NRAL | Chapter 53

~Chapter 53~

My Mom’s Not Like That

There are two mistresses living in the Imperial Palace.

Empress Genevieve, the Emperor’s official wife, was the lady of the light. Meanwhile, Countess Annabel, the Emperor’s favored concubine—so much so that he had gifted her a separate palace despite opposition—She rules over the hidden side of the palace.

For a mere concubine to enter the Imperial Palace was not unheard of, but it was still rare. It meant the Emperor was deeply obsessed with her.

Countess Annabel used the Emperor’s affection like a shield, acting as though she were the true Empress of Juvenile. After giving birth to the Emperor’s son—who, as the child of a concubine, couldn’t be officially recognized as a prince—she became even more arrogant.

She was so full of herself that she even summoned the Crown Princess-to-be to her palace—someone she had no right or relation to command—acting like a mother-in-law.

“I even prepared tea imported from the Far East for Lady Eleanor. Didn’t the young lady bring any gift for her elder in the royal family?”

She would say things like that with a straight face, playing the role of mother-in-law—despite being only four years older than Eleanor.

‘Now that I think about it, where did I put that thing?’

Lowering her long eyelashes, Eleanor began to recall the whereabouts of something she had hidden years ago.

Back then, she had prepared a secret card to use against Countess Annabel, believing she would have no choice but to marry Arlo.

Now that things had changed, it might not be all that effective anymore…

Eleanor quietly turned her gaze to look at Nora’s profile. Seeing her bright and innocent smile, Eleanor’s mind—which had briefly gone quiet—began racing again.

***

After breakfast, Eleanor returned to her room with her sore leg and immediately opened her wardrobe to check on the item she had hidden deep inside.

Thankfully, it was still there. It didn’t look particularly valuable or useful, so it seemed Nora had never even touched it.

Relieved, she sat back down at her desk—just as Ernst knocked on the door. With Eleanor’s permission, he entered and began the report he had delayed.

“I’ve finished investigating the former staff who worked at the Duke’s residence 15 years ago and were close enough to interact directly with the Duchess. There were four people: the head maid, the butler, the Duchess’s personal maid, and the coachman.”

“Go on.”

“The head maid and butler have already passed away from old age, and the coachman died in a carriage accident about ten years ago. The only one still alive is Lady Hopkins, the former maid, who has been living abroad for quite some time.”

“So none of them could be Nora’s informant.”

“That seems to be the case, given the timing.”

Eleanor narrowed her eyes.

Nora had known about Eleanor’s first encounter with Arlo—something even Eleanor had forgotten. She also knew that Eleanor’s father used to bring tea for her mother and brew it himself. That meant someone must’ve fed Nora information, but Eleanor still couldn’t figure out who.

However, what caught Eleanor’s attention wasn’t just that.

“Three out of the four are dead. That’s quite the coincidence.”

A coachman dying in a carriage accident is common. The head maid and butler were old enough to have passed from age-related illnesses.

But was it really just coincidence?

Eleanor couldn’t help but suspect otherwise.

She knew very well: in matters involving Austria, true coincidences were rare.

“We’ll have to dig deeper. Keep investigating.”

“Yes, understood. But if your suspicions are correct and their deaths weren’t natural, then it may take considerable time to uncover the truth.”

“Yes, I think so too. Don’t overexert yourself. It’s not the top priority right now anyway.”

“Understood. Also, I’ve found the address of the Chestnut couple you asked about. They live in the outer areas of the capital.”

Ernst handed her additional documents. Just as he said, their home was quite far from the Duke’s residence.

“I’ll have to visit them soon.”

“After your leg heals more, please!”

Hilda, alarmed that Eleanor might attempt the long trip while still injured, jumped in quickly. Eleanor tried to assure her she was mostly recovered, but Hilda didn’t even pretend to listen.

“Please keep an eye on whether the Chestnuts have any direct or indirect contact with Nora. And watch if they move residences too.”

“Yes, of course.”

“That’s all I need from you today. Thank you, Sir Ernst.”

“I’m only doing my duty.”

Before he could finish, Eleanor had already predicted his response word for word.

She chuckled quietly and opened her desk drawer, Reaching in, she noticed that the usual stack of paper was gone—completely used up.

“Hilda, could you bring me a sheet of letter paper? I’m out.”

“Yes, Miss! Should I bring the usual kind?”

“No, just plain paper is fine. Nothing fancy.”

Hilda looked confused but left the room. A few minutes later, she returned, practically running.

