The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 261

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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 66
But I nodded composedly.
“Yes, I remember.”
In fact, I’d seen this card frequently at the Empress Dowager’s gatherings. It was a rather famous foreign product, so I could tell at a glance it wasn’t from the Eastern Region.
If that was the case, then “Eastern Region” was a cipher, and “the shop went under” meant “he’s dead.” So “the defunct shop in the Eastern Region” referred to the Duke of Divostan.
Then the derivatives from the card—1, 2, 3—must correspond to his first, second, and third sons respectively.
“So we just need to lay down simultaneously the card we think is the best hand, right?”
“Precisely. Hoping that shop will be well-managed again……”
The best hand one could choose to ensure the shop would be well-managed.
In other words, whichever of the three sons we believed most suited to be heir.
We laid down one card simultaneously from those we held.
I chose Club 3; Maximus chose Diamond 3.
“I expected as much……”
Seeing the result, Maximus raised his eyebrows.
“Our thoughts align.”
I shrugged as I replied.
“There were never any good hands to begin with, so this is the best we could manage.”
“True enough.”
Maximus let out a soft laugh and clicked his tongue.
“When you’re dealt such poor cards, what can you do? You pick the least bad from what you have.”
He shook his head in self-deprecation as he continued.
“But this hand is quite tricky to play. It’s not suited for offense at all, for one.”
“Even so, I drew it out.”
I pulled the two cards marked with 3 toward myself as I spoke.
“I’ll show you soon enough.”
At those words, Maximus’s eyes gleamed.
“If Brisa is such an exceptional player, I can’t disappoint you either. Feel free to expect something worthwhile.”
We hadn’t exchanged a single message all this time. Yet we’d managed nearly all essential communication.
Alpheus blinked vacantly with a face that said “I haven’t the faintest idea.” Maximus turned his gaze to him with a cheerful laugh.
“What an honor to play cards with you, Brisa. Shall we begin in earnest now?”
Maximus began shuffling all the cards.
“By the way, I prefer quick play. Alpheus, I apologize, but this is directed at you. Last time I noticed you hesitated for quite some time before playing your cards.”
“Don’t worry, Your Highness! That was just me pretending to think more deeply than Harrison does!”
Just then, a man who appeared to be a butler entered.
While Maximus gathered up the cards, the butler bowed respectfully to us and spoke.
“I shall escort you, Young Lady Brisa and His Highness the Second Prince, to the Conference Room as designated observers.”
“Hey.”
Alpheus pleaded with a forlorn look in his eyes.
“Can’t I come too?”
“I apologize. Entry is restricted to authorized observers only.”
I knew this would happen.
I nodded once and handed Alpheus his overcoat, speaking as I did.
“Just wait here.”
“You mean I don’t have to wear this? You said it was cold.”
“You can’t observe the reading of the will dressed like that. Besides, you have your own part to play.”
I had indeed given Alpheus instructions beforehand. He nodded reluctantly.
“Right……”
Taking the coat, Alpheus turned his head toward Maximus.
“Then please look after Brisa, Your Highness.”
“There’s no question of it. From this very moment, I promise to stand in your place.”
With that, he suddenly removed his own overcoat.
“The corridor will be even colder—wear this for now.”
I flinched for a moment.
‘Isn’t that excessive kindness? Why is he…?’
It wasn’t strictly necessary courtesy. And not in front of Baekgu, either. Yet if he was standing in for Alpheus, I had no grounds to refuse in this situation.
I put on his overcoat and offered my thanks.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. On this continent, the only thing truly special to me is Sears alone.”
I felt a sudden, profound dissonance.
‘Wasn’t that an excessive remark? Why would he…?’
Meanwhile, Alpheus was deeply moved.
“Your Highness……. Indeed, you haven’t forgotten your war comrade. Why, we’ve even shared our innermost secrets……”
“My, there’s some error in your memory, it seems.”
Maximus sobered.
“We didn’t share that.”
I rose quietly, still wearing Maximus’s overcoat and cradling Baekgu.
As the butler’s gaze settled on Baekgu, I made my face as innocent as possible.
