Instead of My Stepsister, I Have Become Engaged to the Son of a Marquis, Who Is Said to Only Have a Year Left to Live - Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Small Storm
A magnificent carriage came to a halt in front of the Earl of Oak Ridge’s house, and the Earl of Oak Ridge came tumbling out of the mansion door.
“Edith, please come quickly! … Oh, and you…?”
When he opened the carriage door and saw Lionel sitting next to Edith, Earl of Oak Ridge’s expression showed an expression of confusion that he could not hide. Lionel looked calmly at the Earl of Oak Ridge, Edith’s stepfather.
“…Can you not remember the face of your stepdaughter’s fiance?”
“…!! My apologies, Lord Lionel.”
The Earl of Oak Ridge was shocked and hurriedly. He gave a smile that seemed to say,
“Come over here. How is Edith doing at the Marquis of Granvelle household?”
“Edith has become an indispensable member of the Marquis of Granvelle family. It is all thanks to Edith that my health has recovered so well.”
Earl of Oak Ridge’s eyes widened even more at Lionel’s words.
“That can’t be… No, that can’t be…”
Earl Oak Ridge muttered to himself and led Lionel and Edith into the reception room. Lionel was able to walk on his own, though he needed Edith’s help a little. Earl of Oakridge was stunned by his incredible recovery.
As Lionel and Edith were sitting on the sofa in the drawing room, Earl of Oak Ridge, who had shown them to the parlor and then left the room, returned with Edith’s stepmother, Countess of Oakridge. Looking searchingly at Lionel and Edith, she glanced at her husband, exchanged a few hushed words, and then asked Lionel with a smile on her face.
“Well, it seems that you’re feeling much better; that’s good.”
“Yes. This is all thanks to Edith for being by my side.”
The Earl and Countess of Oak Ridge exchanged glances at Lionel’s words, then the Earl looked at Lionel and slowly began to speak.
“…Since Lord Lionel is here today, I would like to make a request… Could you please increase the amount of support you provide to the Oak Ridge Earl House?”
“Stepfather!”
Unable to bear it any longer, Edith opened her mouth to her stepfather.
“What is going on? The Marquis of Granvelle household has already forgiven our debts, and we’ve already received more than enough support. And now we’re asking to increase the amount of support…”
“Edith stay quiet.”
Her stepfather glared at Edith and continued speaking.
“Also, there is a job I would like you to do later. Some problems have been arising since you left home.”
Edith frowned at her stepfather, wondering if that was really the case.
“Is it a problem? … Did you actually read the handover documents I gave to you, stepfather?”
“Well, you see… I thought it would be quicker to ask the person who was doing it directly, or rather, it would be quicker to have the person do it…”
The Earl of Oak Ridge stammered and shut up. Edith’s stepmother coldly told her:
“Edith, is that really what you would say to your stepfather, who raised you? You should be ashamed of yourself. It’s your own fault for leaving a gap in your work and leaving home half-heartedly.”
Just as Edith opened her mouth to speak to her stepmother, the door to the parlor slid open, and her stepsister, Dahlia, dressed to the nines, walked in. Dahlia’s eyes widened at the sight of Lionel, who looked like a completely different person since they last met. Then she lit up with lust, and she smiled.
“Well, Lord Lionel. I heard from Father that you were also here, so I came to greet you once again. Beside, I heard a voice coming from inside the room just now, and I have a good idea.”
Edith listened to Dahlia’s words, feeling a bad feeling about her smile.
“Originally, I was supposed to be engaged to Lord Lionel, wasn’t I? … I don’t know if you know this, Lord Lionel, but Edith is half-commoner. If someone going is marry into a family as big as the Marquis of Granvelle, I think I’m more suitable. Besides…”
Dahlia looked down at Edith.
“Lord Lionel would be embarrassed if, in the future, she were to become his wife, a stepsister who is so plain and has no aristocratic manners or education. I think it would be best for me to re-engage with Lord Lionel and have Edith return to this house and continue working as before. I will support Lord Lionel from now on.”
“…!”
Edith had frozen in place at Dahlia’s words, and Lionel, who was clenching his fist next to her, slowly began to speak.
“If you just stay quiet and listen, they’ll just keep making their own claims.”
Edith looked next to her and saw Lionel, boiling with anger she had never seen him in before, directing an ice-cold gaze at Dahlia and Edith’s stepparents.
“I have no intention of marrying any woman other than Edith. … And as for the matter of the Earl Oak Ridge family’s pharmaceutical business, when Edith was leaving this house, it was you, Countess of Oak Ridge, who said work was possible, wasn’t it?”
“Did I say that…?”
Lionel then turned his gaze to the Earl, who was standing next to the shaken lady.
“Edith has never once complained to me about the way she lived at Oak Ridge. But from what I can see, it seems to me that she has been treated unfairly here at the Earl’s house… Am I wrong, Edith?”
Edith remained silent and looked at Lionel in confusion, so he gently stroked her hair before speaking.
