Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 26

“I heard there was an interesting party at the outer palace, so I thought I’d stop by for fun, but since everyone seems to consider me an unwelcome guest, I’ll be on my way.” Ludwig drank Violet’s tea and strode out of the parlor.

 

“Why did he come here when he wasn’t even invited!” As soon as Ludwig disappeared, Violet sat down with a huff, not even trying to hide her irritation, even though Ludwig was the crown prince.

 

I’m curious about that too. Why did Ludwig suddenly show up and take my side? Suddenly, I remembered what he said at the temple’s free clinic.

 

“Then I’ll enjoy watching you.”

 

What a lunatic! A chill ran down my spine. I thought it was just an offhand remark!

 

While I was caught up in my confusion, everyone else was busy gauging Violet’s mood. Diane and Stella’s plan to embarrass me using Violet’s authority had already fallen apart.

 

“Violet, don’t be like that. I prepared a gift for you, so please cheer up.” Diane was the first to hand over a gift box to placate Violet. Then, the other noblewomen joined in, showering Violet with expensive gifts and flattery.

 

Seeing all the lavish gifts, Violet finally seemed to cheer up. “Thank you for being so thoughtful.”

 

“Of course, we should prepare gifts for the Duchess, who graciously invited us. Everyone here thinks of you, Duchess.” Stella added cutely.

 

Violet looked at me coldly. “Except for one, apparently?” She was mocking me for not having given a gift yet.

 

There was usually a tradition of giving a small gift to the hostess at tea parties. But it’s rare for anyone to so brazenly collect expensive gifts like Violet does. In my past life, Diane and Stella didn’t tell me about this custom, and I ended up bearing the brunt of Violet’s anger.

 

“Do you take me for a fool? How dare someone like you!”

 

That was my first introduction to the noblewomen. I had managed to earn the hatred of the most powerful woman in the empire. After that, at every ball and gathering, Violet seemed desperate to tear me down. My social life became a disaster. Wounded, I eventually gave up on society and devoted myself to making Gale the heir.

 

At the time, I thought that was the only way I could be acknowledged. Looking back, Diane and Stella had purposely used Violet to isolate me. So they could use me as an obedient hunting dog. But I wasn’t going to play the fool for them any longer.

 

I took a box out of my pocket. “I have also prepared something for Duchess.”

 

Violet’s eyes widened, probably because Diane had asked her to scold me harshly for not bringing a gift. But when Violet saw the luxurious box, her expression changed—because no matter what Diane asked, it’s hard to turn down an expensive present.

 

“What is it?”

 

“It’s a beautiful necklace. I wanted to buy something myself, but as you know, I spent so long living on the streets that I have neither the money nor the taste…” I trailed off and looked at Stella. I could feel her eyes belatedly notice my bare neck. And then—shock.

 

Smiling faintly, I continued. “I’d like to present the necklace Stella gave me to you, Duchess. She said it was something she treasured very much.”

 

“You’re giving me something someone else gave you?” Violet asked, sounding displeased.

 

“It’s so luxurious and expensive that it doesn’t suit me at all. I don’t even really know what it is. But I do know that the large petals made of yellow sapphire are truly beautiful.”

 

At the words ‘large yellow sapphire,’ Violet’s expression softened. “Bring it here.” She reached out her hand.

 

That’s when Stella screamed, “No!”

 

I dodged Stella’s hand as she tried to snatch back the box and handed it to Violet instead.

 

Violet, now holding the box, glared at Stella in annoyance. “What’s the matter, Stella?”

 

“T-T-That’s…”

 

“Did you suddenly not want to give it away because it was originally yours? Such vanity for someone so young.”

 

“T-That’s not it…”

 

“Stella, just be quiet.” Diane, not knowing what was happening, tried to calm Stella.

 

Ignoring the flustered Stella, Violet opened the box—and then, her smiling face completely froze.

 

A flower made of radiant yellow sapphire. Below it, sharply protruding thorns. This flower was the ‘Gorse’. Among nobles, it symbolized ‘concubine’.

