Chapter 369 Better To Be Found Out Later
Sara woke up slower than Adam. She was in a deep sleep until Maria called out to her, worried that Sara was still not awake.
The reason for her oversleeping wasn't because she got back late from the night market, but because she was surprised when Scott suddenly got closer to her, making it hard for her to fall asleep. It seemed that Scott's advances were actually affecting Sara.
'Ugh... being messed around by a 13-year-old boy... it's kind of frustrating.'
Because she remembered being in her thirties in her past life, Sara saw Scott, Blaze, and even 19-year-old Thomas as just kids. However, now she was starting to feel a bit anxious about Scott's rapid growth. She finally realized the obvious truth that kids eventually grow up.
After getting ready, she went downstairs to eat and saw Adam and Marg walking side by side. It looked like they were seeing Adam off as he returned to the main house. Just as she was about to head down the stairs to say goodbye too, she caught sight of the two hugging in front of the entrance.
'Whaaat! Why is Marg hugging Adam and kissing him on the cheek?!'
To Sara, Adam was an annoying bully who had pushed her into a pond. Although she thought he was growing in a good way, she still hadn't forgotten that he was a perverted underwear thief.
"Are you two in that kind of relationship?"
"Oh, Sara. Good morning. I'm heading back to the main house now. Also, we got engaged."
"Whaaaaat!?"
This time, Sara was so surprised that she almost fell down the stairs. Marg was blushing slightly at Adam's declaration.
"Wait, wait a minute. Adam, you thought Marg was a boy, right? I thought Adam only liked girls."
"I thought so too. Until now, I only focused on girls. But if it was Marg, even if she was a guy, I think I would still like him."
"So you've liked Marg all along?"
"Maybe. I just realized it a little while ago."
"I see. Wow."
Sara was so shocked that her words came out jumbled. But she suddenly felt the urge to ask more questions.
"Right now, you said 'engaged,' not just dating, right? This is all happening so fast, I can't keep up. But you haven't gotten your parents' permission yet, right? Grandfather is in the capital."
"It's still just a promise between us. We just confirmed our feelings."
"Is Marg okay with that?"
"Yes. I've liked Adam for a long time."
'No way!'
Marg's words confused Sara even more.
"Um... is it okay to decide this on a whim? I mean, Adam's condition is..."
"I'm listening. I think it's fine either way."
"If Marg is okay with it, then that's good, but..."
'Wait, is it really okay to reveal Adam's old bad habits in this situation? That might be a bad idea. But not saying anything and having it come out later is worse, right?'
"I understand why you're worried, Sara. I also heard about how you pushed him into the pond in the capital."
"Wait, so you heard what I did in revenge too?"
"Maybe I didn't hear that part."
I could see Adam freezing behind Marg.
'Oh no, this is bad.'
Marg, sensitive to the change in the atmosphere, turned to Adam with a smile and gently asked him. However, her eyes clearly didn't match her smile.
"So, what did Adam do?"
"Uh, well... my collection..."
"Just say it clearly. Be a man!"
In her dress, Marg leaned in aggressively, using a low voice with Adam.
'Wow. So this is how Marg was back in the slums. I see now.'
Adam was at a loss for words, clearly sending a desperate look toward Sara for help.
"Marg... I think he finds it hard to say, so I'll say it for him."
With a quick turn, Marg smiled and faced Sara.
'S-scary...'
Marg's eyes were intense enough to make Sara nervous. As a side note, Sedrick, who was secretly watching this scene from above, highly regarded Marg for scaring Sara, who was stronger than a dragon.
"So, what did Sara do to Adam?"
"I exposed Adam's collection. Well, I put it in a place where the cleaning maid could easily find it."
"What kind of collection?"
"Underwear from the maids. Oh, and maybe some from the Lady-in-Waiting too."
"Huh? What's that? Is Adam really that careless with women?"
Marg grabbed Adam by the collar and squeezed tightly.
"N-no, that's a misunderstanding. I've never been with a woman."
"Then what's with the underwear?"
"G-gah..."
With the pressure around his neck, even Sara decided it was time to stop Marg.
"Marg, if you keep doing that, Adam won't be able to talk. By the way, isn't he going to fall soon?"
"Oh, I messed up."
Marg quickly let go. Adam was barely conscious, but his face was bright red.
"Marg, I think Adam's collection is stolen. I mean, with his uncle and aunt around, there's no way he could secretly call a servant to his bed. And if it was someone he had that kind of relationship with, I don't get why he'd have underwear. Also, according to Chloe, Adam is seen as a dumb rich kid who keeps failing the academy entrance exams, so he wasn't popular."
"Yeah, I can see that."
