For the Lady's Wise Regression - Chapter 27

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

Chapter 27
‘When you come to own the mine, be sure to dig all the way through until you find a path forward. This is my wedding gift to you.’
Lavian recalled Vanessa’s words, whispered quietly to her as the feast drew to a close.
Why had she urged her to excavate the Margula Mine?
It had belonged to her biological mother, yet held almost no value as a working mine.
It would cost less to shut it down than to begin active extraction operations.
‘When Mother mentioned that the Marchioness had shown her an irregular way to transfer ownership of the Margula Mine, I’ll admit I was worried…’
Fortunately, the substantial gift of money Vanessa had given—purely by coincidence—made it possible to resolve the matter without drawing on House Celiago’s coffers.
Originally, she’d planned to hastily hire laborers and then declare an emergency closure once the ownership transfer was complete, as funds would otherwise continue pouring out until minerals were found…
But now the situation demanded that she hire workers properly.
‘Still, I suppose it’s a blessing that ownership and mining rights haven’t become separated.’
She’d actually thought it might be better to focus on inheritance matters, given how deeply House Celiago was entangled in this.
But considering that the sum Vanessa gave was precisely what was needed to designate both ownership and mining rights to a single person anew, she’d likely known all along.
In that case, the instruction to excavate the mine was surely no casual remark.
‘I don’t know why she’s helping me…’
Lavian was familiar with the rumors surrounding Vanessa.
That she’d strayed from a perfectly good lover, that she couldn’t overcome differences in station.
That she resembled her father in always calculating advantage, never wanting to lose—pretending otherwise while she schemed.
Men and women met and parted all the time; what grand reason could there be?
Yet Lavian was convinced those rumors were nothing but vicious gossip and slander.
Of course they were.
Anyone who saw Ian and Vanessa together, who witnessed them face to face, would know how absurd such talk truly was.
Their first meeting had been something close to chance, but Lavian had never forgotten the way Ian looked at Vanessa then.
It was the same look she often saw Berdan give.
The rumors about Vanessa had never fully died, probably because the other party had played the victim so thoroughly.
‘Didn’t Berdan tell me exactly that?’
That he’d simply intervened and said a few words when the other side started looking down on people based on rank.
Though House Celiago’s involvement had made things turn out strangely—seeing newspaper articles that contradicted everything Berdan had explained to her, Lavian came to understand something.
That families entangled with House Leonard, in matters large and small, had all come to tragic ends.
And that House Gidion had become their target.
‘Does the young lady have some separate reason for going this far?’
It couldn’t be that she truly wished to become friends.
There was a difference in station, and besides, House Erenasilla had almost nothing of note to recommend itself.
Given that the money Vanessa had given ultimately went toward the Margula Mine, her real interest seemed to lie there…
‘Is she trying to make contact with Mother? No… aside from being the mine’s owner, there’s nothing else that sets me apart.’
In any case, if Mother and the young lady ever met, she might learn something.
Why, among all the young ladies available, she’d chosen her.
Given Vanessa’s nature, she would never use the word ‘friend’ carelessly or in empty courtesy.
‘But it’s true that I’ve received help…’
It didn’t seem like friendship was what she wanted from her, but perhaps she should play along as if it were.
‘Still, befriending a noble house is new territory for me.’
If she suggested going horseback riding or fishing from a boat, she’d probably be horrified.
‘I should probably study up on tea time and social gatherings soon.’
For some reason, it seemed the young lady considered friends to be those who accompanied her to such occasions.
The fact that she’d met Berdan—Berdan Gidion—after enthusiastically wanting to perform a spectacular dive and leaping off a three-meter cliff toward the sea, was a secret only the two of them could keep.
“Lavian, are you ready?”
Just then, Berdan appeared, a large travel bag in one hand.
“What? I thought you went to change clothes. You’re still here?”
Right, of course. The honeymoon was scheduled to begin as soon as they returned to the manor after the feast.
