For the Lady's Wise Regression - Chapter 34

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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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Episode 34
“Welcome, madam!”
“How can your skin be so radiant?”
“We’re so delighted you’ve come to the estate!”
Vanessa tilted her head as she observed the servants welcoming her with such warmth.
As if they’d been waiting for her all this time.
Meanwhile, toward Ian—the actual master of this estate—she’d merely offered a careful nod.
She hadn’t expected a gift to have quite this effect.
Greeting each servant in turn with nothing more than a glance, Vanessa followed Ian deeper into the house.
“You’ll use the room at the far end of the second floor, directly across from mine.”
When he mentioned she could bring a servant from Sharoz Estate if she wished, Dia’s face came to mind at once—but she dismissed the thought.
She was worried about her father being left alone, and besides, Dia had no idea that she and Ian were bound by contract.
‘It’s only for a year or two at most, anyway.’
There was no need to burden her with unnecessary concerns.
And now that she’d taken the first step toward her revenge, she had no energy to spare on pretense.
Vanessa looked up at Ian, her hand still gripping the handle of her suitcase.
“Where’s your room?”
“Why are you asking?”
He’d seemed sharp-edged ever since the carriage ride.
At his rather pointed tone, Vanessa tilted her head with an expression that asked what was wrong with the question.
“To keep the contract terms, I need to know where you spend your time. Your room, or perhaps your study—wherever you frequent most.”
…….
“Ian?”
“……Here.”
With his answer, he pointed to none other than the room directly in front of hers.
“……Here? You mean right across?”
Right across?
At her repeated question, Ian nodded.
She’d thought he despised even eye contact, given how he forbade all physical contact.
“……All right, then.”
She hadn’t understood Ian even approaching forty—how could she possibly understand him in his twenties?
There was no need to dwell on it. The odds were good that his choice to place her room across from his carried little real significance.
Vanessa turned away without another word, reaching for the handle of the door that would be hers and pushing it open with force.
“Vanessa.”
If not for Ian’s voice calling from behind her.
“……You can start keeping the contract terms tomorrow.”
Vanessa held the handle and turned her head to regard him.
“Does that mean you want to have dinner together?”
“Yes.”
For someone suggesting dinner, his expression was still far from pleasant.
Had it been difficult for him to voice the request on the very first day?
But that was something she’d already resolved.
The moment she crossed the threshold of this estate, she’d intended to honor the contract from day one, whether he agreed or not.
“Ian.”
Vanessa smiled softly.
“If you ask me to eat with you while wearing that expression, I’ll have indigestion before I even taste the food.”
His eyes widened slightly in surprise. He’d been caught in her point, she suspected.
“If you’re hungry, go ahead and eat. I usually dine quite late.”
Vanessa narrowed her eyes in a reassuring smile, then slipped into her room and closed the door.
‘……He’s not upset with me, is he?’
Separate from whether she’d misunderstood him, his different demeanor on the day of the wedding was something she couldn’t help but notice.
Vanessa pressed her ear to the door, still holding the handle of her suitcase.
Not long after she’d stepped inside, she heard his footsteps growing fainter and fainter. Only then did she exhale softly.
Thank goodness.
“I suppose offering to dine together was just a habit of courtesy.”
She’d been prepared for distance to grow between them; a little grumbling she could forgive as endearing.
“Now, let me unpack, and if I need anything else, I can buy it later…… Wait. What’s this?”
Had it been an oversight not to look at the room properly while she’d been watching his reaction?
Vanessa’s words caught in her throat at the sight before her.
Surely the color filling her vision wasn’t actually covering every inch of her room?
……It’s a lie, isn’t it?
“Did I walk into the wrong room?”
Vanessa wanted to deny the reality unfolding before her eyes.
When you see something truly shocking, she was beginning to understand, words abandon you entirely.
Could Ian possibly have a hidden daughter somewhere?
……But then he wouldn’t have married me!
So this room really is supposed to be mine.
“……You must have given me a spare room?”
There’s no other explanation for something like this…….
The chandelier hanging from the ceiling—pink. The bed set in the corner—pink. The wardrobe—pink. The table—pink. Even the chair!
Pink everywhere, and more pink!
Nothing but pink.
And that wasn’t even all of it.
The canopy, dripping with lace, made it abundantly clear that someone had deliberately decorated this room as a “princess’s chamber.”
At this point, wasn’t Ian’s favorite color pink?
Not just her room either—every single room in the manor could be pink.