 

“T-T-This…. Heyyyyy!” Violet, unable to contain her rage, screamed and flung the necklace away.

 

I knelt down with a frightened expression, as if I didn’t know what was happening. “Du-Duchess! D-Did I do something wrong…?”

 

“How dare you give me this?!”

 

“I-I just thought it was a good thing, since Stella insisted I wear it today…” My trembling words redirected Violet’s anger toward Stella.

 

“Stella!!!”

 

You told Epirosa to wear that necklace? To Violet, it was clear: Stella had meant to mock her through the unsuspecting Epirosa. After all, everyone had called me ‘an ignorant, low-born child’ so often that they assumed I couldn’t possibly know what the gorse meant. So it had to be Stella mocking Violet all along.

 

“You wicked child!!!”

 

Splash! Tea from a teacup was thrown in Stella’s face.

 

“Kyaaa!” Stella screamed.

 

“How much did you mock me behind my back, to have someone wear such a thing today? Did you put that fool up to this so she could ridicule me?”

 

“N-No! I only meant to give her a precious necklace, not to manipulate anyone!”

 

“Oh, so you cherish a necklace that mocks me?!”

 

Clang! Now, a teacup went flying at the flustered Stella.

 

“Oh no! Stella!” Diane hugged Stella protectively, afraid she’d get hurt.

 

The other noblewomen just shrank back in confusion, not knowing what to do. Still seething, Violet finally poured a whole pot of tea over Diane and Stella.

 

“Kyaaa! Mother!”

 

“Violet, it’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”

 

“Misunderstanding?! Diane, did you think I’d forget how you used to scorn me as a concubine’s child when we were young?”

 

That’s how old wounds were so easily reopened. The reason Diane and Violet were never close cousins was that Diane had always looked down on and bullied Violet for being an illegitimate child.

 

Violet, driven by anger, did whatever she could to succeed—and in the end, became the emperor’s concubine. Now, their positions were reversed.

 

“I’m sorry, Violet! Forgive me!”

 

A relationship where they can join hands if necessary, but turn their backs on each other at the slightest misstep. It was a useful tool that could be exploited as much as needed in the future.

 

Now that they’ve suffered enough, I should step in. That way, they’ll have less reason to blame me later. I rushed to bedraggled Diane and Stella. “It’s my fault! This happened because of my ignorance!” I hugged Diane and Stella and sobbed.

 

Only then did the other noblewomen cautiously step in to calm Violet.

 

“Duchess, please restrain yourself. Lady Stella only made a childish mistake.”

 

“Please show some mercy as the elder here.”

 

Still fuming, Violet stormed out. The noblewomen, who had come to enjoy an elegant tea time, frowned at the spectacle.

 

“I didn’t expect this from Lady Stella…”

 

“And to think Madam Diane bullied Duchess Violet when they were children—I see her differently now.”

 

I was the only one expressing concern for the devastated Diane and Stella. “Are you all right, Aunt? Stella?”

 

“Let g—!” Diane, about to push me away out of habit, quickly took my hand when she noticed everyone watching. “I-I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.” But her eyes glared at me with murderous intent.

 

* * *

When we returned home, Diane dragged me to her room the moment we arrived.

 

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You set me and Stella up!”

 

“I truly didn’t know! How could I have known what that flower meant?” I let tears stream down my face, looking as if I’d been wronged. And I wasn’t really lying. How would someone who’d lived on the streets until recently know the meaning of such a rare, jeweled flower? Besides, it was Stella who gave me that necklace.

 

But Diane, needing someone to vent on, screamed at me. “Stella gave you that necklace! Why would you give it to Violet?!”

 

“But… even if I wore it, wouldn’t Duchess Violet have gotten angry anyway? Maybe she shouldn’t have bought that necklace in the first place?”

 

“So now you’re blaming me?” Stella exploded in anger.

 

Of course I’m blaming you. Whose fault would it be? Mine?

 

I looked at Stella with innocent, tearful eyes.