Daughter of Albert House
Chapter 75 – What happened after that *Margaret*
Translator’s Notes: This story has no glossary, so I might translate some character names in a different way than the previous translator had. Point it out in the comments if you do find any wrong names so that I can fix them.
Also, last chapter was put up as v2c34, but I’m not sure why, since v2c33 is the last chapter of v2. We’re now in the extras before the start of v3. This is the second extra.
I also didn’t have time to read the whole 74 chapters before working on this, so some mistakes might happen due to lack of knowing the proper context. Sorry about that. I don’t think any egregious mistake will happen due to that, but feel free to point out anything that is clearly wrong that you end up noticing.
The previous translator should pick this up again at c77 regardless. I’m just covering for them a bit right now.
Okay, that’s all for the notes.
———–
Margaret Brownie, formerly known as Margaret Riadora, was not born in a family of a very high status, even if she was still a noble.
Her family however, the Riadora family, was not of lower class, but of middle class. They’re not weak enough to be subservient to others.
However, that status was not enough for her to proudly mingle in the social circles of Eliciana Academy with all her heart, for she was still part of a mere middle class noble family.
Margaret didn’t find it unfortunate though. She was born into a luxurious home and could live a life without any inconveniences. She did not think this was something to be lamented or labeled as a misfortune.
But if one asked if she was satisfied with her life, she’d shake her head to the side without any shame.
Born in a mediocre noble home, she wished to give her child something more than what she was given. Differently from her parents that were fine with what they had, Margaret had, since an early age, an uncontrollable ambition within her heart.
Even when she was still a child who did not know the intricacies of the aristocrat world, Margaret dreamed to go higher.
The first turning point in her life came with her engagement to Rig Brownie.
The proposal came from the Brownie family, and Margaret eagerly agreed to this marriage that was arranged due to both her and Rig’s parents being schoolmates during their time at the Eliciana academy.
Margaret rejoiced at this agreement. She was marrying into the Brownie family!
There was no love there, but Margaret didn’t really care. She didn’t have the tiniest bit of affection towards Rig Brownie, but she made extraordinary efforts to not be disliked by him, and to live up to the Brownie name.
To support her husband, give birth to children and protect her family. She was going to be a woman that her husband could be proud of within social circles, and a mother that would give unconditional love to her children.
That was her role as a woman, and if that was what she needed to do in order to become part of the Brownie family, she’d absolutely get it done.
With this determination in her heart, Margaret raised up in life.
As for the Brownie family, they’re part of a well-known family who has been around for many generations. They’re on the upper-middle level of society. The kind of people who can easily mingle within the social circles of Eliciana academy.
When you’re part of the Brownie family, you often see people go out of their way just to greet you. That’s the kind of power they had.
Normally speaking, they’d have many options of people to marry, so there would be no reason for the Brownies to marry their son to the daughter of a middle-class family like the Riadoras. Even if they were close back in school days, that just wasn’t enough reason.
And Rig was the only child of the Brownie family. He was going to succeed the house, and it would be expected for him to find a woman who was suitable and could live up to the Brownie name.
However, he was a bit of a problem to his house. A lonely and domineering man who hated nobility even though he too was also a noble. A terribly rebellious child that his parents had a hard time understanding.
All ladies who approached him were treated with utmost cold, and they started giving up on getting married to him. The Brownie couple regretted raising him the way they did, thinking that he might have grown up to be too spoiled.
That’s why the couple relied on their old friendship to approach Margaret about the engagement. Before their only son, who hates nobility, ended up impregnating some other woman from who knows where, they thought it would be better to get him engaged soon.
And that was how Margaret got engaged, for the interests of both parties were in agreement.
As for her first conversation with Rig, that’s how it went.
“You’re just trying to get into my family anyways.” Rig told her.
“Yes, indeed.” Margaret replied.
The reason why those two could maintain their relationship was simply because Rig could not abandon the name of the Brownie family. Even if he hated being a noble, he just had no way of destroying the engagement, especially because Margaret did her utmost to avoid giving him any reason to break their connection apart.
