Stepmothers Are Not Always Evil

“You intend to use me again this time to stop Your Majesty.”

Grand Duchess Crawford saw right through my heart.

I didn’t expect it to be easy. No matter how much Grand Duchess Crawford puts pressure on the Emperor with just words, taking action is different.

I bowed my head and waited for the Grand Duchess’ permission to come.

That was then.

“If the Grand Duchess refuses, I will take over.”

Unexpectedly, Count Tilburn spoke first.

“I don’t know anything about education because I’m a sailor by nature, but it’s not hard to make a name. It happened to be a boring teatime, and it would be fun.”

Count Tilburn smiled broadly.

“Thank you so much for your words, Count.”

“Thank you. If the Grand Duchess refuses, didn’t you also call me to hand it over to me?”

“It’s not like that…”

It sounded blunt, but it wasn’t an offensive joke.

“I’ll take over, so you don’t have to come forward.”

The Grand Duchess, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth.

“I have already offended His Majesty, but now, if I come and withdraw my feet, what will be different?”

“… I’m sorry.”

“That’s enough. If I do it, Your Majesty will not interfere.”

“Lend me your name is enough. I’ll take care of the rest so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“You want to turn people into scarecrows.”

Grand Duchess Crawford snorted bluntly.

“Do you know how many national academies I established when I ruled the Duchy?”

“…….”

“I know more about the academy than you do. And just donate money to me.”

… Seeing this, it seems like it’s easier than I thought.

I laughed softly.

Count Tilburn asked.

“If the Grand Duchess takes over the Academy, what will I do?”

“There is something I want to ask the Count separately.”

“Tell me, madam.”

“Did you know that children who graduate from Dillua Academy become junior soldiers?”

“I heard it.”

“However, it is said that with this incident, an official letter has been issued saying that they will no longer accept children from the Dillua Academy as soldiers. By the way, could you link the Academy with the Navy?”

“Navy?”

It’s much better to go on a boat than to become a final soldier and go out to subjugate monsters and die to death.

In addition, the navy was a better option in many ways because the salary was higher than the soldiers.

If you were Count Tilburn, who was the best Admiral of the Navy, it wouldn’t be difficult to grant this kind of request.

As expected, the Count readily agreed.

“That’s a good idea. I’m still worried because there aren’t any guys who want to become sailors these days, but I’ll try my best.”

“Thank you very much. Count.”

I bowed my head deeply and listened.

Count Tilburn smiled and waved his hand.

“I have to thank you. At this point, it would not be a bad idea to change the academy to a naval institution at all, but what do you think, Grand Duchess?”

“Why would the Count decide the path of the children? Please make a way for the children who want it.”

“Hmm.. Your Majesty the Grand Duchess is right.”

After listening to their conversation, I carefully finished the story.

“Then we will go through the process as soon as the documents are ready.”

“Please do that.”

Grand Duchess Crawford, who had finished her mission, rose from her seat. Count Tilburn stood up behind her.

“Go back safely.”

“See you later.”

I saw them off to the front of the carriage and turned around.

The thought of having solved one difficult homework made my heart feel lighter.

If the Duchess Crawford and Count Tilburn had not accepted the offer, the Academy would have been shut down.

It was unfortunate, but if even that place were closed, there would be children who had nowhere to go, so it was really fortunate.

‘By the way, I don’t know if Helios will be in trouble again because of me.’

Helios is someone who would say that I did well no matter what I did.

I entered the mansion with a little regret.

As I was about to return to my room, my gaze turned to the room at the end of the hallway.

‘What’s Escal doing and why is it so quiet?’

Ever since attending the Honor Society, Escal has been locked up in his room the whole time.

I thought it would be okay after a day or two, but I was worried about Escal’s condition, so I couldn’t bear it and knocked on the door.

“Escal, can I come in?”

“Yes.”

When I opened the door quietly in response to the brief answer, I saw the back of Escal sitting at the desk reading a book.

“Would you like some snacks?”

“It’s okay.”

“Don’t overdo it, just take a break.”

“Yes.”

Escal silently continued reading without looking back at me.

Feeling like a distraction, I carefully closed the door.

The Honor Society certainly seems to have been stimulated, but I’m worried that it might harm his health.

“Well… It’s good to work hard.”

I shrugged and went back to my room.

****

“Welcome!”

“Is this the place that handles glatic yarn?”

“Yes?”

The owner of the cloth shop, who was welcoming customers, hardened his complexion.

