I Became The Mother Of the Male Lead Who Lives With An Adulterous Man

Rachel closed the book she was reading and walked slowly down the hall.

Berengella was standing at the entrance to the mansion with an arrogant expression on her face, looking around. When she spotted Rachel coming down the stairs, she covered her face with her fan and scowled.

“Your mansion is poorly maintained, Countess Rachel, how can you not even manage a mansion that isn’t even that big?”

Rachel ignored Berengella’s words and bowed politely, not caring what her soon-to-be-ex mother-in-law said.

“Mother, you’re here.”

“Countess, it’s been a while.”

There was a hint of disdain in the stiff politeness, and her every movement was graceful and regal, without a hitch.

Berengella believed that beauty was everything.

She was the mother of a typical noble family who valued things such as face, honor, discipline, and title.

The reason Theodore worked in the capital at the imperial palace was because of Berengella’s desire for success. She always nagged that if he wanted to get ahead, he had to impress the high-ranking people in the imperial palace.

Theodore started working at the imperial palace because he could meet Jane freely and be away from Berengella.

When Berengella heard that Theodore was in charge of preparing the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet, she was ecstatic. She was happy that the future of Count Elrosa’s family would finally become better.

A fierce gleam appeared in Berengella’s eyes visible above the fan.

“Countess. Don’t you think the mansion’s decorations are too old-fashioned? If you want to live in the capital, shouldn’t you have some dignity? What era are those curtains even from?”

“I apologize for my lack of decorum.”

“I’m glad you know. These days, heavy, old-fashioned things imported from the south…”

“Wasn’t the carriage journey difficult? I will listen to the details slowly, so could you please wait in the parlor for a moment? I will get some tea.”

Berengella, who was about to nag some more, closed her mouth.

It was true, the carriage ride was tiring. The food they ate along the way was tasteless, and her back ached from sitting for so long.

“……Good idea, then I’ll rest in the parlor for a while, while you prepare something to eat and drink. The most fashionable things in the capital.”

It was a very Berengella-like order.

Theodore returned to the mansion just as she had sent Berengella into the parlor and ordered the servant to get her some refreshments. His face was pale, as if he was afraid of being scolded by his mother.

Rachel shook her head.

‘I can’t believe he’s still afraid of his mother even though he’s almost 30 years old.’

Of course, on the outside, she played the role of a good wife.

“Are you home already? Your face doesn’t look very good, did we make you rush?”

“Uh, no. I’m just a bit tired because the birthday banquet for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince turned out to be bigger than expected. I was going to come home anyway, the timing is perfect since mother just arrived as well.”

It was true that Theodore put a lot of effort into the crown prince’s birthday banquet. The crown prince was the next emperor and there was nothing wrong with looking good in front of him.

Taking off his coat and handing it to Carl, Theodore bragged.

“Do you know how big the banquet has become? Archduke Cian and Great Saint Tityenis, who rarely show their faces at official gatherings, have also announced that they will attend!”

“Oh, really?”

Originally, Rachel had no intention of going to the banquet being prepared by Theodore, but it looks like she may have to rethink her decision.

It was out of the question to not attend an official banquet attended by her future in-laws, or rather, Cian.

“If the banquet is that grand, then I’ll have no choice but to attend this year.”

“Well, in that case, I can’t help but……. Wait, what?”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“You don’t like this kind of thing, right? I thought you wouldn’t go.”

“You’re right, I don’t like crowded banquets.”

“Then…….”

Theodore’s eyes lit up like he was expecting something, but it was no use.

“You organized this banquet yourself, so I should at least show my face. Everyone will go to the banquet hall in pairs, but what will others say if you don’t have a partner? I also don’t want to disgrace mother.”

Theodore groaned at the mention of his mother.

“I suppose so, but don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Yeah, well, I have to go do something mother asked me to do, so we’ll talk about it after.”

“Huh? What did your mother ask you to do?”

“She wants to try some of the fashionable food from the capital.”

“Ah! I know just the place! I’ll go!”

With that, he put his coat back on and rushed out of the mansion.

It was funny to see him take it upon himself to run errands, that should have been done by a servant, just because he wanted to delay meeting his mother. The one who gave birth to him and raised him.

Rachel went to the parlor with some light snacks and drinks.

“Mother, the Count went to get the food from the capital. You must be hungry, so try this first.”

“Are you saying the Count went to get food for his mother himself? How could someone who is already so busy do such a menial task?”

Even as she said this, she seemed to be in a very good mood.

