Stepmothers Are Not Always Evil

His Majesty’s message?

“Your Majesty’s aide, Count Grenier.”

Viscount Espenser spoke quietly to me, who was bewildered.

Helios looked a bit bewildered as it was unexpected.

“Did you say it was the Emperor’s message?”

“That’s right. There is no need for you to get down on your knees, Duke.”

Count Grenier dissuaded Helios from obeying the etiquette and glanced at the attendants who accompanied him.

The royal servants dressed in uniforms came in with a large box.

“Your Majesty has asked me to come to congratulate the Duke on his birthday. This is a gift from His Majesty.”

The man explained the purpose of the visit in a businesslike tone.

Helios bowed his head to express his gratitude and opened the box.

“Oh my gosh….”

When the emperor’s gift was revealed, the people gathered in the banquet hall shouted.

The box was accompanied by a diamond chess piece, a chessboard, a top-notch sheepskin purse, and ten bottles of precious port wine, as well as a handwritten letter from the emperor.

His Majesty the Emperor, the scale of the gift is enormous.

It was such a rare gift that even aristocrats who did not blink an eye for any gift could admire it.

After checking the contents of the box one by one, Helios politely opened his mouth.

“I don’t know how to thank His Majesty for his undeserved grace. Please tell him that I have received it, Sir Grenier.”

“I will.”

In response to Helios’ thanks, Count Grenier glanced around the banquet hall.

For a brief moment, his gaze rested on Grand Duchess Crawford and then fell.

This is it.

The real purpose of the Emperor sending that man.

It was clear that the birthday present was just an excuse, and he wanted to see who was at the banquet.

Otherwise, the Emperor’s aide wouldn’t come into the Duke’s birthday banquet without a message.

When the news that the Emperor is publicly celebrating Helios’ birthday comes out, the nobles are likely to rush to attend, so it’s obvious that they came in silence.

Only then will we be able to accurately identify Helios’ acquaintance.

Count Grenier, who looked around with keen eyes, pulled something out of his inner pocket. Then.

“Where is the Duchess?”

He was suddenly searching for me.

I happened to get up from my seat under the gaze of the people.

“I’m Lenia Anthemion.”

“Nice to meet you, Madam.”

Count Grenier, who gave a formal greeting, held out a stiff piece of paper.

“Your Majesty told me to tell you that he hopes you will enter the palace on time because he would like to present a commendation to the Duchess this coming friday.”

“Commendation… huh?”

What commendation?

When I saw Helios at an unknown command, he came over to me and gently grabbed my shoulder.

“All right. We will enter the palace on Friday.”

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

After completing his mission, Count Grenier left the banquet hall.

And when the Count left the banquet hall, all the nobles, who were watching the situation with interest, started talking loudly.

I blew through the murmur of the crowd and opened the paper handed to me by Count Grenier.

The paper was marked with the date and time of the ceremony, along with an explanation that a commendation would be awarded in honor of those who risked their lives for the Empire.

… He really meant it.

The commendation would be an excuse, and he would call me to the Imperial Palace and formally acknowledge that I was the Duchess of Anthemion, so he was trying to pressure me to keep my mouth shut in relation to this case.

If not, there’s no reason to give me a commendation as soon as Baron Rockefeller is in critical condition after not asking me how the incident happened as a witness.

“Lena.”

“Did he go?”

“Yes.”

Helios, returning from seeing Count Grenier off, glanced at the paper in my hand.

His expression is not very bright, so I guess my guess is correct.

And a few others besides him and I seemed to have noticed the Emperor’s intentions.

“Is this next Friday?”

Grand Duchess Crawford, who had been uncomfortable since Count Grenier appeared, asked abruptly.

“Yes, Grand Duchess.”

I checked the time of the ceremony marked 2pm and answered.

“I think I should finish my lunch early and enter the palace.”

Even Grand Duchess Crawford easily understood what it meant.

“I must have lunch with your Majesty after a long time.”

Helios smiled and got up from his seat with the intention of helping me and Helios.

“Well, then, let’s have some wine Your Majesty gave us.”

“That’s a good thing!”

Count Tilburn blew a whistle in remorse.

The heat of the banquet did not cool down late into the night.

****

Finally, the banquet came to an end with Count Tilburn, who had become mournful, returned in a carriage.

It was a much more successful banquet than expected.

From the arrival of all invited guests to the successful completion without any noise.

It’s my first banquet, and this is great.

Although uninvited guests came, it wasn’t a bad thing on the surface to see the ladies who looked down on me, calling me ‘Duchess’ after the emperor’s messenger visited.

“Whew…”

Helios, who came into the room after seeing Count Tilburn off, grabbed his head and sighed.

He took a drink and drank as the people gave him, and he looked quite drunk.

“Are you okay, Helios?”

“Well… Lena, I need some water.”

Pouring cold water and handing it over to him, Helios drank a glass of water in one breath and wiped his face violently.

I took off his coat and wiped his hands with the towel I had prepared.

Helios rubbed his unfocused eyes and smiled as usual.

“Lena.”

“Why?”

“Did you forget anything?”

“Did I forget anything?”

I couldn’t understand what he was saying, and when I asked him, he whispered softly.

“Aren’t you going to give me a birthday present?”

“… Ah.”

I forgot.

No, to be precise, I didn’t forget.

“Hey, you took my embroidery. I said I would finish it and give it to you.”

“Is that all? It’s disappointing.”

Helios narrowed his eyes with a sad expression.

Of course, it’s not a big birthday present, but I prepared it because I wanted to convey my feelings.

… Still, it must be my fault that this person is upset.

As I blushed in regret, Helios poked out a laugh.

“Okay, I’m just saying it.”

“I know you’re serious.”

“It’s a joke. I made fun of you because your reaction was cute.”

“Don’t lie, tell me what you want. I will try to prepare.”

A blunt voice came out of the embarrassment.

Then he tilted his head and asked.

“Can I ask for anything I want?”

“If only I could.”

“Really? Then—”

Helios grabbed my waist and put me on his lap.

“He,Helios!”

“You told me to ask for anything”

“That’s… Ah..”

I quickly swallowed a moan at the touch of his lips tickling my clavicle.

The hand that was holding my waist suddenly came through the dress.

I tried to get up, but Helios wouldn’t let me go.

“He,Helios. You are drunk.”

“Drunk, to you.”

What is this drunkard talking about?

I slapped him on the back of his hand, and Helios bit my ear in revenge.

“Stay still, my gift.”

“What kind of gift am I? If you want to receive a gift that much, say it when you’re sober tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow is not my birthday.”

“I’ll count it as your birthday by tomorrow, so let’s talk when you’re sober.”

“I want to receive it today.”

The drunken Helios’ persistence was great.

I tried to stop the unbuttoning of the front clothes, but I couldn’t overcome his persistence.

… I don’t know.

That time when I was about to give up resistance to the mischievous touch.

Knock, I heard a knock on the door.

Helios, who was busy moving his hands, frowned and shouted.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Es-Escal.”

Escal?

“Let go, come on in.”

I pushed Helios away and hurriedly opened the door.

Escal in pajamas was standing in front of the door.

“Escal, you must be tired, why didn’t you sleep?”

“Yes, I will sleep now.”

Escal rolled his big eyes and looked at Helios.

There was something in the hand of the child hidden behind his back.

I guessed Escal’s purpose and looked back at Helios and said:

“Helios, I think Escal has something to tell you.”

“What do you want to say?”

As I took the child’s hand and brought him into the room, Escal crouched and opened his mouth.

“Happy birt-birthday, fa-father.”