Chapter 424-2 The Terrible Child
"It's fine. I understand."
Sara hurriedly denied it, but Chloe remained with a smirk on her face.
"I'm starting to want to swap places with a golem and just hide in my room."
"That means you'll be staying in Grandchester for a while. I'm happy about that."
'Oh, Chloe... what a terrifying girl.'
She glared at Chloe, but there was no way to refuse given the atmosphere, so Sara had no choice but to relent.
"Well, there's no helping it. However, whether to set up a Mobile Portal in the royal palace depends on their response. At the very least, if they demand it, I can't just hand it over without a thought. As I mentioned earlier, if you intend to treat the Mobile Portal as part of Chloe's dowry, I will require appropriate compensation from the Grandchester family."
"There's no way Grandchester can afford such a fee. You know that, right?"
Sara was irritated by her grandfather's words.
She wore a calm expression, seemingly assuming that no demand would be made.
"Let me be clear, compensation isn't always monetary. It might be time for your grandfather, your uncle, and of course, your father, to prepare themselves."
"Prepare themselves?"
"Sara, do I have to as well?"
Sara raised her hand and held up 3 fingers.
"First, do not arrange a political marriage for me. No exceptions, even if the partner is royal."
"Of course! I'm not letting Sara go anywhere!"
"Ah, no. If I find someone eventually, I will marry, no matter what my father says."
"What? No way!"
"Rob, give it up. She's Arthur's daughter, so it's only natural she would be similar. If you oppose her too much, she might run away."
Edward patted Robert's shoulder.
"Rather than running away, it might just be a hassle, and she could leave Grandchester with the Sophia Merchant Guild."
"Hey, Rob, you absolutely must not oppose this!"
"But Sara's getting married!?"
"You don't know when she might get married. Sara has fairy friends. It could be after you're dead!"
"Is that so!?"
"For now, please calm down. It's not that I have someone I want to marry right away, but can you promise me on this matter?"
Marquis Grandchester and Edward exchanged glances and nodded to each other.
"Understood, let's make a promise for our generation and Edward's. Robert, is that alright with you?"
"I understand."
Sara bent one finger and presented the second condition.
"The second is that if friction arises between the royal family or nobility and me, I would like you to side with me."
"That is only natural, as we are family."
"You know that dealings with noble families are not so simple, so I wonder why you nod so easily."
"Neither Edward nor I are foolish enough to oppose you."
"For now, let's leave it at that. You will support me without yielding to pressure from the royal family or other noble houses."
All the adults of Grandchester nodded in agreement.
"And for my final request, please do not use the Sophia Merchant Guild or anything belonging to me without my permission."
"What do you mean by that?"
"First, grandfather, you brought out the brandy again, didn't you? Since it seems Mike is also involved in this matter, I don't intend to blame only you... but if you do it again, I will be seriously angry. Truly, drunks are hopeless."
"I-I apologize."
"By the way, I've decided to have Mike make plenty of alcohol as punishment, so it should be stable supply soon. Uncle, please do not promise to lend alcohol to other noble families without permission. We have our own circumstances."
"Well, but, there are things about socializing among nobles..."
"Will you bear the magical power and effort needed to make that alcohol, Uncle? You don't intend to pay for it, do you?"
"I-I will collect the payment properly."
'Heh, oh, hmm.'
"Then, I will add the portion for the charity auction to your debts, Uncle. Didn't you boast about donating several bottles and giving all the proceeds to charity?"
"How do you know that?"
"Are you still surprised by such things?"
"N-No, it's just..."
As Edward hesitated, Sara turned to Rebecca and Elizabeth.
"And Mother, Aunt, please stop using the golems without permission. The golems are not servants of the Grandchester family. I know you've been taking Grazioso out frequently. You had him write a ton of invitations today, didn't you?"
"Is that so bad? We are family, after all."
Elizabeth retorted sulkily.
"You may have forgotten, but operating the golems requires magical power. They are filled with many magic stones, and my magical power is being replenished."
"Of course, I understand."
"Magic stones are valuable because they hold magical power, meaning the source of power is what has value. Are you aware that Mother and Aunt are consuming my magical asset without permission?"
"It's not that dramatic. I just borrowed a little."
"Then may I measure the power consumption used and charge you accordingly?"
"Why do you have to say something so mean? Even if by obligation, Revi will become your mother, and I am your aunt!"
"Enough, Liz. You were in the wrong this time."
"But I'm helping with Rob and Revi's wedding!"
