For the Lady's Wise Regression - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 16
How in the world had the Marchioness discovered that Mareo meant to expose her?
Even Vanessa, who had been his daughter-in-law in a manner of speaking, only learned of the crimes and misdeeds committed by House Leonard when she visited Mareo in prison that day.
Back then, she’d been so preoccupied with Mareo’s actions that she thought she’d been slow to notice the Marchioness catching on to her own disappearance.
But what if allowing her to visit Mareo that day was meant to aid in her murder later on?
In the end, she too had died attempting to report those same crimes and illegalities to the royal family.
‘I am the same whether I remain here or by the Marchioness’s side.’
That was how she’d answered when asked why she’d taken such action.
She’d thought perhaps her conscience would prick her now, in hindsight.
‘If I were given one more chance, I would never set foot in this wretched House again. Not even to save my own life. Never. I wouldn’t have followed them. I should have…….’
It had been shocking to discover that Mareo, who seemed almost a faithful retainer, actually despised House Leonard so intensely he wished to tear them to pieces.
And that he’d been seized by House Leonard’s mercenaries and forcibly brought back.
Vanessa’s eyes lit up as she scanned through the documents with methodical care.
[Mareo (age 17) — Patronage by Nobility: Yes]
Found it.
‘In this life, I’ll grant your wish.’
Even now, the Marchioness of House Leonard must be pouring vast sums of patronage money toward Mareo.
What expression would she wear if all that money became worthless scraps?
She was curious how far that celebrated ‘intuition’ of hers would reach.
And whether it truly was ‘intuition’ at all, or something else entirely.
Once she extracted Mareo safely, the rumors that had circulated in the shadows around House Leonard back then would finally be confirmed.
That the Marchioness herself, Belladonna Leonard, might be a sorceress.
“……Hm? What’s that?”
Vanessa broke off mid-stretch, her mouth falling open as she caught sight of the carriage outside the window and its insignia.
Why was the House Ruscliffe crest emblazoned on it?
Had she lent the carriage to Dia?
Vanessa’s eyes widened as she studied intently the figure descending from the carriage with a grave expression.
Why were Dia and Ian getting out down there?
So unexpected a pairing that Vanessa moved to leave the room hastily, then hesitated.
“……Just in case, I should bring this.”
After taking up a small pouch, she reached the entrance of the manor.
“I…… Miss, he…… The Duke confirmed the letter and said he’d go with you…….”
“…….”
Dia’s complexion was ashen, drained of all color as she fumbled through her words.
How much had she suffered in that carriage?
Ian, who descended next, bore his usual expression.
The look of one absorbed in reading a thick ancient book.
“Vanessa.”
“……Ian. Would you explain what this is about?”
“I happened to have time free.”
He corrected himself.
Not his usual expression, but rather a face armored in sheer audacity.
He was sorry about what happened that day—fine. But this was hardly proper decorum, was it?
“Showing up like this without warning or appointment,”
“Must we have made an arrangement to see each other?”
“…….”
“I wanted to see you.”
……Was he mad too?
Vanessa, reaching that thought about his sudden uncharacteristic behavior, let her gaze follow Ian’s as he glanced sideways at her.
Ah.
Dia was still standing right there.
“……Well, I suppose. Ian, you should at least give her time to prepare herself.”
“Hardly matters. I’ve seen you bare-faced.”
The sound of a sharp intake of breath beside them reached her ears vividly.
“……Bare-faced? People will misunderstand. Ian, it was simply… we fell asleep in the same bed……”
Ah. That was far worse an implication.
Vanessa hastened to speak before the misunderstanding deepened further.
“Dia. I’m going out, so tell my father when he arrives later.”
“Should I mention you’ll be staying out tonight?”
Why was she like this?
Has something gotten strange about you?
Vanessa fixed Dia with a stern look, as if telling her not to say such nonsense.
“I’ll be back before dinner. Let’s eat out.”
“Ah… yes.”
“Let’s go, Ian.”
“If you don’t mind, we could go to my estate—”
“That’s quite enough.”