Adam, who had slumped down at the entrance, started to sink into the ground with his sadness. Marg patted Adam's shoulder and then added more pressure.
"So, Adam, why did you steal something like that?"
"Well, um... I was curious..."
"Curious about what?"
"One day, while I was running horses at the estate in the capital, some laundry got blown over by the wind. I wondered what it was, and when I looked, it was women's underwear. As I was kind of spreading it out, I got curious about its structure. I started thinking about why there was a hole in it, and then I imagined what it would be like to wear it... and before I knew it, I was excited..."
'Oh my. You're really getting weird with those puberty changes.'
Sara held her head in her hands. Honestly, she thought Adam's bad habits were questionable, but she couldn't help but feel sympathy for him having to confess that to a girl he liked.
"So?"
But Marg showed no mercy at all.
"Even after I got back to my room, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I started to wonder if the young maids and lady-in-waiting with my mother were wearing underwear like that. You know, they all act so calm in front of my mother, but I can't help but think if they wear underwear with holes in them..."
"That depends on the person."
Marg cut in sharply.
"Yeah. I get that there are different kinds."
"Then you didn't have to steal it; you could have just looked! You know, underwear is expensive. When I was a noble, I didn't care about that, but after becoming common, I realized its value. The girl who got her underwear stolen must have been really troubled. She probably couldn't even bring herself to say anything because it was so embarrassing."
"I hadn't thought that far."
"So, did Adam apologize to the servants?"
"...Not yet."
"Apologize to the ones at the main residence right away. For the ones only in the capital, make sure to apologize properly later. I think the Mrs. Young Marquis is handling it, but make sure to compensate them properly, more than just the cost of the underwear."
"Yes."
Adam was slumped over, his voice getting quieter. Marg sighed deeply.
"I'll ask just in case, but was there a servant you liked among those who took the underwear?"
"No. I thought she was cute, but I can say for sure it wasn't romantic feelings."
"That's good. It sounds like your curiosity just went too far. But remember, next time I won't forgive you, okay?"
"Of course!"
'Marg is too nice... I can't tell what Adam might have used that underwear for.'
Sara watched the two of them with a very cold gaze, but if they were okay with it, she wouldn't interfere.
"And also, Adam. You should be grateful to Sara."
"I have a lot to thank Sara for, but what should I be grateful for at this moment?"
"If she hadn't exposed your bad habits, you wouldn't have stopped stealing underwear, right?"
"Huh?"
"When we were in the slums, Jack, the leader of the thieves, said, 'Anyone who steals not for survival is sick. At first, it might be out of curiosity, but once you start, you can't stop. It's like a drug you forget you're using on the battlefield.' So, Adam, you got help from Sara."
"R-Really?"
"I don't think a pro thief would be wrong about that."
Sara had only intended to annoy him, so she had no idea she was playing a part in Adam's rehabilitation. However, hearing Marg's words reminded her of people in her past life who couldn't stop shoplifting or underwear thieves who kept getting caught. Those habitual criminals might indeed have troubled minds.
"Sara, it's strange to say this out of the blue, but thank you for everything. I think that was revenge against me, but still, it seems I was helped."
"It's weird to say 'you're welcome.' If Marg forgave you, it's not my place to say anything. But if you make Marg cry, you better be ready for something so terrible you'll regret being alive."
"W-Whoa, got it."
Adam gulped and nodded.
"Marg... are you really okay with Adam?"
"Hey, you know, conversations between boys around this age can be really terrible. Sorry, that's not right. No matter how old they get, I think guys are just dumb when it comes to that stuff. After pretending to be a boy for almost 2 years, I can say for sure that these guys are definitely dumb. I think Adam is actually cute compared to them. Of course, only he knows what kind of fantasies he has."
"There are also strong young ladies, you know."
"Sara understands that even better. Is she really 8 years old?"
"She's definitely 8. She'll be 9 soon, though."
Marg reached out her hand to Adam, and he gently took it and stood up.
"You won't do it again, right?"
"Yeah. I swear."
'If these two really become a couple, Adam is already being bossed around. Well, maybe it's better for Adam's wife to be like this?'
"I'm going to head back to the main house soon."
"Be careful. Your horse has returned, so I think the golems are bringing it back for you."
"Thanks. I really appreciate Sara's help. I'll probably need your help in the future too."
"In return, you need to work hard. It's important that you two become the face of our advertising."
"I understand."
Marg called out to Adam again.
"Please give my regards to the Young Marquis couple."
"Yeah. I'll properly tell them about the engagement and ask for their blessing."
Then, Marg whispered something in Adam's ear. The next moment, Adam's face turned even redder than when he was choked, and he nodded quickly before hurriedly heading back to the main house. He looked a bit unsteady on his feet.
