I Will Become the Ex-Wife of the Beast - Chapter 9

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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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“Sis, so that’s everything we needed to buy?”
“Of course. Who do you think I am?”
I waved the bulging bundle of books in Rose’s face with unmistakable pride. Law codes, the Cadastral Edit Map, and more. They were heavy, but my heart felt light enough to float away.
This is off to a pretty good start.
Apart from the trouble of pulling the bookseller away, who kept insisting he’d let me know the moment the newest titles came in, the outing had gone smoothly. Anyway, now that I’d gotten what I came for, now…
“Rose? What’s wrong? What are you staring at?”
“Hm? Oh, nothing.”
“Nothing, my foot. Your mouth is hanging wide open… oh, I see.”
Following Rose’s gaze, my eyes landed on a dessert shop across the street.

[The Melts]

Silver lettering curled elegantly across a large violet sign, and beneath it was a painting of a mouthwatering specialty cake.
Good grief, only then did I remember how Rose had trailed after me all those years ago without a single complaint.
“Rose, did you want that? You should have said something.”
“N-no, I didn’t want it.”
“Let’s go take a look. I needed a place to check out these books anyway.”
When I took her hand and started across the street, Rose dragged her feet, her face crumpling. She was clearly kicking herself for letting her longing show. For me, as her older sister, it hurt to see, so I raised my voice, forcing as bright a tone as I could manage.
“The cake’s called Flower of Riden? I bet it’s made with strawberries. Just as pretty as our Rose, isn’t it?”
“…Sis.”
“Look at the picture. The bottom must be fluffy castella sponge. You’ve never had it before, have you?”
“N-no, I’ve had it. I know what it tastes like.”
“Really? When did you eat it?”
Her answer surprised me, and I arched an eyebrow. The only person who ever looked after Rose that way was me, and even I hadn’t seen such things since we left the capital.
Born after our family had been utterly ruined and we’d moved to the countryside, when on earth could Rose have eaten something like that?
“Well… the other day. At Arianne’s house.”
“Ah, that baron’s daughter? Did Aria give you some castella?”
“…No, it wasn’t that. She gave me the crusts from underneath, so I tasted it. That’s how I know what it tastes like.”
“….”
“So, I mean, you don’t have to eat it. I only looked because the picture was pretty, Sis.”
Ah, those damned people, honestly.
My breath came ragged as a sudden surge of anger rose in my chest. So something like that had happened while I wasn’t looking. Imagining Rose nibbling at the crusts beside her friend made my chest tighten painfully.
…It’s all because we have no money.
Honestly, in this world or that one, without money you get treated like this. The resolve to earn money flared up inside me all over again. And not just earn it, either. I wanted enough to swagger across the entire Empire.
I hugged the books that would be my seed money tightly and led Rose into the dessert shop.
“Come on. Your big sister’s rich now.”
“R-really? How much?”
The unexpected news threw Rose into a flutter. I puffed out my chest, bent down to her eye level, and showed off my confidence.
“Everything they sell in there, enough for you to eat it all.”

