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nChapter 34

nTranslator: effefille

nProofreader: xoxomonami

nThe incident in the Marquisate of Rosan became rumored not only in social circles, but in some media.

nThe main character of the story was Miraila and not anyone else.

nThe emperor’s lover abused her daughter and refused to have her married to maintain her wealth.

nThe story is a mixture of three scandals: beauty, wealth, and violence. It couldn’t be boring because there was even a little romance and politics sprinkled on it.

nThe rumors flared up as the papers published a story from a man who worked as an employee in Marquisate of Rosan.

nThis made Cedric a hero who saved people on two different occasions. One of them was saving his poor lover.

nAnd that girl would now be the Marchioness of Rosan and also marry him.

nPeople also paid attention to how the emperor would respond.

nNeither side was convinced that this would diminish Miraila’s favor.

nThe emperor’s attitude of Miraila was similar to caring for a mean cat where it would sometimes get angry or act terribly.

nHowever, no matter what she did, he did not get angry for long. He would smile bitterly, hug her and say, ‘it can’t be helped because she’s a foolish woman.’

nBut Artizea had a different problem.

nMany people speculated that Artizea made a disturbance by causing a scandal with Miraila.

nThe emperor didn’t. He simply responded to Cedric’s petition letter in a civil manner.

nThe petition letter was about Cedric’s request for permission to become the guardian for Lady Rosan as her fiancé.

nThe letter didn’t even mention Miraila a bit. There was no story about the fight between Miraila and Artizea.

nOriginally, it was the parents who represented the legal authority of the young successor before marriage.

nSo, originally, it was impossible for him to be his fiancée’s guardian while her mother was alive.

nHowever, the emperor stamped a seal on the document that allowed the guardianship without saying anything.

nAnd in a personal position, he spoke with an air of pity on Artizea.

n“Tia is a kind and timid child. She’s very filial. If Miraila gave her a little sweetness, she would have paid her back ten or twenty times. It’s totally different from the kids I’ve been hoping for these days. How could you not be shocked to treat that little girl like that? Miraila did too much.”

nAnd this is what he said about Miraila.

n“Miraila has a hot temper, so if she gets angry, she can’t see what’s in front of her. But, it’s all my fault. If I really treated Tia like a daughter, she wouldn’t have gone so far. Even though she said that there was no need for that, I guess the misunderstanding between the mother and the daughter has led to this.”

nThis wasn’t a reaction he had in public, but an intimate thought that he confessed while with his daughter, Countess Eunice.

nLady Rosan,

nWhen Father said that the Lady was weak, I almost said no.

nHowever, I did that because it would be a favor for the Lady who didn’t say anything. I believe this has been a reward for your last advice.

nFather said that the Lady is still young, but one day she will be able to understand the sincerity of Madame Rosan’s feelings.

nHe pitied both of them, and was rather angry with Lawrence. He failed to mediate between Lady and the Madame and allowed the situation to escalate.

nThere is something I would like to add to that as well, but I will save it for the day when I meet the Lady someday.

nAnyway, Madame Rosan did something stupid. Had this not happened, Cedric would not have advocated to manage the estate and property of the Marquisate of Rosan.

nAfter being scolded for Count Eisen’s troubles, Lawrence has been out of sight for a while. Did he go back to the capital?

nAfter scolding Lawrence, Father has shown me and my children a deeper and more genuine affection than ever before.

nIf I hadn’t come to the separate palace because I didn’t like Madame Rosan, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do so.

nA few days ago, my husband even gave me the permission to fish, which I have been really wanting to do. I was very surprised and happy because I had not been allowed to do so for three years.

nNext week, we will follow His Majesty’s direction and return to the capital. At that time, I believe that there will be time for quiet, long hours for us to build a proper friendship.

nWe’ll soon be cousins.

nMay peace be endless until the day we meet again.

nCharlotte Eunice.

nArtizea showed the letter to Cedric.

n“I thought Charlotte hated me. I understand that she’s trying to get along with you, but I didn’t think she’d put the word cousin there,” Cedric said with a subtle face.

n“It’s my mother and Lawrence that Countess Eunice hated, not Your Grace Cedric,” Artizea said with a smile.

n“Anyway, I don’t have to worry about Your Grace’s problem anyway with this. I want to finish the issue of the Marquisate of Rosan before he changes his mind.”