Nonetheless, there was no love there.
But then, a second turning point happened in Margaret’s life. A very undesirable one. The transfer of Lilianne.
Margaret, who had no memory of the game, thought that Lilianne would be hurt and quickly leave after being faced with Rig’s cold attitude.
However, for some reason, Rig, who had been cold to Lilianne at first, gradually started looking at her with a soft smile in his face. He became one of the men surrounding Lilianne.
Using her knowledge of the game, Lilianne was able to get past Rig’s hate for nobility, for she knew that what he really wanted was some love and kindness, regardless of what family she herself came from.
It was an easy capture for Lilianne, even if she too had no love for him.
However, Margaret, who didn’t know about those things, doubted her eyes as she saw the change in Rig… At that point, her heart was truly filled with bitterness and resentment.
She had obtained a connection with the Brownie family, and did her utmost to maintain it, but she was now wondering if all of that would be robbed of by that woman.
Margaret was too worried about this, so she started moving earlier than anyone else. Long before Karina, who already knew of everything and cautiously made her own preparations.
Margaret showed the Brownies what their son had become, a member of Lilianne’s reverse harem.
She talked to the Brownie couple in order to get them to consider adoption, “I promise that I’ll give you a good son-in-law and that I’ll give birth to a good soon too!” she told them.
It might have looked like a ridiculous request, but Margaret was eventually able to convince them, so she was adopted into the Brownie family.
The couple trusted on her ambitions, and Margaret was more than happy to live up to their trust.
She wanted to reward both the Brownie family for accepting her, and the Riadora family who accepted her adoption without reproaching her for being so ambitious.
She was definitely going to find a good husband for both hers and theirs sake.
Then, came the third turning point in Margaret’s life… A party at the Albert family’s house.
“Mary, I’ll be leaving for a bit.” Margaret said.
“For some reason, I can only interpret your ‘I’ll be leaving’ as ‘I’ll go hunt’.” Mary replied.
“I have my principles, you know? I’ll not be going after other people’s prey. I’ll make my move after finding a fine target.” Margaret told her.
“You’re a sensible hunter at least. If you have any problems, do tell me, and I’ll cooperate. I don’t really hate your voraciousness, after all.” Mary said.
“Then perhaps you should start referring to me as sister-in-law?” Margaret said.
“Please don’t say such terrifying words.” Mary replied.
Margaret giggled at Mary’s words before moving towards the garden.
The ladies were talking to the people they were interested on, with Patrick Dice being particularly popular.
Meanwhile, Margaret looked around the venue and involuntarily sighed at the spectacular sight.
The Albert’s mansion was truly quite something. Everything looked dignified, yet also looked sensible enough to not feel overwhelming.
A mansion that invoked a royal kind of authority. A mansion that showed off all of its long history and dignity.
Margaret envied that… She stared at Mary through the window as Mary talked to Parfait about something. Even at that moment, she still maintained the full beautify and dignity of a lady of the Albert family.
While staring at the child of the Albert family, Margaret thought that she should leave the garden, but… On her way out, she found a boy standing all by himself, so she stopped her movement.
It was a complete coincidence for Margaret to pay attention to him, to approach him, and to call out to him.
She didn’t know him, he didn’t look at her, and he did not call out to her.
But for some reason, she was curious about the boy and decided to talk to him.
And as this moment brought such a drastic change on Margaret’s fate, one may only wonder if such a coincidence was brought out by her ambitions.
“This kind of face doesn’t fit such a special party.” Margaret gently told him.
The boy turned to look back at her. His soft hair swayed, and his indigo-colored eyes stared directly into Margaret’s. He is a beautiful boy who could emanate an intensity that didn’t suit her age.
However, his face was dark.
When Margaret asked him ‘What happened?’, he looked down and avoided her eyesight.
His beautiful face was ruined by that, she murmured within her heart.
And yet, she slowly moved next to him so as to not irritate the boy. She looked up in the same direction that the boy was previously staring at, and in front of her laid the Albert family’s mansion.
