Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Translator: Effe

Editor: Yonnee

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The noble ladies, knowing that Louisa liked such compliments, made more of a fuss.

“Did you receive a present?”

“I’m a woman with no husband, so who would I receive such a luxurious necklace as a gift from? Luckily, my son gives me plenty of pocket money, and that’s what comforts me.”

Louisa laughed and stroked the emerald necklace lightly around her neck. It was also newly bought to match the color of the green diamond.

The clothes she wore were also unusual. The newly tailored dress had no decorations, but it was made of fabric that gave off a mysterious light like the thin wings of a butterfly.

Who would dare to dress like this except the Elder Madam of the Duke Klausener’s family, the richest family in the Empire? It wouldn’t be easy even for the Empress.

A light astonishment flowed around.

“This cloth is from the Weaving Guild, isn’t it? These days, their artisanal products are so popular that if you try to order their patterned fabrics—handmade and not factory-made—you have to wait for more than two months. It’s really hard to wait…”

“Shush.”

Someone who was tactless said excitedly, then the other pinched her elbow and she kept her mouth shut. Even then, she looked around cluelessly, not understanding the situation.

Louisa, suddenly displeased, slammed down her fan, which she was gently fanning. Her stomach turned upside down.

[ Please help me a little more, Louisa. We will soon be able to drive out that eyesore Weaving Guild from the Bamburg region. ]

[ It’s been over two years since you said that. I can’t do this forever. ]

[ Is it too much for me to tell you this? Or rather, ask the Duke… ]

[ No! That’s more troublesome than asking for money. Erich said that he should never be asked to use his strength when it comes to the management of the estate. ]

[ Would he say that even if it was his mother’s request? ]

[ Brother, you can say that only because you don’t know. Erich is not the kind of person who can be buttered up with affection. ]

Louisa’s stomach exploded when she heard the talks about that damn Weaving Guild.

She heard that there was a nobleman behind them, but they must be a lesser nobleman of Aren. If Erich hadn’t noticed, she would have already thrown out a harpoon and drove them away.

“Dear Mother¹, did anything unpleasant happen at the Weaving Guild?”

The Schneider County’s daughter, Iris, who was as pretty as a flower, sat next to Louisa and spoke charmingly.

“It is foolish not to know how great it is to be chosen by you, Mother. Even more than the fabric, everyone believes in your eye for choosing and everyone follows them.”

“That’s right.”

“Really. Looking at such a beautiful dress, how can we not be greedy?”

“We have to wait two months to catch even half of it.”

“It is the Elder Madam who is beautiful and sophisticated, but we have no choice but to be dumbfounded when someone from the guild dares to stand up.”

It wasn’t just the fabric that made Louisa’s stomach feel stuffy, but hearing these words naturally made her feel better. But not wanting to show it off, she hummed in a deliberately nonchalant manner.

“Hm.”

As she took a sip of tea, Iris smiled and took a small fruit-shaped sugar cookie from the plate and brought it to Louisa’s mouth.

“Please have one. When I tried it earlier, I was surprised that it tasted as wonderfully as it looks.”

“Hm.”

Louisa meekly accepted and ate it. She didn’t eat sweets to control her weight, but she couldn’t help but eat something like this.

To be honest, she didn’t like Iris that much. She was, at best, the daughter of a count.

But now, if people were asked who the most beautiful woman in the empire was, nine times out of ten they would name Iris Schneider.

Louisa recognized that although she thought Iris was not as good as she was in Louisa’s own prime, she still had beauty and reputation.

It satisfied her vanity that this lady, now called the jewel of society, clung to herself and fawned over her.

‘If it’s the Schneider County, they’re a nobility with enough of a foundation. Although her mother’s side is of fallen nobility.’

After all, there was no bride who could match Erich’s status. Although he had a half-cousin, Ducal Lady Bettina, marriage between cousins has been discouraged.

Either way, if it was a noble marriage, he and Iris weren’t bad either. Iris’ reputation for her beauty and chastity was as valuable as her noble lineage, and the Schneider County had been acquainted with the Klausener Duchy since the time of their ancestors.

‘I’ll be the one who’ll have to decide anyway. Erich doesn’t care about women.’

There were times when she briefly doubted whether Erich had a lover years ago. But that was only for a moment.

Even if she’d decide for him, Erich would not particularly reject her choice. It’s the duty of nobles to marry and sire an heir.

It was tearful and resentful to hand over the internal affairs of the Klausener Duchy to someone else, but now it was time for her to do her duty as the family’s Elder Madam.

‘This girl listens to me well. She’s a tad stupid, and wouldn’t dare to challenge me since she’s a mere Count’s daughter.’

While thinking about that, she evaluated her again, but Countess Pfaffenheim changed the topic and started talking to her.

“It’s a really beautiful diamond anyway. Raising a son can be frustrating, but I can only imagine how happy you are that Duke Klausener cherishes you so much.”

“It would be perfect if he gets married now to strengthen the family line.”

“It’s common for young men these days to bring a woman who is a dancer or a singer to marry, even though the Duke has a child…”

Viscountess Schufe, who was recounting a story she had heard a few days ago, widened her eyes. It was because she noticed that Louisa was now frozen.

“Oh… Didn’t you know? Rumors spread throughout the social world…?”

“A child… you say?”

Louisa asked, blinking dazedly.

She truly was not aware. Rumors had already spread that a lady of Arren, who was staying at the Innenhof Hotel, had a child who looked like a carbon copy of Duke Klausener, and that the Duke, who had gone to see her, came out with a reddened face.

But no one ever spoke directly to Louisa. The newspapers did not carelessly talk about gossip about the Klausener family.

“Ah… It’s a slip of the tongue…”

Viscountess Schufe covered her mouth with her hand and bowed her head.

“I just thought… the Duke wisely resolved the issue of the illegitimate child…”

—

¹ Iris calls Erich’s mother as 어머님, which could roughly translate to ‘Mother’. Think about it as her calling Louisa in a familiar way… perhaps presumptuously doing so while lobbying to become Erich’s wife.

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