Surviving as the Wife of the Swordsmanship Clan’s Troublemaker - Chapter 23

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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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Episode 23

I can really rest?

Yesterday I did nothing except choose a room.

So I thought from today onwards, I’d be given something proper to do.

Even though this is a fantasy world, it’s still a K-fantasy world.

It doesn’t make sense for Francesca, who values appearances more than anyone, to bring in a commoner daughter-in-law and let her rest. Even if she couldn’t present me to high society, I thought she’d give me thorough education just considering the family members’ gazes.

Of course, I had no intention of following that education.

But she said I could rest all afternoon?

‘Is this some kind of test?’

I suddenly remembered when I first went to my in-laws’ home.

“Today, take it easy and get a feel for our family atmosphere. Just greet the elders.”

She definitely told me to take it easy, but how many hours did I spend washing dishes that day?

The amount of fruit I peeled filled a whole box.

My mother-in-law wanted me to act appropriately, neatly, cleanly, and sensibly on my own.

‘A test. I absolutely won’t fall for it.’

Back then I naively worked harder than asked, but now I’m different. I had no intention whatsoever of enduring married life hardships even here.

Thoroughly my own way!

I planned to move exactly as I wanted.

“Yes, I’ll really rest! I’ll rest very well!”

I answered cheerfully like someone with flowers for brains.

For things like this, it’s best to play dumb from the start.

“…Do as you like. I have work to do, so tell me in advance if you need anything.”

“Okay. I’m really going to rest, so you work comfortably.”

“…Are you really resting, or fake resting?”

“I’m really going to rest.”

Geti looked at me strangely, then left saying she’d bring food so I should stay put.

***

After eating my fill, I came out of the room.

[You said you were resting earlier. Why don’t we take a nap together?]

“I ate and had tea. If I sleep when I’m full, my stomach will feel heavy.”

I should take a walk or something; staying in the room continuously was too stuffy.

By the way, I suddenly became curious whether the servants had that stew again for breakfast and lunch, so I immediately headed toward the kitchen. Of course, before that I threw off the uncomfortable clothes and took out new maid clothes from the laundry room to wear.

“Oh? It’s Lara.”

But as soon as I came out, I met May.

“Hallara, where have you been all morning?!”

“Huh? Um, the main building.”

“The main building? Don’t tell me you went to see the head chef?”

May asked with a despairing expression.

“No.”

“Oh, thank goodness. Hurry up. The chef is waiting!”

“The chef is?”

May answered roughly and grabbed my arm to drag me along. I was going to go there anyway, but thanks to her I arrived at the kitchen quickly.

I saw several maids and a middle-aged man wearing a white hat.

“She’s here! That’s her, Chef Hotsen.”

“So it’s you.”

The man called chef crossed his arms, then let out an “ouch” groan and neatly lowered his hands. His gaze toward me had somehow solemn eyes.

“Yes, that’s me.”

I also answered solemnly.

“What do you mean ‘that’s me’?”

“The person who presented delicious cooking yesterday evening?”

I clearly remember the faces of the maids on both sides.

Yesterday in the kitchen, while May and I were making dumplings, they said it looked so delicious and begged us to please make some for them too. And thanks to them spreading the word everywhere, I ended up making enough dumplings for all the annex servants to eat.

They probably told Chef Hotsen too.

“Ahem. By the way, I haven’t seen your face before, are you really new?”

“Yes, well.”

“Special hiring or something like that…”

He muttered his speculation to himself. I didn’t bother explaining and kept my mouth shut. Rather than bothering to explain this and that, it was better to let him think I was a maid.

“How did you make that yesterday, which recipe did you follow?”

“The dumplings?”

“Dumplings? That’s the first time I’ve heard that name. What regional cuisine is it?”

“It’s from my childhood hometown, but it’s very far away so you wouldn’t know even if I told you. It’s a neighborhood called Kimsuhaneumugeobugi-wadurumi-samcheongeapja-dongbaksagi.”

I thought he might ask more questions if I mentioned a vaguely plausible regional name, so I blurted out a completely unfamiliar-sounding name instead.

