Chapter 74 A Talk With The Marquis Ii
"What's your plan to reveal your abilities, then?"
Sara thought this was an unavoidable question. After all, she had shown her abilities to too many people, even if it was an emergency.
"I did want to keep it hidden as much as possible..."
"It doesn't seem like you're hiding it at all, but I guess you had the intention to, at least."
"Grandfather, it's my fault, I apologize."
Rebecca sighed while following up on Sara's thoughts.
"You can't just leave people in trouble, that's just your personality, Ms. Sara."
"Yeah, that's right, Sara. I saw how you couldn't leave those bureaucrats who were working themselves to death alone. You didn't have to go that far, but you used your Zen Sen Kioku (Memories of Past Life) excessively."
"I wish you'd think things through before taking action, but you tend to act before thinking, Ms. Sara."
'Ugh, my ears hurt... But if I had just left things as they were, it would've been over for sure..."'
"Moreover, Ms. Sara, you won't be able to hide the fact that you have fairy friends, either."
"Yes. It's just a matter of time. I don't know how old you'll stop aging at, Sara, but maybe around 10 years from now?"
"Considering just her appearance, that might be true, Your Excellency the Marquis, but thinking about Ms. Sara's personality, it's going to be really hard to keep it hidden."
"Yeah, that's true. She's always pulling out those convenient tricks and whatnot."
'Grrr... I can't deny it. It's just too convenient, even if it is cheating.'
Rebecca didn't know yet, but if Mike helped, it would be easy to deceive people about her apparent age. However, if Sara's personality was the problem, then it would indeed be difficult to keep it hidden. Sara herself was vaguely aware of this, and she didn't think her unchanging personality from her past life would ever change.
Sarasa would lend a hand to her coworkers who were working overtime, and if she heard that another team's project was in trouble, she would offer to help. As a 'workaholic' and a 'busybody' combined, her private time was dwindling away. As a result, she was getting further and further away from romance, but Sarasa didn't realize it until she died. No, even in death, she didn't realize it.
"Well, that's just how it is. I thought Sara was hiding her abilities too."
"Yeah, am I that useless?"
"It's not that you're useless, it's just that you're careless. If you don't become more cautious, you'll catch the attention of the royal family in no time. Lady Rebecca was going out of her way to help you, but you just do as you please without thinking."
"Yes. I'm sorry. I've caused a lot of trouble for Miss Rebecca too."
Sara turned to face Rebecca and apologized again. Rebecca had a faint, wry smile.
"Still, it's not like I don't have the option to show off my abilities to the point where no one can complain, but it seems like I'll be treated like a saint or something."
"If it's thought that you have more power than the royal family, there's a possibility that Grandchester will be accused of treason."
"Eeek!"
Sara was startled by the Marquis's mention of the terrifying word "treason". In this country, if someone committed treason, their entire family would be executed.
"Well, even if we do commit treason, if we win and take control of the country, it's all good, right?"
The Marquis laughed heartily and took a swig of wine.
"Does your grandfather want to take over the country or something? What do you think, Sara?"
"I-I don't know... I just want to live a peaceful life if possible."
The Marquis smiled at Sara, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"I do too. Ruling a territory is already a pain, so taking over the country would be a joke."
"Good grief!"
'I'm really surprised. My grandfather's sense of humor is the worst!'
"But if we leave things as they are, it's only a matter of time before the royal family takes notice of you."
"In other words, you're telling me to be more careful, Grandfather?"
Then, everyone looked at Sara with pitying eyes.
"Sara, you're smart but slow. Have you already forgotten our conversation from earlier? If you could understand yourself that much, I would have told you from the beginning. Don't you think Lady Rebecca is getting tired of this?"
"Ugh... I was starting to think that..."
Rebecca began explaining Sara's situation again, using a tone like a governess.
"Ms. Sara, normally, when a noble's child develops magic or receives a blessing from a fairy, it's a celebratory occasion. If a noble boy develops magic, they even hold a debut party. And for a noble woman, her value in the marriage market increases all at once. The more attributes she has, the rarer she is, and the higher her value becomes."
'Yeah, I knew that much.'
"Ms. Sara's mother may be a commoner, but if Ms. Sara is adopted by Rob, Ms. Sara will become a noble. With the added value of having multiple magic attributes, you'll receive marriage proposals from various families. It's 'normal' that way."
"That means I'm not 'normal', right?"
"Did you really think you were normal? You have the aptitude for all magic attributes, a magical power comparable to the royal family, and the ability to wield powerful magic over a long period thanks to the fairy's blessing."
Robert and Marquis also joined the conversation.
"Sara, your abilities aren't just that. You have the power to overcome various crises with 'Memories from Past Life'. We've been helped by you too."
"Yeah. In the case of the ergot fungus, we were able to deal with it before it became a big problem. If we had left it alone, the wheat might have been completely destroyed. Having valuable knowledge in ruling a country or territory is equivalent to having immense value."
'Ugh... When you put it that way, I'm really a cheat...'
"In other words, Ms. Sara, you have an extremely high added value. If all your abilities are revealed, the royal family won't be able to ignore you. Normally, you would be a candidate to become the future queen from the Grandchester family... but..."
