Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 45

* * *

Whoosh! It was in the underground glass greenhouse of the Blanche Duchy. Hubert, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, opened them at the sensation of heat brushing his face. The Phoenix was spewing flames that looked like fire itself.

 

“Phoenix!”

 

Hubert jumped up from his seat. Soon, the Phoenix’s flames subsided. And then, it fell into a deep sleep inside the large golden cage. However, Hubert, who would occasionally come down to the underground to bond with the Phoenix, could sense it.

 

A transformation is taking place.

 

His fiery eyes deepened.

 

* * *

The Phoenix’s egg was fascinating. When anyone else came near, it would go quiet. But when it was just the two of us, it would start crying again.

 

“Ppii- Ppippi!”

 

Just like now.

 

I don’t see any sign of it hatching. Even when I held it up to a candle, I couldn’t see the shape of a bird inside.

 

“You’re not really an egg, are you?”

 

“Ppi! Ppippippi!”

 

At my sharp question, the Phoenix’s egg cried out noisily, as if protesting.

 

“Did you change after being with Mom?”

 

After all, Mom is the true successor chosen by the Phoenix.

 

“Ppii!”

 

The Phoenix’s egg cried out as if that was the correct answer.

 

“Then why did Mom give you back to me?”

 

Even in her unstable state, did she transform the Phoenix’s egg for my sake and return it to me? Did she know that I would need this egg from now on?

 

If she instinctively knows that, it means Mom is definitely getting better.

 

As someone chosen by the Phoenix, that is. A small glimmer of hope sparked within me.

 

“Now that you can talk, I should call you something other than ‘Phoenix’s egg.’”

 

“Ppi!”

 

The egg chirped happily, as if in agreement.

 

I chuckled and said, “From now on, your name is Ppinix.”

 

* * *

It was in the Clementi Duchy. In a lavish room, a large bathtub filled with rose water was placed. Warm steam rose gently from the tub, where the emperor’s beautiful concubine, Violet Clementi, was seated. Entrusted her body to the maids who were carefully washing her, a mocking smirk playing on her lips.

 

“You need my help?”

 

“Yes, Violet.”

 

In front of the tub, Diane sat on an uncomfortable-looking wooden chair. She was trying hard to hide her humiliation. But there was no way the quick-witted Violet would miss it.

 

“You’re awfully stiff for someone asking for a favor. Everyone in the empire knows what kind of trouble your family is in right now.”

 

“Vi-Violet…!”

 

Violet smirked coldly and turned her head toward her cousin. “If you beg properly, I might consider helping you.”

 

Diane’s body trembled violently. How dare the daughter of a mere maid, who didn’t even become a concubine, act so high and mighty just because she became the emperor’s concubine by selling her body…!

 

On the surface, Violet and Diane were cousins. But in truth, Violet was the illegitimate child of Diane’s maternal family. Though she was officially registered and raised as a legitimate daughter, everyone in high society knew Violet’s origins. Violet had grown up enduring all sorts of insults, especially since Diane had always looked down on her since childhood.

 

Neither of them had forgotten that fact. The emotions were written all over Diane’s flushed face.

 

Violet’s expression turned icy. “What? Can’t bring yourself to beg someone like me, an illegitimate child?”

 

Diane flinched at the spot-on remark. “N-No. That’s not it…”

 

“It’s not just a small amount of money you need, is it? Oh, that’s right. My investment and my son’s are tied up in it too, aren’t they? What do you think would happen if we reported your son to His Majesty?”

 

“Vi-Violet! Please, anything but that…!”

 

Having come to ask for help, Diane now found herself in an even worse predicament. Without realizing it, she fell to her knees.

 

Violet burst into laughter at the pitiful display. “What’s this? Already on your knees? Are a noble’s knees that easy to bend?”

 

Diane bit her lip, regretting her hasty actions. But it was too late to turn back now. She bowed her head to Violet. “Please, help my family! My son is about to be kicked out of the family! If you help us, I’ll never forget this favor for the rest of my life!” It was a desperate plea, throwing away all her pride.

 

“That’s right, that’s how you should beg. It makes it more worth my while to help.”

