《Promise Me a Life With Three Meals and a Nap, Duke》 CH prologue 1 As I stepped out of the luxurious carriage, led by a hand wearing a pair of white gloves without a single stain, I saw a dazzling mansion ¨C more like a castle ¨C towering in front of me. At the main entrance, the castle¡¯s servants, headed by the butler, lined up and bowed their heads. Such treatment took me aback. I mean, normally, I would have recoiled. It was scary. It might be a normal welcoming ritual for the great aristocracy, and it could be because today was a very special day, but I would have preferred to be greeted more quietly. Yes, today was a special day. It was a wedding. One of the most powerful men in the kingdom was going to marry. However, the powerful man liked to keep a low profile, so the wedding was for family only. There was no wedding reception. It was that kind of wedding. The man escorting me, who was wearing spotless white gloves, seemed unperturbed by this welcome, but I was rather distant. He was too tall compared to a woman, but we struck just the right balance on my heels. He was handsome, strong, and rich, which was what all the ladies yearned for. His deep crimson hair and eyes were distinctive traits of the duke¡¯s clan. At first glance, he appeared passionate, but in contrast, he was quite indifferent. But that was his beauty! Moreover, the eyes of many of the ladies were glued to him. This single man possessed both power and wealth. The question of who would win the title of his Duchess had been one of the most closely watched issues in recent years. At 27 years old, he was a man in the prime of his life. In fact, he was quite a workaholic. But that didn¡¯t mean he was out of shape. He has a well-toned body that stood out even when he was tightly escorted. It was hard to tell with his clothes on, but he seemed to have a statuesque build. I was no lascivious woman, but I might suffer nosebleeds imagining it. I could understand why the young lady in my imagination kept squealing. From what I heard, he was stronger than professional soldiers. It wasn¡¯t long ago that I heard the reason for this, and I was convinced. He didn¡¯t hide his stance that marriage was a pain in the ass. Needless to say, he got fed up with his aunts and company¡¯s nagging on his marriage, so he finally found a suitable partner and began to pay his respects. The woman he chose was the kind that made everyone who saw her want to ask, ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s the one?¡± Well, I was surprised too, but it was me. A woman who was ridiculed in social circles; who always wore layers of eye bags; whose hair and skin were in shambles; whose dresses were so-so; and whose appearance was not commensurate with it. That was who I was. That wasn¡¯t meant to demean, it was a fact. Certainly, I was the daughter of a family with a considerable history, and I could be considered a suitable marriage partner. If you go back far enough, you could trace my lineage back to the imperial family. If anything, my family had been protecting the current territory since before the rule of the imperial family. Honestly speaking, there were few families that were this old, including mine. In other words, I have an ancient bloodline, but that was it. Our money wasn¡¯t even enough to provide my dowry worthy of this Duke. Or perhaps I should say, the only woman who could match the head of such a prosperous and rich duchy was the royal princess. Truth be told, the princess had also turned 19 this year, which was a perfect age for marriage. Rumor had it that she had been eyeing this Duke with an eagle eye. Many people thought that with the royal princess¡¯s status, a political marriage was a matter of course. However, our kingdom was by far the most powerful on this continent with both national power and military might. That was to say, the princess was in a position to freely choose. Compared to other riffraff kingdoms in the area, there was no one better match than the Duke, the young leader of this kingdom. After all, he was one of the most powerful and richest people in the kingdom. While the royal family¡¯s budget had to be properly reported, the Duke could transfer money at will. To put it bluntly, in terms of fund transfer, the Duke was better off compared to the royal family. No reasoning was necessary there. Furthermore, the thought that this Duke¡¯s family was as influential as a single kingdom compared to other kingdoms around, I understood why she wouldn¡¯t want to marry into any country. She¡¯d already picked the Duke as her only choice. Even without his power and money, he was still a superbly handsome man with an abundance of charm! Of course, as a bachelor, she must have approached him. He¡¯d been brilliantly ducking and dodging all this time, but it was easy to suppose that he didn¡¯t want to marry this princess. I thought there was nothing more maddening for a workaholic guy next door than to have his personal life dictated to him. If she were an ordinary noblewoman, the duke himself was higher in rank and position so he could just ignore her, but that was impossible to Her Royal Highness. She was the youngest daughter among the four children of the eldest child in the Royal Family. Needless to say, she was cherished and raised with great care by the people around her. The Duke had better settle down quickly than to have such a sheltered girl approach him for marriage. CH prologue 2 So why did I get the nod? It was simply because I was not very interested in the Duke. For that simple reason, thank you very much. To put it bluntly, it was terribly rude of me, but I accepted the offer because I thought it would be to my advantage. My house was in debt or anything, or that I was going to be married off to some old pervert, but if I could just get the hell out of a house where I was in a dedication position and where the family weren¡¯t on the best terms, I decided to temporarily turn a blind eye to the troublesome circumstances. Because I really thought that if I stayed at home, I would be used up and might die sooner or later. Now that I thought about it, I realized I didn¡¯t make a calm decision. Two things worried me: catching the princess¡¯ attention and having my life guaranteed at my parents¡¯ house. Either way, I believed that the Duke would probably protect me from the Royal Family ¨C or rather, from the Princess. At any rate, if my marriage were to break down, he would be in trouble as well. Well, I¡¯d think of it as a kind of shared destiny. I was clearly the less powerful member of the community. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± I stared at the face of the man I married, and he looked at me suspiciously. ¡°Nothing, nothing at all.¡± Our relationship was plain dry. I wasn¡¯t looking for anything from the Duke, and if he were to ask me for something, he would not only find it extremely annoying, but also a hassle. Well, it might be wrong to say that I was not asking for anything, because the only thing I was asking for was for him to strictly adhere to the terms of our marriage. ¡°You¡¯re probably tired today, so I¡¯ll introduce you to the servants tomorrow. Let me show you to your room, Risha.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored to have Your Grace to show me around.¡± I smiled as a courtesy, but I wanted to go to bed as soon as possible. Today was supposed to be our wedding night, but neither of us had the slightest intention of doing so. First off, His Grace didn¡¯t find me attractive as a woman, and if I might say so myself, my body didn¡¯t arouse him in any way. It saddened me to say this, but until now, His Grace ¨D¨D From here on, the person who became my husband, even nominal, would choose a beautiful, experienced, and buxom woman who was used to having fun. I did not match any of those preferences. In other words, we were a genuinely pretend couple. Seriously, we would live a life at cross paths. ¡°This is your room. If you need anything, just tell the servants.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Does that mean he¡¯ll hardly be here? That didn¡¯t matter because it was too late now. However, I couldn¡¯t ignore the hostility I felt from the moment we entered this castle. I hoped it was just my imagination, but if otherwise, I¡¯d really like to see it addressed. Anyway, for the time being ¨D¨D¡­¡­ ¡°You must live up to your end of the bargain, Husband.¡± ¡°Rest assured. Three meals, a nap, and a minimum standard of living ¨D¨D they will be maintained as long as you stay in this house. More on that tomorrow morning in the dining hall.¡± We exchanged a quick greeting and I fell into bed. Yes, that was the condition I put forward before our marriage. That was; three meals, a nap, and a minimum standard of living. I didn¡¯t even have to go out to socialize. I would also be exempted from working as a Duchess. Wasn¡¯t it wonderful not having to work! Of course, it was necessary for a nobleman to bear children as a duty, but in my opinion, he might bring in some woman someday to give birth to a baby boy, and I¡¯d raise him as my own. I didn¡¯t mind. I¡¯ve been relieved of many of my duties as a Duchess, so I¡¯d do at least that. I didn¡¯t have any special feelings for my husband, but I was indeed fond of children more than I thought. I will raise the child with love and care ¨D¨D I really told my husband this, but he gave me a subtle look. I also told him that he could bring his mistress in, as long as she didn¡¯t threaten my life of three meals and a nap, but he let out a sigh. I didn¡¯t understand. ¡°If this were about the legal wife of a beloved husband, I wouldn¡¯t blame her for being grieved and hostile.¡± Muttering to myself, I reminded myself that it didn¡¯t matter if there was hostility. If the marriage partner of a master who was so full of charm and sex appeal was someone who was completely out of his league in terms of appearance; people might have reservations about it, regardless of her bloodline, so I¡¯d better ignore them generously. Anyhow, I was supposed to do nothing here. I was just going to enjoy my life of depravity with three meals and a nap. ¡°Hahaha¡­Finally, I finally got it! I found my peace!¡± With an unladylike mischievousness, I did a guts pose as hard as I could in the room I was left alone in, and rolled around in the soft bed. When I was satisfied to some extent, I called a servant for me to take a bath before going to bed. I took a long hot bath, and for the first time in seven years, I was able to enjoy a peaceful, stress-free, and satisfying sleep. CH prologue 3 Let me introduce myself here. My name is Risha Verdigo. My father¡¯s title is Count, which is reasonably high. However, in terms of family influence, it¡¯s not that great. However, if you only look at our bloodline, it¡¯s pretty satisfactory. If we were in debt, my family has such a prominent lineage to the extent that lower class nobles who want to rise to the top would be lining up with money. My family is quite famous, despite the lack of influence. Not in a good way, of course. In a bad way. My father married my mother in a political marriage. Mother was the direct lineage of the Count¡¯s family, and Father was the so-called in-law. However, in this country, only males had the right to inherit the title, so Father who was closer to the direct line in the branch of the family was chosen. The miscalculation here, however, was that because of the consanguineous nature of their marriage, they had difficulty having children. Of course, it wasn¡¯t an incestuous marriage to the point of breaking the law, but it still had an impact. Amids the difficulty of bearing children, Father betrayed Mother, whom he did not like very much, and had an affair with another woman, which resulted in a child. My father blamed my mother for their inability to have kids, and told her to adopt the child as the heir. But of course, Mother stubbornly refused it. If the child had been a boy, my mother might have given it some thought. However, she was a girl, and she resembled my father¡¯s mistress since she was a baby. Moreover, my father even suggested hiring that baby¡¯s biological mother as the nanny. Although my father inherited the Count title, my mother was in charge of the household affairs, including the hiring of personnel. Furthermore, my mother, who was his legal wife, managed almost all of the assets. Thus, even if my father was also a Count, he couldn¡¯t withdraw money that easily. At one point, they even discussed a divorce, but then my mother discovered that she was carrying me. Even though my mother thought that I was the child of an unfaithful man, she decided that I was innocent, cancelled the divorce, and gave birth to me. Of course, I became the first heir, being the child of the legal wife and a direct descendant. Advertisements Unfortunately, however, my mother gave birth at an advanced age, and her postpartum confinement was poor. She did not recover well. Then, when I turned seven, she died of illness. She was a kind mother. She was worried about me being left alone and arranged all the measures she could. She left a will that stated, ¡°You are the daughter of the Lord of this family. Be happy and don¡¯t be as unhappy as I was.¡± And, well, you can figure things out from there, right? This is how my story unfolded. First of all, my father, the heir to the Count¡¯s throne, made his mistress his wife and brought her child, my half-sister, to the Count¡¯s mansion. Several of my mother¡¯s loyal servants who had worked at the Count¡¯s mansion for many years were forced to quit, and even the butler was almost replaced. However, he was too involved in the operation of the Count¡¯s mansion and the estate to be cut off so easily. Thanks to this, the butler was able to provide me with various training while keeping his shoulders hunched. I still respect him to this day. Anyway, he was the one who had helped me in many ways to complete the chores that the master, my father, had forced upon me since I turned ten. Yep, I¡¯ve been involved in estate management since I was ten years old. I don¡¯t know anything about what your mother was doing. You¡¯re the one who received training, so you should do it. Swine dad. In addition, he drank, gambled, and attended social gatherings every day. Of course, his wife, who was a prostitute, was the same way. My half-sister also spent money extravagantly, just like her mother. I was left in charge of running the fiefdom when I was ten years old, but in the three years since my mother died, it seemed like nothing was seriously being done. Whenever there was a problem, they never took action. Even when there was a bad harvest, the taxes stayed the same. In fact, they raised it. As a person who knew where they were using the money, I was furious. The retainer, who was supposed to be in charge of the fiefdom, took bribes and even evaded taxes. I wanted to do something about it, and I had desperately tried to protect the fiefdom for seven years since I was ten years old, but that was as far as I could go. In the end, the authority to make decisions on the fiefdom had been transferred from my mother¡¯s hands to my father¡¯s, and any decision that was ever slightly unfavorable was not taken seriously. Despite my best efforts, the subjects under the fiefdom considered me as part of the Lord¡¯s family, so they lashed out at me. I understood their feelings, but it was both physically and mentally exhausting. To be honest, the fiefdom was really dying seven years ago due to my father¡¯s reckless management, but I wished I could see more of the results of its recovery to this point. Even though I worked hard every day with dark circles under my eyes and neglected to eat and sleep, I was treated as incompetent because everything was wonderful during my mother¡¯s time. Moreover, it was actually my stepmother and half-sister who fueled everything. They spread outrageous rumors of my atrocities here and there, and turned people¡¯s anger against me. It seemed that they planned on snatching my title away with the fiefdom¡¯s subjects¡¯ support. Luckily or unluckily, my father was a branch of the Count family, and I have inherited the Count¡¯s blood. In other words, my half-sister also had our blood in her veins. I was forced, you might say, but it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if my half-sister became the heir. What was more, most of my relatives sided with my half-sister, probably because they thought that she was easier to control than me, who, like my mother, was inflexible. Thus¨D¨D. ¡°You¡¯ve been abandoned by both the branches of the family and the subject, so you¡¯re not eligible to inherit the Count¡¯s title.¡± That said eligibility was transferred to my half-sister. All I felt at that moment was resignation, like I didn¡¯t care anymore. They also kept the habit of forcing me to take on more work with the intention of wearing me out. I had dark circles and rough skin due to lack of sleep on a daily basis. My half-sister, on the other hand, spent all her time playing around and used all the money from the Count¡¯s family to look radiant and beautiful. Even in social circles, I was ridiculed when people couldn¡¯t tell which of us was a nobleman¡¯s daughter with excellent lineage. Just when a lot of things were getting ridiculous, I received a life-changing offer. CH prologue 4 Sitting in front of me was a man with divine handsomeness. His overwhelming aura silenced my father and stepmother, who were sitting next to me, and my half-sister, who was sitting on the sofa beside me. However, my half-sister was not only silent, she was also looking at the man with an enraptured expression. While checking the man out of the corner of my eye, I, who was sandwiched between my family, observed him without looking too closely as he sat in front of us. Then, perhaps noticing my gaze, he drew the cup away from his mouth, which he¡¯d been slowly sipping tea, and returned it to the saucer without making a single sound. He was indeed elegant. As expected of Claude Lindbeld, the current head of one of the only three duchies in the country. Needless to say, even I, who was unfamiliar with social circles in the kingdom, recognized this super big-shot. It was really hard to believe that someone I¡¯ve never seen up close or even from a distance was now in such close proximity. ¡°What a nice tea.