I’m In Trouble Because My Husband Is So Cute - Chapter 18

She doesn’t know what Countess Laurent is doing, but she’s already thrown her gloves* at Iellie.
[ T/N: Usually to challenge for a duel. ]

‘Let’s see your face.’

Also, she wasn’t inclined to avoid the flying glove. her eyes darkened.

And so, she met with Countess Laurent, the education officer, who was attached to her by the Imperial Family.

In a good way, she was a person with high self-esteem, and in a bad way, she was obsessed with high taste. So, it was frankly unlucky.

“Nice to meet you, Lady Blanchett.”

“Yes, hello.”

Iellie, who was exchanging greetings lightly, wrinkled her forehead for a moment.

‘What, she calls me ‘Lady Blanchett’?’

Although she is called ‘Miss’ in the Duke’s castle, she should have been officially called ‘Lady Hessenweitz.’ Hence, that’s obviously a deliberately misleading call to press her.

Besides, the way she acted as if she was superior made her feel sick.

“Hmm, Lady Blanchett is a very beautiful person. The weakness of the South is unavoidable…”

The Countess, who left the formal greetings, wanted to immediately observe Iellie through her hawk eyes, and she spit out sentiments.

As if she had become a commodity on the shelf, Iellie reflexively narrowed her eyes.

“As Lady Blanchett is well aware, the Duke’s house has been without a mistress. So, whenever a Lady’s eyes were needed, the Duke always sought my advice.”

Is this person talking as if the former Duchess never existed in the first place? The Countess knows that the Duke doesn’t like the Countess very much, but she was saying that he asks for advice?

What does she mean by this?

“Lady Blanchett, who came up from the South, may not know much about the Duchy yet.”

As the Countess said that with a smirk, she narrowed her brow. In fact, it was natural for Iellie to question her.

In fact, the Duke had never asked the Countess for her opinion.

“I don’t think anyone knows this Duchy as well as I do, because my sister-in-law was the Mistress of this castle.” Said the Countess proudly.

In the past, when the Duchess was alive, the Countess used to nag under the guise of advice whenever she met her own sister-in-law, the Duchess. Even though the Duchess had not heard her nagging, the Countess misunderstood and recalled the memories of that time, like she had given advice at will.

“Though don’t worry now, I’ll be right next to Lady. In order to take care of Lady Blanchett, who doesn’t even have a person to talk to, didn’t I come here in person at the command of His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Aha, is that so? Thank you.”

‘She doesn’t need that kind of consideration, but does she pick a time to meet when the person you want to take care of is eating?’

She was like a chimney, wanting to shoot at any moment, but Iellie first put on a social smile.

“To Lady Blanchett, I want to explain each and every detail of the Duke’s family. It has a long history.”

“I wonder if there is any other reason why Countess Laurent is so considerate of me?” Iellie said with a habitual smile.

If she had to interpret it, she would say, ‘Why are you acting like this?’ But, unfortunately, the Countess didn’t understand, so Countess Laurent only returned her proud smile.

“Yes, because I’m the Heir Apparent’s aunt.”

“Ah…”

“So, Hessenweitz has to be the hometown of my heart.”

“….”

‘No, you’re just a foreigner, but your heart’s hometown?’ She furrowed her eyebrows.

“Listen, I mean. Winter is the season infested with beasts. Lady Blanchett came up from the warm south, so you may not know it, but as winter ends, the beasts last.”

‘Who doesn’t know that…?’

At this point, Iellie had been living in this land for nearly four years.

She saw that Zachary fought countless times to subdue the beasts. It was she who was anxiously praying for him to return safely, and it was she who sometimes felt upset whenever he came back.

So, what is she saying now?

“So that’s why the Heir Apparent was going to subjugate the beasts with his own hands. It’s different from the weak southern nobles.”

…Is it her mistake to feel that those words are full of thorns?

At that point, Iellie hardened a little.

“There are many famous families in the north, and many ladies, like the stars, adored the Heir Apparent.”

As time passed, she became increasingly confused.

‘No, so what are you going to do with me now? My legal husband is very popular, so you want me to step down, is that it…?’

Meanwhile, Countess Laurent was staring at Iellie, as if observing.

“I have a daughter under my wing. In fact, I wanted to send my daughter to the Heir Apparent.”

“Ah, I see…”

Iellie now answered without a soul. ‘So, why don’t you send her earlier? She pretended not to know that Zachary was being criticized for being a monster, it was brazen.’

However, the Countess’ mouth still didn’t stop.

“Honestly, I’m really worried about Lady. No matter how much you married the Duke of Hessenweitz on the orders of His Majesty, Lady Blanchett still doesn’t know anything about the North, don’t you?”

Iellie was in a dilemma as to how far she should listen to these pathetic words. She never thought to hear this from Countess Laurent, who comes down to the north from the islands where she’s set up her mansion.

“Besides, I’ve heard that the Blanchett family is an anonymous Viscounty in the South. Although to hear that Lady was appointed mistress of the great Duchy, it seems that you are not burdened by the difference in family level.”

“…Yes?”

For a moment, Iellie, who was startled, stared at the Countess.

Still, the Countess answered proudly.

