Ch.94The Third Flower (3)

“What’s the matter?”

The sun had already sunk beyond the horizon, yet my husband still hadn’t returned.

By now, he would normally have finished his meal. Something must have happened.

I’m terribly curious, but after the recent incident that led to the expulsion of many informants from the court, I can’t immediately know what’s happening outside.

It’s too dangerous to go out while holding Liliane, and I hate the thought of entrusting her to someone else. All I can do is hold her and wait quietly.

Sigh… Tonight was supposed to be my turn to have my husband all to myself. Time shouldn’t be wasting away like this… I wish he would return soon…

Click, click—

“Ah, he’s finally here!”

Ines, who had been sighing, immediately brightens up upon hearing the faint footsteps in the corridor outside. These evenly spaced steps are her husband’s distinctive gait, and the clicking sound comes from shoes that only he wears in the palace.

Really, what am I to do with him coming so late?

Ines carefully rises so as not to wake Liliane in her arms and approaches the door.

‘3…2…1… Now.’

Creeeeak—

“Husband!”

To both express her joy and exact a small revenge for his late arrival, Ines times her greeting perfectly as he enters, shouting just loud enough not to wake Liliane in her arms.

“Why are you so late…?”

But the one who ends up surprised is not Claude, but Ines herself.

What’s this?

Something… is wrong.

Her husband’s expression is too dark, and his body seems completely deflated. He looks like he’s shrunk by a hand’s width.

He looks like a criminal who has committed a grave sin.

‘And this is…’

Sniff, sniff—

…The scent of a woman. The distinct, pungent smell that comes from a woman’s lower body after lovemaking.

Could it be that Claude—that Chloe woman has sneakily cut in line—no, no.

‘It’s slightly different from Chloe’s scent.’

Though she never wanted to become familiar with it, Ines recognizes the smell of Chloe that often lingered on her husband’s body. The culprit is not Chloe.

That leaves another possibility: her husband has been with a woman she hasn’t approved of.

Chloe is fine as she’s the second wife Ines personally designated, but an unknown second wife is absolutely unacceptable.

A second wife unknown to the first wife would devastate the family, just like in her memories of her mother and father’s relationship.

It’s a nobleman’s duty to spread his noble bloodline using all available means, but if those means involve an unacknowledged woman—no.

‘Don’t think so negatively. Yes, that Chloe woman might have caught some disease.’

Think positively, positively.

Hastily suspecting infidelity would be a great disrespect to her husband.

Yes, there was that incident before when she hastily suspected an affair and things went wrong.

Stay calm. It can’t be. It’s just a misunderstanding.

‘It can’t be… it can’t be… it can’t—ugh.’

Desperately denying the possibility, Ines’s breath catches as soon as her eyes meet Claude’s.

Those eyes were the eyes of someone who had committed a sin.

She hadn’t seen such eyes recently since he had become more lenient with his subordinates, but in his crueler days, she had often seen his subordinates with such eyes.

“…Ines, I need to talk to you.”

“Ah, ah… ah…”

Hearing Claude’s words, Ines was certain her suspicions were correct and wanted to collapse right there, but she desperately held herself together to avoid shocking Liliane in her arms.

Her trembling legs sent vibrations through her body, which woke Liliane from her sleep. Displeased at having her sleep disturbed, the baby began to cry at the top of her lungs.

“WAAAAAHHH!!!”

‘Which… whore is it…’

Ines’s temperament, which had been greatly tempered by Le Clerc’s warnings and childcare responsibilities, flared up again. Seeing this, Claude felt such intense pressure that he couldn’t even swallow, becoming flustered.

“Which woman is it?”

“I haven’t even said anything yet—”

“I don’t need you to tell me. It’s not your fault, husband. So… which woman is it? Which woman seduced you? Which woman pounced on you?”

After months of contemplation following Chloe’s advice, she had finally realized:

To protect a happy family, first and foremost, love and trust between spouses is needed, and secondly, harmony and support among children.

For a thieving woman trying to break that trust… there can only be a thorough physical response.

I won’t let anyone steal my happiness.

“…Please wait a moment. When Chloe arrives, I’ll explain everything.”

……….

“”…””

I told them everything that had happened.

