Lady to Queen (Webnovel) - Chapter 231

[Side Story 1] The life of the dead is in the memory of the living. (Complete)

[Side Story: The Eighth Episode]

[Side Story 2] The violet rose.

One fine day when the sun was dazzling in all of its bright glory, the Countess of Bradington asked the man, “Are you not going to get married?”

Rothesay Isle Lee Bradington flipped his brown hair over to the other side as he replied, “I have no plans to do so, Mother.”

“Oh my goodness!” the Countess of Bradington cried out, placing the teacup she was holding down on the table in response to her son’s confession. In a voice conveying that she really could not understand his sentiment, she asked, “Why in the world would you not get married?”

“I am afraid that I just do not want to get married.”

“What a ridiculous statement! Are you thinking that you will cut off the bloodline of our family for good?”

“You can either bring in an adopted child, or you can find some distant relative in the family to take over as the next head of our household.”

“Oh, my word.” The Countess of Bradington, beyond shocked by her son’s words, shouted without even realizing it, “Why in the world?!”

“I have no intention of getting married.”

“No, I am asking why?”

-Why in the world?- The Countess of Bradington could only repeat these words over and over again. She could not understand her son’s attitude at all. So, in other words, her son was proclaiming that he would live as a bachelor for his entire life, as well as grow old and die that way. -Should I send some girls to his room? No way is my son into something like… What was it again, surely not leaning to that?-

While his mother continued to let her imagination go wild with all sorts of things, Rothesay calmly interrupted her thoughts, “I am healthy, Mother.”

“Ahem! Hmm…” The Countess, whose thoughts had been pierced through and read by her son, coughed reflexively. After a short while, she asked him with a calm expression, “Then, why in the world are you saying that you do not plan to marry?”

The Countess of Bradington was really curious about the reason for this. She could not recollect a time she had ever planted any bad thoughts about marriage to her son. In addition, the relationship between her and her husband was so good that all the couples in the capital of the Marvinus Empire used the two of them as models to emulate for marital bliss. In simple terms, they were a couple who induced goosebumps with others due to their great devotion to each other.

-No, if the couple has a great relationship, their respective children should want to get married as well. Could it be that our connection was so amazing that it ended up being counterproductive?-

“Please tell me, Ro. Did we do anything wrong to you? If we gave you some sort of bad perception about marriage and the ensuing family life…”

“No, Mother. It is not like that at all.” Rothesay shook his head as he continued courteously, “There have been many times when I saw my parents doting on each other and was envious of that, while also thinking it was cool and something to admire and respect. But I am not confident that I can live like the two of you. I am not sure that I can be as committed and devoted to my wife.”

“…”

“I am someone who considers myself to be more important than others. I also enjoy being by myself more than in the company of others.”

“Uh…” the Countess of Bradington was at a loss for words. If her son provided an answer like that, she actually had nothing to say back to him. There was nothing she could say in response to his claim in not wanting to be selfish and end up harming another as the reason why he did not want to get married. It was impossible to force and order him to get married if it meant that the person that would become his wife would end up unhappy.

The Countess of Bradington pondered on this for a moment, and came up with a story that could be of some help, “I understand what you are trying to say, my child. Your father was quite similar to you in this regard as well.”

“…I am sorry?”

“I had heard that your father had been reluctant to marry for similar reasons. But look at him now. How is your father living now?”

“That is…” His father was living very well, spending only delightful days with his mother. Rothesay was at a loss for words for the first time.

The Countess of Bradington nodded as she smiled gently, “I am not urging you to do so. However, I hope that you do not think you are so unqualified for marriage. You are someone who is qualified, and one that deserves an outstanding family more than anyone I have ever encountered.”

“If I am being perfectly honest, I have no confidence in doing as well with raising a family together with someone as you and Father.”

“Everyone experiences some fear before they start something. And…” after taking a brief breath, the Countess of Bradington continued, “The fear that arises from not having done or tried something is just purely made up.”

“…”

“Is it not something to at least try out for the time being? Try to attend some of the social gatherings and stuff like that.”

—

In the end, he knew the overall message of the story was for her to nag at him. Rothesay smiled slightly while making a tired expression.

The Countess of Bradington stared at her son blatantly, and released a short sigh before she changed the subject,

“We will talk more about that later… Anyway, you should pay a visit to the Count of Lascelles.”

“A visit to Walter?”

Walter Lascelles was the son of the Count of Lascelles, and one of Rothesay’s few friends. He asked in a strange voice, “Did something happen?”

“A telegram arrived while you were out. It said he was ill. Should you not go and pay him a visit since he is feeling so bad?”

“Oh my word,” he muttered in a slightly shocked voice. -They said a fool could not get sick, but that means that Walter is not really a fool!- …That was a joke he thought to himself, and the news that his friend who had always been healthy was sick naturally made Rothesay worry a lot. He asked, “Did the telegram say that it was serious?”

“That much was not included in the letter. Would it not be better to just go there?”

“It would be. I had better go to him quickly.”

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“Sure. Go on ahead. Walter is like you, so he does not have many friends, either. Perhaps he might even be waiting for you to visit.”

“Haha, that might be so! Then I will be on my way!”

Rothesay quickly grabbed his coat and told the butler, “Please prepare the carriage.”

—–

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Translated by Haeli

Edited by RED