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

“L-Lady Duchess, please wait just a moment…!”
“Of course, if you’re not truly sorry, you can get up and leave immediately. But…”

Anriche twisted her lips into a slight smirk.

A voice full of mockery burrowed into Lady Ivan’s ear.
“I have no doubt that you’ll be staying here for quite some time.”

With that, Anriche turned around with Liliana.

Lady Ivan stared blankly at the two figures walking away.

***

It was reported that Lady Ivan ended up being carried out after kneeling for nearly three hours.

“Of course, it’s not because she’s genuinely sorry; she’s probably just trying to garner as much sympathy as possible.”

As she comforted the thoroughly withdrawn Liliana, Anriche thought cynically.
“Well, I guess my mother will come charging at me soon, right?”

Lady Ivan would likely go to the Duchess of Sachsen and plead about how much Anriche had oppressed her.
And the Duchess would surely be furious to learn that Anriche had fired the etiquette teacher she had recommended.

Sighing, Anriche turned to Liliana and asked,
“Were you surprised today?”

“No, please don’t say that.”

Liliana shook her head with wide eyes.
“I’m fine.”

Then she broke into a shy smile.

Looking at Liliana, Anriche felt a whirlwind of complex emotions.
How many heartbreaking experiences must that little girl have gone through to be accustomed to saying she’s ‘fine’?

And although it wasn’t intentional…
“It’s almost as if Liliana has been hurt again because of me.”

…If I hadn’t hastily brought in Lady Ivan.

Anriche’s expression darkened.

At that moment, Liliana shyly looked up at Anriche.
“Mother.”

“Why do you call me?”

After fidgeting with her lips for a moment, Liliana sighed and spoke.
“…Thank you.”

“…?”

At those words, Anriche gazed blankly at Liliana.

Liliana hesitated before speaking again.
“Actually, I… was a little worried.”

“…About what?”

“I was afraid that I would disappoint you because I couldn’t keep up with the lessons.”

At that, Anriche’s eyes widened in surprise.

Liliana averted her gaze and trailed off.
“Of course, you’ve never said that to me…”

“…Liliana.”

“But still, I wanted to be a lady who wouldn’t bring shame.”

It was the first time.
Liliana was expressing her true feelings first.

She had always suppressed her desires deep inside and forced a bright smile, saying, ‘I’m fine’…
“At least, I thought I shouldn’t cause any problems for your reputation.”

Though hesitant and taking her time, Liliana expressed her true feelings until the end.
Her bravery was both commendable and somehow pitiful.

Liliana was still saying she was worried about ‘not wanting to tarnish her mother’s reputation.’
When would Liliana learn to worry about herself first?

Anriche felt an indescribable feeling.
“But I really appreciate you saying that it’s okay not to be perfect…”

Liliana finished her sentence in a shy voice.

Anriche stared blankly at Liliana.

Without realizing it, the words slipped out.
“Still… it must have been scary.”

“Pardon?”

Liliana blinked in surprise.
Anriche couldn’t hide her pained expression.
“You were just sitting there quietly while Lady Ivan was treating you so harshly.”

“…?”

“You must have been very scared…”

At her whisper, Liliana’s lips trembled.
“Even now, you worry more about me than yourself.”

“…Mother.”

“You’re still just a child. You don’t have to worry like that…”

Anriche couldn’t finish her sentence.
She bit her lip until it bled, struggling to suppress her overwhelming emotions.

“…”

“……”

A long silence hung in the air.

After a while, Liliana nodded with tears welling in her eyes.
“Yes… I was very scared.”

“Liliana, you…”

“When I saw the teacher getting angry, it reminded me of my time at the orphanage.”

The child hesitantly confessed the fear she had felt.
“When I listen to the teacher, it feels like I’m turning back into that helpless child again…”

Liliana’s voice had become faintly trembling.

Anriche swallowed hard.
This was all her fault.

She struggled to find the words.
“I’m sorry… for not noticing sooner.”

