Standard Contract Guidelines for a Fraudulent Marriage - Chapter 88

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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 88

Adelia sent Ellie Rumble a reply, inviting her to take tea whenever she wished, and promising to make preparations once Ellie provided her with the time and date.

During the free moments between, she and Loerston discussed the winery at greater length.

When Adelia suggested they might handle not only the development of new wines, but also fruit liqueurs made from southern fruits, Loerston fell into thought for a moment.

“We spoke of something similar before, I believe.”
“Yes, we did.”
“So I looked into the import routes, and I thought it might be best to first approach the family that owns the largest orchard in this region. At least, that was my initial thinking. But then…….”

Adelia’s expression grew troubled.

“What problem arose?”
“Well, it’s less a problem than a matter of quality. The fruit from that orchard wasn’t particularly good. It’s sellable enough, but for a truly fine spirit, you need superior fruit to begin with——and after examining their stock, I found that most of it was merely average, or perhaps slightly below. Of course, it’s perfectly fit for eating.”
“In other words, from your perspective, it wasn’t quite premium quality?”
“Exactly. And it’s not just my opinion—that’s simply how it was. So it seems I’ll need to look elsewhere for a supplier.”

Adelia, who had been listening quietly, suddenly widened her eyes and clapped her hands together sharply.

“Would you like me to look into it?”
“You? How would you manage that?”
“Through Ellie and Clerkker. Ellie likely has many connections among the local nobility, and Clerkker should know well where merchants source quality fruit. He has friends in all quarters, after all.”
“I wonder about that.”

Loerston made no effort to hide his lingering suspicion regarding Clerkker, whatever he might think of Ellie Rumble.

Adelia offered him reassurance, then added that if they couldn’t find what they needed through those channels, there was no harm in rolling up her sleeves and searching herself.

“I’ll send Clerkker a letter as well. Since we have the opportunity, wouldn’t it be nice to hold a tea gathering with him?”
“What?”
“You said so yourself—that we might try opening a salon. But I find men rather awkward unless you’re there or Professor Ciern is present. I thought this might be a good chance to observe what sort of things men discuss, and what manner they adopt while speaking.”

A conversation with Clerkker was hardly a proper rehearsal for a salon hosting fashionable nobles——

but Loerston could not, in the end, bring himself to dissuade her, seeing the resolve set into her clenched fists.

Though he decided then and there that he would not leave the two of them alone together.

***

“Ellie! Welcome!”

On the day they had agreed to take tea together.

Adelia, unable to contain her excitement, had been pacing the hall all morning, and the moment Ellie entered, her joy knew no bounds.

“Your Grace, thank you so much for the invitation.”

Ellie, dressed in a light green dress suited to the season, appeared tender and lovely, like a newly sprouted shoot.

Adelia hurried over and took Ellie’s hand, speaking with easy warmth.

“Call me Adelia, just as before. Now, come this way. I wasn’t sure what you’d enjoy, so I had quite a spread of refreshments prepared. Do you like plum cookies? Have you ever had them?”
“Oh, I remember eating them once, a very long time ago. Did you make plum cookies?”
“Not I, but the head cook brought in the most delicious plums, so——this way.”

The room prepared for their tea time opened onto the garden through a balcony, flooding it with bright light and an unobstructed, cheerful view.

The sunlight streaming through the open doors struck the crystal decorations hanging from the doorframe, scattering fragments of five-colored light across the ceiling like confetti scattered on festival day.

“How beautiful……!”

At Ellie’s delighted gasp, gazing up at the ceiling, Adelia felt a small swell of pride.

It had been Loerston’s idea to hang the crystal pieces from the doorframe.

The villa was pleasant enough, but it lacked the ornate decorations one found in a Capital residence, he had said; this way, at least, the ladies might enjoy a proper, intimate gathering.

“Pretty, isn’t it? Please, sit. We have all day to admire it.”
“Oh, that willow chair over there has such an unusual color. Was it painted specially?”
“No, not at all. Among willow wood, some occasionally has a reddish hue, and this was made from that. Do you like it?”
“It’s absolutely charming. The Insiel family villa truly is different in every way.”

Adelia’s cheeks flushed slightly.

While the two ladies chatted, a servant brought tea, several sorts of pastries, and sandwiches.

At the sight of the sandwiches, cut into small, bite-sized pieces, Ellie’s delight was evident.

“You’ve paired it with sandwiches! I do love these. Unfortunately, no one in my household enjoys them, so I rarely get the chance to eat them.”
“Is that so? I assumed everyone served them as standard.”

Taking a cucumber and egg sandwich, Ellie made a playful grimace.

“There are people who reject what’s conventional while insisting on what isn’t. My household elders, regrettably, are all that sort. Ah, this is delicious. The cucumber is so refreshing.”

The two fell silent for a moment, occupied with the pastries and sandwiches.

The head cook’s skill was remarkable. The much-discussed plum cookies carried the subtle fragrance of plums throughout, yet were somewhat soft; that tender quality, so different from the crisp texture of other cookies, pleased Adelia as well.

“I was grateful that day.”

At Ellie’s words, Adelia looked at her over the rim of her teacup.

“Grateful?”

Ellie flushed and continued.

“About Clerkker. You brought him there.”
“Did you not think he made that choice of his own accord?”
“Hah, hardly! Clerkker isn’t like that. He seems carefree, but he’s quite principled. Without you and Lord Insiel, he would never have acknowledged my existence that day. I knew he had to be somewhere and wanted to search for him, but I couldn’t——not openly. If only he had shown me even his face once, but he wouldn’t. That’s simply not his nature…….”

Adelia decided this was the moment to finally hear the truth from Ellie.

After taking a sip of tea and setting down her cup, she leaned slightly forward across the table.

“Ellie, you’re in love with Clerkker, aren’t you? You said as much the last time. That wasn’t a lie, was it?”

Ellie traced the gilt wave-pattern edging of her teacup thoughtfully, and smiled with a wistful expression.

“Of course. Yes. In all my life, no one has made my heart race as Clerkker has. No one has helped me as he has.”
“Then……if it were possible……”
“Do you mean whether I would marry him?”

Adelia’s face flushed slightly.

She knew that among nobility, it was considered improper to ask such direct questions, and now that Ellie had seen through her so thoroughly, she felt embarrassed.

But Ellie, seemingly unconcerned, spoke as follows.

“I love Clerkker. I care for him deeply. If he would only find the courage, I would be willing to run away with him.”
“Run away?”

Ellie regarded Adelia with a playful expression.

“Do you think it too reckless of me?”
“Oh, no! That’s not what I meant. I was simply taken aback…….”
“I want to forge my own path in life. Working with mechanical things, with machines. I don’t wish to marry someone chosen by my family—someone whose face and character I don’t know—and spend my entire life bearing children and doing needlework. So if Clerkker would find his courage, then yes……I truly wish to live at his side.”

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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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