I became the mother of the main character living with the adulterer. - Chapter 3

“What do you mean by ‘are you crazy’ all of a sudden?”

“She was my guest. And you escorted her into the sitting room? What happened that made that delicate, beautiful girl’s face so swollen? You humiliated your husband in front of a guest, which is one thing, but this is ridiculous.”

“I told you, it was Jane who was rude first.”

“Rude? Does that justify slapping her?”

“She deserved it. She said she would give me the perfume you like, as if she’d slept with you. I was thinking of telling the Council of Elders, but I decided to handle it myself.”

Theodore opened his mouth, then closed it again, repeating the motion. He seemed to want to argue, but no words were coming to him.

Well, what could he say?

As Rachel had said, it was fortunate that it ended with just a slap.

Bringing Jane to the Council of Elders would have been the worst possible outcome for Theodore as well.

How dare she bring a commoner mistress into our home? Even if many nobles commit adultery, inviting the mistress to the house is another matter entirely. If the Council finds out, they would punish both Jane and Theodore harshly to cover up their embarrassment.

Theodore, looking flustered and like a fish out of water, stammered out an apology.

“Well, um… I didn’t realize she was so disrespectful. I’ll make sure not to bring her home again.”

That was a welcome statement to hear.

“Thank you for that.”

“I’ve been busy lately, so I haven’t been able to pay attention to who Jane really is.”

“I noticed. You’ve been coming home late every day. Are you really that busy?”

“Yeah, I’ve been preparing for the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet.”

“If you’re that busy, why not find a temporary place near your workplace? At least until the busy period is over. I’m worried about your health.”

This way, I don’t have to see your face either!

Theodore’s face brightened noticeably at Rachel’s suggestion.

“Should I? Do you think that’s okay?”

“Of course.”

“Hahaha! Thank you so much. I’ve actually been thinking about it, but I didn’t bring it up because I was afraid you wouldn’t like it. You’ve always said that you prefer me to be home, even if it’s late.”

“Well, I think your mother will mind more. Don’t forget that she’s coming to the mansion in a few days.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll just pretend to visit the mansion when she’s here. I should check if there’s a good place near my workplace.”

Enjoy yourself, and stay away from the mansion until you need to return.

Rachel headed to her bedroom with a light heart.

***

The Next Morning

When Rachel woke up in the morning, Theodore was already gone.

The butler, Carl, with round glasses and sharp eyes, greeted Rachel. He was one of Theodore’s aides, helping him be absent from home without suspicion.

“Good morning, my lady.”

“Good morning, Carl. Where’s Graham?”

“He’s playing after breakfast, madam.”

“With Marsha?”

“No, with another maid.”

That bad Marsha. She had disappeared without a trace until Jane left last night and seemed to be sleeping in late today.

“It’s a good thing you’re not watching over Graham. I have something to talk to Marsha about. Please call her to the sitting room right away.”

“Right now?”

“Yes, right now.”

Marsha would be rushing over, flustered, no doubt.

Rachel had to work hard to suppress the smile that was creeping up on her face.

Carl observed Rachel’s face and politely asked,

“…Understood. What are your other plans for today?”

Rachel stretched and yawned widely, trying to act casual and uninterested.

“Well, let’s see… I’ll eat, finish the novel I was reading yesterday, and… Ah! I want to visit the guild. Please arrange a carriage for me.”

“The guild?”

Carl’s eyes widened behind his glasses, clearly startled.

The guild was a place where information and jobs were exchanged. It was not a place for a regular countess to frequent.

In the original story, Rachel had visited the guild after realizing Theodore’s true nature. She had planned to hire someone to follow him.

“It’s a dangerous place, my lady. It would be far too risky for you to go there.”

“Really? But our anniversary is coming up soon. I want to prepare a special gift. I don’t want to give Theodore something from a street vendor.”

“Then I will call someone who works at the guild to come to the mansion.”

“Really? That would be so convenient for me.”

“I will have them come today.”

“Thank you, Carl.”

Rachel smiled brightly.

Carl seemed relieved, lowering his shoulders and nodding.

“Then I will assume you won’t be leaving the mansion today.”

With a stiff bow, Carl left the room.

After tidying up her messy hair and clothes, Rachel stood up and headed for the sitting room.

It was time to scold that bad Marsha.

***

In the Sitting Room

After waiting for a short time, Marsha entered.

She looked like she had rushed to get ready, but there was no sign of nervousness. Rachel and Marsha often talked about Graham, so it was no surprise to see her acting casually.

“You called for me, my lady?”

“Marsha, let’s get straight to the point. Where did you go last night?”

“I was with Young Master Graham.”

Watching her lie so calmly. There’s a limit to how shameless someone can be.

“So, what did you do this morning?”

“What do you mean, what? Young Master Graham was whining all night, so I was so tired I slept in.”

