The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 255

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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, Chapter 60
Ever since Alpheus and Aibella had started their noisy bickering earlier, my mind had been too turbulent to think of Father.
In that frozen moment, Brisa held out her small palm before him.
“Want to try some?”
Puffed rice, white as snow, lay in the cup of her hand.
“This should be fine to eat. It’s light on the stomach, and as you know, there’s barely any of it anyway.”
Leopold looked down at her.
According to Alpheus, she had locked herself away for a long time before finally stepping out into the world. Now that he thought about it, the letters he’d received from Sebon had almost never mentioned where she was going.
“I’m not entirely sure how to—”
Leopold tilted his head slowly in confusion, and just as she’d planned, Brisa brought her hand to his lips with an exasperated tut.
“Properly speaking, puffed rice should be served on a silver platter, dusted with pepper, cut into five pieces with a knife, and dipped in sauce before eating. But since this is an emergency, just chew it.”
Her warmth brushed his lips, and a handful of crisp grains tumbled into his mouth before dissolving in an instant. Had it not been for the faint sweetness lingering on his tongue, he wouldn’t have felt certain he’d eaten anything at all.
“It’s good, isn’t it?”
Brisa looked up at him with a small smile.
Suddenly, Leopold could hold back no longer and blurted out the words.
“I really love you, Brisa.”
“If you have any conscience, you should confess first.”
Six years ago, when he’d heard those words.
He’d sworn to himself that he would confess the moment he returned from Sebon. The feelings he’d already suppressed for so long felt impossible to contain in the moment of reunion.
But even after his return, there had been so much to do that he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Since things had come to this point, he’d decided to confess more grandly—in the most beautiful place, in the finest attire.
Yet in this moment, the feelings bursting forth could be suppressed no longer.
“I love you so much…. You.”
Now they were both wearing the worst quality clothes of their lives, Brisa had just said not to have serious conversations here, and surrounded by crowds in the middle of a night market—
“Truth is, I’ve always loved you. More than anything in the world…….”
But it was something he’d held back for far too long.
Tonight, with his father’s hands at his throat, his mind had turned to Brisa.
He wished he’d at least said it then—that he loved her.
The regret of letting her go without expressing his heart was unbearable.
“And what about me!”
Alpheus, who’d been bickering with Aibella, snapped with an aggrieved voice.
“What about me! Me! What am I lacking!”
“Oh, come on—”
Aibella, unable to contain her anger, drove her elbow into Alpheus’s belly.
“You really know how to get on people’s nerves, you know that?”
That was when the popcorn machine let out another loud *Pop!* and discharged puffed wheat grain.
“Wow, the timing really is the worst.”
Brisa laughed with delight.
Leopold stared at her as though mesmerized. It was the first time he’d seen her laugh so openly and brightly. He thought, perhaps for the first time, Brisa was hearing her own loud, unguarded laughter.
“But…”
She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes as she laughed.
“I think I’ll never forget this…”
In that moment, Leopold decided that this was enough. For he wished the world would stop the instant he heard her laugh like this.
“Even if your heart wanders through hell, once it lingers in heaven, tonight at least it can be deceived into forgetting.”
Hilberry was right. Her side was heaven, and being there made it easy to pretend the hell he always stood upon didn’t exist.
“Wow.”
Silvia scoffed.
“That’s really the worst confession. Not a shred of elegance—eating puffed rice out of nowhere in the middle of the night?”
“I have to agree.”
Leopold nodded seriously.
“The worst part is definitely your being here.”
“Well, I suppose there’s no need to ask if you’re prepared to be teased about this for the rest of your life.”
Yet this was the first moment in his life when he’d acted on pure impulse.
“No.”
Brisa, whose laughter had abruptly stopped, shook her head.
“This is a truly wonderful confession.”
With children grabbing puffed rice in the background, she spoke with utmost seriousness.
“Historically speaking, the hallmark of memorable romantic confessions is that something must be sacrificed—usually material wealth. But tell me, no matter how much gold Leopold spent on his confession, could that truly be called a sacrifice? Gems, dresses, fine restaurants, lands, mines… even if he poured all of these upon me, it wouldn’t make a dent in the Nogen Vice Duke’s fortune.”
