“Ano, Britney-jou. Could I have a little of your time?”
Before dinner, I was called out by the Astaru earldom’s eldest son, Millard.
“What is it?”
“There’s something I’d like to talk about regarding my younger brother.”
My eyes might be decieving me, but Millard is a gentleman compared to Ricardo.
Although I’m younger than him, he’s using polite language.
“Ricardo… -sama, is it?”
Millard and I moved to the courtyard and continued talking.
We are standing only a short distance from each other, so I’m worried that my sweaty odor has reached him.
“You and my brother seem to be on good terms. Even though your engagement was broken, why do you continue to associate with each other?”
He hasn’t heard anything about this from Ricardo.
From the point of view of such a person, our behavior must seem strange.
Ma~, even if I’m asked “why,” it’s mostly a mercenary relationship.
(Still, I think we’re on better terms than we were in the beginning.)
How should I explain that to Millard, though? It seems difficult.
“It’s regrettable the engagement didn’t work out, but we share a mutual desire to improve our respective territories… We have received a lot of favor from Ricardo-sama. For many reasons, we are indebted to him.”
“Is that so…”
“Ee, we are quite thankful. For that reason, I was quite worried our two territory’s relationship would be broken off at the same time the engagement was destroyed.”
“No, rather, we are mutually benefited by a positive relationship between the territories. However, Ricardo is at school right now. If it’s okay, would you be okay trading to our territory through me for now?”
“Eh-…?”
Looking his way, I saw Millard standing before my eyes. He’s close!
Although his eyes are sharp and have shadows, Millard is also beautiful.
I had complicated feelings seeing him smiling so close to me.
(This… perhaps, are you trying to seduce me?)
While admiring he would go so far for a white pig, I opened my mouth.
“I shouldn’t do things like that at my own discretion… I will consult with my cousin.”
“I will be waiting for your positive reply.”
Are the brothers of the Astaru earldom on bad terms with each other?
(He was trying to bypass Ricardo and have all contracts go through him instead, right?)
I’m an only child, so I don’t understand the relationship between the two aristocratic brothers. I’ll ask Lily about it.
After that, we ate dinner together with all members of the Astaru estate.
There are lots of lavish cuisines on the table. Aren’t they prospering a bit too much?
(I’m happy, but right now I’m on a diet.)
Even though Ryuze and Lily seemed to have been eating sweets before the meal, they are eating dinner as usual.
(Even in this world, there are types that never grow fat no matter how much they eat, huh?)
It’s so unfair. I can’t help what kind of body I was born with.
(Ryuze as well, despite being my cousin doesn’t get fat at all. Ojii-sama is the same way.)
Among my relatives, it seems I only shared my protruding stomach with my Aunt and Uncle.
After eating, I stealthily talked with Lily.
“Ne~, Lily. Are Ricardo-sama and Millard-sama on bad terms with each other?”
“… That’s right. Ricardo is strangely excellent, so Millard feels uneasy because of his sickly body. Ma~, I understand the feeling. Were I not born a woman, I think I would be a little worried.”
As expected from a cousin, Lily calls the Astaru family’s brothers quite intimately. (TLN: no “-sama.”)
“Is that so.”
“He’s not a bad person, but Millard is quite delicate.”
Which reminds me, Ryuze was saying the same thing.
“As Uncle-sama is wavering over who to make the present head of the family… he becomes even more worried. There are talks of bequeathing the estate to Ricardo in the future, and having Millard assist him. It’s complicated.”
The Astaru household seems to have it’s own various circumstances.
Translator’s Corner:Here’s chapter 40!
There were two reviews on NovelUpdates that gave 1 stars once they read through the raws to this chapter (or the next chapter, 41), but I don’t see what worried/disturbed them so much? Certainly, Ryuze, Ricardo, and Millard putting on masks and trying to seduce/control her for political power is somewhat scary, but isn’t that somewhat expected of a story about nobility?
I don’t get it.
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