Edward walked over to his wife and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Sara is not saying she won't help. She's just saying not to use them without permission. If you want to use the golems, make sure to get Sara's proper consent."
"But Sara will become Rob and Revi's adopted daughter. She is also our niece, after all. Isn't it natural to obey one's elders?"
However, Rebecca ignored Elizabeth's comment and met Sara's gaze, offering an apology.
"I'm sorry. I was wrong. It's not right to use your golems without permission. I should have properly asked Sara."
"If you need assistance from the golems, please feel free to ask me, Mother."
"Hey, Revi, children should be obedient to their parents. We are Sara's guardians, after all, and Sara is a daughter under Grandchester's protection."
It seemed Elizabeth was also displeased with Rebecca's attitude, raising her voice without hiding her irritation.
"Outwardly, it's true that we are her guardians, but... who is actually being protected? At least financially, Sara is independent. After all, she must be receiving more value than the money that the Grandchester family has spent on her, right? Rather than being under their protection, shouldn't we say they are partners?"
"Why is it that whenever we talk about Sara, it always turns into a money discussion? Don't you think that's embarrassing for a lady? Certainly, it may be true that Sara has a lot of money, but isn't it adults' role to guide children?"
"Liz, that's a misdirection. Guiding children is not the same as making them obedient. Earlier, you said, 'Isn't that okay?' But the one who gets to decide that is Sara, not us."
"What do you mean, Revi? A noble lady should do everything she can for her family, and she should be trained to do so from childhood. Yet, Sara refuses arranged marriages and then makes the audacious demand for the Grandchester family to support her when disputes arise. My Chloe has even said she wants to marry into royalty for the Grandchester family!"
Hearing her name mentioned, Chloe walked over to her mother.
"Mother, please calm down. I am honored to be complimented, but I don't wish to marry into royalty for the Grandchester family, so I feel quite sorry."
"What are you saying as well!"
"Mother, are you not aware? I am in love with Her Highness Prince Andrew, and I consider it fortunate to have been born into the Grandchester family, which is worthy of marrying into the royal family. Rather, it feels more accurate to say that I am utilizing the power of the Grandchester family and Sara to fulfill this desire. If I were told to marry into another noble family for the sake of the house, I might rebel. You, Mother, did not marry solely for the sake of the Roche family, did you?"
"That may be true, but..."
"Of course, I am aware of my position as a daughter of the Grandchester family. If it concerns the survival of the house, I would keep this feeling in my heart and marry another gentleman. However, that is not because I am obedient to my parents or grandfather, but because I understand it is the duty of a noble supported by the people to do so."
Chloe gazed straight at Elizabeth, then turned gracefully to Sara and smiled.
"It is clear that my way of speaking to adults, including Mother, has been influenced by Sara. I may be accused of being unladylike, but I surprisingly find myself quite fond of this side of me. I do not believe that everything Sara says is correct. However, I definitely feel that my perspective has broadened. Interacting with Sara in the Grandchester territory... though it was a bit extreme, I realized through direct conversation that I had been a foolish, ignorant young girl."
"I never thought the day would come when my daughter would admonish me. But I must admit that Sara lives with values different from those of ordinary noble ladies."
"Mother, as long as Sara remains a part of Grandchester, she should bring more benefits to Grandchester than marrying into another family."
Elizabeth gently patted Chloe's head and then hugged her tightly.
"I understand your opinion. But please, do not rush to become an adult. It makes me a little lonely."
"Yes, Mother."
"Hahaha. Chloe is a smart kid. Somehow, she reminds me of Arthur when he was a child. Ed, don't you think?"
Robert leaned back heavily against the sofa's backrest, amusedly observing Chloe and Elizabeth mother and son with Edward.
"She does resemble him, but what about her as a lady?"
"Considering even our beloved Aunt Elena was called the flower of the social world, this is rather cute."
Elena is the elder sister of the Marquis Grandchester, who married into the former Count Harrington family.
In her youth, she was known as a poised beauty, but once she grasped a sword, she was whispered to be stronger than any knight, a deceptive exterior.
After all, her weapon of choice was a greatsword, which she always carried on her back even when going hunting.
Then Marquis Grandchester... or rather, William, who recalled his sister, shivered and let out a deep sigh.
"It seems that women of Grandchester are somehow destined to be strong. Not only the daughters born in Grandchester but also those who married in. I recall, even my father could not stand up to my mother. In fact, it was mother who raised Sis Elena."
'Perhaps that's because the men are cowards...'
All the women present thought the same thing, but none dared to voice it.
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