Chapter 97: Luden (4)

 

The much-anticipated first meeting with my mother-in-law concluded successfully.

 

Just as I recalled Elena when I saw Adelia, it seemed Adelia too saw my father in me, making the conversation proceed in a comfortable atmosphere.

 

Thanks to that, over 80% of our conversation revolved around tales of my father’s school days, but what of it?

 

To keep the conversation flowing, I was more than willing to hear about my father’s embarrassing past several times.

 

As we talked, I found some parts amusing, and I admit I encouraged the conversation a bit, but what happens here won’t reach my father’s ears, so it’s fine.

 

Surely, my mother-in-law, who started the conversation, wouldn’t dare tattle to my father.

 

Adelia seemed delighted to have someone to talk to after a long time, and Hailey and Elena also listened with joy, so in conclusion, it was a happy ending for everyone.

 

“So, you see! That time, Arthur and Joachim grabbed the professor’s pants and whoosh!!...Ah, have I been talking too much? Look how late it’s gotten. I must have gotten carried away, talking with someone after so long. I’ve kept you here without a break after your long journey.”

 

“Not at all. I found the stories of my father’s student days quite interesting, as I hadn’t heard them before. By the way, I hope the professor my father and the Duke embarrassed isn’t still at the academy? It would be awkward for me if he is.”

 

“Haha! No need to worry about that. He left the academy after that incident. Still, it would be quite an event if you met him. Damian looks exactly like Arthur. He might even draw his sword on sight.”

 

True to Adelia’s words, our conversation lasted quite a long time.

 

But seeing how Adelia interacts with me now, I believe it was time well spent.

 

The formal language we initially used gradually disappeared, and she now comfortably calls me by name, without any honorifics like ‘young master.’ It makes me feel at ease too. It means we’ve become closer, but her unexpectedly good social skills struck me as quite unique.

 

Thinking of Elena, it’s not easy to make a connection, but perhaps in this regard, Elena resembles Joachim.

 

Even though Duke Joachim appears quite amiable to my father, that’s because they’ve been friends for a long time. Ordinarily, he has an aura that’s not easy to approach.

 

“Let’s call it a day for now. We’ll start exploring the capital tomorrow. Everyone should rest up in the mansion for today. Even though it’s only for a short while, getting accustomed to the house is important.”

 

Aware that it had gotten quite late, Adelia advised us not to go out of the mansion after dinner.

 

Having sat in the carriage for a long time, I had planned to stretch out by walking around, but seeing no reason not to follow her suggestion, I agreed.

 

The fact that she allowed us to go out from the next day indicated that her words were not due to a lack of trust in Luden’s public safety, but rather out of concern for us being tired from the carriage journey. After all, Luden’s security doesn’t seem to be so poor as to lose the trust of the nobility residing in the capital.

 

Afterward, we had a simple dinner and then retired to our respective rooms.

 

There wasn’t much conversation during the meal, but Adelia’s gaze seemed to linger on me more than it had during our earlier meeting. Precisely, she kept alternating her gaze between Elena and me, a curious smile escaping her lips each time.

 

I couldn’t tell what she found amusing, but her mood seemed good, so it was only slightly concerning, not uncomfortably so.

 

“Elena, stay back for a moment after dinner.”

 

Adelia, keeping only Elena back, sent me and Hailey to our rooms.

 

Could the reason she smiled during dinner be related to this?

 

It might simply be a conversation between mother and daughter meeting after a long time, but I intuitively felt that the meaning behind that recent smile would be part of their private discussion.

 

“Well, I guess I’ll find out if I ask Elena later.”

 

Stepping out of the space where they were, I suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to throw myself into bed. Although not as much as I expected, facing Adelia had drained a considerable amount of my mental energy, so feeling exhausted was understandable.

 

Yet, unlike when I first set foot here, what now resided in me was not worry or anxiety, but a small sense of achievement that brought peace to my mind.

 

That modest accomplishment was enough to liberate me from the oppressive feeling that had been weighing me down.

 

With steps drained of strength, I moved to the room I had been shown earlier.

 

Tonight, it felt like I would fall into a deep sleep.

 

***

 

Elena, left alone in the dining hall with Adelia, showed no difference in her demeanor, whether people were around or not.

 

Ordinarily, when called aside by an elder, one would ponder why they were summoned, but there was no such indication from Elena.

 

Even though they had been apart for several months and this was a long-awaited reunion, there seemed to be no exchange of emotions like longing between them.

 

However, one important fact to note here is that the two had been regularly communicating using a crystal orb. Hence, it’s natural for their feelings of longing to be somewhat diminished.