 

Violet chuckled, then whispered something to the maid who had been massaging her arm. The maid quickly disappeared somewhere. Diane watched the scene with a puzzled expression.

 

Violet leaned in and whispered to her. “Diane, everything comes with a price.”

 

Diane snapped back to her senses. Of course, the cruel Violet wouldn’t help for free. But she had already prepared herself for this.

 

“What do I need to do for you to help my family?”

 

“It’s nothing too difficult.”

 

At that moment, the returning maid handed Diane a small note. On the note was written ‘Lady Elizabeth of Margrave Kanto.’

 

“What is this?”

 

“It’s nothing. That young lady flirted with His Majesty not too long ago.”

 

“!”

 

Diane’s eyes widened in shock.

 

Violet shook her head and laughed wickedly. “She was smiling with her eyes so sweetly that I almost fell for her myself. And her face, so beautiful, with her figure so voluptuous!”

 

“T-Then, you’re saying this lady…”

 

“Just make sure she never smiles at anyone ever again.”

 

Diane nodded. “Alright. I’ll make sure this young and foolish lady never even thinks about going after His Majesty again.”

 

“What are you saying, Diane!” Violet suddenly snapped, her voice sharp and irritated, making Diane freeze in place. “Didn’t you understand what I said? I’m not saying to make her unable to ‘think’ about smiling with her eyes! Thoughts like that can change in an instant! You need to make it so she can’t even ‘try’ to smile with her eyes!”

 

Diane trembled. Violet spoke coldly to the trembling Diane.

 

“Break her. Do you understand?”

 

Diane’s vision darkened. “T-That’s… But Lady Elizabeth Kanto comes from a powerful family, and her father, Margrave Kanto, is a war hero…”

 

Margrave Kanto and the margrave’s family had long been protectors of the empire’s borders, earning respect in noble society. Above all, the claim that the lady had flirted with the emperor was nothing more than Violet’s assertion. To break such a lady? It wasn’t only dangerous but utterly unreasonable.

 

“It’s because it’s dangerous that I’m entrusting it to you!” Violet smiled at the trembling Diane. “I hope you don’t disappoint me. That’s the only way your family survives.”

 

* * *

“Really? Violet made Diane do something like that?”

 

When I asked again, Britlyn nodded.

 

“Madam Mona clearly said so.”

 

It was exactly as I had expected. When cornered, Diane has no one to turn to but Violet. The two of them were locked in a hostile symbiotic relationship. Of course, knowing how vicious Violet could be, Diane rarely asked her for favors that could be used against her. But when she’s desperate? Diane has no choice either.

 

From the start, the whole point of driving the Gale family to the edge of the cliff was this. It wasn’t just to rack up a few debts or to kick out the utterly useless and foolish Nicholas. The real purpose was to make Diane willingly walk into hell herself. And Diane was steadily running straight toward those flames.

 

“Madam Diane is extremely worried.”

 

And she had every reason to be. Violet is ruthless as expected. To order Diane to ruin Lady Elizabeth Kanto.

 

The Kanto family was a prestigious and powerful household. Especially Margrave Kanto, who had been defending the empire’s borders for generations, was someone even the emperor couldn’t treat lightly.

 

Elizabeth was the cherished, only daughter he’d had late in life, the precious gem of the family. In other words, if you mess with Lady Elizabeth Kanto and get caught, you won’t even have your bones left.

 

In my past life, it wasn’t Diane who ruined Lady Elizabeth Kanto. It was a countryside noble who wanted to curry favor with Violet. He staged an accident and ran over Lady Elizabeth Kanto with a carriage. With her body ruined, Lady Elizabeth despaired and took her own life.

 

That countryside noble was eventually caught. And he faced a brutal revenge from Margrave Kanto. Violet, of course, quickly severed ties with him.

 

All Lady Elizabeth ever did was smile in front of the emperor. I remembered feeling sorry for Lady Elizabeth back then. And now, the task of ruining that innocent lady had fallen to Diane.

 

I spoke to Britlyn. “Tell Madam Mona to volunteer for the job.”