The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 254

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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 59
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Brisa’s curiosity about the brewery was genuine beyond question.
She listened intently to the proprietor’s explanation, observing every detail. One thing in particular caught her eye.
“What is that?”
Along one wall stood a massive cylinder made of thick iron, unlike the other barrels.
“It’s an experimental vessel for beer production… one of our failed attempts.”
The owner answered sheepishly.
The lid was secured with multiple iron locks, and a small valve for releasing pressure was mounted on one side.
“We commissioned a blacksmith to try both distillation and heating together for a new beer recipe, but it nearly exploded several times. We don’t use it anymore.”
Brisa stared at the contraption intently. Then, a mischievous smile played across her face as she asked.
“Could I borrow this?”
“Of course. Though it does have a high chance of bursting…”
“I’ll be careful. It’s not like I’m actually going to make beer.”
“Then… what will you make?”
“Nothing special. Do you have some properly dried barley grains around here?”
For a brewery, that was naturally available.
Brisa ordered them to place the iron cylinder over the hearth, then picked up a handful of barley grains.
“Um… these are just barley grains…”
“I have eyes too.”
Leopold and the rest of her party couldn’t begin to fathom what Brisa was doing, but they watched her in silence.
Without a word, Brisa briefly opened the lid of the heated iron cylinder and dropped a few barley grains inside.
At first, there was no sound. But moments later.
Pop. Pop-pop. Pop-pop-pop.
Fine crackling sounds came from within. The barley grains were cooking inside.
After a moment, Brisa instructed Alpheus to crack the valve open just slightly.
That instant.
With a sound like “Whoosh!”, white steam burst out sharply and the air trembled.
Something light as snow shot through the opening.
“Wow! It’s like popcorn!”
Silvia cried out in delight.
“That’s amazing! This is barley, right?”
A single barley grain had swollen to more than twice its size. Its rough surface had split and turned white, and it felt so light it seemed ready to crumble at the slightest touch.
“I think we should call it popped grain snack.”
Brisa held out one of the puffed grains to Alpheus as she spoke.
Alpheus promptly tossed it into his mouth and marveled.
“Wow? It’s crispy and delicious! Different from popcorn though.”
“The grain is different.”
Brisa shrugged.
“It’s a simple, novel snack, isn’t it?”
Leopold suddenly remembered something.
“People have actually been looking for you constantly. Asking if you had another simple, novel snack.”
When Silvia had mentioned this earlier, Brisa had listened carefully.
“Seeing that pressurized container reminded me that grains could be eaten this way. You can pop wheat or rice too. It would be fun, wouldn’t it?”
Isabela’s curiosity was piqued as well, and she began sampling the popped barley.
Leopold, however, remained standing still—not because he disliked barley, but because something felt unresolved. Recognizing this, no one offered him any of the snack.
“This would be perfect to set up on the street!”
The brewery owner, unaware of the tensions, grew excited.
“A snack that pops into being with that sound, isn’t it?”
“That would be fun!”
Alpheus was equally enthusiastic.
“Let’s take it to the street!”
And so the useless hunk of scrap iron was transformed into a popping grain machine.
“We can pop rice too? I think we have some rice around… let me bring it along to the street!”
With tremendous strength, Alpheus hoisted the popping grain machine onto his shoulder effortlessly.
Once they brought the machine to the street, people gathered again in a crowd.
“Could you ask the blacksmith to make another one just like this?”
Brisa asked the brewery owner urgently. It was clear she wanted to bring one to Sears.
“Why didn’t I think of this sooner… The children would love it if we had this on Jezel Street.”
She murmured genuinely rueful.
“We could glaze it with honey and harden it into brittle candy too…”
As they moved toward the street, Isabela was teasing Alpheus.
“So you’ve decided to forgive Leopold? You approve of the engagement?”
“Well, what can I do if I don’t approve?”
Alpheus sighed deeply.
“Because… I was being petty, I suppose, but I have to admit the fellow is a decent fiancé for Brisa.”
Leopold was quite taken aback. For one thing, being called “the fellow” felt awkward and uncomfortable.
Alpheus looked at Leopold and spoke.
“That birthday party you arranged was superb. And for you to endure this disaster in silence, concealing it while your heart was breaking, all so that our Brisa could enjoy herself with the people dear to her… it was like looking at myself.”
Then Brisa cut in coldly.
“Why insult the very person you’re trying to praise? Is that how badly you want to break the engagement? How can you say something so insulting outright? At this point, I wouldn’t even object if you gave me an annulment letter.”
Isabela nodded quickly in agreement.
“No matter how much Leopold, absolutely, really, terribly doesn’t suit you—that was too harsh.”
“It’s not like I dislike him that much!”
Alpheus and Isabela began bickering back and forth.
Meanwhile, Leopold finally turned to Silvia and clicked his tongue, saying.
“I instructed people to keep security, and you just blurt everything out to Brisa like that?”
But it wasn’t Silvia who answered him—it was Brisa.
“I’m not ‘people.'”
Leopold felt as though he’d been struck on the head by Brisa’s response.
She was right. Officially, Brisa was not among those others.
“No matter how much you treat me as an outsider, that’s not how others see it.”
“Brisa, ‘treating you as an outsider’?”
“It’s true. Silvia gets your honesty—the way you speak plainly to her—but you never gave that to me.”
Alpheus and Isabela had stopped their quarrel and were now watching Leopold and Brisa, both chiming in at the same time.
“Oh, is this where the real conflict begins? Our Brisa’s got some serious firepower, hasn’t she?”
“The Grand Duke of Nogen won’t stand a chance from the opening.”
The two of them shared something in common: they had both lived through a time that was far from aristocratic. That shared history created a powerful synergy before this spectacle.
“Look, I just…”
Leopold sighed heavily.
“I just wanted you to be completely happy for today.”
It was a sincere statement, and Alpheus grew so moved his voice trembled as he murmured.
“Fellow, I understand your heart… we’ve finally become one in front of Brisa…”
“That sounds like something Brisa would really hate.”
Isabela shuddered and made a comment. Silvia was giggling hysterically beside her.
Brisa finally spoke in an irritated tone.
“Don’t have any serious conversations right now. It’s too chaotic.”
By then they had arrived on the street and the popping grain machine was set up.
Alpheus shouted excitedly.
“Look at this!”
As the proprietor began heating the machine, he poured rice grains in—too many, Brisa realized, widening her eyes.
Sure enough, with a sound like “Whoosh!”, puffed white rice burst across the street.
Popped grains settled like snow on Alpheus’s hair, hitting him full force.
“Ahahahahaha!”
Isabela burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“Hahahahahaha!”
“Don’t laugh so hard! Do it again! You stand over there! This time let’s try wheat grains!”
Watching this scene unfold, Leopold was suddenly caught off guard. Without realizing it, he was laughing. Not long after they had reburied his father.

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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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