The Raccoon and the Fox

Translated by: ME

Treat me to a Ko-Fi to give me more motivation!!!

*****

The atmosphere in the hall seemed to be warming up nicely.

Once the guests had finished offering their greetings to the mysterious young lady, they moved on to their own social circles. With surprisingly delicious hors d'oeuvres in hand, the guests engaged in lively conversation—ranging from idle gossip and rumors to deep political discourse.

A short while ago, Servas had been approached by a local magistrate who claimed to have an urgent matter to discuss. He had been led away, looking back at Magnolia multiple times as if reluctant to leave her side.

Claude, too, was constantly besieged. Young noblewomen, young noblemen, parents with their daughters, and then more noblewomen flocked to him, engaging him in long conversations.

While he kept a proper noble’s smile fixed on his face, I had the distinct impression that his expression was growing increasingly grim. It was strange; he was supposed to be smiling, and yet...

Lily and Dean would occasionally check in on her when they could, but the Margrave’s household didn't have many servants to begin with. Since they both had their own assigned roles for the party, they couldn't stay long.

Feeling bored sitting all alone on the "throne" despite being the star of the show, Magnolia turned to Claude the moment his current conversation ended.

「I’m tired of sitting here the whole time. May I walk around the hall for a bit?」

「In that case, I shall go with—」

「Lord Claude~! ♡」

The overprotective Claude tried to follow her, but another young lady appeared right on cue, calling out to him in a high-pitched, nasal voice.

「「............」」

(Incredible. How does she even produce that voice...?)

Magnolia was genuinely impressed. Was the principle behind it the same as how voice actors change their pitch?

Despite her appearance, Magnolia—both in her past life and this one—was more of a blunt, straight-talking person. She wasn't exactly crude, nor was she trying to act "tomboyish," but she was likely the polar opposite of a "cute, dainty girl."

Well, since she was a lady in this life, she mostly kept the bluntness to her inner thoughts. (Who was that saying it leaks out sometimes?)

「...There are plenty of guard knights around, so I’ll be fine, right?」

As Magnolia looked around the room, the guard knights stationed throughout the hall nodded back from their posts.

「............ Fine. Be extremely careful. And do not follow anyone if they claim they want to show you something rare. The same goes if they offer to let you eat something unusual. Furthermore...」

「I know, I know...」

Magnolia gave a wry smile at the seemingly endless list of warnings. (He’s worried about me being gullible, but look at the two of us—who’s the one actually getting preyed upon right now?)

Just then, the noblewoman urged him again: 「Lord Claude~ darling~」

...Poor souls, both the lady and Brother Claude.

(If that’s all he ever deals with, marriage and romance are only going to get further and further away for him...)

Magnolia nodded deeply to the worried-looking Claude, thinking that being too handsome was truly a burden of its own.

(Stay strong!)

Sensing that his niece was thinking something utterly irreverent, Claude’s brow furrowed sharply.

***

(Now then. I wonder what everyone is talking about?)

Magnolia hopped down from her chair and began to walk, looking around curiously. It would be best to blend into a group that was already engrossed in conversation. After all, if she just walked up normally, they probably wouldn't let her in!

「...But truly, ever since we started using the Margrave’s fertilizer, our crop yields have increased significantly.」

「You mean Lady Magnolia’s, surely?」

At the teasing remark, several people in the circle let out snickering laughs.

(A bit of a nasty tone there, but I suppose that’s the general sentiment,) Magnolia thought with a nod.

「That is wonderful news. By the way, what kind of crops are you harvesting?」

「My territory mostly produces potatoes and pumpkins, but lately, we’ve been getting a great harvest of 'Sweet Tuber'—a sugary kind of potato.」

「Oho!」

Magnolia addressed "Gentleman A," obtaining some unexpected information. Sweet Tuber... could that possibly be a sweet potato?

(Ooh, I might want to eat that for the first time in ages! In a European setting, Sweet Potato Pie would be the obvious choice, but I want something simple! Dried sweet potato! Sweet potato jelly!!)

Magnolia let her thoughts drift to ingredients she had yet to see in this world.

「In my territory, it is beans. These small green beans, similar to the fruit of the Misoyu, are exquisite when boiled in salt. I also highly recommend the purple beans, which are delicious when simmered with sugar!」

「Oho ho ho ho!!」

Magnolia addressed "Gentleman B," who laughed, his large belly shaking.

(Are green beans actually edamame? Or broad beans? And they’re different from Misoyu (the soy substitute)... how confusing. Are purple beans azuki or red kidney beans? Suddenly, everything feels so Japanese.)