“Nonetheless, don’t worry too much, I’m going to help Lady Blanchett.”

“….”

‘What did I just hear now…?’

From saying that she was soaked in warmth, to accusing her of being a frail southern nobleman, and insulting her own family as an anonymous southerner. So far, she has endured it because she was Zachary’s aunt, but she can’t stand it any longer.

“Countess Laurent.”

“Yes, tell me.”

Right now, Countess Laurent’s face was filled with only the pride that ‘she gave advice about the North to a Southern peasant who knew nothing.’

Seeing so, Iellie, who put down the teacup with a click, smiled.

“I didn’t mean to even say this, but you’re really presumptuous.”

“…I beg your pardon?!”

For a moment, Countess Laurent’s face hardened.

However, Iellie only tilted her head at an angle. When the long eyelashes were lowered profusely, the expression she was terribly annoyed was completed.

‘It’s been a while since I made this face.’

When her eyes are wide open, they become pretty eyes that are just right for scratching in people. The last time she made this expression, it was in front of the Emperor’s agent, and she was sure she’ll use it again here.

She started her sarcasm.

“You’re a lady chosen by the Imperial Family, so I thought you’d give me very helpful and useful advice.”

“La, Lady Blanchet!”

“I didn’t know you were going to serve as a teacher to show off your bragging rights and your fickle knowledge.”

‘Oh, I guess it made her feel bad to call her a teacher.’

As a lady, she tried to keep a minimal gentleness, but Countess Laurent had already lost her wits, and she was trembling.

‘That’s a good blow. This is great.’

Her lips drew elegant arcs. By the way, if you touch Little Iellie, you’ll be annoyed too, right?

“What rude words are you saying, it’s obviously just for advice.”

“Is it? It’s strange because none of the words I’ve ever heard from Countess Laurent have given me any advice.”

Iellie took the warm cup of tea and wet her lips. Although it was not sweet at all, it was strangely sweet as if it had been added a lot of sugar.

She continued to smile brightly.

“The South soaked in warmth, and the stigma of the fragile southern nobility. Oh, you said that we are a nameless Viscount in the South. Your mouth seems to be very busy, you utter these words endlessly.”

Even though Iellie was still smiling brightly, the Countess felt a chill in her spine.

“Besides, you said that as the winter ends, the beasts get wilder, but this is common sense.”

As she reached out her fingertips, she retraced the words of the Countess one by one.

The Countess, who was drunk with her sense of triumph and uttered countless words, wanted to shut her mouth, which had just been fluttering on fire.

“The Countess also said she has a daughter, and she wants to send her to the Heir Apparent?”

At this point, her opponent instantly became a dumbfounded mute.

‘Right, she even said that. It certainly wasn’t something to say in front of the Heir Apparent’s wife.’

Iellie smiled mischievously, yet her voice was cold. “By the way, Countess. Have you completely erased from your mind that I am the Heir Apparent’s wife?”

“I, that—that. I didn’t mean it that way…”

“What you just said is something that will only come out when you completely forgot that I am Zachary’s wife.”

She deliberately called ‘Zachary,’ not ‘Heir Apparent.’

While she publicly revealed her acquaintance with Zachary, she also expressed herself as a member of the Hessenweitz, who was allowed Zachary’s name.

“Besides, I don’t know if any of the advice you’ve given so far is for me. Maybe…”

Iellie widened her eyes with exaggerated movements. She said, blinking her long eyelashes beautifully.

“Is it the advice that many ladies as much as the stars admired my husband?”

“….”

“It’s strange. The Countess says it’s advice to tell the wife rumors about the opposite sex of her husband, who is legally already married, but that’s not the kind of advice I know?”

Now, the Countess couldn’t help but look at Iellie’s eyes.

Nevertheless, she opened her mouth calmly.

“Can I be honest with you? This is how I interpreted Countess Laurent’s words.”

Hmm-hmm. She paused for a moment before speaking to the Countess in a luscious voice.

“Lady Blanchett is far short from the Heir Apparent of Hessenweitz, but I also had the aspect of His Majesty’s command, so he was generous and rejected many ladies and took me as the Heir Apparent’s wife.”

She tilted her head pretty, and Iellie rounded her lips.

Seeing her action, the Countess clenched her fists.

“Maybe I misunderstood?”

“…Everything, of course. How can someone’s favor be so maliciously interpreted!”

The Countess raised her voice again to her.

Iellie stared at the woman and asked, “Then, may I tell the Duke and Zachary what happened now?”

“Oh, no. No!”

The startled countess shook her head violently.

Satisfied, she rested her chin and smiled at the Countess. “It’s strange. If the Countess made a remark to me without malice, without abusive meaning…”

“….”

“Isn’t it all right if it gets into the ears of my husband and my father-in-law?”

Countess Laurent was once again dumbfounded because in reality, what Iellie said was true. The Countess, who could not find a word to answer her, hurriedly lifted her teacup.

However, she choked her throat with tea.

“Cough, cough!”

She drank so hastily that she choked. The Countess’ face, who was coughing, was red hot at the sound of small laughter.

Holding out the white handkerchief, Iellie opened her mouth affectionately.