For My Birthday, I Was Gifted Five Husbands - Chapter 84
‘Carter, I totally take after my Mom’s face, don’t I?’
‘Yeah? People notice that right away.’
‘Then do you take after your mother? You’re much more handsome than Mr. Livingston, so it must be your mom’s genes that are strong.’
‘Hmm. You think so?’
‘Yeah, it looks like your mother saved your family’s looks.’
…Looking back now, she realized how inappropriate her comments about Carter’s late mother had been, but at the time, she hadn’t thought much of it.
As time passed, however, it became clear that Carter and Richard, despite being father and son, didn’t share as many similarities as one might expect.
At that moment, Richard let out a deep sigh and began speaking.
“I had predicted this would happen eventually. I had hoped it would go well.”
“Y-you did?”
“I had a feeling ever since I saw the two of you sitting together at the temple. I’m just a bit surprised that you took five husbands.”
Just a bit surprised? Eugenie felt a little embarrassed, and Richard solemnly nodded toward Carter.
“Please, see to your duties as a husband, Carter. I’m sure you know this already, but I’ll remind you just in case.”
“Of course.”
After a respectful exchange, Richard Livingston gave a light bow toward Eugenie and her five husbands.
As preparations for the hunt started to cause some commotion, Cassius, who had been silently observing from behind, placed his chin on Eugenie’s shoulder.
“Hm. That man is Livingston’s father? They really don’t look alike. Did his mother raise him alone?”
“Cassius, quiet.”
“And do the noble families at the temple normally do that? Have a military-like relationship even with their own family?”
Was he making money off nobles and didn’t know that? When Eugenie turned her head toward Cassius, he raised his eyebrows.
“What I meant was, doesn’t it look like the head of the Livingston family is more like a subordinate to his son?”
“…?”
“It’s like when an older employee treats me with that kind of excessive respect.”
“Well, every family has its own traditions.”
Eugenie gave an answer that even she knew wasn’t very convincing. It was hard to admit to Cassius here that she had thought something similar before.
‘I even had the thought that Carter might be an illegitimate child.’
But there was no time to linger in such thoughts, as the other husbands were now heading into the hunting grounds.
Percival, dressed in all-black hunting gear, took Eugenie’s hands in his.
“Madam, I’ll definitely shoot a black lion and bring it back.”
“You shouldn’t shoot it, you’ll end up winning first place. Just let Tristan have it.”
“…”
Behind the silent Percival, a gloomy black puppy drooping ears appeared, but Eugenie, remembering too well how well he remembered the night’s events, wasn’t fooled.
Meanwhile, Napier, who looked annoyingly good even in a hunting hat, approached her and said just one thing.
“See you, Norton.”
“Do as you wish.”
“Thanks for the heartfelt farewell, Madam”
Eugenie automatically turned her gaze away. The words Napier had said during their dance earlier popped into her mind.
“If I had known this would happen, I’d have asked you to dance at least once.”
Ridiculous, why would that guy ask a limping girl to dance?
On the other hand, Alfred and Carter stared at the ones left behind with stiff faces.
“Then, be careful. If anything happens, go straight to my father.”
“Lysander, if anything happens to Eugenie, let me know immediately.”
“Of course.”
Cassius, still with his chin on Eugenie’s shoulder, waved his hand mockingly.
“Then, goodbye, noble sirs. The humble commoner here will wait, boohoo.”
Regardless of the personality differences, it almost felt like Eugenie could see dark flames flickering behind the men’s backs…
‘We’re supposed to be building teamwork for dangerous moments, and yet, these people.’
Eugenie sighed as she watched the men disappear. Tristan had already set off for the hunting grounds, and Empress Silvea, perhaps because she disliked the scorching sun, was gathered with the other women under a canopy.
With her husbands’ family attendants guarding her and Cassius, it seemed that the real danger might be in the woods swarming with gunmen.
‘Maybe we’ll pass through without anything unusual happening.’
But in reality, as Eugenie had suspected, although she didn’t expect it, she had learned to harbor positive hope only to see it shattered.
