Surviving as the Wife of the Swordsmanship Clan’s Troublemaker - Chapter 89

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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 89
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As I stepped forward to block him, Ludvin fidgeted with the ruby-studded rings adorning his fingers. Glittering gold jewelry gleamed from every digit.
Seeing that confirmed the original work’s information was accurate. Ludvin loved money more than anyone else.
“Your accessories are magnificent. They suit you wonderfully.”
“Huh? That’s quite an unexpected compliment.”
Ludvin approached with confident strides, then let out a hollow laugh—as if to say that was all I had to offer.
He clearly hadn’t imagined that someone powerless and without backing would dare confront him. But I couldn’t afford to provoke Ludvin’s temper here.
‘This man is truly a madman.’
If I blocked him now, it wouldn’t end with just a beating. He’d probably break one of my legs quite thoroughly.
I didn’t have the audacity to cross someone so unhinged.
“My apologies. They’re so beautiful that I couldn’t help but pause in my steps.”
“You have a discerning eye.”
“Mine is lovely too, isn’t it?”
I displayed the bracelet I’d brought on my wrist—the piece of jewelry Nikolai had gifted me yesterday.
“Ugh, where on earth did you get such a tacky design?”
Ludvin immediately squinted and sneered.
Nikolai, who had been watching this exchange, suddenly raised his voice.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Come here and look. It’s the sort of design our grandmother would wear. See? Why don’t I trade you some of the jewels I brought? I can tell it has some value, and I’ll price it fairly. That’s not the sort of thing a young woman like you should be wearing.”
Ludvin grabbed my arm and spoke. He seemed sincere about it.
But I gently withdrew my arm.
“No, thank you. I love it. Nikolai gave it to me as a gift.”
“…Nikolai did?”
Ludvin turned to look at Nikolai. Since I could only see his back, I couldn’t tell what his expression was, but when Nikolai abruptly turned away from him, it seemed his gaze wasn’t particularly kind.
“In any case, you’ve come all the way to Bloodmere Domain—please, take your time and enjoy some refreshments while we talk.”
I offered him the tea and dessert I’d prepared, smiling warmly. Ludvin seemed pleased enough, crossing his legs.
“Well, taking things slowly is nice too. Family members raising their voices over such matters—that’s something only families without standing do, isn’t it? Don’t you agree, Sister?”
Francesca didn’t respond. She simply settled into a chair, perhaps uncomfortable with the family quarrel unfolding before me. Then Ludvin speared the dessert with his fork and popped it into his mouth.
“Oh? I thought it was just apple, but cognac? What is this?”
“It’s a preserved fruit dessert made by stewing apples in sugar.”
It was a candied fruit made from apples that had just arrived today.
“I’ve never tasted anything like it. The texture is fascinating.”
“Yes. Unlike cognac-based jellies or juices, this dessert preserves the fruit’s shape and flesh.”
I hadn’t made it specifically for Ludvin, but it seemed to have pleased him. Of course, his interest didn’t last long.
“Pfft! You’d think you’d hired a maid.”
He burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. It was similar to the laugh Nikolai had let out when he saw Docheop’s red pepper powder.
“Is this the sort of woman with these petty skills you’re trying to bring in? Sister, what’s happened to you? You were once even mentioned as a successor to inherit the Marquis House.”
“Ludvin!”
“Your judgment was clouded then too when you chose marriage. Of course, I respect that choice. After all, it’s not just any family—it’s the position of Duchess. How could anyone pass that up?”
“Enough of your prattling.”
Francesca scraped her throat menacingly. Ludvin raised both hands in jest and let out a laugh.
“Oh my, I had no intention of disrespecting you, sister. After all, it’s thanks to you becoming a Duchess that I inherited the Marquis House.”
True enough—if the previous Marquis Hermann had possessed more than just two daughters, there would have been no position for him. Had Alasta not ascended to the Empress’s throne and Francesca not become a Duchess, he, a cadet branch, would never have become a Marquis.
‘Then shouldn’t I be grateful?’
His behavior toward a Duchess—not merely a cousin—was utterly disrespectful.
