Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 7

The maid seated Brianna in a chair and carefully cleaned the bloodstains and dust from her skirt. She then skillfully mended the torn fabric and showed it to Brianna.

“See? Good as new,” the maid said.

True to her words, the repair was flawless, and it was impossible to tell where the tear had been.

“I hope you like it.”

The maids of the Carlisle household were well-disciplined, yet kind and courteous in their manner. This gave Brianna a sense of what the mistress of the house might be like. The demeanor of the servants often reflected the nature of their mistress. If the mistress was respected, the servants would be well-mannered and polite; if not, they would often be lax and careless in their duties.

“Thank you. I really do,” Brianna replied.

The maid beamed. “Now, let me take you to the Dowager Duchess and the young master.”

As Brianna walked alongside the maid, she wondered about the Dowager Duchess of House Carlisle. She imagined her to be someone who was generally kind and gentle but strict when it came to discipline. In contrast, Dowager Countess Linares, despite her stern and intimidating exterior, was actually the most affectionate person Brianna had ever known.

I hope the Dowager Countess is alright, Brianna thought, her concern growing. The Dowager Countess had been battling a prolonged cold. At over seventy years old, even a minor illness was not to be taken lightly. She had also recently recovered from a serious illness, making Brianna worry even more.

“Brie, I have a favor to ask. Could you go to the capital on my behalf?”

Despite wanting to stay by the Dowager Countess’s side, Brianna couldn’t refuse her request. So, for the first time in her life, she boarded a train bound for the capital.

As soon as she finished her task, she planned to return to the Dowager Countess as quickly as possible.

“This is the drawing room.”

With these thoughts, Brianna stepped into the drawing room through the wide-open door. The room, decorated in white and light blue, was spacious and filled with sunlight. In the middle of it, the Dowager Duchess and Lucius Carlisle were having tea on a sofa.

“Come in, dear,” the Dowager Duchess beckoned.

Brianna quickly approached the Dowager Duchess and respectfully curtsied. “It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace. I’m Brianna Everett. Thank you for inviting me to your esteemed home.”

The Dowager Duchess smiled warmly. “I’ve heard a bit about you from Lucius. Are you alright? The doctor said your injuries weren’t serious, but I still worry when a young lady gets hurt.”

“I’m fine, really. Just a few scrapes. Thanks to your care, I don’t feel any pain now.”

“That’s good to hear. Please, have a seat.”

The Dowager Duchess and Lucius were seated facing each other. Brianna chose a seat as far from Lucius as possible. A maid soon placed a teacup in front of Brianna and poured some tea.

“I heard you injured yourself while jumping in front of a carriage to save a child. That’s quite brave. Not everyone would do such a thing. Are you always so courageous?” the Dowager Duchess asked.

Brianna shook her head quickly. “No, it’s quite common in my hometown.”

“Common?” the Dowager Duchess echoed, intrigued.

“In Harzen, where I’m from, people step up to help whenever there’s danger. I just did what anyone from my town would do.”

In Harzen, facing danger together was a necessity. The harsh environment, with monsters occasionally descending into the village, had taught the residents that unity was essential for survival.

“How interesting. Usually, the instinct is to run away to save oneself,” the Dowager Duchess mused.

“We’ve learned that while you can go fast alone, you can go far together.”

The Dowager Duchess nodded, smiling broadly. “Florian often told me stories about Harzen. Now I understand why he loves that place so much.”

It seemed that Florian’s close friendship with Lucius extended to their families as well. Given Florian’s sociable nature, he had likely visited the Dowager Duchess many times and endeared himself to her.

Sipping her tea with a smile, Brianna thought about how predictable Florian’s charm was.

“But what brings you to the capital from such a distant place? Traveling alone must not have been easy,” the Dowager Duchess inquired.

Brianna set her teacup down and answered, “I came on an errand for Dowager Countess Linares.”

“An errand?” the Dowager Duchess repeated, her curiosity piqued.

“Yes, there were some matters to handle on her behalf,” Brianna explained, hoping the Dowager Duchess wouldn’t press further. The nature of her visit was a secret known only to her and the Dowager Countess.

“Since I had plenty of time, I came all the way here,” she added, hoping to divert the conversation.

The Dowager Duchess seemed to ponder this for a moment before smiling kindly. “I’ve met the Dowager Countess a few times. Though we haven’t spoken much, I know she is a wise and intelligent woman.”

Brianna’s face lit up with a genuine smile. “Yes, she is truly knowledgeable and wise. I admire her greatly.”

Noting the sincerity in Brianna’s eyes, the Dowager Duchess’s expression turned amused. “I’ve also heard some unfavorable things about the Dowager Countess, particularly from Viscountess Robert, who often gossips about her in social circles. She calls her eccentric, difficult, and selfish.”

The mention of Viscountess Robert made Brianna tense up. Viscountess Robert is Florian’s mother. Florian Robert is the eldest son of the Robert family and the future heir to the viscountcy.

“Mother,” Lucius interjected softly, having listened silently until now.

The Dowager Duchess glanced at her son before turning back to Brianna. “Don’t worry. If Viscountess Robert says such things about someone, it usually means they are quite respectable. It seems she is upset that the Dowager Countess didn’t invest in their ventures.”

A year ago, the Robert family had asked the Dowager Countess to invest in their business. When she refused, tensions rose.

According to the inheritance laws of the Kingdom of Schwerin, women couldn’t inherit family assets. Even men who weren’t the eldest sons were in the same position. The eldest son inherited all the family’s wealth. However, Dowager Countess Linares was an exception. When she married, she received a portion of the Robert family’s wealth with the stipulation that it would return to the family upon her death.

The Roberts were angry because they believed they should be able to use the money now, as they would inherit it anyway.

“Yes, the Dowager Countess judged that the investment had no business potential,” Brianna confirmed.

“Why did she think it lacked potential?” the Dowager Duchess asked.

“The investment location is dangerous.”

The Dowager Duchess’s expression shifted, her playful curiosity replaced by a serious, intent look. Her blue eyes, now sharp and focused, examined Brianna closely.

“Can you explain why she thinks it’s dangerous? Why is Sierra risky?”

Sierra was a small country near the Kingdom of Schwerin, sharing borders with the Basel Kingdom, the Kazak Empire, and the Papal States. Though it had maintained independence for a long time, it was heavily influenced by the Kazak Empire.

A few years ago, a high-quality alum mine was discovered in Sierra. The land was rich with high-purity alum deposits. Lacking the technology to develop the mines, Sierra needed external investment. Naturally, the Kazak Empire was the first to step in. Following their lead, nobles from other countries began to invest as well, including the Viscount Robert.

“In the face of war, any profit is meaningless. That applies to Sierra as well,” Brianna explained.