Pellio had just fired a female teacher who had a long break in her career due to childbirth.
“The career gap is too long. Moreover, you have to teach orphans, not nobles’ children. You need the most experience for that…”
“What do you know about childbirth? Think it’s easy to leave your baby and go to work?”
Velest looked at Ermendillin for support with his eyes.
‘Ah, but Pellio has a point…’
While Ermendillin felt conflicted between the two, Pellio dug his own grave.
“Why not hire a nanny?”
Everyone’s faces, even those of Loony and Mago who were listening from behind, suddenly froze at Pellio’s words.
“I’m right, aren’t I? This guy is a smart idiot.”
“Heh, hehehe, hehehehe. That’s such a stupid thing to say.”
When Velest and Riena laughed at him simultaneously, Pellio looked at Ermendillin with aggrieved eyes, but her look was just as cold.
“Are you serious?”
“Huh? What did I…”
“I thought of taking your side because you have to teach multiple children, especially those with no educational background.”
“Yes! That’s what I’m saying!”
“But I can’t. I have to reconsider your intelligence.”
Despite saying all this, Pellio still didn’t understand what was wrong with his statement.
“Most people can’t afford a nanny. If they had that money, they would spend it on food and clothing.”
Unable to watch Velest and Riena’s cruel laughter, Ermendillin finally pointed out Pellio’s mistake.
It seemed Pellio hadn’t even considered raising a child without a nanny, and only then did he realize his ignorance, his face flushing red.
He reddened so quickly it looked like blood might even drop from his ears.
“Uhahaha! Hahahahahaha!!”
Watching this, Riena laughed so hard she fell off her chair.
She continued to roll on the floor, laughing even louder.
“I have to be the most beautiful. I absolutely have to shine the most. I have to engrave in everyone’s mind that I’m the one worthy of being the empress!”
Valeria had been looking at jewels for half the day, but she couldn’t find anything that pleased her.
If the color pleased her, then the luminosity was an issue; if the luminosity pleased her, then there were imperfections on the surface.
Seeing Valeria’s displeased expression, Lady Elion, Countess of Elion, drove the merchants away with her characteristic sharp voice.
“Next! How could you have no taste! You bring such things to a woman who carries the next emperor?”
It seemed like Lady Elion, Countess of Elion, had her face made of steel as she clung to Valeria upon hearing the news of her pregnancy.
Valeria wasn’t pleased with Lady Elion, who had ignored her during her confinement, but for the time being, she decided to keep her by her side as she knelt and offered highquality jewels while swearing loyalty.
“Well, no matter what happens later, the jewels will remain.”
In her previous life, she never had anyone she could call a friend.
Although surrounded by people because of her charming personality, Valeria always kept her distance, doubting their true intentions.
Especially if someone appeared superior to her in some way, she preferred to keep someone flawed by her side; Lady Elion was close to the sort of person Valeria wanted to keep around.
A plump appearance, with batlike habits; in both looks and character, she could stand in a superior position.
“Right. This is a hundred times better than that hypocrite. Is she cosplaying as a saint? Who asked for her help?”
Although she had used the water Ermedillin had offered during her confinement, once the confinement was lifted, Valeria regretted her actions.
While she wanted to kill Ermedillin, that naive woman seemed completely unaware of it and continued to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Valeria felt a faint pain in her chest every day as she used the water.
That pain was a signal from the sliver of conscience that remained in her, but she chose to ignore it.
She decided to blame that pain on that hypocrite.
“How much more will she brag about that? I should have just endured for a few days. Accepting that water, I must have been really crazy.”
While excitedly looking at the glamorous jewelry, a part of her mind continued to feel uneasy about receiving help from Ermedillin.
But, she never even considered thanking Ermedillin formally since her confinement was lifted.
In the late afternoon, Henri went to find Ermedillin.
It was to discuss matters related to the upcoming succession ceremony.
“According to Count Halstein, he wants to keep it simple. Is that true?”
“Yes. Since the epidemic in the capital is not yet completely eradicated, it would be good to be cautious for the time being.”
“If the empress says so, we’ll keep it simple at the temple with the bare minimum witnesses.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“I’ve heard what you did for the confined Valeria.”
“Oh, is that so? It wasn’t a big deal, but it seems to have become a rumor.”
Ermedillin responded with a nonchalant look and a faint smile.
“No big deal? Especially when no one else helped?”
While Henri hid his true feelings as best he could, he asked in a warm tone, wondering how far the empress could hide her true intentions.
“What could anyone do? It’s certainly wise not to approach due to the danger of the epidemic.”
“But you didn’t just stand by and watch the empress carrying buckets, did you?”
Henri laid out the facts, hoping for at least a complaint about the servants from Ermedillin.
“You shouldn’t start something expecting help, especially if it’s dangerous.”
Ermedillin spoke in a tone that was firm yet gentle, shattering Angri’s expectations.
“True enough.”
Angri was inwardly flustered and almost misspoke.
“But it’s not like I didn’t receive any help. My maid Lunie helped me, and Princess Biella caught me when I was about to fall.”
“Is that so? Have you received thanks from Vallier?”
Angri had diligently instructed Vallier to personally go and thank Ermedillin as soon as he was released from alchemy.
The reason was that, in a situation where the empress was already taking the lead in changing public opinion, it would be problematic if Vallier, who was carrying their child, saw a decline in his reputation.
“He hasn’t come to see me yet.”
“Not even once?”
Sensing Angri’s gaze suddenly turn fierce, Ermedillin managed a smile and calmly explained her position.
“I didn’t do it from the start to get thanks. I just did it to ease my mind. There’s really no need to receive a greeting.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
