Chapter 94

This is a story that takes place during the three-year gap in Chapter 21 of the main series.

"Ah! You've come, Hubert."

"Yes, Jeb. It's been a while."

Called by his old friend from his student days, Hubert cautiously entered the room, looking around. Although the interior of this gentlemen's club hadn't changed much, he felt a sense of unease.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"It seems you've been making quite a bit of money lately, haven't you?"

As he took his seat among his friends, he was met with an impolite question. The others were grinning, waiting for his response.

"Well... I've been learning a lot from Lord Holloway. But more importantly, the harvest season is almost here, right? How are things on your estates?"

He answered the question about his recent investments briefly and then changed the subject. However, his friends looked disappointed, as if their interest had been dampened.

"It's going well this year, I think. If there were any problems, the managers would have said something."

"Is that so..."

"Hey, leave the dirty work to the lower ranks. If you have a good investment, tell us about it."

"Right. It's not fair for you to keep it all to yourself. We're friends, aren't we?"

Hubert was at a loss for words. His friends, who used to seem more mature than him, now looked childish. A year ago, Opal had mentioned that his friends probably had excellent managers, and it seemed to be true. Over the past year, Hubert had carefully read every report from his estates and studied by asking Opal and Lord Holloway questions. He had hoped to discuss his estates with his old friends, but he was disappointed. He wasn't ready to explain his investments yet.

"Recently... it feels like everything is in place. From now on, I'll be investing in technology rather than goods—"

"Ah, that's not what we're talking about, Hubert."

"You never change, do you? We don't need explanations. Just tell us what to buy."

"Right, right. Let Lord Holloway do the thinking. We'll just buy what he buys. Tell us as soon as you know, okay?"

"...If I can."

His vague answer left his friends disappointed. But one of them laughed out loud.

"So, the rumors are true, then?"

"Rumors...?"

"That you married a woman with poor financial sense for her money, and that you're being considerate of the Holloway family!"

"You're a duke, you know? You can just let them pay for everything!"

"Of course, this is on you, right?"

Hubert looked at his friends in surprise as they started to make a fuss. In the past, he had been saved by their brightness and enjoyed their lively conversations. Being called "Your Grace" by them had made him feel proud. Now, however, he felt extremely uncomfortable. The other patrons in the club joined in the commotion, and before he knew it, Hubert was expected to pay the entire bill. Although he had the financial means to do so, he wanted to leave as soon as possible. He finally realized that he felt more at ease at meetings and clubs with Lord Holloway. Initially, those gatherings had been full of difficult topics, but he had come to look forward to them. It wasn't that this place was bad; it was just that such frivolous activities should have ended in his student days. He had stayed in this bubble because he wanted to avoid reality.

"Sorry, but I'm going home."

"What? You're no fun. Let's go next time!"

"No, I'll pass. There's a council meeting at the House of Lords tomorrow morning, you know?"

"Huh? The council is a waste of time. Why do we have to think about pointless bills?"

"Right, right!"

Feeling disheartened by his drunk friends' words, Hubert managed to say goodbye with a smile. The moment he stepped out of the club, a wave of fatigue hit him. He finally realized how immature he had been. He also understood why Opal had taken over his estates. Despite this, Opal still provided him with regular reports. Hubert regretted his past behavior and resolved to change his ways and work harder.

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Hello everyone, it's been a while.

Today, October 7th (Friday), the third volume of "The Duchess in the Attic" is on sale! The story has been heavily revised, so it's quite different from the web version (though the main plot remains the same).

Trevor makes a casual appearance and plays a significant role, lol.

The new side stories are about [Julian and Claude's seven years] and [one year after the main story ends].

The illustration of Opal and her two children by Yasuyuki Tamari is truly touching.

For more details, please check the activity report.

Thank you very much for your continued support of the book!