Ch.119The Essence Remains Unchanged (2)

While Grandmother was already seated in the dining room, I took a moment to catch my breath with Daisy and Judy.

“…Are you ready?”

“….Yes.”

“Judy, how about you?”

“I’m ready too.”

Both were wearing dresses prepared by the family servants. Since neither had brought any fine clothes from home, they were both dressed in southern attire.

Compared to other regions, the dresses of the Praester Territory—the southern region—weren’t particularly distinctive, but due to the warmer climate, thinner fabrics were currently in fashion.

As a result, both Judy and Daisy wore dresses made of thin fabric, which accentuated their figures.

Simply put, they looked more beautiful.

It suddenly felt surreal that they were both to become my wives.

Once they were ready, I nodded to Helen who was standing with us at the dining room door.

Helen nodded back and opened the door, announcing our entrance to Grandmother on the other side.

Grandmother was seated at a round table.

The table had chairs placed in four directions.

Grandmother was already seated in the chair directly facing us.

Daisy entered after me, followed by Judy.

“We’re here.”

As I spoke, Daisy and Judy bowed simultaneously.

Daisy’s bow was flawless, but Judy’s was noticeably awkward, making me struggle to hold back a smile.

Even though Judy came from a ducal family, her dedication to swordsmanship seemed to have left her somewhat unrefined in these matters.

…Or perhaps there was some other complicated reason behind it.

Thinking this way made me feel sorry for her, allowing me to suppress my amusement.

“Sit down.”

Grandmother said.

Following her gesture, Daisy and Judy took seats on either side of Grandmother, while I sat across from her.

As we all settled in, a brief silence fell, which Daisy broke to dispel the awkwardness.

“Lady Riana, thank you for inviting us.”

Grandmother gave a short nod in response.

Judy, seeming to realize something as she looked at Daisy, shuddered slightly before following Daisy’s example and expressing her gratitude.

“L-Lady Riana, I’m grateful as well.”

“Of course, my dear.”

And Grandmother responded to Judy with a kind smile, completely different from how she had treated Daisy.

The difference was breathtaking.

It was practically the same as blatantly ignoring Daisy.

I suppressed my urge to speak up, as I noticed Daisy was still smiling pleasantly.

.

.

.

……However, her expression gradually hardened as time passed.

As the meal progressed, Grandmother’s favoritism became increasingly obvious.

“Dear, try this too.”

She personally placed food on Judy’s plate.

It was surprising enough to see Grandmother treating someone so sweetly, but the way she expressed her underlying anger was equally surprising.

“..Th…Thank you…”

Although Judy expressed her gratitude, her expression showed clear bewilderment. She secretly glanced at Daisy and me while putting the food in her mouth.

Unable to bear Daisy’s increasingly stiff expression, I took action.

Since Grandmother had served food to Judy’s plate, I could do the same for Daisy.

“Daisy, this is something I really like. Please try some.”

Daisy smiled broadly at my gesture. Though there was bitterness in her smile, her expression showed gratitude for my presence.

“Caden? Take care of our new dear one too.”

But even this brief moment of peace was shattered by Grandmother’s words.

Despite having already attended to Judy herself, she was once again deliberately discriminating against Daisy.

I finally couldn’t hold back anymore and opened my mouth.

“Grandmother, right now—”

-Tap.

At that moment, I felt a gentle touch on my thigh, forcing me to close my mouth again.

Looking in the direction of the touch, I saw Daisy looking at me with steady eyes.

There was a tremor in them that I hadn’t seen before, but she still shook her head slightly, without breaking.

……Since the person directly concerned didn’t want me to intervene, I remained still.

“….It’s nothing.”

“….I see. Then take care of our new dear one.”

Our situation showed no signs of improvement.

Even as the meal approached its end, Grandmother hadn’t even looked in Daisy’s direction.

It suddenly struck me how truly she was a Praester.

As the saying goes, her revenge was fierce and without mercy.

Daisy now couldn’t even lift her head. Her fallen hair slightly covered her face.