A luxurious place that clearly broke any illusion one may have of being on the same rank as them… But at the same time, Margaret wanted to be at their level. She wanted to go through those doors and invite Mary Albert to visit a mansion of the same rank as this one.
She was amazed at herself… She giggled at this ambition that burned within her chest.
Then, the boy next to her muttered, “I…”
He must be 10 or 11 eleven years old. His beautiful appearance paired up with a voice that had yet to reach puberty made Margaret feel like she was looking at a work of art.
“What happened?” She asked again.
“I envy people who can walk at such a splendid house while being filled with dignity.” He replied.
“Oh? How come?” She asked next.
“I have two brothers. They’re very nice, but they also feel imposing… On the other hand, I can’t help feeling extremely nervous in this kind of place. I just don’t know how to behave here.” The boy explained.
Margaret smiled gently at the boy who was looking down on himself.
She thought about how adorable he was… The corners of her mouth involuntarily rose as those feelings filled her heart.
And at the same time, calm thoughts filled her mind, ‘He is a third son, then?’
The Brownie family’s name is not just for show. She had to live up to it and couldn’t easily give away that name to anyone.
“Actually, my oldest brother was supposed to inherit the house, but for some reason… For some reason, my second brother is now going to take over.
“When seeing them like that, I wonder if I should have tried doing something.” The boy said.
“Do you want to take the house for yourself, then?” Margaret asked him.
“No way, that’s not it.” The boy hurriedly shook his head.
‘So he has no intention of kicking his brother down.’ Margaret thought.
But still, when he looked up at the Albert mansion with his indigo-colored eyes, when the wind shook his indigo-colored hair, his young face gave off a boyish charm that mixed both loveliness and fearlessness.
“I don’t want to replace my brother or anything like that, but… I want to be able to firmly and proudly stand up for myself in this gorgeous social world. Just like how my brothers do.” The boy told her.
Even if was still a boy, right now he gave off the feeling of a man. He took away Margaret’s breath as she started at that lovely boy with a strong will within his eyes.
But in the next moment, he turned his expression into a timid one again and looked down. He admires his brothers and resents his younger self.
And yet, that flame that lit up for a moment there, a small enough flame that could easily be overlooked, but that filled up his indigo eyes for just a second before it completely faded away… At that moment Margaret really felt like she wanted to support him. To be the one that helps that flame burn. To be by his side and help him accomplish what he needs to keep that flame alive.
But at the same time, she needs to reward both the Brownies and the Riadoras for accepting her ambitions. It would be no good for her to give them a son-in-law from a lowly family.
Margaret was ambitious, and it was her responsibility to live up to the trust that both families put on her, to give back the favor that they did for her.
She wanted a son of a family that was at least as high as the Brownies, but preferentially of a higher up family.
That’s how she’d return their favor, and how she’d make up for how things went with Rig.
Though how could she find such a man…? Margaret sighed while staring at the boy in front of her.
She never dreamed of a prince coming to pick her up. As long as a prince was there, she could go pick him up herself.
After thinking all that though, Margaret shook her head. What she needed to do right now was to listen to the worries of the boy in front of her.
She had no intention of denying her ambitions, but she is also not against counseling others.
That’s why she turned towards the boy again and stared at his eyes. The indigo-colored eyes that sucked her in and reflected his worries, while also showing his strong will deep inside them.
“Sure, you may be immature when compared to your older brothers.” Margaret said.
“Yeah…” The boy replied.
“But that’s only because you’re young. It’s only natural.
“Or rather, you’re looking up at your younger brothers without taking this age difference as granted. I think this immaturity is lovely.” Margaret told him.
“Lovely…?” The boy repeated.
His eyes were widened at those words. He thought that he’d be either comforted or scolded by her, but he never imagined that his immaturity would be praised and referred to as lovely.
Margaret giggled at the unexpected expression that he was making, “As long as you are aware of your immaturity and keep on paying attention to the difference between you and your brothers, you’ll surely grow.”