¡± Of course. It was the most expensive tea leaves in our house. By the way, I believe I¡¯m probably the only one who has been educated to understand the taste of tea leaves. But I also understood that it was a social nicety. Even if the tea leaves were the finest in my family, they were not for this man. ¡°Yea-yeah! This is how we must entertain the Duke of Lindbeld. Hahaha, a girl in our family is well-versed about tea. She said that this is a really rare item and very hard to find.¡± My stepmother glanced at my half-sister. She was desperately trying to show that her daughter was an elegant, aristocratic, and talented woman, who understood tea. The man probably saw through everything effortlessly and ignored everything my stepmother said. Of course, he also ignored my half-sister. I, on the other hand, felt totally embarrassed. I¡¯d like to tell my stepmother; her claim that it was her finest show of hospitality¡­ Was like digging her own grave. Frankly, my stepmother was telling him that she didn¡¯t know anything about tea or the value of tea leaves. ¡°That¡¯s a surprise¡­This is loblolly needle tea, isn¡¯t it? Even I don¡¯t get to taste it very often. Thank you for such a rare and valuable item.¡± ¡°Ahaha, that¡¯s nothing to our family.¡± I envy her at times like this, when she¡¯s so insensitive and ignorant to something. Various thoughts passed through my mind while sweat trickled down my back. Speaking of which, the loblolly needle tea that His Grace mentioned is one of the high-grade teas that are readily available. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s cheap for the Duke of Lindbeld, but I¡¯m impressed that he recognized the taste. However, it isn¡¯t because of the tea that my back is sweating. It¡¯s because of what my stepmother said. ¡°Yes, it would be difficult for a Duke¡¯s family ????? to serve this kind of tea. As expected of the historic Count¡¯s family ?????I¡¯m impressed.¡± My father froze in place. He seemed to have registered what his mistress, a commoner, implied to one of the most powerful Dukes in the country before him. Yeah, I¡¯ve also been trying to say that dukes don¡¯t keep such cheap goods, but has anyone else got the message? It doesn¡¯t look like it. ¡°M-My apologies! She didn¡¯t mean to undermine you¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I know. Your wife is a commoner and a former prostitute. It¡¯s no wonder that her education is not up to par. Of course, it¡¯s not the Count¡¯s fault that the child she gave birth to isn¡¯t polite either, since that¡¯s probably a problem with her mother¡¯s bloodline.¡± His artlessly frank insults made their faces flush red. But at least, they were not stupid enough as to explode at that point. Instead, they looked daggers at me for some reason. I didn¡¯t do anything, so their glares at me was a mystery. The Duke of Lindbeld, who is refreshingly goading them into making a fool of themselves, definitely likes none of them. His lips are arched, but his eyes are unsmiling. He¡¯s too scary. He¡¯s been like this since he arrived at the Count¡¯s mansion, and I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re trying to fawn on him. Nevertheless, I really admire their inability to read the atmosphere. ¡°Now then, Count Verdigo, my visit here today is in fact to ask you for a favor. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve received my previous message, so you should know my purpose here¡­¡± ¡°A-About that, I¡¯m surprised and puzzled as to why¡­¡± Truth to tell, I¡¯m surprised and confused too. First off, as I have said many times before, I have never met the Duke of Lindbeld. I can assure you that we never even crossed paths. And yet, he suddenly sent a notice and an offer. When the message arrived, my stepmother and half-sister were beyond astonished. For the first time ever, they asked me why it was me, or told me that my name was mistaken. I, too, thought the same. Reality remained that there was no mistake, however. ¡°I don¡¯t understand your confusion. The Count of Verdigo is a family that has been protecting the territory since before the founding of the country. It is an ancient lineage that traces back to the imperial family. Is it so strange if you were to be related to my family?¡± He mentioned it so sleekly. ¨D¨DYes, this Duke of Lindbeld has come to ask for my hand in marriage. It was a maneuver that was truly shrouded in mystery. CH prologue 5 When I heard of it, I couldn¡¯t help but think that it was some kind of a joke or a dream. I wondered if I had been drugged or if it was a punishment game, but I feared that no one could grasp the true intentions of the awe-inspiring man above the clouds. ¡°It is an honor, but why is it ¨D¨D¡­ I mean, why is it Risha?¡± Regarding this question, I had a feeling that¡­the manly figure in front of me crooked his lips as if he was mocking him. ¡°Then who would have satisfied you, Count Verdigo?¡± Despite being a younger man, the Duke¡¯s language was that of a superior. The way he tediously crossed his legs and questioned my father, who had trouble comprehending what he was saying, was, by all means, arrogant. What was more, he behaved as if it were a matter of course. Perhaps the next time he spoke, he¡¯d say that incompetence was a problem. ¡°It is, of course, my eldest daughter and the heir to the Count¡¯s family, Agnesto! No matter what, Agnesto is one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom. She¡¯s been receiving a lot of engagement offers that it¡¯s becoming troublesome. In comparison, my second daughter, Risha, is just as you see. She doesn¡¯t have the looks that¡¯s worthy of the Duke of Lindbeld!¡± Indeed, my half-sister, Agnesto, was objectively beautiful. After all, she looked exactly like my stepmother when she was younger, when she ensnared my father. That for sure gave a few points to think about. I did not miss the Duke¡¯s eyes, glancing at my stepmother. ¡°I can see her semblance to her mother. I¡¯m sure that ???when her mother was younger, she must have attracted a lot of male attention.¡± The sarcasm was strong. In fact, my stepmother got married later in life and enjoyed a life of depravity, so she was now quite plump. This was how my half-sister, who was identical to my stepmother, would look like in the future! However, if the Duke really were to choose based on looks, would he pick me now that I was right in front of him? At the very least, a decent man would consider it a little. To be honest, where had my former beauty gone? I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Anyhow, I¡¯ve told you, Count, that I am of ancient lineage and that there is no mystery to my marriage. Noblemen ¨D¨D Moreover, high-ranking nobles give a certain priority to lineage. In that case, isn¡¯t it natural to want to bring in a better bloodline? I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t want to associate with someone whose roots I don¡¯t even know where they originated.¡± Said the Duke of Lindbeld. He was just fed up with my father¡¯s incomprehension. And then, the eyes of my half-sister, who got bluntly told that she had never been considered as a marriage partner because of her bad blood, moistened as she stared at Duke Lindbeld. ¡°T-That¡¯s a terrible thing to say! I¡¯m an aristocrat, and I¡¯m well-educated. It has never occurred to me that the Duke of Lindbeld was someone who only looked at pedigrees like this¡­You should have at least waited until you got a solid picture of my abilities! I am capable of supporting my husband well!¡± I thought to myself, Weren¡¯t you reminded just now not to butt in? To put it mildly, it was very rude for a mere girl to interfere in a discussion between two heads of the family. The Duke of Lindbeld was clearly offended. My half-sister, who had only known that men would stand by her side whenever she cried, must have thought that if she showed her tears, she could make the Duke of Lindbeld surrender as well. However, the Duke was not the kind of person who could be defeated by the usual tricks of women. ¡°Count, can you get rid of this impertinent being at once? Aren¡¯t you being a little too indulgent?¡± ¡°My apologies once more!¡± ¡°Also, I would very much like to speak with Miss Risha alone, if that¡¯s all right. Of course, it¡¯s inappropriate for an unmarried man and woman to be alone together, so I hope you would leave the mansion¡¯s steward behind.¡± He said hope, but it was substantially an order. Apparently, he decided that talking to my family would not help in the progress of the negotiation. An ill-judged father, an insensitive stepmother, and an impertinent half-sister. I was sure the Duke of Lindbeld had never negotiated with other people who were this awful. Most people were very perceptive and read the Duke of Lindbergh¡¯s airs and moods to get around, so I didn¡¯t think he¡¯s ever been this frustrated. I felt kinda sorry for him. My father, stepmother, and half-sister didn¡¯t seem convinced, but they reluctantly left the room, and all that remained was our steward. When the three of us were alone, Duke Lindbergh didn¡¯t hide his irritation and blurted out what he wanted to say. CH prologue 6 Then poured out the foul abuse. What a joke that they¡¯ve entertained him with this level of tea; that he was jealous of their poor tongue; that their judgement was appalling; that my half-sister was too smug and egotistical about her beauty and many others. I wanted to insert a few things. That¡¯s true, but I¡¯m the daughter of the said Count ¨C or rather, you¡¯ve come to ask me to marry you, haven¡¯t you? Also¡­ I don¡¯t think you should be criticizing my family so much in front of me. Well, Duke Lindbeld¡¯s criticisms were on point, and I, as a family member, knew it best. The Duke of Lindbeld was perhaps a little satisfied with what he¡¯s gotten out, so he sipped from his cup of cheap tea to calm himself down and moisten his throat. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get down to business. You¡¯re the only one in this family who seems to be on speaking terms.¡± ¡°By all means, please.¡± I was glad everything didn¡¯t end with his idle complaints. ¡°Let me get something straight, I¡¯m not getting married because I want to. I¡¯m only getting married when I realize that I¡¯m at a disadvantage if I¡¯m single.¡± He was so blunt. But I felt more at ease when he set things straight. In addition, I had heard about the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s marriage plight to some extent, but only through rumors. ¡°Are things finally getting clamorous around you?¡± He raised one eyebrow and snickered at the way I spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not just annoying. It¡¯s depressing. Lately, it¡¯s even a hindrance to my work. Besides, I¡¯m afraid this is going to end up being the most unwanted outcome.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure, but he was saying that there was a chance he could end up with someone he didn¡¯t want to marry. Rather, there was only one possible match for him. I wouldn¡¯t probe any further. ¡°You need a good reason to evict a troublesome opponent.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ you mean this marriage?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible to convince someone that they¡¯re not at least better at something than someone else. So that¡¯s where you come in.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved that you understood so quickly.¡± I didn¡¯t dare to ask who this troublesome opponent was, but something convinced me that she was even a member of the royal family. The Duke of Lindbeld mentioned my ancient family lineage earlier. With records of our lineage that traced back to before the royal family, my clan was with historical value on its own. I didn¡¯t know if it was the pride of the family, but perhaps that was why consanguineous marriages were still practiced today. Consequently, my mother was not blessed with many children. Advertisements In other words, what the Duke of Lindbeld was trying to say was that I could be an excuse and no one would say anything. ¡°When it was officially announced that you had been stripped of your title as the Count¡¯s successor, I thought your clan were demented, but that¡¯s how my luck turned out.¡± My mouth twitched as I wondered if he had any thoughts about being related to that demented clan. ¡°So, I want to hear your response. Now, if possible. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m busy and don¡¯t have the time to keep coming back here. By the way, I don¡¯t want you coming to bother me in my office.¡± He sized me from top to bottom and expressed exactly what his intentions were. His motives were downright rude, but I was aware so I dismissed it. Then, I pondered for a moment. If I stayed at home like this, there was a good chance I¡¯d end up being treated like a handy servant for the rest of my life. Or that was exactly what I¡¯d end up doing in an unwanted marriage. I could see myself being sold for money because I knew there was no future for me here. Considering that, this marriage didn¡¯t seem so bad. There were going to be complications that came with being married, though. ¡°Speaking of which, are you expecting me to play the role of¡­of a Duchess?¡± ¡°No, not particularly. The duke¡¯s affairs are run by the steward and the housekeeper. I rarely participate in socializing because they are too much trouble for me in the first place. In terms of children, you don¡¯t have to bear them.¡± ¡°Okay¡­then, what am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything special. Do whatever you want. The Duchess is allotted a yearly allowance for socializing, and you can spend money as you please within that limit.¡± I felt that the conditions were quite favorable to me. I thought¡­there must be something more to it than those. As I looked at the Duke of Lindbeld skeptically, he said, as if remembering. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡¡If we¡¯re going to get married, is there anything you¡¯d like to see happen?¡± ¡°There is one thing that I would like to see come true, not if possible, but absolutely.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A minimal way of living with three meals and a nap.¡± When the Duke Lindbeld heard what I said without hesitation, he returned to me meaningfully. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°I want to enjoy a life of depravity.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± I expressed myself, clear and concise. It seemed that the Duke of Lindbeld was very pleased with my frankness. ¡°It¡¯s nice that you¡¯re hoping for a life of depravity without demanding for special funds. If that¡¯s the extent of it, I can grant it.¡± Rather, the life that was the norm for aristocratic ladies was impossible for me in recent years. Although I had taken it for granted, it¡¯d actually been difficult. ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer?¡± The final decision lay with me. But my mind was already made up. ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡± For the life of depravity that I dreamed of. I faced His Grace Lindbeld and smiled at him for the first time. The Duke of Lindbeld then looked at me with wide eyes as if startled for a moment, and then blatantly averted his gaze. I thought again that he was a rude man, but I quickly withdrew my smile, thinking that a smile like mine might just creep him out. CH prologue 7 ¡°By the way, are you sure with me?¡± I asked. I didn¡¯t want him to regret it later. At any rate, if he regretted it, and we got divorced, I would be the one in the most trouble. Divorce was almost unheard of in aristocratic society, but I would like to have an insurance policy in case it happened. After all, I didn¡¯t want to return to this house again. ¡°In this marriage, there is nothing more important to consider than lineage. If we¡¯re talking about your reputation¨D¨D¡­ I don¡¯t believe a word of it. At least, in conversations like this one today, I never felt like you couldn¡¯t communicate, nor did I feel that you¡¯re so bad that you became notorious. Rather, I think your family is more trouble than they¡¯re worth.