I Woke Up from Hibernation and Found a Husband - Chapter 53

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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 53
The return was swift.
Angela had sustained no serious injuries, and more importantly, Claire was eager to receive Veronica’s bequest as quickly as possible.
“This is it?”
Before parting ways with Kenneth and returning to House Voltier, Claire stopped by Angela’s House and accepted a small box.
“Yes. She said to give it to you only after you’ve come of age, prepared for independence, and still wish to know the truth.”
Angela offered a bitter smile. Though she had been asked to deliver it, she herself did not know the meaning of that object.
‘Veronica. Stubborn to the very end.’
Angela had been the only friend Veronica trusted and relied upon. Yet that did not mean Angela knew everything about her.
‘Tell me properly what trouble you’ve gotten yourself into!’
‘I’m sorry.’
Before she disappeared, Veronica had answered Angela’s tearful question with those words.
‘If you knew, you’d be in danger too. If possible, I wish Claire wouldn’t be curious about it either.’
Angela recalled that moment and let out a dry laugh. Veronica’s daughter, now grown into adulthood, clearly had no intention of letting this matter rest.
“Your mother always lived within secrets.”
When Veronica disappeared alongside Ian, the Guild, thrown into chaos, had interrogated Angela first using an ability that could discern truth.
‘Looking back, her judgment was sound.’
It was when Claire was around six years old that the cautious Veronica had suddenly appeared and introduced her to Angela.
Thinking about it now, perhaps Veronica had been preparing for the possibility that Claire would be left alone before Ian’s death.
Claire’s expression grew puzzled as she carefully opened the box no larger than a palm.
“What is this?”
Inside lay a single silver key, its end adorned with a blue gemstone.
“I’m seeing the contents for the first time too. What kind of key is this?”
Claire’s expression fell, having hoped for a letter or some decisive clue.
‘Veronica, you’re doing this even to your own daughter!’
Angela sighed quietly, blaming her inscrutable friend.
* * *
“Umbra. So that’s the name.”
Upon returning to House Voltier, Claire, Theodore, and Ebon disclosed the facts they had learned after meeting Eris.
Most shocking of all was that Ebon’s twin was a member of Umbra.
“I had no intention of concealing it. Without this incident, I might never have revealed it.”
Ebon, prostrate on the floor, offered his apology. Regardless of Matthew’s involvement, he had no excuse for putting Claire in danger.
“Enough. The fact that we’ve learned concrete details about Umbra’s activities is meaningful progress in itself.”
They had known that there was an organization pursuing Gregory and conducting bizarre research into abilities, but it was through this opportunity that they learned the organization’s name was Umbra.
Moreover, discovering that Umbra had colluded with the Underworld and even ventured into the modification and fusion of abilities was new intelligence.
‘I should investigate the Market and the ability users who have gone into hiding.’
Ludwig helped Ebon to his feet, his mind conjuring the face of a certain man.
‘Gregory. How far do you intend to fall?’
He crushed a fountain pen beneath the table as if grinding it to dust, then dismissed Ebon, leaving only Claire and Theodore.
“Claire, did you manage to rescue your family?”
“Yes. Thanks to you. I’m grateful.”
“Theodore has worked hard too. It seems you’ve all grown so much in the meantime.”
Ludwig, who had been regarding the two of them with pride, suddenly cleared his throat as if remembering something.
“Ahem, the reason I kept just you two here is because I have something to tell you.”
“For us?”
“Yes. An invitation arrived while you were away.”
At the sudden mention of an invitation, both their expressions grew puzzled.
“Who on earth is inviting us?”
“That would be…”
Ludwig paused for a moment before speaking.
“His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor.”
“Pardon?”
“His Majesty wishes for you both to participate in the summer hunt festival this summer. As partners, no less.”
My eyes widened. I suddenly wanted to take back what I’d told Angela not long ago—that I didn’t want to return to the Cabin just yet.
Claire, nineteen years old. Suddenly thrust into the crisis of a debutante ball.
* * *
“Claire, you’ll be wearing a dress? And shoes too?”
Isabella, learning of my schedule, couldn’t hide her excitement as she spoke.
“I think a pink dress matching your hair color would suit you so well!”
“Oh, do you think so?”
I offered a wry smile and responded appropriately.
The itinerary I’d seen beforehand was far more intense than expected.
Three days of hunting during the day, followed by two days of balls after the winners are announced—a grueling schedule.
‘A ball? I’ve never even learned how to dance.’
Emilia had promised to find me a good instructor, but I couldn’t help my worries.
