The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 157

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

Chapter 157

It was quite unexpected.

The Empress Dowager is the center of high society, yet they said they hadn’t seen her in a long time?

So despite obtaining sufficient information, I felt somewhat uneasy on the way out of the gathering.

Inside the carriage where Alpheus had come to pick us up, Isabela said thoughtfully.

“So the last person to receive the ring was the Empress Dowager, and we don’t know whether she gave that ring to the Empress or not?”

“The Empress Dowager probably still has it.”

I answered calmly.

“Given her personality.”

That made sense, since the age difference between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager was only twenty years.

In other words, when the Empress first arrived, not only the Empress but also the Empress Dowager was at an age to be active in high society.

The Empress Dowager hated having her authority taken away anywhere.

For such a woman to properly handle an Empress who already had the backing of noble families…

‘She must have learned how to use the ring when the Imperial Princess proposed to Leopold’s father and was rejected.’

Otherwise, the Empress Dowager would never have lent the ring to the Imperial Princess, even temporarily.

‘She found out when she got it back.’

The Empress was absolutely obedient to the Empress Dowager.

I had always found that absolute hierarchical relationship strange, but putting the ring into the equation seemed to solve all the mysteries.

‘The Empress Dowager fears becoming a forgotten old woman in the back room most of all. So if possible, she’ll hold onto it until she dies of old age.’

While I remained silent, Isabela quietly rolled her eyes and suggested.

“Let’s think of a few methods. Let’s share opinions about future plans.”

Then Delmia raised her hand first and spoke.

“F-first opinion. How about I charm the Empress Dowager to win her over, then become her adopted daughter and receive the ring?”

Delmia swallowed dryly and continued.

“For reference, there’s the fatal flaw that I’d have to stay with the Empress Dowager continuously until I receive the ring…”

Just thinking about entering the Imperial Palace was horrifying, as Delmia’s hands were trembling.

“I-I’ll even sleep in the same bed with her. Eat meals together too.”

But at this rate, she would obviously faint just from seeing the Crown Prince’s face.

Seeing this, Alpheus stepped forward.

“I’ll give the second opinion. How about the Second Prince stages a coup to seize the Imperial Palace, then I threaten the Empress Dowager and cut off her fingers one by one to find the ring?”

He gave an estimate without hesitation.

“It wouldn’t be difficult. If done well, it might be possible within half a day? The Second Prince has a knight order, and Sears has a knight order too.”

But he added hesitantly, as if something bothered him.

“But in that process, innocent people might get hurt… like court attendants who would be running around in confusion.”

His face showed he didn’t understand historical legitimacy, the problems with coups themselves, or subsequent ruling strategies.

Then Isabela spoke.

“I’ll give the third opinion… I enter as the Crown Prince’s concubine, assassinate all other competitors until I become Crown Princess, and wait 40 years until I inherit the ring.”

Unlike Alpheus, she showed no consideration for innocent other concubines.

“The security for Crown Princess candidates is relatively lax…”

But she sighed deeply and showed a conflicted expression.

“The problem is our father probably can’t live another 40 years… The Northern Region has no heir other than me. All the branch families are dead.”

Sadly, while I was lost in thought for a moment, none of them could offer productive opinions.

To be honest, having met the Empress Dowager quite often, I thought I knew what that ring was. And where it might be.

‘Still, I’d like someone to give me confidence in my guess.’

In this situation, there was exactly one person who fit that description.

“We need to call the Second Prince.”

I said with a sigh.

“It’s too risky to discuss such content in a letter. Princess, you’re acquainted with the Second Prince, aren’t you?”

“Huh? Oh. That’s right. When I was in the Northern Region.”

In the original story, Isabela attended Maximus’s funeral. It meant they knew each other.

“Then we could use that as an excuse to invite him to the townhouse?”

“Well, yes.”

Isabela nodded.

“It would be natural since Marquis Sears is also staying at our house.”

“Yes, good.”

I said gently.

“Then please arrange a meeting with the Second Prince. As quickly as possible.”

The ring aside, I was too curious about the Empress Dowager’s movements.

Originally, when attending the first gathering, seeing the Petanan Count’s Household people affected by poison showed the Empress was moving exactly as expected…

‘The person who openly toyed with me and the Second Prince was the Empress, but she was easy to understand so I wasn’t afraid. Rather, the person I was truly scared of was the Empress Dowager, who had a reputation for being kind…’

The person who subtly kept pushing the Crown Prince on me was the Empress, but the person who actually manipulated me was the Empress Dowager.

Anyway, we learned about the ring’s whereabouts. We achieved the most important goal.

Then Alpheus interjected as if just remembering.

“Oh, right. The Magic Tower contacted us, and the Magic Tower Master sent a reply personally permitting a visit! He asked if tomorrow morning would work?”

It was a faster reply than expected.

I looked at Alpheus and said.

“You can go alone, right? I’m not fifteen yet, so it’s a bit awkward for me to go to the Magic Tower.”

Remembering the Magic Tower Master who looked at me with gleaming eyes made me feel uneasy all over again.

“The Magic Tower seems to be targeting me… Like sending an identical mage to the Northern Region. They seem to covet me since the hydroponic cultivation incident.”

When I muttered this, Alpheus tilted his head and asked.

“But you’re not a mage. You can’t use magic at all?”

“Exactly.”

I nodded seriously.

“That’s the reason I haven’t been dragged away so far. But excuses can be made in various ways, so it’s best to avoid meeting as much as possible.”

“Well, alright.”

Alpheus said cheerfully.

“I don’t want you confined in the Magic Tower either.”

* * *

The next morning.

Alpheus energetically knocked on the Magic Tower’s door alone.

“Hello!”

He didn’t really know proper etiquette, but figured calling out energetically to someone would work.

“I’m Alpheus Sears, scheduled to visit today!”

The door opened wide simultaneously.

“Oh.”

As soon as the door opened, a girl with pink hair braided into twin tails appeared.

Alpheus blinked in surprise for a moment.

“Magic Tower… Master?”

The girl, who only came up to Alpheus’s waist, smiled kindly and said.

“That’s right. It’s me. I was waiting. Come in quickly.”

If Brisa had been there, she would have immediately noticed something was wrong.

It wasn’t ‘normal’ for the incredibly busy Magic Tower Master to pace in front of the Magic Tower’s entrance to personally meet someone.

But Alpheus sensed the seriousness of the situation in a different way.

‘She’s tense.’

Not his mind but his instincts reacted.

‘Her morale is already broken.’

Though this place was far from a battlefield, Alpheus’s senses reacted as sharply as on a battlefield.

‘If war broke out now, the Magic Tower would inevitably lose.’

There was only one target the Magic Tower would wage war against: the group of Dark Mages.

The Magic Tower hadn’t been able to ‘eliminate’ the Dark Mages so far, but had always maintained superiority.

Like how they can’t put all criminals in prison, but always act confident when dealing with them, just like the security guards.

However, right now the Magic Tower Master was intimidated.

No matter how lively an expression he made or how energetically he pretended to walk, Alpheus could sense the particular aura of someone frightened before a fight.

Even the dark circles under his eyes couldn’t hide his fatigue, no matter how young his face was.

Therefore, as soon as Alpheus entered the Magic Tower Master’s room, he asked.

“What’s the matter?”

The lively expression from when he was knocking on the door earlier had already completely disappeared.

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