¡± I was relieved. My notoriety that the Duke of Lindbeld mentioned was the gossip circulating in fiefdoms and in social circles. Even though he was not interested in me, he had done some research and seemed to know a lot about me from the way he spoke. My notoriety claimed that I was insane and indecent. Well, I supposed it was not surprising that people judged me that way from the way I looked. My golden locks had lost their luster and were spreading out like a broom. The dark circles under my eyes and my pale skin made me look lifeless, plus I was so skinny that you could see it even through my dress. Only my deep blue eyes shone impressively, which was also off-balance and eerie. I should have been a little more careful with my appearance, but with the lack of sleep, the stress of work, and the pain of having no one to rely on, my health only deteriorated even when I was careful. I really didn¡¯t even want to go out socializing. I¡¯d rather sleep than do that. But my half-sister, who wanted to show me how superior she was by having people compare our appearance, forced me to accompany her. I looked so poor and worn out, just like the evil hag in fairytales, a crazy woman who was hooked on something shady. Thus, the rumors that I was eating up the Count¡¯s fortune increasingly sounded authentic. In the territory, it was further said that no matter how hard the Count persuaded me, no matter how hard they protected the Count¡¯s fiefdom, their lifestyle would never improve because of my spending. The more I thought about it, the more I sighed. Even if I did my best, all my achievements would be credited to my father, and I would be vilified. ¡°Also, if we do get divorced, unless you¡¯re at fault, I¡¯m willing to give you enough to live on for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°That would be a huge help.¡± He was a very thoughtful man. Rather, I felt that our marriage was predestined for divorce from the start. ¡°One more thing, now that you¡¯ve agreed to marry me, I¡¯d like to point out that as Duchess, you may get into a bit of trouble, but you¡¯ll have to live with that.¡± I nodded, because I had been considering that too. At any rate, I was just glad that I was guaranteed three meals and a nap. I was also exempt from work, so I could just lounge around to my heart¡¯s content¡­Oh, I couldn¡¯t wait to get married. Advertisements ¡°Speaking of which, when do you plan to get married?¡± If possible, I¡¯d prefer a simple marriage, but I guessed that was impossible when he was the head of the Lindbeld family. As I was thinking about this, the Duke of Lindbeld said something plainly amazing. ¡°The day after tomorrow. I¡¯ve been granted a special marriage license, so we can get married any time. As you can see, tomorrow is a bit of a long shot, but I can free up some time the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ll make all the arrangements, so just come to the cathedral with yourself.¡± I was stunned. My eyes asked him if he was serious, and he was undoubtedly serious; it was no joke. Marriage in this country had to go through various stages before the wedding ceremony. Engagement contract, engagement ceremony, prenuptial agreement, prenuptial ceremony, then the wedding. Before a couple could finally become husband and wife, they had to accomplish all of these and go through a ceremony held in the presence of the church that would approve the marriage. Of course, only aristocrats would go through these formalities, but even commoners would perform engagement and prenuptial ceremonies. People had to pay for every single ceremony, the church found it unacceptable to skip all of these due to financial worries and get married straight away. However, there was always an exemption, and that was the special marriage license. With this, you could blow off all the rituals and get married. To put it bluntly, it could be obtained by paying a very expensive donation bribe. I wondered how much money they had amassed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t wait that long. I needed to get us married before it¡¯s known to many people.¡± He seemed to be running out of time. But it was not bad for me either. I was even grateful for it, because I wanted to get out of this house as soon as possible. Perhaps it was also because of the insane rumors that he targeted me. A decent young lady and her family would not have accepted such a condition. ¡°As for me, my relatives will not arrive in time for the wedding, so I¡¯ll have my secretary attend. If there are none, we will have no witnesses in case something goes wrong.¡± The Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s secretary, who was to be used as the witness, somehow became the image of a pitiful person who was forced to do something reckless by his boss. I was curious as to what kind of person he was, but my intuition told me not to look into the abyss, so I decided not to bother. ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine with anyone attending, but would you like my parents to attend? I don¡¯t mind at all if they¡¯re absent.¡± Perhaps the Duke recalled my family¡¯s appearance earlier, so he uttered a line. ¡°I don¡¯t mind either way. I¡¯ll leave it to you¡­It¡¯ll be tough on you.¡± It¡¯ll be tough on me. You¡¯re not going to have it easy either. The atmosphere was one of mutual understanding. We both sighed, and the day came to an end. After the Duke of Lindbeld left, I reported what we had talked about. My father, stepmother and half-sister were indignant and hurled abuses at me. Since this kind of abuse was an everyday thing, I turned a deaf ear, and instead wondered what my mother would say if she knew that I had decided to get married so easily. My mother wanted me to be happy. Although I was not sure if this was real happiness, at least I thought it was the best path for me. I was sure she would reproach me and at the same time understand me. Still, I felt more than a little guilty for abandoning the Count¡¯s fiefdom halfway through, but I was certain that my half-sister and father, whom the subjects believed in, would definitely take care of it. Another thing, the steward who had been supporting me would also be leaving this house when I get married, but he¡¯d definitely be happy to leave since the head of this house had been wanting him to quit. If I could just put up with it for one day tomorrow. The day after tomorrow would be my wedding day, and I would be free from all the troubles I¡¯ve been going through. So then ¨D¨D. I greeted the morning of my first day as a Duchess. CH prologue 8 ¡°I¡¯m getting married.¡± I had already started work when my boss, His Grace Duke Claude Lindbeld, whom I respect and admire but also wish would die, dropped a bombshell as soon as I entered his office. ¡°Uhhh¡­Congratulations?¡± ¡°Why is there a question mark?¡± ¡°Ah? Oh, I must have been so busy that for a moment there, I thought I was having a hallucination.¡± His Grace glared at me, but I smiled foolishly to deceive him. His Excellency, the Duke of Lindbergh, who listened to my words sullenly and was as sharp as ever in his own way with a strong work ethic, piled up the pending documents on my desk. While sullenly listening to my excuses, His Excellency the Duke of Lindbeld, who was as sharp as ever in his own workaholic enthusiasm, piled up the pending documents on my desk. ¡°Um, what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Why should I do something that even you can do? You do it. Then I¡¯m taking tomorrow and the next day off.¡± The words ¡°day off¡± came down at the same time as the amount of shock; could it be a harbinger of a natural disaster? I couldn¡¯t resist looking at my boss with a blank stare. To begin with, His Grace the Duke of Lindbeld was a workaholic. At work, his brow would wrinkle up in a grimace, and he gave off the vibe that not a single mistake could be tolerated. When he was in a bad mood, I practically would receive a barrage of sarcasm at the slightest mistake. As he was super-duper handsome, his glare was one of the best in the world. Rumors had it that even His Majesty couldn¡¯t defy it. Incidentally, I got to know that this wasn¡¯t just a rumor. After all, I would sometimes see His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince coming to see him with some trepidation. Well, anyhoo, if the power word ¡°marriage¡± were to pop out of the mouth of such a workaholic, I would be beyond astonished. How couldn¡¯t I? ¡°Er, if I may ask, why are you taking days off tomorrow and the day after tomorrow?¡± I winced a little when he looked at me as if he was talking to a lower life form, but it would be a disservice to my reputation as his secretary if I backed down. Besides, this has always been our way of interacting. However, there was no denying that he was even harsher than usual. ¡°I¡¯ll take a day off on the very day of my wedding, and the next day.¡± I was rendered speechless once more. What? Seriously? How the heck am I supposed to react when he abruptly stated that as if it were typical? I thought for sure he would only attend the wedding ceremony and work the next day without his new wife, so I seriously wondered if this boss in front of me was for real. Then, suddenly, I grasped something important. ¡°Er, that means that the woman you¡¯re marrying is not the Princess, right? When did you deepen your relationship with such a woman in the first place? I didn¡¯t hear any rumors about it at all.¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± ¡°Yesterday?¡± ¡°I met her face to face for the first time yesterday and asked her to marry me. Since it¡¯s too much trouble to do anything else, I got a special marriage license issued, and we can get married tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A super speedy wedding¡­! I wondered if this was appropriate for the current head of the Lindbeld family, the most powerful family in the country, to perform such a wedding. Or rather, I wondered how his partner even decided to marry someone like him¡­Was it for his face, his money, or his power? If a person who had these all asked someone to marry him, she¡¯d probably go through with it no matter what the conditions were. I sighed. What an absurd world it was; where I was sucked dry all the time; where I couldn¡¯t even have a girlfriend; where marriage was but a pipe dream; and where my boss could get married the instant he proposed to someone. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary for me to know, but who is your partner? If someone from the top asks me, can I honestly answer?¡± His Grace thought for a moment and then said to me. ¡°She is the second daughter of Count Verdigo. Wait after the wedding tomorrow, then you can talk. As long as we are married and registered, no one will bother us. By the way, your presence has been decided.¡± ¡°Yeaaah?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an intimate wedding, but it would be a problem if there¡¯s no one on my side. If people inquire if we really got married, you can be our witness.¡± W-Witness¡­? Isn¡¯t it polite to at least call me ¡°father?¡± I no longer understood where I stood now. I couldn¡¯t overrule his decision. I just had to do as I was told. ¡°But the second daughter of Count Verdigo ¨D¨D¡­ Is she alright?¡± ¡°What?¡± Advertisements ¡°You¡¯ve done at least a little research about her, haven¡¯t you? There are rumors, the kind you can call scandalous. I don¡¯t believe in all of it, but I can understand why you might be somewhat inclined to believe some of them ¨D¨D¡± Honestly, if you looked like her, no one would want to come near you, then the credibility of the rumors would rise. I brought up the subject as I picked up the documents piled high in the sky earlier, remembering Count Verdigo¡¯s second daughter. ¡°The rumors are unreliable. She¡¯s pretty decent.¡± ¡°Huh, really?¡± Rumors were rumors. But what I saw in person was so horrible that when I imagined her standing next to my boss, I couldn¡¯t help but think how out of proportion they would look. After all, the legal wife standing next to the head of a nobility, the labeled face of the country, must be of a certain caliber. ¡°I¡¯m a little disappointed, though. Count Verdigo¡¯s second daughter, his former wife¡¯s daughter, is the direct descendant of their family, right? I believe all of the Verdigo family members are quite good looking. However, the current Count is the only one that isn¡¯t that handsome¡­You might say, Her Majesty was involved in those events.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked curiously. I was a little surprised. It was a political marriage anyway. I didn¡¯t think he had done much research on the woman, but he appeared interested. I spoke with a little pride. After all, I loved to collect rumors, so I have lots of them. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Count Verdigo¡¯s late wife, who was a direct descendant of the Count, was an extremely beautiful woman. Because of this, the current Empress ¨C who was the Crown Princess at that time ¨C was said to have kept tabs on her quite a bit. Either way, it was said that her beauty was such that even the Crown Prince of the time ogled at her. The Empress is also a very beautiful woman, but we all have our own tastes in beautiful women, don¡¯t we? I heard that she was called the White Lily.¡± When I told him that it was because of this that the current Count, who was not very good looking, was chosen, he seemed to be convinced. ¡°I see, that was an interesting story.¡± For some reason, I felt uplifted by his compliment. However, I was immediately struck by despair. ¡°I¡¯ll give you this one too, for telling me such an interesting story.¡± Don! More papers were piled up. ¡°Wa-wait a minute! You can¡¯t thank me for this¨D¨D¡­¡± ¡°This is gratitude work from a boss training his subordinate. You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡­Do you know why I can¡¯t help but find you irreverent at times like this? My boss, His Grace the Duke of Lindbeld, could get a job done at tremendous speed. However, his mouth was kinda slack. At times like these, my boss wasn¡¯t in the right mind. I didn¡¯t dare to dig my grave, so it was best not to see or hear anything. I let out a sigh and wondered if I could finish all of these at the end of the day. In the end, I didn¡¯t sleep a wink and attended the wedding of His Grace with dark circles under my eyes. CH 1.01 All right, let¡¯s kill him¨D¨D¡­¡­ On the seventh day of my marriage, the dark circles under my eyes disappeared. My dark circles had become dead animals instead, so I was determined to carry this out. Yes, kill him and all will be well. It isn¡¯t that difficult. All I have to do is make it look like an accident and push him down. The only problem was that the man had terrifying intuition and was well-trained, so he could easily see through my shallow thinking. But, no worries! In this world, there were countless people who belonged behind the scenes. Yes, so it would work out. After all, once he was dead, I would inherit his entire fortune, and as for the succession issue, there was his own father ???? who was still striving to be on active duty. There was no need to ask; a kid or two would arrive in no time! That way, I could say goodbye to this three-meal soup lifestyle, and say goodbye to eating what I believed was livestock feed. One man¡¯s sacrifice was my happiness! What a wonderful world it would be¡­ The more I thought about it, the worse I got in the past seven days. I¡¯ve been going through a rough time. This was what happened when you were fed three meals a day of disgusting, cattle-feed food for seven days straight! Well, six days and one meal, to be exact. Now, the reason why I was in this situation was because of that man, of course. Yep. It was because of my marriage partner and husband, Duke Claude of Lindbeld, who had now risen to the number two man I wanted to kill the most. To have made me make up my mind to this extent in just seven days; as expected, he was a powerful man. What had happened was that seven days ago, he had been forced by force majeure to pick a fight with an authority figure. That was what my husband had said. He said that I was going to get into some trouble. I¡¯ve heard that, too. But who would have thought that it wasn¡¯t an external factor? Why didn¡¯t he warn me that the enemy was lurking inside? The answer was simple. Advertisements Because he knew that if I had found out that the enemy was hiding inside, I would have shied away from marriage. As expected of a duke who was at the top of the aristocracy¡¯s power chart. Even though he was young, he was exceedingly capable. He knew the art of bargaining. Anyway, the person who shouldn¡¯t have been my enemy was now my enemy. He had absolute power over the personnel affairs of the household, and of course, he had the right to appoint the maids to be assigned to me. The maids who had been sent to me were already, clear as day, unmotivated. To start with, they did nothing. To be more specific, they didn¡¯t prepare the bathroom when I woke up, nor did they help me get ready. Neither did they clean the room nor do the laundry. I didn¡¯t mind that they didn¡¯t clean, but the laundry was a problem. I wasn¡¯t about to wear the same underwear I wore all day long the next day. Although I was treated coldly even in the Count¡¯s family, the maids at least served me that much. Of course, it was because the steward, who had substantial power, was on my side. Consequently, I had to secretly wash my clothes together in the laundry room used by the servants. The reason why I was able to do the work that servants do here was because I was taught by the steward who was worried about my current status with the Count of Verdigo¡¯s family. He hoped that I could survive even if I were banished to the streets. I never imagined that it would come in handy at this time, though. What was so sad about marrying into a dukedom and playing the role of a servant? I didn¡¯t mean to make fun of the servants¡¯ work. I knew it was hard work, washing clothes in cold water in the winter, plus it was rough on the hands. But, know what? I¡¯d rather sleep than do something like this now. And, sadly, because of my appearance, I was never discovered. Advertisements The servants didn¡¯t work in places where people could see them, so they didn¡¯t know what I looked like. I didn¡¯t know why I should say this, but all the maidservants in the mansion were so beautiful that I thought they were chosen for their faces. Of course, everyone was aware of it, so they looked at me with pity. Thanks to them, they took pity on me and pampered me. They were all good people. Unlike the maid-sama in power. And the most insufferable thing was the food. The morning and afternoon of the first day were very opulent, probably because my husband was present. The food was finger-licking. So you would have expected dinner to be heavenly, right? But the moment my husband suddenly headed off to work, everything changed with a bang. There was a real bang! That was what it sounded like. I was surprised. The excuse was also amazing. The waiter messed up, so that was all they could serve. The food served was so poor that I thought it was for livestock. It was a bowl of porridge made of grains with high nutritional value. Let me tell you. Even the Count¡¯s family didn¡¯t serve food that bad. At the very least, they served a piece of bread. But I was in a stranger¡¯s house, and I didn¡¯t want to complain when I didn¡¯t know the detailed policy yet, so I persevered and sipped it. I thought, although it looked like that, it might actually be tasty, until I took a sip. It was only seasoned with a minimum of salt. I knew it. The grain was developed for livestock, but it could also be eaten by humans. It was highly nutritious, so if you could put up with it, you could survive on it. However, if I saw someone living on it, I would suspect he was suffering from a taste disorder. You couldn¡¯t even eat something like it in the slums, so you¡¯d probably think that you were lucky to be served a meal, but not this one. I realized this the moment I saw the waiter behind me with an nasty smirk. I knew who had done this to me. And the suffering that awaited me in the future. And so, I really started my minimum standard of living¡­with three meals and a nap. CH 1.02 I thought back to an event that happened seven days ago. It was seven days ago when I was introduced to the servants of the Duke of Lindbeld. ¡°This is Rockdell Faber, the chief steward of the Duke of Lindbeld. He comes from a branch of my family, a long line of stewards.