the children being born one after another and Cesare struggling with severe morning sickness, our move to Burstoad had been repeatedly delayed.

We had only managed to relocate when Lizbeth turned two.

While we were still in the capital, Cesare had visited the palace almost daily.

Judging by how he shuddered at just hearing Gabriel’s name, it seemed unlikely that their relationship would ever improve.

The Emperor’s carriage came to a halt in front of the entrance.

Gabriel stepped out of the carriage, his smile as bright as sunshine.

“It’s been a while, Daphne.”

“…Welcome, Your Majesty.”

Or was it just my imagination that it sounded more like Please leave?

Cesare stepped in front of me, blocking Gabriel’s approach.

But Gabriel only looked at me, his smile unwavering.

“I hope you won’t feel too burdened, Daphne. My visit today wasn’t meant to trouble you.”

“If that were the case, then not coming at all would have been— Ow!”

I swiftly jabbed Cesare in the side.

The kids were listening, for heaven’s sake.

Cesare looked at me with wounded eyes, but I ignored him.

Kids these days pick up on things so quickly—there’s no such thing as being too careful.

“His Majesty and you have things to discuss, don’t you? Right, Cesare?”

I shot him the sharpest glare I could muster.

Cesare sighed in resignation and gave a reluctant nod.

Leaving the children in Shannet’s care, I herded Cesare and Gabriel into the study.

“Prepare some suitable refreshments. Oh, and leave out the strawberry cake!”

“Yes, madam!”

 

 

****

 

Gabriel looked around the study with a nostalgic expression.

He never imagined he would visit this place again.

“…What brings you here?”

Of course, he also hadn’t expected to face Cesare like this.

After all, when he had once stayed in this mansion, Gabriel had been a slave.

“Did my attendant fail to convey my message properly? I simply came because I was curious about how my vassal was living. I wanted to see if he was governing his territory well.”

Gabriel deliberately emphasized the word vassal.

Cesare clenched his teeth.

Listen to this insufferable bastard talk.

With an audible grind of his teeth, Cesare smiled.

“I’m quite busy fulfilling my role as Daphne’s husband and the father of two children, so I don’t have as much leisure as Your Majesty. Shouldn’t Your Majesty hurry and get married as well? You’re not exactly young anymore.”

Gabriel’s smile widened.

A childish spark flared between the two men.

Just as Gabriel was about to retort, the door swung open.

Both men turned toward the entrance.

Peeking through the doorway was Lizbeth, having escaped from Shannet’s grasp.

Lizbeth had inherited Cesare’s black hair and Daphne’s gentle green eyes.

Her personality, however, was a perfect copy of Daphne’s—though Daphne often denied it.

This was also why Cesare favored Lizbeth more than Aiden.

Aiden had inherited Daphne’s appearance, but his personality was like Cesare’s, so from a young age, he had always preferred his mother over his father.

“Come here, Lizbeth.”

Cesare opened his arms toward her.

After all, weren’t Lizbeth and Aiden the very embodiment of the love between Daphne and Cesare?

There was no one better suited to stir up Gabriel than these children.

Determined to put on a show, Cesare lifted Lizbeth into his arms.

“Lizbeth, give Daddy a kiss.”

But, of course, children never do as expected.