After seeing Adam off, Sara and Marg naturally sat down on the sofa in the library.
"By the way, what did you just say to Adam?"
"I told him, 'If you tell me your favorite type of underwear, I might just start wearing it too.'"
"Wait, seriously? You said that knowing how Adam is right now? Marg, isn't that a bit harsh?"
"If the cause is in his heart, then it should get better, and if it doesn't, I think I can just give up."
Marg looked a little sad.
"Does that mean you're giving up on having Adam's child?"
"Well, I guess that's what a noble would think, but for me, it might be more accurate to say I'm giving up on the close connection as a couple."
"Oh, I see."
"You're not really 8 years old, right?"
Sara sighed.
"Even if Marg doesn't marry Adam, Marg seems like she'll become family anyway, and since it'll probably come out eventually, I'll just say it."
"That Sara is Lady Sophia?"
"You noticed?"
"Everyone in the Young Marquis family knows, but they seem to be waiting for you to say it yourself."
"I see. I've already told Uncle Edward, but he's keeping it a secret like a good person. Actually, all the servants in this tower know too. They realize it can't be hidden. They've signed a confidentiality agreement."
"For servants in a noble family, signing a confidentiality agreement is normal. I don't think you need to worry about that."
It's common for servants working in noble families to sign confidentiality agreements. Some even fake contracts to sneak in as spies, but the Shinobi clan of the Grandchester family rarely overlooks such misconduct.
"But what I really want to say is not just that I'm Sophia, but that I'm a reincarnator."
"Reincarnated?"
"It means I have memories of living as another person before being born as Sara."
"So, where were you before you were born as Sara?"
"In a faraway world that isn't this one. There's no magic, and fairies... well, they might exist, but I never saw them."
"Did Sara die in that world?"
"Yes. I died in an accident while riding in a carriage, like the ones in this world. When Adam pushed me into the pond at the royal mansion, I remembered my past life."
"Did you awaken your magic then?"
"Oh, I did awaken water magic too."
"I see. So, how old were you when you died?"
"I was 33 years old."
"That makes sense. Now I finally understand why you act like a weird 8-year-old. Ah, what a relief!"
"Isn't 'weird' a bit harsh?"
"But it is weird, right?"
"I can't deny that."
"But you know, I think I'm pretty unusual for a noble lady too. If Adam becomes Marquis Grandchester, then I would become the Marquis's wife, right? I'm sure I'd be strongly opposed."
Since Sara is vaguely aware that Elizabeth has her eye on Marg, she isn't too worried about it. Instead, she was thinking about how to handle things if Marg rejected a relationship with Adam.
"Weren't your future dreams to be a merchant?"
"Is there a reason a Marquis's wife can't do business?"
"Marg is a bit of a rebel. But personally, I welcome it."
"I thought you would say that."
"By the way, Chloe is aiming to be the future queen."
"About Prince Andrew?"
"Exactly. The Sophia Merchant Guild is serious about supporting her."
"Are you planning to take control of this country?"
"Avalon? No way. Don't you think that's too narrow?"
"Heh... as expected of Lady Sophia."
"I'm sorry for being such an admired woman."
"Actually, it's the best!"
Sara and Marg exchanged glances and smiled slyly. The future Marchioness seems like she will be quite an interesting person.
"Oh, right. I also want to practice swordsmanship with Sara. If possible, I want to do sparring too. What do you think?"
"I'm totally up for a practice partner. But I'll be using a sword while wearing a dress."
"Yeah, I hear you. I also want to be a woman who can fight in a dress."
"Then it's settled!"
"If possible, I want a practice dress too, but how will I pay for it?"
"I can cover that much. And for weapons too. What will you use, Marg?"
"I usually use a dagger to avoid being noticed, but I really want to try a sword. I want to swing a greatsword like Mrs. Elena, but I can't really carry that around."
"Marg, have you manifested any magic?"
"Just body enhancement."
"Hmm. If you train, you might be able to open a spatial storage. Then you could store the greatsword."
"Do you think I can become such a high-level magician?"
"We won't know until you try training. Well, if you really put your mind to it, you might be able to do it. But Marg, you can't do anything until Rihito gives you permission, okay? It would be a big deal if you overdo it."
"I understand."
"Once your body recovers, let's make sure to use up all your magic power every day before sleeping. You're already 14, so you need to hurry or you won't be able to increase it."
"Isn't that a scary thing to say?"
"Don't worry. All the kids in Grandchester are doing it these days."
Seeing Sara with a big smile and giving a thumbs up, Marg felt a slight unease. A few days later, Marg would realize that her worry was justified.
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