Chapter 38 Dinner With The Marquis
As I entered the dining room, Marquis Grandchester was sipping his aperitif at the table. Two of his attendants were standing nearby, not seated.
"Father, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
"Don't worry about it. I just arrived a bit early, that's all."
Behind Robert, Sara and Rebecca were standing at attention, still in their curtsey positions. Further back, the bureaucrats were also bowing their heads.
"Sara looks lively, and it's been a while since I've seen Lady Rebecca."
Sara and Rebecca, who had been called out, lifted their heads and greeted him.
"Grandfather, I'm so happy to be living in this wonderful castle. Thank you very much."
"Marquis Grandchester, I apologize for not being able to visit for so long. I'm honored to have been called as a governess this time."
"It's an honor for Sara to have a talented person like Lady Rebecca, who was the governess,."
"Yes. Miss Rebecca is an excellent governess!"
"I'm grateful for your kind words."
Then, Marquis turned to the bureaucrats behind him.
"You all can relax too. I called you here today to express my gratitude for your hard work."
"Yes, sir. We're deeply grateful."
"I'm grateful for your kind words."
James and Benjamin were on edge. It wasn't just the tension of being in front of the Marquis, but also the guilt of having their achievements evaluated and the pressure of having to keep lying to the Marquis.
And then dinner began.
"Grandfather, I was surprised you came 3 days earlier than expected."
"I was surprised too. I didn't even have time to prepare a welcome."
"Oh, it's like a surprise inspection. The previous governor and accountant just did something similar, after all."
Marquis wore a bitter expression.
"Do you suspect even your own family, Father?!"
"The previous ones were relatives too, weren't they? I thought they were my own family."
"Well, that's true, but..."
"Besides, there's a woman in the office, isn't there? Are you still not done with your womanizing ways?"
"They're just helping with work, that's all, Father."
"What do women know about office work? Well, this time, they've left a good impression, so I'll let it slide. But don't try to pull off something stupid again."
Rebecca spoke softly to him at that moment.
"Your Excellency the Marquis, I apologize, but could we avoid talking about such topics in front of Ms. Sara?"
"Ah, yes, that's right. I apologize for that."
'She using me as an excuse for conversation, huh? Miss Rebecca is strong.'
"Well, today, I called the bureaucrats to praise their hard work. The new accounting system and documents are excellent."
Richard, one of the attendants, spoke up.
"Indeed, the accounting system is excellent. The attached documents were also good. We could grasp the actual state of the company's management at a glance. That's definitely thanks to the new accounting system."
Henry, another attendant, also showed his admiration.
"Not only the accounting system, but also the skill to quickly finish the massive amount of accounting work deserves praise. If we hadn't finished this task, we wouldn't have been able to create that accounting system."
However, Robert and the bureaucrats' faces didn't look very good. They probably had stomachaches since they hadn't eaten much.
"Grandfather, are Uncle Robert and the bureaucrats doing a great job?"
"That's right, Sara. It's because of excellent bureaucrats like them that Grandchester is able to thrive."
"Yes, Grandfather."
As the bureaucrats' faces turned worse the more they were praised, Sara smiled brightly at them.
"Gentlemen bureaucrats, please continue to work for us... (hidden meaning) from now on."
""We're deeply grateful.""
James and Benjamin deeply bowed their heads to Sara. They probably understood the hidden meaning behind her words.
"That being said, Sara, your demeanor and conversation are quite refined, aren't they? As expected of Lady Rebecca, I suppose."
"Ms. Sara is an extremely talented young lady. I'm just giving her a bit of advice to help her shine even more."
"Hmm. Lady Rebecca is intelligent and yet surprisingly profound. It's been a while since then, so maybe it's time to think about finding new happiness with someone else? There are men out there who wouldn't mind having a wife with a fairy in possession, after all."
"Father! That's not..."
Robert hastily interrupts.
"It's all right, Rob. His Excellency the Marquis, I'm perfectly content with my current life. Fortunately, my parents and brother have told me that they wouldn't mind if I didn't get married, and my sister-in-law treats me like a real sister, so..."
