Stepmothers Are Not Always Evil

“What is this?”

Viscount Evelyn, who had entered the room, heard the sound and ran outside.

The Viscountess put down the sewing thread and got up from her seat.

“Come on, go outside.”

“Y-yes.”

Viscount Evelyn picked up a log from the fireplace and headed for the porch.

Swallowing dry saliva, he hurriedly opened the door and swung the firewood.

“Honey, there is no one here.”

“What? Really?”

Viscount Evelyn shrugged off his wife’s urging and gathered up the firewood.

Instead of a person, there was a small pocket in front of the front door.

“What is this?”

Viscount Evelyn tilted his head and opened the pocket. What was in the pocket was the coat of arms of the Duke of Anthemion.

“It must be the Duke. I’ll bring it to him when you wake up.”

Viscountess Evelyn said, sweeping her chest.

Just as they sighed that it was a good thing that nothing happened, Lenia and Helios came out of the room with scruffy faces.

“Are you awake now?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. You can sleep a little more. I’ll bring you a cup of tea, so wait.”

The Viscountess headed towards the kitchen.

Viscount Evelyn approached Lenia, who was rubbing her sleepy eyes, and held out the pocket.

“Lena, who left this at the front door, did you know?”

“What is this?”

Lenia, who was handed the small pocket, tilted her head.

“Helios, do you know what this is?”

“Give it to me.”

Helios’ face hardened slightly as he checked the pocket.

His brow furrowed, and he grabbed the.

“Lena, I’m leaving for a while.”

“Now?”

“Well. It won’t be long.”

Helios put on his coat and left the mansion without a long explanation.

‘What’s going on?’

Lenia followed Helios as he walked away with an anxious gaze.

*****

It was after midnight when Helios returned.

Hearing the sound of horseshoes from afar, I ran to the front door to meet him.

Helios’ expression as he jumped off his horse wasn’t very good.

“What happen?”

“I think I will have to go back because I got a call from the Imperial Palace.”

“A call? Is there something bad going on?”

“Not really.”

He pulled a thin sheet of paper from the pocket. The luxurious envelope covered with gold leaf was sent from the imperial family.

“What is this?”

“Invitation to Her Majesty’s Birthday Banquet.”

“The Empress’s birthday banquet?”

I unfolded the invitation, feeling slightly dumbfounded.

“She’s holding a banquet at this time?”

I thought the Duke of Eaton’s crime would make the Empress quiet for a while.

I chuckled at the absurdity of it all.

“I guess she’s trying to show that the Duke of Eaton’s case didn’t connect with Her Majesty.”

“Is that so? Everyone knows how close the Empress and the Duke of Eton were…”

“Because it’s not good for Her Majesty’s standing to suffer for the sake of her brother.”

“… That’s true.”

Strictly speaking, the person who committed the crime is the Empress’s younger brother, not the Empress herself.

Moreover, as Helios said, the Empress is the mother of the prince and princesses, so even the Emperor can’t be too hard on her.

As the Empress, it was clear that she was going to open this birthday party in a grand way to let us know she’s in good condition.

Of course, she’d need the cooperation of her nobles to do so, which is why she’d sent the invitation to someone so far away.

“Only a few days left.”

The date on the invitation was in three days. Time was running out to prepare the Empress’s gift.

“I’ll have to hurry.”

“Yes, we’ll have to leave tomorrow night at the latest.”

After coming all the way here, I was going to take a good rest.

I looked at Helios with sad eyes, and he put his arm around my shoulders and whispered.

“Don’t be too sad. Let’s come back soon, right?”

“Okay.”

*****

The next night, we were ready to go up to the Imperial capital.

“Let’s go.”

“You can’t go already, you haven’t even gotten a good night’s rest.”

My mother, who came out to see me off to the front of the carriage, had a sad face.

Helios bowed his head deeply as if he was sorry, even though it wasn’t his fault.

“Sorry for not staying long.”

“No. Thank you for coming a long way, you’re a busy person. You can come again when you have time.”

“I will visit you often.”

Helios bowed again at the warm greeting.

Without hiding my sadness, I hugged my mother.