Grandmother still didn’t stop.

She called Judy with such affection and asked her:

“…So, my dear. How many children are you planning to have?”

Judy blinked nervously, sending me signals before struggling to answer.

“….Well… I was thinking of considering it after Lady Daisy has her first…”

Grandmother’s gaze turned toward Daisy for the first time in a while.

Daisy hurriedly fixed her expression to smile at Grandmother, but Grandmother didn’t pay her much attention.

Looking back at Judy, Grandmother asked:

“I’m curious about your plans.”

And at this dismissal, Daisy’s eyes crumbled sadly.

That expression finally moved me from my passive stance. I judged that waiting wouldn’t make things any better.

This time, I placed my hand on Daisy’s knee first.

I comforted her by gently stroking her tightly clenched fist.

At the same time, as I remained completely silent and still, Grandmother’s eyes shifted to me.

I looked at her with clearly angry eyes and slowly shook my head.

It meant that she should stop now.

Only after seeing my expression did she look at Daisy again. Daisy still couldn’t lift her head.

Grandmother looked at Daisy for a long time, then let out a long sigh.

“…Helen, pour the wine.”

With her changed mood, the servants moved in unison.

Red wine began to fill our glasses, which had remained empty until now.

“…..Daisy. Do you drink?”

For the first time, Daisy’s name came from Grandmother’s lips.

Daisy was startled and lifted her bowed head, smiling.

“…Yes?”

“No need to force that expression.”

“…….”

“Raise your glasses.”

When Grandmother spoke, Judy and I also raised our glasses.

-Clink.

A clear sound rang through the dining room, and everyone took a sip of the sweet wine.

Daisy, as if wanting to show something even now, closed her eyes tightly and gulped down more than three sips.

“…Well. I was being childish.”

Grandmother began the conversation by acknowledging her fault.

Daisy was surprised and waved her hands in denial.

“N-no, not at all…”

“What do you mean, no? I’ve been ignoring you this entire time.”

“…….”

I continued to pat Daisy’s hand under the table.

Daisy then secretly flipped her hand over and held mine.

“If I should be angry at anyone, it should be your father.”

“……..”

“As you know, your father and I made a promise. You probably know what that promise was, so there’s no need for me to painfully spell it out.”

Daisy nodded.

“But when the situation actually unfolded, it was your father who didn’t keep his promise. Moreover, he ignored Caden who was struggling for his life just a day’s journey away.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“I wonder how this could even be called an alliance. Our family’s eldest son. Moreover, the man who would become the husband of his eldest daughter… how could he treat him so lightly.”

Daisy’s grip on my hand tightened. It was as if she was apologizing to me once again.

“Yes, well… considering that you were suffering from plague and famine, and also believed the news that Caden had died… taking those facts into account, I’m restraining myself. Your father’s actions were quite… quite displeasing.”

“…I apologize again. We will ensure that such a thing never happens—”

“—Yes, you must ensure that.”

She spoke almost like a threat.

“If something like this happens again, we will consider it an attack against us.”

While holding Daisy’s hand, I said to Grandmother:

“Please don’t speak to her in such a threatening manner.”

Grandmother snorted at my words and spoke while drinking her wine.

“…Ha. And all this is for whose benefit, I wonder…”

I knew her words stemmed from her love for me, but if it were truly just love, she wouldn’t have treated Daisy so harshly.

I knew she was also venting her own anger.

As I continued to look at her with a hardened expression, she sighed once more.

“….Fine. Daisy.”

Daisy couldn’t respond anymore. Perhaps because the conflict was resolving, she had tears welling in her eyes. Daisy’s tears moved me.

It seemed to affect Grandmother as well, as she spoke in a much gentler voice.

“…..My dear, I’m sorry.”

Daisy’s hand and lips tensed again.

She opened her mouth but… perhaps still unable to speak, she closed it again.

She just nodded.

Grandmother said:

“….Please take good care of Caden from now on.”

“…….Yes.”

Only at the end could Daisy finally squeeze out her voice with difficulty.