¡± ¡°I am Rockdell Faber. Nice to meet you.¡± The way he bowed his head in a precise angle reminded me of the steward in the Count¡¯s mansion. He, too, was rather uptight, strict but kind. I felt the same air from this steward named Rockdell. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too.¡± I, too, pretended to be reserved and bowed my head awkwardly. As the chief steward of the Duke of Lindbeld, Rockdell held more power over the house than I did as the Duke¡¯s newly wed wife. Nothing good ever came from making enemies. ¡°And this is Mrs. Miriam. She¡¯s the wife of one of my father¡¯s former subordinates and a Viscountess. Her husband died in an accident about fifteen years ago and she was left destitute, so Father brought her in to take care of the household. My mother died right around the same time.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Your Grace.¡± ¡°¡­Please take care of me from today onwards.¡± I squinted a little, sensing something close to hostility from her. It was the same unpleasant sensation I¡¯ve been feeling since yesterday. I glanced up at my husband, the Duke of Lindbeld, whom I had married yesterday. The corners of my mouth curled up meaningfully, and I quickly returned my gaze to the two of them. ¡°Her daughter lives here with her. Because she¡¯s frail, she rents out one of the rooms away from the house, where Mrs. Miriam also lives.¡± ¡°Indeed, Andre-sama has been exceptionally good to me. He also loves my daughter as if she were his own daughter¨D¨D¡­¡­ Because of this, she¡¯s also very close to Claude-sama.¡± Andre-sama was my husband¡¯s father. A relationship where they called each other¡¯s names intimately¡­ I see, do you? And she had a daughter who was also very close to my husband. This was a very dangerous relationship, wasn¡¯t it? I could take an exemplary quiet attitude and just duck out of the way safely, but if she told me this much, and I kept silent, she might treat me with contempt. That posed an adverse effect in the future. Or should I just keep my mouth shut and let it go? Depending on how I responded, my future would be decided. Response 1, I¡¯ll take the initiative and show her that I¡¯m not her enemy. Response 2, If you¡¯re aiming to be a mistress, by all means. I¡¯ll say something like that. Response 3, Agitate her. Advertisements In the case of the first response, I¡¯ve already been marked as the enemy from the onset. It wasn¡¯t going to work. She¡¯d more likely jeer at me and be done with it. In the case of the second response, if someone were to say that to me, I would think she was a fool. At least I would. In the case of the third response, we would be completely hostile. In the end, none of the three made me feel good, so I thought anything would do. I married the Duke so that I could enjoy a life of depravity with three meals and a nap, and my husband had given me permission to do so. If I were to give in to this harassment, there was a risk that my peaceful and tranquil life would completely change. If this was a dispute about the management of the household, I would have gladly lost. Whoever wanted to do that should do it, that was for sure. But that was not what this was about. This was a full-blown battle for female sovereignty. Oh, this is so annoying! Why is this house in such a mess?¡¡In addition, how can an impoverished Viscountess¡¯s daughter with no domain be aiming for my husband? Is she that confident in herself, or is it just her mother running amok? But at one time, there was talk of Her Royal Highness marrying a subject. This lady is rather reckless, isn¡¯t she? Or is she so close to my husband that she expected it? Well, for the time being, I had decided on one attitude to take. ¡°Is that so? Well, I¡¯d love for her to come and say hello. I don¡¯t mind due to her physical condition. I¡¯m in no hurry.¡± In short, send your daughter over to pay her respects to me, I retorted. I had no plans of mounting her, but I wanted to make it clear who was the superior. On top of that, even if I didn¡¯t look like it, I was the bride and Mrs. Miriam¡¯s new madam who underwent a ceremony in the church. Moreover, my status was much higher than that of her daughter. Well, I was a Count¡¯s daughter before I got married, so I ranked higher. Even though she was a Viscountess, she evidently did not receive a quality education. She understood my remarks easily, yet she did not even bother to hide the fact that she found them abhorrent. Even my husband was amused by her expression, and as if to add fuel to the fire, he goaded her some more. ¡°Right you are. She won¡¯t always be sick, so it¡¯s only natural for her to pay her respects to her new mistress when she has recovered. By the way, she hasn¡¯t brought her maid. I¡¯ll leave that in your hands, Mrs. Miriam. ¨D¨D Risha, let me show you around.¡± I followed my husband who blithely curled the corners of his mouth next to me without any opposition. Or rather, I couldn¡¯t go against him. CH 1.03 My husband took me by the hand and escorted me away. If only by the looks of us close to each other, we would have resembled a married couple getting along well. The other woman had a beautiful face as always, and the clothes she usually wore were simple, but her charm remained undiminished. I, on the other hand, the wife of my escort, was a woman of a higher rank in terms of clothes, and with a slightly better appearance. Nevertheless, I could say with certainty that we were completely incompatible. However, as expected of a Duke¡¯s maid. She changed my shabby and battered appearance to a slightly better looking one. I put my dry hair back together and applied makeup on my pale skin, which made me feel much better. ¡°You look like you have something to ask me.¡± ¡°Yes, plenty.¡± I really wanted to go back to my room and cozy up. There was nothing better than hitting the sack after a full stomach. However, a problem arose. If it was an issue that didn¡¯t concern me, I absolutely would have ignored it; straight line ignore. I registered his real intention when he led me to a less populated direction step by step. He didn¡¯t want anyone to hear what he had to say. That being the case, I could speak to him without hesitation. Or rather, I must tell this man. ¡°You knew what that woman was up to, so why did you leave her alone? Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re making a mistress of a servant ????Is that what you¡¯re doing?¡± I asked with partly downcast eyes, and my husband looked down at me as if he found that completely absurd. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit. She¡¯s not the kind of woman I¡¯d mess with. Besides, I didn¡¯t invite those women.¡± ¡°Ah, the former Duke did, I see. His intentions are noble, taking in the widow of one of his men who died in an accident.¡± ¡°My father has a soft spot for women. He is sympathetic to widows in need. It¡¯s a very noble???? thing.¡± I caught the sarcastic note in his tone. In other words, Mrs. Miriam was the former Duke¡¯s mistress, and because of that, she had considerable rights and authority in the house. My husband didn¡¯t like her, but he couldn¡¯t inhumanely kick out someone they took in. That was what he was saying. In addition, from the way he implied, it seemed that she was still favored by my father-in-law. It would be too much trouble to drive her out. If that was the case, it would be better to have my father-in-law, who I didn¡¯t even know where he was now, take her in. That reminded me. That man was undoubtedly a womanizer. Even I knew about it because he was quite famous. In other words, he didn¡¯t want to take in or enjoy an old mistress when he could have young mistresses, so he left her here to be taken care of. If she were just a mistress, he could have paid her off and gotten rid of her when he got tired of her. But since she was in control of the household affairs, once she was driven out of the house, there was a possibility that she would leak out information about the dukedom¡¯s affairs. Moreover, Mrs. Miriam, to all intents and purposes, was a Viscountess. She might be penniless, but since he took her in, it was impossible to get rid of her unless something was wrong with her. Perhaps Mrs. Miriam knew that her favor was slipping away. She has had immense power until now because of the former duke, my father-in-law. But now that someone replaced her, her influence was waning. That was why she planned on her next move. And I was pretty sure that was why her daughter was staying in the mansion. When I heard this, I felt so cheated that I wanted to step hard on the man next to me. He said it right. He said that as the Duchess, there was a possibility that I might get into some trouble. I thought it was an external factor, but I didn¡¯t realize he was suggesting an internal problem as well. Mrs. Miriam, who was in charge of the household management of this house, obviously wanted her daughter to become my husband¡¯s wife. She had her eyes fixed on that ambition. She might have been confident about it too. And yet, my husband sped-married me, a woman of unknown origins, and outsmarted her. I had no idea what her daughter was like, but one thing I did know was that I¡¯ve made an irresistible enemy of the queen-like lady of the house and would now be involved in a fierce battle for female supremacy. Furthermore, as I recall, the right to assign maids to me had also been handed over to Mrs. Miriam. By my husband himself. I would probably end up harassed like hell. My husband knew everything and had thrown everything at me. I felt that my dream life of depravity was marching away. And then it all came crashing down on me in reality. CH 1.04 Collecting information was the way of the world. There were chatterboxes everywhere, and rumor mongers here and there. Today was another day I was going to do my laundry. Merely wearing a servant¡¯s dress could make someone quickly become one of the undisputed servants of the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s mansion. To my surprise, I found it in my closet, and I wondered why it was there. It was probably a form of harassment, but I was overjoyed. Thank you, Mrs. Miriam. I¡¯ll never forget your gift! So, I dressed up as a maid, and while happily doing my laundry, I had a nice chat with the other maids. They were very well informed. Moreover, they sometimes took pity on me and brought me gifts, which was great. They were mostly beauty-related stuff. Thanks to them, I¡¯ve become considerably decent in the past month. I¡¯ve been able to get a good night¡¯s sleep, thanks to all the leisure time I¡¯ve been wasting. It was said that lack of sleep was the natural enemy of beauty, and it was true. Thanks also to the wonderful bedding, I slept with the angels, and the dark circles around my eyes disappeared. Even my pale face was regaining its original complexion. I didn¡¯t want to admit that it was not only because of my sleep, but also because of the terrible highly nutritious livestock food. By the way, I ran out of patience after ten days and haven¡¯t eaten anything since. ¡°It¡¯s great to be young! If I stay up all night even once, my skin will be a mess, and it takes months to restore it to its original state¡­I believe you were seventeen, right?¡± She was the first elder sister I met at the laundry, and her name was Lil. She was older than me, with dark blue hair and eyes of the same color that revealed an intellectual glow and a sisterly feistiness. At twenty-five years old, she lamented that it was getting late for her to get married, but she didn¡¯t seem pressured at all. ¡°Really, it¡¯s so smooth. I¡¯m so jealous. Plus, it¡¯s so white. How can I acquire this complexion?¡± As my elder sister, Layla, said this, she stroked my skin and took both of my cheeks in her hands and looked into my eyes. Her pink hair swayed fluffily and softly touched my face. She was only nineteen, and her skin was still tight, but she was touching my skin enviously. Speaking of which, the whiteness of my skin was a family trait. I was born with fair skin. White skin seemed to be a dream for women at any age, and was envied by many people. ¡°By the way, did you know that the housekeeper was super angry?¡± It was Lina, an eighteen-year-old newcomer, who usually gossiped while doing the laundry. Her bright orange hair and eyes were vibrant, and she was always happy. She loved gossiping, and knew so much about everything that I wondered where she obtained her gossip from. At any rate, like this castle, she knew not only the inside of the mansion, but also the rumors around the city and even the happenings in the society. I sometimes wondered seriously who she was. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but her voice is loud enough. It won¡¯t take long for it to spread.¡± ¡°She¡¯s taking advantage of the Duke¡¯s absence to do as she pleases, but without the Duke at the heart of it, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s nothing she can do.¡± The target of the rumor was Mrs. Miriam. If you shout in a place where there were only a handful of servants, rumors about it would spread fast. For me, it was something that made me think like: Isn¡¯t that how it¡¯s always been? The subject was that my husband had never approached the castle ¨D¨D or rather this mansion. I hadn¡¯t seen him here for a month, and Mrs. Miriam was annoyed. Evidently, she was trying to get her daughter to be my husband¡¯s mistress, but it was impossible without him, wasn¡¯t it? She seemed confident enough to be favored, but since her daughter was still untouched, why didn¡¯t she just give up? I wanted to kindly advise her before it was too late for her daughter to get married. That aside, from what I¡¯ve heard, Lady Miriam¡¯s daughter, Elise, was twenty-three years old. In aristocratic society, she fell into the fine category of spinsters. It was not a lie that the former duke pampered Elise like his daughter, and it seemed that she would be given a good amount of dowry. The Duke¡¯s family was an easy subject of conversation in social circles, but if you were wondering why I had never heard of her, it seemed that the Princess had something to do with it. The Princess found it repulsive that a woman was living in the mansion of the Duke she was planning to marry. In other words, Elise was as good as ignored by her, as if she had her kicked out of the social scene completely. Since the princess had such an attitude, it was only natural for the others to follow suit. She was never invited to any social gatherings. Besides, my husband didn¡¯t seem to want to make an effort for her either. Therefore, only a few people knew about her. By the time I, who was younger than the Princess, entered the scene, she was completely forgotten. I believed my half-sister probably knew about her. But the reason she didn¡¯t bother to tell me about it was probably to torment me. Now that I thought about it, I felt like that was another reason why my husband chose me. Still, Elise¡¯s dowry was known to a certain extent, so there were people who were attracted by it and proposed to her. But living in this Duke¡¯s house, where Elise could have anything she wanted, she considered all other families as inferior, and in the end still hadn¡¯t married. Moreover, she¡¯s been feigning illness, pretending to be a fragile beauty. I now understood what my husband meant when he said that she was not always¡­sick. Rather, it was a feigned illness. ¡°Now that our Madam has appeared, I heard that she¡¯s in a pretty bad position. What¡¯s going on now?