‘More importantly, I need to solve the mystery of this key.’
I’d already searched the Cabin, which had been moved to House Voltier, thoroughly, but found no lock that matched the key.
‘Where did Mother go besides here?’
Veronica would often slip away, leaving only Ian and me behind, making it difficult to pinpoint her destinations.
‘The Convent.’
Then suddenly, I recalled that Veronica had met her end at the Convent.
‘I’d planned to go someday, but I never thought it would happen like this.’
I still hadn’t decided how to react when I met House Lloyd.
“Claire, are you worried about dancing?”
Isabella grasped my forearms with both hands, her expression turning concerned.
At the child’s innocent worry, my tension eased.
“No. I was wondering what to do if I don’t catch many prey.”
“Aha. That’s nothing to worry about.”
Hearing the child’s laughter, I decided to stop being so serious.
‘I’ll figure it out once I get there.’
Boldness was one of her weapons.
* * *
There were things that sheer momentum could not accomplish.
It was a lesson Claire had learned through this ordeal.
“Miss!”
Claire’s shoe heel had broken for the eighth time while learning to dance for the ball. Baroness Hooper, who served as Claire’s etiquette instructor and chaperone, was Melosa—and she found herself nearly every day clutching the back of her neck in exasperation.
“Are there no more durable shoes available?”
Claire asked, examining the heel that had come loose from her shoe.
“If you treat them so roughly, nothing short of iron shoes will survive!”
“Iron shoes sound rather nice, actually.”
Melosa’s mouth fell open. This young lady was simply not someone with whom jokes landed.
“Are you planning to crush the Young Master’s feet entirely!?”
“Oh.”
Seeing Claire respond as though she had forgotten her partner’s existence, tears welled up in Melosa’s eyes.
‘Ah, I was so pleased when the Count entrusted me with this task, yet here I am facing such a trial with barely a month and a half until the hunt.’
Considering travel time and all the other necessities, she realistically had only a month to spare.
Melosa had no idea how she could make Claire appear like an ordinary young noblewoman in such a short span of time.
“What if we simply pretend her leg is broken on the day of the hunt? That way she could naturally skip the ball.”
Melosa was momentarily tempted by the maid’s whisper as she operated the phonograph, but she quickly steeled her resolve. This was the challenge of a lifetime for her.
‘Let me do what I can, at least.’
“Bring me new shoes.”
Her resolute voice echoed through the room.
* * *
The heir to House Voltier was coming to the Convent. That single fact alone set the families with marriage-eligible daughters astir.
“I truly thought he would die from his madness.”
“The Voltier bloodline will never face extinction, it seems.”
“I heard that last winter he single-handedly subjugated an entire monster horde in the Border Region.”
With such stimulating gossip, there was not a salon where conversation dried up. The fact that Theodore had a betrothed mattered little to them.
“But didn’t you say he has a betrothed?”
“That commoner maid? Oh, surely that’s nothing more than a night’s dalliance, isn’t it? It seems he simply gave his heart because she was there for him during difficult times, but how long could such a thing possibly last?”
“But one cannot ignore such debt. He could very well register her as a daughter of a cadet or lower noble house and proceed to marriage.”
At those words, the noblewoman selecting a necklace opened her fan with an air of exasperation, covering her mouth. The others quickly leaned their ears toward that fan.
“That’s impossible. This is truly a secret, but I heard that maid has tainted beast-kin blood mixed in her veins.”
“What? Beast-kin?”
The noblewomen’s brows furrowed sharply.
“Surely not.”
“Filthy beast-kin, how revolting.”
“Oh, did you hear about that? Speaking of beast-kin, I just remembered—there was a certain beast-kin from the Northern Region this time.”
The topic of gossip shifted in an instant, like a spinning roulette wheel.
Tap.
Rozina closed the jewelry catalog with a dissatisfied sigh.
‘I came out to lift my spirits, but I chose the wrong place.’
Everywhere I went, all anyone talked about was Theodore and his fiancée, Claire.
‘When Claire comes up this time, build a rapport with her. Appeal to her emotions, shower her with gifts bought with money—the method doesn’t matter.’
The thought of Hector, the head of House Lloyd, pressing me forward with greedy eyes made my stomach churn. I quickly exited the shop and looked up at the sky.
A rosy sunset had already begun to paint the horizon.
‘Get close to her? That’s ridiculous.’
To me, Claire was nothing but a sharp arrowhead threatening my position.
‘That will never happen.’
With a scoff, I turned my steps toward the next Wardrobe Room.

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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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