The Villain’S Daughter-In-Law Is Inherently Powerful [EN]: Chapter 119

“I believe I gave your daughter something like this before.”

“Cards… three cards.”

“That’s right. Red, teal, and purple. Open them one by one to see which you’ll choose.”

As if she had been waiting for the opportune moment, my stepmother handed me the cards.

With slightly trembling hands, I took the cards and opened them one by one in order.

* * *

I’ll come to pick you up at five PM.

Neat handwriting. A habit of lightly flicking the end of each stroke. And… a red card.

This affectionate message is from Ian. I could tell even without a name written on it.

‘How does he know where I am to come and pick me up?’

Where are you right now?

I hope you’re not hurt and in pain again.

I read the card from Ian over and over before folding it.

The second was a teal card.

I’ll be waiting under the zelkova tree at the training grounds at five PM…

‘So, Dante.’

I remember the picnic we had together under the zelkova tree at the training grounds. What if I don’t go? How long is he planning to wait there?

Why did he write five PM when I don’t know what time he’ll start waiting…

I chewed on my lower lip before finally opening the last card.

As soon as I opened the purple card, a strong lilac scent wafted out.

Please come in the carriage I sent at five PM, Sister.

It feels like the phrase ‘before I go crazy’ is omitted—

After reading all the cards, each reflecting the sender’s personality, I realized everyone was holding their breath, waiting for my decision, and I smiled awkwardly.

“Now, then, Daughter. Who would you like to go on your first week’s date with?”

Chapter 10. Time to Choose

It was a clear day with a gentle breeze.

A warm and sunny day. Instead of a fancy dress, I wore a simple one-piece, and I didn’t wear any accessories in my hair or on my ears today.

Instead, I put on an apron.

I tied my hair back in a ponytail, and my shoes were comfortable leather flats without heels.

Finally, in my hands were rattan baskets filled with almond cookies to share.

“The kids are so cute. Some of them already want to become Squires [a knight’s apprentice].”

Next to me was Dante, carrying three baskets himself.

My first week’s date.

There were several reasons why I chose Dante… The biggest one was about the orphanage.

I felt like I could understand how Dante had been living by coming here with him.

“It’s like a dream, Florin. You chose me first.”

“I was curious. I didn’t know you were interested in the orphanage.”

“Ah, well, it’s like this. A kid picked my pocket on the street. When I caught him, he turned out to be one of the gang living on the streets.”

Dante told me cheerfully, as if he was happy that I was interested in his work.

“I found out why they didn’t want to go to the orphanage, why they preferred living on the streets. It was because the orphanage wasn’t properly managed.”

“Was it because they got more subsidies the more orphans they had?”

“That’s right. There were such systemic problems. But I couldn’t treat all orphanages the same. Some have many children, and some have few.”

To prevent the children from feeling distant and burdened, we got off the carriage some distance away and walked to the orphanage.

And finally, the entrance.

Dante looked proudly at the orphanage he was taking care of.

“So I told my grandfather. Knights should regularly visit the orphanages to check on them, whether they were built in Driblya or not.”

“Wouldn’t that increase the Black Knights’ workload too much?”

“It’s okay. They go on expeditions anyway. It doesn’t take long to stop by each village on the way to check. So my grandfather suggested it to His Majesty the Emperor, and the Black Knights became responsible for auditing all the orphanages in this country.”

Dante’s profile shone with pride as he looked at the orphanage.

“After that, the number of children entering the orphanage gradually increased. Children who had been wandering the streets realized the orphanage was a good place and finally decided to give up street life.”

“That’s great.”

“W-Well, great.”

Dante coughed awkwardly, embarrassed by the compliment.

“Anyway, according to the statistics, the number of children entering the orphanage increases by 30% every year. So now, support is needed for children who become adults and leave the orphanage.”

Certainly, Dante’s interest in the orphanage was a good thing for children who had lost their social safety net.

It was much more than what he could do as an aristocrat. No matter how much you have, only those with noble hearts can share and give.

Also, having an institution that conducts audits like this was very important.

Then the directors of orphanages across the country would always be anxious, not knowing when the Black Knights would come barging in, preventing potential threats of abuse.

‘But if it were me… I wouldn’t stop there and would have gone one step further. It would have been better to find the parents of war orphans.’

The war had scattered families living in the border areas.

‘They may be orphans, but they may not know that their parents are still alive.’

Perhaps because I lost my father and found him again, I was more interested in reuniting separated families.

‘Or, parents who lost their children in the war could be connected with children who lost their parents to promote adoption.’

If that had been done earlier, wouldn’t the number of children in orphanages have decreased rather than increased?

Of course, it wasn’t my place to interfere, having been away from this country for so long.

‘If I suggest starting a project to find families from now on, Dante would naturally say it’s a good idea.’

Then, what should we do about supporting the orphanage graduates that Dante mentioned earlier?

‘I don’t want them to find jobs in the local community.’

Even if they could eat their fill and study in the orphanage, would the local community look at them kindly?

Even if 10 villages did, if one village didn’t, if there was discrimination against orphans… arranging jobs in the local community wasn’t a good idea.

‘It would be better to designate several large cities and support dormitory facilities so they can move there. Something that looks like an ordinary house on the outside.’

Even if I don’t choose Dante, the work Dante was doing must continue.

That’s why I was planning to spend the day at this orphanage.

“It’s the knight!”

“Sir Knight!!!”

“The knight is here!”

As we opened the iron gate and entered, the children playing in the yard rushed towards Dante.

Even though we came without notice, the children’s appearance was neat, and their hygiene seemed good.

“Wow! Cookies!”

“Hey, you can’t do that! You have to ask the director first!”

“Hmph. Then I’ll go ask now!”

One of the children who was chattering tried to take a cookie from the basket I was holding.

It was stopped by a girl who seemed a little older.

I smiled gently as I watched Dante, who was already letting the children hang on his arms, after putting down the basket.

“Sir Knight, do that thing. High, high!”

“Me too!”

The children approached Dante without hesitation. Dante also played with them familiarly, and it was nice to see the tall man smiling brightly.

‘I missed Ian… but I’m glad I came here with Dante first.’

The Debutante Ball held at the Imperial Palace is next week, so I’ll meet Yuri then anyway.

So from the beginning, Yuri wasn’t a candidate for the first week’s date. I was planning to ask Yuri to escort me at my Debutante Ball due to various political issues.

Then naturally, Ian would be pushed to the last week…

If we had met on the first day back, it would have been different, but after missing each other once, the tension increased.

‘It’s a nice day today.’

What is Ian doing, and where is he?

When I went to Dante, who had been standing under the zelkova tree for more than three hours.

When I saw Dante clenching his fists so hard that his hands turned white, and I pried his fingers apart one by one.

When Dante looked at me with disbelief and smiled brightly.

Was Ian watching me then?

‘If Ian hasn’t done anything suitable for the head of the family in the meantime….’

I will choose Dante.

Then perhaps I will live a moderately happy life, fulfilling my responsibilities and duties, and have two or three children.

Seeing Dante lifting the children with tails and ears popping out here and there in the bright sunlight made me think that.

Maybe life with Dante wouldn’t be too much or too little.

Maybe that’s how it should be.