She’d only meant to sit on the sofa for a moment to rest…
“Look at me. I can’t very well go like this, can I?”
Lavian laughed awkwardly, looking down at herself still in her wedding dress.
“…I rather like it, actually. You look very much like someone who just got married.”
“Fair point. Say, about the mine—I think we need to hire workers.”
“What about the emergency closure?”
“I wanted to do that, but the young lady insisted we excavate the mine all the way through.”
“…Why? If we close it, we wouldn’t even have to pay taxes.”
“She said it’s a wedding gift.”
Ah. Berdan gave a quiet sigh.
“Should’ve brought a shovel after all?”
***
Damn it.
Vanessa watched Ian row with a dull, vacant expression, her mind churning with curses.
It had seemed like a good idea to slip away to the Southern Region under the pretense of a walk after the wedding ceremony……but this?
‘How did things come to this?’
Warm sunlight.
In the middle of a gently rippling lakeside.
Swish, swish—the sound of oars cutting through water.
Close enough that their knees nearly touched.
‘Of all things, a boat ride…….’
A single rowboat with a cheerful pink canopy cut a graceful path across the water, gliding so softly along the current it seemed almost unreal.
How had it come to this?
The answer lay in that one word she’d let slip to coax Ian south—’date’—and now it had her completely ensnared.
She’d meant to take a simple stroll through the gardens before leaving, but whoever was standing beside her had grown visibly more irritable the moment guests began appearing in the gardens one by one.
They’d arrived in the Southern Region far too early, before even meeting the wife of House Piede, and she’d been casting about for ways to pass the time.
‘I suggested we go on a date.’
The moment those words left her lips, Ian had vanished somewhere with purpose, only to reappear with two tickets in hand.
At the time, Vanessa had simply assumed it was something like the grand concert they’d attended after he’d rented out the entire Nirvana Hall—impressive enough, and she’d thought little of it.
‘Perhaps he’s rented out an entire aquarium this time?’
The Southern Region’s cities were developed enough to be called cities upon water.
The only tickets worth selling in such a place were for the massive aquarium that dominated the center of the capital.
But boat tour tickets—she’d never expected that.
‘I let my guard down.’
Aquatic Traika.
This capital, named after the Southern Region’s largest port of Traika, saw imperial trading vessels flowing in and out constantly—making it a region where boat tours flourished.
And the largest boat tour in Traika was……
A grand circuit around the lake that embraced the capital, departing from the city gates.
Which meant……
‘I’m trapped on this boat for at least an hour with no escape.’
A soft groan.
Vanessa swallowed her frustration silently.
Boat rides weren’t terrible.
The Lamber River lakeside even had a rowboat parked there for whenever she felt like taking one out.
Vanessa didn’t dislike boat rides, not really.
Watching the sun’s reflection dance across the water was pleasant enough, and the small jeweled lights that sparkled along the lakeside were charming.
She wasn’t someone who disliked appreciating beautiful scenery.
Just one place.
Any place but the Southern Region!
“Ian.”
At Vanessa’s voice, the eyes of the rowing Ian shifted toward her.
“I’m asking just to be sure……will you be all right?”
At her cryptic question, Ian blinked.
“All right with what?”
“With the rowing.”
“……?”
“……At this pace, it’ll take well over an hour.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
Now it was Vanessa’s turn to wear a baffled expression.
Could he really not know what kind of boat tour this was in the Southern Region?
No, that couldn’t be.
The way he was rowing precisely along the waterway suggested the ticket seller had explained it to him.
The rowboat moved slowly into the capital.
‘We’ve only just entered……’
Never mind how far they still had to go; by the time they returned, both of them would be utterly spent.
Whenever she went on a date with Ian, there was never a quiet moment.
She was beginning to understand what ‘quietly chaotic’ might feel like.
With nothing else to do, Vanessa rested her elbow on her bent knee and propped her chin in her hand.
The moment Ian stopped rowing, the rowboat came to a halt as well.
“……What are you doing?”
“I’m getting out.”
The hand propping up her chin slipped.
The lake stretched in all directions—how was she supposed to climb down, let alone get back up?
What, was she meant to swim her way out of this?
In this dress?

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