The Villainess Enjoys Her Married Life
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Episode 25. The Mother-in-Law’s Apology
2023.12.25.
“That concludes my testimony, Your Grace.”
Sella bowed slightly to Kalian and took her place behind Eshika.
With her head lowered, Sella’s mind was filled with sheer admiration for Eshika.
’I will make sure your sister receives compensation for her wounds.’
To think she had foreseen every step of how this would unfold… Her capability was truly astonishing.
“…Your Grace…”
Yuri was trembling violently, tears streaming down her face.
Every path forward or back felt like standing at the edge of a sheer cliff.
“I am… thoroughly and utterly disappointed in you.”
The complexion of Kalian’s face turned slightly flushed as he spat those frigid words at Yuri.
Just moments ago, he had completely humiliated himself in front of Eshika.
Relying merely on the words of the Head Maid, he had warned his wife that she would pay the price.
To a mere servant, he had boldly staked the very honor of Klaus.
Yet the true culprit revealed before them was, by all accounts, Riona.
A wave of mortifying shame crashed over him.
“…Damn it.”
Pressing a hand to his brow, his lips twitched.
He had no idea what he could possibly say to Eshika.
“Since this tiresome farce of framing me as a wicked woman seems to be over, I shall take my leave.”
Eshika’s cold voice pierced his ears.
“…Eshika…”
Kalian moved to call her name, but she turned on her heel with an icy breeze following in her wake.
Sella followed close behind.
Kalian reached out a hand, but Eshika flung the door open and strode out of the room.
Thud— The door slammed shut.
“…Damn it all!”
Kalian furiously kicked the box of rods Sella had left on the floor.
At the loud crash of the box splintering to pieces, Yuri flinched and trembled even harder.
**
Meanwhile, Riona lay back while her maids massaged her legs, a faint smile gracing her lips.
Even if Eshika struggled, she was nothing more than foolish Eshika.
She would have to show her clearly the price of daring to rebel.
“Take a good look, all of you.”
The maids flinched at Riona’s words.
“At how a wretched thing ends up when it forgets its place and dares to climb too high.”
The maids kept their heads deeply bowed, concentrating entirely on massaging Riona.
Riona Klaus—in the Klaus Duchy, no one dared to defy her will.
She even manipulated her own son, Duke Kalian Klaus, entirely to her liking.
With her tears and subtle gestures, Kalian would burn with rage and shower her with sympathy.
A deep filial devotion toward the mother who had cast aside the former Duke of Klaus’s lawful wife and children to secure the ducal seat for her young boy.
There could be no way to tear down the bond between those two.
A moment later, however, a series of heavy knocks echoed at the door.
The maid massaging her legs hurriedly stood up, but before she could even reach the handle, the door burst open.
“…”
Lying back as she was tended to, Riona furrowed her fine brows and turned her head.
Standing there was Kalian, his face far paler than before.
Another maid gently helped Riona sit up.
Straightening her posture, Riona watched her son approach.
The warm gentleness that always lingered in his eyes whenever he looked at her was completely gone.
In that instant, a dreadful anxiety seized Riona.
“What is the matter, Duke?”
Yet Riona concealed her unease, asking softly.
Kalian stared at Riona in silence for a long while.
Then, his stiff lips parted.
“I have always spoken only the truth to you, Mother. Therefore… you must tell me the truth as well.”
In the end, Yuri had confessed everything to Kalian.
That it was the Grand Duchess who had reduced her calves to such a wretched state.
And that if Kalian were to speak of this to Riona, she might very well lose her life.
To Yuri, who was trembling and begging for mercy, Kalian had spoken with icy detachment.
It seemed she feared his mother, yet held no fear of Eshika whatsoever.
Yuri had dropped her head and wept inconsolably.
Were those truly tears of repentance…? Kalian felt as though he could no longer trust Yuri either.
Leaving the weeping Yuri behind without a word of comfort, Kalian had headed straight for Riona.
“Whatever do you mean by that?”
Riona’s eyes wavered.
Questioning a mother who had always devoted herself to the ducal house brought a pang of guilt, but having staked the name of Klaus, he could not let this pass.
“The one who abused the maids was not Eshika.”
A low voice spilled from Kalian’s lips.
For a split second, Riona’s fingers twitched ever so slightly.
’Yuri, you useless wretch.’
The thought flashed through Riona’s mind.
“Duke…”
“Was it you, Mother?”
Kalian’s brow was rigidly furrowed.
The soft smile playing at the corners of Riona’s lips faltered.
“Answer me, please.”
**
Today as well, Eshika focused on breath regulation and qi circulation.
As she focused her mind upon her dantian, pure qi gathered together.
