The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 83

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 83

‘Then wouldn’t it be fine to take a look around the territory before that?’

This was land where I had given instructions for everything, one by one. Even though I couldn’t see it with my own eyes while I was in the Western Region.

“Young Lady, did you know that ships are now sailing on Erenta?”

The young man with no talent for thievery said cheerfully.

“Since they couldn’t trust Warp, the neighboring territory opened a water channel! It’s quite nice to ride. Since Erenta is at a high elevation, you can see the whole territory well.”

“Oh, really?”

I brightened up.

If I could see the entire territory from above, it would be truly wonderful. I could take it all in with my eyes without having to walk there myself.

“I want to ride it.”

“Please follow me!”

He said cheerfully and took the lead.

“I’ll escort you personally!”

“Looking at you again, your movements are still too big.”

I shook my head back and forth.

“You have no talent for thievery. Keep living like that, raising dairy cows from now on.”

Meanwhile, the rumor that I was going to ride the ship spread quickly.

The merchants on Jezel Street kept bringing me this and that.

“Young Lady, here’s some candy!”

“Young Lady, please take this too. It’s pudding.”

“Young Lady, if you get hungry, please eat this too! It’s freshly made egg bread!”

Whenever I tried to pay money, everyone was shocked and stopped me. They insisted I just take everything for free.

It was truly absurd beyond belief.

I sighed and lectured them.

“You shouldn’t get into the habit of giving things away for free like this, especially with winter approaching.”

Then everyone said in unison.

“We’ve been able to make a living thanks to you, Young Lady!”

“If it weren’t for those potato fields, we would have all died from eating olive tree bark, wouldn’t we?”

I muttered in confusion.

“These territory residents really have no manners. They’ve already forgotten the kindness from the past isolation period and won’t listen to a word I say.”

I was being sincere, but everyone giggled and laughed. Then they offered me several more precious foods.

Masa tried to scold them for being rude, but she too missed her chance because she was busy chewing on bread she had inadvertently received.

By the time we reached the dock upstream of the Erenta River, both Masa and Wendy’s hands were completely full.

“Ha.”

I muttered in disbelief.

“You’re full now, aren’t you? So now you won’t take my orders or my money, is that it?”

“Yes.”

The servant who guided us said cheerfully.

“Thanks to you, Young Lady, I’m so full!”

I was left speechless and pressed my forehead.

I was so annoyed that my stomach felt empty. So I had no choice but to eat the snacks they gave me.

As I was eating freshly baked bread at the dock, a ship of moderate size soon glided in.

Rather than a cruise ship, it seemed to serve as a cargo ship as well, carrying more cargo than people.

We quickly boarded the ship.

“We’ll get off at the stop after next.”

Wendy paid the fare while looking at the map.

“It’s a bit outside the Sears region, but there’s a warp nearby, so we can take that warp and return to Jezel Street.”

“Alright.”

I nodded.

After boarding the ship, we found a suitable spot on the deck and waited a bit, then the ship departed shortly after.

The sunlight sparkling on the river was beautiful.

“Wow…”

I exclaimed in a daze.

Behind it, Sears’ potato fields were visible.

Now cattle were peacefully grazing.

Though not clearly visible, chickens were obviously growing in that region too. Because I had given such instructions before leaving three months ago.

“Don’t raise chickens near the riverside. Raising livestock near the river isn’t good for epidemic prevention or hygiene management. Raise them near the potato fields.”

We were planning to greatly increase the chicken population too.

As I leaned against the railing, resting my chin and blankly watching that scenery, a white bird flew over.

The sight of it quickly catching fish was etched in my vision.

“Oh.”

It was really fast.

Someone was about to come to mind.

Of course, I deliberately tried hard not to think about it. There was no point in recalling someone I’d already broken off an engagement with, as it would only disturb my peace.

That’s when it happened.

“Why?”

A familiar voice came from beside me, as if in a dream.