¡± ¡°So far, it looks like our Madam has been lying low. I haven¡¯t heard of her making any moves. The maids and the footmen are all on Mrs. Miriam¡¯s side to begin with, so she can¡¯t do anything about it even if she wanted to.¡± Yes, yes, spot-on. And to change the status-quo, my first step was to collect information. So far, these three people were the best source of information for me. They were also my source of nourishment. At present, the power structure in this mansion was completely in Mrs. Miriam¡¯s favor. If she didn¡¯ do anything to me, I wouldn¡¯t do anything to her. However, there was a time when I thought that I would do everything in my power to deal with them ¨D¨D¨D¨D because they had become a threat to my idle life. CH 1.05 For some reason, thanks to the three of them, I was recognized as a servant of the mansion and could eat three meals a day in the dining room used by the lower-ranking servants. Mind you, even though it was a dining room reserved for low-ranking servants, it was absolutely luxurious. I basically ate as much as I wanted, because there was a wide variety of choices, and their tastes were heavenly. It was more luxurious than a lowly nobleman¡¯s. Because of this, it made me feel like I didn¡¯t have to fight in a messy conflict. I was like, hurray for neglect! Well, it was not quite the life of depravity I had hoped for, but no problem. Because no one would notice. I helped with the laundry a bit, and sometimes helped with the cleaning because I had too much free time. In a sense, I was enjoying my life. I disliked the obligatory work, but it was great to work like this for a change. I never knew that. I never knew that work could be surprisingly fun. All right, please forgive me if I was being insincere. I wasn¡¯t getting paid. ¡°By the way, are you three on Madam¡¯s side?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not, but we don¡¯t like Mrs. Miriam.¡± ¡°Exactly. I do wish Madam the best! That¡¯s what I¡¯m sitting here for!¡± ¡°Lil-san, you can get married if you want to. By the way, I¡¯m in Madam¡¯s camp! Because we¡¯re close in age, and maybe I can become Madam¡¯s maid!¡± The three girls disliked the housekeeper, Mrs. Miriam. They didn¡¯t hate Mrs. Miriam so much as they hated her daughter Elise, but in turn, they hated Mrs. Miriam too. When I asked them why, I understood. These three were highly educated young ladies from respectable families, all of whom had graduated with excellent grades from a decent training elite school and were employed at the mansion as maidservants. However, although they were fortunate to have landed the job, their beauty caught the attention of Elise, the Viscountess¡¯s daughter. Elise, whom I have yet to meet, seemed to be a very arrogant and conceited woman, and she would immediately explode in anger if any of her servants were better than her in any way. Consequently, the girls were condemned to work as servants for things they have never experienced. Indeed, they were too well-dressed to be servants, and when they talked, they sounded intelligent. On top of that, they were literate. Most servants couldn¡¯t read or write. So, when I found out that the three of them could, I thought, as expected of a dukedom. I was impressed that even the servants were educated to a certain level. Actually, not really. For those who had received such advanced education, it was a complete harassment for them to work like maidservants. Of course, if they didn¡¯t like it, they could quit, but then they would never be able to get this job again. Basically, a letter of recommendation was required to work at a nobleman¡¯s residence. If this was their first job, they needed a letter of recommendation from a relative or the academy, and if this was their second job, they needed a letter of recommendation from their previous employer. And it was the job of the person in charge of housekeeping to write letters of recommendation. Of course, when the house was as big as the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s, it was unlikely that the head of the household would write the letter directly. Thus, Mrs. Miriam, who wanted to control the house, seemed to be the one writing the letters herself. They could appeal to the training school where they graduated, but fortunately or unfortunately, the Duke of Lindbeld provided a lot of financial support to such training schools. The schools didn¡¯t want to incur the Duke¡¯s wrath. In other words, if they appeal, they would just be silenced. Nevertheless, even though these three were reduced to being maidservants, they weren¡¯t so pessimistic. That was because there was a contract in place. Although the right to hire personnels lay with Mrs. Miriam, who ran the household, it was the Duke who actually hired them, and it was also him who signed the contract. And as for the breakdown of wages, that was the work of my husband. However, it was usually assigned to the chief steward. That contract stipulated a minimum wage. No matter what kind of work they did, they were guaranteed that minimum wage. And since these women were contracted as maidservants, their wages were much higher than the wages of lower-ranking servants. What was more, the girls told me that it was a servant¡¯s job, but that it was quite fun because everyone was sympathetic. They said the Maid Union could be a good thing if they liked you, but if they didn¡¯t, they would treat you quite badly. In order to be liked, they were always on edge, deceiving each other, and they couldn¡¯t stop the cycle of telling each other off. When I heard that, I was like, Oh My God! I was horrified. Women could be very cruel at times, but this was a real bog battlefield! But even if they had bad personalities, they had graduated from elite schools and were experienced maidservants, so they seemed to be doing their jobs well even if they were in the midst of the bloodthirst. In fact, it seemed that the more they slacked off, the more they got told off, and in a way, keeping an eye on each other¡¯s presence was good for business. Speaking of which, their salary was increased every year, but nothing was said about it, so they kept increasing it. It has been five years since Elder Sister Lil was reduced to being a maid, but she remained because her salary was higher than other households¡¯ maids. She was quite a gutsy woman, and I enjoyed getting to know her. She had a list of things she was going to do someday, and that was very encouraging. I¡¯d love to see it next time. If it¡¯s possible, I¡¯d like to do the same with her. Especially to my husband who threw me into this current situation. I would consult her next time, so please give me a good idea, Sister. Hence, while it wasn¡¯t exactly ideal, I¡¯ve been able to live in peace for so far. I¡¯ve been spending time with them. And lately, I¡¯ve been thinking that maybe a life of depravity wasn¡¯t really for me. In spite of what I said, I preferred being physically active. However, moderation was always the best. ¡°Ah, right! Here you go.¡± And with that, Lina took out a cute wrapped baked confectionery from her pocket. Isn¡¯t this pretty expensive? I thought to myself. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. It was a gift. I¡¯ve eaten a lot of it. Besides, I¡¯m giving it to both of you. Feel free to take it, you¡¯re a friend!¡± I was impressed by Lina¡¯s cheerful smile. That¡¯s right. The Lina I met here was my very first friend. When I was a Count¡¯s daughter, I didn¡¯t have any friends, so now I was having the most fun and brightest time of my life. Of course, it was my life. CH 1.06 ¡°Now that you mentioned it, have you heard about that?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard it! You¡¯re talking about Ojou-sama throwing a tea party, right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! She never received invitations before, but since His Grace got married, she¡¯s been getting invitations. That means everyone is curious, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°I heard that she was invited to the Princess¡¯s tea party! I heard she was pretty roughed up when she came back.¡± As the three of us were having a friendly meal together in the dining room used by the lower-ranking servants, I heard them talking. But I already knew about that topic. Marriage to my husband seemed to have relieved the anger of the Princess towards Elise, so Elise had been receiving invitations here and there. Needless to say, the reason was to inquire about me. To know for what reasons I was chosen, why was it me, those sorts of things. But if Elise didn¡¯t have much information and had never met me before, she probably became the target of ridicule. She was closer to my husband than anyone else, and she¡¯d been aiming to become my husband¡¯s legal wife. She was ahead of Her Royal Highness, yet she lost that position to a person of doubtful origin from who knew where. Moreover, it was me, a notorious figure in social circles. After the tea party hosted by Her Royal Highness, which I could only assume ended with Elise being ridiculed to no end, she should have just lay low, but she¡¯s been attending various soir¨¦es, as if in a hurry. It seemed that she hadn¡¯t given up on her desire to be my husband¡¯s legal wife yet. So now, she¡¯s going to host a tea party at the Duke¡¯s residence. Organizing a formal evening party was a man¡¯s job, but a daytime tea party was a woman¡¯s job. Elise wanted to use this tea party to show her influence in the Lindbeld family. From my point of view, all I could say was, Please give it your best shot. It seemed that many of the guests invited to the party were high-ranking aristocrats, and to be honest, I thought she shouldn¡¯t be a little more airheaded since she was just a freeloader. Well, it was not my place to be embarrassed by doing something beyond my size, so I didn¡¯t mind. But I wondered if she would at least come to get permission from the owner of the house, but she never showed up. I¡¯ve been itching to take a look at the yet unseen Viscountess¡¯s daughter, Elise. When I first came here, I wasn¡¯t interested at all because I was exhausted. However, now that I was feeling better, I was curious about a lot of things. ¡°Don¡¯t be so absorbed in talking, let¡¯s eat quickly. We¡¯re getting a lot of extra work because of that tea party.¡± Lil, who was eating without stopping, said in an annoyed tone. They were going to have to thoroughly clean the place where Elise was staying. What was more, they still had to build a garden. If you¡¯re wondering where they¡¯d source out the money to fund that, I¡¯m sure you could tell that Mrs. Miriam had misappropriated the Duke¡¯s residence¡¯s budget somewhere. Of course, all the expenses related to Elise¡¯s socializing were paid by the duchy. Was that okay? I was certain my husband knew, but he left it alone because he considered it more trouble than it was worth to get involved. I wanted him to at least take care of his own house. I mean, people should usually take care of their personal affairs before getting married. It was outrageous to dump everything at your marriage partner, right? ¡°Today¡¯s assignment is me and Lila cleaning the villa afterwards. As I recall, Lina is a peeler in the kitchen? So, Rhi, where are you assigned?¡± ¡°Um¡­I guess I¡¯m the same as you two.¡± I lied. Of course, I didn¡¯t tell the three about me either. When I first met them, I was trying to come up with an excuse, but I was so miserable that they didn¡¯t ask me anything and just pitied me. ¡°That¡¯s right, let¡¯s do our best together. But I envy Lina. I would have preferred that job, too, because it would be troublesome to run into that selfish, arrogant Ojou-sama.¡± Lila exclaimed enviously. Later, after we had finished our meal, we headed away with our cleaning supplies. ¡°Speaking of which, are you two okay with running into Miss Elise?¡± They¡¯ve been pushed to a tight spot because of their looks. I was worried about what would happen if we ran into her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry! Servants will bow deeply when a distinguished person passes by, so nobody can see our faces.¡± I¡¯ll remember that. In hopes of catching a glimpse of Elise somewhere as I cleaned, I stepped away from Lil, Layla and the other servants of the cleaning crew. Then I was forced to remember the words of a great man of the past. ¡°Curiosity can kill a cat.¡± When I walked into a detached room, I saw the maids moving about and wondered what was going on. I never imagined that my husband, who had been absent from the mansion for a month, had planned to come and see Elise. ¡°His Grace is coming.¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s about a tea party. Is he coming to stop it, by any chance?¡± The fact that everyone was gossiping about it meant it was an unplanned visit. This could be seen even in the current hectic situation. I didn¡¯t care about his purpose. All I knew was that the sooner I got out of the place, the better. For some reason, my survival instinct whispered to me that I should not meet him. ¡°Oh no, I forgot something, I¡¯ll go back for it!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t come back soon, you¡¯ll miss His Grace.¡± I felt sorry for Lil for winking at me, because I was fine with missing him. I didn¡¯t mind, because I didn¡¯t want to meet him if possible. But I shouldn¡¯t have rushed off. In fact, I felt that the probability of encountering my husband would have been much lower if I had stayed quietly cleaning the house away from him. For the most part, we hadn¡¯t even made an appointment in this castle-like mansion, so it would have been almost a miracle considering the chances of us meeting. And to meet someone I didn¡¯t want to meet was just plain bad luck. And it seemed that I was unlucky. It was that kind of timing that made you want to curse. There was a single corridor that led to the main residence, so I had to pass through it to get to the main residence. However, the situation was, by all means, unexpected. The person with the red hair and imposing physique was someone I could never mistake. The person walking towards me was dressed as flawlessly as ever. I pretended to be a mere servant to disguise my presence, and immediately bowed at the end of the corridor. I waited patiently, sincerely hoping that he would just walk away. The clacking of his shoes became louder and louder ¨D¨D. Then the sound of footsteps stopped right in front of me. Why are you stopping! I felt his gaze on me and my hands began to sweat. I could tell by the signs that he was slowly approaching. Then, I saw the tip of the man¡¯s shoe in my field of vision. I so wanted to believe that it was only because he must have found it unusual for a servant to be in such a place. ¡°Interesting attire you¡¯ve got there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why are you being quiet? I¡¯d love to hear how you¡¯ve been spending the past month. I¡¯m curious if you¡¯ve been enjoying your life of depravity, Wife?¡± With those words, I had no choice but to give up. CH 1.07 I looked up timidly. In front of me, for the first time in a month, the head of the Lindbeld family, the husband I married, was cornering me against the wall as if to say that he would not let me go. How did I get exposed? I thought. Just that. If I might say so, my appearance has changed in the past month. Even if someone who knew me saw me, they wouldn¡¯t recognize me right away. I¡¯ve changed so much that even I couldn¡¯t believe it. I thought that since it was the first time we got to speak since a month ago, there was no way he would recognize me. ¡°There¡¯s a saying that if you don¡¯t see a man for three days, he¡¯ll grow to the point of being mistaken. It works the same way with women. I¡¯ve been away for a while, and your hair has gotten a lot neater.¡± My husband picked up a strand of hair that was playfully sticking out on the side of my face and fiddled with it. My hair, which was tied up for the servant¡¯s work, was Lila¡¯s styling today. I heard that it was the current fashion to have loose sidelocks. But of course, there were only a few strands sticking out, so my husband¡¯s hand naturally touched my cheek. I meant close. My husband was too close. ¡°Your hair is so nicely coiffed for your outfit.¡± There was nothing that suited or didn¡¯t suit a servant¡¯s uniform. ¡°Erm, I¡¯d appreciate it if you wouldn¡¯t stare too much¡­¡± My husband is staring at me too closely. It was a bit rude toward women. I pushed his chest with both hands to open up a little distance between me and him, who was looming over me commandingly. ¡°By the way, what are you doing here in such a fashion? Did you come up with some kind of fun game?¡± ¡°Uh, something like that! Oh, I have some business to attend to ¨D¨D¡± ¡°What kind of errand?¡± ¡°T-That¡­¡± While I was cooking up some excuse, a hand reached out and grabbed my chin, making me look up. A wall was behind me. And he slowly pushed me against it. ¡°Huh? Is this a dangerous game you can¡¯t tell me about?¡± His red eyes shone like a predator¡¯s, and sweat ran down my spine. ¡°N-No, it¡¯s nothing like that¡­¡± ¡°Then tell me. I¡¯ve been told by many people that it¡¯s a bad thing for a husband and wife to keep secrets from each other.