When I Quit Being A Wicked Mother-in-law, Everyone Became Obsessed With Me

It seems that the memory of having blindly trusted the Rondini baron and his wife last time came to mind.

As a result, the four of them ended up going to see Liliana’s room.

“Is this really my room?”

Liliana couldn’t hide her joyful expression as she looked around her brightly decorated room.

Until now, the best room she had seen was her sixth cousin, the Rondini baroness’s room…

‘This one seems much better than that room.’

As she couldn’t take her eyes off the scenery of the room, Liliana soon became slightly downcast.

Noticing her change in mood, Anriete asked a question.

“Is there something you don’t like about it?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that…”

After a while of just moving her lips, Liliana continued with a face that seemed to bear the world’s worries.

“Now that I have my own room, I guess I won’t have to sleep with you anymore, Mother…”

“What? You were worried about that?”

Anriete let out a short laugh.

“If you want, you can always sleep with me.”

“Wha—? But…”

“Right, Duke?”

Anriete subtly turned the question towards Alexei.

After all, we each have our own rooms, right?

Say yes quickly!

Her burning violet eyes seemed to scream that.

Unable to resist the pressure, Alexei nodded without realizing it.

“Y-yes, that’s right…”

“See? The Duke says so too.”

Saying this, Anriete patted Liliana’s head.

Liliana buried her face in Anriete’s dress hem as if relieved.

And as Alexei watched this scene…

‘Something feels a bit off.’

For the couple, having separate bedrooms was a completely natural thing.

Yet somehow, at this moment, that naturalness felt…

‘…a bit sad.’

Overwhelmed by this inexplicable emotion, Alexei furrowed his brows deeply.

***

After everyone had left, Liliana was left alone in her room.

‘To think this beautiful room is mine…’

With sparkling eyes, Liliana looked around the room, exploring every corner.

She stroked the canopy draped over the bed and brushed her hand over the dust-free furniture.

As she gazed at the gently swaying curtains, tears of emotion filled Liliana’s eyes.

‘It’s neither cold nor dirty, and on top of that… it’s my room.’

It wasn’t a storeroom crammed with things or a gloomy attic where no sunlight penetrated.

This room was prepared solely for Liliana.

She was filled with deep nostalgia.

‘…It feels like I’m returning to the past.’

It reminded her of the time when she lived not as “the orphanage’s little pest,” but as “the precious daughter of the Everitt Count family.”

“…”

Just as Liliana felt tears welling up, biting her lip slightly, a sharp voice rang out from the half-open door.

“Why are you so slow, child?”

Curious about what was happening, Liliana peeked her head outside.

The first person to come into view was a new maid clutching a laundry basket full of clothes.

The maid, seemingly at a loss for what she had done wrong, kept bowing her waist.

“I-I’m sorry.”

However, the maid standing opposite her showed no signs of calming down.

“How long do you plan to take to carry this laundry?!”

“I’ll take it right away! So please, Mag…”

The new maid’s eyes were brimming with tears, as if she was about to cry.

Mag?

Liliana’s eyes widened in surprise.

That was a name she had definitely heard before.

So…

‘Elliot mentioned it during our doll play earlier.’

Elliot’s excited voice still lingered in her ears.

‘Later, I’ll introduce you to Mag.’

‘Mag? Who is that?’

‘She’s the head maid who has worked at our house the longest. She took care of me since I was little.’

In Elliot’s eyes, there was an unmistakable affection for Mag.

‘Mag treats me really well.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Yeah. So, she’ll definitely be kind to you too.’

From what she heard, that maid named Mag seemed like a really warm person…

Just as Liliana was tilting her head in thought,

“Honestly, you’re so useless!”

With a fierce shout, Mag shoved the new maid aside.

“Ah!”

Bang!

As the new maid stumbled, she dropped the laundry basket.

The dirty clothes shot up into the air and then fell down around her head.

Her face turned bright red with embarrassment.

At that moment, Liliana couldn’t help but rush outside.

“There’s no need to be that angry, is there?!”

Liliana raised her voice sharply and then bit her lip, thinking, ‘Maybe I’ve overstepped my bounds?’

She had only just arrived at the townhouse.

Even though her mother called her ‘my daughter-in-law,’ she hadn’t yet earned everyone’s recognition…

‘…But.’

Liliana glanced down at the new maid.

She saw herself reflected in that maid, suffering just like she had at the Rondini orphanage.

A chill ran down her spine as she realized…

‘Before I knew it, my body moved on its own.’

Liliana swallowed hard.

Before her stood Mag, wearing a displeased expression as she faced Liliana.

‘What a stroke of bad luck to run into her here…’

Mag grumbled inwardly.

She was currently in a very bad mood.

Ever since Liliana had come to the townhouse, Elliot’s attention had been completely focused on her.

‘Dealing with one lady is already a headache, and now I have to worry about that little girl too.’

Recently, Anriete had changed her attitude completely, as if she were a different person.

Fortunately, Elliot still hadn’t completely let down his guard around his mother.

But…

‘If the lady continues to be so kind, young Lord Elliot will eventually open his heart.’

Just that alone made Mag’s position precarious.

In this tense situation, seeing Liliana, who had always been a thorn in her side, intervening…

‘…I feel disgusted.’

It was truly a twisting feeling in her stomach.

Mag spoke in a cold voice.

“Lady Liliana, teaching the new maid is my responsibility.”

“B-but…”

“It’s actually helpful to us if you refrain from interfering with the maids’ work.”

“…”

Liliana swallowed hard.

With her chin slightly raised, her neck and back stiff, arms crossed in front of her chest, and a sideways smile on her lips, she looked at Mag.

Most notably, those eyes that looked down on Liliana with arrogance.

Mag was completely disregarding her at that moment.

Just then, a voice echoed.

“…Mag, what kind of rudeness is this towards Liliana?”

It was Elliot.

Liliana’s eyes widened in shock.

Mag also turned pale and fixed her gaze on Elliot.

“E-Elliot?!”

In her trembling voice, there was not a trace of the arrogance she had shown towards Liliana.

Elliot looked at Mag with cold eyes.

“Even though I like Mag, this behavior seems too much.”

After saying that, Elliot bent down.

He picked up a piece of laundry that had fallen to the floor and placed it back in the laundry basket.

Then he turned sharply to Mag.

“There’s no need to shove people, is there?”

“W-well, that was for training…”

“You could teach her with words, so why did you have to lay a hand on her? What if that maid gets hurt?”

Elliot’s face showed deep disappointment.

“Besides, Liliana is my fiancée.”

Fiancée.

At that word, Mag chewed on the soft flesh inside her mouth.

Elliot continued in a rare firm tone.

“That means treating Liliana disrespectfully is the same as treating me disrespectfully.”

“…Young master.”

“So, I would appreciate it if you could show Liliana some respect from now on.”

After saying that, Elliot turned to Liliana.

“Are you okay, Liliana?”

“Y-yes.”

Liliana nodded blankly.

Only after hearing that response did Elliot’s expression relax a bit.

He immediately directed a question at the new maid.

“Are you hurt at all?”

“N-no, I’m fine.”

“That’s good. Then you can leave now.”

At those words, the new maid bowed her head repeatedly and hurriedly left.

Mag quickly tried to salvage the situation with Elliot.

“Young master, I…!”

“I don’t want to hear any excuses.”

His words were as cutting as a knife, causing Mag to instinctively stiffen her shoulders.

Elliot’s gaze towards Mag was unexpectedly cold.

“Let’s go, Liliana.”

Saying that, Elliot gently took hold of Liliana’s hand.