I Will Become the Ex-Wife of the Beast - Chapter 29

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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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“Your Highness, may we come in?”
“…”
“What are you doing over there?”
Count, who had been holding Rose’s hand tightly, stopped short upon entering and noticed Kiers pressed against the window. Was he looking at the clouds? Given the way he couldn’t tear his gaze away from something, the Count dared to peer over his shoulder despite the awkwardness of it.
“U-um, Your Highness.”
Even from here, the fervor of a woman standing behind a tree in a corner of the garden was plain to see. She stamped her feet as if she couldn’t contain her delight, then covered her mouth, overcome with emotion. After that, she gazed up at the sky and shut her eyes tight.
It was certainly a delightful sight to watch, if one could set aside the fact that the woman would soon become the Grand Duchess Consort.
“…Sister! There’s my sister! I want to go to my sister!”
“Rose.”
“Brother-in-law, Grand Duke!”
Kiers’s gaze, which had been fixed on the scene below, finally shifted to Rose, who was holding the Count’s hand. The moment she spotted her sister, she rapped on the window and wiggled her shoulders, and the corners of Kiers’s mouth lifted. But the Count’s expression darkened beyond measure, mingling with the scene below, now that he had to let go of Rose’s hand.
“W-why is the Lady acting like that all of a sudden? If something has happened, perhaps I should ask—”
“Leave it.”
“…Hm? I know Rose, but why is my sister acting like that?”
At Rose’s small voice, fidgeting because she was eager to leave, both men turned their attention to her at once. Kiers met her eyes from as close as he could.
“You know why?”
“Mm-hm. My sister said something last night.”
“…Said what?”
“Hmm, what was it… She said she wanted to live because it was fun? No, that’s not it. Was it that she wants to enjoy herself?”
“…”
“But she said she doesn’t know how. That’s why she’s so frustrated, I think.”
“Well then, bye everyone!” With that, she waved her hand and was gone, a sharp imitation of her sister’s prim manner. Rose vanished in a flurry of footsteps, and the Count, who had been itching to chase after her, struggled to restore his composure.
Before long, Rose came bounding back out, and the future Grand Duchess Consort scooped her up and spun her around, her face overflowing with smiles.
“…Your Highness, even hearing it, I don’t understand a thing. Is it ‘enjoying’ as in doing something while having fun, or having fun because of something?”
“Why must you understand it perfectly?”
Kiers rested both hands on the railing and leaned his forehead closer to the window. Even by the cool window of the North, the red eyes beneath his mask curved as he looked down.
“Just do both, then.”

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“Hmm, let me see now, where might my land be?”
The moment I spread out the map, a tuneless whistle slipped out on its own. No wonder. I ate well and now he’s giving me everything? And from that fearsome beast I’d been so afraid of, no less?
…Right. Once the body is fed, the heart opens up too. Well, even if it was in a dream, I did sleep.
Anyway, the moment I resolved on ‘a flexible response suited to the situation,’ a windfall fell into my lap. This is what they call your prayers being answered, I suppose. Only yesterday I’d been wishing that Cecil would turn out to be a fool, and now look, the Grand Duke has become a fool right along with her.
Are you an idiot? Who prays for something like that?

“You’re too thin.”

