The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 82

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 82

“…Now that I hear what you’re saying, that could very well be the case.”

“Even the House of Sears has been in continuous decline throughout history. Could that really be just a personal matter…”

Valerie spoke seriously, lowering her voice.

“Looking at the Seldoche Plains, which eventually sprouted on land that had lost its vitality, I thought for the first time that perhaps ‘someone’ feared ‘something’ about Sears.”

Hilberry gazed quietly at Valerie.

He hadn’t told her about Xavier and Leopold’s curse either. He couldn’t trust her completely.

But on the other hand, he also knew that Valerie couldn’t abandon Nogen.

Even if she had lived in the Imperial Palace for a long time, could she forget Nogen?

The endlessly vast plains, the wind brushing past her nose, the beautiful and elegant Nogen Ducal Residence.

She ultimately couldn’t stand on the opposite side of Nogen.

Hilberry knew this fact well, even as he clashed with Valerie on every matter.

“There was a time when I was certain that Nogen would be safe only if we didn’t go against the Imperial Family. In fact, that was true until just recently.”

Valerie muttered, narrowing her eyes.

“You saw what happened to the Northern Region after it fell out of the Crown Prince’s favor, didn’t you? The Southern Region, which insisted on maintaining neutrality to the end, is also suffering for a long time now. Honestly, none of that seemed like coincidence to me.”

Hilberry’s eyebrows twitched.

The Imperial Family probably deliberately leaked related information to Valerie. So that Valerie, frightened by the Imperial Family, would pressure Hilberry as she was doing now.

“That’s why I kept warning you. I hoped that Nogen wouldn’t fall into ruin, even if it meant bowing our heads like the Eastern Region.”

It was the first time she had shown such dangerous sincerity to her elder brother, born on the same day and hour.

“But now I’m not so sure. Thanks to that annulled fiancée to whom Leopold sent flowers even after breaking off the engagement.”

If Leopold had heard this conversation, he would have grabbed the back of his neck.

The three old people connected to Leopold by blood were shamelessly sharing the teenager’s private life.

“I recommend that Leopold and Brisa get engaged again. To be honest, I don’t understand why Leopold let that child go in the first place.”

Valerie muttered, her eyes gleaming eerily.

“When I see him again, I’ll have to spank his bottom. Sending an annulment letter immediately after failing to inherit the marquis title and then sending flowers too – does he think he’s some tragic protagonist sacrificing his feelings for his family?”

Hilberry cleared his throat with a cough.

Valerie’s objective gossip about her great-nephew continued.

“No, the more I think about it over and over, the more ridiculous it gets. Of course Leopold has good conditions, but not to the extent of acting like that toward the young lady of Sears, right? It’s not like he received a marriage proposal from the Imperial Princess like his father did.”

“Cut him some slack.”

In the end, Hilberry chose to sell his grandson’s honor rather than reveal the family secret.

“He’s going through puberty.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Valerie accepted it immediately.

“It was your fault after all. If you had known that your grandson was starting puberty, you should have immediately stripped him of all authority over his life and just let him meaninglessly whine about his dissatisfaction with the world.”

And after sighing once, she spoke all at once.

“Anyway, if my hypothesis is correct, Nogen needs Sears in order not to bow to the Imperial Family. If you want to solidify your position, secure Brisa Sears first. Before someone else takes her away.”

“…”

“I’ve said this much, so if you act indecisively and foolishly because you’re reluctant to tarnish Nogen’s name, I’ll step in myself.”

Then, without even saying goodbye, he turned around and strode out with large steps.

Hilberry watched his retreating figure and screamed silently.

‘Don’t you think I know that if those two get engaged again, it would be good news for Nogen! I may only have one pair, but I still have eyes – wouldn’t I find that girl appealing too!’

His insides felt like they were burning up from the secret he couldn’t tell.

‘But that’s because that bastard turns into a dog!’

* * *

Wendy, Masa, and I took a warp and arrived in the Central Region.

“Oh my.”

Wendy’s eyes widened.

“It’s been almost three months since we came here, but it’s changed so much?”

Near the warp was Jezel Street.

Jezel Street had grown much larger in scale than when I last saw it.

“Young Lady! Young Lady Brisa!”

As we were looking around, a child came running over.

It was a boy who lived in Erenta.

“It’s been so long, Young Lady! I missed you!”

When I was isolated without Alpheus.

I had gathered the Erenta residents and taught them things like mushroom cultivation and vegetative propagation.

Since I also distributed things like eggs and salt to them, we had no choice but to see each other often.

“Young Ladyyy! Wait, are you coming back now?”

A tall youth like a beanpole also greeted me familiarly.

He was one of the servants who had been caught trying to steal potatoes from the potato field and forced to go on an adventure with me to the Western Region.

“Everyone talked about you so much, Young Lady! That potato field where you fed us territory residents. Just as you intended, it became a dairy cow farm, and we’re eating milk cheaply and abundantly!”

The youth said excitedly.

“When I was in Baron Hawin’s Territory, I was really sick of dairy cows!”

“It seems you’ve reattached yourself to them. Congratulations.”

I said haughtily.

“It’s good to attach yourself to anything. You’ve also put on some weight since I last saw you.”

“Ahahaha! Yes! I can’t tell you how fortunate I am that my superior doesn’t make me do things like stealing and lets me raise dairy cows peacefully!”

“Right. Uncle really did wrong.”

I replied, raising my eyebrows.

“Your stealing skills were really terrible, so I wonder why he specifically chose you… Was he that short on people?”

Even as I clicked my tongue, I couldn’t help the corners of my mouth turning up. I was glad to see people who greeted me familiarly.

Moreover, I felt good that the things I had instructed before leaving were progressing well.

Despite it being early winter, the market was bustling with activity.

But once I actually set foot in Sears Marquis Territory, there was something that worried me. It was when and how to reveal the truth to Alpheus.

With Dahlia’s situation arising, it seemed I couldn’t keep it a secret like this forever. It was something that could cause the territory residents to suffer because of me.

“Alpheus, actually dark mages are targeting me. I think Dahlia’s situation also happened because of that. At this rate, won’t dark mages come to our territory too?”

“Ah… why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Because I knew you’d make exactly that expression.”

But I didn’t want to witness the awkwardness that would cross his face.

I knew that kind of awkwardness all too well.

At ten years old, every time I was summoned to the Imperial Palace, I saw many such looks.

“My goodness, such poise and such etiquette. How wonderful. The Empress Dowager would surely keep inviting you to tea time. Young lady, if it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask who your teacher is? I’d love to entrust my daughter to that etiquette instructor as well…”

The noble ladies who approached me had faces full of kindness and goodwill.

They generously gave gifts and smiles to the child who entered the Imperial Palace alone.

“That’s right. Could we also learn about the young lady’s foreign language teacher? The pronunciation is so precise and elegant, I should arrange for my son to study with them too.”

“If it’s a teacher from the Central Region, we could take a warp there ourselves.”

They were all good people who found me endearing.

“I learned directly from my mother.”

But as soon as I gave that answer, they all smiled as if troubled.

“Ah, I… see.”

“…Oh.”

It was common and honorable for a young lady to learn etiquette from a marquis’s wife.

But none of them wanted to entrust their children to my mother.

Those looks of not knowing how to salvage this conversation…

Let me say it again—they were all good people. They didn’t react that way because they were bad or mean.

So Alpheus, being a good person as well, could certainly give such a look.

But I hated that.

Though I couldn’t keep hiding it forever…

‘Let me think about it before going to the Marquis Manor. Harrison will arrive late anyway.’

Like a child facing unwanted homework, I looked down at the ground and tapped my shoe tips together.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————