“…Mother?”

Liliana lifted her wet eyelashes.
“If I hadn’t been so complacent, if I had thought about Lady Ivan just one more time…”

“No, please don’t say that, Mother.”

Liliana answered firmly, which was rare for her.
“You found me, after all.”

“Liliana, but…”

“Just like when I was at the orphanage, this time too.”

Liliana slowly raised her head to meet Anriche’s gaze.
“I really, really like you, Mother.”

“……”

“So, I hope you like me too.”

A tender smile danced over her verdant green eyes.
With that, Liliana shyly whispered,
“That’s all I need.”

At those words, Anriche hugged Liliana tightly.
Liliana nestled into her embrace like a little animal, rubbing her cheek against Anriche’s shoulder.

That child was both heartbreaking and adorable.

***

After being ousted from the Duke’s household, Lady Ivan immediately went to the Sachsen Marquis’s townhouse.

“Oh my, Lady Ivan?”

“How could the Duchess do this to me?!”

As soon as she faced the Duchess of Sachsen, Lady Ivan burst into tears.
“The Duchess of Valois has kicked me out!”

“What? Anriche did that?”

At the unexpected news, the Duchess of Sachsen’s eyes widened in shock.

Lady Ivan nodded furiously, as if she were mad.
“The Duchess spoiled Lady Everitt so much, I only tried to teach her a little more strictly…!”

“Are you saying you were ousted just for being strict?”

“Yes! She even said she would hold our family accountable!!”

Lady Ivan was wailing and crying as if she had been wronged beyond measure.

The Duchess of Sachsen was horrified.
“She said she would hold you accountable? How could that happen…!”

How dare that girl!
Now that she’s calling herself the mistress of Valois, she’s disregarding the teacher I recommended?
I am Anriche’s mother!

The Duchess of Sachsen clenched her fist tightly.
“Don’t worry, Lady Ivan.”

“Huh, Duchess…”

“I’ll have a serious talk with her, so stop crying.”

The Duchess of Sachsen spoke with resolve.
“There won’t be any problems for the Ivan family.”

“B-but still.”

“Think about it carefully. I’m the mother, and my eyes are wide open here.”

The Duchess of Sachsen smiled with ease.
“She will be careful not to escalate things further, given that I’m watching.”

At her firm voice, Lady Ivan finally stopped crying.
“If things go wrong, it’ll involve the families, right?”

“Yes, that makes sense. I will trust you, Duchess of Sachsen.”

Lady Ivan nodded obediently.
The Duchess of Sachsen comforted Lady Ivan while clenching her teeth.
‘Anriche, that girl…!’

Her eyes burned with fury.
The Duchess of Sachsen vowed to visit her daughter soon.

***

That evening,
Anriche sat in her office, feeling somewhat gloomy.

Documents that needed to be reviewed piled up like a mountain, but she couldn’t focus her eyes on them.
‘…Liliana was hurt because of me.’

Anriche sighed again, countless times.
She couldn’t stand how pathetic she felt.

Anriche had always been kind when she taught, so she had never once experienced corporal punishment.
Therefore, she thought Liliana would be fine and that she just needed to keep a close watch on her.
‘Liliana and I… our situations are completely different, though.’

It was only after this incident that Anriche realized something.
Lady Ivan had, until now, discriminated against the young ladies she taught.

While she had catered to high-ranking noble ladies like Anriche, she had inflicted punishment on those of relatively lower status.
However, because Lady Ivan had achieved considerable results, everyone had turned a blind eye to her actions.

‘Now I understand.’
The dubious behavior that Lady Ivan had shown until now stemmed from the difference in status between the two of them.

Anriche, the only lady of the Sachsen Marquis family and the current Duchess of Valois.
Liliana, a mere descendant of a fallen count family, even if she had the protection of the duke.

‘It must be that Lady Ivan secretly looked down on Liliana, which led to this situation.’

Oh, really.
I didn’t want to understand such insidious motives…