The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living [Novel] Chapter 69

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Chapter 69

“That’s quite enough!” Alpheus chimed in, entirely of his own accord. “I mean, we acted out of pure, wholesome goodwill! Oh, and to clear up a few misunderstandings along the way, of course!”

I hadn’t exactly been acting out of pure goodwill, but it certainly did wonders for our public image. So, I kept my mouth shut.

“See? Good intentions really do pay off in the end. It almost makes life worth living, doesn’t it?”

I wanted to correct him, to clarify that it was results, not good intentions, that brought rewards, but I decided to hold my tongue.

I stared at my half-brother, quietly amused by this unexpected benefit of having him around.

If someone tried to coerce me, I could never bring myself to utter such sickeningly sweet nonsense. But amazingly enough, Alpheus actually meant every word of it.

“Well, looks like things worked out alright in the end. Everything’s settled, so you can breathe easy now, miss,” Langsy said, letting out a sigh of relief.

I crossed my arms and leaned in to whisper, “You really shouldn't have said that.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Just because… whenever anyone says that, life has a funny way of blindsiding you.”

“Oh, miss…” Langsy let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head as if asking why a child was talking like an old woman. “Though, I suppose you’ve had a rough twelve years. Just when you learned to crawl, they told you to stand. Just when you grabbed onto something to stand, they told you to walk… The adults were a bit too harsh on you back then, weren't they?”

The very next day.

Because Dalia showed up at the residence of the Archduke of Nosen.

“I brought a message from the Duchess of Devostan,” Dalia said, sitting demurely in her Eastern-style dress.

Her brown hair, newly styled into an elegant Eastern updo, was striking. Her sky-blue eyes, so similar to my own, were brimming with confidence.

“Her Grace stated that Westerners are outsiders and should not interfere in family affairs, especially when it concerns the original Five Houses. Exercising excessive influence over another House is something that ought to be strictly avoided.”

Dalia had barged in without an appointment.

She wasn't even the daughter of a baron anymore.

Technically, it was beneath Hilbury to grant her an audience in person. Because of that, Baron Foreman stepped in to handle her on our behalf.

Even that was a courtesy. After all, Baron Foreman had once owed a debt of gratitude to Harwin Barony.

Of course, now that Dalia and the Harwin couple’s villainy had come to light, he didn't hold much goodwill toward her. Even so, Baron Foreman maintained his decorum, treating Dalia with absolute objectivity.

“I am in complete agreement with that statement,” Baron Foreman replied with a shrug. “You may return those exact words to the Duchess. Just swap ‘Westerners’ with ‘Easterners.’ I believe Her Grace must have gotten confused.”

As if expecting that response, Dalia spoke with icy clarity. “Her Grace requests that you cancel the assignment of the Nosen defense team to Alpheus Sayre’s side without proper cause. I believe you, Baron Foreman, are also in no position to meddle in this matter.”

I let out an open, heavy sigh.

At that, Dalia tilted her head up and smirked. “What’s the matter, Brisa? Surprised to see me again like this?”

“Yeah, I’m genuinely horrified.”

I lowered my brows, speaking with utter indifference.

“I already taught you to draw out the ‘Po’ sound a bit more when speaking Western dialect… and yet you still can't do it. Every person I’ve met could pick up at least one thing when taught, but my own cousin can’t even manage that. How could I not be horrified?”

Dalia’s hands trembled violently as she clutched her teacup.

I put on a look of deep pity. “Just refrain from pronouncing ‘Po’ altogether from now on. It’d be better for everyone. But if a day comes where you absolutely must, bite your tongue, show some blood, and ask for their understanding beforehand because of your ‘condition.’”

“You… Brisa… you really haven't changed a bit.”

“Indeed. I spend my life bestowing knowledge upon those who lack it. Unfortunately, you happen to be my most hopeless student.”

Dalia glared at me as if she wanted to murder me on the spot.

In the middle of all this, Alpheus, who had a weak spot for children, chimed in. “Dalia? She’s my cousin?”

Dalia snapped at his words. “Who said I was cousins with someone of your filthy blood? Gross.”

“You’re not?” Alpheus blinked, asking back in confusion. “You’re not Baron Harwin’s biological daughter!”

He then offered her some earnest, pitying advice. “Then you should drop the lawsuit right away! If you’re not my cousin, who’s going to believe you awakened a trait? I suppose you’re still too young for your thoughts to reach that far.”

To everyone's shock, Alpheus was genuinely worrying about her.

“That’s why children shouldn’t get involved in these things. If you want to do bad things, do them when you’re all grown up, okay?”

Dalia trembled with rage.

Fascinatingly enough, Alpheus seemed to possess a talent for infuriating her that was entirely different from mine.

“At any rate,” Baron Foreman cut in, holding back a laugh and barely maintaining a stern demeanor. “The West did not provide legal counsel without reason. It was an expression of gratitude for increasing the productivity of the Seldoche Plains and enabling the cultivation of summer wheat.”

He expertly wrapped up the situation.

“So I suggest you return to the East and deliver that message. Furthermore, as you may know, the cultivation of summer wheat in the West isn't a matter confined solely to the West. Once this issue is resolved, even the East will owe a formal expression of gratitude to the Sayre siblings.”

“Ah.”

Dalia shifted her gaze back to Baron Foreman.

“The Duchess of Devostan anticipated such a response. However, as far as I know, the summer wheat cultivation hasn't actually succeeded yet.” She offered a sweet smile. “Then how about this? If I, using my trait, achieve greater success in growing summer wheat than Brisa…”

Her words made all of us furrow our brows. We hadn't expected Dalia to outright declare that she possessed a trait.

“…you will withdraw all the legal counsel as a token of your appreciation to me.”

A brief silence fell over the room.

“I don't believe there’s any flaw in that logic, is there?” Dalia smirked.

I stared straight at Dalia. Then, I smiled and asked, “Aha. So, Dalia, you’re suggesting a competition between you and us siblings?”

“Yes. Why, are you scared? You can always forfeit in advance.” Dalia raised an eyebrow. “Of course, I admit you know a lot. But that petty knowledge of yours, stuff that anyone can acquire, anyone can know… do you really think that compares to a trait, something that not just anyone can possess?”

Right then.

The puppy cradled in my arms let out a low growl for the first time.

I quickly parted the puppy’s lips to flash its sharp canines and said, “It’s fine. Go ahead and be scared. My dog bites.”

“What?”

While Dalia hastily scrambled backward, I asked in a cold, distant voice, “Fine. But if you lose, you have to pay the price too, right?”

“The price?”

“Naturally.” I crossed my arms and continued. “Like you said, it makes no sense for a Sayre trait to lose to my petty knowledge, right? So if I win, you’ll have to admit something to the entire world.”

“Ad-admit what?”

With Dalia’s mouth agape, I declared in a languid tone, “That whatever it is, your trait is a fake.”

I paused, letting the silence hang in the air.

“That whatever it is, it is definitely not the Sayre trait.”

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