EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 204

Chapter 204

 

‘He’s already been overly dramatic in his letters… I can’t even imagine how much more of a show-off Ascart will be during the whole meal.’

Just thinking about how overly affectionate Ascart might act made my head throb.

And then—

⟨Lia, don’t worry about a thing. I’ll make sure to get your family’s approval too.⟩

Lucio’s confident words kept lingering in my mind.

When I had looked at him in shock, silently asking, ‘How?’, Lucio said that since he’d already made a poor impression, he’d have to use his last resort.

Ascart might be manageable, but my parents and grandfather? They wouldn’t approve easily. Whatever Lucio had planned, I couldn’t guess.

But from the way he’d spoken, he clearly had a reliable method in mind…

“Sigh. Well, he said he’d handle it, so I guess I just have to trust him.”

I muttered to myself and nodded. That’s when I felt a hot gaze on my cheek.

It was the Duchess and Diana.

Startled into realizing I’d spaced out again, I froze and blushed.

Diana immediately squealed, “Kyaa! Sister-in-law!” and threw her arms around me.

“I’m not that yet,” I murmured awkwardly.

But Diana just giggled and said,

“‘Not yet’ means you will be soon, right?”

“I-I guess…?”

I scratched my cheek at the delayed realization, and Diana cupped her cheeks with a dreamy look.

“I’m so happy. I can’t believe you’ll actually be my sister!”

“Hehe, I’m delighted too. To think Lia will become my daughter-in-law!”

With even the Duchess chiming in after Diana, my embarrassment peaked.

I had only just said we were dating…

Although Lucio and I had agreed to get engaged soon, Diana’s excitement and the loving look in the Duchess’s eyes made me blush like I was already part of their family.

Lowering my head, I began to eat quietly.

Hearing their soft chuckles made me feel like I was floating on a pink cloud.

So happy, it almost made me afraid something might come along to shatter this peace.

 

***

 

Fortunately, even as we moved to tea time after the meal, that fluttering warmth didn’t fade.

My daughter, sister, granddaughter—just as I was getting used to those titles, now they were calling me daughter-in-law and sister-in-law!

Surrounded by unfamiliar yet sweet words, I sipped my tea with a bright red face. That’s when the Duchess pulled out something she seemed to have prepared in advance.

It was the sapphire bracelet she had once sent me as a birthday present.

“So… this is… a family heirloom of House Elard?”

My mother had said it was a precious item, but I hadn’t imagined it was a keepsake from a former Duchess and an official heirloom of the Elard family!

The Duchess, having already slipped the bracelet onto my wrist, smiled gently.

“It suits you perfectly.”

“Um, but why are you giving this to me…?”

“Why else? I always meant to give it to you. I waited until you were of age before sending it, so when it came back, I was truly disappointed.”

Hearing the Duchess sound so downcast left me stunned.

“So, you… had already decided I would be your…”

You had already chosen me as your daughter-in-law?

As if she had read the question I couldn’t say aloud, a gentle smile curled on the Duchess’s lips.

Between her and Diana acting like this, I was feeling completely overwhelmed.

‘Was I really the only one who didn’t know how Lucio felt?’

The more I thought about it, the more ridiculous and unfair it felt.

Lucio had said he couldn’t contact me because I was too young and the Grand Duchy’s security was too strict, but still…

I was getting a little annoyed.

“Wait! I’ll go get the necklace I bought!”

Upon seeing the sapphire bracelet, Diana shot up as if she were about to sprint to her room.

“Diana, you can give me the necklace later.”

I quickly stopped her and looked toward the Duchess.

“Um, the bracelet…”

I carefully removed it and offered it back. The Duchess widened her eyes.

“You don’t like it?”

“No! I thought it was beautiful the moment I first saw it. But still…”

Even so, it was a family heirloom meant for the lady of the house. I hadn’t even gotten engaged yet—it felt like too much.

“But it’ll be yours anyway…”

The Duchess looked at me with eyes full of longing.

I deliberately avoided her gaze, placed the bracelet back in its box, and said sheepishly,

“We’re not even engaged yet.”

“Then if you get engaged, will you accept it? And my necklace too?”

Diana asked, eyes sparkling.

Instead of answering, I smiled and gently tapped her cheek.

I couldn’t say it out loud, but I wanted to accept those gifts only after I had removed the demon’s necklace from my neck.

Then, and only then, would I be able to accept both Diana’s necklace and the Duchess’s bracelet with a truly happy heart.

“Sister! But you have to accept the ring!”

“Ring?”

“Yes! My brother said he just needed the ring size and then… huh!”

Diana, who had been happily chattering beside me, suddenly clamped her hands over her mouth and looked at me nervously.

When the duchess shook her head as if she couldn’t stop her, Diana pouted and said,

“It’s a secret from my brother!”

“Haha, got it.”