“It must be very difficult to take the lead in preparing a large banquet. Countess, please take better care of the Count.  Make sure he eats well and rests well.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how hard it is to protect and raise a family? Before Count Theodore was born, Elrosa was originally a small and weak family…”

She then went on to boast about how she and the deceased former Count created the current Count Elrosa family. It was a story Rachel had no interested in, so she answered ‘yes, yes’, everything going in one ear and out the other.

After a while, Berengella began to tell a story that interested Rachel.

“I heard that the Archduke and the Great Saint, who are difficult to meet face to face, will also be attending His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet. Seeing him come in person, I guess he liked the banquet prepared by Count Elrosa. I’ll have to use this opportunity to make an impression.”

Berengella paused for a moment and glanced at Rachel. Her next words were obvious even without hearing them. She’d say something about going to Cian and getting a good deal, or something.

“They say the Archduke’s daughter is Graham’s age.”

What?

Rachel frowned.

Berengella’s face hardened.

“What is that look, Countess?”

“Are you really planning on using Graham as a means to get closer to the Archduke?”

“Why not, if the Archduke’s daughter and Graham become friends, it will be a good thing for our Elrosa family.”

Bringing Dolorosa and Graham together was a big part of Rachel’s mission and her goal. But it had to be after Graham ‘abandoned Elrosa,’ and solely because Graham wanted it.

No matter how much they were in love in the original work, they should not have to form a political relationship for the benefit of the family.

There was a good example of this named Theodore. Because he had an ‘arranged marriage’, he was not attracted to Rachel.

She wouldn’t make Graham like Theodore.

Rachel looked straight at Berengella.

The original Rachel was afraid of her just like Theodore. They had never made eye contact like this before.

Berengella’s eyes narrowed.

“Countess, your expression is quite colorful today. Have you forgotten all your manners because you haven’t met an elder of the family for so long?”

“I beg your pardon, mother, but I do not wish to use Graham as a means of getting close to the Archduke.”

“……What did you just say?”

“Graham is still four years old. He’s is too young and fragile to be exploited for political or economic gain.”

“No, four years is old enough. You seem to have forgotten, but the first time the Count talked to the Countess about marriage was when she was four years old.”

“I know. That’s why I’m telling you this. Four years old is definitely not the right age to do something like this for your family.”

“Countess.”

“Yes. Please speak.”

“Do you know what you have just said to me?”

“I told you my opinion.”

“No matter how times have changed, how dare you treat the mother of a Count like this. I can hear the spirits of the Countesses family falling to the ground and rolling around at your lack of discipline. Are you behaving like this towards the Count as well?”

Who was degrading the name of their family?

Because the relationship between Theodore and Jane had not yet become bold enough, not many people noticed the affair. However, after Jane’s last visit, most of the residents of the mansion were suspicious of him.

 

‘It’s a secret, and not many know, but Count Theodor Elrosa has brought home a woman.’

‘A woman? Who was it?’

‘I don’t know. She wears fancy clothes, but she doesn’t know anything about noble manners.’

‘A commoner? You mean the Count invited a commoner to be his guest?’

“Come to think of it, I saw him with a woman on the street the other day…….’

‘Oh, so the rumor is true? Someone saw him kissing a girl in an alley!’

‘Are you saying he’s having an affair?’

‘Oh my god, then he brought the woman he had an affair with to the mansion and introduced her to his wife?’

 

The rumors were spreading from one employee to another in their mansion. It was only a matter of time before it got out of hand and spread to other houses through the staff and eventually make its way into society. There’re ladies everywhere who love to gossip with their employees.

Berengella, who knew nothing, continued to lecture loudly until the parlor seemed to echo with her voice.

“You dare talk to me like this. To whom do you owe the existence of the Count family today? It’s all the result my strict training of the current Count since childhood. Understood?”

“It seems like that training was really useless.”

“What…… Countess, what kind of nonsense is that!”

“Do you think you’ve raised your son ‘well’?”

“Of course!”

What kind of a bastard would have an affair with a commoner woman nine years younger than him, for years?

She wondered how Berengella’s face would look when she realized the truth. But alas, now was not the time to talk about the affair.

Rachel suppressed her laughter and pretended to be lost in thought.

“My opinion is a little different, mother.”

“Countess. What on earth are you talking about?”

“Could you please wait a moment?”

“How dare you leave the conversation like this!”

Rachel went into the study, leaving the screaming Berengella behind, and returned to the parlor with an account book that she had just finished organizing.

“Now, read it.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a ledger. The son, whom my mother raised ‘well’, has been evading taxes by embezzling the Count’s family property for several years.”

“W-what?”

This must have been a shock to Berengella, who valued the honor and reputation of the family more than her own life. She would view her son’s tax evasion as a disgrace.