One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 90

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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One Day I Picked Up a Mother – Episode 90

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True to his words that I wouldn’t need to worry about tomorrow, Ludrio looked reasonably well when I met him at the breakfast table this morning.

His eyes looked much brighter as if he had slept well, and he wasn’t just halfheartedly playing with his fork either.

I couldn’t tell for certain whether yesterday’s anguish had truly been resolved, or if he was just pretending to be fine.

But seeing him eat well put my mind somewhat at ease.

“Luna, today is the day to review the provisional contract.”

Having finished his meal, he spoke while lightly wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

“I’ll look it over too, but I’ll probably only have time at dawn due to Parliament business. It would be tiring for you to wait for me until then…”

He glanced at his pocket watch and paused to choose his words, then added as if he had found a suitable solution.

“Instead, I’ll assign Hark to you, so review it together. He’s not only my aide but also your teacher, so he’ll carefully check if there are any unfavorable clauses.”

Ludrio looked at me as if asking whether that would be alright.

He had already appointed a separate lawyer for me and even included special clauses for my benefit in the contract.

The annual dignity maintenance fee that I could freely use without his permission was set at a remarkably high amount.

It was also specified that if Count Roderich died first, I would be given a substantial pension and residence so I could live comfortably.

Moreover, unlike when we first discussed this contract marriage, he insisted on including a clause to pay me alimony even if we were to separate.

To me, who came with no dowry whatsoever.

“I’ll tell Hark as well, so if there’s even the slightest phrase you don’t like, be sure to speak up.”

“Yes, I will.”

At my answer, Ludrio turned his head toward Iban.

I still hadn’t been able to say thank you.

“I don’t know if you heard, but we’ve decided to go on a trip together soon, so think about where you’d like to go.”

“A trip?”

Iban looked at me in surprise.

“Yes. I don’t have much time to spare, so somewhere very far would be difficult.”

“Ah…”

“Let’s talk about it again tomorrow. I’ll get going first.”

Ludrio stood up from his seat as if he had no more time to spare.

He gestured with his eyes for us to stay seated and strode out of the dining room.

“Why are we suddenly going on a trip?”

As I was looking at the closed door, troubled by the greeting I couldn’t properly give, Iban tilted his head and asked.

“Now that the wedding is over, we’ll become a family. We’re going on a family trip to commemorate that.”

At my answer, Iban slowly blinked and the corners of his mouth slightly turned up.

Then he poured out various questions.

How many days we’d be going, what we’d travel by, what other countries were like – things like that.

The flood of questions was filled with a child’s anticipation.

“It’ll be fun.”

Iban murmured softly and smiled brightly.

* * *

On the way to the study.

Tap tap, tap tap.

Urgent footsteps echoed through the corridor that was particularly quiet since employees rarely used it.

It seemed someone was approaching from around the corner.

I stopped and waited, thinking I might collide with someone who suddenly appeared at the sharp turn.

Before long, a man burst out.

Even though it wasn’t a particularly precarious situation since I had stopped at a sufficient distance, he seemed unusually startled upon discovering me.

His furrowed brow and half-open lips.

His shoulders heaved greatly.

Whoosh.

Because of that, the documents he had been holding in his arms scattered helplessly to the floor.

“Ah…”

He quickly ducked his head and sat down abruptly.

He seemed to think of picking up the papers first after setting down the document bag he was carrying, but the unlocked bag fell over sideways and more documents spilled out.

He seemed very flustered as he hurriedly swept up the documents.

The papers became messily crumpled under his careless touch.

“…”

A face I’d never seen before.

He didn’t seem to be an employee of the family, and seeing that he came from the direction of the study, he appeared to be someone the lawyer had brought.

“Are you alright?”

I asked while picking up a few papers that had fallen near my feet and handing them to him.

The man who had just messily shoved papers into his document bag almost snatched the documents I offered.

“…Thank you.”

And then he belatedly offered thanks as if just remembering.

Even though he had finished organizing his things, he still kept his head deeply bowed and showed no intention of getting up from the floor, so his thanks also sounded muffled and mumbled.

“…You are alright, aren’t you?”

Only after I asked again did the man slowly get up from his position.

“I’m fine.”

Still keeping his head deeply bowed, he gave a quick bow and hurriedly passed by me.

Perhaps thinking he had wasted time, the sound of his footsteps behind me grew even faster.

I watched the back of the man who was running almost at full speed until he disappeared from view, then turned my head again.

“Ah…”

A fountain pen that he seemed to have failed to pick up caught my eye.

The subtle golden luster and elaborate craftsmanship of the fountain pen I picked up looked like it had been carefully made by an artisan at first glance.

Moreover, with his well-polished shoes and crisp formal wear.

Even if he wasn’t nobility, he looked like a gentleman, but perhaps because of how he ran frantically.

Perhaps because of how he was startled and flustered.

Until I opened the door to the study, the man’s afterimage lingered in my eyes.

“Lady Luciana.”

Hark, who had risen from his seat, gestured for me to sit beside him.

“Lady Luciana, have you been well?”

“Ah, yes.”

When I took my seat, lawyer Donovan also sat down.

“This is the draft of the provisional contract you’ll be reviewing today.”

Then he handed me a thick bundle of papers that had been placed on the table.

“Please take a look.”

“Are there any parts that need separate confirmation?”

Hark asked while picking up a few documents from the top.

“Not at all. Count Roderich has set the annual dignity maintenance fee and posthumous pension at a higher level than any other lady in the Empire.”

Donovan shook his head at his question.

Nevertheless, Hark quietly skimmed through the contract, and I also turned a few pages and began slowly reading the densely packed text.

There were many legal terms I’d never seen before, making it difficult to understand the content.

‘When you receive the provisional contract, please examine it thoroughly even if it’s difficult.’

I was indeed looking at it diligently as Hark had said.

But my brow furrowed naturally at the difficult content.

“The annual dignity maintenance fee to be paid to the Countess shall be paid quarterly through proper approval procedures by the trust manager designated by the family. This part is very different from the rights Count Roderich granted to Lady Luciana, isn’t it?”

Then Hark’s voice quietly filled the study.

His finger, which had been skimming through the documents, stopped on a specific phrase.

“Count Roderich clearly said to pay immediately upon the lady’s request without going through any manager.”

Hark’s voice became noticeably colder.

“Ah…”

Ludrio’s promise that I could spend as I pleased within a set amount without separate requests or approval had been changed to an allowance permitted under the manager’s control.

“Sigh. Donovan, you weren’t hired as a representative of House of Rharhart, but as Luciana’s representative.”

Donovan pushed up his glasses and raised the corners of his mouth as if feeling wronged.

“You misunderstand. I’m also doing my best to represent Luciana’s rights. However, the family’s attorney…”

“That’s enough. I don’t want to hear excuses in this place.”

Hark, who had cut off Donovan’s words at will, turned his body slightly toward me.

“Lady Luciana, were you also informed about this clause? This part where all rights are revoked if remarriage or an equivalent relationship occurs.”

“Yes. I was informed about it last time.”

Hark’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“…You should discuss this part with the Count again as well.”

The fact that I already knew, that I had meekly accepted this clause, seemed even more outrageous to him.

But Donovan had explained that it was customary.

“…”

Perhaps it was because Ludrio was the one paying his retainer fee.

Or maybe he looked down on me for my humble origins.

Now that I think about it, though he was hired as my representative, it seems he didn’t truly care for me.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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