Beyond his title as head of the Herman Marquis House, he possessed something else to rely upon.
“Let’s dispense with these tedious quarrels.”
“Very well. I didn’t come here to fight with you anyway, sister. However, I will be taking the building. My investment capital has simply vanished. In an instant.”
Ludvin’s demeanor screamed that I should hand over money. He was scheming to extract a substantial sum from the Ducal Palace under the pretense of my absurd marriage. With the Duke absent, his audacity had grown considerably.
“Do you truly believe I would accede to such an unreasonable demand?”
“If you refuse, there are methods to address that. For instance, if I were to send soldiers to inform His Excellency of this matter right now, he would likely consider it fortunate to settle the matter by simply handing over one building.”
Nikolai answered to this.
“Father is likely unreachable due to the prolonged conflict with the Northern Empire.”
“Even so, if I send someone, he will learn of it. Given the urgent circumstances, he will surely move swiftly to resolve any domestic matters.”
“No. He won’t be able to.”
Nikolai hesitated before continuing.
“…I sent a message some time ago, but I have not received a reply from Father.”
He seemed to gauge my expression for a moment. The content was clear without asking—he must have requested that Father expel Docheop for bringing me here.
Ludvin caught on to this and shot up from his seat.
“As expected of Nikolai! You moved quickly. I wondered what had gotten into your head when I heard you’d given her that expensive, gaudy piece of jewelry. I even suspected you’d slipped something into her dessert.”
“…That’s not it.”
“Have you been compromised? Tell your uncle what’s troubling you.”
“This is not a matter for you to involve yourself in, Uncle. We will handle it ourselves.”
“My, my.”
Ludvin’s eyebrows drooped with apparent regret.
“I would like to leave it be, but family being family, I cannot.”
“Then I will take responsibility.”
At that moment, I stepped forward before him, having observed the situation carefully.
“You? With those parlor tricks of yours?”
“If my parlor tricks could ease the Marquis’s heart, I would gladly employ them a hundred times over.”
“Bah. I have no interest in such parlor tricks. They won’t even turn a profit.”
“My parlor tricks do turn a profit. Some of the money I’ve earned from them exceeds one hundred gold.”
“Over one hundred gold?”
At the mention of money, Ludvin’s smile vanished entirely.
“Yes. My mother launched a business using the food I created and received substantial investment.”
“Is that truly the case, sister?”
At his question, Francesca nodded. And with the mention of such a considerable sum, his gaze—which had until now regarded me as nothing more than a commoner—shifted noticeably.
“Oh, now this is rather intriguing. To think that the stern sister and Nikolai have changed so.”
He stepped closer to me.
“What’s your name?”
And he asked, as if only now truly seeing me.
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“Will you come with me?”
Instead of tormenting Francesca and Nikolai, Ludvin followed me out.
“I’m curious what kind of business you’ve been running.”
Ludvin was astonished first by the fact that Francesca had conducted business, and again by the source of the investment capital—he seemed quite eager to learn more about this venture.
“I’ll show you. It’s probably a dish you’ve never seen anywhere else.”
“Oho. Now if it’s a product that smells like money, that changes the conversation entirely.”
Ludvin stroked his smoothly groomed chin. Though he was Nikolai’s uncle, he was young—barely in his mid-thirties?
“Though I suppose nothing could compare to handing over your building in the Capital.”
Perhaps that’s why it infuriated me so much—a man barely different in age from me before the possession was using me to blackmail Francesca.
“What about something else?”
I stood firm in that spot and looked up at him.
“Something else? What else? You’ll hand over that bracelet?”
He glanced dismissively at the bracelet Nikolai had given me.
“I cannot part with such a precious gift.”
“Then what. What can you possibly offer me?”
His contemptuous gaze was unmistakable. He’d followed me out of curiosity about Francesca’s business, but he seemed to harbor no great expectations.
Yet creating an excuse to be alone with such a violent man held its own value.
“What the Marquis values most highly and trades in.”
I met his wavering gaze directly and spoke.
“From now on, I will treat you not as Mother’s family, but as the Master of Libra.”

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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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