The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 164
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 164
Brisa blinked her eyes for a moment as if flustered.
Then she quickly grabbed his left hand with her right hand.
“Let’s go.”
Brisa moved her steps without looking at his face.
“Go.”
Leopold barely swallowed the words ‘I didn’t say to hold hands’ and suppressed his laughter. Because Brisa’s ears were burning red.
The tranquil garden where only the sound of insects could be heard, the music coming from afar, the summer night with stars twinkling faintly in the sky, the girl’s hair tickling his shoulder, the shyly held hand.
In stark contrast to just moments ago when he had been chattering excitedly in front of her, he couldn’t say a word.
Because he didn’t want to forget even a single breath of this moment.
Brisa cleared her throat once, seemingly awkward, and said a word.
“How does it feel to be dragged around unreasonably by a girl two years younger?”
“Well.”
Leopold barely shrugged his shoulders and replied.
“I was lucky.”
He readjusted her hand and intertwined their fingers.
“It’s really not an easy experience, considering the destination is the men’s restroom. Didn’t I mention? I’ve become an experientialist since earlier.”
In the meantime, they arrived at the restroom among the grass.
Indeed, looking around, there was no one there.
“Come on, let’s go.”
Brisa took a deep breath once and then entered the men’s restroom with Leopold.
She didn’t complain ‘I’m even visiting the men’s restroom because of you,’ but Leopold vowed never to forget this favor.
Brisa quietly held out the cloth bag, and Leopold went into the innermost stall to take off his clothes and neatly fold them into the bag.
‘Experientialist canceled.’
He changed his life philosophy in just a few minutes.
‘This really would have been an experience I’d rather not have had.’
When he carefully opened the door and peeked out with just his eyes, Brisa, who had been waiting anxiously, quickly said.
“Come out, doggy. In small form.”
At the same time, his vision dropped with a whoosh.
As he was fidgeting behind the bag with his clothes, Brisa quickly lifted out his now-small body.
“…How cute.”
She smiled softly and picked up the bag containing his clothes.
Fortunately, it was midsummer so the clothes were light.
“I’ll leave this here. Most people won’t come in, but even if someone discovers it, they probably won’t touch it since it’s a children’s bag for girls.”
After leaving the clothes in the men’s restroom, she attached a paper that read ‘Out of Order’ that she had prepared in advance to the door. Then she picked him up.
“Come on, let’s go.”
* * *
I safely entered the banquet hall with the small wolf-dog.
Fortunately, no one seemed to notice. Because Harrison was capturing everyone’s attention in the vicinity.
‘If it’s this chaotic with just Harrison, it would have been pandemonium if Delmia had come.’
Delmia had said she would attend the banquet if she could be of help, but since just seeing the Imperial Palace caused her breathing difficulties, I personally dissuaded her.
“Sister, if you casually say even one word like ‘I find this kind of occasion difficult’ there, the banquet will end right on the spot. So no.”
Because it was obvious that even the musicians would immediately throw down their instruments.
Besides, I didn’t want her to catch the Crown Prince’s eye either.
‘Well, Harrison alone is enough.’
Silvia and Alpheus were also near Harrison, but people weren’t paying them much attention.
Isabela and Duke Backhun, who were the protagonists of this banquet, were having conversations with other nobles in a completely different area.
It was the right choice since their dignity as protagonists would immediately disappear if they were near Harrison.
When I went out to the terrace holding the small wolf-dog, only Alpheus, who wasn’t enchanted by Harrison, approached with difficulty breathing.
“It’s him! Wolf-dog’s cousin! He looks exactly like Wolf-dog when he was little!”
Well, of course, since it’s the same per… no, the same dog…
“Wow, he’s really cute.”
Alpheus took the small wolf-dog and kept petting him.
“Wolf-dog had times like this too.”
At least on the terrace, we could be with pets, so that was fortunate. The Empress keeping a cat couldn’t have been more fortunate.
Of course, that cat would hate this kind of place terribly… But that wasn’t important to the Empress.
Today we were going to be incredibly busy.
“Brisa, what’s his name? Hm?”
“Baureliandugius.”
“…Huh, what? Baur… what?”
“It means ‘noble and elegant being’ in Riente.”
It was a name I had thought about quite a bit.
I even used a foreign language because I was worried it might overlap with Leopold’s ancestors again.
But Wolf-dog, who had become Baureliandugius, didn’t look very satisfied. I had a feeling I’d get an earful later.
I kept glancing toward the Empress Dowager, and when the people trying to greet her decreased a little, I stood up abruptly.
“Ba, what was it?”
“Baureliandugius, I said.”
“Badogi… what?”
“Practice the pronunciation. I’m going to greet the Empress Dowager.”
“Huh?”
“It’s proper etiquette to greet her first. I’ll leave Baureliandugius here for now.”
“Huh? Oh… I’ll take good care of Baduk.”
I was horrified by the baseless abbreviation.
But since the operation had already begun, I didn’t have the luxury to criticize even that.
I made eye contact with Baureliandugius once, then left the terrace and re-entered the banquet hall.
At the front of the banquet hall was a special section made for the imperial family.
On a high platform where the entire banquet hall could be seen, the chairs and tables were delicately carved with black birds symbolizing the first Emperor Daxion Bebiano.
The Empress Dowager and Empress, the Crown Prince and Maximus, and the rest of the imperial family including Anais were all seated there.
The Emperor had quietly disappeared with Hilberry earlier. So I headed straight to the Empress Dowager.
Indeed, on the Empress Dowager’s ring finger was a winding snake-shaped ring. And the moment I saw that ring, I could be certain once again.
‘Right. That’s definitely it.’
The snake was the symbol of Riente.
When she was alive, Mother always showed me snake patterns.
On the tail of the thick snake with shining red eyes, ‘Riente’ was carved in ancient Riente script.
‘It’s the kind of ring the Queen of Riente would have worn 800 years ago.’
Maximus didn’t show any particular sign of recognition when he saw me.
I didn’t give him any attention either, but just from his relaxed expression, I could tell ‘that ring is the one.’
Behind the Empress Dowager, Valerie raised her eyebrows.
I bowed politely in front of the Empress Dowager.
“Brisa of Sears greets the Empire’s mother, the Empress Dowager.”
“Ah, Brisa.”
The Empress Dowager’s eyes curved gently.
“It’s been a long time. Have you been well?”
It had been a year.
Until before Academy graduation, I was often called to gatherings with her and the Empress.
The Empress was the one who played with me like a toy, but I was always more afraid of the Empress Dowager.
The old woman who just smiled silently from behind and watched the Empress’s misdeeds.
It wasn’t just me – everyone would subtly watch the Empress Dowager’s mood.
“This old woman has often missed you.”
The Empress Dowager spoke kindly in a whisper.
My body instinctively shrank back for a moment.
The Empress Dowager’s face, which I hadn’t seen in a long time…
‘She’s pale? Is it because we’re inside the banquet hall?’
Her bright red lips looked out of place against her bleached white face.
She continued speaking softly.
“I was delighted to hear rumors that you’ve been active in various regions with your knowledge.”
The Empress Dowager rested her chin on her hand and lifted the corners of her red lips.
Her fingers and wrists, adorned with multiple rings and bracelets, were as white as her face.
“I thought to myself, ‘As expected of the child I’ve cherished for so long’…”
Her tone was slow and affectionate, almost sweet in a way.
“I’ve been wanting to hear those stories anyway… Would you tell me in detail today? I’ve already prepared a seat next to me for you.”
Refusing here wasn’t within my authority. In cases like this, there was only one possible answer.
“It would be an honor…”
That’s when it happened.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————