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

He walked quickly toward them. Then, as if to protect his wife, he positioned himself next to Anriche.

“Surely you don’t think I wouldn’t protect Liliana, do you?”

“Y-Your Grace…!”

“Liliana is not only Elliot’s fiancée but also the only daughter left to me by my dear friend.”

Alexei’s gaze toward the Sachsen couple was colder than ice.

“Moreover, even if that weren’t the case, Liliana is our beloved family.”

“W-We didn’t mean it like that…”

“Then what exactly did you mean?”

Alexei shot back sharply.

“I’ve heard you using social reputation to threaten my wife since earlier.”

“Threaten? How dare you!”

The Marchioness of Sachsen jumped up from her seat.

But Alexei was not finished speaking.

“Consider what fate the Rondini Baron family and the Count Ivan family met.”

Then, as if there was no value in continuing the conversation, Alexei turned to Anriche.

“Let’s go.”

“Ah, yes. Children, let’s go.”

Nodding, Anriche gathered the children and led them outside.

***

Inside the carriage carrying the Valois family.

Liliana sat curled up, her face pale with fear.

The child’s shoulders trembled slightly.

Watching her with concern, Anriche carefully called out to her.

“Liliana.”

Gasp!

Startled, Liliana looked up suddenly.

And instinctively, she began to apologize.

“I-I’m sorry!”

“…What?”

Oh dear.

Anriche and Alexei both narrowed their eyes.

But Liliana, her voice trembling with fright, continued to stammer.

“Uh, if I’m causing trouble for Valois because of me…”

“No, the things you’re worried about will never happen.”

Anriche shook her head with a sympathetic expression.

“No family can threaten Valois.”

It was true.

Even the imperial family was reaching out to maintain a friendship with Valois rather than make them an enemy.

No matter how noble Sachsen might be, they did not possess the same level of power as Valois.

Moreover, ever since the current Duke of Sachsen inherited the title, the family had been on a downward trajectory.

“B-But still…”

“Liliana.”

“I should do better since I am loved by the Duke, you, and Elliot…”

Liliana sniffled softly.

Anriche barely managed to suppress a sigh.

‘At least she doesn’t doubt that her family loves her, which is a relief.’

Nonetheless, every time Liliana thought she might bring harm to Valois, she would shrink back.

It seemed she was still not free from the fear of being a burden.

So Anriche spoke firmly.

“And so what if you do?”

“…Huh?”

Liliana, still trembling, looked blankly into Anriche’s eyes.

With a smile, Anriche looked at her.

“Liliana is our family.”

“Uh, Mother.”

“Family means leaning on each other and overcoming difficulties together.”

Saying this with strength, Anriche gently patted Liliana’s back.

“So there’s no need to worry.”

“Uh, Mother.”

Tears glistened in Liliana’s eyes as she looked up at Anriche.

Anriche playfully asked, “Surely you don’t doubt us?”

“No, that’s not it at all…!”

Shaking her head vigorously, Liliana buried herself in Anriche’s embrace.

‘Really, I can’t handle this.’

Despite that thought, Anriche didn’t stop gently patting the child’s back. Her touch was incredibly soft.

***

That evening.

Anriche quietly slipped out of Liliana’s room.

“Madam.”

At the voice calling her, Anriche looked up slightly.

It was Alexei.

“How is Liliana?”

“She’s asleep.”

“Did she cry a lot, or was she distressed…?”

“No, not really. She seemed a bit down, though.”

Anriche shrugged lightly.

“But I comforted her well, so I think she’ll recover soon.”

“…That’s a relief.”

Alexei let out a sigh of relief.

At that moment, Anriche quietly looked up at him.

“Thank you for what you did today.”

Then she gave him a bright smile.

“It seems like I keep finding reasons to thank you lately.”

“Please, it’s nothing.”

“Nothing? How can you say that?”

Anriche continued, mixing her words with a sigh.

“If you hadn’t helped me, my mother and brother wouldn’t have backed down so easily.”

“…”

Alexei fell silent.

In truth, it was clear to him.

‘It seems Madam has faced various forms of discrimination growing up in the Sachsen family.’

He recalled how the Marchioness of Sachsen had treated her son earlier.

“Does our son want anything to eat?”

That soft voice, filled with affection.

Alexei could assert that during their approximately eight years of marriage…

‘The Marchioness of Sachsen has never treated my wife kindly, not even once.’

Thus, without realizing it, Alexei blurted out.

“More importantly, are you okay?”

“Uh? What do you mean?”

“Um…”

Alexei hesitated for a moment.

Was it okay to speak about the discrimination Anriche was facing?

He carefully chose his words.

“…It seems the Marchioness of Sachsen treats you somewhat differently than she treats her son.”

“Oh, that?”

But contrary to his anxiousness, Anriche remained calm.

“Well, that’s always been the case.”

“…Madam.”

“There’s no need to get hurt all over again, is there?”

As she asked this, Anriche expressed her gratitude in a gentle voice.

“Still, thank you for worrying about me.”

“…”

Her nonchalant demeanor, her tone that suggested she was used to her parents’ discriminatory remarks.

All of it felt painfully familiar to him.

Alexei couldn’t take his eyes off his wife.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No, no, not at all.”

He quickly shook his head.

She was still smiling.

…Yet, his heart felt strangely heavy.

***

As time passed, on the day of the engagement.

Anriche opened the grand banquet hall of the townhouse for the engagement ceremony.

At first, she thought the small banquet hall would suffice…

‘I didn’t expect so many people to attend.’

Anriche swallowed hard.

However, it seemed the guests interpreted her decision to open the grand hall in a rather different light.

“I didn’t expect the grand banquet hall to be opened for the engagement ceremony.”

“Valois must be putting a lot of effort into this engagement.”

No, it’s just that so many people came…

Reflectively trying to correct herself, Anriche decided to stay quiet.

Well, it was true that she had put a lot of effort into the ceremony.

“Just look at this floral arrangement; it must have cost a fortune.”

“I noticed the food looked incredibly lavish too.”

“Given this, it’s comparable to a large-scale banquet, isn’t it?”

The ladies were full of admiration.

‘Hmph, of course.’

Did they think she would conduct the engagement ceremony of her children carelessly?

Anriche secretly puffed out her chest.

And then,

“Madam.”

“Ah, Your Grace.”

Alexei approached her as she was welcoming guests.

He smiled gently.

“Shouldn’t we go see the children now?”

“Ah, has it already been that long?”

The engagement ceremony should properly begin with the greetings of the main characters.

The couple went side by side to see the children.

“Mom, Dad!”

“Mother! Your Grace!”

The two children, sitting side by side in the center of the banquet hall, called out to the Valois couple with bright faces.

Dressed beautifully, they looked like a pair of adorable sugar dolls.

‘Ugh, my son and daughter-in-law are so cute!’

Anriche, secretly gushing inside, maintained an elegant smile befitting the matriarch of a family.

“Elliot, Liliana.”

The two children opened their eyes wide and turned to Anriche.

“You need to thank the guests who came today, okay?”

With that whisper, Anriche stepped back and returned to Alexei’s side.

“…”

“…”

Elliot and Liliana exchanged glances, seemingly checking each other’s moods, and then stood up with tense faces.

The eyes of the guests turned toward them.

In an instant, the two children stiffened their shoulders.

It seemed they felt pressure since it was their first time facing such a large crowd.

‘You guys.’

Anriche mouthed soothing words to them.

‘It’s okay.’

Only then did the tension in the children’s shoulders begin to ease.