¡± Let go, please. For some reason, I had an ominous premonition about this. With one hand on the wall and the other grasping my chin and not letting go, my husband brought his face close to mine and whispered in my ear. ¡°How interesting. I haven¡¯t heard anything from you in the past month, so I was wondering what you¡¯ve been up to¡­Looks like you had lots of fun!¡± ¡°Hyah!¡± That tickles, Husband. My voice came out weirdly, but please pretend you didn¡¯t hear it. ¡°What lovely voice you have ¨D¨D For some reason, it makes me want to tease you more.¡± The atmosphere abruptly took on an ambiguous turn. Just a moment, Husband! Don¡¯t you have anything more to say to me on our reunion after a month? Let¡¯s have a calm talk! Rather, you¡¯ve come to see Elise, the viscountess¡¯s daughter who lives here, haven¡¯t you? You can¡¯t be bothered with me, right? With my body pinned down, if I managed to scrape my way out, my husband had quite an overwhelming advantage. Why was I so miserable, to be harassed by my husband here? ¡°Just-just a minute! Hold on!¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°L-Let¡¯s at least discuss this in the room! I¡¯d love that very much! Before that, you¡¯ve come to see the Viscountess¡¯s daughter, haven¡¯t you? Please, deal with me later, okay?¡± Please don¡¯t do this in a busy hallway. If anyone sees us, the word will spread throughout the mansion in a blink. Please stop. I¡¯m living a very peaceful life right now. ¡°I just had a few things to say to Elise, not to the point where I have to put off your affairs. But yeah, room ¨D¨D¡­Got it. Proactive, aren¡¯t you, Wife?¡± The way the corners of his mouth lifted up instantly made me realize that I had failed! ¡°But I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m in the mood for a little fun here. It¡¯s been a month, after all. Why don¡¯t we enjoy our conjugal reunion? Of course, you¡¯ll keep me company, won¡¯t you? And afterwards, I¡¯ll give you plenty of room for lovemaking.¡± He removed his hand from my chin and stroked it with his palm, trailing down my neck. My shoulders shuddered at the tickle. When I turned my free face away, my nape was exposed unprotected, and I clearly felt something wet. ¡°Eek! Kyaah!¡± I had never experienced anything like it before. What was I supposed to do when I was subjected to such in the hallway of a mansion in broad daylight? The man had every legitimate right to mess with me. I felt myself going rigid. As if to relax me, he l*cked me with his tongue and stroked my contours with his hands. Before I knew it, a few buttons were undone and my bosom was left open. That was quick. His lips were drawn to my chest, and he s*cked hard. ¡°Ouch!¡± I clawed at his arm that was around my body in protest against the stinging pain. ¡°You¡¯re resisting like a kitten.¡± My husband gave me a disagreeable wry smile and looked up, staring out the window with a somewhat satisfied look on his face. I followed his gaze and looked out the window, finding a young woman in a luxurious dress, glaring at me like an ogre. Although she was essentially a beautiful woman with light brown hair and eyes, her face was so distorted that there was no shadow of it to see. She looked downright scary. There was only one person who would have worn such a dress at this hour. ¨D¨DThis man! ¡°Now, as promised, let¡¯s go back to our room, and I¡¯ll give you some more loving care. I have some time on my hands, which is rare. Of course you¡¯ll keep me company, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­What if I say no?¡± I had only one choice, but I answered cheekily in a pained tone. My husband gently brushed my cheek with a hand, and with his other hand around my waist, drew me closer to him. Realizing what it meant, I struggled to resist. However, I was at his mercy. His undisputed masculine beauty that everyone admired filled my eyes. My eyes were wide open, and my face was so close to his that I could feel his breath on my lips. His slightly opened red eyes were very beautiful red balls with a trace of shadow in them. The brilliance of those eyes sent a chill down my spine. ¡°Are you still going to refuse?¡± My husband, who looked smirking right in front of me, gathered me in his arms. I didn¡¯t even want to think about what others would think of our posture, because from any angle, it looked like we were kissing. As I was scowling at my unperturbed husband from below, I heard a rustling behind me and of hurried footsteps. My husband exhaled noiselessly and gently picked me up. ¡°You¡¯d better keep your face hidden.¡± I realized that his muttered advice defeated me, and all I could do was silently bury my face in my husband¡¯s chest and hide. CH 1.08 The enemy¡¯s (my husband) enemy (Elise) is not my friend ¡°Claude-sama!¡± The woman who called my husband¡¯s name intimately appeared, accompanied by several maids. I thought she was out there a minute ago, how fast. Where was her sickly persona? ¡°I¡¯ve come to fetch you since you¡¯ve been taking so long.¡± She sounded flirtatious, but her gut must be churning. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll come by another time. I¡¯ve got something important to do.¡± Please stop using me for your show. ¡°Oh, Claude-sama¡­do you like such a servant? You should not seek temporary pleasure from a woman who is not very educated. Remember that you are the head of the Lindbeld dukedom.¡± ¡°Elise.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± Elise responded happily when my husband called her name. Stealthily, I looked at my husband and found that he seemed displeased. ¡°It seems that you¡¯re getting way ahead of yourself.¡± ¡°Claude-sama?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you before. Don¡¯t call me by my name. It¡¯s misleading, especially since I¡¯m already married. I only want my wife, family and close friends to call me by my first name. If you understand, address me by my honorific title from now on.¡± He was telling Elise that since she scorned me in my servant¡¯s garb as an uneducated woman, and he hoped that she, a learned woman, understood what he told her. She wasn¡¯t stupid, who didn¡¯t understand a thing. My husband expressed his dislike without hesitation. Why didn¡¯t he solve this problem without forcing it on me from the very beginning? ¡°Do I need your opinion about who I hang out with and who I spend my time with? Elise, you are nothing but a freeloader. If Mrs. Miriam is a servant, then you are a servant¡¯s child who should be treated as such. Don¡¯t tell me you think you can do as you please just because you¡¯re sickly?¡± His cold voice made my back tingle, even though I wasn¡¯t the one being admonished. ¡°W-Why are you speaking this way? You¡¯ve always pampered me, haven¡¯t you? Besides, your father loves me as if I were his daughter, you know?¡± ¡°I think my father was simply feeling guilty. He found you pitiful when you were a kid, because your mother had an affair with him like a whore. I told him her kid was none of his business, but he shrugged it off¡­Now look, you¡¯re totally misguided.¡± I say, Husband. You should have told her clearly from the beginning to know her place. If you had, I would have had a much better life. ¡°¡­Is that the woman there? Is that the woman who is confusing Claude-sama?¡± The quality of her lovely voice drastically changed. My husband slowly kissed my head as if to show her that he indeed cherished me. I felt goosebumps all over my body. I could feel a searing gaze on my back. ¡°Yeah, I never expected it either. I never thought I could love someone so much¡­You can be all smug and dream all you want, but maybe it¡¯s time you got a grip on reality and got married.¡± Are you going to say that¡­to a young lady of an age that is generally considered a spinster? She was pretty enough, but given her age, few men would be able to consider her a match. ¡°Claude-sama! I don¡¯t know what that lowly woman told you, but there is no need for the head of the Duke of Lindbeld to listen to her. Please don¡¯t do anything childish like messing with such a woman to embarrass me. I will always be by your side to comfort you.¡± Eh? I almost blurted out. Say what? Huh? Husband, on the first day you said you didn¡¯t touch her, but did you actually at least taste her? Well, she was pretty, after all. At a glance, she was a little on the skinny side, but her shape looked beautiful. I felt skeptical thinking about it, since she was allowed to live a distance away from home and was showered almost like a special treatment. But if so, my husband really had bad taste! I knew I was thinking over the top. However, it was no wonder Elise was so conceited since my husband tolerated her, right? ¡°And I know exactly what you mean when you coldly talk about your marriage. I¡¯ve been by your side since I was a child. In fact, you want me to stay by your side forever, don¡¯t you? But since we¡¯re no longer children, you¡¯re saying that for my sake. You wish for my happiness even at the cost of hurting yourself, don¡¯t you?¡± Uhm¡­ Is there a secret code between them that I don¡¯t know about? Sure, I don¡¯t know much about my husband, but from the little talk we had, I know him to be a pragmatic and profit-oriented person. He is the kind of person who will do anything to get what he wants if it benefits him, but I wonder if he ever acts on his emotions. ¡°But, rest assured. I will never leave your side. I know that the woman you married is a political arrangement to avoid Her Royal Highness. In essence, you¡¯re protecting the duchy. That¡¯s also why I¡¯m hosting this tea party. Since your wife is totally unreliable, I¡¯m taking over for her to liven up the duke¡¯s household, you know?¡± Um¡­thank you? It was true that I thought that those who wanted to do it should do it, but even I felt that this was over assistance. But if my husband approved it, I thought it was fine. My wish was to live a life of depravity. It was a little different now, but it was fulfilling, so I was fine with it too. If talking about going to do some socializing or something, I¡¯d appreciate it, but I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how someone who had absolutely no relationship with the Duke of Lindbeld would use his name to hold a tea party. I heard my husband sigh from above my head. Oh, thank God. It wasn¡¯t that I found a sense of humor, but she was rather funny. ¡°Therefore, it is my job to get rid of women who are not suitable for you, Claude-sama. I can¡¯t overlook an existence that is harmful to the Duke of Lindbeld. Of course, I¡¯m sure you understand, Claude-sama.¡± The enemy of my enemy is my friend ¨C who said that? I have learned that it was much better to join forces with the enemy. CH 1.09 ¡°Come on, Claude-sama, please listen to me.¡± Please don¡¯t hand me over. If I really am left with Elise, tomorrow I¡¯ll be floating in a river somewhere or dying in the middle of nowhere. That¡¯s for sure. I feel like she¡¯s in the mood to do that. I¡¯d like to believe that my husband was not so cruel. But I didn¡¯t trust him, so I grabbed his clothes tightly. I was not ready to fight head-on yet, so I was desperate to appeal to my husband, as I¡¯d really like to stay undetected. I¡¯d rather go on with my life as I have for the past month, unchanged. I don¡¯t want to go through the trouble of fighting, Husband. You dragged me into this, you devil! The voice in my mind was quietly and desperately complaining about the danger in my life, and my husband, who was skilled at reading the air, gently patted me. But that was how ruthless and profit-minded my husband was. There was a slightly distant look in his eyes. He was probably thinking of demanding something from me later on. Comparing my husband to Elise, who wanted to get rid of me, I chose my husband instantly, so I gave up persisting. ¡°Claude-sama!¡± When my husband took me in his arms and turned on his heel, as if it were too much trouble to say anything back, Elise shouted at his back. ¡°I say again, please leave that lowly fellow. Besides, you¡¯re supposed to be spending the day with me! Don¡¯t you know I¡¯ve prepared so much for this day?¡± ¡°I refused the invitation because it¡¯s from you. I just came to tell you that lately you¡¯ve been doing too much as you please with the prestige of the Duke of Lindbeld in social circles. If you do anything further to undermine the Lindbeld dukedom, you¡¯d better be prepared.¡± ¡°Whoa, do you believe the words of such insignificant people rather than me? But, Claude-sama, that kind of threat wouldn¡¯t work on me. And if you do, I¡¯m sure Father Andre will put a stop to it.¡± She sounded vaguely proud. And the chill in the air that my husband emitted made me shiver. ¡°Is that so? ¨D¨D¡­¡­Then put your trust in my father and see what happens. I¡¯d love to hear what kind of response you get. Oh, and Elise. It seems that I have somewhat similar tastes in women to my father ¨D¨D I prefer someone young and tender like her. It¡¯s quite intriguing to watch their innocent reactions.¡± Oh, stop it. I don¡¯t want you to leave me behind, but don¡¯t say anything to stir things up. It¡¯s a taboo to talk about age with women, Husband. I mean, Husband¡­are you trying to anger her? It¡¯s kind of freezing out here, from what you¡¯re brewing. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go to your room. I¡¯ve got a lot of time on my hands now that my errands are over.¡± That¡¯s why! Please don¡¯t bother to say those things out loud. That intense gaze has now evolved into a murderous intent. My husband turned back the way he had come. Of course, Elise had tried to stop him, but for reasons unknown, she was not allowed to leave the house, or to set foot in the main residence. My husband was somewhat irritated, crossed the corridor with huge strides and went up the stairs. Then he kicked open the massive and magnificent door. I was so startled by his violence that I froze in his arms. The door suddenly opened with a crash, and the person in the room froze as well and turned around. My husband said a few words to the person. ¡°Call the tailor and the jeweler right now.¡± Then¡­ The husband set me down on the soft sofa while the other person stared at us, agape in disbelief. After setting me down, he hurriedly went into the next room and brought three thick volumes of documents. Incidentally, the other person who was in the room with me during that interval ¨D¨D my master¡¯s secretary who was present at the wedding ¨D¨D could only follow his orders. My husband came back immediately, placed a document on the desk and told me with cold eyes, as I looked up at him in a daze. ¡°You should at least thank me for your life. Read this immediately. You can finish it by the end of the day tomorrow, right?¡± Err¡­ It¡¯s too thick, don¡¯t you think? I glanced at it and saw that it was a series of very detailed letters and numbers. What? You want this by the end of the day tomorrow? For some reason, I felt a gaze on me, and when I followed the source of it, I saw that the secretary was looking at me sympathetically. Hmm, could he help me? I smiled and got a glare from my husband in front of me. At the same time, the secretary turned pale and turned away. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can figure it out. By all means, keep up the good work¡­As for a success fee, I¡¯ll take you from living the minimum life of the poor to living the average life of a commoner.¡± Whoa! I knew it! Yeah, sure enough! I¡¯ve been wondering who the culprit was. It¡¯s absolutely my husband¡¯s fault. That¡¯s why I thought I¡¯d kill him. It¡¯s true that I¡¯m the one who said it¡¯s a minimal lifestyle, but you¡¯re interpreting it too much to your own advantage. I¡¯d like to demand a fee. The husband was smiling with the corners of his mouth turned up, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. That was why I could only keep my thoughts to myself. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the futility of your far-fetched approach¡­ I¡¯ve let you make your own move, by all means. Did it make you happy?¡± I wasn¡¯t happy at all. CH 1.10 He¡¯s the real enemy. The truth was, I knew that my husband was harassing me like that because he wanted me to act on my own initiative. Yes, I knew that from the beginning. Perhaps my husband had come all this way because he thought that after a week or so of sounding and moving about, and after a month or so, the mansion would have changed in some way. He used Elise¡¯s invitation as a pretext. But when he arrived, he found that nothing had changed at all. As usual, Mrs. Miriam was free to do as she pleased and was in charge as she saw fit. Meanwhile, Elise was playing around in social gatherings shamelessly; borrowing the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s prestige. That¡¯s why my husband went to such lengths today to expressly show that I couldn¡¯t escape, not in any way. I want my innocence back! I can no longer stay married after what you did to me!¡­I¡¯m already married¡­ When I was involved to this extent, I really gotta do what I could to save myself. So, I checked with my husband. I should know where to set my ultimate goal. ¡°Ahem¡­Just out of curiosity, are you sure it¡¯s just those two women you want us to get rid of?¡± ¡°Otherwise, is there someone else?¡± Are you serious, or are you testing me? Well, it was probably the latter. I exhaled and said, ¡°There are a number of maids and servants I would like to get rid of, but they are insignificant and can be dealt with. As for the Chief Steward Rockdell, it depends on what you want to do with him.