A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 75: A Gift

As I stood there, momentarily downcast, Meredia looked down at me and spoke in a firm voice.

“Take the Theocracy, for instance. They’re supposed to fully support the Hero, and yet recently they sent a knight to spy on you under the pretense of service.”

“...Wait, how do you know that?”

“You’re underestimating my intelligence network.”

Her words made a chill crawl up my spine. As I warily glanced at her, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

“If I wanted to, I could have someone report your every move to me by the minute.”

“...That’s a little terrifying.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t plan to plant anyone in your estate. Not yet, anyway.”

Even as she smiled faintly while saying that, the fact that it was Meredia saying it made it impossible to take as a joke.

“I know there’s no privacy between married couples, but isn’t that a bit extreme...?”

“Sorry, but that’s just how I do things.”

...Well, I guess I should take some comfort in the fact that she’s now openly treating me like her fiancé. Even if it’s still ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) a fragile relationship that could change at any moment.

Still, the fact that she’s wearing the ring I gave her—every time we meet—gives me at least a little peace of mind for now.

“Come on. Let’s get going.”

“......”

“If we leave now, we’ll probably reach Lumen Ordo’s headquarters by sundown.”

I opened the carriage door wide, mindful of the tight schedule—but for some reason, Meredia didn’t move.

“Did I ever say I’d go with you?”

“...What?”

“Contacting me not even a day in advance? You’re still as rude as ever.”

I froze for a moment as she suddenly turned cold. And yet—she was dressed in comfortable travel attire, held her usual folding fan, and even had just the right amount of makeup on, subtle enough not to stand out.

None of that matched her words. But rather than pointing it out, I bowed and apologized sincerely.

“I’m sorry, my lady.”

“......”

“I should’ve considered your circumstances more carefully.”

When I cautiously looked up, I caught the brief flicker of satisfaction that passed across her face.

“If you needed a guard, you could’ve brought that knight of yours.”

“...Haha.”

“If you needed a strategist, you could’ve brought that arrogant little brat.”

As she scolded me coldly once more, I quietly listened—then offered the best answer I could manage in this situation.

“Even with both of them combined, they still don’t compare to you.”

“......”

“You’ve never lost a single duel, and you always ranked first during your academy years...”

“...And where did you learn that?”

Oops. That was definitely information I only knew from my previous life.

Still, I had enough experience to cover that sort of slip with ease now.

“My intelligence network might be inferior to yours, my lady, but when it comes to you, I pay closer attention than anyone.”

“...Creepy.”

“Ahaha...”

Or so I thought—but the way her expression twisted in disgust told me I might’ve gone a little too far.

‘What can I even do for her, really?’

The problem is, even if I want to give her something, there’s very little I can give her.

Even if I prepared an extravagant gift, she could just snap her fingers and have the exact same thing delivered to her estate within a day.

There’s a reason the Empire’s top merchants bow their heads to her, even while ignoring imperial decrees.

“If you help me this time, my lady... I’ll grant you one wish. Whatever you desire.”

That’s why, in the end, the only thing I could offer her was a vague promise—backed by myself.

“...Anything?”

Surprisingly, she took the bait.

“Of course. I wouldn’t lie in front of you.”

“Hmph. You must be truly desperate.”

She cast a sideways glance at me, then stepped into the carriage. I quickly followed her in, cheering inwardly.

“You’d better keep that promise. Even if it costs your life.”

“...No doubt about it. Haha.”

Her words sent a small chill down my spine, but that was a problem for future me.

“I’m getting tired of having to cast an eavesdropping ward on this cheap carriage every time.”

“I’ll make sure it’s ready in advance next time...”

As soon as she sat down, she snapped her fingers and cast the ward as easily as breathing. Watching her, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d somehow been maneuvered into all this.

‘Nah... just my imagination.’

Surely, surely the Lady wouldn’t manipulate me just to win some favor from my promise, right?

“Well, back to what we were saying earlier...”

While I nervously scratched my head, Meredia snapped her fingers again, closing the carriage door with a soft click, and looked at me quietly.

“There was a time... when I did nothing wrong—and yet still found myself the subject of everyone’s gossip.”

“...Really?”

“So I gave people a reason to hate me.”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

She shrugged with a haughty smile, but knowing a bit of her past, the sight struck me as a little... sad.

“That’s kind of depressing.”

“...Why?”

“If people could see the face you make for me sometimes, a lot fewer of them would hate you.”

I cracked a teasing grin as I said it, but Meredia’s face immediately twisted into a grimace.

