The matriarch sat straight as a bamboo.

Despite the sharp gaze scanning her up and down, Arasila walked calmly and stood in front of her.

“It’s been a while, Matriarch.”

“Why are you so late?”

“I apologize. If I had known you were coming, I would have arrived earlier, but I didn’t receive any notice.”

As she subtly pointed out the unannounced visit, the Matriarch’s eyebrows twitched.

How dare this young girl challenge me?

She produced a surprisingly booming voice from her thin frame.

“A married woman should naturally return home early! Are you saying you’ve been wandering about aimlessly outside?”

“Matriarch, I wasn’t wandering aimlessly. I was working.”

Arasila calmly corrected her words. The Matriarch was rather dumbfounded by her lack of intimidation.

Whether it was Demian’s mother, the current Duchess, or any other noble lady or young miss, no one had ever been this bold in front of her.

“You’re quite a brazen girl.”

“Isn’t that better than being weak? Anyway, what brings you here?”

Seeing her bright smile, the Matriarch’s face hardened as she recalled the wedding incident.

Right, this child was not as easy as she looked. Then she too had to be tougher.

“Do I need a reason to visit my grandson and his wife?”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s just that Demian is currently away on a mission.”

A smile appeared on the Matriarch’s lips upon hearing this. If Demian wasn’t here, it was even better. It would be easier to pressure the girl in front of her and establish hierarchy.

Since Demian was rebellious and disobedient, she intended to break Arasila, her grandson’s wife, and use her like an obedient puppet instead.

By doing so, she would essentially be planting her own person closest to Demian, which would also ease her son, Duke Vandermir’s mind a little.

“That’s perfect. I originally came to see you anyway.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Now that you’ve become part of the Vandermir ducal family, you need to be educated properly to suit our family.”

Arasila’s lips twitched at the tone dripping with a sense of superiority.

Although the Hugo marquisate was also one of the empire’s top noble families, the Vandermir Matriarch didn’t seem to consider that at all.

“In particular, you seem severely lacking in the ability to support your husband as a virtuous wife and manage the household.”

“……”

“Did you even receive proper bridal training in your family?”

Of course, Arasila had never received such training. Even when her mother, the Marchioness, tried, she had adamantly refused and lived her whole life far from bridal education.

She was originally a staunch believer in staying single after all.

But saying this out loud would only give the Matriarch more to nitpick about, so she just smiled brightly and said:

“My parents raised and taught me well, so there’s no need to worry.”

“You certainly speak eloquently.”

The Matriarch looked at Arasila with displeasure before clearing her throat and continuing.

“To become someone worthy of the Vandermir ducal family, you need to put in the effort. Starting today, I’ll live here and teach you, so learn gratefully.”

Arasila let out a hollow laugh at the sudden announcement of moving in without any prior consent. Only then did she notice the Vandermir maids lined up behind the Matriarch and the huge luggage bags in their hands.

‘She came prepared.’

She quietly swallowed a sigh. The Vandermir Matriarch was treated as the highest elder in the family after all.

If she firmly refused and sent her back now, who knows what fault she might find. She might even cause worry by speaking ill of her to her family.

‘I guess I have no choice but to go along with it for now.’

It was difficult to refuse right away and there was no justification either, so she had to take a step back for now.

‘I’ll just wait until Demian returns.’

He didn’t have a good relationship with his grandmother, so he wouldn’t accept her moving in either.

It was better for the couple to join forces and drive her out than for her to mistreat her husband’s grandmother alone. Arasila decided to wait for the right time and retreat for now.

“I understand, Matriarch. I look forward to your guidance.”

“Good, I’ll teach you diligently.”

The Matriarch pulled at the corners of her mouth as she keenly observed Arasila’s docile smile.

‘I’ll make you cry before Demian returns.’

And then she would have her right under her feet.

The next morning, Arasila got up as usual and went down to the dining hall. Instead of her statuesque husband, the strict Matriarch was sitting there.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

Arasila greeted her politely. At first glance, there was nothing to fault in her attitude. But people can always find fault if they want to.

“It was terribly uncomfortable! How on earth do you manage this mansion? The servants aren’t properly trained either.”

The Matriarch complained despite having slept comfortably. Arasila listened with a calm face, letting the words go in one ear and out the other.

You talk, I won’t listen.

Skillfully hiding such an attitude, she sat down in a chair, but this time the arrow flew in a different direction.

“How lazy are you, child? Sleeping in when I’m here!”

“……”

Objectively, Arasila was neither lazy nor had she slept in. In fact, she usually woke up earlier than others because she had to go to work at the magic tower.

However, the Matriarch, who was an early riser, had gotten up at dawn and was now reprimanding Arasila for coming out later than her.

“There’s nothing more pathetic than a lazy woman. Come greet me at 5 AM starting tomorrow.”

Not just waking up at 5 AM, but coming to greet her then? Just how early was she supposed to get up?

Arasila had a lot she wanted to say, but she held it in and nodded. It would be endless if she tried to counter every remark, so it was a wise choice.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Do you always return from the magic tower at the same time as yesterday?”