Recalling his words, I found myself looking down at my wrists and arms, peeking out from beneath my dress. Even I could see they were skinny, but the truth is I’d only just noticed it myself.
Of course. It’s because no one ever noticed.
Whether I ate or didn’t eat, however much food I had, no one had ever taken notice. Even if someone had noticed, they were in no position to do anything about it, barely able to fill their own bellies. The only thing that ever came my way was little Rose pushing her share into my mouth, saying we should split it. So his offhand yet attentive manner left me feeling rather strange.
“…Still, he’s a fool.”
Pff. I pressed down a laugh with the back of my hand and picked up my pen. Right now it isn’t time to fuss over where I should feel moved. It’s time to look first for where the gold mine is.
Being a supporting character is really convenient at times like this. If I were the heroine, I’d be pacing back and forth agonizing over “Am I really allowed to do this?” for an entire chapter. But as a little nobody like me, I settled every worry with that single line.
Oh, of course! Why not? If he’s offering, I should accept, right? My arms are skinny because I’ve struggled to keep them that way, so the least he can do is take my word for it.
Still, the heroine is the heroine, and I had to keep in mind that she might snap out of it at any moment. My heart was in a hurry, yet I went on humming as I scanned the map. For a villa site, the land had to be fertile, and it was standard to have at least one lake nearby.
But he’d surely dislike it if it were too close to villages…
“Right, it’ll be one of these.”
I circled roughly three spots. On the map, they had natural surroundings good enough to serve as a villa site. Of course, I’d need to go see them in person to be sure, but if I could get it written into the contract that it would be one of these three, I could buy myself some time.
“Sis.”
“Yes, my darling!”
Rose poked her head up from the far side of the table, blinking her violet eyes. She was still too short, so she stood on tiptoe and peered at the map with curiosity.
“Is this the map that makes us rich?”
“Yes! Oh, Rose, come over here for a second.”
I scooped Rose up and set her down right on top of the map. Maybe because she was so small, with her knees and hands pressed to the floor on that enormous map, she looked like a fairy on a journey around the world. Yes, my dear Rose. When I get some money, I’ll send it all to you, that’s for sure!
“Sis! The map is amazing!”
“Rose, then come over here for a moment.”
“Hm?”
I scooped up Rose again, the little one who had been crawling playfully across the map for ages. As her arms and legs stopped flailing in protest at being cut short, I found myself chewing the inside of my cheek, caught somewhere between seriousness and something lighter.
“Rose, do you happen to know where Retina Lake is?”
“Retina Lake?”
Rose pressed a finger to her cheek and tilted her head. Sorry, I’m that clingy sort of older sister who asks questions like this. But after the law code, I was curious how far Rose’s ability reached. Was she just memorizing letters, or did she remember everything like a photograph? I needed to know that before I could plan her early education.
“Yes. It’s right there!”
Without a shred of hesitation, Rose pointed to a lake tucked into the corner of that enormous map.
See?
Faced with eyes clearer than the lake itself, staring up at me, I covered my mouth with one hand.
“Oh my goodness, what a genius!”
Now then, is there a gambling den nearby? So much for my resolve to give her an early education, because my mind immediately floated off to a picture of me and Rose as goddesses of the casino. Oh, what should I do? Would gold be better than paper money for exchanging? Like in that anime I once watched, we’d swim together in a pool made of gold coins, and then I met Rose’s wide, round eyes.

“…Sis?”

“No, Rose. Sis would never make you do anything like that. You’re destined to become the leader of the noble Platinum Guild.”
“Oh, so Rose is supposed to do that.”
The moment I saw those purely innocent eyes, my heart grew solemn. Blood really can’t be hidden, can it? I had just been cursing my father for gambling away even his own daughter, and yet for a moment I’d had a thought I shouldn’t have.
Guilt crept in, so I sat Rose on the desk and gently smoothed back the hair that had slipped loose.
“Rose, you must be bored sitting here, right? If I’d known, I should’ve brought a storybook.”
“Mm, I want to hear a story about a princess.”
“Of course. A pretty princess like our Rose… Oh, Rose. Then you don’t remember the storybook story at all?”
“Hm?”
A baby who could memorize a law code this dense and a map this large couldn’t possibly fail to memorize a storybook with big, simple letters. If it were something like Instant Memory, she could have memorized everything she saw, yet Rose always came toddling over with some worn-out book and climbed into my lap.
“You know, the story about the red-haired princess and the blue dragon, your favorite? Don’t you remember…? Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess!”
“Uh… once upon a time, there lived a princess… hmm. I don’t know. I don’t really know. Sorry, Sis.”
“What’s there to be sorry about? So you really don’t remember that one.”
I blinked in mild surprise and rubbed my lips. Maybe she didn’t memorize everything after all? I couldn’t tell what was what, but I couldn’t keep pressing her with questions while she was already squirming with boredom. Oh well. If she can’t be the leader, she can be the deputy leader!

Anyway, since I’m the one destined to get rich, Rose’s ability is just a side dish. If my little Rose could simply become a happy cat, I didn’t care whether she was a genius or not. It was a bit disappointing that I might not get to meet a younger new hire as the overseas branch manager of Platinum, parachuted in from the top… but, hmm, do I really have to meet him?
Since I’m destined to get rich anyway, Rose’s talent is just a bonus. If my Rose could only be a happy cat, I didn’t care whether she was a genius or not. It was a pity that I might never meet that younger new hire as the overseas branch manager of Platinum, the one who’d gotten the post through a “parachute” appointment… Hmm, did I really have to meet him?
…Of course I have to meet him, I absolutely have to! Certainly! With a grim resolve, I clenched both fists tight.
I don’t know why, but suddenly I felt that even now, things weren’t so bad. Was it the relief of having escaped mortal danger? Before any weak thoughts could creep in, I gently tugged at Rose’s hair and sketched out a rosy future. Yes. I mustn’t get complacent! I’m about to become the richest divorcée in the entire Empire!
“Sis, fix my ribbon again. It keeps sliding down like this.”
“Ribbon?”
Just after I’d smoothed it back, a few strands of platinum-blonde hair drooped down over Rose’s forehead again. The clip had no grip left, so no matter how carefully I fastened it, it just slipped loose with a soft whisper. I tried prying it open with force, then stopped whatever I was doing midway.
Right, why am I doing this? I’m supposed to get rich.
“Sis?”
“Throw it away!”
With a swish, I flung the ribbon behind me, and Rose’s eyes and mouth flew wide open. That tiny thing seemed quite shocked, but I hardened my heart.

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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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