The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 231

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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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Part 2, Episode 36
“Oh, is that so?”
Alpheus accepted the letter with a smirk.
“Must be for Brisa’s twentieth birthday party?”
The Empire recognized adulthood from age twenty onward. And Brisa’s birthday was drawing near.
After arriving at the Sears Marquis Territory, Alpheus had received a secret report from Masa while Brisa slept.
“Lord Marquis, we’ve actually been preparing something in secret among ourselves.”
Masa spoke with shining eyes.
“The young lady’s coming-of-age party will be held in the Western Region. She has no idea whatsoever. The Grand Duke’s Residence is preparing it as a complete surprise, in the most lavish style imaginable.”
“A birthday party? Something like a formal reception?”
“Not quite that…. The young lady dislikes formal receptions. It’s simply a gathering where everyone who loves the young lady comes together to celebrate her.”
I could guess why Brisa had come to dislike formal receptions.
“In any case, Lord Marquis is aware now. Valerie is overseeing the arrangements, so please direct any inquiries to her.”
After the few days spent on building the kelp farm in the Eastern Region, it would be precisely Brisa’s birthday.
Alpheus hummed to himself as he opened the letter.
Grand Duke Nogen’s letter was indeed brief—his grandson had returned alive rather than dead, and he wished to use this birthday party as the occasion to publicly reinforce and announce the betrothal more firmly.
“What? Why didn’t he do that sooner?”
Alpheus, ignorant of the complexities of high society’s calculations, scratched the back of his head.
“Otherwise, stupid kids like Gillab might harbor false hope….”
[A somewhat troublesome matter has arisen within the Western Region, so Leopold will be temporarily absent, though he should be able to rejoin us shortly.]
I’d already been wondering why Leopold vanished just like that when he was supposed to stay glued to Brisa’s side once he returned.
[My confidence in security was assured before the Marquis’s return…. I earnestly ask that you take care to ensure that Brisa learns nothing of this under any circumstances.]
Distrust of Alpheus’s conduct and speech was evident throughout the Grand Duke’s letter.
“Really, Your Grace worries about unnecessary things!”
Alpheus smiled and folded the letter, stuffing it into his pocket.
Meanwhile, Masa and Wendy were engaged in a heated debate beside him.
“Let’s wager on it. Will Princess Isabela attend the birthday party or not?”
“I’m betting she won’t. The princess values her life too.”
“I think she’ll come. Won’t she be at Valerie’s side?”
5. The Butterfly Effect
As I stepped through the Warp, the cool sea breeze brushed against me.
“Welcome.”
Russell was waiting at the Warp’s entrance.
“Thank you so much. I hardly know how to repay this kindness….”
I answered the white-haired old man directly.
“Kelp will suffice as repayment.”
After exchanging a few words, we all made our way to Russell’s estate.
Looking out the carriage window at the territory, I could see it had been organized considerably in just a week.
Well-maintained fishing vessels lined up in neat rows, and the once-chaotic roads were undergoing repairs.
“It’s all thanks to Sears.”
Russell said.
“But truly, I’m grateful that you’ve heard our shameless request once again. Petro should have come out to greet you, but he has a guest at the moment….”
I nodded in acknowledgment.
“Yes, I heard. Leah is visiting, isn’t she?”
The Johnston Count’s House was a family of considerable standing in the Eastern Region.
It was no accident that Leah had competed with me—someone of First Five Families stock—all the way to the end for Leopold’s fiancée position.
Though her noble rank wasn’t particularly high, the Johnston Territory was the place the Eastern Region claimed as the site where the Oath of the First Five Families was sworn.
Remembering what the Seldoche Plains—which the Western Region claims as the true site of the oath—means to westerners gave me a sense of how proudly easterners must regard the Johnston Territory.
“Is Leah still as lively as ever?”
At my question, Jerdian shook his head.
“Hard to say. She seems troubled by something, though I can’t claim to know details. Truth be told, the Johnston Territory’s circumstances aren’t particularly good these days.”
He explained methodically.
“It turns out they’d placed deep connections with the deposed Crown Prince’s faction. They invested heavily in his political funds, and it all collapsed completely—now they’re in dire straits. They tried to achieve food self-sufficiency like Sears did, planting rice a few years back, but that failed entirely.”
“Rice?”
“Yes. That far south, rice is typically the staple food.”
I barely suppressed a hollow laugh.
Though the Johnston Count’s House was classified as Eastern because it bordered the sea, it sat at the Eastern Region’s southernmost edge—actually farther south than most of the Southern Region proper.
Precisely speaking, it was in the Coastal Mountain Region, a place perpetually hot and humid.
I could understand why they chose rice, but unlike other southern territories, Johnston’s mountainous terrain meant poor water drainage and shallow soil—altogether unsuitable for rice cultivation.
“Even the mine development, which had been thriving until ten years ago, is doing poorly now…. Truthfully, their situation is quite difficult.”
Hearing this stirred an odd feeling in me.
Ten years ago, during my Academy days, Leah was a far more confident girl than I was.
Wealthy, from an excellent family, with the vibrant personality and unguarded manner of a beloved youngest child….
Back then, I chose to avoid her in order to keep from becoming intimidated. But now it seemed her circumstances had become difficult….
Some strange emotion made me hold my tongue.
Something about this situation didn’t sit right.
I still maintained my position as Leopold’s fiancée, and Sears had stabilized beyond all comparison to those days.
‘Is this sympathy?’
For a moment, I nearly slapped my own cheek.
Sympathy! Pity!
‘I’ve caught Alpheus’s infection. I’ve contracted his good-hearted protagonist disease. After lurking in my system all this time, the symptoms are finally starting to show.’
This was a very serious problem.
‘What do I do? I need to nip this in the bud. Should I go meet Gillab or someone to re-educate myself in misanthropy?’
Lost in panicked thought, the carriage arrived at Russell’s estate.
The coachman spoke carefully.
“Um, the main gate is currently under repair work. I’ll have you descend at the rear gate instead.”
The estate was spending its new income on repairs just like everyone else.
But the moment I stepped out the door at the rear gate—
“You heard Leopold came back, right? I contacted him immediately.”
Despite years having passed since graduation, Leah’s voice pierced my ears at once.
“Leopold is apparently at his parents’ grave right now, so my letter didn’t reach him. I’m planning to go west once he returns and sends his reply. You know I almost became Leopold’s fiancée? My conversation will flow better with him than with you.”
I lit up and walked toward the source of the voice.
Behind the garden’s trees, Leah was throwing these words at Petro.
“Until then, I have no choice but to stay here. So don’t tell me to leave until Leopold’s reply comes in. It’s not like I’m here because I want to be.”
I let out a relieved breath and thought to myself.
‘Oh, thank goodness….’
My protagonist disease was cured on the spot.
‘I won’t need to meet Gillab after all.’
Watching Leah, trembling with her fists clenched in fury, I reclaimed my true identity.
Leah was no longer pitiful to me. I still had no idea why she was even here, though.
Just then, Petro suddenly turned around. He seemed to sense my presence.
“…Brisa?”
At the same moment, Leah too caught sight of me and started visibly.
“What? The little one’s grown up already!”
“Little one” was truly an insulting term. It was fortunate I’d draped myself in the most dazzling jewelry Valerie had given me.
I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow.
“Hello. It’s been a while.”

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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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