She regretted not looking at the botanical encyclopedias more back at the Gilmore estate. She had shifted her information gathering toward edible wild plants found in the mountains and roadsides to ensure she could survive while in hiding, and now she lamented that choice. If she had memorized the agricultural crops, she could have found so many more delicious things by now.

「I would very much like to hear more about that...」

「「Hmm?」」

The men looked down toward the voice, only to find the tiny young lady of the Margrave’s house looking up at them.

「Lady Magnolia!?」

They looked as if they wanted to shout "Gack!!"

「How long have you been standing there!?」

「Since about the time you said, 『...But truly, ever since we started using the Margrave’s fertilizer, our crop yields have increased significantly,』 and 『You mean Lady Magnolia’s, surely?』 I suppose?」

As Magnolia mimicked them, the men’s eyes darted left and right, and they forced awkward, polite smiles.

「Is Lady Magnolia helping her grandfather? How admirable!」

「Truly, most admirable! We shall discuss these matters with the Margrave later. Children should play with other children—perhaps you would like to play out there?」

「............」

She looked toward the direction they were pointing: the garden, where the late autumn wind was shaking the trees. The wind let out a lonely whistle, and dead leaves danced in the air.

「「「「「「............」」」」」」

(Besides, there aren't even any other children at this party,) she thought.

Because of the rumors that Magnolia was an uncontrollable, savage beast who rampaged like a monster, no one had brought their children for fear of their safety.

The only exception was Brian, but she couldn't imagine them playing together harmoniously. The next youngest person was that nineteen-year-old gentleman who had nominated himself as her fiancé. She would like to decline that offer from her end.

「I see. That is a pity.」

「「「「「............」」」」」

「Well then.」 She gave a lady’s bow and withdrew.

After she had moved a few paces away, Magnolia looked around, and a middle-aged waiter with a smirk came scurrying over. After she whispered something to him, the waiter nodded several times, smirked at the men, and disappeared somewhere.

The men, who had been in high spirits talking about their crops, were suddenly enveloped in an ominous atmosphere.

「...Was our reaction... bad?」

「............」

「Did we mess up?」

「............」

They muttered to one another with grim faces as they watched the young lady "lock on" to her next target.

***

Next, she slipped into a circle of men and women who were deep in gossip. The way they hid their mouths behind their fans and snickered meant they were almost certainly bad-mouthing someone.

...Normally, she wouldn't participate in such things, but she figured listening to complaints and grievances was one way to get an honest, unvarnished opinion on her territorial administration. So, she surreptitiously blended in at their feet, nodding along.

(If it isn't about the Margrave’s family, I can just leave,) she thought, only to find the conversation was about her own parentage.

「But looking at her coloring, she must be the child of either Lord Gerald or Lord Servas, surely?」

「Surely she isn't Lord Servas’s... seed?」

「In that case, I wonder which of Lord Gerald’s... partners she belongs to? If she were truly the child of the Marquis and his wife, there is no way they would have failed to debut her, is there?」

They broke into stifled laughter.
Wow! Talk about vulgar!!

(Was there anything actually funny in that conversation? Why are they so obsessed with whose child I am, anyway?)

(I’d understand if they were close relatives involved in an inheritance dispute, but...) Magnolia thought. Whether she was the child of the legal wife or a mistress shouldn't matter one bit to a complete stranger.

(I guess they’re just gossip-mongers.)

Thinking this, Magnolia flipped through the Noble Registry in her mind, matching the faces of the ladies and gentlemen to their names.

「...She might even be Lord Claude’s child. Lord Claude is adopted, but there were rumors that he is actually the son of Lord Servas’s mistress.」

(What?! The "adopted son is actually the biological son" theory is still going strong?!)

Magnolia recoiled in silent shock. She was also stunned that they were talking about this in broad daylight at a celebratory event. Everyone sure is brave!

(And I’m Brother Claude’s kid?! How old would he have been! ...Actually, in this world, is that mathematically possible? Hey, wait! This is turning into a soap opera!!)

As she went through a series of dramatic facial expressions while playing the "straight man" to her own thoughts, Servas watched her from afar, tilting his head in confusion. Gai had reached the backroom, trembling, and was now on all fours on the floor, shaking with suppressed laughter.

(Is she doing something strange again...?)

Claude, too, spotted his niece a few meters away. He grew wary and furrowed his brow.

「Unfortunately, none of those theories are correct~」

An adorable voice chimed in, sounding somewhat dejected. Time stopped for everyone in the circle.

The four of them kept their mouths shut, only their eyes moving as they fearfully looked down. There stood the subject of their rumors, blinking her round, ibis-pink eyes.