“I should’ve known—more nonsense out of your mouth.”

“Though I do prefer having that face all to myself... Ow!”

I tried to keep the joke going, but I ended up with a sharp smack on the head from her fan. That finally shut me up.

‘...That wasn’t a fan, it was a damn club.’

The servants at the estate should’ve seen me in that pitiful moment. No—better that I take the hit than have Meredia continue to be misjudged as some villainess.

“If you joke like that one more time, it won’t be the fan—I’ll start snapping fingers instead.”

“...Haha.”

And just like that, with all the ups and downs, our journey with Lady Meredia now aboard had grown far more reassuring.

***

As Whitney leaned back in his seat with a slightly content smile—

So this is what they call “the push” part of push-and-pull...

Meredia sat across from him, hiding her face behind her unfolded fan as she observed him quietly.

But how exactly do I “pull”...?

Had Clara been there, she might’ve burst out laughing at the innocence of the question. But Meredia, for her part, was taking the dilemma with the utmost seriousness.

If I only push, there will definitely be side effects.

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“......?”

But I don’t want to look like I’m chasing him either.

Unlike Clara or the other noble girls at the academy, who probably read their share of romance novels, Meredia had zero background in that department.

“Hey.”

“Ah, yes?”

As she continued peeking at Whitney over her fan in deep thought, Meredia suddenly called out.

“Give me your hand.”

“...All of a sudden?”

“When did you start questioning my orders?”

“Haha, I never said no.”

Whitney blinked in confusion, then quickly held out his hand at the sharpness in her tone.

“Not your right hand. Left.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He obediently switched hands, then asked with a sheepish look—

“This isn’t some kind of training for dogs, is it?”

“Shut it and stay still.”

Ignoring him, Meredia reached into her sleeve and pulled something out.

“Ah.”

“......”

“This is...”

Whitney’s eyes widened slightly when something slid onto the ring finger of his left hand. He looked up at her in surprise.

“The lucky ring you gave me—turns out it’s such an ancient artifact that there aren’t any like it left.”

“Oh...”

“So I had one specially replicated by a jeweler.”

On Whitney’s finger now sat a ring identical to the one Meredia wore on her own.

“I doubt it actually increases luck or anything, but—”

“......”

“—the design’s basically indistinguishable.”

In truth, it wasn’t some jeweler’s work. Meredia had stayed up late herself to replicate it by hand, then waited for the right moment to gift it. But that part was her little secret.

“You’re giving this to me?”

“What do you think engagement rings are for? They only have meaning if both people wear the same one.”

“Well, when you put it like that...”

“Then shut up and accept it already.”

Unable to come up with a smooth way to do any actual “pulling,” Meredia had made a bold play instead.

Whitney looked down blankly at his left ring finger, murmuring in a low voice.

“Now even strangers will be able to tell we’re together, just by looking.”

“...Yeah.”

Meredia instinctively responded, then flinched and turned toward the window.

“I was expecting a ‘Don’t get the wrong idea, this is part of the contract’ or something...”

“...Shut it.”

“Yessir.”

According to Clara’s rule of push-and-pull, you were supposed to alternate the two with a healthy gap in between—but...

“Still, Lady Meredia, just now I might’ve actually fallen for y—”

“...I said shut it.”

Even if Meredia’s version didn’t follow the textbook method, it got the result she wanted—so that was that.

***

Meanwhile, in the underground levels of Lumen Ordo’s headquarters—a room covered in ominous magical symbols.

“My lady, the Hero has just departed.”

“...H-Huh!?”

As the maid who entered the room delivered the report, the girl tucked in a corner, poring over something, jolted and quickly hid what she was holding behind her back.

“Yes, yes, fine! Now go!”

“...I understand you want to look good for your guest, but how about a bath first?”

“Get out!!”

The girl’s commanding voice faltered the moment the maid spotted the hand mirror poking out from behind her back.

“Honestly...”

Sighing as though watching her moody teenage daughter, the maid left the room, shutting the door with a loud bang.

【Sanctum of Tiffany Astellade – Guardian of Radiance, Keeper of Celestial Secrets, Heir to the Great Mage of the Seven Stars, Bearer of the Eyes of Luminous Wisdom, Controller of the Galactic Flow... (abridged) ...Supreme Sovereign of White Magic】

Reading the absurdly over-the-top title plate plastered across the door, the maid muttered in a tone of resignation—

“...They say Ringaarden servants are paid well. Maybe I should switch jobs.”