“Who are you writing to? Don’t tell me…”

Judging from her excited expression, she must’ve thought Eleanor was writing to Duke Royster. Unfortunately, Eleanor had to crush that hope.

“Hmm… another woman’s man?”

Eleanor smiled sweetly, and Hilda let out a small gasp when she noticed the letter already on the desk. The golden bird insignia was something every citizen recognized.

Nora wasn’t the only one who had received a letter from the Imperial Palace that morning.

But while Nora’s letter came from the Empress, Eleanor’s was from the Empress’s pathetic son.

[Ellie, there’s something I really want to tell you. Will you please spare a little time for me? I miss you dearly.]

So this was the same Arlo who once refused to even dance to please Nora. Now he wanted to act romantic?

Eleanor rolled her eyes at her former fiancé’s pettiness and began writing her reply in elegant handwriting on the plain letter paper.

[Arlo, I’m afraid of what hurtful words you might say to me again. But I can’t deny how much I miss the blooming flower beds of Blenheim Garden, where we once walked together. I think I’ll be free for a bit the morning after tomorrow.]

Blenheim Garden was a small garden near the Empress’s palace. Famous for its spring blossoms, the empress always made sure to show it off to guests on their first visit.

No doubt Nora would be brought there the morning after tomorrow.

***

Nora, who usually could never wake up this early, got up at the crack of dawn. She thoroughly washed herself and neatly tied up her hair, which she had brushed carefully the night before and scented with fragrant oil.

She changed dresses three times, finally picking the one that was the most modest and elegant. She also took a long time choosing her accessories.

She was being so meticulous because today was just as important as her debutante ball.

After all, she was going to have a meal with the most noble woman in Juvenile—the Empress Genevieve. That alone explained everything.

“A woman’s duty is to serve her husband well and to care for her in-laws! Especially her mother-in-law—gaining her approval is the most important thing for a wife, got it?”

That was something Nora had heard endlessly as a child. It wasn’t even said directly to her, but she heard it so often that it stuck in her mind.

She didn’t necessarily agree with the person who said it, but she understood one thing for sure: that’s how most men think. Arlo probably wasn’t much different.

So, in order to build a good relationship with Empress Genevieve, Nora dressed herself from head to toe with care and even prepared an expensive gift—something she thought the Empress would like.

‘I’m putting in all this effort… so what is Arlo even doing? He hasn’t even been in touch lately.’

When Nora told him she would be meeting the Empress, Arlo only said, “My mother isn’t a difficult person, so just try to get along,” and didn’t try to continue the conversation.

Frustration bubbled up inside her.

Men really were all the same. At the beginning of a relationship, they act like they’d bring you the stars. They’re eager to see you even one more time, but once things get a little comfortable, their attention fades.

The fact that this phase had come sooner than she expected made her anxious, but she soon calmed herself.

Today, she was going to meet the woman who would soon be her mother-in-law. There was no need to overthink things. After all, she was going to marry Arlo and become the Crown Princess soon enough.

With bright hopes and expectations, Nora got into the carriage headed for the palace.

But all those sparkling feelings shattered the moment she saw the Empress’s face.

“Are you Nora Astria?”

The woman, with the same red hair as Arlo, looked nothing like her younger son in terms of expression. She was cold and emotionless. Her pale skin, sharp eyes, and thin frame gave off an intense and sensitive aura.

“I heard you made a scene at the debutante ball, so I assumed you were very young. But it turns out you’re just a grown-up girl.”

Nora blinked in surprise.

She hadn’t expected the Empress to criticize and judge her from the very first sentence. The green eyes that looked at her were as cold and detached as if they were staring at a pebble on the roadside.

“Are you really the same age as Eleanor Astria? That child didn’t seem nearly as immature.”

And now she was even being compared to Arlo’s ex-fiancée.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Lady Nora is the real Eleanor Astria, so they are the same age, of course,” a maid replied.

“Ah, right. I forgot. The Astria family’s situation really is quite messy,” the Empress said, clicking her tongue while speaking to her maid.

Nora bit her lip.

She felt like she had been hit over and over with a stick, without even a chance to defend herself.

Suddenly, a memory from the past surfaced.

A woman, old enough to be her mother, holding her small shoulders and ranting nonsense. A hateful voice filled with all the anger and resentment she couldn’t pour out to her husband.

“Listen closely, Nora. I’m going to tell you something very important! When you grow up and get married, forget everything else—check the in-laws first! If your future mother-in-law has a nasty personality, your life is going straight into the toilet, understand?! Don’t listen to your stupid husband saying, ‘my mom’s not like that,’ okay?!”