“Sometimes it’s later, sometimes earlier. But most of the time it’s later.”

She was relatively free these days as she had just finished one research project. Once she started a new research, late returns would begin again.

“Ha, you must be out of your mind! A married woman not only fails to focus on her home, but also comes crawling in late at night with the excuse of work!”

The Matriarch slammed down her cutlery in anger. It wasn’t just that she disliked it, but her values couldn’t accept Arasila’s behavior.

It was natural for a married woman to focus on her home, so the very fact that she was still working at the magic tower was incomprehensible.

“Quit the magic tower immediately!”

“No.”

“What? You dare…!”

“Matriarch.”

Arasila called out to the Matriarch gently with a coldly settled smile.

“I have no intention of accepting interference from anyone on that matter, so please give your teachings in other areas.”

The Matriarch couldn’t burst out in anger at the impertinent words of choosing which teachings to receive.

It was because she felt a charisma from Arasila that made even her close her mouth for a moment.

“……Huh.”

After a long while, she let out a breath as if dumbfounded, and Arasila said with a kind smile.

“Anyway, you want me to come home early, right? Alright. I’ll leave work early for the time being.”

Just until Demian returns though.

Arasila began eating gracefully. The Matriarch gripped her water glass while glaring at her with sharp eyes.

“Senior, are you leaving already?”

Rudy, who was organizing his thesis, opened his eyes wide when he saw Arasila preparing to leave. Sally also poked her head out from another desk.

“You’re leaving early?”

“Yes, it’ll probably be like this for about ten days.”

“Is something going on at home?”

Arasila smiled briefly at her junior’s worried question.

“Not nothing.”

“Oh! Really?”

“It’s okay, it shouldn’t take too long to resolve.”

Arasila smiled brightly and picked up her handbag as she left. Starting today, she had to leave work early to receive education from the Matriarch.

Indeed, what kind of torment disguised as education would be waiting for her?

Arasila looked out the window expressionlessly. The Vandermir mansion, characterized by its red brick, boasted its grandeur from afar.

As soon as she stepped into the entrance after getting out of the carriage, a sharp reprimand flew at her.

“Oh, my goodness! What is that vulgar attire?”

The Matriarch looked at Arasila’s magic tower uniform with a horrified face. Pants were visible under the long top that resembled a cloak.

Only commoners wore pants. It was unthinkable for a noble woman to wear pants.

At least, that’s what the Matriarch thought.

“Don’t be surprised, Matriarch. It’s just the magic tower uniform.”

“Silence! Change your clothes immediately and come to my room!”

The Matriarch turned around sharply, trembling as if Arasila was walking around naked.

Arasila wasn’t in a good mood either, having her uniform, which was more valuable to her than expensive dresses from high-end boutiques, so blatantly disrespected.

But she couldn’t argue as the Matriarch had already stomped away.

“Let’s go, Audrey.”

“Yes, madam.”

Audrey, who had been standing by the wall watching the situation, quickly followed behind Arasila. At her gesture, a few more maids followed.

They helped Arasila undress and neatly arranged her clothes and hair.

Arasila looked at her reflection in the mirror. Wearing an apricot-colored high-neck dress with her hair tied down, she looked both like a young noble lady who had just married and not.

Perhaps it was because she still retained the atmosphere of her single days when she lived freely.

Letting out a small sigh, she went to the second-floor guest room where the Matriarch was staying.

“You’re late.”

The Matriarch, sitting in an antique chair, immediately found fault. Her tone suggested that Arasila had dawdled for an hour before coming.

“Tsk tsk, with such sluggish behavior, how will you ever be useful? I’m glad I decided to personally correct your manners.”

It was Audrey whose expression soured at those words. No one would feel good seeing their master being belittled right in front of them.

Arasila herself stood calmly with her head slightly bowed. Her face showed no particular impact, which irritated the Matriarch even more.

“Since words don’t seem to get through to you, it might be better for you to learn through action.”

The Matriarch gave a signal to her maid who she had brought up to the capital. The maid then placed a basket of clothes in front of Arasila.

Arasila scanned the somehow familiar-looking dress with her eyes and asked.

“What is this?”

“It’s the dress I wore yesterday. Wash it with your own hands. While doing so, feel reverence towards me and realize your position within the Vandermir family.”

Audrey’s face turned pale white. Although she might not have received bridal training, Arasila was a noble daughter who had received plenty of good education.

To ask someone like her to do a maid’s job was clearly an insult.

“What, can’t you do it?”

The Matriarch smiled arrogantly as she watched Arasila standing still without moving.

“If you dared to want to become a member of the Vandermir ducal family, you should have been prepared for this much.”

This too was an insulting remark to Arasila, who was born into a prestigious family even if not a ducal one.

The Matriarch didn’t mind even if Arasila ran out now and told her family everything. If discord arose between the two families, the couple’s relationship would naturally grow apart.

While making Arasila her puppet was good, this method was even easier.

“What are you doing, not moving!”