“Do you feel sorry for the fish being caught?”

I turned to look beside me in surprise.

“Did you feel sorry for the fish being caught?”

“What? We just had fish dish for lunch today though?”

Five years ago, on the day of our engagement ceremony.

Coincidentally, we had taken a ship that day too.

I looked at Leopold, now fourteen years old—five years older than back then—raised my eyebrows, and answered curtly.

“I eat fish just fine. We lived together for almost three months, didn’t you notice?”

Then Leopold chuckled low.

His voice, lower than I remembered, was mixed with playfulness.

“No, I thought you’d unconditionally say the fish were pitiful because you’re young.”

Those were the exact words that had gotten to seven-year-old me.

Twelve-year-old me was equally provoked.

I retorted haughtily.

“You and I are Academy classmates. Our intellectual levels are the same.”

“That’s a topic worth debating if we get the chance someday.”

Leopold elegantly dismissed it as “nonsense.”

Instead of fighting childishly like five years ago, I narrowed my eyes and asked.

“You said you had business to attend to? Why did you suddenly board this ship?”

“Because you boarded it.”

“What a long and detailed answer. Summarize it into a book and mail it to me.”

After making that sarcastic remark, I turned around.

Wendy and Masa were staring at us with wide eyes.

Wendy, holding food in both hands, hiccupped as she spoke.

“I really didn’t know. Young Duke conceals his presence so well…”

Masa was having trouble breathing as she looked back and forth between me and Leopold.

“Reunion after broken engagement… Oh my… But the marriage between Nogen Vice Duke and Young Lady is Princess’s cherished wish… H-h-how… somehow we must make it happen…”

I looked at the two and commanded.

“Go somewhere else. We want to talk alone.”

Then Wendy hesitated and rolled her eyes.

“What? But…”

“Wendy, as you said, Leopold seems to handle himself better than you do.”

Masa answered instead.

“Yes!”

After that, she dragged Wendy away with surprising strength, muttering.

“Princess, please rest in peace in the afterlife.”

Wendy couldn’t resist because she was busy securing the food in her arms.

Masa spoke quickly as if praying.

“Leopold Nogen Archduke, who’s guaranteed in many ways, is much better than some unknown timid coward boy who lacks courage and only sent flowers anonymously before doing nothing.”

It seemed Mother’s dying wish had become great motivation for Masa.

After we were left alone, I turned my gaze back to the waterside.

Why had Leopold suddenly followed me?

Actually, I had a guess.

‘…He must have been concerned.’

I had been expecting this since I called Harrison, but for Leopold, all of this must have been an absurd incident.

‘Because Dahlia Hawin had dark magic cast on her.’

That was tantamount to saying a dark mage had begun infiltrating my surroundings.

‘Especially since Leopold said he would protect me regarding the Dark Mage matter, it must continue to weigh on his mind.’

I could roughly guess what Leopold was going to say.

“You came to tell me you’d protect me, right?”

I said while looking at the riverside where the sunset was beginning to fade.

“You came because you wanted to add a word saying you’d help me so I shouldn’t worry, right?”

After speaking listlessly, I naturally let out a sigh.

The conversation that would follow was obvious.

Leopold would say something like ‘I want to take responsibility as your former fiancé’ or ‘That’s the duty of the First Five Families.’

Then I would get angry asking why Nogen, who has nothing to do with me, would protect me.

But Leopold tilted his head.

“That’s not it.”

“Huh?”

He asked slowly as if genuinely puzzled.

“The Dark Mage chasing you… don’t tell me that was something I needed to comfort you about again? We’ve talked about that a lot, haven’t we?”

Well, th-that’s true, but.

“And even without saying it, you know I’m worried about you, don’t you?”

I was very flustered.

Then, Leopold leaned against the railing next to me with his back to the river. Then he continued speaking leisurely.

“I came because I have something else to say.”

I felt his gaze on one side of my cheek.

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