The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 25
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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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Chapter 25
Anyway, it was time to return now. Leopold would also need to clean up the scene further.
I briefly greeted Leopold and bowed my head to Baron Forman as well.
“Baron Forman, it was an honor to meet you.”
Then Baron Forman firmly grasped my hand. After that, he fixed his sparkling eyes on me and said.
“When all this chaos is over, please come to the Western Region.”
He added with an earnest face.
“I’ll host a banquet in Forman.”
“I’ll be waiting for the invitation card.”
I answered gracefully.
With that, the simple farewell was over.
It was just as I waved once to Leopold and was about to turn around.
“Don’t worry. Those who target your life are also enemies of Nogen.”
Leopold said in a low voice.
“Everything will be fine.”
I nodded briefly.
While heading toward the warp, I could feel his gaze from behind.
‘Did I do well?’
I thought while blinking my eyes.
‘Was I natural?’
It was always something I worried about after talking with Leopold.
‘Did I seem… normal? Was it the same as how I treat other people?’
My heart was pounding.
It seemed I needed to hurry back and eat some bread to calm this feeling.
Eventually, my memory returned to five years ago, to the time of my engagement ceremony.
* * *
My engagement ceremony was held magnificently.
As it was a long-awaited engagement within the First Five Families, people from all five of the Empire’s Merit Families gathered at the engagement venue.
The Empire has five great houses that are the Founding Contributors.
The Divostan Duke House of the Eastern Region.
The House Nogen of the Western Region.
The Naisar Marquis House of the Southern Region.
The Bakahn Duke House of the Northern Region.
And the House of Sears of the Central Region.
My fiancé also belonged to the Five Great Houses.
The engagement ceremony was so grand that most members of the Five Great Houses attended.
In fact, there was one more family among them that was a high noble house in name only, like Sears.
The Bakahn Duke House completely lost its dominion one year after the engagement ceremony.
However, no matter how different their current status was from each other, all five families had shared the Empire’s history and origins together.
“Hahaha, how long has it been since we all gathered in one place like this?”
My father, Marquis Sears, got thoroughly drunk that day.
“It truly feels like we’re enjoying the old glory of our ancestors again!”
His face was already red, but he kept emptying his wine glass. At that rate, he seemed like he might join his ancestors soon.
The Five Great Houses were said to have contributed with amazing special abilities during the founding of the nation.
However, only two families had their special abilities continue through their direct lineage to this day.
The Eastern Divostan Duke House’s 【Nullification】, which could neutralize curses or status ailments.
And the Western Nogen Ducal House’s 【Air Strike】, which could split the air to make physical attacks.
The rest had disappeared in the passage of time.
Sears’ special ability was said to have been 【Taming】. Of course, it had vanished from the family tree without anyone knowing when.
No one knew exactly what kind of ability it was anymore.
“Brisa.”
Mother whispered beside me.
“You need to straighten your back more.”
Seven-year-old me straightened my back with all my might.
Mother had made tremendous efforts to make this engagement happen.
She had pulled in countless amounts of money for behind-the-scenes work. To spread my reputation to my fiancé’s family.
The daughter born to the last princess of Riente. Clever from a young age, pretty and gentle…
She made sure rumors like these spread throughout the entire Empire.
And one more thing.
“Marquis Sears’ Wife is not insane. It’s all false rumors spread by those Sebon bastards.”
“She’s the only remaining bloodline of Riente, so how much would they want to tear her down?”
It was to suppress the rumors about Mother’s madness.
That’s how Mother purchased people’s word of mouth.
Even Father, who had been watching with indifference while clicking his tongue saying it was all pointless, couldn’t keep his mouth shut once the engagement ceremony date was set.
“R-really? That engagement really came to fruition?”
The engagement ceremony was held at Lake Beas. It was Imperial Family land that the Emperor had briefly lent out, saying it was an engagement between the First Five Families.
He even provided a cruise ship for boating, telling them to strengthen their bonds after a long time.
Since there were many young children, boating was a better schedule than a banquet in many ways.
After the lunch banquet ended, everyone boarded the ship.
“Brisa.”
Mother spoke to me affectionately.
“If you feel seasick, let me know. I brought some sleeping medicine. There’s no better remedy for seasickness than sleep.”
“Yes.”
Having grown up in the Central Region, I had never been on a ship before. It was also my first time seeing such a vast lake.
The ship glided toward the water’s edge.
“Wow!”
“It’s truly beautiful. Oh my, look at those birds over there.”
People gathered in small groups along the railings to admire the scenery. I was no exception.
Father went into the ship cabin with several other nobles and started playing cards.
Mother whispered softly beside me.
“Brisa, everything was good, but…”
This meant she was about to mention the things that weren’t so good.
“‘Delfoven’ is a place name from the Western Region. So you need to draw out the ‘fo’ sound longer.”
“Yes. I’ll be careful.”
“And when you’re with people from the Southern Region, you should unfold your napkin to the right.”
“I’m sorry. I remember now.”
Still, it was a good day. Both Mother and Father seemed to be in good spirits.
The maids were all happy about ‘this engagement’ too.
Even though I was meeting my fiancé’s family and my fiancé himself for the first time today… Even though I hadn’t really conversed much with them…
The food was delicious, the sky was clear, and the sunlight was lovely.
“Now, everyone please gather on the deck in 10 minutes.”
As I was watching the sunlight sparkling on the waves, I heard a voice enhanced with voice amplification magic.
“We will begin the prize drawing.”
At those words, Mother smiled elegantly.
“That sounds fun. Don’t you think so, Brisa?”
“Yes.”
I nodded while taking out the ticket I had received during the lunch banquet.
“I hope I get a doll.”
“How cute.”
Mother’s green eyes curved warmly.
Today, Mother was perfect.
It had been a really long time since she attended a social gathering, but there was nothing to criticize about her every movement and conversation skills. Everyone was making jokes saying ‘As expected of Princess Riente.’
“Let’s meet often, Marchioness. If you’re such an elegant person, I’d like to ask for guidance for my daughter as well.”
“Indeed. Why don’t you come out to social gatherings more often? Next time, you must come visit the Eastern Region.”
My anxious feelings throughout seemed pointless.
The maids had been restless for days too, but they comforted me saying ‘It’s not nighttime, so it should be fine.’
“The symptoms usually appear at night… Since Princess left Riente Kingdom at night, she seems to keep returning to that night when she departed on that ship.”
“That’s right. So as long as it’s not nighttime, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. She’s always been fine during the day, hasn’t she?”
Indeed, since it wasn’t nighttime, everything felt natural.
The maids were positioned at a distance where they could come if I called for them.
Though they hadn’t said anything, they had been extremely tense, but now they were certainly relieved.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been on a boat.”
Mother murmured while gazing at the distant waves.
“Really a long time…”
As far as I knew, Mother hadn’t been on a boat since getting married. Usually, we were always confined within the Marquis Manor.
I was quietly admiring the lake scenery when I saw a large bird catching fish.
“Oh my goodness!”
I cried out and quickly covered my mouth. My voice had been too loud. I was sure Mother would scold me severely.
“Is something wrong?”
Just then, a black-haired boy who was passing by raised his eyebrows and approached.
It was the nine-year-old boy, Leopold Nogen.
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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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