My Dear Husband, Let's Keep It Business-Like! ~Countess Anastasia, Raised in The Downtown, Won't Give Up Her Way~ - Episode 62

The room I entered, guided by my brother-in-law Alexander, was very luxurious in its design, as it was usually used to entertain guests from abroad.

Since there is another inner door in addition to the outer door we came through, there must be a continuation room as well.

When I had the attendant who had been waiting prepare the tea and then step out, there were only the three of us left in the room.

“Well then, once again… It’s been a while, Anastasia. I’m really glad to see you’re doing well.”

Alexander, my brother-in-law, said that and then smiled gently.

That’s right! This smile!!

My brother-in-law has a rather stern-looking face, but when he smiles, the corners of his eyes droop, and he suddenly looks a bit more approachable. That smile resembles my father’s so much.

The Duke family… or rather, my intense wariness towards the entire aristocratic society, was probably why I inadvertently let my guard down around my brother-in-law because of this smile.

“Count Hamilton, thank you for the letter. Thanks to it, I was able to look into various things.”

A letter? To your brother-in-law from your husband?

The families arranged the engagement, so they must have had some level of acquaintance. It’s not surprising at all that the two of them know each other.

However, I didn’t know they were on such personal terms that they exchanged letters.

As I curiously compared the two faces, my brother-in-law noticed and asked my husband.

“By any chance, haven’t you talked to Anastasia about the letter?”

“Sorry… I wasn’t sure if I could completely trust you.”

Oh! How incredibly honest of you!!

Flustered, I hurriedly looked at my brother-in-law, but he was laughing cheerfully without showing any sign of being offended.

“Hahaha! So that Gene has finally learned to properly suspect people. Good, I was worried when I heard you became the head of the family.”

Jean……, nickname? ……Calling by a nickname!?

“Please stop, Lord Alexander! That was such a long time ago…”

“You can call me Alex again, just like you used to.”

Alexーーー！！

With a backstory? Do these two have a backstory?

My husband and brother-in-law have a complicated past? This is a plot twist that would make even the most scandalous serialized soap opera in the tabloids pale in comparison!!

When I was about to become invisible, my husband hurriedly started explaining.

“Sorry, Anna! I should have mentioned it earlier, but actually, Alexander and I are schoolmates.”

“That’s not all, is it? We’re proper childhood friends, aren’t we?”

“Childhood friend… is it?”

“Ah, both the Earl of Hamilton and I spent a lot of time in the estate during our childhood. We used to play together often.”

I see. The territories of the Earl of Hamilton and the Duke of Fairfanville are next to each other. So, they had that kind of relationship…

“Then, could it be that Christina too…?”

“Well, Christina has been living in the royal capital for most of her life. She’s also a bit older than me, so we don’t really have any connection.”

I see, that’s good. I don’t really understand why, but I’m relieved.

“Anyway, now is not the time to be talking about that, is it? There’s no time, and I have so many things I want to ask.”

That’s right. I’m interested in hearing stories about when you and your brother were little, but I can’t have the main guests of the party staying here forever.

“Ah, yeah, that’s right. It’s a shame we can’t have a proper chat even though we finally got to meet my cute stepsister and childhood friend who became my stepbrother, but there’s really no time. I’m willing to share anything I know, but what should I talk about?”

While expressing gratitude to my brother-in-law who encourages me with a smile, I organize my thoughts. There are countless things I want to ask. If I don’t ask them succinctly and efficiently, I’ll definitely run out of time.

“First… regarding my parents. How have you been hearing about my parents, brother-in-law?”

“I don’t know the details, but I heard they died in a carriage accident… It must have been tough.”

My brother-in-law answered with a pained expression.

So, your brother-in-law has heard the same thing, huh?

I nod ambiguously and continue talking.

“Things that happened before they passed away. For example, do you know who my mother was or why my father was treated poorly in the duke’s family… things like that?”

My brother-in-law looked surprised when he heard what I said.

“Anastasia’s father… where exactly was Lord Eduardo being treated poorly?”

“Based on the stories I heard from my father and the bits and pieces I saw and heard during the two years I spent in the duke’s household, I came to that conclusion. … Am I wrong?”

“Well… probably, but it’s not wrong. I don’t have certainty since this is a story from before I was born, but from what I’ve heard from my father and others, I feel that such things did happen.”

Even though it happened before I was born, it was a real story from the duke’s family. My brother-in-law had a face like he had bitten into a bitter bug, as if he had something on his mind.

“Why was my father treated so coldly?”

“Lord Eduardo himself is not at fault. It was an unfortunate event, to say the least… My great-grandmother, Anastasia, who would be your grandmother, passed away during Lord Eduardo’s birth.”

Speaking of which, Dad said that he is nearly 20 years older than your brother. That means your grandmother was that much older.

Considering the medical situation in this country, it must have been quite a dangerous childbirth.

“My great-grandfather was a devoted husband. The sorrow of losing my great-grandmother was immeasurable, and unfortunately, that grief was directed towards the newborn, Lord Eduardo.”

That’s not fair, Dad didn’t do anything wrong!!

It’s already sad enough that my mother died during childbirth, but to be resented by my father for it!!

My feelings must have been conveyed.

My brother-in-law continued with a slightly troubled expression.

“That’s just strange, isn’t it? I think so too, and my grandfather, who is Eduardo’s older brother, thought so as well. His name is Alfred. From Anastasia’s perspective, he would be her uncle. Do you know this person?”

I nod and respond.

“My father often talked about his beloved older brother. He said he was the only one in the duke’s family who cared for him. He always felt guilty for causing trouble to his brother because of his elopement… I only just learned his name now, though.”

Uncle Alfred… huh?

“I see. Grandfather Alfred always worried about his younger brother, who was much younger than him and was neglected by their father after their mother passed away, and treated him as if he were his own child.”

“…but that ended up leading to the next tragedy.”