For the Lady's Wise Regression - Chapter 43

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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 43
“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”
Vanessa dragged her heavy limbs through the gates of Ruscliff Mansion.
They say money flows easily from those who’ve spent it before.
She’d only seized a few ventures from her past life—ones that had paid off handsomely—and yet she’d nearly blown through the money Ian had given her as well.
After stopping by the Charoze Mansion to deliver Mareyo’s clothes, she’d wanted nothing more than to stay the night and sleep there, but……
Right from the start of her marriage, she couldn’t very well sleep at her father’s house without inviting gossip, so she’d barely managed to compose herself and leave.
Her father was already worried enough about how suddenly the marriage had been decided.
You couldn’t drive the same nail twice.
‘At least Mareyo’s grown taller. That’s a relief.’
She’d worried that if sleeping arrangements had changed, he might be even shorter than in her past life.
But seeing how much his build and height had developed since she’d first brought him to the mansion meant her father was taking good care of him.
‘Reh’an……’
The name Mareyo had been given was, absurdly enough, the very name her father had once said he’d use if he ever had a son.
Had he taken such a liking to the boy, then?
Well, it wouldn’t have been hard for him to sense that the child was no ordinary person, just from speaking with him.
Vanessa recalled the time she’d visited Mareyo’s—or rather, Reh’an’s—room.
The moment she saw books from her father’s study spread across his desk, she understood exactly how her father intended to raise him.
‘So he’s going to study abroad in the Eastern Kingdom this coming autumn?’
Vanessa drifted into thoughts of her conversation with Reh’an, and a smile slipped through her teeth.
“What kind of nonsense is that? ‘I’ll become an excellent butler,’ he says.”
Who sends their future butler abroad for schooling?
Was he still too young? The Mareyo from her past life would have seen through it in a heartbeat.
Seeing him stumble so innocently for the first time felt both fresh and wonderfully strange.
‘I half-expected him to catch on and bolt.’
He was learning from the start the very thing the Leonard Marquess Household had tried to make him do.
The difference was that the Leonard Marquess Household relied purely on instinct and intuition, whereas the Charoze approach was far more calculated.
Had he been even slightly older, or had he fled from the Leonard Marquess Household after reaching adulthood, she wouldn’t have been able to keep him by her side so easily now.
Thinking about it, she felt a twinge of guilt.
Even if she was giving him warmth and a full belly, the real reason she’d brought him here was so she could see him put to use the way the Leonard Marquess Household had used him—only this time for her benefit.
She really should buy him something nice as a parting gift before he leaves.
Still, she was grateful that his life now in the Charoze Duke Household seemed far more satisfying than his past life in the Leonard Marquess Household.
When she’d asked if he regretted following her, Reh’an had nodded without the slightest hesitation.
“Meeting you was an irreplaceable stroke of luck, he’d said……”
Is this what it feels like to have a younger brother with an age gap?
Save for her father, she’d never wanted to do absolutely everything for another person.
Thanks to that, a week of relentless running around had worn her body thin, but her mood was nothing short of euphoric.
So much so that when she ran into Ian the moment she stepped through the mansion doors, she greeted him with a genuine smile.
Now that she thought about it, these past seven days, every time she came back from her errands, she’d run into him.
Back then, she’d reflexively avoided his gaze the moment their eyes met, worried he might ask her where she’d been again.
And Ian, the moment he saw her, had seemed relieved to excuse himself—as if his business was suddenly concluded.
So she’d never bothered greeting him before, but now……
“I’m back.”
At her unexpected greeting, Ian’s eyes widened slightly.
“…Are you…just arriving?”
“Yeah. Oh, could you possibly prepare something to eat? I realized I haven’t had a meal yet.”
“…Then let’s eat together. I was about to have dinner anyway.”
Together? Vanessa paused briefly at his words, then nodded.
Well, her mood was good—eating together was fine.
“That sounds nice. I’ll have that Cream Pasta from before.”
At Vanessa’s request, Ian’s lips moved softly.
“…It’ll take a while to prepare.”
“Right, I suppose it would.”
“…Would you like me to draw a bath?”
“Oh, would you? I do feel a bit grimy.”
“I’ll call you once everything is ready.”
Ian led her naturally up to the second floor and her room, then departed without another word.
Until that moment, Vanessa hadn’t realized what was amiss in what she’d said.
