Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 31

“Don’t ever act so recklessly again!”

 

Paterson had no choice but to leave the office as if he were being chased out.

 

What on earth happened? Did I mess up the switch somehow? Completely unaware that Epirosa would be involved, Paterson nervously chewed on his nails.

 

Benjamin stared at Paterson with cold eyes. If it weren’t for Lady Epirosa, things could have gone terribly wrong.

 

In Benjamin’s heart, the place once reserved for ‘a trusted friend’ no longer belonged to Paterson. Epirosa had begun to take root in that empty spot.

 

* * *

Clang! When Diane opened the door to Stella’s room, she was startled. Her lovely, noble daughter, Stella, was throwing a flower vase with a vicious expression.

 

“Why should I be punished with kneeling because of that lowborn thing?! Why! Why!”

 

The maids, terrified, didn’t dare try to stop her.

 

“Stella! Calm yourself!” Diane rushed over to her.

 

Stella threw herself into Diane’s arms, tears streaming down her face. “Mom! I’m so upset!”

 

“I know, sweetheart. I know exactly how you feel. I know that wretched Epirosa is tormenting you.”

 

Diane patted Stella comfortingly. But even her mother’s touch couldn’t quell Stella’s rage. With eyes blazing red, she spat out bitterly, “Why should I keep treating that lowborn girl well? Why do we need her on our side anyway? Just looking at her makes me sick!”

 

“Bear with it for now. Your uncle insisted to your father that we must win Epirosa over—he even said you should be the one to do it.” Although she said this, Diane herself felt frustrated.

 

Why on earth did Kobel insist on recruiting Epirosa in particular? Usually obedient to Gale, he had been unusually stubborn about this. And so Gale had ordered both his wife and daughter to follow his younger brother’s wishes this time.

 

But Stella disliked Epirosa intensely. A lowborn like her would be perfect to subtly torment!

 

At first, she had found the plan amusing. She believed Epirosa would easily fall for her sweet act. Then I could have toyed with her like a stupid little mouse!

 

But Epirosa had defied all Stella’s expectations. No matter how nicely she treated her, she never fawned over her. Even the tactics she had used to gain influence among the young noble ladies didn’t work. She’s really, really irritating…! Who did she think she was?!

 

In the end, when Stella was forced to apologize to Epirosa and even kneel as punishment, Stella snapped. “I really hate her! Can’t we just kick her out? There are plenty of lackeys we could use instead!” She wanted to get rid of her immediately.

 

Stella believed she could do it if she set her mind to it. But Diane shook her head.

 

“Your father is very firm on this.”

 

“Mom!”

 

“Just endure it a little longer. The time for revenge will come.” Diane stroked her whining daughter’s hair. “I’ll quietly make her life miserable without anyone knowing, so don’t worry too much.” Though her tone was soothing, it carried firmness.

 

Neither her father nor her mother seemed willing to do things the way Stella wanted. She bit her lip. Fine. Then I’ll do it myself! Even if it were just her alone, she would drag Epirosa into the mud!

 

* * *

Today was the day to receive lessons from the private tutor. I left my room a little earlier than usual. Because there’s someone I need to meet.

 

It was when I reached the study room. Bang!

 

“You damned b*stard!”

 

A loud curse rang out along with the sound of a door being slammed shut. It was Nicholas. He had lessons before me. At his age, he should have already completed his home education and entered the academy. If not, he should at least have been officially knighted and focused on martial training.

 

But he’s too incompetent to accomplish either. Even while receiving a lower level of education, he still got scolded by the tutor every single time. Mainly because he wasn’t only stupid but also lazy.

 

“Just wait until I become the grand duke! I’ll tear that tutor to pieces!” He shouted it at the door, clearly intending for everyone to hear.

 

Does he really think he’ll inherit this family? What a laughable delusion.

 

It was then.

 

“Huh? You…!” Nicholas, still fuming, spotted me. Seizing the opportunity, he stomped toward me. “Perfect timing!”

