A Stepmother’s Marchen - Chapter 33

“Don’t follow me! Don’t get in the way! I’m gonna catch a lot more than you.”

“Who’s in the way? Are  you worried that I’m gonna catch a lot more than you do? Don’t you dare!”

“The bird that was flying suddenly struck the tower. If you catch one, I’ll be your older brother!”

“So the oldest brother becomes the younger brother?”

“What else is he saying? Ah…”

“Mom, can’t you tell them to leave?”

On a relatively warm day, on a nice early winter afternoon, Jeremy, who became well enough to wander, came out with Elias wearing their newly fitted hunting suits and were preparing to go to the fox hunt that Prince Theobalt invited them to.

Even in the past, around this time of year, the hunting happened.

As for the kind Crown Prince Theobalt, even after Jeremy had fully  recovered, he would often visit our mansion. He even invited him like today and called him to the palace.

……. Was he so easygoing from the beginning? Things seem to be different from the past.

“Come on, all the foxes are going to run away while you guys wrestle like that. Let’s go! Let’ Be careful and don’t overdo it.”

“Can a fox escape from a lion?”

Jeremy, who was proud of himself as a talented man who was far from humble virtues, burst into laughter. Then he looked at me with healthy, mischievous, sparkling emerald eyes.

“Wish me luck, I’ll make a fox scarf for you with my first catch.”

“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”

“Bring me a baby fox!”

“Bring two!”

“Ha! If you catch a baby fox, I swear to God I’ll call you older ‘brother!”

“No, but this…”

The two men who quarreled to the end and the accompanying knights finally stormed out of the main gate.

I must offer my condolences in advance for those cubs who must bear the pursuit of the young eagle. During the early hours of the day, when Jeremy and Elias left to hunt, I played to my heart’s content with the twins before the young Nurembert came. After riding a pony, playing hide-and-seek together, time had already passed.

After feeding the twins some snacks, I ordered the maids to take the twins to nap. I also prepared to visit Duke Nurembert’s house.

“Hmm, madam?”

“Huh?”

I turned around while Gwen was combing my hair to find Robert with a puzzled expression that was rarely seen recently.

It goes without saying that my heart was pounding at the moment.

“What’s going on? Did something happen?”

“No, madam. It’s not like that. Baroness Ighoeffer and her son are in front of the mansion, what should I do?”

My mind went blank. My mother and brother came to see me.

Why…?

Alas, yes, I almost forgot. In the meantime, I instructed Robert to not only ignore the letters coming from Neuwanstein’s side, but also from my parents’ side.

It was only a while ago that I fought with my brother, but I didn’t know my mother would act so quickly.

Gwen, who had combed my hair with a silver brush, gave Robert a reproachful look.

Robert coughed, “I don’t think you need to see them, madam. We’ll send them back on our own…”

“No.”

“What?”

“Take them to the reception room by the annex. I have to meet them once anyway.”

I remember the last time I faced my mother in the past. My contracted lover, who was sitting next to me facing my mother, said that she was an ungrateful madwoman.

At that time, I wasn’t sure whether he was overly absorbed in acting or because he felt sympathy for me, but he acted like a garbage man himself and made my mother run away in anger.

That was the last time I saw my mother.

It might be better to just kick them out, but this time I wanted to make it clear myself. To prevent them from attempting to contact me or the children again.

I never intend to leave my own family around my children without my knowledge.

Furthermore, at a time when many things have changed since I went back in time, I had a vague hunch that I could find out something I didn’t know before. Of course in a purely informative way.

Fortunately, the two children are out, the twins are asleep, and the young Nurembert hasn’t arrived yet.

And I’m in my mansion with loyal knights. It won’t be long before I deal with my own family properly and then throw them away completely.