The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 262

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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 67
But there was hope.
When Maximus had first met us earlier, he’d said nothing of the sort. He seemed too absorbed in the situation and card strategy to entertain other thoughts.
Silvia had also said the perfume induced sincerity only weakly, so it was certain that mental strength could overcome it.
In the end, I tightened my grip on the hand holding Baekgu and spoke.
“You’ve grown well despite adversity, Your Highness. I’m sure the House Nogen is grateful for your accomplishments.”
‘In other words, you’re about to make an enemy of House Nogen,’ I meant. But Maximus simply laughed and replied.
“Perhaps. To me, Nogen is merely one family among many on this continent. The moment one enters the gambling den called the Imperial Family, most things are calculated as cards to play for victory.”
He shrugged.
“Did I not say it before? The only thing special to me is Sears alone.”
Just then, the butler came to a halt. We’d arrived at the conference room.
The moment we took our seats in the vast conference room, Audrey appeared with a man who looked to be a lawyer.
“I apologize for keeping our guests waiting so long. Truly, I’m sorry.”
I found myself unexpectedly glad to see Audrey, then suddenly startled. The fact that I was relieved by her appearance told me this situation was quite dire.
And with Baekgu hearing all of this conversation, I couldn’t help but sigh.
‘I can’t help it. Either way, for the next two hours or so, I need to keep Maximus’s mouth shut as much as possible.’
Baekgu was now grinding his fangs audibly.
When Maximus regained his senses later, he would certainly regret this deeply.
Audrey was dressed in mourning clothes. There was no particular appearance of grief.
“It’s because the Young Duke insists on witnessing the will reading himself…… even though the Duke clearly specified only a few individuals.”
Maximus then answered objectively.
“Setting aside the question of who was designated, direct descendants have the legal right to demand observation during the will’s public reading.”
“Well, that’s what they said.”
Audrey cradled one cheek and sighed with exaggeration.
“He keeps insisting on bringing his own lawyer and settling family matters among themselves first, without any witnesses…… The lawyer the Young Duke brought has handled the Duchess’s affairs for so long that he claims to be the official lawyer of the Ducal House as well.”
“Hmm.”
“We’ve continued to protect the Duke’s lawyer, but I never expected them to be so adamant about this.”
“In such cases, we do permit it. If a family has more than one lawyer, the other side might possess a will as well. So we allow the family to settle matters first before bringing in witnesses.”
Maximus spoke fairly according to Imperial Law. At this, Audrey let out a heavy sigh.
“Then doesn’t that put us at a disadvantage, since we don’t yet have the Divostan name…… Still, the will we have is genuine.”
At her words, Maximus withdrew a scroll from his pocket.
“Well, of course it might not feel equal without the Nullification ability. This is a scroll that weakens the Nullification Special Ability. I brought it from the Magic Tower.”
My eyes widened. I’d never heard of a scroll that weakens Special Abilities.
Indeed, Audrey’s eyes shone.
“There’s…… something like that?”
“Lately I’ve become quite close with the Master of the Magic Tower.”
Audrey quickly accepted the scroll Maximus offered.
Maximus’s explanation continued.
“It wasn’t particularly difficult. The Southern Region has long researched using Shamanic Magic to weaken Special Abilities. We’d dismissed shamanism as ridiculous superstition and overlooked it until now…….”
Now that I thought about it, Harrison had mentioned something like this before. We’d all treated shamanism as a joke, but the House Naisar hadn’t relied on it for nothing.
“Fortunately, it’s a shamanic ritual that leaves the shaman’s name afterward, so when I sent that shaman to the Magic Tower, the Master was able to replicate it easily. Of course, it’s one-time use. The ability-weakening shamanic ritual concentrates only on Charm, so there were limits to expanding its range.”
Maximus smiled gently and concluded.
“Now that such a scroll has been developed, you can argue that the era when only Special Abilities represented a house has passed.”
“My goodness…….”
Audrey wore the expression of a child who’d received a Christmas gift early.
Maximus continued with ease.
“I’ve always hated everything determined by bloodline. If anyone dares speak ill of someone without bloodline, bring them to me. I’ll prize their courage to speak the truth and tear off a brooch for them.”
“Thank you sincerely, Your Highness. I’ll put this to very good use.”
Audrey promptly accepted the scroll. Then she smiled and spoke.