“…Bella, sis, have you picked something out?”
“Hm?”
A stiff smile slipped onto my face as I flipped through the menu.
Fine, I admit it. I had underestimated the dessert shops of Liden.
“Hmm…”
This was unmistakably a high-end salon. The guests’ attire and the interior were beyond what I’d imagined from outside. The menu didn’t even list prices, which had the added effect of making anyone who looked at it deeply uneasy.
Ah, I really hate this sort of thing.
Unable to bring myself to get through the whole menu, I sat in a corner, fidgeting, until the manager approached me with an air of confidence. Perhaps because it was an upscale salon, even his outfit looked far better than mine.
“Are you ready to order?”
“Um, that pie there, one Flower of Riden, please. And… could I get a glass of water?”
“…That’s all?”
“Mm-hm. I ate a lot for breakfast, so I’m full. And my stomach’s a little off.”
When you feel awkward, you tend to blurt out things nobody asked about. On top of that, I patted my belly, and the manager’s expression changed completely.
…Yes. Go ahead and look all you want, we’re not serving you. Now get out.
I rested a hand on my stomach and smiled sweetly up at him, and his face twisted openly. Well, I understood that a drifter like me wasn’t welcome, but he was making his displeasure far too obvious.
I’d seen it coming the moment we walked in: the way he swept his eyes over us and seated us in the farthest corner. I bit my tongue anyway, for Rose’s sake.
Hmph. That man won’t be holding this job much longer.
I narrowed my eyes at the manager’s back, the way his stiff, jerky steps gave away his irritation.
“Sis, you barely ate breakfast. Why did you say you had?”
“Hm?”
“…Is it because you don’t have money?”
“Nope. Sis has plenty. You know that, right? The ones Eliya and Melanie gave me. Loads of it.”
Technically, I hadn’t been given it so much as I’d pried it loose, but once it was in my hands, how I described it was up to me. Rose’s face brightened a little at that, though it didn’t mean she’d be ordering anything extra.
If we’re going to a fancy place, we might as well enjoy it.
Before little Rose could start to feel out of place, I searched for something to draw her attention, but the envelope held nothing but law books and maps. I pulled out the first thing I could grab and set it down in front of her, and Rose’s clever eyes went round.
“Hm? Why this?”
“Come on, Rose, we’re about to get rich. So you have to help your sis, got it?”
“Me? How?”
“Well… yes. The Marriage Declaration, right? It starts with M, so look for that part first. Remember the letters Sis taught you?”
“Yes!”
The moment she was given a job, Rose lit up.
Kids are so easy. I chuckled and peered at the map inside the envelope.
This isn’t just any map, you know!
This was my money line, my gold mine, my treasure trove. I’d love to spread it out right here, but there are far too many eyes on us. Law books I could get away with, but if I pulled out the Cadastral Edit Map, too, I’d definitely draw attention.
“Sis, is this it? The Marriage Declaration and the harmony of the houses?”
“Mm-hm. Yes, that’s right. Keep looking, you’re doing well.”
Oh my. She found it so fast.
I smiled and tugged at Rose’s hair, and she giggled, ticklish.
Such a sweet little thing. Watching Rose mumble through the marriage text without any idea what it meant, the sense of responsibility in my chest only grew stronger.
“But Sis, am I really allowed into the Grand Duke’s Castle? The m-monster… I mean, what if His Grace throws us out?”
“Sis has it all figured out, so you just… oh, here it is! The Flower of Riden!”
“Wow…”
Rose had been staring at the book with worry, but the gorgeous cake in front of her stole her attention completely. Kids should be like this. Now I finally understood what people meant when they said they were full just from looking. I closed the book with a satisfied smile and handed Rose a fork.
“Go on, take a big bite.”
“No, you first, Sis. I’ll eat once you’ve had some.”
“…Rose.”
“Come on. Ahh.”
Ahh. I opened my mouth to match the shape of Rose’s, and the sweetest dessert in the world melted the moment it touched my tongue. Scratch that, I take back what I said about being full already.
Oh great god who created the sense of taste, forgive my arrogance.
Truly, a human needs to eat something to feel full. For the first time in months, sugar seeped into every corner of my body, and happiness welled up on its own.
“Phew, now it’s your turn, Rose. Come on, open wide.”
“…Sis, I’m so nervous.”
Nom. As Rose accepted the cake with a moved expression, her shoulders trembled with delight. She must have liked it so much. Rose’s instinctive charm drew glances from the people around us.
“N-now it’s your turn, Sis.”
“No, you eat. I’m already full.”
Wow… who would’ve thought I’d end up being reduced to this over a bowl of udon noodles in a place like this.
Over a single slice of cake, sorrow, pride, and even shame all stirred my heart in equal measure.
“…Hm?”
A strong gaze hit me just then, and my cheeks prickled. It was different from the other looks, unusually persistent, but I had no confidence I could turn around and check.
Probably just some curious onlookers staring at a pair of country sisters with no money and big appetites, that’s all.
“Ah, Rose. If you’re finished, we should get going. We need to be there before the knights arrive.”
“Okay, Sis.”
“Excuse me, I’d like to settle the bill…”
Leaving Rose scraping up the last dab of cream, I picked up the check.
And of all people, it’s him again.
The manager from earlier came back over, and I clicked my tongue inwardly.
But this was our first day in the North. They say a good start makes a good finish, and I wanted to wrap things up smiling.
“How much?”
I took out my law book first, then fished the money out of the inside of my pocket. In our village, something like this would probably cost about ten Gold, but Liden must be different. Still, it was only one cake, and the money I’d gotten from the bookstore should be more than enough…
“One thousand Gold.”
…More than enough? Not even close. The fifty-Gold note I was holding in my pocket stopped dead in my hand.
“Um… what did you just say?”
“One piece of the Flower of Eden. One thousand Gold.”
“One thousand Gold?”
Pfft. A laugh slipped out of me before I could stop it. I never imagined I’d be stifling a laugh with a banknote over my mouth in my whole life.
That’s a thousand gold, mind you — enough to buy ten sacks of flour.
…Who does this guy think I am?
The smile slowly drained from my face as I faced the man so brazenly demanding a sum that could feed my family for months. It wasn’t as if the coins were gilded or anything. No matter how I looked at it, the amount made no sense.

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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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