‘I looked really cool just now, didn’t I?’

Then.

“Kyaaaa! Kyaa!”

Laila covered her screaming mouth with her trembling hands.

“Good heavens! Mom! Can I stand up?”

“Yes.”

Barely waiting for permission, Laila, who was about to get up from her seat, staggered and sat back down on the ground.

“Ouch!”

Both Philip and I, startled, quickly approached Laila.

“Laila, what’s wrong?”

“Ah… Father. Mother.”

Laila, who grabbed my outstretched hand, struggled to smile.

“I’m sorry. My, my leg’s numb. It’ll get better soon.”

At the same time, Laila tightly held my hand.

“I love you, Mom.”

“……Huh?”

A sudden love confession?

Laila’s pretty cheeks turned peachy.

“Mom, you’re so cool. I, my chest feels so full.”

Laila shook her head.

“No, this expression isn’t enough. I don’t know how to fully express my feelings.”

Laila’s beautiful eyes sparkled.

“Now I understand Mom’s deep intention.”

“Deep intention?”

What?

Laila smiled dazzlingly and spoke of my deep intention that I wasn’t even aware of.

“You know how getting beaten a lot makes you tough?”

“……?”

“I was too weak to learn this martial art. So you were first strengthening my heart with harsh words, right?”

“……!”

I understood. Laila was now so infatuated with my Taekwondo that she’d planted a flower garden in her mind.

Ellen’s abusive words were reinterpreted as some form of mental training?

The misunderstanding was absurd, but my ears perked up.

‘If done well, Ellen’s minefield past Laila version could be settled at once? And escape from the planned death flag route?’

Simultaneously, Philip and Heide’s pupils shook madly.

They seemed to know that Laila’s interpretation made no sense.

But their reaction was fine by me.

I gave Laila a warm, businesslike smile and held her hands tightly.

“Laila, my true feelings have finally reached you.”

Tears welled up in Laila’s eyes.

“I’m sorry! Mom! I was so foolish! How good would it have been if I’d realized sooner!”

Emotional, she clung to me and sobbed.

“Then Mom would have been at peace, and by now, I’d be using the same martial arts as well!”

I gently stroked Laila’s trembling shoulders and back.

“That’s not true. The time when you think you’re late is the fastest.”

It felt a little awkward speaking like my mother, but it was doable.

“I’m so thrilled! That this luck has come to me! I’ll learn really hard!”

What the hell is this?

I suppressed the big laughter that kept bubbling up, feeling like I had won the lottery.

I composed my face and looked around to find Philip giving a wry smile. He seemed to know that a flower garden had unfolded in his daughterinlaw’s mind.

And Heide, looking at me, had his mouth agape. He looked as if he’d seen a devil, so I shot him a glare.

‘You know what will happen if you make a useless reaction?’

My intense silent warning seemed to work, as Heide turned pale. He covered his mouth with both hands and gave a small nod.

I smiled at Laila and the two men, gently stroking Laila.

“Okay, the demonstration is over, so you two can leave.”

Now, it’s time to spend some quality time alone with Laila.
“Madam? Do I not have the right to observe?”

Count Philip Morris, who immediately retorted, pointed at Heide with his finger.

“Just tell the gardener to leave.”

“I, Madam… don’t you need assistance with the judgment?”

Heide, whose eyes had reddened to the rims, brought his two hands together with a look of great regret.

“I’ll move swiftly the moment you order, as if a dead mouse has come to life.”

Heide’s appearance seemed as though he was making a wish, and I felt a weakness in my heart.

“Hmm, assistance with judgment… well, there will be times when we need to sort out broken judgments.”

Just as I was about to nod, thinking Heide’s suggestion sounded quite reasonable, Philip intervened.

“Heide, unfortunately, that won’t do.”

It seemed the answer had already been determined, not something for me to choose, even though I was asked to tell him to leave.

“Yes?”

“Don’t worry about that.”

Soon, three coins fell into Heide’s hand.

“You’ve worked hard. Go and do what you must.”

“…Understood, Master.”

Even though he had received a tip, Heide’s shoulders drooped as he turned away.

His appearance looked just like a large dog that had its tail cut off, knowing it couldn’t join the walk.

“Heide.”

He looked somewhat pitiable, so I picked up a cookie from the table and handed it to him.

“Ma, Madam…?”

Although his wagging tail was not visible, Heide’s big doglike innocence was palpable when he received the cookie.

I naturally smiled at the atmosphere of loyalty that seemed to grow just by feeding him well.

“I’ll call you when there’s work next time. Go on.”

“Thank you! Madam!”

After bowing deeply, Heide left the room with a suddenly revived look.

I shook off my now lightened hands.

“Now, let’s begin the lesson.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Although the moisture of emotion still remained in her eyes, Laila’s voice was much lighter.

Starting with meditation, I taught Laila how to warm up and assume postures step by step.