~Chapter 92~
Baldwin could not understand the situation at all.
The Dowager Lady of Constantine had secretly boarded the ship?
Why?
Under Baldwin’s cold stare, Rosmalyn nervously played with her hair. She avoided his gaze with an awkward expression.
Because of Rosmalyn’s secret boarding, Baldwin had to come out while inspecting the inside of the ship. His secretary had followed him, and even the captain and navigator—who had been checking the design plans with him—had stopped their work and come up to the deck.
Anais was holding her head, looking completely stunned.
No one dared to speak carelessly in this situation.
Baldwin clenched his cheek tightly between his teeth.
Then his hand moved quickly across his notepad.
[What exactly do you think you are doing? Why are you here?]
“…Grand Duke. I just…”
Rosmalyn bit her lips and released them again. Even she knew how ridiculous she looked.
She had been hiding among the cargo, so oil was smeared all over her body, and her hair was completely messy.
Rosmalyn scratched at her dress with her fingernails and looked around.
Everyone was staring at her with shocked expressions.
Not a single person was on her side.
She inhaled deeply, trying to hold back the rising bitterness.
“I wanted to go to Lakexia too.”
[This is not a pleasure trip.]
“Even so. If the Grand Duchess is going, why can’t I go?”
Baldwin’s expression grew even colder.
Anais didn’t look pleased either.
Rosmalyn suddenly stood up. Oil stains covered her expensive dress. Even the luggage that the sailors had found among the cargo was a mess.
I have to endure this.
No one here would defend her.
The only person who could protect her now was herself.
Rosmalyn hardened her expression.
She was confident in one thing—enduring.
“If you had asked for my opinion from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened. Grand Duke, prepare a cabin for me.”
She tried to speak elegantly.
Then she turned her gaze toward Anais.
“Since my maid couldn’t board the ship, Bee’s maid will have to take care of me as well.”
Her tone sounded as if she were simply claiming something that already belonged to her.
Anais let out a small laugh of disbelief.
Baldwin was the one who finally settled the situation.
His expression was as cold as ice.
If it had been possible, he would have turned the ship around immediately and forced the Dowager Lady off.
But the ship had already been sailing for five hours.
Soon they would enter the Foreil Ocean, meaning they had already left the coast of Estus.
It was too late to turn back.
Baldwin wrote again.
[This ship is not a passenger ship.]
“I know. I can tolerate some inconvenience—”
[We will empty one of the sailors’ cabins for you.]
“What? How could I possibly stay in a sailor’s—!”
[This is a cargo ship, and the available cabins are limited. Do not forget that a sailor is giving up his room for you.]
His tone carried sharp, icy anger.
Rosmalyn trembled.
Then she suddenly shouted,
“Then I will share the Grand Duchess’s cabin!”
No matter what, she could not believe her own son would treat his mother this way.
This was all because of Anais.
Baldwin had changed ever since Anais entered the house.
Before that, even if he wasn’t affectionate, he had at least behaved like a proper son.
Rosmalyn glared sharply.
Baldwin covered his eyes with his hand.
He was silently laughing.
But behind that laughter was unmistakable anger.
Rosmalyn flinched.
Her gaze turned toward Anais, who had been silently watching everything.
Even that irritated her.
Then Baldwin wrote again.
[Then are you suggesting you will share a room with me instead?]
Rosmalyn froze.
She coughed awkwardly.
“Well… that…”
[Get off the ship. I will lower a lifeboat so you can return.]
Rosmalyn shouted in shock.
“How can you say something like that?! Grand Duke, have you forgotten who I am? I am the mother who gave birth to you!”
Baldwin’s eyes became even colder.
Rosmalyn almost stepped back under that gaze.
She took a deep breath.
If she continued pushing him, he might actually force her into a lifeboat.
Rosmalyn turned her head angrily.
To suffer such humiliation in front of Anais!
She squeezed her eyes shut.
She had only boarded this ship to correct Anais’s behavior.
To reveal Anais’s true nature and remove the illusion covering Baldwin’s eyes.
There was also another fear.
She might lose her son completely.
Finally she spoke again.
“…Then I’ll use the sailor’s cabin.”
She dusted off her stained dress and raised her chin proudly.
“Show me the way. I want to wash up and rest.”
Baldwin rubbed his face roughly.
What a terrible day.
Later
Baldwin stared coldly at Rosmalyn.
Rosmalyn looked around the small cabin where she could barely lie down.
“How am I supposed to live here…”
But when she met Baldwin’s eyes, she immediately shut her mouth.
One more complaint might cause a real disaster.
Then she screamed when she saw Lutheric dragging her huge suitcase inside.
“How dare you handle that bag like that! Do you even know how valuable the things inside are?!”
Baldwin stepped in front of Lutheric.
Under his towering gaze, Rosmalyn shrank back and sat on the narrow bed.
Baldwin looked exactly like the father-in-law Rosmalyn had once feared.
He wrote again.
[Listen carefully to what I say from now on.]
Rosmalyn nodded.
[The Emperor of Lakexia invited Bee and me. Your name is not on the guest list. I recommend that you return immediately.]
“Grand Duke! Why should I return after coming all this way? I am the Dowager Lady of Constantine! It’s not like I’m going somewhere forbidden!”
[No host welcomes an uninvited guest. Do I need to remind you that the Emperor of Lakexia is not beneath Constantine?]
“…I will not return immediately.”
[Then you will have to find your own lodging. There will be no place for you in the Imperial Palace.]
Rosmalyn frowned.
Tears almost formed in her eyes.
If anyone should be pushed out of the palace, it should be the Grand Duchess, not her.
If the Emperor invited two people, Rosmalyn could simply take Anais’s place.
But Baldwin clearly had no intention of considering that.
Rosmalyn dabbed her tears with a handkerchief.
“You’re so obsessed with that woman that you can’t even see your own mother anymore, Grand Duke. That’s why I came! I could see that woman ruining you! If you cannot even judge things properly like this, how can you call yourself the head of Constantine?”
Baldwin stared at Rosmalyn’s moving mouth as if it were something disgusting.
Then he gave a cold laugh.
[The one who cannot judge properly is not me—it is you. The choice is yours. Return home, or live outside.]
Rosmalyn inhaled sharply.
Tears ran down her face, but her son showed not even a trace of mercy.
“You don’t understand my heart at all, Grand Duke. Not even a little. The heart of a mother who cares for her son.”
She wiped her tears again.
It had been a long time since she felt such humiliation.
“Fine. I’ll stay outside. Is there anything else I must do?”
[Bee and I are going there for work. We received an official request from the Emperor of Lakexia. The next time we meet will be the day we depart.]
Rosmalyn’s lips trembled.
But she didn’t care.
No matter what Baldwin said, Anais could not completely ignore her.
No daughter-in-law in the world would dare behave that rudely.
Baldwin stared at Rosmalyn as if he wanted to kill her.
But Rosmalyn was the only one who didn’t notice that gaze.
Then Baldwin wrote one final line.
[You may return whenever you want. Even if you do, you don’t need to inform me. I will simply assume that you have gone.]
Rosmalyn’s eyes widened.
She no longer wanted to cry.
Her son’s cold treatment pierced her deeply.
But she forced herself to endure it.
“…You will regret this after I die, Grand Duke.”
Baldwin’s expression twisted.
Regret.
He almost wanted to experience that regret himself.