¡± As soon as I said that, my husband laughed with amusement, and the secretary-dono, who was listening to our conversation, was rendered gaping. ¡°If you have the right people for the job, you can sack them right away.¡± Right. I was thinking the same. As far as I could tell, this Rockdell fellow was actually very crooked. Even though he was a member of a branch family of stewards, he was quite ambitious. Personally, I was fine with ambitious people. I appreciated it when people worked hard to get ahead. But people who were ambitious but useless were just useless. In fact, they were only harmful because they would envy everyone around them. In this respect, Rockdell was the former. He was ambitious and was good at his job. As a matter of fact, this Rockdell fellow was the same age as my father-in-law, the former duke, and they were playmates at the estate. Well, they were close in age. It was an appropriate choice to be his playmate at the estate. And it was not wrong to build a trusting relationship from childhood with the person who you would serve as your future master. But only if it didn¡¯t head the crooked path. It was the duty of a loyal retainer to stop his master if he seemed to be going in the wrong direction, but this butler was different. He could do the job. That was for sure. He naturally should be proud of that, and he deserved to be paid accordingly. However, he began to dream big dreams. He had grandiose dreams of one day taking over the main branch, and so he left his no-good master without even bothering to admonish him. As a result, Rockdell took charge of most things, and consequently, he gained power. On the household affairs, on territory matters. And you know what? It was Mrs. Miriam and Elise whom he tried for his grandiose dreams. Those two seemed air-headed, and I guessed they were just right for Rockdell to manipulate. First off, Mrs. Miriam was quite a beauty. When the former duke¡¯s wife passed away, Rockdell sent Mrs. Miriam to be his companion for the night. If it went well, it would stay that way. If not, he would just send a different girl. If Mrs. Miriam successfully conceived and gave birth to a child, he planned to take guardianship of the child and have the duke disinherited. I knew there was something fishy going on when the steward kept tolerating Mrs. Miriam. I wasn¡¯t sure if Rockdell was really for his master or Mrs. Miriam was, but now I knew. In other words, it was accurate to say master versus the chief steward. But would it work out that well? I wondered, but it seemed to work more than half the time. At any rate, the former duke was a womanizer, and although he was reasonably good at his job, he was classified as a useless master in recent years. A workaholic hedonist, so to speak. This was my husband¡¯s father. Once a person was corrupted, he would seek comfort wherever possible. My husband¡¯s father was no different. He was a man who thought that since someone could work for him, he didn¡¯t have to work himself. Thus, he used it for good. A steward who made things easy for you was very useful, wasn¡¯t it? And even more so if the steward wouldn¡¯t say anything even if you messed about. It was unimaginable how such a father could have raised such a person as my husband. However, I heard that my husband¡¯s mother was in charge of his education most of the time. Also his paternal grandfather, my paternal grandfather. I guessed he probably thought his own son was so useless, so he gave up on him. Then, he expected his grandson to be better, and he was right. His grandson turned out to be too good at his job. It seemed that my husband would work where there was work to be done. He had been really busy since he took over the title. So much that he couldn¡¯t manage the housekeeping of his mansion or the family affairs of the Duke of Lindbeld. And, as I¡¯ve said many times before, Rockdell could do his job. However, what Rockdell used to settle as he pleased now required my husband¡¯s approval every time, so Rockdell wanted to deal with my husband. But it was the same with my husband. There was simply no suitable person for the job. Because of Rockdell¡¯s case, he was cautious about choosing from the butler family of the family branch. Moreover, Rockdell wanted to hold the authority himself, so he hadn¡¯t even trained another steward. I knew that Rockdell would crush whoever my master would consider. So, apparently, there was no one who could replace Rockdell. At present. An excellent steward was not something that was easy to come by. It would be very troubling to have Rockdell quit now because he was an eyesore. The work would be so intensive that even my busy husband would really be overworked. ¡°I knew I made the right choice in choosing you. I¡¯m glad to trust in your skills when you run the Count¡¯s domain since you were ten years old, and turned a dying estate into that.¡± Oh, you knew that, did you, Husband? But I wish you hadn¡¯t thrown me into this boggy world expecting that. I told you, didn¡¯t I, Husband? I told you that I wanted to live a life of depravity. Why do I have to break my bones first to make that life possible? Nothing would help even if I told him that, so I gave up everything and said. ¡°There is one person I can think of, so I¡¯ll ask him.¡± I wanted at least one ally. CH 1.11 ¡°Long time no see, Miss Risha ¨C Um, Madam.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Ragnard. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t let you enjoy your old age.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just another thing to look forward to in old age.¡± He had a smiling, good-natured smile, but don¡¯t let that fool you. Gentle but strict; Ragnard¡¯s true nature was that of a super-spartan old man. ¡°Husband, this is Ragnard, the former chief steward of Count Verdigo¡¯s family. You recognize him, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°We met at the Count¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I am honored that you remember me, Master. ¨D¨D My name is Ragnard. I¡¯ve been working as the chief steward for Count Verdigo¡¯s family. But since Miss got married, I resigned from my position just in time due to my advanced age and left it to my successor.¡± Just as Ragnard claimed, he was undeniably quite old. At any rate, he was seventy years old and had been in the service since my grandfather¡¯s generation. He was old enough that anything could happen to him at any time. But he was so hale and hearty, so youthful, and so full of life that no one could feel it. He was also the person who raised me, so I couldn¡¯t help but be proud of him. He told me that once I got married and left home, his role would be over and he would resign and return to his domain. However, the only person I could think of who could compete with Rockdell in this situation was Ragnard, so I introduced him to my husband after he resigned from his position. I really am sorry I can¡¯t let you enjoy your retirement in your domain, Ragnard. I apologized inwardly. If my husband liked him, he would be hired on the spot, but wasn¡¯t sure. When I was looking at him, thinking that he might reject the butler who served the Count of Verdigo, my husband who had been observing something nodded and took out an employment contract. ¡°I¡¯d love to hire you if you¡¯re willing to work under these conditions. No amount of experienced people can get in the way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Ragnard briefly checked the terms. I¡¯ve been asked for my opinion on the terms and conditions of employment, but I didn¡¯t know for sure what they were. Ragnard nodded and quickly signed his name at the bottom. Then he bowed deeply. It was like a knight pledging allegiance. ¡°From now on, I swear to devote myself to the prosperity of the Duke of Lindbeld and protect the duchy with my life.¡± My husband smiled with satisfaction. But he was also somewhat cynical. ¡°Go ahead. If you¡¯re going to use me for your purposes, I¡¯ll expect you to work for them.¡± ¡°Very well, Master.¡± Uh©`Wa-What? Why is it only them that understand each other? I tilted my head at their conversation, which didn¡¯t make any sense to me. ¡°Now then, I¡¯d like to get right to work. First of all ¨D¨D¡­ I have to do something about this.¡± After he said this, my husband let out a sigh as Ragnard looked around the room. Incidentally, my husband¡¯s secretary-dono ¨C Diego, whose soul had already flown and sunk ¨C was propped up on the desk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you so soon¡­¡± As expected, my husband said, looking bummed. But Ragnard was unperturbed. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ve heard a bit about the situation. I¡¯ve heard most of what¡¯s going on in the steward circle, and the world is a smaller place than you might think. ¨D¨D Now, Mada¡­it seems that you are the only one who is free. Please take this one.¡± ¡°Ah?¡­I can¡¯t, I have other work to do.¡± In fact, it¡¯s been a week since then. I¡¯ve been reading with tears in my eyes the documents that I was told to grasp in two days. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I was told that this was the next thing. My life of depravity with three meals and a nap had been thus shattered. By the way, the place where we were now was a separate residence for my husband¡¯s work. Well, it was hard for him to work around mountain demons and all kinds of evil spirits. I understood. I also wanted to concentrate quietly. Besides, this was the perfect place to discuss my plans. Only those who had my husband¡¯s trust were allowed to enter here. Therefore, what was said inside would not be leaked to the outside world. ¡°You can at least read the material in a day, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ragnard, my husband promised me a minimal living arrangement¨D¨D¡­¡­¡± I was on the verge of tears over the stack of papers. Would I be able to finish this by midnight¡­? Nevertheless, I would definitely get some sleep. With such determination, I told Ragnard, and he smiled at me. ¡°Madam, just having a place to survive the rain and wind is more than minimal treatment. That means you have to work hard for it.¡± Surprisingly, Ragnard was even more of a demon than my husband. I knew that, but¡­ I mean, Husband, this is all something that you should be doing! Stop laughing and work yourself to death! ¡°I¡¯m counting on you. My father hadn¡¯t been doing anything at all, and now my wrinkles are starting to show. We both have troubles with our fathers.¡± I needed more people to work with. I¡¯ve always thought that having one secretary would definitely render him overworked. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take this seat then. Let me ask you one more thing, are there any documents or details you don¡¯t want us to know about here?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing there. Important documents for me and the Lindbeld Dukedom are supposed to come to me. I have the seal of the dukedom, which is supposed to be held by the chief steward, so that he can¡¯t use it at his own discretion. Being deprived of the seal of approval, which a chief steward could have, was a hostile action that blatantly said, I don¡¯t trust you completely. Rockdell himself knew that my husband didn¡¯t like him. However, he expected that it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to find someone who could take charge of the Duke of Lindbeld, so he was unperturbed. He thought my husband would give up sooner or later and follow his lead. ¡°I¡¯ll give you my seal in due course, once I¡¯ve confirmed your work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best for that.¡± To be honest, employment like Ragnard¡¯s was quite rare. When it came to the chief steward, you couldn¡¯t hire an outsider, which was pretty much the practice in every household. Families couldn¡¯t employ someone in a position to know the family¡¯s situation in depth, and someone who was not good at it. In addition, in terms of education, it was common to choose from among the branch families. Even Ragnard came from a branch of the Count Verdigo family. It was not exactly the same, but close to it. That ws why it was a gamble whether or not my husband would hire Ragnard, who was from another family. But for my husband, he was a lot better than Rockdell. Besides, Ragnard was old. After he eliminated Rockdell, he might intend to have Ragnard train a successor; someone from a branch of the family. Ragnard himself loved to train people, so I didn¡¯t think he would mind. However, whether or not that person would last was a mystery. CH 1.12 Ragnard swept the documents to the side, one after another. His speed was as fast as ever, so fast that I thought he didn¡¯t need me. Actually, I really thought so when I was a kid. Back then, when Ragnard was running everything by himself, I was just a kid and was still keen on playing. Even then, I had a lot of studying to do, and I even had to think about my territory, so I wept for real. But Ragnard didn¡¯t allow me to do that, and told me that it was up to me to protect the place, and he guided me. I thought he was a steward in the service of Count Verdigo¡¯s family at heart. Even when he could¡¯ve considered taking over, he didn¡¯t do it, and instead protected it for the next generation. He and Rockdell were fundamentally poles apart. A man like Ragnard also gave up on that family. A good steward could choose his master, and he had every right to choose. I was curious about the current situation of the Count of Verdigo¡¯s family, but I thought it was none of my business and struggled with the documents again. ¡°By the way, who is currently in charge of personnel matters?¡± Ragnard asked my husband as he processed the paperwork. ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Miriam, but I think it¡¯s actually Rockdell. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°I was wondering if I can get any work done if I dismiss the number of lady attendants, attendant male servants, and other maids and manservants who are her minions¡­Do you have any contacts I could use to hire people?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve donated to a few training schools. We can get priority referrals from there¡­¡± ¡°It would be difficult to hire a large number of people at once because of the time of year. Moreover, if we try to hire batches of people all at once, people will think something has happened. Rumors can sometimes be used ¨D¨D¡­¡­So I have an idea.¡± Ragnard then looked at me and smiled. ¡°There have been many cases in the past where new mistresses have dismissed old servants because they didn¡¯t like them¡­So let¡¯s take advantage of that. It just so happens that we need to stage an event where you¡¯re going to show off your position as the Mistress. Let¡¯s have you make a grand appearance there.¡± I don¡¯t want to. Why am I about to get more work? Husband. Didn¡¯t you say that I don¡¯t have to do anything? I¡¯m content with the status quo for now. If you hadn¡¯t done anything unnecessary, we would have been able to continue to live in peace, wouldn¡¯t we? ¡°To do so, as Mistress, let¡¯s start with your visual appeal.¡± ¡°Coincidentally, we¡¯re thinking on the same page. I¡¯ve made arrangements for it.¡± ¡°As expected of Master, you¡¯ve saved me a lot of work with your quick actions.¡± Don¡¯t you two get it? I have an ominous premonition about this. I feel like crying. ¡°By the way, Madam¡­¡± ¡°Ragnard, stop calling me Madam. I want you to call me Risha as before.¡± My back was getting all tingly. A servant addressing you by your name was a problem in public, but in private, it was not considered particularly important. In fact, many people in important positions were from branch families or relatives, so it was quite normal to address each other by name. I¡¯ve been called Risha-sama (Miss Risha) since I was a child, and since I was never conscious of my status as a wife, I felt strange whenever I was called Madam. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Risha-sama, if I may be so bold. Sorry for jumping to the point, but do you currently have a lady attendant?¡± ¡°Sort of, but they¡¯re lackeys.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll have to get that in order first.¡± The detached villa also had its own lady attendants, but they were not exclusive. They were minimal, so my care varied from day to day. In fact, I sincerely believed that this was the normal way to be treated. Well, chatting with the maidservant older sisters in the laundry room was fun, but that¡¯s about it. Speaking of which, I hoped they were well. I hadn¡¯t been back to the laundry since my husband brought me here that day, so I might have made them worried. Or were they enjoying themselves? At any rate, my hair color was unique among the servants. They¡¯d seen my hair color, and Elise would have been frantically searching for me. Hence, those three must have identified me immediately. ¡°Husband, do you have someone in mind? I¡¯d prefer someone with experience, if possible.¡± ¡°I have. Not everyone at the main residence is an enemy either.¡± That was true. If the mansion was full of enemies, everyone would probably be dismissed for a fresh start. Except the senior servants, the lower rank servants were all good people. ¡°I can call them over here. What do you say?¡± ¡°Please do. I¡¯d like to meet them and see what they¡¯re like.¡± I screamed ¡°Heee!