“I will come again.”

“Yeah, be careful going back. Please contact me if anything happens. Understand?”

“Yes. Take care of your health too.”

Tears welled up as a hand stroking My shoulder.

When I finished greeting with a smile, my mother hugged Escal tightly and greeted him warmly.

“Goodbye, Escal.”

“Yes, Goodbye.”

“Okay. Next time you come, Grandma will make more delicious things for you.”

It was a short period of less than a week, but Escal nodded his head with wide eyes as if he had already understood each other.

My father, who had been standing silently, opened his mouth.

“Come on, they will be late.”

“Goodbye, Dad. take care.”

“Don’t worry about me, take good care of yourself.”

Warmth melted in the blunt words.

“Next time, come to the capital with mother.”

“I will. Go back carefully.”

As I climbed into the carriage with a steady step, Helios, seated in the coachman’s seat.

“Goodbye, Escal.”

My father bluntly greeted Escal, who had his head out the window.

“Grandpa, Grandma. Goodbye.”

Tears fell from the boy’s eyes, which he had been holding back.

Escal waved vigorously until the mansion could not be seen.

He must be really sad.

*****

I returned to the imperial capital after a few days and found it very different from when I left.

The streets were lively and there was a bit of excitement, like when the Duke of Eaton’s trial was.

“It seems that Her Majesty the Empress is paying great attention to her birthday celebration.”

“Really?”

“Yes. There are dozens of carriages that come in and go from the Imperial Palace every day, from food to tableware to dresses and jewelry.”

Madame Florence said excitedly.

Because it was in the Imperial palace, Madame Florence’s dressing room was also full of rare fabrics and jewels.

She bragged that she had commissioned dozens of dresses for the ladies invited to the banquet.

“The dressing room must be busy.”

“No matter how busy I am, I have to make the clothes that the Duchess will wear.”

Madame Florence said lasciviously.

I smiled and opened my mouth.

“I was worried that what happened the other day might put her off for a while, but I’m glad it didn’t.”

“I see, which is why an unusually large number of nobles have been invited to the banquet.”

“I see.”

“Normally, nobles below the rank of Earl wouldn’t even be able to attend, but this time they must have sent out invitations to all the nobles based in the Capital.”

I nodded at Madame Florence’s remark with a recalled face.

After all, the dressing room is perfect for hearing rumors.

In particular, Madame Florence was a place of information where even secret rumors could be easily heard as there were many VIP customers.

Of course, she had to filter what she said, as it could get her in trouble if she said it out loud, but still, there was no better place to get the news.

“Oh, come to think of it, I heard that Grand Duchess Crawford was quite angry.”

“Why, Your Majesty the Grand Duchess?”

“They say that Your Majesty’s Majesty delivered the Grand Duchess’s invitation using the Grand Duke servant.”

“Ah… Something like that happened.”

I answered with a slight surprise.

It is customary for invitations to imperial banquets to be delivered in person, or at least by Imperial servant.

In particular, it was common for the Empress to hand out invitations directly because of the Grand Duchess position.

However, the fact that a servant, not an imperial servant, delivered it is the same as openly expressing dissatisfaction to the Grand Duchess.

‘I’ll have to take care of myself too.’

I made up my mind as I recalled the invitation I had received through Dustin.

Grand Duchess Crawford is the real sister of the Emperor, so it would only hurt if the Empress had an argument with her, but Helios is a different case.

“This is the last dress, how about it?”

Madame Florence, who tightened the dress laces, asked, pointing to the mirror.

I changed six dresses, but to my eyes they all looked alike.

“I’ll take this one.”

I pointed to the dress with the shortest back.

Madame Florence checked the measurements and smiled broadly.

“All right. Then I will send the dress to your mansion two days before the banquet.”

“Please do so. The payment is….”

“You have to pay the price after the dress is finished.”

“Yes, then. I’ll go now.”

“Go back carefully.”

Madame Florence followed me to the doorstep.

As I was leaving the dressing room with Madame Florence, a modest carriage pulled up in front of the dressing room.

The lady who got off the carriage saw me and greeted me warmly.

“Hello, Duchess.”