“There’s a place called Taejeongtaesemundanse in the neighboring town, do you know it?”

When I rattled off the words, Hotsen stammered.

“I, I’ve never heard such names in my life.”

“The world is wide and diverse.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“But taste is what’s important.”

Then Hotsen straightened his posture and nodded.

“I belatedly tasted what you made yesterday. The flavor was excellent. Do you have anything else you can make besides that?”

“Of course.”

Countless things.

“Then how about dessert. Could you make that?”

“Dessert?”

“Yes.”

“Of course!”

Thanks to my mother-in-law’s nagging to cook at home, there wasn’t a dish I hadn’t tried.

“Perfect!”

Hotsen happily handed me a white apron.

“We prepare meals in the main building kitchen, but asking them for dessert too would hurt my pride.”

“Huh? Chef, what dessert? Who’s going to eat it?”

A maid standing nearby asked about his muttering.

I was curious about that too.

I needed to know who would eat it so I could make customized snacks.

When I quietly waited for his answer, he let out a deep sigh and replied.

“There’s a young madam staying in the annex.”

Hotsen added not to spread rumors everywhere, saying that he too had been called by Karl, the shopkeeper early this morning who secretly told him this.

“A, a young madam?! Is one of the young masters getting married?”

“I didn’t hear about a wedding. Well, it seems Master Docheop brought a woman. But seeing how they’re keeping it quiet, there seems to be something fishy about it.”

Oh my.

They’re talking about me?

“A woman for Master Docheop? Is he getting married before Master Nikolai?”

“Lower your voice! She’s staying in the annex, so she might hear you.”

Hotsen disciplined the maid’s mouth.

It seems Geti hasn’t properly talked about me yet. Well, if she had, they would have known I was walking around in maid clothes.

“Please tell me something. What do you mean he’s staying in the annex?”

“Yesterday, the madam ordered us to clean the entire annex. That was all preparation to welcome a new family member.”

“Which family’s young lady is she from?”

“Well… I heard she has no family.”

“What!?”

The maid cried out in surprise and then covered her own mouth.

‘No wonder she’s surprised.’

I never dreamed I would end up living here either.

“How is that possible? The madam allowed that?”

“That’s why she had the annex prepared. She also asked us to pay special attention to preparing desserts.”

“No way. Even Master Nikolai doesn’t have a partner yet… How could Master Docheop be first…? Gasp, did he cause some trouble?”

“Shh. Watch your mouth. The madam will have a fit if she hears you.”

Of course, of course.

It’s half right and half wrong.

He did cause trouble, but not enough to warrant bringing someone to live here.

Francesca just brought me here because she was worried that her son, who lived like a scoundrel and was treated like an ugly duckling, might never marry anyone.

“Could it be…?”

At that moment, their gazes focused on me.

Wondering if I’d been found out, I smiled awkwardly.

“So that’s why a new maid came in.”

“That’s right!”

The maids clapped their hands. They don’t suspect at all that I might be that woman?

I turned my gaze toward Hotsen, who was staring intently at me.

“I was wondering where such a skilled cook came from. The madam had it all planned out.”

“Ahaha.”

“You’re really a blessing.”

Hotsen placed his hand on my shoulder with a moved expression.

“According to rumors, the young master’s woman is a seductress who has never even cooked food with her own hands.”

Eek, that’s true, but not now!

“Really? But I heard she’s a commoner.”

The maid asked in surprise.

“Despite being a commoner, she seduced wealthy men to get fine meals beyond her station.”

“How wicked! So that’s how she seduced the young master too. What about Master Docheop? His position in the family is already precarious… and now the woman he brought is like that.”

I was the only one getting beaten up by the maid’s speculation.

“I told you to watch your mouth! Anyway, our job is to serve food that suits her taste. Seeing how she even won over the madam to enter the ducal house, that woman must be no ordinary person. She’ll definitely have picky tastes, so let’s pay special attention!”

The maids nodded at Hotsen’s words.

This is strange – I haven’t done anything, but I feel like I’ve become a witch.

