Chapter 88
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 88
Even after gulping down a glass of water in one go, Trisha couldn't quell her rage. She thumped her chest with her fist, her face flushed.
"My brother never raised his children to be like this! Even if he favored Arthur as the heir, John received the same upbringing. What on earth happened to turn him into such a monster?!"
It was a question Harriet had asked herself many times.
Why had her uncle, who had been so warm and affectionate during her childhood, changed so drastically? Or had that past kindness been nothing more than a mask?
Now, however, there was no point in dwelling on it.
Once Trisha had calmed down, Roxana quickly scanned the documents Howard had left, verifying the details.
"It is a remarkably honest bank. Not only are the transaction records meticulous, but the land itself seems to have been managed quite well. As for the location... it is certainly a place Viscount Listerwell would covet."
Perilas was a region of fertile soil and high yields. Until now, its primary income had come from the sale of agricultural products.
However, its geography held even greater potential. It was a vital crossroads for the southeastern part of the Empire, situated only two or three hours by carriage from Genoa.
Of course, none of that justified a man seizing his own niece’s inheritance.
"I was lucky," Harriet said with a bitter smile. "Heaven—no, my late parents must have been watching over me. I nearly lived my entire life without ever knowing I had an inheritance to my name."
Trisha turned to Harriet, her voice rising with urgency.
"Go to Perilas immediately. Confirm the properties you’ve received and finalize the financial arrangements so there are no lingering issues. Roxana, go with her and assist her."
"But, Madam," Roxana interjected, "who will attend to you while we are away...?"
"Are we so short on maids in this house? Don't worry about me and just go! Right now, resolving Harriet’s land dispute is the only thing that matters."
When Roxana still looked hesitant, Trisha finally snapped.
"I’m not going to drop dead while you’re gone, I tell you!"
In the end, Harriet offered a profusion of apologies and set off for Perilas with Roxana.
Roxana watched the scenery through the carriage window for the duration of the trip. As their destination finally came into view, she spoke.
"The traffic on the road was quite heavy. Being so close to Genoa with such well-maintained roads means the potential for development is immense. It would be a waste to leave it as mere farmland."
"I’m not sure what to do yet," Harriet admitted. "And I don't want to be the kind of owner who evicts tenant farmers the moment she takes over. For now, I think I’ll leave it as it is until a better idea comes to me."
"Hmm. Reputation is indeed a currency in rural areas. But a time will come when you must make a hard decision. When that day arrives, Miss Harriet, remember that you are not a saint. Do not try to save everyone."
Harriet nodded solemnly.
However, the moment she looked down at the land that was now hers, her heavy mood evaporated.
"All of this... is mine?"
The sight took her breath away.
Early-sown barley sprouts covered the earth in a dense, light-green carpet. The soil itself was rich and dark, the color of Harriet’s own hair. Another field had recently been sown with carrots, and yet another with beans.
Across this vast expanse, life was beginning to stir.
It was strangely moving. Harriet didn't regret her decision to keep it as farmland for the time being.
If I come in the summer, I’ll see waves of golden barley. If I come in the autumn, I’ll see the harvest of pumpkins and potatoes.
The mere thought warmed her heart.
But as Roxana had said, change was inevitable.
"The tenant farmers will be pleased," said Howard, who was acting as their guide through Perilas. He supported Harriet’s decision to maintain the existing contracts. "They’ve farmed this land for generations; they have no other skills."
Harriet shook her head.
"That might be true for the older generation. But their children are different. With the recent increase in food imports, they won't be able to rely solely on farming forever."
The sight of the ripening plains was beautiful, but for Perilas to truly thrive, it had to evolve. To keep the younger generation from leaving, they needed better opportunities than back-breaking labor for meager wages.
Regardless, that was a problem for the future. For now, they had to attend to what had been neglected.
They decided on a series of essential repairs and interior redecoration for Baron Belburn’s Manor, which had only received basic maintenance over the years.
As for the funds accumulating in the Asety Bank account, Harriet reinvested the bulk of it into various bank products. As a gesture of gratitude, Howard applied a special high-interest rate to the account where the tenancy fees would be deposited.
Though the tasks sounded simple, the administrative procedures were extensive. Even working at a brisk pace, they were forced to stay in Perilas for two extra days.
When Harriet finally returned to the manor with her newly issued bankbook, she opened it and smiled with pride. Roxana, who was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper, looked up.
"It happened quite suddenly, but it seems you’ve achieved everything you wanted, Miss Harriet. A stable income, a respectable manor... What will you do now?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you choose to live here in Perilas, no one in this region will dare look down on you. And since they won't know you were once called the 'Scandal Maker,' suitors will be lining up at your door."
"Ah..."
"If the countryside doesn't suit you, you could hire a manager and buy a small townhouse in the capital."
Only then did Harriet realize the weight of her situation. It was more due to a stroke of lightning-fast luck than her own machinations, but she now possessed more than she had ever hoped to achieve within two years of leaving the convent.
Honestly, she felt a sense of bewilderment. Is it really allowed to be this easy? she wondered.
Perhaps her expression betrayed her, for Roxana let out a faint sigh.
"I have no intention of separating you from Lady Fellon. I only asked because you have new options now."
Harriet fell silent for a moment, realizing the source of her unease.
The most important goal she had set for herself back in the convent remained unfulfilled.
"I haven't kept all the promises I made to my grandmother yet," Harriet murmured, fiddling with the crisp edges of the bankbook. "Until I do, I must stay in Genoa."
Her gaze sharpened.
"The monsters who murdered my parents and stole everything from me have yet to pay the price."
"...Murdered your parents?"
"I'm certain of it."
A bitter, lonely smile touched Harriet’s lips.
"When my uncle’s guardianship ended and I was at my lowest, someone helped me find my footing. Baron Alfonso Billay. It was the first time I had ever met him."
She calmly recounted the story Baron Billay had told her.
Some might ask how she could believe a story built on mere speculation. But Harriet had lived under her uncle’s roof long enough to know the truth.
"My uncle knew that ship was going to sink. And the more I think about it, the more I realize they likely intended to kill me, too. I always went on those boat trips with my parents."
The memory had only returned to her much later. She remembered how John and his wife, Miriam, had desperately urged her to go that day, even though she had insisted on staying behind to play with her friends.
At the time, she hadn't thought twice about it. Looking back, their persistence was chilling. They had never cared whether Harriet joined them before.
"I know that without evidence, I can't accuse him of murder. Nor will I try to kill them for revenge. But..."
"..."
"I can't just forgive them, can I? I am the Scandal Maker, after all, not a saint."
There was no reason for mercy. They were still actively seeking ways to ruin her. They had even tried to surreptitiously seize this very land and manor.
"You don't have to believe me," Harriet added. "I intended to tell you once I had established myself more, but—"
"No, I believe you," Roxana interrupted. Her expression remained unchanged, but her voice was firm. "From what I have seen of Viscount John Listerwell, it is exactly the kind of thing he would do."
Roxana sighed again, her eyes meeting Harriet’s.
"Miss Harriet, you must steel your resolve. If the Viscount learns this land has found its true owner, he will not leave you in peace."
"...Should I hire protection?"
"Of course. And it would be wise to draw even more public attention to yourself than you do now. If you are constantly in the spotlight, they won't dare act rashly."
Harriet nodded, then let out a small, determined laugh.