The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 96

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

Chapter 96

“Right now, Harrison is heading to the Southern Region with the Sears siblings.”

“I know.”

Hilberry let out a sigh.

“But the Southern Region doesn’t have good Warp access. There’s no real way to help. We don’t even know exactly where those kids are.”

“I’ll go.”

Leopold said immediately.

“It’s a ten-day difference. They’re taking a carriage so they’ll be slow – I should be able to catch up to them soon enough.”

Leopold departed right away. However, this was a choice that overlooked the fact that it was winter.

Winter was originally the season of monster waves in the Western Region.

Leopold had to pursue them while also handling Monster Subjugation.

Eventually Leopold’s speed grew slower and slower, and he couldn’t catch up to them until the depths of winter.

Of course, it wasn’t without any results during that time. An Information Agent from Sebon brought new information.

[The Dark Mages in Sebon are looking for someone connected to Another World.]

The term “Another World” was unfamiliar.

Did it mean there was a different world besides the one they were currently living in?

[It’s related to ancient curses and their removal. The Dark Mage probably wants to secure that person to learn more about additional curses.]

Leopold frowned.

They had definitely said they were looking for Brisa.

‘So does that mean Brisa is someone connected to Another World?’

It felt like falling into an unknowable maze. However, seeing the words “removal of curses,” his heart swelled once again with hope that made his chest ache.

‘I need to meet Brisa quickly. I have to pass on this information and ask about related matters.’

When he struggled to calculate the dates, it seemed they would only be able to meet at Marquis Naisar’s Estate.

12. The Name of the Half-Human, Half-Demon

Following Harrison, we siblings departed for the Southern Region.

Time passed after that. Winter finally came to the Empire.

“Oh.”

Leaning my body out of the carriage, I muttered casually.

“I’m really glad our destination is the Southern Region.”

Since the south was warm, travel wasn’t difficult despite it being the depths of winter.

Alpheus, who was riding a horse, also spoke cheerfully.

“That’s right, if it were the Northern Region we’d already be trapped by heavy snow.”

The Warp in the Southern Region didn’t work very well, but it wasn’t completely non-functional either.

We used Warp to travel through areas where it worked and took carriages through unstable regions as we headed south, further south.

“Wow, coming south, there really are a lot of strange trees.”

Alpheus said while looking around.

“The leaves are really huge!”

“They really are.”

While we were having this conversation, Harrison’s expression was growing darker and darker.

Unlike his usual bright and cheerful demeanor, his words had noticeably decreased.

‘He was probably just pretending to be detached.’

Facing the Southern Region’s situation with his own eyes again was clearly making him depressed once more.

“Um, Harrison?”

Alpheus squinted his eyes and looked ahead.

“Why is that place shining like that over there? What is it?”

In the distance, something that sparkled like a glass dome was visible.

Harrison answered as if it were nothing.

“That’s the forest affected by the ‘Curse of Sleep.’ Its area keeps growing larger day by day.”

“Forest?”

“What looks like glass is actually transparent leaves that sparkle because they reflect sunlight to some degree.”

“I’ve never heard of such leaves existing.”

“That’s why it’s a curse.”

Harrison let out a deep sigh.

“It is quite unusual.”

I muttered absentmindedly.

It was described in the original work, and I had heard Harrison’s explanation before, but seeing it directly was fascinating.

“Strange trees grow in the forest. The transparent, tough, large leaves of those trees envelop the forest. Anyone who enters that range falls asleep.”

I had expected the cursed forest to be dark and gloomy, but instead it sparkled brilliantly like a palace of light.

“It’s grown large enough again to be visible from this distance.”

Harrison muttered with frustration mixed in.

Perhaps because the Warp wasn’t functioning properly, the people of the Southern Region weren’t very friendly either.

Distribution wasn’t working well, and as the cursed forest expanded, harvests from the surrounding lands had also decreased.

“People avoid it because they don’t know when the forest might expand further.”

Harrison said while drawing a circle in the air.

“So if the forest expands this much, thiiiiiiis much usable land disappears – that’s the principle.”

“Mmm.”

I couldn’t find words to add to that tragic situation and let out a sigh.

Unlike the Western Region where they could at least use the space of the contaminated land, here the land had completely disappeared.

“Well, anyway, it’s an awkward time right now with nothing to sow. It’s winter after all.”

Harrison said a word while gripping the horse reins, then turned his gaze to Alpheus.

“We’ll soon reach Marquis Naisar’s Estate.”

Now that we had arrived in the proper Southern Region, we needed to decide on our specific destination.

“I should greet my sister and explain the situation. I did send a letter ahead, but I can’t be sure if it was delivered properly…”

“Right!”

Alpheus replied cheerfully.

“Of course we should pay our respects. Your eldest sister also became a marquis at a young age, right? We’ll have a lot in common.”

Then he comforted Harrison with his characteristic positive tone.

“Harrison, don’t worry too much. There’s bound to be a solution. So many people are sincerely working together.”

Of course, since I wasn’t the protagonist, I wasn’t nearly as optimistic.

‘Even if things don’t work out well, let’s just focus on finding a way to solve the Southern Region’s food shortage.’

The Southern Region wasn’t our territory, but it was hard to watch people starving.

Besides, increasing the Empire’s overall production would benefit us too.

Harrison muttered with a dark expression.

“At least the south doesn’t have many monsters appearing, which is fortunate. If monsters frequently emerged here in winter like in the Western Region, this place would have collapsed long ago.”

I blinked while resting my chin on my hand.

Midwinter.

It was the time when monster waves would strike the Western Region.

‘Leopold must be quite busy right now.’

He must have had a tough time with the unexpected monster wave last spring, so I wondered if this one would be large-scale too.

Even though I knew from the original story that he would be fine until the end, I briefly prayed that he wouldn’t get hurt.

Meanwhile, the Southern People hastily closed their doors whenever we passed by.

Even now, I could hear them whispering while trying their best not to make eye contact with us.

“Look at their clothes! They’re nobles!”

“Are they here to take something?”

“We don’t have anything left to eat! Quick, lock the door!”

It seemed that Vassal Family Nobles had forcibly taken food supplies several times.

Just a few years ago, this place was sufficiently self-sufficient, though not as much as the Western Region.

Thanks to the warm climate, triple cropping had been possible in this region.

We began approaching the Southern Region’s territory.

“Brisa, are you very tired?”

Alpheus asked, looking at me.

“You’ve become noticeably quieter.”

“Oh, no.”

I shook my head.

“What’s tiring about just sitting in a carriage?”

However, it was true that I had drastically reduced my talking. Strange words kept slipping out.

“Brisa, you can’t be picky. You need to eat the boiled carrots too.”

“Picky? Don’t falsely accuse me with such words. I was merely expressing my personal food preferences through actions. So stop shooting lasers from your eyes.”

“La… what? You’re deliberately using difficult words because you got scolded, aren’t you?”

When I wasn’t consciously thinking about it, words from my past life were definitely slipping out more often.

Fortunately, both Alpheus and Harrison just brushed it off, thinking ‘it must be some difficult foreign language idiom.’ But from my perspective, it couldn’t help but be terrifying.

‘My memories keep increasing.’

Now I could even remember using computers and riding airplanes in my past life.

‘Are these really memories? Aren’t these just delusions?’

Suddenly, the enormously grown Cursed Forest came into view.

Just like how the Cursed Forest was growing larger, I became afraid that my madness might be growing bigger and bigger as well.

Meanwhile, the carriage rattled along, heading toward the Marquis Manor located in the center of the Southern Region.

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