MDIHC 39

〈Chapter 039〉

The Aitley Count’s household was, in many ways, the worst. A father-in-law who ignored all family matters, a mother-in-law who believed her son was the greatest man alive, a greedy sister-in-law, and a husband who was a complete scoundrel.

Still, I had originally hoped the story would unfold as in the novel—because after the divorce, Daniel became happy. She met a man who truly loved her, and she had a happy ending.

There was a definite conclusion: if she endured just a few more years, she could have decades of happiness.

But…

“I can’t let our Daniel spend even a single day in that hellhole of a household!”

With that incident, I decided to completely revise my plans. Seeing the events in text in a novel versus witnessing them with my own eyes—there was a world of difference.

Besides, as time passed, they would only grow worse.

“Who cares about the original story? I’ll pave Daniel’s path with flowers myself!”

I clenched my fist and made up my mind.

“And then, there’s also Lord Winchester…”

As I thought of him, the strength in my clenched hand gently loosened. I recalled his soft, low voice and warm gaze.

I used to think he was always blunt and impossible to read. But now, I could see it clearly.

His sincerity, his thoughts.

“I want to be Lord Winchester’s true wife.”

The words slipped from my lips before I even realized it.

Not a marriage I was pushed into. Not the incidental Countess of Winchester. I wanted to be his real wife.

To call him lovingly, my dear, my love.

“Yes. Life is what I make of it, and I choose my own ending.”

Steeling myself, I picked up a pen. The recipient: the Duke of Devonshire.

The oldest, most prestigious, and wealthiest family in the empire. Also, the family of Brian de Devonshire—the male lead of the novel The Sun of Tantilia.

The ladies’ gathering usually rotated between homes, and today, I was the host at Camellia Manor.

It was my first time inviting guests. Thankfully, the garden had been well-maintained, and the servants were now well-organized, so it wasn’t too difficult.

Everyone complimented how beautiful the manor was and how delicious the refreshments were. It made me feel quite proud—like I was truly fulfilling my role as the mistress of the Winchester house.

“How did you think to invite the Duchess of Devonshire? She’s not someone who often appears in social circles. Do you have a personal connection?”

Lady Chester leaned in slightly to ask. When I had to fire a large number of servants recently, she had kindly introduced me to a reputable agency, helping me fill the vacancies quickly.

“I wasn’t acquainted with her beforehand.”

The Winchester family had been closed off for a long time and, of course, had no ties with the Devonshire dukedom. And there was even less chance that the daughter of the humble Baron Formoz would have any personal connection with such a noble lady.

“Then how did you manage to bring her here?”

“I simply wrote her a letter. I mentioned there would be a gathering and invited her to come by if she had time or interest.”

“You just wrote a letter, and the Duchess actually came?”

“Yes. Perhaps she, too, had some curiosity about child-rearing. The young duke is her first child, after all.”

I responded with a smile. Lady Chester looked at me as if amazed by my boldness in writing directly to the Devonshire duchess.

But it wasn’t as impulsive as it seemed. I had read the novel. The Duchess of Devonshire was the mother of the male lead—and Daniel’s future mother-in-law.

At first, she had been wary of Daniel due to rumors spread by the Aitley family and Daniel’s status as a divorcée. But later, she came to recognize Daniel’s worth, supported their marriage, and even took part in a satisfying revenge against the Aitleys.

In other words, she was a significant supporting character—meaning I had a solid understanding of her personality.

She liked Daniel’s honest and straightforward nature and disliked people who used shallow tricks or flattery. And her son, Brian, always gave her flowers on her birthday—indicating she loved flowers.

This gathering was being held at Camellia Manor, and as the host, I had the authority to send an invitation to the Devonshire household.

So in the invitation, I lured her by mentioning the hydrangeas blooming beautifully in the garden.

“I was right!”

As a result, the Duchess of Devonshire was now sitting not at the place of honor, but by a window where she could admire the hydrangeas, utterly absorbed in their beauty.

“The rain two days ago made the hydrangeas even more vibrant, didn’t it?”

I quietly approached and spoke to her. She turned her head from the window to face me.

In the novel, she had been portrayed as a dignified and imposing duchess. But the woman before me now was simply a young, beautiful noblewoman.

“Yes, it really did. And it’s been so long since I’ve seen such vividly colored hydrangeas.”

Her voice was slightly elevated, possibly from delight after seeing the beautiful flowers.

“Great! A solid first impression with my future in-law!”

“I adjusted the soil’s acidity. That area is more acidic, so the hydrangeas bloom blue. That area is closer to neutral, so they turn pink.”

“Ah, so there’s a trick to it.”

The duchess nodded as if uncovering a hidden secret. Like many noblewomen, she likely enjoyed flowers purely from an aesthetic perspective.

“You’re quite knowledgeable, Countess Winchester.”

She didn’t even try to hide her admiration.

“Not at all. I just happen to enjoy plants, so I know a bit about that field.”

Ah, who would’ve thought I’d be grateful for studying biology in this new world? Long live the sciences—even in another world!

“Did you grow these hydrangeas yourself?”

“Yes. I love hydrangeas.”

“Oh, I do too. But I’ve always struggled to get the colors I wanted. I’ll have to pass on your tips to my gardener—if you don’t mind?”

“Of course not. If you love hydrangeas, I’ll cut a few for you to take with you.”

“Oh no, you’ve put so much care into them. You should enjoy them in your own garden.”

“They’ll bloom again. It’s best to share them while they’re beautiful. Please accept it—it’s from the heart.”

“Well, in that case… I’d be happy to.”

She initially hesitated, but soon accepted the gift with a smile as bright as the hydrangeas themselves.

“To be honest, I was surprised when I received your letter. Our families haven’t really interacted before.”

“That’s true. Which is exactly why I wanted to write to you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I was curious about what kind of person the Duchess of Devonshire is. Honestly, a baron’s daughter like myself would never dream of writing to you. But as the Countess of Winchester, I thought I was at least in a position to send a letter.”

I spoke frankly, aligning with the personality I knew from the novel. The duchess let out a soft chuckle. She seemed to appreciate my answer.

And there was one more thing I knew about her—she adored her son Brian. That’s why she initially opposed Daniel, and why she later supported her.

“Did His Grace accompany you today?”

I casually brought up Brian, her son—and the male lead of the story.

“Yes. He’s probably playing with the other children right now.”

Yes!

I silently cheered. While one reason for inviting the duchess had been to build a future relationship with my potential mother-in-law, the more important reason was Brian himself.