Even Alpheus listened, captivated, to Brisa’s lecture.
“But today Leopold sacrificed honor, dignity, refinement, prestige, propriety, status, cultivation, and virtue—all of it, in front of everyone.”
Leopold decided in that moment that Brisa was the worst person here.
“I never thought Leopold would sacrifice even one of these things in his entire life, yet today, for me, he abandoned them all in an instant. I’m deeply moved. Thank you truly, Leopold.”
Brisa was entirely sincere, but Aibella and Silvia had begun giggling uncontrollably, holding their bellies.
“Oh no… I haven’t even had beer and I feel drunk… Have they lost their minds…?”
“I won’t be drinking beer today. Because if I get drunk and forget to write today’s events in my diary, that would be a disaster. I’ll write it in great detail so I can give it to my niece as a gift for her tenth birthday.”
Another loud *Pop!* sounded from behind.
“Besides, I’ve always been quick to read situations, so I was confident Leopold’s confession wouldn’t surprise me—yet I genuinely didn’t see it coming at all. I was quite taken aback, actually. Isn’t that a sign of success?”
“Ah, really? Success? You call it success?”
Alpheus, clearly not understanding everything, flicked the white puffed rice into the air.
“Well then, congrats to youuuu!”
In the shower of falling puffed rice like snow, Brisa’s expression turned stern.
“Don’t play around with food.”
It had been a joyful night.
“Come on, let’s play all night and sleep at my baron’s estate!”
Silvia exclaimed.
“You’re not planning to go home, are you? Let’s stay up all night and wake up together around lunch tomorrow!”
True to Silvia’s word, they spent that night at the Baron Estate.
The next day, when they woke late in the morning.
Everyone gathered in the dining room for a late breakfast, their faces puffy.
“About that snake ring I mentioned.”
Aibella spoke first.
“I still have it safe, but when should I destroy it?”
“I was actually planning to visit Rudolph Village.”
Brisa said.
“There seems to be something there, so Leopold and I are planning to go together. I’ll explain afterward.”
“Is that so? Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter to me, but…”
Aibella nodded.
“You’ll have to wait until spring then. The Northern Region isn’t fit to visit in winter. And Rudolph Village is so remote besides.”
This was expected. Before, she’d had to wait until spring to meet Centauros.
“There’s no help for it. We’ll wait.”
Brisa answered casually, then turned her head toward Alpheus.
“By the way, there’s something I’d like to cultivate at the Sears Marquis Territory…”
At those words, everyone’s eyes widened. Alpheus grew excited first, gripping his fork tightly as he asked.
“What? What do you want to plant where? You can grow anything, Brisa!”
Leopold found the situation somewhat unusual. Because if Brisa had wanted to cultivate something, she could have started anytime.
Could it be related to the change of heart Alpheus had spoken of yesterday?
“Yes. I hesitated a lot, but I’ve decided to go ahead with it. And right now is the perfect time…”
That was when.
“Excuse me for intruding.”
Baron Forman rushed into the dining room.
He addressed Alpheus, who held the highest rank among them.
“I have urgent news for everyone.”
Leopold’s brow furrowed slightly. Baron Forman’s expression was grave. It was clear something unexpected had occurred.
“An obituary notice for Duke Dibostane has just arrived.”
In that instant, everyone’s expression froze.
The Eastern Region had been locked in a fierce succession dispute, yet it had remained relatively quiet because Duke Dibostane had remained strong. But the surprising news did not end there.
“His will is to be announced at the Cardipol Trading Company.”
Duke Dibostane was still relatively young and had no chronic illness. Therefore, little was known of his will.
Yet considering the venue was the Cardipol Trading Company, one could roughly guess whose interests the contents would favor.
“Furthermore, Duke Dibostane’s lawyer, in accordance with his wishes, has designated the following witnesses to observe the will reading…”
Baron Forman rolled his eyes as he spoke carefully.
“Brisa Sears, representing the First Five Families, and Maximus, His Highness the Second Prince, representing the Imperial Family.”

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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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