CH 23

Chapter 23 – The uncouth daughter’s concerns

Kelly and I started cleaning the most important rooms.

"Phew! Kitchen and washing area cleaned!"

"Thank God the kitchen is simpler than I thought it would be. The servants' area seems to have less stuff...."

"The kitchen is very simple. It's like the bare minimum ...... even though they have a lot of gilded decorations in the lord's area."

"I hear there are a lot of lords like that. I think it's a good thing the kitchen equipment isn't broken."

"It seems to be related to the reason why it is difficult to find employees to hire. Even so, it's already evening ... we've only cleaned two rooms"

I wonder how long it will take the two of us to clean this entire mansion.

"Kelly. That's enough cleaning for today, let's get ready to welcome Lord Nazel!"

"Yes, I suppose so. In the meantime, I'll prepare dinner."

"Kelly, can you cook?"

"No, I can't. I'll buy ready-made food as I did for breakfast and lunch. I used to cook meals in the detached villa before, but Lord Nazelbert gave me strict orders not to cook from now on."

What, why did he give that order?!　Kelly...... what in the world did you make?

"As expected, we need a chef."

"...... yes."

Kelly will go down to town and I will set up the dining room set up.

This will also be fine as long as I mimic the work done by the Evantail family's maid.

"Lord Nazel, perhaps he would like to have a drink?"

There were several bottles of wine mixed in with the meal Mr. Henry had arranged for us yesterday.

Wine and Lord Nazel ...... good ......!

"I don't know if you'll drink it, but I'll serve it to you just in case."

In the meantime, Lord Nazel came home from work.

"Agnes, I'm home."

"Welcome home, Lord Nazel. I'm so glad you're back from work. Kelly will bring you your meal soon."

He was as beautiful as always, but Lord Nazel seemed to be in low spirits.

"I'm sorry, Agnes. I've put you through a lot. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've put you through, after bringing you to the frontier."

"What's wrong with you all of a sudden, Lord Nazel? I am having more fun here than at my parents' house. I had a lot more trouble when I was at home, you know?"

Starting with heavy dresses and painful shoes, getting blamed for failed engagements, being forced to attend parties while being hated, and being beaten when I fail.

Wow, that sucks to think about it all over again!

"Compared to when I was in the Evantail family, everything is just fine. Anyway, how about a drink first? I found a bottle of wine that Mr. Henry prepared for us yesterday."

"Yes, I'll have some."

I quickly fill a glass and offer it to Lord Nazel.

"Thank you, Agnes."

Lord Nazel, smiling beautifully, gulped down the wine.

"Oh, Lord Nazel, you are drinking so beautifully...."

I don't know if wine is supposed to be drunk that way.

"Agnes, can I have another glass?"

"Oh, yes. Here you go."

Lord Nazel consumed more and more wine.

I wonder if the slight redness on his cheeks is due to the drunkenness. I think it would be better not to pour any more wine.

"Lord Nazel, that's enough wine for now. Let's enjoy the rest tomorrow or later."

I quickly hid the wine in the large dining room and sat down next to him.

When we were at the detached villa, Lord Nazel didn't seem like one to drink.

This must have been...... something unpleasant at work. My father was the same.

Though, just as I thought, Lord Nazel isn't one to go around beating people when he gets drunk like my father.

"Lord Nazel, if you are okay with me, I'll listen to you. Even if I might not be much help."

Lord Nazel, perhaps drunken, was more dazed than usual. With a pained expression on his face, he began to talk to me.

Normally, he would not talk to me about his work.

But now, thanks to the wine, his mouth was a little looser.

※

"...... Hmmm, I see. I see what you mean."

I tried to put together in my mind what Lord Nazel, who was too drunk to speak clearly, had told me.

As Kelly told me, we seem to be alienated in this Sutrena territory.

It was the same at Lord Nazel's workplace, where he had been trying to do his best for the frontier even though he had been banished, and he was asked not to do anything.

In the end, he was told, "I hope you will live gracefully in the mansion, just as like the lords up to now."

"Did the lords ever do any work at all? What were they doing 'living gracefully' in this mansion?"

One can only wonder...

I know that Lord Nazel had done a lot of research on the Sutrena domain. I also know that he was preparing to improve this domain. But......

"It's tough when you can't get cooperation in anything you do"

"Yeah... we have to figure out a way somehow..."

I wish I could have helped Lord Nazel with his work, but the good old Marquise of Evantail's education for daughters was to be a good wife and wise mother.

I've been reading Lord Nazel's books and researching since I was disowned,......, but it still doesn't help me much, and that makes me feel impatient.

The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good idea of what you're doing.

"Ah yes, Lord Nazel! I saw in your luggage some seedlings that you had previously bred for the frontier. Would you like to plant them here? You said you wanted to find out if they would grow properly there! Then I think we can do it, even in our current condition!"