Chapter 9

In particular, if the person was a young stepmother like me, who isn’t of a noble birth and has no connection to the social world, she would be in a bad situation. Yohan may have expected that and left such a will.

What on earth did he believe in to leave all of that to me?

If you are an ordinary person in the same situation as me, instead of enduring all the pain, you’d better choose to have the legacy left behind and enjoy a happy social life. Anyway, the children aren’t yours and the marriage didn’t happen because of love.

What kind of fool would walk on the thorny path?

No one’s going to notice, and all that would be left is the deadly stigma as a woman.

… That fool was me. Damn it, now looking back, I didn’t hesitate either.

“I can only thank you for your concern, Count Mueller. But I can’t go against my husband’s will.”

“I know. That’s why I beg you to let us help you.”

When he smiled slightly and spoke softly, he looked like a hunter waiting for his prey to take the bait.

“How do you plan to help me?”

“As you have done so far, you just have to pay attention to your life. We will solve all the complicated matters concerning the parliament or the Marquis for the time being. The same goes for children’s education, but none of us are willing to touch your rights. I just want to help because I think about my deceased brother.”

In the past, I was trembling in this place, but blindly rejected them. A scared cat puffed up its tail and set up its claws, literally rumbling and kicking them out.

I think I was so courageous when I was young.

At that time, I didn’t know how to exploit other people’s loopholes or use them moderately to suit my convenience. I just pushed ahead with it. I was anxious to be strong somehow.

Sometimes, because I was too tired, I cried secretly in the night when no one saw me. But now I don’t want to live like I used to.

I have to decide from now on how I will live my life, but what’s certain is that I don’t want to go through the same hardships as before. I no longer want to hear criticism and resentment, especially from the children.

“Well, I guess I need to think about it. It’s not long since my husband was buried in the ground, and it’s hard to decide all of these issues at once. Do you understand?” With my gentle words, the atmosphere calmed down, so I believe it was a success.

Now look at count Muller’s shining eyes.

“Of course, I understand. It’s an emergency, so I hope you make a decision as soon as possible.”

“My lady, may I ask you for a small favour?”

It was none other than the Countess Lucretia Von Neuwanstein who intervened with a gentle and charming voice.

A beautiful woman with dark blonde hair and a lake-like blue-green eyes. The aunt of the children, who had asked me repeatedly to meet the children at least once in the past.

“What is it?”

“Madam also knows that I have been close to my nephews and niece. So, if I stay here for a while and live with the children, they will soon settle down and you will feel more comfortable. What do you think?”

Why did I reject the children’s relatives unconditionally in the past? Why did the greedy uncles’ existence stop the children from seeing their beautiful and affectionate aunt?

That may be because of what my deceased husband said.

None of his brothers could be trusted. They were hyenas of different appearances, pretending to be jackals of lions.

And maybe just a little bit, there was a mix of my own feelings.

But in the end, it’s me that everyone hated.

Before I went back to the past, Jeremy, 21, who was about to get married, blamed me. He resented me to the extent that he prevented me from attending his own wedding through his fiancee.

That was how I was in his, in everyone else’s eyes.

The widow of iron blood, the Witch of Neuwanstein.

Let’s do what they want. Let’s leave it as they want it to be…

“If you can do that, I would be very grateful, but maybe your husband won’t…”

“Oh, it’s okay, I already told him.”

With a happy smile and a warm atmosphere, Valentino seems to advocate not to lose this time, “Well, Madam, I’d like to help you, too.”

“What is it?”

“Because I’m a little free these days. I’d like to help my nephews improve their swordsmanship.”

“Jeremy has a fencing teacher who has been with him since he was eight.”

“I know that, but isn’t Elias at the right age to start training?”

What conspiracy could it be? Valentino, a bully who wouldn’t have become knight if it weren’t for the Order of Neubanstein, is trying to stay with his nephews.

I’ll just wait and see.

I pretended to be hesitant for a while, then nodded and showed a naive smile, “It doesn’t seem like an easy task. I’d like to thank you for your help.”

It was a test mixed with pride and carelessness.

Although I’m ready to leave, I hope my choice is right.

At this point in the past, it was usual for me to sleep for a while at dawn and look into complex documents and books as soon as I opened my eyes again.

Because of that my nerves become sensitive, even a small noise would startle me.

At a time where every look in the eyes of the messengers and Knights was of profound significance to me, the day I first attended the Council, I fell asleep like the dead as soon as I got home.

******

As soon as I opened my eyes the next morning, as if I had been fascinated by something in the early morning, I wrapped myself with what I had brought when I first stepped into this house and went out.

Leon and Rachel, the twins who stood in the balcony, rubbed their sleepy eyes, and stared at me, “Fake mother, where are you going? Buy candies for us when you come back.”

The little brothers and sisters blinked their huge green eyes and waved their hands side by side.

Only then did my senses come back. It was only then that I could see the knights watching in bliss, not even thinking of stopping them from doing anything unexpected and crazy.

In the past; when I saw that, I turned back, and as soon as I reached the mansion, I convened all the servants and fired about half of them from the spot. No one could dare to stop me……….

But now, I have to postpone changing the servants. It’s my priority to decide my future path.

I can’t say that the current situation is the worst thing that happened to me.

… Although I don’t know whether I really went back in time, or whether the things up to now were predictive dreams, I can prepare myself for what will happen in the future.

Like that damned hearing.

My reputation in the social world, even if not for the hearing, was extremely bad. I wonder if that was the reason Jeremy didn’t want me in his wedding.