Side Story 3.6

“Aunt!”

Lea jumped up and ran to the old lady. The sudden arrival caused a stir in the garden.

“Robelia, did you know the Dowager Duchess was coming?”

Margaret pressed Robelia, but Robelia just shook her head. Diana glanced indifferently past Lea, toward Robelia.

“The tone of a gathering is set by the hostess’s judgment, and with such guests, I worry whether you’ll ever manage as a proper hostess.”

“I’m sorry, there was a mistake.”

Lea trembled at Diana’s cold voice. Amela, Lea’s mother-in-law, was too busy greeting Diana to look after the other guests. Amela’s face turned just as pale as her daughter-in-law’s.

“I didn’t know you were coming… I’m sorry. If I had known, I would have prepared…”

“I asked Lea myself. I apologize for dropping in unexpectedly, Madame Rusbon.”

“Don’t say that, the Dowager Duchess. Please, take the seat of honor.”

The Rusbon matron led Diana to the most prominent seat. Her husband was dead, and her son had renounced his title, so the duchess’s seat was technically vacant, but Diana Aliph’s formal title was still Duchess. Everyone stood to greet Diana Aliph. Even if her influence had waned, Diana was still Diana Aliph in Lohandra’s social scene.

“No wonder Mrs. Rusbon adapted so quickly to Lohandra despite being an outsider.”

Milia had thought Lea simply got along with everyone because of her easygoing personality and sociability. But it turned out Lea was Diana’s niece.

And soon Milia realized why Diana had come. Diana’s gaze was fixed on Sophie, sitting at the table across from her. But Sophie was frozen, unable to move.

‘So that’s why she was so desperate to invite us.’

Milia remembered Lea’s anxious face when she’d invited them. Even now, Lea was flustered in front of Diana.

“A-aunt…”

Robelia, pale as a sheet, approached Diana. But Diana’s cold gaze passed her by, as if she wasn’t even worth acknowledging.

* * *

The meal passed in a blur, so much so that Milia couldn’t even tell if she was eating or just breathing. Robelia, unable to bear being in the same room as Diana, left as soon as the meal ended, and her group followed. Sophie and Milia tried to leave right after eating, but Lea stopped them, so they missed their chance. As a result, Milia and Sophie had to stay for tea time with Diana.

During tea, Lea Rusbon barely managed to keep the conversation going. The others just tried to agree with whatever Diana said. But Diana herself only stared silently at Sophie. Sophie, meanwhile, kept her eyes down, staring at her teacup to avoid meeting Diana’s gaze.

‘I want to go home.’

Milia felt drained just from sitting at the same table.

“I told Meril to have the carriage ready.”

As soon as tea ended, Milia and Sophie said goodbye to Mrs. Rusbon and hurried out of the house. But waiting for them outside was Melida, the Aliph family’s housekeeper. Sophie, remembering their awkward encounter in Relsingfors, was immediately nervous at the sight of Melida.

“Madam, the Dowager Duchess wishes to speak with you. Please wait a moment.”

Melida spoke much more politely than before, but with a strangely authoritative tone.

“We have nothing to discuss with the Dowager Duchess. And I’m not feeling well, so I need to go home quickly.”

Since Sophie couldn’t argue, Milia stepped in. She claimed to be unwell, but anyone could see she looked perfectly healthy.

“The person the Dowager Duchess need to see is Mrs. Aliph, not you, Madam Manders.”

“But Mrs. Aliph is a guest of the Lisner’s family. I am responsible for looking after my guest until the end.”

At Milia’s words, Melida’s eyebrow twitched. With her experience as a housekeeper, Melida was much more skilled than Milia. Milia herself knew she was no match for Melida. She squeezed Sophie’s hand tightly, who was shrinking behind her.

“I’ll escort my own daughter-in-law home. Since you’re not feeling well, you can leave first, Madam Manders.”

At the sound of a quiet voice from behind, both Milia and Sophie turned around in surprise. Diana approached, a shawl draped over her shoulders. Her imposing presence intimidated not only Sophie but even Milia.

“There are things I must discuss with family alone.”

Diana looked down at Milia, her chilly gaze seeming to pierce through everything. Milia felt as if her chest was shrinking under that stare.

“I’ve heard Viscountess Lisner devoted herself to her daughter’s education…”

Milia let go of Sophie’s hand. She couldn’t stand up to Diana any longer, especially when her own mother was mentioned. Milia planned to continue living in Caincridge, but her parents were different. From the beginning, it was a fight she couldn’t win.

“Don’t worry about me, Milia.”

Sophie comforted Milia, glancing at the carriage. Milia had no choice but to climb in. Through the window, she saw Diana standing dignified and Sophie in front of her, looking like a frightened herbivore.