Surrendering her body to the flow and immersing herself in cultivation left her mind feeling remarkably clear and refreshed.
To someone like her who already possessed the profound knowledge of a master, sword techniques and martial stances were mere formalities.
Once she accumulated sufficient inner energy, it would not be too late to practice swordsmanship.
’With just another month of cultivation, I should be able to match the inner force of an ordinary knight.’
Thanks to the spiritual elixirs she steadily consumed and her daily qi circulation, her progress was substantial.
There was still a long way to go before reaching the heights of her past achievements…
Yet even regaining half of her original power would be a resounding success.
As she finished her cultivation meditation and rose to her feet, Sella entered right on cue.
“…My Lady.”
She had already sensed the shift in the mansion’s atmosphere.
With a tense expression, looking as if she were at a complete loss, Sella spoke.
“The Grand Duchess has summoned you.”
Had it been the Eshika of the past, she would have grown anxious and begun to tear up.
Riona Klaus, Kalian’s mother, despised Eshika with a venomous passion.
A twisted obsession with her son, blended with her naturally cruel disposition, drove her to torment Eshika, her daughter-in-law, to the point of agony.
Had it been merely simple, direct abuse, it might have been easier to endure.
Her method was to slowly burn and devour one’s soul, leaving not a single breath of respite.
“Very well.”
Eshika replied nonchalantly, a faint smile on her lips.
“By the way, did you receive the compensation?”
“Yes. His Grace ordered the head butler to compensate for what happened to my sister. It is all thanks to you, My Lady.”
Sella spoke in a voice suddenly thick with emotion.
Having staked the honor of Klaus, Kalian had no other choice.
After neatly smoothing her dress, Eshika headed toward the flower garden where Riona always took her tea.
As she walked with an aloof, poised grace, the maids cast insolent glances in her direction.
Yet none of them dared to whisper about her openly anymore.
Arriving before the garden, Eshika approached Riona’s table with measured, elegant steps.
Riona sat there sipping her tea, with Yuri standing behind her.
Seeing Yuri’s face flushed red as though she had been slapped, Eshika suppressed a smirk, placed a hand over her chest, and bowed to Riona.
“Mother, it has been a long time.”
At Eshika’s voice, Riona slowly raised her haughty gaze.
Her blonde hair was styled with regal elegance, and her violet eyes matched the color of Kalian’s own.
“Yes, it has been some time. Sit.”
With Riona’s permission, Eshika took the seat across from her.
A chilling silence settled over the table.
Beneath Riona’s seemingly calm eyes lurked a venom no less deadly than a viper’s.
“Yuri, pour the tea.”
At Riona’s command, Yuri stepped forward and filled Eshika’s cup.
Though she could feel Yuri’s icy glare, Eshika internally savored it like a delightful confection.
“I hear the Duke has moved your quarters. He mentioned that you seem to have reflected upon your actions sufficiently as well.”
“…”
“Starting today, I intend to receive your morning greetings once more.”
Ever since banishing Eshika to the drafty back room, Riona had refused to accept her greetings.
Even when Eshika had knelt before her door, weeping and begging for forgiveness for words and actions she had never committed, Riona’s demeanor had remained unyielding.
It was intended to humiliate and torment Eshika, not to instruct her.
Even the maids had mocked Eshika, and that prolonged period of humiliation had left deep scars upon her.
“I am deeply grateful for Mother’s forgiveness and mercy.”
Eshika smiled faintly as she answered.
At that reaction, Riona’s brow twitched.
Riona had never liked this young girl who dared wedge herself into the seat beside her precious son.
She wished only misery upon this child who had grown up in a vulgar, wealthy household with a pitifully low title.
Thus, the sight of Eshika smiling never failed to stoke her viper-like fighting spirit.
“And…”
Riona’s grip tightened around her teacup.
“It seems the Duke was laboring under a misunderstanding.”
To Riona, the events of that day had been nothing short of a nightmare.
Kalian had asked her why she had framed Eshika as the source of the abuse.
As she always did, Riona had tried to soothe him gently, saying it was all for the sake of the ducal house, but this time was different.
Kalian had changed.
A doubt he had never once dared harbor toward his own mother filled his gaze to the brim.
To have the son she had held in her embrace stand entirely outside her influence, openly suspecting her—it was something she had never experienced in her entire life.
Not only did Kalian doubt Riona, but he had also made a firm demand.
’Apologize to Eshika.’
Though Riona’s eyes had trembled as if deeply wounded, Kalian’s resolve did not waver.
’She was falsely accused of deeds she did not commit. And I…’
Kalian’s tightly clenched fist had trembled.
’…Damn it all.’