"My mother is a commoner, so becoming the queen is impossible, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"I absolutely hate living in the inner palace with a suffocating feeling! And I also hate marrying a man who has 2 or more wives!"
"I understand how you feel. I also dislike men who play around with many women."
'Ah, Miss Rebecca, are you a little angry? Did uncle do something in the past?'
"Well, I also don't think it's good for my granddaughter to be confined in the inner palace. As a noble, it's supposed to be an honor, but somehow... it's not."
"Your Excellency the Marquis was a loving husband, and the two of them were my ideal. I've always thought that it would be great to have a marriage like theirs in the future."
"Nora, my wife, also said it would be great if Lady Rebecca were our daughter."
"It's a great honor."
'So, Grandfather and Grandmother were a loving couple, huh? Even among nobles, it's possible to have a marriage filled with love.'
"But anyway, if we don't do something, you'll end up getting involved with the royal family no matter what. And what's more, you yourself can't even take care of yourself."
'Is Grandfather completely denying that I can't take care myself?!'
"Well, if you can take of yourself, then you should. But here, we should prepare for the worst-case scenario."
"Yes... I apologize."
After finishing his meal, the Marquis stood up and walked over to Sara's seat. Then, he picked up Sara, who had also finished eating.
'He's hugging me again!! Why does Grandfather love hugging so much?!'
"There's no need to apologize. Sara, you just need to live as Sara. We just need to take some measures to increase your freedom."
"What measures?"
"Hmm. I've prepared a different identity for you. The name is Sophia. It's also the name of our ancestor's companion. In other words, it's our ancestor. I've also arranged for the merchant guild to be established under the name Sophia. The guild's main store is also prepared in the capital. You should think about using the merchant guild's name."
"Really?! Thank you, Grandfather!!"
"Hehe. No need to thank me. This merchant guild needs to help rescue Grandchester's crisis."
"You mean the territory's reserves?"
"It's not just that. I want to increase the special products of this territory using Sara's knowledge."
"You mean we should increase the goods handled by the merchant guild on our own?"
"That's right."
Marquis gazed at Sara in his arms, his expression terrifyingly serious. Sara felt a shiver of fear.
"Sara, if you get serious, perhaps the merchant guild will get noticed. And Sophia, its owner, will also attract a lot of attention. If you encounter a situation where you need to use your exceptional abilities, I want you to resolve it as Sophia as much as possible."
'In other words, I'm supposed to play the role of a mysterious woman with strange powers?'
"With Sophia having powers, does that mean Sara will remain an ordinary girl?"
"That's right, Sara. I think we should make the manifestation of magic public to avoid being underestimated by those around us, but there's no need to reveal that you have all attributes. There are nobles who envy the blessings of the spirits, but if you keep your social interactions to a minimum, it won't be that big of a deal."
"By the way, Miss Rebecca said that next season, I might participate in children's tea parties and concerts in the capital."
Rebecca nodded towards Marquis and Sara.
"Yes, Ms. Sara. Arthur was popular among women of our generation, and the scandal of his elopement caused quite a stir in high society. His death and the fact that he left a daughter behind will definitely be a topic of conversation. Considering Liz's personality, she'll likely play the role of a kind aunt and drag Ms. Sara into social circles."
"Does that mean Sara will become my adopted daughter?"
Robert chimed in.
"If Robert refuses, Liz can't force it. But there's a possibility that rumors will spread that the Grandchester family is unfairly confining Ms. Sara and not letting her participate in social events."
"That kind of thing?"
"Noblewomen try to get married to a good family from a young age, so they attend social gatherings to get evaluated. They might give a handkerchief with a lovely embroidery to a handsome guy at a hunting tournament, or a decorative ribbon at a martial arts competition. You must have received a lot of those, right? Looking down your nose..."
"I'm not looking down my nose at all!"
'Ah, it seems like Miss Rebecca's words have a bit of a sting to Uncle. She must have done something similar in the past.'
"Basically, not giving women opportunities like that makes them feel like they're being treated unfairly."
"I see. Socializing as a woman is tough, isn't it?"
Rebecca let out a sigh and looked thoughtful.
"If Ms. Sara plays the piano or violin, it'll probably cause quite a commotion."
"That's what I'm worried about, Lady Rebecca. Nora was good at piano, but Sara's performance was even more amazing. The song must be from her past life, right?"
"Yes, that's correct, Grandfather. It was one of my favorite songs."
"As a musician, you could live a life like that, but I wonder if that would be a good outcome for Sara."
"I don't want to become a musician, anyway. It's just a hobby."
"Then you should keep it hidden, but can you really hide it, Sara?"
"Well, I'll try my best. I'll play the Kitara instead of the piano."
"I won't get my hopes up, then."
Then, Marquis gently spoke to Sara, who was in his arms, and patted her on the back.
"I may not have been considerate enough, and I may have caused you trouble, Sara, but you're my beloved granddaughter. You don't need to live like a typical noble. However, please don't leave Grandchester."
"I love Sara too. If possible, I'd like you to be my daughter."
"That's great, Ms. Sara. Of course, I love you too."
Sara's vision began to blur, and tears dropped onto Marquis's jacket.
Sara's eyes turned bright red, and she answered in a nasal voice.
"I love you all too."
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