"Is that so? What a pity. You'll make a beautiful wife to support your husband..."
'"Huh? Does Miss Rebecca have some kind of circumstances?'
Sara had expected a dramatic conversation to unfold, but it seemed the Marquis wasn't going to say any more. Besides, Sara herself knew that children shouldn't be involved in this kind of conversation, so she decided to change the subject.
'We should confirm Grandfather's stay schedule first, or we won't be able to make plans for later. But we need to be careful not to make it seem like we're trying to get rid of him...'
"When will Grandfather be leaving?"
"There's a royal hunting tournament coming up, so I won't be able to stay for long. Maybe around 10 days."
"Is that so soon? I'm really going to miss you."
"Do you have something you want to ask?"
"I saw Grandfather's horse this morning. It was black and huge!"
"Ah, Sara, are you interested in horses?"
"It was very beautiful and looked intelligent. I've never gone horseback riding before, but I'd love to try it."
"Hmm, horses are great. Lately, there have been more ladies taking up horseback riding, too."
'Ah, I see. It seems the topic of horses is a hit.'
"Does Grandfather oppose women riding horses?"
"There are those who dislike women riding horses, but in the Grandchester family, many women have been skilled horseback riders and hunters for generations."
"I didn't know that."
I thought Horseback Riding was opposed this morning, judging from the way the maids were treated, but surprisingly, Grandfather doesn't seem to have any objections to women enjoying Horseback Riding.
"When it comes to horses, didn't Lady Rebecca participate in last year's hunting tournament?"
"Yes, I was in the lowest seat."
"No, no, I heard you took down a beautiful silver fox with a single arrow. The beautifully preserved fur, with minimal damage, was even presented to the royal family, wasn't it?"
"I'm so embarrassed..."
Despite being a lady, it seems Little Prince Revi is still going strong.
"It's amazing that such a wonderful person became my governess!"
"Lady Rebecca, won't you teach Sara Horseback Riding and archery as well?"
"If it's okay with you..."
"Wow, that's great!"
"Then I'll choose a fine colt for you soon."
"Thank you very much."
Then, the Marquis began to speak to Sara with a serious gaze.
"The Grandchester territory was opened up by our ancestors. Of course, it wasn't prosperous from the start. In years with poor harvests, even the lord's wife and daughters had to take the lead in hunting for food to survive."
"That's right, isn't it?"
"Sara, if you're going to bear the name Grandchester, remember this. The lord's family exists to protect the people. It's our duty to protect them from hunger and external enemies. That's why we can never forgive those who embezzle the blood tax paid by the people."
"I'll keep it in mind."
'I can't forgive the way he scolded the maids in the office this morning, but Grandfather isn't a bad person, is he? He could have abandoned me, the child of a runaway son, but instead, he took me in and even educated me. What's with him, being a stubborn old man stuck in his old-fashioned values?'
In the capital, Sara realized that she had never had a conversation like this with her grandfather before. Before she regained her memories of her past life, she was always on guard, careful not to make any mistakes. And after her memories returned, she only thought about getting by without any trouble.
Sara reevaluated Marquis Grandchester, concluding that he was a kind and "more or less" good ruler. However, Sara thought to herself, being kind was a virtue, but it wasn't enough to make a good ruler.
This kind of kindness seemed to be shared by Robert and the bureaucrats as well, Sara felt. They would easily get a guilty conscience over something trivial, like stealing someone else's achievement. If Sarasa were their superior, she would definitely laugh at them behind their backs.
Because they were kind, they lacked the instinct to suspect others. That's why they got taken advantage of by small-time crooks. The method used in this embezzlement case was sloppy. If they had carefully checked the documents and ledgers, they would have noticed the discrepancy much earlier. However, the Marquis trusted his subordinates and neglected to do his job as a ruler, which was to verify the documents and ledgers.
'Grandfather's kindness is probably because the Grandchester territory is wealthy. Since they have plenty, they don't feel the desperation to survive. Our ancestors were said to have hunted women, but they're too soft...'
Sara felt a bitter emotion, but she put on a cute ladylike act and finished dinner.
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