Jeanne’s seduction that began weeks ago, my failure to properly reject her, her aggressive advances at the restaurant and what followed, and my decision to take responsibility for her—I told them everything.

At first, I considered altering the story to protect Jeanne from harm if the truth came out, but it felt uncomfortable to deceive these two who trusted me. Also, at Jeanne’s own request, I decided to tell everything exactly as it happened.

Jeanne wasn’t present; I had her rest in a separate room. It was obvious that Chloe and Ines would be agitated, and I couldn’t predict what might happen if the person responsible was right in front of them.

‘Ugh…’

The atmosphere is unbearably heavy.

The pressure of their gazes felt throughout my body and the silence so eerie that not even breathing can be heard.

Though my head is bowed and I shouldn’t be able to see their expressions, it’s as if I have eyes on the back of my head—I can clearly sense their faces.

…It would be better if they wailed, got angry, or showed contempt.

“Brother, please raise your head.”

“Chloe…?”

After minutes of silence, it was Chloe’s warm voice that broke the strange stillness.

Looking up at her words, I see Chloe with a gentle smile. Not a sarcastic or mocking smile, but a warm one—an expression that couldn’t possibly indicate anger.

“It’s not your fault. I’m a little disappointed that you didn’t tell us about Jeanne’s continuous seduction over the past few weeks… but you resisted until the end, didn’t you?”

“I… guess so?”

That woman…?

Chloe’s words were as calm as a peaceful lake, except for that one term.

“Above all, your determination to take responsibility as a man is admirable. That’s the kindness that made me fall for you.”

“I feel the same way.”

“…?”

What’s this?

Something is off. My instincts are sounding an alarm.

Their words are extremely merciful and generous, but somehow too awkward. The more I listen, the more anxious I become.

This feeling is… yes, like finding razor blade fragments inside delicious chocolate.

“The fault, all the fault… lies not with you, husband, but with Jeanne.”

“Brother resisted until the very end, showing us that we can trust him.”

“Um… well…”

Those eyes, the eyes of Chloe and Ines.

It’s night and there’s only a single candle for light, so their pupils should be dilated… but their pupils are unnaturally small.

“Uh… ah…”

“Mmm…”

It’s natural for infants to cry loudly when they feel uncomfortable or scared.

But Claudia and Liliane, cradled in their arms, show no such signs. They’re desperately holding back their tears, watching their mothers’ expressions.

“That’s… no, it’s my fault. If I had rejected her more firmly and clearly, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Brother did his best. Don’t blame yourself too much.”

“That’s right, please leave the rest to us.”

Leave it to them…? What exactly?

Um… hmm…

‘I’m screwed.’

I understand what’s in their hearts.

They probably want to metaphorically kill the thieving woman who seduced their precious husband.

But these two give me the impression that they might actually kill Jeanne—not as a figure of speech, but literally.

I had thought they were just harsh in words but kind at heart, but I can’t see any trace of that kindness in them now.

It’s as if they’re planning to shift all my blame onto Jeanne, eliminate her, and make it as if [I never did anything wrong from the beginning].

Of course, they wouldn’t actually do something so terrible, so it must be my imagination, but it’s still genuinely unsettling.

“Chloe, Ines. Please wait. While it’s true that Jeanne was wrong, I was also at fault. So—”

“No.”

Huh?

Why is the voice coming from behind me instead of in front?

“Saint, I’m sorry. I couldn’t wait and came anyway.”

…Ah.

Why are you here?

I told you to wait in the separate room because I didn’t know what might happen, but Jeanne ignored that and came here anyway.

Jeanne is apologizing to me with her words, but her expression tells a different story. She looks like a girl who has just played a malicious prank.

“”…””

The two who were talking just moments ago are now silent. It feels like we’ve gone back to square one.

From the moment Jeanne entered, their gazes no longer focus on me.

Chloe and Ines’s hostile stares pass through me and land on the person who created this situation.

“Ah… hello. I look forward to getting along with you.”

Jeanne’s smile is as fresh as a spring breeze, but her tone is as cutting as a winter wind that could freeze plants and animals to death.

Chloe and Ines don’t respond to Jeanne’s greeting with words, answering only with their unwavering glares.