CHAPTER 50………………………………………..
“Head maid? Is something wrong?”
“Who are you talking to…?”
“No one? Okay, thanks. Something else bothering you?”
“Is someone there?”
“…Anyway, I understand.”
“Please don’t tell anyone I talked to a ghost.”
Direna muttered, half scared.
She was reminded of what happened last time at this lord’s castle.
Now that she thought about it, the ghost she saw back then seemed familiar when it smiled.
It was almost the same expression as the person who had cursed Direna with that proposal.
“Didn’t you know? This castle has the most ghosts.”
“You’re joking, right?”
Even though she knew it wasn’t a joke, Direna asked, unwilling to give up hope.
“I don’t joke about that.”
“So… it’s over now?”
Direna sighed as she asked. Since it seemed clear that no ghost had possessed her, the matter was roughly settled.
“Can I go now?”
“I’d like it if you stayed a bit longer.”
Yujire replied.
“If we let you go like this, the marquis is bound to protest.”
‘I thought so!’
The marquis seemed utterly convinced that Direna had been possessed by a ghost.
He even acted as if he hoped she would return to how she was before.
‘What good would that do me?’
It had been a time filled with mistakes and foolishness.
Thinking back, she wondered how she had even lived like that.
Direna had no intention of returning to that kind of life.
“You said before that the bloodline was impure.”
Yujire leaned slowly back in her chair and smiled.
“Miss Direna, have you ever thought about taking real power in your family?”
“……”
Of course, she had thought about it at least once.
Since her reincarnation, it had come to mind more often.
But realistically, it was impossible.
‘Because I have nothing.’
Connections? Long ruined by Direna herself.
Power within the family? She never had any.
Ability? She never had that either.
And most importantly, the Karen marquisate was not a paternal-line family.
“It wouldn’t work in the first place.”
A woman like Direna would never inherit.
“There’s no reason for them to show you such kindness.”
“I’m not telling you to rely on family kindness.”
Yujire smiled.
“You just have to prove it yourself, isn’t that right?”
“Prove… what exactly?”
“Talk to Lord Jaen about the details. He’s the one who first proposed the idea.”
Yujire said that and went outside, citing duties in managing the estate.
‘Seems like there’s a lot to take care of.’
She didn’t even seem to care about hiding the presence of ghosts anymore.
Direna exhaled softly and turned her head.
“Lord Jaen?”
Then, memories of the last ball suddenly came to mind.
Even if Laseil himself didn’t seem to remember it…
“I apologize for last time.”
It was easier to settle things preemptively.
Laseil blinked at the sudden comment.
“Huh?”
Then he started trying to figure out what exactly she was apologizing for.
Since he hadn’t met Direna much, that “last time” must have been at the ball.
But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t recall anything he should be apologized to for.
Talk about the head of the family… seemed unlikely.
Something about aura… must have been due to his lack of knowledge.
‘What do you do when you can’t think of anything?’
Watching Laseil’s troubled expression, Direna let out a dry laugh.
She felt that being this oblivious was almost a blessing.
At the same time, she thought it was fortunate that Laseil was this kind of person.
“You don’t need to answer. It’s just personal satisfaction.”
“…Is that so?”
Laseil still looked puzzled, unable to understand.
But he seemed to have given up on trying to recall.
“Then can you explain in detail what you mentioned before?”
Direna tried her best to ask politely. There was no need to upset him.
“What exactly do you mean by how I should act?”
“Gather information.”
Laseil answered simply.
“First, it would be good to become close with the maids or servants in the family. That’s where most of the stories circulate.”
‘Makes sense.’
She couldn’t argue with that. Whether true or not, the maids’ gossip never stopped.
“Or you could look into information related to your mother.”
‘Mother…’
Direna quietly clenched her hands.
She had consciously avoided paying attention to her mother until now.
She had a child without marrying the marquis.
By noble standards and even general standards, that was considered disgraceful.
At times, her mother was a scandal for the family; at others, she was the one the marquis loved madly.
‘…Seriously?’
The thought made irritation surge.
If you’re going to do something, just pick one. Why change your attitude so drastically?
And if he truly loved her, couldn’t he have remarried?
There were cases of nobles marrying commoners, after all.
‘Is he taking out his annoyance on me because it bothers him?’
The woman he loved had died, leaving guilt behind.
He may have felt guilty for not caring in advance.
And that might have transformed into feelings toward Direna.
‘Either pay attention earlier, or don’t get her pregnant…’
He must have known that a commoner’s childbirth conditions were poor.
Yet he deliberately fathered a child. The marquis was effectively responsible.
So why was he angry at Direna?
Anyone would think she appeared magically in the womb.
“Miss Direna? Are you okay?”
Laseil asked with concern, noticing she’d been lost in thought for too long.
Direna quickly gathered her emotions, forced a smile, and lifted her head.
“I’m fine. Just… bad memories came up.”
Her true feelings slipped out briefly.
She glanced around quickly, but Laseil didn’t seem to mind.
“Anyway, thank you for the advice.”
Taking over the marquisate had never been a consideration before.
She had only focused on avoiding repeating past mistakes.
But now, she realized there was no reason not to.
Especially now, when she didn’t want to live by the image her family expected.
“You just live as you normally do! Act like the silly young lady you always have.
Raise your notoriety in society. That way, the family that shelters someone like you looks even better.
And if you don’t go out into society, you’ll never meet His Highness the prince!
All the money spent on you so far must count for something.”
Direna had heard this so many times that she could recite it word for word.
The marquis always said that money spent on her was an investment in the future.
So she had obediently followed the marquis’s wishes…
But ultimately, the image it created had led her to death.
‘Well… I was foolish too.’
She could have refused the proposals.
But she acted as the marquis commanded because it was easy.
No thinking, no responsibility.
‘What’s done is done.’
What mattered was now.
There was still a chance to change things, at least.
As she thought that, Laseil’s voice was heard.
“Of course, if Miss Direna doesn’t want the Karen marquisate name, another method is needed.”
“I could never not want it…”
It wasn’t just any noble house—it was the marquisate.
A family that brings power and wealth just by holding its name.
She had no intention of giving that up just because she disliked the name.
‘…Has that ever happened?’
Direna fell silent, remembering what she heard about Laseil in the capital.
Besides the title granted by Duke Lusean, he also had another marquisate.
He probably inherited it from his father, but it was never mentioned.
Even in the capital’s social circle, no one knew the surname.