“You are too good of a person. … the luggage you brought to the Marquis de Granvelle’s house was so small, the clothes you wore so plainly, and, now that I think about it, the dress you were wearing when we first met, all of this led me to secretly have an investigation recently into the kind of life you were living here.”
“…! Lord Lionel, when did this happen…”
Edith looked at Lionel in surprise, as he should have been doing his best to recover his own health. Lionel smiled gently at her.
“Thanks to you, I’ve gradually been able to think about things other than myself… According to the reports, Edith was adopted into the Earl’s family at the request of her grandfather, the former Earl of Oakridge, but after his death, she was confined to a small room in a detached building and given the same food and clothing as the servants, which was hardly a life befitting the daughter of an Earl. In particular, the attitude of your stepfamily, towards Edith was apparently extremely cold.”
Lionel, his words brimming with indignation, gave them a cold look, and the Earl and Countess of Oakridge and Dahlia went pale and remained silent.
“And to think that you didn’t even notice how much Edith had contributed to the business of the Oak Ridge family. It shows how much you have neglected her…. Besides, Edith is attractive in every way and incomparable to your daughter.”
“…!”
Dahlia twisted her face in frustration and bit her lip. Lionel continued speaking calmly.
“However, there is one thing I am grateful to you for. When I visited the Oak Ridge Earl House, you recommended Edith to become my fiance. In light of this, I will ask my father to support your household one last time. In return, I ask that you never again involve Edith in your household’s disputes or cause her any trouble. Is that clear?”
The Earl of Oak Ridge looked at Edith with a panicked look.
“Hey, Edith. You’re the stepdaughter of this family, aren’t you? …Even though you’re of commoner bl00d, we welcomed you into our home, so is it really alright for you to now leave like this and cut ties with us?”
(…Originally, it was my stepfather, stepmother, and stepsister who tried to kick me out of this house.)
Edith had supported the Oak Ridge Earl family, where her father was born and where her grandfather had adopted her, until she left home, but her mind had already been made up. Edith spoke quietly to her stepfather.
“Yes. There is no other place I want to be than by Lord Lionel’s side. … Originally, I was adopted by you at your grandfather’s request, so you can dissolve our adoption now. Thank you for all your help up until now.”
Edith bowed politely, then raised her head again and looked into her stepfather’s eyes.
“In order to rebuild the Oak Ridge family, I believe that the first thing we need to do is make it a habit to live within our means. Then, regarding the pharmaceutical business, please read through the handover documents I left behind. All the important information is written there. …And if possible, please treat your servants like family. If you do that, I believe that everyone will be a great help to the Oak Ridge family.”
“Wait, Edith…!”
Lionel slid his body between Edith and Earl of Oak Ridge to protect her from him, and with Edith’s help, he got up from the sofa.
“That’s all from us. I’ll be off now.”
As Edith made her way to the front door of the Oak Ridge house, looking around for Laura, knowing that she might never set foot in the house again, she heard the soft pattering of footsteps.
“Lady Edith!”
Edith gave a happy smile as Laura hurried over.
“Laura, I’m so glad! I was just looking for you, hoping to meet you.”
“When I heard that Lady Edith was coming, I rushed over to see you. I’m glad to see that you’re doing well.”
When Laura saw Lionel, who was regaining his health, standing next to Edith, her face lit up, and she bowed deeply to him.
“Lord Lionel, please take good care of Lady Edith. The young lady is a very caring and wonderful person.”
Lionel smiled warmly at Laura’s words.
“Yes, I know that very well. It’s only because Edith was by my side that I was able to recover so well.”
“Well, I guess that was the case. Lady Edith is also the one who saved my grandmother. I believed that Lady Edith could perform a miracle… I’m glad…”
Edith asked Laura, her eyes moist.
“Laura, how have you been?”
“Yes. Ever since Lady Edith left for the Marquis of Granvelle, there has been a lot of turmoil within the Oak Ridge household due to family business issues. I have also felt lonely since Lady Edith left, but I am doing well. In fact, I have decided to marry my cousin, and I plan to return to my parents’ home soon.”
“Wow! Congratulations, Laura.”
Edith had a bright smile on her face. Laura, flushed with embarrassment, looked at her.
“I had hoped to meet you in person one last time before I left my job at this house, so I was very happy to be able to meet you again today.”
“Me too, Laura. I wish you a long and happy life together.”
“Thank you. I too wish Lady Edith and Lord Lionel much happiness.”
Feeling her heart warm, Edith waved goodbye to Laura. As she left the Oak Ridge Earl House, she passed through the front door and looked up at the mansion, thinking:
(…I have no regrets about this house anymore.)
“Come on, let’s go, Edith.”
“Yes, Lord Lionel. Thank you for shielding and protecting me earlier.”
“It’s a small price to pay, Edith. It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for me.”
Lionel and Edith got into the waiting carriage of the Marquis of Granvelle and left the Earl of Oakridge House.