She ground the words out through clenched teeth, and Ian’s mouth twitched upward in a subtle smile.
“What a shame. I was hoping we could have a home date tonight.”
Vanessa tightened her jaw against the distortion creeping into her face.
‘What did he eat that was off?’
Why was he suddenly being so sickeningly sweet?
Looking more carefully, his face and tone seemed disconnected, as if he’d received orders from somewhere.
Ian Ruscliffe—spouting nauseating remarks with ears flushed red and an expression that suggested he might vomit at any moment.
“Who taught you that?”
Vanessa leaned close to Ian and whispered.
“I don’t understand what you’re asking. I’m only speaking my true feelings.”
The more he spoke, the more his jaw jutted out grotesquely.
Was he clenching so hard his teeth might shatter?
“Your butler put you up to this, didn’t he?”
“I’ve told you several times—this comes from my heart—”
“Is that so? Then can I sleep over at your estate tonight?”
“…!”
“Why so shocked? You suggested it first. Dia!”
I called out to stop Dia as she was leaving.
“Tell Father I’ll be out tonight, and—mph!”
A large palm covered her lips.
“You’re right. So staying at the estate…”
He should have admitted it already.
Vanessa tapped the back of Ian’s hand with her index finger.
“Miss?”
Dia turned to ask just then.
“Oh… I mean, I just realized it might run late, so please tell them to have dinner without me.”
At Vanessa’s words, Dia nodded, and a sigh of relief escaped from behind her.
Wasn’t she pushing him away too much?
Once they married, they’d have to live together whether they liked it or not.
Would she think like this every time?
“Ian.”
Vanessa confirmed that Dia had disappeared, then turned to face Ian and looked up at him.
“Tell me.”
“So what’s the real reason you came?”
“I told you. My schedule happened to be free.”
Everything from ‘We ought to make promises to each other’ onward was clearly the work of his butler, Denian.
“Don’t listen to anything your butler says about dating from now on.”
She couldn’t bear to see Ian Ruscliffe, with his expressionless face, acting like a philanderer.
Never.
Vanessa let out a short sigh.
The contract terms had been so bleak that she thought she and Ian were well-matched in that regard.
They would live as though they existed and didn’t exist simultaneously—distant and cool.
Should she have added such a clause?
She had no desire to deliberately make things worse between them, but neither did she want to grow close enough for feelings to develop.
There was no helping it.
If he changed his mind later and refused to grant her a divorce, it would be troublesome.
There would surely be multiple occasions ahead where she’d have to face Carlyle, and she needed to prevent him from demanding a divorce after the second time, claiming he couldn’t endure it.
“Just ask me instead.”
At Vanessa’s words, Ian’s eyes widened slightly.
“What…?”
“What you like, what you dislike. What you’d want me to do. Just ask me.”
“But… you said I need to figure that out on my own.”
“Don’t you first explain to the merchant what a medicine’s efficacy is, what situations it’s used in, things like that?”
Delivery……. Ian mumbled vacantly before shaking his head.
“We’re not courting in some ordinary way right now. When you think about it, you and I have essentially made a contract over marriage.”
Of course, the benefits from that contract have only been accruing to him so far.
Ah, now that he thought of it—House Ruscliffe was known for pharmaceuticals, wasn’t it?
If she claimed later that she wanted nothing from him, he’d have to teach her the formula for the antidote that would one day become his masterpiece.
After all, with “him” in House Ruscliffe, it would be invented eventually anyway, but accelerating the timeline would let him deal a heavy blow to House Leonard as well.
Vanessa watched Ian’s frozen form with a sidelong glance.
“Contract. You said contract…….”
It was Vanessa who felt startled at the sight of him muttering like someone possessed.
What?
Why did he look shocked, as if he’d never once considered this as a contract at all?
“……Of course it is! Which is exactly why you shouldn’t waste time on these pointless things.”
She raised her voice deliberately, and slowly focus returned to his eyes, which had been glazed over just moments before.
“……Are you saying dating is pointless?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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