When I Quit Being A Wicked Mother-in-law, Everyone Became Obsessed With Me

10. A Bad Feeling

Right after St. Philip’s Feast, Anriche became extremely busy.

The first thing she tackled was the multi-passenger carriage business she had previously discussed with Alexei.

While engrossed in her work,

“Anriche, you’re the lady of Valois!”

Delfina suddenly barged in.

“So, you should be building relationships with the noble ladies of the North, shouldn’t you?”

It was a reasonable statement.

After all, the Duke of Valois was the center of the northern nobility.

“Since you’re already down in the duchy, it would be good to at least make an appearance.”

Thus, somehow, Anriche found herself spending more time socializing with Delfina.

“Hey!”

Delfina called out to Anriche from the bottom of the stairs.

“Yes, I’m coming!”

Anriche hurried down the stairs.

Just as she was about to head out the front door,

the two women encountered Alexei, who was just entering the duchy.

“Riche, and Mother?”

Alexei immediately furrowed his brows, looking at the two of them.

“Where are you going?”

“Oh, today we’re going to a reading group with the ladies.”

Delfina puffed out her chest proudly.

However, Alexei’s expression darkened even more with her answer.

“Are you going out with Riche again today?”

“Why? Are you jealous?”

Delfina teased, playfully wrinkling her nose as she looked directly at her son.

‘Of course, I am.’

Alexei barely managed to swallow that thought before it escaped his lips.

Recently, Delfina had been monopolizing Anriche’s time.

“Hey, why are you always trying to hog Riche?”

It was Alexei who spoke up.

His voice was filled with indignation.

But Delfina remained unashamed.

“If you’re feeling left out, you can just become a mother-in-law yourself.”

“…”

Alexei glared at his mother with a resentful expression.

Deep down, he knew it too.

‘Yeah, I’m being immature about this…’

But!

Alexei bit down hard on his teeth.

‘How long has it been since I spent time alone with Riche?’

Ever since St. Philip’s Feast, Anriche had been extremely busy with the carriage business.

But that was fine to some extent.

Since there were areas in the business where Alexei could help out as well.

However, after Delfina intervened, his place was shrinking even further.

“I can help with paperwork, so you just focus on your work.”

Seated in Anriche’s office, Delfina waved her hand at Alexei as if it were bothersome.

“Uh, Alexei!”

Unable to hold back, Anriche quickly jumped into the conversation.

“I’ll stop by the carriage business after the reading group.”

“…”

“So, it’s not like I’m just focusing on the social gatherings…”

Anriche tried her best to reassure Alexei.

However, the problem was that his mood darkened even more with her words.

‘…The carriage business is one of the few things I can do with Riche.’

Must he lose that too to his mother?

In his frustration, Alexei spoke without thinking.

“…Can’t I come along?”

“Pardon?”

“While the reading group is one thing, I can come along to the carriage business, right?”

Clenching his fists, Alexei continued.

Anriche was flustered and stammered.

“W-well, that’s true, but…”

That meant Alexei would have to wait for her until the reading group finished.

After which they could go to the carriage business together, but wasn’t that inefficient?

…But she couldn’t say that.

Just then, Delfina chimed in teasingly.

“If you’re so upset, you could come pick her up right when the reading group ends!”

Anriche felt her expression crumble.

‘Mother, saying that will only make Alexei more upset!’

However, Delfina turned to Anriche with a cheerful face, seemingly indifferent to her son’s feelings.

“Come on, dear. We’ll be late at this rate.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Sending a apologetic glance at Alexei, Anriche quickened her pace.

Alexei stood there, dejected, like a drenched puppy, watching Anriche walk away.

“Haah.”

A bitter sigh escaped him, filled with the harsh reality.

And just then…

From a distance, Elliot watched his father with a scornful voice.

“Dad, that’s so childish.”

“…”

Liliana silently nodded in agreement with his murmuring.

Though she couldn’t voice it, her thoughts clearly aligned with Elliot’s words.

“Tsk tsk.”

Elliot clicked his tongue, imitating the adults, and turned to Liliana.

