Chapter 96 Marquis And Young Marquis
Marquis returned to the Grandchester estate and explained the situation at the royal palace to Edward.
"Does that mean they're going to let us off the hook about the embezzlement?"
"It's not like they're letting us off. They're just making it seem like they already knew about it and were waiting to see how our enemies would react. We still need to submit a corrected report, or we'll be punished."
"Even so, doesn't that mean His Majesty is on our side?"
Marquis glared at Edward.
"Fool! This isn't about who's on whose side. It's likely that His Majesty thinks there's an external force trying to worsen the relationship between our country and Roisen. And the fact that the Roisen prince secretly visited our country suggests that something's going on over there too. That's why we can't let our country be shaken by this little incident."
"I see!"
"It's not 'I see'! Can't you even figure that much out? Do you have hay stuffed in your head or something?"
"I may not be as smart as Arthur, but I'm the eldest son, so please give up on me, Father!"
Marquis let out a deep sigh and sat down on the sofa with a thud.
"My apologies. I said too much. I think you're doing well on your own."
"No need to comfort me, I know my own limitations. As for me, I can barely manage the territory with the help of the bureaucrats. But I'm determined to strengthen our relationships with other houses and pass on Grandchester without any problems to the next generation."
"That's right... You'd make an ideal lord in peacetime."
"...Don't you think the situation is a bit too much for you to handle?"
"You can't even read that much. My hands are full."
"Didn't you prevent the attack this time?"
"That wasn't my achievement..."
Edward quietly gazed at Marquis, who had a distant look in his eyes, but his inner thoughts were far from calm.
'If it's not the Father, is it Robert?'
"Ah, I wanted to make Lady Rebecca my daughter-in-law after all..."
'Hmm, it seems Revi is the one who saved us from that predicament. Well, that's what I'd expect from that clever Little Prince. She's indeed Father's favorite.'
"Can't we just leave it to Robert to handle it?"
"If that were possible, I would've done it over 10 years ago! That coward!!"
"Wouldn't it be better if Father proposed a marriage alliance with the Orson family?"
"I promised Nora. I'll leave Robert's marriage to his own decisions."
"But didn't Father and Mother decide on my marriage to Liz?"
"Nora noticed how you've been gazing at Elizabeth with longing eyes."
"Haaah!?"
"Nora kept quiet for about a year after noticing your behavior, but seeing you just sulking around without doing anything about it made her angry."
"I wasn't sulking or anything!"
"Then, you didn't have feelings for Elizabeth, right?"
"N-no, that's... um..."
"Look at that. Anyway, Nora soon passed away after the eldest son got married, anyway..."
Madam Eleonora, the Marquis's wife, had died shortly after her eldest son's marriage due to illness.
"By the way, Father, what about... Sara?"
"Hmm, that's a rare question from you."
Edward looked down slightly.
"...I found out that the kids were bullying Sara after she went to the territory."
"Did you know, Father?"
"I didn't notice either. But I heard it from Sara at the territory."
"I apologize."
"No, I didn't notice either, so I'm equally guilty."
"Liz seemed to know, but she didn't stop it, and she won't give a reason why."
"Well, Elizabeth is trying to be a noble, after all. Maybe she can't get along with commoner kids."
Edward drained the water from the glass on the table with a gulp and wore a self-deprecating smile.
"To be honest, I get complicated feelings when I see Sara too."
"Hmm."
"That child is surprisingly similar to Adelia. I know she's not guilty. But, somehow, when I see her... I think that if Arthur hadn't met Adelia, he might still be alive now."
"You thought so too, huh?"
"Even Father thought so?"
"Hmm."
After a brief silence, Marquis began to speak in a low tone.
"I went to pick up Sara because I received a letter from Adelia. When I first got the letter, I thought it was just a money scam."
"Arthur died, so it must have been tough for the mother and daughter to live on their own, right?"
"He died on his way to make a delivery, and he had almost all the cash from home with him."
"That's... tragic. But didn't Adelia have plenty of time to contact us before taking Sara in after Arthur's death? Why didn't she reach out until just before she died?"
"She might have intended to raise Sara on her own if she hadn't fallen ill. Or, depending on the situation, she might not have wanted to rely on us even if she died."
"Depending on the situation?"
"Hmm... there's a possibility that Arthur was murdered."
"What!!"
"And the guy who's suspected of being an accomplice is planning to take Sara in as his future mistress."
"Who is it!? Do they think they can just mess with a member of the Grandchester family and get away with it?!"
Edward slammed his fist on the table and stood up.
"It's Chizen, a merchant, and Baron Raska."
"Raska...?"
"That's right. Although he's a baron, he's from a troublesome family with royal blood. So, we need to gather evidence and corner him carefully."
"I see... it's infuriating, but if that's the case..."
"I'm also seething with anger, just like you."
Despite Marquis's calm tone, his words were filled with anger. Edward felt the same way, but when he thought about how his father had been carrying this anger alone for over half a year, he was taken aback by its depth.
"Well, we can talk about that later."
"Yes, Father."
"I'm going back to our territory now, but what about you?"
"There's a hunting tournament, so I should head back to the territory soon too."
"I see."
"Maybe I need to talk to Liz before that."
"About Sara's thing?"
"Yes. It's a problem related to the kids' education, after all."
"Indeed, it's about time. Especially Adam... at least make him stop stealing. It's a sensitive time, but if we don't, he'll become a bad example for the servants."
"It's truly embarrassing."
"Well, neither of us can say we're perfect, can we? Men are like that, aren't they?"
"No, I... that..."
"You're raising three kids and still acting like that? You're old enough to know better. In society, people like you are called 'immature' or 'childish'."
"It's better than being like Robert, who's always causing a scene and getting a bad reputation."
"The problem is that both of you are unreliable when it comes to serious relationships."
"I'm married, you know!"
"Thanks to Nora."
"Ugh..."
'If Nora were still alive, Lady Rebecca would probably be Robert's wife by now...'
"By the way, when you get to the territory, you'll meet Sara, right?"
"Of course, I will, Father. I want to apologize to her, too."
"Hmm... it's better to prepare yourselves mentally beforehand."
"What do you mean? Is she angry?"
"Probably not that much. But..."
"But?"
"I think you'll be really surprised."
"Huh?"
"Well, you'll understand when you meet her. By the way, Sara looks similar to Adelia, but her personality is just like Nora's."
"Like Mother? I didn't think so..."
"One time, if I upset Sara, she'll give me a smile that doesn't reach my eyes and call me 'Your Excellency the Marquis Grandchester'."
"That's definitely like Mother"
Marquis and Edward exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement.
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