Helios, who looked at the colorful fabrics scattered around, held out a sentence to the owner of the cloth shop.

“I’m Helios Anthemion. We are looking for glatic yarn.”

“I, we do not sell glatic yarn.”

The shop owner waved his hand in bewilderment.

Helios called the knight that followed.

“Dustin.”

Dustin pulled out the sword he was wearing and said to the shop owner.

“Are you lying when there are people who say they bought glatic yarn from here?”

“Well, I do! I’ve sold it a long time ago, but it’s been a long time since I didn’t let it in because there was no one looking for it!”

“Have you never seen this thread?”

The man held out a black thread wrapped in an envelope.

The owner of the textile shop, who looked carefully at the thread, swallowed dry saliva and answered.

“I don’t know.”

“If you don’t answer correctly, your neck will fly off.”

“Oh, who would dare to lie in front of you? It is truly unrelated to our store.”

As Helios stared at him suspiciously, the owner stuttered and continued.

“The glatic yarn is originally ocher colored, but the texture is thick and rough, so it needs to be dyed three times to get black. It’s a very expensive thread, but if you dye it, the price will skyrocket. So who would look for a glatic yarn?”

It didn’t seem like a lie that he was spitting out his saliva as if it was really unfair.

‘If it’s not here, where is it?’

Helios bit his lip.

All fabric stores in the Empire that dealt with glatic yarns were thoroughly searched, but there were no fabrics that matched the yarns obtained at the site.

This was the last cloth shop, but it didn’t seem like it was here either.

Helios turned around angrily.

“Stop.”

“Take a look.”

The owner of the cloth shop breathed a sigh of relief and saw Helios off. at that time.

“Wait a minute.”

Helios, who was just about to leave the store, stopped and headed to the back of the counter.

“Oh, Duke. There—!”

Helios pulled the curtain back without hesitation.

“What are you doing here? Duke of Eaton.”

“… It’s been a long time. Duke of Anthemion.”

The Duke of Eaton, who was hiding in the side room, gave a distorted smile.

“I asked what you were doing in this closet.”

Helios inquired sharply.

The Duke of Eaton’s throat rumbled loudly, like someone caught doing something bad.

“I was choosing fabric because I needed a new knight uniform.”

“The duke himself?”

“Exactly.”

“I know that the Duke of Eaton has an exclusive tailor, but is it strange that the Duke himself came to pick up the fabrics at this small cloth shop?”

“I entrusted it to the tailor, but I didn’t like it, so I went out and tried it myself.”

As if he had oil in his tongue, the Duke of Eaton poured out a lie.

“Isn’t the Duke also looking for glatic yarn?”

“Glatic yarn? I don’t even know what it is.”

“You don’t know about glatic yarn? So what is this on the Duke’s shoulder?”

Helios asked, fiddling with the tassels on the Duke of Eaton’s shoulder.

The Duke of Eaton swallowed dry saliva with a stiff face. He seemed to be contemplating how to get out.

“I, this is….”

“Ah, if you look closely, it’s not glatic yarn.”

Helios said in a smiling voice.

“I’ve been looking for glatic yarn lately, and if the colors are similar, they all look like that.”

“…….”

The Duke of Eaton, realizing that he had been fooled, bit his molars.

It was obvious that he was intentionally scratching his temper and trying to dig out something. It’s best to ignore it, but his stomach is boiling.

“If you know of a place that sells glatic yarn, please contact us.”

Helios tapped him on the shoulder and said.

“Do you happen to know? Whether the crime will be relieved by the decisive report.”

“Duke Anthemion, you now—!”

“I’m busy, so I’ll have to go.”

Helios stopped talking and turned around sarcastically.

“Aaaah! That damn bastard!”

The Duke of Eaton, watching his back as he left the fabric store, swept the fabric from the shelves and shouted.

“sir, sir! Calm down!”

“Clean it away!”

The Duke of Eaton violently pushed the owner of the cloth shop.

Is he threatening me, I’m the Empress’s younger brother?

The loud breathing sound was harsh.

Seeing that he dared to come out confidently like that, he seemed to have some decisive clue.

“You insolent bastard.”

It seems that there is nothing in sight for breaking the will of His Majesty once.

Then I can’t be beaten either.

The Duke of Eaton quickly gave orders to his subordinate, disguised as the owner of a textile shop.

“Take care of the corpse so that bastard doesn’t find out, and tell Harriet to come right away.”

“Yes.”