The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 45

#45.

“Eat this and get lost.”

With a beaming smile, Chelsia took a flower from the basket and handed it to Ivan. Unlike the respectful way she had given one to Balzac, this was closer to tossing it, as if doing charity.

Ivan, regardless, was all smiles. He naturally stuck the flower in his hair and acted coy.

“Doesn’t it look good on me?”

His posing was sickening. It seemed he still had no intention of dropping the act of being a daughter. Perhaps it was fortunate he wasn’t saying, ‘Daddy, Daddy, am I pretty?’

A leaky bucket leaks inside and out [meaning, a flawed person’s flaws are apparent everywhere].

Seeing him acting like that even outside, Balzac felt his neck stiffen. He shouldn’t have sent that guy to the main estate.

Just then, Chelsia smiled brightly and replied.

“Indeed.”

“Right? I often hear that flowers suit me well. Something about being a flower boy? Ahahaha!”

“Yeah. It suits you. You look exactly like a crazy person.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

A conversation passed where it was unclear whether it was a compliment or an insult. It was obviously an insult, but accepting it as a compliment was just like his son.

Yes, having a flower in his hair really did make him look crazy.

Chelsia, who bluntly and honestly said that, seemed a bit impressive.

‘Her guts are admirable.’

If she were to become the little mistress of Jabesi, she needed to be able to look down on the lions and scorn them.

He was already worried because the direct line’s pride was too high, and his side was too dangerous.

It was almost laughable how he had worried that her voice was too small to command properly; Chelsia had a bold side to her.

“Shall we go to the next delivery location now?”

At Isla’s smiling words, Chelsia nodded. It seemed she was the first to visit him in this annex.

He felt a bit touched that she had come all the way here despite being so shy.

Balzac spoke to Chelsia politely. It was a distinctly different attitude from before.

“If you give them to me, I will distribute them.”

“But I was going to deliver them myself and say hello…….”

“There’s no need for someone who will soon be the little mistress to come here in person. I will deliver them on your behalf.”

Chelsia stared silently at Balzac’s outstretched hand. She lightly ignored Ivan, who was muttering, “Oh, that stubborn old man!” beside her.

After a moment, Chelsia set aside a few flowers and handed over the basket.

“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes.”

Balzac accepted the basket. It was quite awkward to see him, with his burly frame, holding a basket.

Chelsia blankly watched the scene. Balzac’s reaction was not as hostile as she had expected.

She had thought he might laugh after receiving the flowers, but thankfully, he didn’t.

In fact, she was intimidated by adults. That’s why the gazes of those who had been staring at her intently for the past few days had been burdensome. Perhaps it was because of her past life’s memories.

The words of the adults who had come to her parents’ funeral were still vivid. She felt that their disapproving eyes, which regarded her as a nuisance, were no different from those of the elders in the conference hall…….

Chelsia hesitated and asked quietly.

“Um, could you also convey this message when you deliver the flowers?”

“Please, speak.”

“Please tell them to stop staring at me.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s too uncomfortable because gazes follow me wherever I go.”

“Ah.”

“I know they don’t like me, but…… being watched every move is too…….”

“Just a moment!”

Balzac was startled and quickly interrupted. When Chelsia tilted her head, Balzac explained.

“The reason they are looking at you, Chelsia, is not to find fault.”

“Then why?”

“Th, they are curious.”

“Excuse me?”

Chelsia blinked, her face showing that she couldn’t understand. Balzac awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

“Everyone was surprised by your actions at the meeting that day. It was the first time they had seen such a scene.”

“The actions at the meeting…….”

“I’m talking about you kicking Jerakiel.”

“…….”

Chelsia was speechless. Come to think of it, she seemed to have lost it and delivered a series of flying kicks to Jerakiel.

Realizing the meaning behind the gazes that had followed her belatedly, her face flushed. All this time, she had assumed they were watching her to find fault…….

She seemed to have been thinking too negatively based on her past experiences. In fact, the other party hadn’t even been thinking much about it.

Chelsia lowered her head with an embarrassed expression and fiddled with the flower in her hand.

“B, but everyone hated me, right? Because I’m of unclear origin and a dim-witted beastkin [a person with animal features].”

“It is true that your words and actions were extreme at the meeting, but the target of our opposition was the direct line, not you, Chelsia.”

“Pardon?”

“The elders had quite a bit of dissatisfaction with the direct line handling matters unilaterally, so we deliberately spoke strongly. We had to ascertain the identity of the person who would be serving as an elder. Besides…….”

Balzac paused, taking a breath before continuing. He seemed to be contemplating whether he should say this.

“At the time, it looked to me like you were being threatened, Chelsia. A white ferret in the Black Lion family in the first place? I definitely thought Jerakiel was being unreasonable.”

“…….”

He was being unreasonable. But she had agreed to it, so she felt awkward.

“Why were you in beast form? Being in Jerakiel’s grasp of all people made everyone nervous, though they didn’t say it.”

“Ah…….”

There were unspeakable circumstances behind it, but it was a situation that could be misunderstood depending on how one looked at it.

She could have been in human form, but she appeared at the meeting as a ferret, so it was inevitable that they would find it strange.

They probably thought Jerakiel had forced her to take beast form. Balzac said.

“It is true that we opposed the marriage, but it was not because we particularly disliked you, Chelsia. If you were offended, I apologize on behalf of the elders.”

Chelsia waved her hands as Balzac bowed his head in apology.

“Ah, no! I was just…….”

“And as you ordered, I will tell everyone to lower their eyes next time.”

No, that’s too extreme.

Chelsia moved her lips but shook her head.

“Please just tell them not to avoid me like I’m a plague patient.”

“Ah.”

“It’s uncomfortable because everyone runs away when our eyes meet. I want to get along…….”

That way, she felt she could stretch her legs and relax comfortably while in Jabesi Castle.

Balzac’s lips twitched at the words ‘want to get along.’ Come to think of it, Chelsia was like a stranger living in an unfamiliar lion territory.

Being alone as a ferret in Jabesi Castle, which was exclusive to other beastkins, must be lonely.

She was clearly a young beastkin. A beastkin who hadn’t even reached adulthood, and a hapless beastkin who had been abandoned and picked up by Jerakiel of all people.

Since the owner was unreliable, it was only right that I, as a subordinate, should pay more attention to her.

Balzac’s heart grew heavy at the fact that he hadn’t properly understood her feelings.

“I understand.”

“Thank…….”

“If it’s alright with you, may I visit you often and get to know you?”

“Pardon?”

“I am also curious about what kind of person you are, Chelsia.”

“Um…….”

“I mean, I want to get along.”

Balzac extended his hand with the warmest smile. Chelsia stared blankly at his hand.

His friendly attitude, which was distinctly different from the fearsome figure she had seen at the first meeting, made her feel ticklish inside.

“Yes, please take care of me, Balzac.”

“Call me Balzac comfortably.”

“Yes, Balzac.”

Chelsia smiled beautifully without realizing it.

She suddenly missed her deceased grandmother. It wasn’t that Balzac in front of her looked like her grandfather.

It was just that the moment Balzac extended his hand, she was reminded of her grandmother, who was the only one who had reached out to her as she sat alone, crouched down at the funeral.

Chelsia, feeling a strange tingling in her eyes, smiled even brighter for no reason.