n“Don’t overdo it until late at night. They said you looked at the papers until the candles were all gone last night. Rize told me.”

n“She now has a habit of informing Your Grace when the smallest things happen.”

n“Isn’t that because I’m worried about you? You need to gain some weight above all else. You’ve only eaten two pieces.”

n“Ah yes.”

nArtizea, embarrassed, took out a bite-sized crispy roll of wheat bread from a snack plate and put it in her mouth.

nAs the crispy skin broke, the hot filling seeped out. Artizea closed her mouth with her hand in case the fillings spill.

n“It’s not just that, Ansgar and Marcus are very worried because you always leave your meals. I’ve been ordered to give you the snacks today. It’s not tasteless isn’t it?”

n“No, it’s delicious.”

n“Do you know how much you eat?”

nArtizea shook her head. It wasn’t that she wasn’t eating because she was full.

n“Looking at you these days, it seems like you keep forgetting to eat even if you have snacks next to you.”

n“Yes… because I’m not used to it.”

n“How much can you eat?”

nCedric pointed to the plate.

nArtizea pointed at about half on the plentiful plate after contemplating.

nThen Cedric split that up, grabbed the rest in a handful and poured it in his mouth.

n“Now, you can just empty everything else and reassure the cook.”

n“Do you eat it all at once?”

n“Isn’t it a snack anyway?”

nArtizea opened her mouth slightly and looked at it.

nThen she laughed a little and put one in her mouth.

nCedric refilled her teacup with herbal tea.

n“So it turns out, where and what is Lawrence doing?”

n“Today he returned to the mansion of the Marquis of Rosan.”

nArtizea replied. Cedric was a little surprised.

n“You know what’s going on. Did you let them in?”

n“It’s the house he used to live in. I can’t keep him from coming in. My mother is there too……. They’ll continue to do so. I’ll just take the safe and my belongings, and keep the mansion as it is. So are the employees. I can’t keep my family out.”

n“Tia, I don’t think there is a need for that. Lawrence has enough wealth…..”

n“They have to stay where they are now.”

nArtizea prevented Cedric from even commenting. With her index finger on his lips, she lifted the corner of her mouth and laughed.

n“I think I know now that when you laugh like that, it’s when you’re having scary thoughts.”

nCedric sighed.

n“You can’t overdo it. You understand?”

n“Yes, I know.”

n“If something happens or is likely to happen, please discuss it with me.”

n“I know that too.”

nArtizea replied with a smile.

nThen the maid knocked on the door and carefully raised her head.

n“Lady Artizea.”

n“Hmm?”

n“Master Lawrence has come. He’s waiting in the parlor.”

nThe maid’s face was pale.

nCedric stood up. Artizea grabbed his sleeve.

n“I want to meet him alone.”

n“Tia.”

n“It’s okay. It’s not a big deal. I’ll shout if something happens.”

nCedric looked at her with an anxious face. Artizea smiled.

nShe left Cedric and stepped outside. Alice, who was waiting after leaving the room, hurriedly followed.

n“Lady, what are you going to do? Master Lawrence is here…”

n“I expected we’d meet. Don’t worry.”

n“Look at the mirror, Milady. I’ll fix your makeup.”

nArtizea hesitated for a moment.

nShe had light makeup on her face. It was to make the scars and bruises look lighter.

n“Don’t do that, bring a wet towel.”

n“What?”

n“I have to wipe the makeup off.”

n“Yes.”

nAlice replied with a tight, nervous face, and hastily left the hall.

nArtizea returned to her room with slow steps.

nSoon Alice brought a bowl of hot water and a towel.

nAlice soaked a towel in water and handed it over to Artizea. Artizea covered her face with the towel.

nShe wiped it off once and then again, working hard to wash her face. And again, looking in the mirror, she meticulously wiped the makeup.

nThere was no girl with a spring face in the mirror.

nIn the past, the appearance of her in her mind was similar to a skinny witch with white hair.

nThe bones on the back of her hands were ugly and her complexion was pale. She looked like death.

nReturning to the past, she learned that for the first time that she had red cheeks.

nSometimes she looked in the mirror and she was surprised by how beautiful she looked. The goddess of the underworld said she put on her youth by putting on makeup, so she believed that to be true.

nHowever, she was now completely back in the past.

nArtizea smiled at the familiar person in the mirror.

nAfter all, it must be this face she wears when facing Lawrence.

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