“Let’s go, Lily.”

“Okay!”

With that, the two children dashed outside.

“Ha, what childish behavior…”

Unable to shake off the wave of deep self-loathing, Alexei covered his face with his hands.

***

The reading group.

A gathering for noble ladies of the North to foster camaraderie, reportedly sustained for over ten years.

The original intent was likely something along the lines of:

‘To read quality books and share insights to impart lessons.’

…Or so she had heard?

Anriche felt cold sweat trickling down her back.

‘What quality books, and where are the insights!’

The noble ladies were fixated on Anriche, their eyes not leaving her.

It was a familiar expression.

They wanted to talk to her but were fervently contemplating whether she might react negatively.

‘Isn’t it time I shed the label of the villainess?’

Unable to endure their heavy gaze any longer, Anriche greeted them first.

“Hello, I’m Anriche von Valois.”

The ladies looked at each other, wide-eyed in surprise.

‘Oh my, what do we do!’

‘The Duchess just greeted me!’

After a moment, one of the ladies cautiously spoke up.

“I’m really glad the Duchess could attend this gathering.”

It was the Countess Aubrey, the host of the reading group and the second highest in status after Delfina.

“It’s truly an honor.”

“Oh, it’s not that much of an honor. I came because I wanted to socialize with the ladies as well.”

Anriche offered an awkward smile.

“In fact, I feel more sorry that I’m only now getting to meet you all.”

“Oh no, don’t say that!”

“On the contrary, we’re the ones thrilled to meet the Duchess like this!”

The ladies exclaimed in unison.

At the same time, Delfina shrugged her shoulders.

“Don’t forget, everyone.”

“Pardon?”

“I brought my daughter-in-law to the reading group.”

With that, Delfina puffed out her chest proudly.

“…”

“…”

An awkward silence ensued.

‘Oh, Mother…’

Anriche felt her face flush with embarrassment.

Then,

the Countess Aubrey awkwardly smiled and nodded.

“Of course, the Duchess has done us a great favor by coming.”

She then discreetly glanced at Anriche.

“However, I hope the Duchess isn’t inconvenienced because of us…”

In truth, she couldn’t completely dismiss their concern.

The Duchess of Valois was practically synonymous with ‘lack of sociability.’

But,

“Oh, that’s impossible!”

Delfina shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

“Why would our Anriche not like me?”

“Excuse me?”

The Countess Aubrey opened her mouth in surprise, forgetting all about the concept of propriety.

At the same time, Delfina turned to her daughter-in-law with a flourish.

“Right, Anriche?”

“Ah, y-yes…”

Anriche struggled not to show her discomfort.

‘But, the Duchess has had major arguments with the Duchess of Valois before, hasn’t she?’

‘She went into a frenzy, saying she’d renounce her title the moment I called her a daughter-in-law…’

The noble ladies kept their lips sealed, refraining from uttering those thoughts, maintaining the utmost decorum when addressing the Duchess.

“More importantly, you ladies.”

Meanwhile, Delfina showed no signs of hiding her pride, regardless of the surrounding tension.

“Do you know how close Anriche and I are?”

“Uh, y-yes…”

“What’s with the weak responses?”

Delfina cast a sharp glance around the room.

Watching her, Anriche felt a throbbing pain in her head.

‘Mother, please…’

I feel like I could die of embarrassment…

But just then,

one of the ladies hastily changed the subject.

“Speaking of which, about the multi-passenger carriage business the Duchess is undertaking…”

“Yes, our Anriche is doing something remarkable.”

It seemed to be a topic she found appealing, as Delfina nodded with satisfaction.

On the other hand, the ladies looked genuinely curious about the venture.

Their questions began pouring out.

“Oh, I heard about that too.”

“Isn’t it difficult to run a business as a woman?”

“I heard you hire drivers based on their skills regardless of gender?”

“Will you consider hiring women as well?”

The eyes directed at Anriche sparkled with curiosity and anticipation.

And the name that encapsulated all those feelings was simply:

‘Hope.’