“Is that so?”

Rachel was angrier at Marsha’s nonchalant excuse than if she had said something else. It wasn’t just ignoring Graham—it was ignoring Rachel as well.

Rachel tapped the armrest of the chair with her fingers.

“Marsha, I’m really angry right now.”

“My lady? What are you talking about all of a sudden…?”

“You went to a gathering, didn’t you? The night before yesterday, and yesterday.”

“…!”

Marsha’s face went pale.

Every night, Marsha attended a trivial social gathering. It was a place where middle-aged women like her gathered to chat, eat, and share food, much like how middle-aged men would gather at a salon to talk.

The problem was—

“You were leading the way, weren’t you? You were the first to attend, stayed the longest, listened to people’s troubles, comforted them, and even helped clean up. It looked like people really trusted you. The name of the group was… ‘The Council of Comfort,’ right?”

“W-How do you know that?”

How did I know? It was simple. I had followed you out the back door of the mansion when I became suspicious, and that’s how I found out.

“Does it matter how I know? What matters is that I’m upset because of that fancy gathering. Do you understand why I’m upset?”

“……”

“You, who always speak so smoothly, suddenly became mute as if you ate honey. Well, I’ll tell you why. First, the servants of the mansion left their posts without their master’s permission, and even before Graham fell asleep.”

Rachel continued speaking calmly as she watched the trembling Marsha.

“You brought a load of food made at the mansion with both hands. The teacups and dishes used at the gathering seemed familiar, and because you comforted people until dawn, you ended up sleeping in late, just like today.”

“My… my lady…”

“Did you think it was over? Not only did you neglect your duties, but you also stole food and items and used them to deceive me into giving you more money while pretending to be struggling.”

Marsha probably didn’t intend to cause trouble from the beginning.

Considering the group’s name, “The Council of Comfort,” she must have wanted to help people who were struggling and lonely. Perhaps she found new energy in her nanny role by helping others.

But no matter how it started, neglecting her duties, stealing food and items, and accepting money through lies was something she needed to be punished for.

After trembling for a long while, Marsha muttered.

“…My lady.”

“Hmm, go ahead. I’ll at least listen to your excuses.”

“I… how could you do this after all the dedication I’ve shown to the Elrosa family?”

…What?

Rachel’s eyes narrowed.

Marsha’s voice was becoming increasingly forceful.

“How dare you accuse me like this without any evidence? It’s really too much. I am innocent. My lady, I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I have never stolen or lied.”

“Marsha. Stop it. Just admit your wrongdoings and apologize. If you return the stolen dishes and items to their rightful places, I won’t punish you further. You’ve been given enough money, so think of it as severance and leave quietly.”

“You’re being too harsh! Threatening to fire me for things I didn’t do, asking me to return things I didn’t even take!”

sigh

Rachel sighed and rubbed her forehead.

“Looks like I have to show you the evidence after all.”

She stood up and walked toward the box placed on one side of the reception room. Inside were the items found near the old house where the Council of Comfort met.

She brought the box over, placed it on the table, and unlocked it with a click.

Just then, a knock sounded.

“My lady, it’s Kal. I’ve brought the guild’s informant as you requested.”

What perfect timing.

Marsha turned pale.

The guild and its informants were well known to commoners like Marsha. The guild didn’t care about status when giving or receiving requests. For a talented commoner, the guild was a great place to make some extra money, whether working with other commoners or nobles.

Especially surveillance—it was a job that anyone could do as long as they had the time, and it paid well, making it a popular request.

“My lady… You didn’t, did you? Did you have me followed?”

Not hired, but I did follow you.

Unable to lie, Rachel didn’t respond.

She didn’t expect the guild informant to be so helpful for something unrelated.

“Kal, let the informant in.”

“My lady! My lady! I was wrong!”

At last, Marsha seemed to realize Rachel had evidence, and she prostrated herself on the floor.

“See, Marsha? I told you. I wanted you to admit your mistakes and apologize. I didn’t want to punish the person who took care of Graham all this time.”

Rachel casually tossed the items she pulled from the box onto the table.

The promotional flyer with the emblem of the Council of Comfort and Marsha’s name fluttered down to the floor. A small wine glass rolled and stopped right in front of Marsha’s face. It was an expensive glass with the Elrosa family’s crest subtly engraved, meant to be recognized only by the creator, manager, appraiser, and the family head.

Seeing the evidence, Marsha lowered her head. Just as that happened, the door opened, and a young man dressed in a black cloak walked into the reception room.

“I came as called. I am Alias, an informant from the guild.”

“…Alias?”

Rachel, who had stood up to approach the man, stopped in her tracks and furrowed her brow.

Alias was the alias used by Shian, the only Duke of the Empire and the father of Dolorasa, the original female lead.