Come to think of it, when she’d gone boating on the Traika not long ago, among all those boats, Ian had managed to find one with a pink awning, so it made a certain kind of sense.
Vanessa tried her best to ignore the fact that all the furniture in the room appeared brand new.
‘Did I only ever wear pink when I met Ian?’
If that wasn’t it, where on earth had he gotten the idea to fill a room with this color?
Frozen in place at the doorway, caught between acceptance and protest, Vanessa swallowed hard.
……Well, fine. Pink is nice enough.
As long as she didn’t let anyone else see it, what did it matter?
Surely he wasn’t trying to humiliate her now by giving her such a room.
If she’d truly hated it, she would have refused his marriage proposal in the first place.
Besides……the longer she looked at it, the more bearable it seemed?
Except for the fact that she was an adult, it was almost manageable…….
But the moment Vanessa spotted the carpet at the foot of the bed—a rabbit holding a carrot—her reason snapped.
“……Ian!”
Where on earth had he found such a carpet?
Unable to contain herself any longer, Vanessa yanked open the door.
“Oh my! Madam! I was just heading out to pay my respects……Is there anything you need?”
As Vanessa hurried down the long corridor, she nearly collided with a servant coming toward her.
“Ah, I’m Charlotte. I’ve been assigned to attend to you from now on!”
Ah. Vanessa released a small sigh.
So this maidservant was Charlotte.
She’d been wondering if she could request a different attendant instead.
But that didn’t seem likely now.
“……Nice to meet you, Charlotte. If you don’t mind, I’d like to know where my husband is.”
“The master should be dining at the moment. Shall I show you the way?”
“Thank you for offering, but I can find it myself.”
“Of course! Please call for me if you need anything, madam! Oh, and thank you so much for the gift you sent. It was such a beautiful dress.”
“I’m glad it pleased you. It was worth sending then.”
After offering Charlotte a slight smile, Vanessa brushed past her and quickened her pace toward the first floor.
Fortunately, the layout hadn’t changed much.
As Vanessa entered the dining room without much difficulty, the massive man she’d been conversing with noticed her presence at the same moment Ian did, and both turned.
“Good heavens. Isn’t she far too thin? This simply won’t do—I’ll need to redesign the entire meal plan.”
Unlike the man who’d spoken, Ian merely glanced at Vanessa before turning his gaze away again.
“Ah, forgive me for the late introduction. I’m Gayen, the cook of the Luskalif Estate. I’ve spent time wandering in foreign lands and am still learning proper etiquette, so if my manner of speaking is ever too rough, please do tell me.”
Gayen gave the metal tray beside him a light tap with his knuckles and let out a hearty laugh.
But Vanessa could not laugh.
His height alone seemed to stretch a good three meters even from a distance.
Prominent cheekbones and thick, dark eyebrows that rose like mountains. Sharp canines jutting slightly forward. Skin dark as burnished bronze, and hair the color of flame.
His appearance was so like that of a bandit that her body flinched instinctively.
Swallowing dryly, Vanessa offered an awkward smile to the man who’d introduced himself as Gayen.
“……Nice to meet you, Gayen. I’m Vanessa Luskalif. I have something to discuss with Ian, so would you mind stepping away for a moment?”
At Vanessa’s words, Gayen bared his teeth in another wide grin.
“Since you’re here, take some food with you. I’ll bring it out shortly.”
“That’s not nec…….”
“It’ll be ready soon anyway. Eat it.”
Ian set down his utensils and spoke.
“What is it you wanted to say?”
Tap, tap—he dabbed his lips with a handkerchief, his gaze sharp and measured as he looked at Vanessa, quite different from before.
Vanessa, seated across from him now, let out a small sigh.
“My room. You decorated it?”
“Your room? ……Ah.”
“I’m grateful for the thought, but it’s overwhelming for me. If you don’t mind, I’d like to bring in all new furnishings.”
“That won’t work, I’m afraid. That’s the only room you’re permitted to occupy.”
What did it matter that this sprawling estate had granted her only a single room?
Vanessa shrugged lightly, as though it were of no consequence.
“Then I’ll stay at the Sharoz Estate while the new furniture is being brought in.”
……
“Ian?”
“……Is it the colors you dislike?”
“The colors, yes, but the design is far too ornate.”
“Pity. I had thought to furnish it with things that would suit you well.”
……?
Suit her well……?
Vanessa’s mouth opened slowly.
“You…… don’t tell me you did it yourself……?”

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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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