They escaped the worst possible situation, but there was no hope that things would improve.

If Count Bathurst were alive, he could have rebuilt the family. The problem was that Count Bathurst was on that ship and died.

They never found his body, but the count’s funeral was held solemnly. Annette stood beside Countess Bathurst, tears streaming down her face as she looked at the graveyard.

She had to send off the count she had grown attached to.

They only spent a week together, but Annette had grown very attached to the count and countess during that time.

They treated her so well. His death shocked her and left her in deep sorrow.

I do not want to experience anyone else’s death anymore, so why is this happening? I thought I finally found happiness. What is this? Why is my life so miserable?

Even in the midst of her grief, she found it absurd that she was having such self-mocking thoughts. Still, the situation changed so suddenly that she felt empty.

It would have been better if she had at least approached Kynel. Who could have expected such a tragedy to strike just as she finished a week of learning noble etiquette and was about to properly enjoy her new world?

A major event changed her life only a week after she possessed Annette’s body. It made her wonder if she was being punished for trying to seduce a man who had no lover in the original story.

“I’m sorry, Annette. I hoped you would not suffer anymore…”

After the funeral, Countess Bathurst seemed worried that Annette was struggling. She was suffering too, yet seeing her still worry about Annette made guilt wash over her.

“I’m more sorry.”

“Why are you sorry? His fate simply came to an end.”

No. I’m the one whose fate is miserable.

How many times has this happened already? Her parents’ deaths, the rental deposit scam, being killed in a hit-and-run, then Count Bathurst’s death….

Misfortune kept striking one after another, so Annette thought this tragedy happened because of her. Her heart felt heavy, like she was someone who brought bad luck wherever she went.

Still, the misfortune did not end there.

“Young lady, thank you for everything.”

“Take care.”

They no longer had money to employ them, so the Bathurst family had no choice but to let all their servants go. The servants treated her well during that one week, so Annette had grown attached to them too.

She wanted to discuss it with Countess Bathurst and give them generous severance pay along with letters of recommendation, but she could not. Everything, including Count Bathurst’s title, passed to his younger brother.

Although Annette was Count Bathurst’s daughter, she could not inherit the family.

In the Delta Empire, where she possessed Annette’s body, men inherited their families, so women were pushed down the line of succession.

The eldest son came first, followed by the second son if the eldest died. That was how it worked.

As a result, Count Bathurst’s younger brother, Annette’s uncle, inherited the Bathurst family.

In cases like this, people usually married Annette off to a wealthy magnate. Her uncle also seemed to be searching for a marriage candidate for her.

From the perspective of someone who lived in the twenty-first century, being passed over in the family inheritance was absurd. Still, that was the law, so she had no choice but to follow it.

Her marriage to Kynel was out of the question now, so she felt like giving up. Even so, she hoped her uncle would not marry her off to some strange man.

She worried about countless things, but every concern was pointless.

“I have no intention of taking you in, so go with your mother.”

Her uncle, who had been searching for a groom, suddenly took a firm stance that he could not accept Annette as a member of the family. He clearly decided she was of no use to him.

“What use could a girl who cannot be married off properly possibly be?”

His quiet mutter made it clear that no one showed any interest in Annette.

Still, she felt deeply uneasy.

In a situation like this, would they not force her to marry at least a wealthy, middle-aged nobleman without a wife? Even if she looked gloomy enough to seem like she might cast curses, surely at least one man would appear as a prospective husband.

Annette was beautiful and had a good figure. Nothing seemed wrong with her appearance, so how could there not be even one man who wanted to marry her?

Did everyone recoil because she spent all that time hiding her face behind her hair? It might make sense if they simply did not know her style changed….

Annette studied Countess Bathurst’s expression. She wondered what she thought of the situation.

“Then I will take Annette with me.”

Countess Bathurst answered calmly. Since she did not seem surprised by her brother-in-law’s decision, she appeared to have expected it already.

Was it all because of her appearance? Nothing else could explain the current situation. Still, she did not dislike it.

This is probably for the best.

Annette was not attached to the Bathurst family. It was far better than having a completely unfamiliar uncle become her guardian and marry her to an unknown man, so she decided not to concern herself with him any longer.

A more urgent problem remained. They had no money right now, so how were they supposed to live? For now, the only choice was to plead with her uncle.

Countess Bathurst’s natal family, the Granville viscountcy, also invested in this venture and lost much of its wealth.

The Granville viscountcy was never wealthy to begin with. Count Bathurst’s business was successful, so they helped each other and got by together.

Her uncle did not go bankrupt, so he possessed more than enough wealth to help Annette and Mrs. Granville. That was thanks to the territory he inherited from the former Count Bathurst, Annette’s grandfather.

He avoided bankruptcy because he and Count Bathurst were not on good terms and barely interacted. He had no interest in joining the business and only squandered his wealth, which drove them apart. Yet that distance allowed him to keep his fortune, so it could be called a blessing in disguise.

“Uncle, please help us.”

“What a useless girl. Why should I help you? You should have conducted yourself properly in the first place. The moment I put you on the marriage market, I will be too ashamed to live.”

“Please at least let my mother and me help run Father’s business!”

“What business could a woman possibly run? No trading partner would deal with a worthless girl like you.”

“Then please, at least let my mother do it.”

“Do not talk nonsense!”

Count Bathurst did not run the business alone. It was not publicly known, but Countess Bathurst helped with part of it as well. Annette wanted at least Countess Bathurst to take part in the business because she probably knew more about it than anyone.

Most of those involved in the business died, so they needed someone who knew even a little about it. Annette thought he would at least accept that much, but she was wrong.

Her uncle inherited Count Bathurst’s business, but he did not seem to intend to trade with the Granville family. He appeared to think they were troublesome burdens.

No matter how Annette pleaded, he coldly dismissed her and spewed cruel words. Their connection with the Bathurst family could be considered completely over.

Annette had no choice but to be driven out of the Bathurst household. She wanted to go to the Granville family, but it went bankrupt too and even sold its home, so she could not.

Annette and Countess Bathurst had no choice but to move somewhere incomparable to where they lived before. In other words, they were now worse off than wealthy commoners.