“Would it be alright if he came along? This child becomes quite anxious when separated from me, so I’ll need to keep holding him. He’s obedient and intelligent, so he’ll cause absolutely no trouble.”
Baekgu let out a whimper, performing with all his might.
The butler hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“Very well.”
“And I’m feeling a bit chilled. Could you raise the temperature in the Conference Room? I’d prefer to proceed once I’m warmer.”
“Of course.”
We waited until the Conference Room was sufficiently warm, then followed the butler at a leisurely pace.
From the Reception Room, Alpheus waved forlornly as we departed.
As we walked down a long corridor that seemed transplanted from Duke Divostan’s Estate, Maximus spoke to me.
“Your dress suits you beautifully today. You coordinated the color with Marquis Sears, didn’t you?”
Compliments on one’s appearance were little different from social pleasantries. So I answered without conviction.
“Thank you for the compliment. You look splendid as well, Your Highness.”
In fact, he was dressed in formal uniform for the first time in ages. Maximus ordinarily preferred comfortable clothing, unlike Leopold, who was always in uniform.
“It’s not my preferred attire, but on the day of a will reading, one must observe proper decorum, shouldn’t one?”
At that moment, Maximus’s brow furrowed slightly. Then he continued slowly.
“Long ago, when I was still a boy……. At the Empress Dowager’s receptions, I always showed Brisa nothing but a wretched appearance.”
I was walking forward while holding Baekgu when, puzzled, I lifted my head.
‘Isn’t that an excessive recollection? Why is he…?’
To my surprise, our eyes met immediately. Green eyes gazed at me quietly.
“From that time on, I think I truly disliked showing my inferior self to that perfect girl sitting before me.”
I continued walking composedly, but internally I was quite taken aback.
Is this a calculated response? If so, for what purpose is he speaking these words?
‘Is this some signal I’m not meant to understand?’
I couldn’t fathom why he would speak of such things at this particular moment. Then Baekgu let out a low growl, baring his teeth.
‘Ah!’
Only after seeing Baekgu’s front paws did I remember.
“Try using it sometime when you meet a man whose behavior is ambiguous. The effect is remarkable. This perfume is called ‘Impulse of Love’—it can’t create feelings that don’t exist, but it has a subtle effect of making people confess their true hearts. It lends wings to a wavering mind.”
We were all within the sphere of that perfume’s influence.
Alpheus had no object of affection, and the man I had affection for was now a dog. So the perfume had no effect on us……
“Only after a long time passed did I realize that shame had nurtured me. I suspect it will continue to do so.”
Maximus’s eyes held a mixture of resignation and pathos.
‘Surely not.’
My hands trembled as I held Baekgu.
‘Surely not, surely not.’
Could Maximus have feelings for me?
Had he been concealing such feelings all this while?
I had never believed he harbored romantic feelings since childhood. Maximus had treated me as a friend’s younger sister with complete propriety.
‘And for the past six years, we’ve had no contact whatsoever.’
So the hypothesis that he’d developed feelings watching me grow was also ruled out.
Of course, having met so young, I could have left a strong impression on him. At the Empress Dowager’s receptions in childhood, certainly, and we’d actually had quite considerable interaction in the Southern Region as well.
It was most reasonable to think he simply remembered me as someone special, and then, upon seeing how I’d grown, developed romantic feelings.
‘A love-at-first-sight scenario is common enough……. A seven-year age gap is hardly problematic when both are adults……. And we spent considerable time together in the Eastern Region, so he could certainly have come to see me as a woman.’
If Delmia could develop feelings for Alpheus after being hit once, there was no reason Maximus couldn’t have feelings for me. Honestly, our conversation did flow quite well.
He was one of the rare intelligences capable of engaging with me as an equal.
Yet even if he harbored such feelings, I believed Maximus would ultimately conceal them.
He was perceptive. So he would already be well aware that Leopold and I care for each other.
And his connection to Alpheus would surely make it difficult for him to approach me easily. A wise prince would naturally keep such feelings hidden.
But because of this damned perfume……
‘In the end, Leopold was right.’
I exhaled.
‘Silvia caused trouble….’

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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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