episode_0509

Harold returns, the next morning.

Breakfast that morning was special in many ways. After all, it was the first time I had sat down at the same table with Ethan and Harold since becoming a full-fledged member of the Blackwood family.

“Release, what are you doing?”

“Yes?”

“Go and sit over there. That’s where the exclusive maid stands.”

“Yes, baby. Are you going to stand there with that uncomfortable body until Ethan finishes eating?”

“… Excuse me.”

I stood behind Ethan out of habit, but after hearing what the two of them had to say, I finally moved to the opposite side.

When Ethan and I were alone, we often had meals facing each other thanks to his consideration even back when he was my exclusive maid, but when Harold was present at the meal, I always had to carry out my duties as an exclusive maid behind Ethan.

Anyway, Harold didn’t seem to want to treat me like a servant anymore, so he naturally sat me down, so I sat down obediently and continued eating.

“Still, the mood is a little better now that a new baby is sitting at the table. Oh, when did that little Ethan grow up so much and even have a child?”

“… I, master… Ah, no, that… father… ?”

“Yeah. What’s up, baby?”

“It may be a little strange to say this now, but… Is it really okay for me to become Ethan’s… Oh, no, Ethan’s first wife?”

“Hmm? What does that mean?”

“He, Ethan is the sole heir to the Blackwood family, and I, I was just a commoner until a few years ago, so if I marry Ethan with this fake noble status, won’t there be problems… .”

“… What are you talking about, Lilith? We already talked about that last time.”

“Ha, but father’s opinion may be different… . Ma, even if by some chance I become the first wife, y, there may be a situation where Ethan has to take a second wife for various political reasons… .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

I thought it was a reasonable suspicion, but the two people were silent, holding their foreheads as if they had heard something they shouldn’t have heard.

“Ahem, okay. It seems like Sae-a-ga still doesn’t understand, so listen carefully this time.”

“Yes… … .”

“The Blackwood family is not a family that would be shaken by who Ethan marries or not. It already has seven direct branches and almost three-digit numbers of subordinate families.”

“… … .”

“Of course, there will be some noise from other families who are eyeing Ethan’s wife’s position… but that’s not something Saeaga should be concerned about. Isn’t that right, Ethan.”

“That’s right, Father.”

Ethan nodded confidently as if he had been waiting for Harold’s words.

“It is up to you, Ethan, to solidify the Blackwood family’s position. Now that you have decided to take Lilith as your wife, you will have no choice but to work even harder.”

“I know.”

“I became a Sword Master to take Thanasia, a daughter of a border viscount family, as my wife, and I became the Emperor’s three swords and led the Argentia Empire to victory in the war… As my son, you should know that I should do at least this much.”

“… I will keep that in mind, and I will keep that in mind again.”

“So, Saea, you don’t have to worry about anything. It was Ethan’s choice to take you as his wife, so Saea, just know that there is nothing you have to worry about.”

“Yes, yes… .”

Rather, it was burdensome to think that it was a task that Ethan had to do just to make me his wife.

In the first place, how on earth can one achieve achievements beyond Sword Master, the Emperor’s Three Swords, and Hero of the Imperial War?

If anyone heard this, they’d think I was telling them to go out with a party of warriors to hunt the Demon King.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

-Same.

“New baby, can I come inside?”

“Yes, yes! Come in, Lord… Father… .”

As Ethan was quietly resting in his room, which had now become a separate space for the couple, Harold’s voice was heard from outside the room.

I hurriedly got up from the bed, trying hard to correct the title that was still not quite right.

-Squeak.

“Oh, it’s okay. You must be feeling unwell, but you can just lie down.”

“No. I was just about to get up.”

“… Yeah. I’m glad you said that, Sae-ah.”

… I can’t stand it, it’s so embarrassing.

I didn’t know where to look because of the embarrassing title that made me wonder if it was really the Harold from the original.

In the original, the only people Harold showed favor to were my son Ethan and the deceased Thanasia. When I felt that kind gaze directed at me, I felt like my whole body was shrinking under the pressure.

“Ah, please sit down, Father… .”

“Okay, baby, sit down too.”

Harold and I sat across from each other at the table in an awkward atmosphere.

Why isn’t Ethan here at a time like this? Harold was the first to speak in the suffocating, heavy air.

“I heard the story from Ethan. It looks like he had the child without consulting Ethan.”

“Sorry, sorry… .”

“It’s okay. I’m not blaming Sae-a-ga. But if I had known that Sae-a-ga had feelings for the child to the point of thinking about raising the child on her own… I should have stopped her from going out that day.”

“… … .”

“Ethan I thought it would be a good lesson for the child who couldn’t comfort Sae-Aga, so I sent him away. It was because I had strange thoughts that Sae-Aga suffered.”

“Ah, no… . It wasn’t that Master Ethan failed to reassure me in the first place, but that I had a strange misunderstanding and ran away… .”

“In the end, it was all Ethan’s fault for causing the misunderstanding. But now that he’s experienced it once, he must have learned something.”

… I really don’t know how to respond.

In the original, Harold was a cold-blooded man who didn’t even pay attention to anyone other than his son, to the point where he would punish his servants if they even said the slightest bad thing about his son.

But now, he is defending me and badmouthing my son in front of me… I started to wonder if I had just agreed with him and then suddenly changed my attitude.

“Ma, thank you for your words, but in the end, it is my choice and it will not change, so please do not scold Ethan too much… .”

“… Wow, how can she be so kind-hearted. It must be because Sae-Aga was Ethan’s exclusive maid that she grew up so well without going astray. ”

“… … A little bit.”

“This is not a denial. Yes, it’s good to see you admitting what needs to be admitted.”

… Well, well. Unlike Harold, I know the original Ethan.

I still don’t know exactly what I did to make Ethan grow up so well, but there was no denying that my presence had made him act like a human being.

You can say no to everything else, but you have to admit this one thing, right?

“What do you plan to do after giving birth to the child?”

“… After giving birth, I plan to take her to the academy if possible. First of all, I don’t think I can postpone returning to the academy next year, and if things continue as they are, the due date will probably be around December, but I don’t think I can wean a young baby after only 3 months.”

“If Sae-Aga wants, we can find a nanny now. After all, if she goes to the academy with her child, won’t it affect her studies?”

“Thank you for your words, but… I still want to raise my child by breastfeeding him if possible.”

“… You’re saying something similar to Thanasia again.”

“Yes?”

“… No, that’s fine. If Sae-Aga thinks so, then I should respect that. Then, instead, I guess I should bring a maid to look after the child while Ethan and Sae-Aga go to class.”

“Yes, I’m thinking about Isabel for now… .”

“That child has been Sae-Aga and Ethan’s exclusive maid up until now, so it’s okay. Do whatever you want.”

“Yes, thank you… .”

… But he doesn’t say anything like leaving the child behind.

Although he pretended not to care about the speeding marriage, it seemed that he was actually worrying about realistic issues.

It didn’t seem like my Academy parenting plans would go awry, though, as Harold seemed determined to respect my wishes as much as possible.

“If Ethan ever bothers you or anything, just tell him. If he catches the little girl who ran away and drags her back and does something bad to her, even if he’s Ethan, I won’t let it go.”

“… … .”

“… Surely, has that happened before?”

“Ah, ah, no?! E, Ethan is really being very attentive, so you don’t have to worry! I, I’m almost like a dedicated butler to the young lady, taking care of every little thing… .”

“… Yeah, that’s good to hear that.”

… I guess I’ll have to keep the fact that Ethan locked me in a cage for a week a secret from Harold for the rest of my life.

If anything, it’s fortunate that the misunderstanding was resolved before Harold returned.