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

The moment the Duke of Sachsen spoke, a heavy silence settled in.

“……”

“……”

The people only exchanged glances, unable to find their voices.

“Of course, I know that today’s agenda isn’t about the appointment of the crown prince,” the Duke of Sachsen continued, puffing out his chest.

“However, wouldn’t it be more beneficial for the empire’s stability to appoint a crown prince as soon as possible?”

In the midst of everyone keeping silent, the Duke of Sachsen’s pompous voice resonated loudly.

“Even now, both princes are on edge regarding the succession to the throne.”

To be honest, that was an exaggeration.

It was only the first prince who was anxious about it, as the second prince had already declared that he had no interest in the throne.

“Moreover, the nobles are divided into three factions: those who support the first prince, those who support the second, and the neutrals.”

The Duke of Sachsen clenched his fists and raised his voice.

“I believe this division is draining the empire’s strength!”

On the surface, he appeared to be a loyal subject concerned about the empire’s future.

“Um, well…”

“Indeed, but…”

Still, the nobles looked somewhat skeptical.

That was understandable, as the emperor was still very healthy.

Besides, the emperor had a customary saying.

“I wish to choose the better son as the next emperor.”

That meant the current emperor was weighing both sons.

“The emperor wouldn’t want this either…”

“Is there really a need to stir up trouble like this?”

Yet no one had the courage to voice those thoughts.

In that silence, the Duke of Sachsen continued to speak confidently.

“To unite our strengths, it would indeed be better to appoint His Highness the first prince as crown prince…”

He subtly suggested the first prince as the crown prince when suddenly, he took a sharp breath.

“Ugh.”

Alexei was glaring at the Duke of Sachsen with piercing eyes.

“I wonder when the Duke of Sachsen became so concerned about the welfare of the country.”

At that direct tone, the expressions of the other nobles brightened.

“Indeed, it’s the Duke of Valua…”

“It’s refreshing.”

The nobles gathered there felt a sudden relief, as if a burden had been lifted.

Alexei continued calmly.

“I remember that you hardly attended the noble assembly before.”

“Th-that’s…”

The Duke of Sachsen’s face turned bright red.

“What is the reason for ignoring the already established agenda and bringing up the crown prince’s appointment, which isn’t urgent right now?”

“Of course, it’s for the empire!”

“Did you just say it’s for the empire?”

Alexei chuckled incredulously.

“Well, if the Duke truly wishes to dedicate himself to the empire…”

His voice began to take on a sharper edge.

“It would be better for you to consistently attend the noble assembly and take an interest in the governance of the country.”

“…What did you say?”

“Don’t just attend the assembly when it’s convenient for you.”

The Duke of Sachsen ground his teeth.

It was understandable, given that Alexei’s face remained cold and unyielding.

“No, how rude this is…!”

Just then, unable to contain his anger, the Duke of Sachsen raised his voice.

“Hey, Duke of Sachsen!”

The Duke of Anderson hurriedly interjected.

“Let’s stop this.”

“But…!”

“We need to focus on the meeting for now.”

As if to calm the excitement, the Duke of Anderson patted the Duke of Sachsen on the shoulder.

“His Highness the first prince is well aware of your loyalty.”

“……”

With that intervention, the Duke of Sachsen panted heavily but slumped back into his chair.

Alexei subtly tightened his expression.

‘When did those two become so close?’

From their intimate appearance, it looked as if they had built a strong friendship.

However, as far as Alexei knew, before he left for the Duchy of Valua…

‘I thought those two hardly had any connection at all.’

Alexei couldn’t hide his confusion.

No matter how close the Empress and the Duchess of Sachsen were, there was no guarantee that the Duke of Anderson and the Duke of Sachsen would be as well.

Most importantly, the two dukes had quite an age difference.

‘…This is suspicious.’

His blue eyes narrowed in suspicion.

***

At that moment, Delphina was sticking closely to Anriche.

“How are you feeling? Is your stomach okay?”

With worry in her grayish eyes, she looked at Anriche.

‘Really, I must be the only daughter-in-law being cared for by her mother-in-law because of overindulgence…’

Unable to overcome her embarrassment, Anriche quickly nodded.

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Of course.”

Delphina continued to ask with a worried expression.

Anriche felt awkward, not knowing where to place herself.

‘If I drink too much again, I’m going to lose my mind…’

Just then, there was a knock.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

At her response, the butler entered the room.

“Good morning, my lady. And to you as well, young lady.”

“Good morning. What’s the matter?”

“Well, there’s something I need to consult both of you ladies about.”

The butler handed a thick stack of documents to Anriche.

As she examined the papers, Anriche’s eyes widened.

“Isn’t this the asset list of Count Everett?”

“Yes. We are currently managing it on our own, but…”

The butler pointed to the end of the document, where the signature line was.

“If we are to continue managing it as representatives, we will need Miss Lilliana’s signature.”

“Oh, I see.”

Anriche nodded.

In the past, when Lilliana was under the protection of the Rondini family, they had signed on her behalf.

Now that the name had been returned to Lilliana, it meant her permission was necessary.

“I understand. I’ll get her signature.”

Anriche gathered the documents and stood up.

“Where is Lilliana?”

“She should be in the study.”

“Thank you.”

Anriche left the room.

Delphina followed behind her with a worried tone.

“Can’t you rest a bit longer…?”

“I’ve rested enough.”

Anriche smiled at Delphina and quickened her pace.

A short while later, Anriche arrived at the study and peeked through the door.

“Lilli, are you busy?”

“Mother!”

Lilliana, who had her nose buried in a book, quickly lifted her head.

She rushed over to Anriche.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have something I need you to check.”

“Check?”

Lilliana tilted her head in confusion.

“Come here and take a look.”

Anriche sat Lilliana in front of her and organized the documents for easy reading.

“Take a look at the contents, and then sign…”

“Oh, I just need to sign this?”

Without hesitation, Lilliana picked up a pen and signed the document.

Anriche was taken aback and raised her voice.

“Wait a minute, Lilli!”

“Yes?”

“You need to read the document first.”

Anriche admonished Lilliana again.

“How can you sign without knowing what it says?”

At this, Lilliana looked up at Anriche with a puzzled expression.

“But you already looked at it first, didn’t you?”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t you?”

At Lilliana’s question, Anriche hesitated, her words trailing off.

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Lilliana asked innocently.

“You wouldn’t do anything that would harm me, right?”

“…”

For a moment, Anriche was at a loss for words.

And no wonder; Lilliana’s gaze was filled with trust.

“…I’m really happy that you trust me, Lilli, but…”

What could she say?

After a brief contemplation, she spoke again.

“But you shouldn’t do this in the future.”

She continued to explain gently.

“You should thoroughly review any documents and ask for clarification on anything you don’t understand before signing.”

“So, it’s wrong to sign without checking the documents?”

“Yes. If you’re not careful, it could lead to problems. Do you understand?”

At this, Lilliana gave a vague expression.

“Is it still not okay even if you checked it first?”

“Hmm… well…”

Anriche shrugged her shoulders.

“Of course, I will always look out for you, Lilli, but our opinions might differ, right?”

“If that situation arises, wouldn’t your opinion be correct?”

“No, not necessarily. I could also make the wrong judgment depending on the situation.”

Anriche smiled brightly and gently patted Lilliana’s head.

“I believe you should think for yourself and make your own judgments, rather than relying solely on my opinions.”