Chapter 98 The Young Marquis Couple Worries About Parenting
While Marquis and Mike were drinking together, Edward and his wife were facing off in another room of the same mansion.
"Is this because of my parenting style?"
"No, it's not that. I'm not blaming you, Liz."
"But you've never once discussed the children's education with me before, have you?"
"That's because I trusted you and left it to you."
"Does that mean you don't trust me anymore?"
"No, it's just that... boys in a sensitive period may be too much for their mothers to handle."
Elizabeth realized what they were talking about and couldn't help but fall silent.
"...I'm sorry, I've failed you."
"I think there are many things that only boys can understand. I've been reflecting on how I've been leaving everything to you until now."
"No, I've heard from my family's wet nurse that such things can happen. But I never thought our kids would do something like stealing the 'personal belonging' of a maid..."
Elizabeth finally started crying, shaking her shoulders as she wept. Edward couldn't bear to leave his crying wife alone, so he hugged her and gently stroked her back.
"Liz, you've been doing a great job. I'm the one who's been too lenient with the kids and relied on you too much."
"But stealing is just... so shameful..."
"I'll talk to Adam about it, but I think he didn't mean to steal. He probably felt guilty about his impulses but couldn't control them."
"If he's interested in girls, I think there are better ways to go about it..."
"He probably didn't want his family to find out, especially his mother and sister. He was probably afraid of being hated by them."
"Is that how it is?"
"I won't know for sure until I talk to Adam, but I don't think we should just leave it alone. It's natural for boys his age to have those impulses, and I don't want him to think it's a bad thing."
"So it's not a bad thing for boys, then? As a girl, I was taught that such things are improper."
Elizabeth's face turned red as she asked her husband.
"Hmm, I think there's a difference between men and women, but it's something important for both, don't you think? Without that kind of impulse, how would we pass on to the next generation?"
"In ladylike education, we're taught to leave that kind of thing to our husbands."
"But there are also noblewomen who have lovers after having children, aren't there?"
"Yes, there are, but I'm not really interested..."
"That's good. I wouldn't find it funny if my own wife was getting close to another man."
"Of course, as the future Marquise Grandchester, I wouldn't do anything that would shame my husband."
'I wish it was okay to be a little shameless, just with me, though...'
It seems that, just as the Marquis pointed out, Edward might be a bit dense.
"Well, the hunting tournament is coming up soon, so I want to talk to Adam before then. And if possible, the other kids too."
"The other kids too?"
"About Sara's situation, a bit..."
"!?"
Edward noticed that his wife's body had tensed up in his arms, but he couldn't understand why.
'Is it because Sara is a commoner that she doesn't like it?'
"If we go to the territory, the kids will meet Sara too. Father is aware of it, and if we keep repeating the same thing, it might cause problems in the future."
Elizabeth sat up from her husband's arms and looked him straight in the eye.
"Did father-in-law say something to you?"
"Father regretted not noticing what was going on, and I feel the same way."
"You're the same, Ed..."
"Don't get me wrong. I'm not thinking that you're the one who made the kids bully Sara. I just regret not stopping it when I noticed it."
"I'm sorry. I noticed it, but I didn't stop it. I thought the kids were treating Sara with the pride of being nobles... or maybe I just wanted to think that."
Elizabeth's voice grew smaller and smaller.
"I just couldn't bring myself to like Sara. I kept telling myself it was because she was a commoner, but even at the age of 8, her beauty was overwhelming, and her eyes seemed to be gazing at something far away. Every time I looked into her eyes, I felt a sense of unease, as if my own ugly intentions were being seen right through."
"I didn't like Sara either. She looks too much like Adelia. Whenever I see her, I'm reminded of Adelia when she eloped with Arthur, and it makes me feel all fuzzy inside. It's not Sara's fault, of course."
Edward wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and pulled her close.
"Apparently, Sara was able to use magic while she was here."
"What?!"
"Also, Robert gave her the land that Arthur received when he first discovered his magic, as a celebration. I guess Robert is getting along with his niece after all. Or maybe he just wanted to show off in front of the Governess. Who knows, that's just Revi being Revi."
"But if Sara really can use magic, shouldn't we adopt her? For a noble family, discovering magic is not something to be taken lightly."
"Father doesn't want that. He'd rather Robert adopt her."
"Why is that? Even if she does have commoner blood, she's still a Grandchester, and shouldn't we prioritize adopting her as our own rather than letting Robert do it?"
Edward rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I'm not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, so maybe Liz, you would understand the intricacies better. Maybe Father is worried about the kids' education, or maybe there's another reason. I don't know."
"Did Father-in-law say anything to you?"
"What's strange is that Sara's magic isn't fire or wind, like ours."
"What do you mean?"
"Apparently, she can use water and earth magic too."
"!?"
"From what I heard, her first magic was water-based, and apparently, it was triggered when our kids pushed her into the pool. Sara almost drowned and used magic to defend herself."
"That's terrible! I thought they were just teasing her with words!"
"Moreover, it seems they left Sara, who fell into the pond, without helping her."
"If magic doesn't manifest, doesn't that mean she'll die?! Is it perhaps related to that time she slept for 3 days?"
"It seems so."
Apparently, Elizabeth was so shocked that she felt a bit dizzy. As he watched his wife take shallow breaths, Edward loosened the corset strings of her dress.
"Are you okay?"
"...I'm fine, but you're quite skilled, aren't you?"
"Well, uh, that's..."
Edward couldn't say that he had practiced beforehand, before they got married, so he wouldn't fumble in times like these.
He didn't practice at a brōtḥel or anything, but rather with a dress dummy, silently 'studying' on his own. Thanks to that, he was not only good at taking off dresses but also putting them on. Considering he was doing this right before their first date as an engaged couple, Edward was undoubtedly a pervert.
By the way, he had tried to bribe his mother's maid to be his 'teacher', but of course, Eleonora, his mother, saw right through it. Eleonora said, "Even if you practice, when you're actually in front of Liz, you won't be able to do anything, so don't worry about it. Let her do as she likes." And as she predicted, that's exactly what happened.
"I'm sorry. I said something trivial. A noblewoman getting upset like this..."
"No, it's not a big deal, really."
"Even if you took a mistress, as the legitimate wife, it's my duty to attend to that mistress's dress and makeup, I was taught."
"...I'm getting scared to hear this, but will Chloe receive the same education?"
"Of course."
"I don't want Chloe to marry a man like that!"
"If you do, Chloe will be happy, won't she? After all, a noblewoman's daughter has to marry the man her father chooses and obey her husband after marriage."
At that moment, Edward noticed his wife had a resigned expression on her face.
'I wonder if Liz isn't happy even if she's married to me. From her perspective, she's just following her parents' orders and getting married, after all.'
Edward felt like he had swallowed a heavy stone, and with concern for his not-so-well wife, he decided to continue their conversation another day and called for her maid. Then, leaving his wife in the maid's care, Edward headed to his own bedroom.
It's been a long time since they got married, but Edward still loves Elizabeth just the same.
And the suspicion of being a blockhead was confirmed to be a fact, not just a suspicion.
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