“What about you?”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward me, who was standing there blankly.

“Ahaha. I’ll do my best too.”

I also smiled awkwardly.

“Should we try making some dessert first?”

“Yes, let’s do that!”

I should feed her something sweet first and try to have a good conversation.

***

Thwack! Thwack!

The Training Ground of the 3rd Division was filled only with the sound of wood clashing and rough breathing.

The faces of the two people standing under the hot sun were flushed red, and you could feel the scorching heat just by getting near them.

But the two didn’t stop moving, pointing their wooden swords at each other.

“Still at it? How many hours have they been doing that?”

A knight apprentice who returned from his meal asked, seeing the two still crossing swords.

“I don’t know. They’ve been going at it continuously. They’ve been at it since morning without rest, I think?”

“No, it was from dawn. A servant who was cleaning the training grounds early in the morning told me that the commander and the young master were already at it before he arrived.”

The two tireless men were Docheop and Moldorf.

Since Docheop requested a test from Moldorf, he had been continuously crossing swords with him at the training grounds.

Usually, a test ends the moment Moldorf utters the word “Pass.”

But since he remained silent, Docheop couldn’t stop his sword either.

And the knight apprentices of the 3rd Division were busy watching this spectacle of the fierce duel that had continued since yesterday.

“What’s the point? A test now? Didn’t he leave of his own accord? After that, he’s been carrying around wine bottles instead of swords.”

Among them, a Nobleman Apprentice spoke mockingly.

“But isn’t it strange? If he hadn’t touched a sword for that long, there’s no way he could parry for such a long time.”

“Obviously Commander Moldorf is going easy on him. He’s still a young master, so he’s probably being considerate. Come on, he’s probably waiting for him to collapse and give up.”

Everyone knew that Docheop had no talent.

The scoundrel of a Renowned Swordsmanship Family.

The stain of a prestigious house.

A parasite.

These were the epithets that always followed him.

Most knights looked at him with disdainful eyes for walking the path of a scoundrel, unable to break free from the 1st level that people of This Family usually awakened to at age five.

Even the knight apprentices who were just in their first year looked down on him. Knowing that his position in the family was almost nonexistent, they spoke freely behind his back.

“What’s he trying to accomplish now? Tsk.”

“The young duke will inherit the title soon, so he’s probably trying to pretend he’s doing something.”

“Ugh. If it were me, rather than begging my brothers, I’d seduce some noble lady and marry her. That would be easier. No need to pretend at swordsmanship that won’t work anyway.”

“Well, his face and body are incredible. He might even seduce some wealthy widow well?”

Snicker snicker.

Blatant words flowed freely.

“Huff. Huff.”

However, their speculation was half wrong and half right.

While it was true that Moldorf held Docheop to particularly strict standards, as time passed, it was actually Moldorf who was getting tired.

On the other hand, despite crossing swords for a long time, Docheop showed no signs of fatigue. Rather, he was the one closer to leading this situation.

‘How is this even possible?’

As the knights sitting over there chattering said, Docheop had put down his sword long ago. According to rumors circulating in the dominion, he hung around with low-quality mercenaries and held drinking parties every day.

Alcohol harms the body and weakens the spirit. Knowing this fact well, Moldorf tried to test Docheop’s endurance even more harshly.

He thought Docheop would surely collapse soon… but he was lasting longer than expected.

‘No. I’m the one who’s barely holding on!’

Moldorf was exhausted.

Actually, from Docheop’s perspective, this was natural.

Even though Docheop might now be inferior to an ordinary soldier, he was a man who had once reached a higher realm than his father, the duke.

He even seemed to be enjoying himself.

“Ugh.”

Suddenly, Moldorf’s overheated body swayed.

Thwack. Thwack!

Docheop struck down moderately, watching his condition. Seeing this, Moldorf realized that Docheop would never be the first to put down his sword.

Though it was late, he was thinking he should shout “Pass” at this point.

And so, just as Moldorf was about to lower his sword.

“Honey!”

A clear voice echoing from afar.

At that sound, Docheop’s sword stopped abruptly.

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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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