“Do you think I have potential to grow…?” He asked.
“As long as you keep chasing your ideals, I’m sure that by the time you’re at the same age as your brothers are now, you’ll be an even more wonderful person than they are. I guarantee it.” Margaret told him.
She confidently proclaimed that as if she was talking about herself.
The boy was stunned and overwhelmed by it… And then, his cheeks turned red.
In response, Margaret muttered, “How cute” to herself while making sure her mouth was closed.
His reaction and expressions just had a special kind of appeal for her. And right now, the feelings within her chest said that this boy was irresistibly adorable.
She wants to support him and to be his strength. She wants to see his growth from closer up than anybody else.
It was the first time Margaret felt like that without knowing the family of the other party first.
This may be easy for others to understand if they heard of it, but Margaret did not understand this emotion, for the only relationship she had was the broken one with Rig. She could not name the emotion that this lovely boy evoked.
While thinking about this kind of thing, Margaret suddenly remembered that she hadn’t asked the boy’s name, and more importantly, she didn’t ask his family name.
She stared at him again. If his family was as good as the Brownies, then… After thinking this far, she said, “I’d like to refer to you by name, but I don’t know it.”
Her words seemed to startle him, and he hurriedly bowed down to her, “I apologize.”
He probably thought that he was being rude to her, but this situation too felt lovely to Margaret, so she just smiled in response.
“I’m sorry to have kept on talking about myself without even giving my name. I’m Bernard. Bernard Dice.” The boy told her.
“Bernard… Dice.” Margaret repeated the familiar name that she just heard.
It’s not that she hadn’t understood it properly. His voice clearly reached her ears, but she could hardly believe what she just heard.
“You’re… A Dice…?” Margaret muttered.
“Yes.” The boy replied clearly and nodded.
Right now, to Margaret, it was as if Bernard was shining.
The Dice family is an extremely renowned family not only in their countries, but also very respected even by their neighbors. It’s the second most prestigious house of the country, losing only to the Albert family.
And now, with their firstborn, Patrick Dice, being officially tied to the princess, the Dice family will surely climb even higher.
Margaret remembered seeing Mary Albert giggle while saying that both Dice and Albert families would now be on the same standing as one another.
They’re far above. Even when compared to the Brownie family, they’re far up in the clouds. They’re a family that completely stands out from any other family.
Bernard Dice is their third son, and the first son won’t take over the house because he is now together with the princess, so the second brother became the new heir.
… At this point Margaret gently held Bernard’s hand. His slender fingers that had yet to become manly shook, but he did not withdraw his hand. It was only his face that became even redder than before.
“I apologize for not knowing that you were from the Dice family.” Margaret told him.
“No, I am the one sorry for not telling you early, uhn… What is your name?” He asked.
Bernard’s question was not answered immediately. Margaret first gave him a warm smile, which could only make Bernard blush even more.
Margaret thought that she had honed her good looks to stand up to Rig, but it seems like it had all been for this moment. Margaret rejoiced internally.
Then, while still being gentle about it, she squeezed his hand with a bit more force than before, gave him her most special smile and said, “I am Margaret Brownie.”
As she said that, she heard the boy repeating her name with a clear voice.
That made her happy, so she smiled even more attractively than before, “If talking to me makes you feel better, please tell me anything you want.”
In return, Bernard turned even redder and nodded a bit.
At that moment, “Oh my.” Mary muttered those words.
She was stroking her shoulders. She suddenly felt like they had become lighter, as if a weight had been lifted off her back.
On the other hand, Patrick, who was staring at Mary asked, “What happened?”
“For some reason, my shoulders feel lighter now.” She replied.
“Huh? This… For some reason those words scare me.” Patrick muttered.
Mysteriously stroking her shoulder, Mary looked around while wondering what had happened.
******
A few months after that day, Mary and Addie, who had just finished some errands at the Dice house, were approached by Bernard.
When a young boy that they have been familiar with for quite some time calls out to them, it’s only natural that they would listen to him.