 

Nicholas clearly intended to take out his anger on me. But I was quicker. Before he could start picking a fight, I bowed politely.

 

“Brother Nicholas, I wanted to thank you.”

 

Nicholas froze mid-breath. “W-What…?”

 

“You and Stella agreed to pretend to be the creators of the Royal Blue for my sake, right? I was in a tough spot, so I really appreciated it.”

 

I gave him a bright, radiant smile, which fazed him. With my light pink hair and clear, lake-like blue eyes, I had a gentle and beautiful appearance, unlike my mother. Objectively speaking, my looks weren’t bad at all. When I deliberately smiled as beautifully as I could, Nicholas even smacked his lips. Disgusting.

 

“W-Well, at least you know how to be thankful.” He stammered.

 

I smiled sweetly and asked, “Then, when would be a good time for me to reveal that I’m the real creator?”

 

“What?”

 

But at my next question, his eyes narrowed sharply.

 

“Royal Blue is mine! Don’t even think about taking it back!”

 

“Huh?’

 

It was an unintentional slip of his true feelings. Seeing my surprise, Nicholas quickly tried to cover it up. “If you say you made Royal Blue, no one will buy it anymore! No matter how much time passes, that won’t change!”

 

 

“Ah, I see… I wasn’t thinking clearly.” I feigned disappointment.

 

“You’re making money from it anyway, aren’t you? That’s enough. And my mother will raise that money for you!” Then, he added in a threatening tone. “So when are you handing over the money? Mother’s already worried because she has so many things she needs to spend it on!”

 

What an idiot. He claims it’s for me, but he’s practically admitting he can’t wait to spend it himself. Still, the fact that the eldest son of the Gale family was this stupid worked in my favor.

 

I put on a concerned look. “Aunt needs money?”

 

“Exactly! Because of you, we can’t just freely use the internal budget anymore!”

 

“But grandpa will be monitoring how I spend my money. That’s why I’m still figuring out how to give it to Aunt.”

 

“What? So you’re saying you won’t hand it over now?!”

 

“No, that’s not it. If you need money, there are other ways to get it.”

 

“Other ways?” Nicholas’s eyes widened.

 

“Yes. If people know you’re the creator of Royal Blue, you could attract massive investment.”

 

“Investment?”

 

“People are expecting the next product from the creator of Royal Blue. So, you just need to announce that you’re working on a medicine as good as Royal Blue and gather investments.” I smiled kindly and added, “You could raise far more than I’m earning right now.”

 

“F-Far more money?” Nichola’s eyes gleamed with greed.

 

“Of course. And with your talent, you could grow the funds even further.”

 

“Y-Yes! With my abilities!”

 

I praised him lavishly, then let my expression turn hesitant. “But Stella might have already thought of raising investment herself.”

 

“Stella?”

 

“If even someone lowly like me could think of it, a clever girl like her surely has as well.”

 

“That won’t do! I have to tell Mother first!”

 

Nicholas completely failed to catch that I’d just insulted him indirectly—That I, whom he considered beneath him, had thought of something he hadn’t. He was simply in a rush, eager to inform Diane of the idea before Stella could. But I couldn’t let it happen like that.

 

“Even if Aunt knows, wouldn’t she still entrust the job to Stella?”

 

“!”

 

Nicholas’s face twisted. His parents trusted Stella more than their eldest son, so it was entirely possible.

 

“Then you’d lose your chance to earn the credit…” I looked at him sympathetically.

 

Nicholas clenched his teeth. Stella had always been the better sibling. Being compared to her and scolded was a daily occurrence. Even when he tried to get back at her, it usually ended with him being outsmarted by Stella.

 

“I can’t let Stella take this one too!” Nicholas shouted, his face full of inferiority. Then he rushed off somewhere in a hurry. Without telling anyone, he was off to make trouble on his own.

 

Thanks for being such an idiot. I sincerely thanked him in my heart.