“Then will you wait until our settlement is complete? The next room is another conference room…… I’ll just see the Young Duke Ethan and his lawyer to the conference room for now. Once the simple settlement is finished, I’ll come fetch you immediately. I should mention in advance that only the Young Lady Brisa and His Highness will be allowed entry at that time.”
It meant we were to remain here. Fortunately, there was no particular mention of the pet dog.
Audrey spoke with excessive courtesy.
“Ah, but our mansion is under renovation at the moment. So actually, everything in the adjacent conference room is visible through this mirror. The sound carries through the wall gaps too. Oddly, conversations in this conference room don’t carry over there, but it works perfectly the other way. Inconvenient as it is, I hope you’ll understand.”
She bowed with a broad smile.
“Then I’ll see you shortly.”
And the conference room door closed.
Now only Maximus, myself, and Baekgu remained in the conference room.
“Well…….”
Maximus smirked.
Then he shrugged and spoke with easy aplomb.
“They’re practically begging us to eavesdrop—shouldn’t we, as guests, live up to expectations?”
He tapped the seat beside him repeatedly.
“Come closer, Young Lady. Sit here and you’ll see everything happening in the other conference room through the mirror.”
* * *
Ethan sat in the conference room with the lawyer.
‘Revolting creatures.’
Seeing the mansion built as if it were a replica of the Duke Divostan’s Estate gave me chills.
Moreover, they’d decorated it far more elegantly, as if to assert that this one was the ‘real’ one.
Word had spread throughout the Eastern Region these past few days that renovations of the Cardipol Ducal Estate were in full swing.
Officially, it was said that Audrey was having the estate restored after six years of neglect while she was away from the continent, but it was clearly in preparation for a ‘new ducal seat.’
‘These inferior-blooded creatures, not knowing their place…….’
Soon Audrey and the lawyer entered.
The expected tedious procedures and explanations followed.
Indeed, the will contained instructions to grant the Divostan title to Marcel Cardipol and appoint him the next Duke.
It was unmistakably written in the Duke of Divostan’s own hand, complete with his seal.
“Well, if the other side’s lawyer has anything to say, feel free,” Audrey said.
Audrey spoke arrogantly.
Ethan twisted his lips into a smile.
“Something to say? I think you mean something to do.”
At that same moment, black energy began pouring from the vampire who’d been masquerading as Ethan’s lawyer.
In fact, the lawyer he’d brought was a vampire and a Dark Mage.
Before arriving, to ensure he could use his power properly, Ethan had sacrificed several servants, feeding them human blood to strengthen him. The vampire was formidable now.
Which meant…… he could control everyone in this room except Ethan, who possessed Nullification.
‘They wouldn’t understand anyway, lacking the ability. How powerful Nullification is. That it can hold the Dark Mage on a leash.’
Black smoke engulfed Audrey and the lawyer nearby. The vampire bared his fangs and commanded.
“Write a statement saying the will never existed. And destroy the will with your own hands.”
Tediously simple. Of course, Ethan had no intention of stopping here.
‘I should demolish this defiled mansion entirely. Not just collapse it—but so catastrophically that no one can escape.’
If he did that, he could kill Maximus and Brisa, who were here as observers. Since the place was under renovation, it could easily pass as someone’s accident.
It was just as Audrey, her eyes vacant, was about to tear the will with her own hands.
“You wretch!”
A bookcase in the conference room suddenly swung open, and the Duke of Divostan leaped out.
“Is it true? Are you truly using Dark Magic and colluding with a vampire? Have you truly lost your mind!”
It was his father, who’d been reported dead from a fall and had a funeral held for him not long ago.
Naturally, he was unaffected by the Dark Mage’s black smoke.
He kicked Audrey and the lawyer away in one motion, sending them tumbling far. The two, freed from the smoke, crashed backward and came to their senses.
“Mother!”
“Ahhhhh!”
The Duke of Divostan stared at Ethan with disbelieving eyes.
“I…… I believed in you. Truly, no matter what Audrey said…… I believed you had nothing to do with Dark Magic!”
Ethan, too, fell into panic as he looked at the Duke of Divostan. His father, whom he’d believed dead, spoke with finality.
“I cannot place a criminal upon the honored throne of Duke Divostan. From this moment on, you are no longer my son.”

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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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