“This isn’t good for the baby.”

With Milia’s sigh, the carriage departed.

Sophie watched until Milia’s carriage disappeared from view, then turned back and looked calmly up at Diana.

“You said you had something to say.”

She kept recalling how Diana had expelled her from the hotel two years ago. Diana was still intimidating and difficult for her. Sophie was nervous, but also didn’t want to make the mother of the man she loved dislike her.

“I want to apologize for what happened in the past.”

Diana’s polite words surprised Sophie. She had anticipated something like this. The Duke of Aliph’s seat was still vacant, and Sophie knew Diana had refused the strong candidate Guillaume Aliph. She had expected a gesture of reconciliation, but never imagined the dignified Diana Aliph would personally apologize.

“Ian is my only son. I’m his only blood relative. For a mother, cutting ties with her child is unbearably harsh.”

Sophie agreed. It was something that had bothered her since the wedding. She always felt guilty for taking Ian’s mother away from him, which made her even more desperate for a child. She wanted to give Ian a blood-related family as soon as possible.

“Help me, Sophie. You’re my only daughter-in-law. I have no one else to ask but you.”

‘My only daughter-in-law.’ With those words, the painful memories from two years ago seemed to melt away.

* * *

“What? Reconcile?”

“Yes, she wants to make peace. She said we’re family, and we can’t keep living like this.”

“What does Mr. Aliph think?”

“I haven’t asked him yet. Actually, Ian is still very firm about his mother.”

“I think it’ll be difficult…”

Milia frowned and shook her head.

“But they’re mother and son. I can’t let them keep living estranged. I still feel guilty that Ian gave up his title because of me.”

Milia agreed. There was no one more suited to the Duke of Aliph’s seat than Ian. Beyond his skills as a businessman and his youthful, handsome appearance, he possessed innate grace, learning, perspective, attitude, and values—everything that made him the ideal noble.

“And also, his mother…”

“His mother?”

“She invited me to the ducal residence. She said you should come too, Milia.”

“Me?”

Milia stroked her swollen belly.

‘This isn’t good for the baby…’

Facing Diana was truly bad for her health.

* * *

Contrary to Milia’s worries, their time at the Aliph ducal residence wasn’t bad. The only guests were Sophie and herself, and Diana’s attitude was kinder than ever before. Except for when the conversation turned to Theofield’s posting, everything was perfect.

“Your belly is much bigger than other mothers, probably because of the twins.”

“That’s why people often mistake me for being in my final month.”

“But twins are a real blessing. Is your first a boy or a girl?”

“A boy.”

With pregnancy as the topic, Milia glanced at Sophie. As expected, Sophie’s face was gloomy.

“Wonderful news—solving the heir problem all at once. The Count and Countess Manders must be relieved.”

“Yes…”

With nothing more to say, Milia quietly sipped her tea. When the conversation stalled, Sophie tried to take the lead, feeling uncomfortable.

“Lieutenant Manders is so thoughtful. He even took leave for childcare, and when his wife decided to stay at her parents’ to recover, he had his posting changed.”

“Oh my, even his posting? That must have been hard for a soldier…”

“Fortunately, his superiors understood.”

With her own husband as the topic, Milia felt so uncomfortable she could barely stand it. Normally, it would have been a cheerful story, but with Diana present, every word felt stifling.

“Wasn’t Caincridge Lieutenant Manders’s original posting?”

“Yes.”

“His devotion to his wife is admirable, but it may make future promotions harder. Staying at a posting for a long time is the best way to make an impression on superiors.”

Diana’s words made Milia’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Promotion… will be difficult?”

“If he was posted to Caincridge, he must have been a promising officer. But anyway, the military is an honorary role. Even if Lieutenant Manders doesn’t rise, the reputation of the Manders County won’t suffer. It’s not really important, is it?”

“I… I see.”

Milia clutched her skirt tightly. She knew Diana meant no harm, but it was still so difficult and uncomfortable.

‘She really isn’t good for the baby.’

And the promotion issue was something Milia had never considered before. She began to worry that Theofield might not advance because he changed postings for her sake.

“By the way, my daughter-in-law… there’s still no news?”

Diana’s gaze drifted to Sophie’s flat belly. Sophie’s face showed her discomfort.

“You’ve been married less than two years.”

“Yes…”

“But it’s best to have children young, like Madame Manders.”

Diana glanced at Milia, then back at Sophie.

“Business keeps both of us busy…”

“No matter how busy, couples need time together.”

“We’re trying.”

“I want to see my grandchild soon.”

“Yes…”

Sophie’s voice was barely audible, and Milia grew worried.