So, while enjoying some tea brewed in the guest room that he took them to, Bernard slowly opened his mouth and asked, “Miss Mary… What kind of gift would a woman be happy to receive…?”
Mary and Addie couldn’t help staring at one another after seeing Bernard blush while struggling to ask this question.
It could only be that kind of question… And as they knew that Bernard was pure, Mary and Addie nodded to one another with a mutual understanding that they had to answer seriously.
“Well, nothing is harder than finding a good gift for a woman.” Addie stated.
“Miss Mary, what would you be happy to receive?” Bernard asked.
“Croque-” Mary started replying.
“Bernard, you shouldn’t ask that directly to her ladyship.” Addie cut in and stopped her from replying.
Mary returned to her senses with those words.
That was dangerous, her real thoughts almost leaked out… She felt sorry for Bernard, for she knew that this wouldn’t be helpful.
Bernard turned to Addie without noticing the feelings of the other two, “What did Addie give to miss Mary recently, then?”
“Me?” Addie replied.
In response to this question, Mary and Addie looked at each other and realized they needed an emergency meeting.
“…I bought a croquette yesterday before going home, does that count as a gift?” Addie whispered.
“I thought this wasn’t supposed to be used as a reference.” Mary whispered in response.
“That’s because I thought he wouldn’t be able to ask the woman he likes directly, but when I look at my recent memories, I can only think of croquettes.” Addie whispered.
“What do we do then?” Mary whispered.
“Is there anything you want right now?” Addie whispered.
“I’m hungry.” She whispered.
“So croquettes…?” He whispered.
After they finished their conversation, Mary cleared her throat.
Then, she turned towards Bernard again, looked directly into his indigo-colored eyes, gave him a soft smile and stated “Bernard, you have someone important to you.”
He only blushed at first, but without trying to deny it or deceive them, he nodded at her statement.
He still has a straightforward and pure personality. Mary thought that this was a trait that would make the woman he cared for happy.
“Yes, she is very important.” Bernard replied.
“She is irreplaceably important to you, isn’t she?” Mary asked.
“I can’t think of anyone that could replace her.” Bernard told Mary.
Mary then smiled and clearly stated, “In that case, you cannot use my take my preferences for granted. You need to find what this woman, who has no replacement in the entire world, wants.”
Bernard lost his breath for a second, then he meekly looked down and said, “Yes…”
At that moment, Addie whispered, “That was a wonderful escape, milady.”
Of course, Bernard couldn’t hear that.
“I’ll think for myself and give something just for her.” Bernard stated.
His lovely and pure statement truly made Mary smile.
“She must be a really charming person to make you think like that.” Mary said.
“Yes, she is very beautiful, kind, and full of an adult’s charm.” Bernard replied.
“Oh? She is older than you?” Mary asked.
“She is a student at Eliciana academy. She’s on the same grade as miss Mary.” Bernard replied.
“The same age as milady? That’s quite something.
“You could try giving her an exchange diary then. Give her one with a fashionable design that would make she divorce anyone else she is engaged to.” Addie said.
“Exchange diary?” Bernard asked.
“I’ll ban all contact with you and force you to interact with me only through father.” Mary told Addie.
“I’m terribly sorry, milady. I’ll be silent for now, so please forgive me.” Addie hurriedly apologized.
Mary then looked back towards Bernard, cleared her throat, then tried to change topics a bit, “Can you tell me the name of that lovely woman?”
“Yes…” Bernard muttered.
Perhaps he was happy just to say her name, for his expression became radiant as he spoke, “Her name is…”
Mary softly smiled while putting the teacup on her mouth.
“Her name is Margaret Brownie.” Bernard said.
In response to his words, Mary almost spilled out the tea, but she was able to forcefully gulp it down instead.
That name could not have surprised Mary more. She couldn’t help showing a weird face after almost spitting the tea out.
However, after she swallowed it and coughed a bit, she muttered, “That woman finally did it…”
Luckily, those words didn’t reach Bernard.