「...! Lady Magnolia!!」

「Unfortunately... truly, truly, *truly* unfortunately, I am the child of the Marquis and Marchioness Gilmore. Quite unfortunately, there are witnesses to the fact...」

(Honestly, if I were adopted, we could all just give up and accept it. Real stepmothers can be quite considerate and doting, but for some reason, stepmothers in stories are usually ruthless. I could at least understand it if I’d ended up with one of those.)

「I wish we could prove it scientifically. If only there were DNA or some kind of testing method... do you happen to know of a good one?」

「Dee-en-ay...?」

「That way, Grandfather and Brother wouldn't be falsely accused anymore, would they?」

「「「「............」」」」

The adults were struck dumb by her bright, radiant smile.

「...What is it, Magnolia?」

Sensing a suspicious atmosphere, Claude approached quickly. The adults shivered in terror.

「Count Mobdeyans over here seems concerned about whether my biological father is Grandfather or the Marquis of Gilmore.」

「...Guh!」 Count Mobdeyans let out a sound as if he were choking on something.

「And Viscountess Walmono seems to think Grandfather... well, that he is no longer capable of fatherhood, age-wise or physically.」

「...Geh!」 Viscountess Walmono, her mouth still hidden by her fan, widened her eyes, which were heavily lined with false lashes.

「And it seems Baron Echigoya is very curious about which mistress my father... the Marquis of Gilmore... has hidden away, and which one gave birth to me.」

「No, no, no, no!!!!」 Baron Echigoya shook his head so violently that if he were a doll, his head might have popped off and gone flying.

「And Countess Odai-Kahn seems to be under the impression that Brother Claude is the biological son of Grandfather and a mistress. Furthermore, she seems to think that an eighteen-year-old Brother ruined someone and then, without marrying her, had me born in secret...」

「...L-l-l-l-lady Magnolia!?」 Countess Odai-Kahn stammered her name like a broken toy.

「...Oh...?」

The voice was quiet, but it was a low, ground-crawling tone that made his foul mood starkly clear. A dark, murky aura began to emanate...

「Grandfather and Father aside... we should at least clear up the misunderstanding about Brother. Otherwise, it will affect his future marriage prospects, won't it?」

「...I care not for that. I would not marry someone who cannot distinguish truth from lies anyway. Neither my stepfather, my stepbrother, nor I have ever kept a mistress. Now, would you care to tell me where and what exactly you saw?」

「W-we said no such thing!」 Countess Odai-Kahn frantically argued.

「But if you paraphrase it, that’s exactly what it means, isn't it? Shall I repeat it for you, word for word? Beginning from: 『But looking at her coloring, she must be the child of either Lord Gerald or Lord Servas, surely?』 and 『Surely she isn't Lord Servas’s... seed?』」

「「「「............」」」」

「I wonder what kind of tales you are telling a young child at a celebration. Shall we go to that room over there and confirm things thoroughly?」

The group of four, their complexions now deathly pale, flinched as the intimidating Claude jerked his chin toward a side room. It was terrifying how he wasn't smiling at all, despite technically being at a party.

Magnolia pressed her hands together in prayer in her mind. (Amitabha, Amitabha.)

「Isn't that great! My uncle is going to explain everything to you personally!」 Magnolia beamed at them. 「If you don't find my uncle's word enough, shall I call my grandfather too?」

She tilted her head and checked with them. The four faces went beyond blue, turning as white as paper.

(If they get too carried away and their heads end up separated from their bodies, it'll be too scary. Better try to smooth things over...)

「...I only happened to overhear by chance, so if they understand now, please be lenient with them, okay?」

Magnolia looked up at the furious Claude with the innocent eyes of a young girl (relatively speaking). However, since Claude knew her inner self wasn't that of a child, he simply dismissed her with a snort.

(How cruel. Grandpa would have fallen for it!)

「Do not worry. I will not defile your debut. For now, let us simply ensure they understand the truth... thoroughly, deeply, and completely.」

And so, the four were led away to the side room, looking utterly withered.

Ah well. It seemed the price for their gossip was going to be a heavy one.

(Malicious rumors are a no-go. I hope this serves as a deterrent...)

With that thought, she shook off the mood and headed toward the refreshment corner. In the distance, she could see Servas looking frantic as several nobles clung to his arms and waist.

「—I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT POTATOES!」

Servas’s desperate shout rang out.

Oh boy.

*****

Note:

Count Mobdeyans = Mob de yansu = I'm a mob, de yansu is character speech tic (is that how you call it, usually associated with you, mob characer)
Viscountess Walmono = Warumono = bad person
Baron Echigoya = Common evil merchant name in various Jidaigeki drama
Countess Odai-Kahn = Odaikan, the name itself just mean goverment official but in Jidaigeki term usually it's portrayed as corrupt official that work together with the evil merchant.

The more you know.

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