I nodded, having more or less figured out what was going on, and hooked my pinky with hers to promise. Only then did Diana seem relieved, and she threw herself into my arms.

“You’re the best, sister! If my brother ever makes you upset, you have to tell me! I’ll scold him—no, I won’t even call him ‘brother’ anymore!”

Diana puffed up as if Lucio had already wronged me somehow, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I asked,

“If you won’t call him ‘brother,’ then what will you call him?”

Was she going to call him by name?

I imagined Lucio’s reaction if his much-younger little sister suddenly started calling him by name with an attitude.

But Diana didn’t hesitate in the slightest and shouted,

“Obviously, I’ll call him brother-in-law!”

“Pfft—!”

Caught completely off guard by her unexpected answer, I choked on my tea.

As Diana quickly patted my back, I asked,

“Diana, are you really going to call him that?”

“Yup! And if he calls me by name, I’ll get mad. How dare he call his sister-in-law by name!”

Diana seemed completely serious, and I instinctively looked toward the duchess in disbelief.

The duchess watched us warmly and said,

“I guess I’ll have to remind my eldest son to treat his wife well if he doesn’t want to lose his baby sister.”

Wait—what?

Her comment left me flustered.

Then something even more shocking followed.

“Lia. Now that we’re on the subject, I should tell you, there was a time when I actually wanted to adopt you.”

In that instant, a long-forgotten memory resurfaced.

To think I’d hear those words from the duchess herself…I stared at her in shock as she continued, her face filled with nostalgia.

“It could’ve been a disaster, right? Who would’ve thought you’d find your birth parents so soon after? If we’d adopted you then, it would’ve been so awkward to face the Grand Duke and his Highness.”

“Haha…”

“Come to think of it, Lucio was strongly opposed to the adoption back then. Maybe he instinctively sensed something? He insisted you could never be his sister.”

Embarrassed by the teasing tone in her voice, my face turned bright red.

And yet I seemed to be the only one flustered. Diana happily hummed as she said,

“Ah, I hope second brother finishes his training and comes back soon.”

They bickered so much every time they saw each other, but I guess Diana missed Allen now that he wasn’t around.

“We need the whole family together to have the formal meeting and set a date for the engagement! Right, sister?”

Never mind. Diana was just sincerely excited about my engagement.

I felt a little guilty toward Allen and sent him a silent apology while offering an awkward smile.

 

***

 

That Night – Imperial Palace

The Emperor was heading toward the royal treasure vault, barely suppressing his growing rage.

It was right after the imperial physician had been summoned and confirmed that the Grand Duchess was fine.

The Emperor had tried to stop Duke Elard from leaving the palace with the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, but the Duke had moved too quickly.

⟨Your Majesty, I’ll take my leave now. There’s much to do with the family celebration coming up.⟩

The Emperor was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t say a word. The Duke gave a casual nod and turned away without waiting for permission.

That arrogant and brazen behavior felt oddly familiar, strangely nostalgic.

It wasn’t until then that the Emperor realized: this was how the Duke used to be, back when he’d been consumed with jealousy over the Grand Duchess.

Ever since making the pact with the demonic artifact, the Duke had never behaved like this. Especially after marriage and children, he’d always bowed his head and shown absolute loyalty.

“What an insolent wretch!”

At last, the Emperor recognized that the Duke was revealing his true colors.

After all the trust and favor he’d shown over the years!

Granted, the Duke had been forced into loyalty through an unexpected incident and a demonic contract, so some resentment was understandable.

Still, after all the years of obedience and the grace that had been extended in return…how could he betray him at such a critical moment?

“You mangy dog. You dare bite your master?”

Fuming with indignation, the Emperor quickened his steps.

Though the Duke’s sudden change had caught him off guard, an insidious fear and suspicion began to creep into the corner of his mind.

Finally, the Emperor reached the treasure vault. He placed his hand on the innermost door, and with a loud clank, the magically sealed iron door opened.

Heading straight for the demonic artifact, the Emperor breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it still there, just as he remembered.

But as soon as that anxiety eased, it was immediately replaced with a surge of fury.

“I’ll remind him who truly holds his life in their hands.”

Unable—or unwilling—to hide his cruel intent, the Emperor reached for the artifact.

But the moment his hand touched it…

Crack.

A shattering sound rang out. Cracks began to spread across the demonic artifact.

The horrified Emperor recoiled, but it was too late.

The artifact shattered completely into pieces, which turned to black smoke and scattered into the air, vanishing without a trace.

“W-What is the meaning of this…?!”

Terror filled the Emperor’s eyes as he stared at the impossible scene.

A royal treasure passed down through generations, the secret weapon of the imperial family—gone, just like that?

“Summon the court magician! Bring me the High Mage immediately!”

The Emperor’s voice tore through the palace, but that scream was only the beginning of what was to come.