Not until she saw Ian knocking on her door moments later, water still clinging to his hands.
Vanessa stared at his damp hands, then at his rolled-up sleeves, and opened her mouth carefully, her expression shifting to one of quiet realization.
“Ian…… you didn’t actually draw the water yourself, did you?”
At that question, Ian blinked as if to ask what the problem was.
“Why shouldn’t I? You asked me to draw it, so I did.”
“……What? I never asked you to draw it directly for me…….”
‘……Should I fill the bathtub with water?’
‘Oh, would you do that? It was bothering me.’
Oh.
Good heavens.
Vanessa stood with her mouth hanging open, dazed.
He’d taken it literally?
Surely she hadn’t actually meant for him to draw water for her bathing—what kind of mistress would ask such a thing?
Vanessa fought down the urge to slap her own forehead, her lips quivering with the effort.
“That…… I’m sorry, I misspoke. I thought you’d have the servants draw it for me.”
At her words, Ian’s earlobes gradually flushed red.
“……I didn’t think that far ahead. If it’s inconvenient, I apologize. I’ll have them draw fresh water—”
“No, it’s my fault for saying something confusing. Anyway…… thank you. The bath will be much more pleasant now.”
At her last words, Ian turned his head sharply and walked away with stiff, jerky movements.
“I’ll be waiting in the dining room.”
Vanessa watched his retreating figure in silence, blinking slowly.
“……That boy never ceases to surprise me.”
***
By the time Vanessa had dried her damp hair and entered the dining room, food was already laid out before her and Ian.
Perhaps because she’d bathed in water that Ian had drawn himself—
Her body had carried the scent of peppermint throughout her bath.
Strong enough that she needed no bath salts at all.
“Sorry, I took time drying my hair.”
At Vanessa’s apology, Ian gestured toward the food with his eyes.
“Eat. It should be warm enough.”
“Thank you for the meal.”
Though truth be told, what was placed before Ian was so sparse in variety that one might question whether it could be called a meal at all.
Now that she thought about it, she’d never actually seen him eat properly.
The most she’d seen him consume was cigars, desserts, and tea.
‘……Maybe tomorrow I should visit that new tart shop that just opened in the Capital?’
The fact that she’d managed to scout lucrative business opportunities across town this past week was only because Ian hadn’t objected to her movements.
Even if it was her personal fortune, as a married woman she was obligated to disclose the source of her expenditures to her husband.
When she’d first handed her account ledger to Denian, she’d braced herself for a scolding from Ian.
Instead, seeing him add funds and tell her to spend more freely if needed, she’d felt emboldened to invest with less restraint.
The man certainly spent with shoulders as broad as they were wide.
That’s how he’d rented the entire Lapis Hall at Nirvana Hall.
In any case, thanks to Ian’s blind eye to her expenditures, before heading north she’d secured most opportunities before Leonard Marquess Household could make their own moves—so Vanessa wanted to repay that kindness somehow.
“Ian.”
“Go ahead.”
“What time are we departing tomorrow?”
At Vanessa’s question, Ian pressed his lips into a thin line.
What? Had he…… forgotten?
“……Five o’clock.”
“Five o’clock? That’s quite late for a departure, isn’t it?”
At that hour she could have lunch tomorrow and still make it to the Capital for dessert.
Had he reserved a boat? Though if they were going by carriage, they’d need to leave before dawn, which would be exhausting.
“Five in the morning.”
The fork in Vanessa’s hand fell to her plate as Ian’s follow-up reached her ears.
Something akin to shock blazed across her face.
What?! That was only five hours away!
***
Vanessa had been mentally cursing Ian as tactless and senseless—a man from whom one could wring neither mood nor discretion—until she set foot in the harbor at Beloto in the Eastern Kingdom at dawn and laid eyes on the ship moored before them.
“……Ian.”
Vanessa looked back and forth between the majestic vessel anchored before her and Ian standing beside her.
Instead of answering, Ian gave a slight nod.
It was a look that said, I’m listening—go on.
“You’re doing quite well with your business ventures, aren’t you?”
“…Suddenly?”
“No, I just didn’t expect you to own a private vessel.”
At Vanessa’s words, Ian let out a small cough.
“…It’s the…’s ship.”
The ship’s horn blared out a long, mournful sound just then, drowning out the rest of his words.
“What did you say?”
“…It’s His Majesty’s ship.”
“…?”
Pardon?
Whose?

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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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