Obviously, It’s My Child

“I know for sure that you were the one who must have taken my dress, Baron. That was five years ago.”

“Come to think of it, there was once when I got clothes and put them on when I came out of Erich’s bedroom.”

“As expected!”

Claire smiled at Iris, who nodded her head to affirm it.

“If it’s Lady’s clothes, does that mean that Lady went in and out of that bedroom often enough to bring clothes?”

“What?”

“Is it not? That was the only time I got clothes from Erich, and they were prepared in the bedroom?”

Claire said without hesitation.

It was already known that Claire had a child out of wedlock. Who would be surprised that she slept with Erich five years ago?

“Or, could it be that Lady took off your clothes there and came out? I hope not.”

Iris was taken aback. She seemed to realize then that her self-honor could get thrown in the mud if she said one thing wrong here.

Her pale golden eyelashes glistened with moisture. A single tear rolled down her cheek in an arc. Whatever technique she used, it didn’t smear any of her makeup. At that point, Claire nearly asked if Iris’s makeup was waterproof.

Opening her tear-filled blue eyes once and then lowering them down, Iris sobbed, but spoke mournfully in a clear voice.

“How… How can you say that… Hiic.”

Indeed, the status of primadonna was not obtained through nepotism. Opera singers were not actors, but aside from a skill in singing, it was imperative for them to be expressive and be good at acting.

“I was… just… wondering what happened to the dress, hicc. My precious friend designed it specially for me, but hiic.”

If it were just the two of them there, Claire would have told her to stop saying nonsense.

Unfortunately, however, James and Charles were here as well.

“Claire, stop now.”

James stepped between them and gave Claire a stern voice.

“What are you doing out of irrational jealousy?”

“Uncle.”

“Although Lady Schneider said it in a way that could be misunderstood at first, how could you call yourself a lady if you immediately tried to harm her reputation?”

Claire looked at him with a puzzled look. James didn’t care and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk, this is why I’m telling you to always be careful about how you behave.”

“Uncle.”

“It’s okay if a woman is smart, but to think you’re showing that off while just trying to win against others. Good grief, this is all because you keep hanging out with those unmannered commoners. That’s why you tend to say things like this carelessly.”

“Uncle, who is the one who is harming the family head’s honor in front of others?”

Claire said that with a smile. She couldn’t easily make her uncle kneel down before her in an authoritative manner. Such was the fate of someone who could recall her life as a Confucian woman in her previous life. 

When she mentioned the honor of the family head, James quickly shut his mouth, as if taken aback by her words. And he seems to have decided to comfort Iris instead of scolding Claire.

“I’m sorry, Lady Schneider. Our Claire…”

“Uncle.”

When Claire called, James shut his mouth again. He seemed to remember that she was the family head.

Claire looked back at Charles with annoyance. It was better for Charles, who had no responsibility or power, than James to talk nonsense.

“Charles, call the carriage and bring back Lady Schneider.”

No matter how dull of a fool he was, he should be able to do this much against a beautiful woman.

Charles’s eyes went wide open.

“Huh? M-Me?”

“Who else is here besides you?”

Charles hesitantly approached Iris and held out a handkerchief.

“Lady, please stop shedding tears like that…”

Iris took away the consolation that Charles would have put all his strength into, with a weak gesture. And sobbing like the saddest person in the world, she went outside.

“Follow her.”

Claire nodded at Charles. Charles hesitated again, not knowing how serious his scary cousin was.

“I told you to follow her. If you don’t want to make people think that the Delford Barony has a penchant for kicking out their guests by making them cry, follow her.”

“Ah, yes!”

Charles, who finally realized what Claire was worried about, hurriedly followed Iris.

Claire could have bet dinner tonight on the fact that Iris wouldn’t cry when she was alone in the carriage.

“Aunt… are you okay?”

Elliot, who had been clinging to her leg until then, asked in a frightened voice.

Claire panicked and lifted Elliot up.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“Auntie, you fought.”

“We didn’t fight.”

“No, you did. Auntie is angry. It’s red here.”

Elliot touched Claire’s cheek with his little hand. Claire felt her heart melt a little at the soft touch.

“I’m sorry.”

She shouldn’t show a fearful attitude in front of the child. It’s a very difficult thing.

After receiving Elliot’s kiss, Claire turned to James.

James, who was about to say something again with big eyes, couldn’t make a sound with his mouth open.

“Uncle, until now, I’ve never asked you to keep your mouth shut or to stay as if you were dead, or anything like that.”

“Huh? Uh…”

“If you want to be respected as an adult in the family, act accordingly.”

“No. What you did today was uneducated. How can you make a guest cry, and then be impudent enough to point out this uncle in front of them…”

“Impudent?”

Claire laughed.

“Not even Erich Klausener tells me that I am impudent, Uncle. Just because I’m your niece, I’m not the kind of person that you can treat harshly.”

“What?”

“Your luxurious suit, cane, silk tie, hat, precious metals— The money you use for food on the table and the funds needed for the maintenance of the mansion you live in now. Where do you think it all comes from? It’s unlikely that you inherited it from Grandfather and Grandmother, may their souls rest in peace.”

The humiliation made James’s face red.

“If you are being supported by someone ‘below’ you, you should at least show respect.”

Claire didn’t like to say it that way either. It sounded like she’s asking for respect in exchange for money.