 

Damian, unaware of this, believes that the letter sent to the lord’s castle this time was their first contact, but this is partly intentional on Adelia’s part, letting Damian believe so.

 

According to her, this was all to add a bit of tension for the prospective son-in-law.

 

But just because Damian didn’t initiate contact didn’t mean he’d just sit back and think, “Oh, she must be busy.”

 

Naturally, Damian sent several letters to Adelia’s residence in Luden.

 

Even if Adelia was busy, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t find time to respond to a letter from the family her daughter was engaged with. However, through Elena, she had already hinted at being too busy to check her mail and intentionally chose not to reply.

 

The reason for such a harsh approach was to see how Damian would react when he finally confronted his future mother-in-law.

 

It might seem a bit extreme, but it was her way of testing her son-in-law.

 

Regardless of the pre-arranged engagement from before birth, Adelia had never been consulted and hence, did not view the engagement very favorably.

 

After all, it was Joachim who, without any discussion and over drinks, decided the future of their child. This was a source of irritation for her.

 

This frustration played a significant role in her decision to follow her son to Luden.

 

While the initial meeting between the two and progressing with the engagement had somewhat eased her anger, it hadn’t completely subsided.

 

Adelia had heard about Damian several times through the crystal orb from Elena, but she chose to meet him in person to make her own assessment.

 

She had read the contents of the unresponded letters, giving her a rough idea of Damian’s character, but her final choice to behave this way was more out of her own capriciousness.

 

Originally, Adelia had planned to play the role of the worst imaginable mother-in-law today. She intended to push the already nervous prospective son-in-law to the edge, to test the limits of Damian’s patience.

 

However, as the outcome clearly shows, this plan vanished from her mind the moment she saw Damian’s face and observed his behavior.

 

Before Damian and Elena entered the drawing room, Adelia was observing them from inside.

 

With numerous familiars created by her spirit magic hidden all around the mansion, it was easy for her to borrow the eyes of one of them to watch.

 

She watched as the young man, strikingly resembling her old friend, walked side by side with her beloved daughter, approaching her.

 

As soon as Adelia saw through the familiar, Damian sensed the gaze watching them. It was as if he had inherited not just the looks but the talents of Arthur himself.

 

Their gazes intertwined through the familiar, and for a moment, Adelia felt her body freeze at the intensity of Damian’s aura that came through the connection. However, it was fleeting; the aura quickly retracted, and when she looked again, all she saw was a very tense Damian.

 

His expression didn’t seem like an act. Although Damian was aware of her gaze, he appeared increasingly nervous as her scrutiny intensified.

 

Adelia felt a strange mix of emotions observing this.

 

It was somewhat amusing, like Arthur being scared of her gaze, yet she also began to feel sorry for Damian, realizing he was suffering due to her whims.

 

Though seeing him in person made her heart soften, it was only after this moment that Adelia completely dismissed the idea of testing him from her mind.

 

Not far from the drawing room, Elena took Damian’s hand.

 

Knowing her daughter’s reserved nature, Adelia couldn’t help but be impressed seeing Elena take the initiative to hold Damian’s hand.

 

She knew Elena had changed a lot through their conversations via the crystal orb, but this was the first time she witnessed such an action firsthand.

 

Adding to that, when Elena looked at Damian with eyes warm yet playful, opening her mouth to speak, Adelia had already let go of any plans in her head.

 

She couldn’t take her eyes off the two until they fully entered the drawing room.

 

“You’ve really changed a lot.”

 

“You said that before too...”

 

“No, really, you have. So much that I wonder if you’re really my daughter. But, I really like this new side of you, Elena.”

 

Adelia spoke while looking at Elena, who sat before her.

 

She knew very well that love could change a lot, but the transformation in Elena was so dramatic it seemed almost miraculous, as if she had become a different person.

 

When she first heard that Elena had personally fought off the monsters in the attack in the South, she didn’t believe it. It wasn’t a doubt about Elena’s abilities, but more because she knew how reserved her daughter was and how much she disliked being the center of attention.

 

However, seeing Elena today made her think that what had seemed impossible might actually be true.

 

During dinner, Adelia noticed that, except for the few times Elena conversed with her, most of her attention was on Damian. The affection in Elena’s warm gaze towards the young man was unmistakable.

 

Seeing Elena with the eyes of a girl deeply in love, Adelia had no choice but to accept the changes in her.

 

“Is that so?”

 

Elena smiled, not hiding her joy in response to Adelia’s words.

--- END OF CHAPTER ---

 

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