¡± inwardly. Smiling kindly, Ragnarok was, if anything, quite the opposite of my nature. Ragnard liked people who were good at their jobs, but more importantly, he valued how loyal they were to the people they served. And he had the talent to spot people like that from the many he had sifted out. Perhaps it was because he had worked as a chief steward for so many years, but he had subjected people to very strict assessments in that area. However, he had little say in personnel matters in recent years due to the influence of my father and stepmother. Or rather, he never took on the task. Because one careless move could have ruined the future of the person he hired. ¡°If you didn¡¯t have any candidates in mind, I could have looked for them myself, but I think everything will be fine.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah? Have you been testing me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth the effort, Master. Even someone like me has heard of the young head of the Duke of Lindbeld. It¡¯s a great pleasure to serve a good master.¡± Ragnard dodged my husband¡¯s question with ease. I really had no idea how serious he was, but at least he seemed to like my husband. ¡°However, I¡¯d appreciate it if you can keep looking for some since we are going to be laying off a lot of people. I don¡¯t have the time to do that. And if you¡¯re going to hire students from training schools, it¡¯s better to have some people with experience.¡± ¡°As you wish. I¡¯ll make some inquiries. By the way, are the terms and conditions of employment the same as before?¡± ¡°Yeah. If there¡¯s a problem, adjust it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Hmm, were they really human? They were processing documents at high speed while talking. I glanced over to see Diego, the secretary, looking at Ragnard with his mouth gaping open. Yeah, I feel you. They¡¯re uncanny men, and I wish I could see how their heads were structured. ¡°Risha-sama!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Why have you stopped working? And you too, Secretary-dono.¡± Both of us immediately confronted the documents under his sharp censure. Never let that terrible something, lurking behind his smile, be unleashed. I am well aware of its horror. Don¡¯t cross him. I was sure Diego got the message. CH 1.13 ¡°I¡¯m Lil. I¡¯ve been employed by the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s family as a chambermaid for seven years now, after graduating top of my class from the Rumbold Training Institute. I know that I still have a lot to learn, but I am determined to serve you in all sincerity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Layla, and I also graduated from the Rumbold Training Institute with the highest degree in practical skills. I was hired by the Duke of Lindbeld last year. My specialty is women¡¯s beauty and grooming. I would very much like to serve Madam and make use of my forte.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Lina. I graduated from the Shanak Maid Training School at the top of my class. Although I am still inexperienced, I promise to learn my job as soon as possible and be useful to Madam. I look forward to working with you.¡± I thought the three of them looked brilliant, but they really were super elite. It was amazing that they left such talented people idle. But shouldn¡¯t my husband give the three of them a chance to think it over too? The Rumbold Training Institute was the country¡¯s largest servant training school, and its history was quite old. In addition, people who graduated from there were always excellent, regardless of their grades. If my memory serves me right, there were several departments, and rumors had it that the steward training department and the lady attendant training department were incredibly difficult to enter and graduate from. If these maids were the best overall and top in practical skills there, they could even serve the royal family in the imperial palace. And the Shanak Maid Training School was a school that specializes in rearing maids. The reputation of the school might be inferior to the Rumbold Training Institute, but the Shanak Maid Training School had a higher admission rate than the former. If such elite talents were given jobs that weren¡¯t what they actually wanted, even if the benefits were good, they would likely resign. Even if they lacked a recommendation letter, there was a chance that the academy could have done something about it secretly if they were outstanding. They might not be able to stand up to the Duke of Lindbeld, but the institute could. Or, they could have asked their relatives or acquaintances for help. When I thought about it, I realized that these women were truly hard-earned people for the Duke of Lindbeld. ¡°Very well, you will accompany Rishe-sama for the time being. Are you alright with it, Master?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± My husband dumped everything to Ragnard, and Ragnard being Ragnard called the shots as if it were his role to do so. I didn¡¯t think it was something I should interfere with, but I felt a little awkward. Nevertheless, the three women accepted me without any surprise. I knew this from the beginning, didn¡¯t I? The three of them had graduated as excellent lady¡¯s maids. And yet, I knew that they were telling me too much about the mansion. Of course, I was sure that they were talkative and gossipy. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Madam. The three bowed their heads, led by a smiling Lil. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nice to meet you¡­¡± I replied with an awkward and subtle expression on my face. Lil immediately said to Ragnard on my behalf. ¡°If I may be so bold, I¡¯d like to get Madam ready, if that¡¯s all right.¡± The clothes I was wearing presently were the kind of clothes an ordinary woman would wear. It was comfortable, and I could take it off and put it on by myself. However, I wasn¡¯t so sure it was appropriate for a Duchess. But no one said anything here, so I was much more at ease. I wasn¡¯t fond of stiff clothes. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Please do.¡± Ragnard readily gave his permission. I reluctantly walked back to my room with the three of them. A lot of things had already been prepared there. The preparations were sufficient enough. The people up to the task was another matter¡­ ¡°Well then, Madam, please take off your clothes for now, such tacky ¨D¨D no, those are ill-fitting clothes.¡± ¡°Besides, your skin looks a bit tired this past week. Take a bath and polish it up to a shine ¨D¨D or better yet, I¡¯ll give you a massage! I¡¯m proficient at it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to support you both!¡± Well, didn¡¯t they have something to say before anything else? I felt like I¡¯ve been left alone. I was. ¡°Umm, the three of you knew, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course. We knew who you were right away. Wearing a servant¡¯s clothes does not hide the qualities that you possess.¡± ¡°And while your skin was certainly not in good condition, your hands were too clean. At the very least, they were not the hands of someone who does menial work. Your nails were also neatly trimmed.¡± ¡°Also, there are differences in manners between aristocrats and non-aristocrats. You couldn¡¯t cover up your unconscious behavior!¡± Excellent people had various ways of seeing things. There was nothing I could do when they told me that even my unconscious gestures had been scrutinized and judged. ¡°Ah, but don¡¯t worry. We haven¡¯t told anyone else. No one has even noticed.¡± Lil remarked in a kind of spine-tingling way. I felt a slight tug at my mouth when I saw her laughing. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get some rest first! If we¡¯re going to go into battle, we need to be prepared!¡± Uh? What do you mean battle? I¡¯m all for getting some rest, but that¡¯s not what I was hoping for, you know? I had no choice but to surrender myself to the momentum of the three of them. CH 1.14 I was glad I left it to the three of them to do whatever they wanted. It was fantastic. I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I was given such treatment. ¡°How do you feel, Madam?¡± ¡°Wonderful¡­¡± You really are amazing, Layla. It¡¯s no wonder you¡¯re the best in practical skills. I¡¯m sleepy. I married the Duke of Lindbeld, and I could say without a doubt that this was the best I was treated as the Duchess. This was exactly what it meant to be perfect. I took off my clothes and soaked in the bath. The water was filled with some kind of milky white bath salts that were probably good for beauty, and I was painstakingly smeared with it. It was fragrant, with a fresh floral scent. Layla was taking the lead on this, but she was really good at this kind of thing. When I was with the three of them in my servant¡¯s uniform, Layla was the one who knew the most about beauty, and to be honest, I thought it was a hassle to use this, that, and the order of care. However, if I slacked off, I¡¯d be found out immediately, so I took it seriously. When I married the Duke of Lindbeld, my maidservants didn¡¯t do anything for me, so I had to do everything myself, even if it was a hassle. Now that I thought I was in a position to enjoy such treatment, I thought that power was truly a wonderful thing. My half-sisters seemed to have lady attendants, and I understood now. It was really addictive. I¡¯d never found the point of putting that much of my life into beauty, but I wished I could do this every day. It was super relaxing and felt wonderful. Ah, so this is heaven, huh?¡­What a way to get special treatment! I thought. This was it! This was it! This was the kind of life I¡¯ve always dreamed of! Somehow, I tended to forget recently, but what I wanted was a minimal standard of living with three meals and a nap, and to enjoy a life of depravity. I had no idea why that minimum standard of living was based on the minimum standard of living of the poor, but that was a ridiculous thought! Who would set their sights on that when marrying into a ducal family? Well, it was a better life than the minimum life of the poor, but there was definitely something different about it! I didn¡¯t know about Ragnard, who said I was fine as long as I could survive the rain and wind, but I thought my husband who made me eat livestock food was just as bad. Oh©` That was why. The two of them seemed to be strangely kindred spirits. Perhaps they had something in common, so they could communicate with each other. I didn¡¯t get it at all, though! ¡°You¡¯ve got a knot in your neck and shoulders.¡± Layla was giving me a massage. Oh-oh, the pressure felt good and also painful. Ah, right there! Hmm, it¡¯s working. ¡°I¡¯ll massage your scalp, too.¡± I¡¯ve never had a scalp massage before, but it felt amazing. It was as if my pores were being washed out. ¡°How do you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great¡­¡± ¡°Scalp massage is not considered very important, but relaxing the scalp will help clean the pores and keep your hair beautiful. In addition, I¡¯ve recently learned that relaxing the scalp can help prevent wrinkles and sagging of the face. Madam is still young, but care should be taken early on.¡± Yeah, I knew that. It would take an enormous amount of time and effort to do something when you were on the verge of death. You could prevent the worst from happening if you would deal with it early on. The same applied to beauty and territory. ¡°Madam, which oil should I use for your hair?¡± Anything was fine. I felt so comfortable that I was dozing off. Enraptured, I chose a random one, and let her apply it to my hair. I was told that if you wash your hair quickly after applying this, my hair would become shiny and smooth after drying it. Since its recent release, the product had become so popular among women that production had not been able to keep up with the demand. Such products weren¡¯t so easy to procure, but it was different for a ducal family. Or, rather, Layla. She was too informed. She must really like this kind of stuff. I felt like she was close to opening a beauty-related store in the city. ¡°Madam, before going to bed, please get out of the bath and lie down here. Your face needs to be properly moisturized as well.¡± ¡°Okaaay¡­Ah, call me Risha¡­¡± Warming the body moderately improves blood circulation. And with a body massage, I was already at the three¡¯s mercy. Although I could indulge by asking them to dry me with the fluffy towel, I thought I should do that at least. Afterwards, I lay down on the couch as they led me. ¡°It¡¯s a little cold.¡± A chilly stuff was pasted over my face. But it felt cool on my warm body. ¡°Go ahead, get some rest.¡± I¡¯d go to sleep even without their prompt. Have a good night. CH 1.15 ¡°Look at you.¡± ¡°You look beautiful, Risha-sama.¡± ¡°Risha-sama looks so good in everything that I¡¯m at a loss.¡± ¡°Your skin is white and youthful, so you don¡¯t need to wear thick makeup and can compete with just your natural beauty.¡± ¡°Lovely!¡± My happy husband, ragnard, who was acting as if he was looking at someone he had missed, and my three lady attendants who seemed to have pulled all stops, showered me with compliments. It was not clear whether my master¡¯s praise was really praise, but he seemed satisfied, so I guessed I got a fair score. The dress Lil chose was a lovely cream colored dress. You can only wear these colors when you¡¯re young! This decision was made emphatically. Indeed, pretty colors could be cringy if you wore them when you were old. The color was appropriate for daytime loungewear. However, the fabric was quite high quality, as expected. I mean, it fitted me perfectly. When did they measure my size? There was no need for me to wonder anymore. I was certain that the best people could figure out my approximate size just by looking at me. Then it must have been passed on to my husband. But I really didn¡¯t expect such a big change in just a few hours. The professionals¡¯ techniques were so impressive that I wondered to myself, Is this me? This was what it meant to have glowing skin. Today, I registered the meaning of the word for the first time. By the way, when I smiled at Diego, the secretary in the room who tended to be completely dazed, and asked what he thought of me, he turned bright red and muttered, ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± For some reason, his innocent reaction intrigued me. I wondered. He was so cute and seemed like he was worth teasing. He¡¯s definitely older than me, but was it wrong to think he was cute? I might get obsessed with it. ¡°Risha-sama, you look a lot like your mother.¡± Ragnard had been in the service of the Count of Verdigo since my grandfather¡¯s generation. In other words, he knew my mother well. In fact, it seemed that Ragnard was involved in my mother¡¯s education. He educated me, educated my mother, and was a great help to both of us, mother and daughter. But Ragnard claimed that it was his utmost joy. When I thought of how much he really liked the Count of Verdigo family, I felt a little sorry for my unworthiness. There was not much I could do before I inherited the Count¡¯s family, and I ended up leaving the house. Consequently, I failed to live up to Ragnard¡¯s expectations. I really couldn¡¯t think why he hadn¡¯t abandoned me. Even now, I could only thank Ragnard for rushing over to me like this. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see Elise¡¯s reaction the day after tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, we¡¯ll spend the money and beautify you to show everyone that you¡¯re the Duchess. My husband, who laughed like a villain, was scary. Rather than say beautify¡­well, I was a doll I guess. The day after tomorrow, as my husband said, would be the day Elise holds a tea party in the name of the Duke of Lindbeld. Husband said that everything would be settled on that day. I was also supposed to work as one of the frames in my husband¡¯s scheme. At any rate, my safe and peaceful life and at the very least, the rise of my living standards were at stake. Anyhow, please just do something about my food. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to learn to be a Duchess well until the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°E¡­eeh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already married, Risha. It is natural for you to learn about your husband¡¯s family. Moreover, in order to show the difference in rank, you must first act like it. Originally, it was a duty, not a job, to learn before marriage to avoid embarrassment in the family you¡¯re marrying into. However, since your marriage was so sudden, it¡¯s a bit of a learning curve, but let¡¯s make sure you learn it now. If you are guaranteed a living, of course you should be able to fulfill your obligations accordingly.¡± Ragnard said firmly without giving me any chance to refuse. Even my husband came on board. ¡°¡®Sure, I said you didn¡¯t have to work, but I never said you can abandon my duties. You have a good point, Ragnard.¡± Don¡¯t you dare play word games with me, Mister! ¡°T-This is a scam! Isn¡¯t work and duty the same thing!¡± ¡°What do you think, Ragnard?¡± ¡°Work and duty are two different things in my opinion, Master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s odd. I¡¯m of the same mind. So it¡¯s two against one; they¡¯re different.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair. You two are teaming up! I¡¯d like to take the vote of everyone here!¡± At this rate, I could only see a future where I would continuously be sent to countless jobs in the name of duty. Absolutely not. I couldn¡¯t let myself get caught up in these workaholics! ¡°Who thinks that work and duty are the same thing?¡± Of course I would raise my hand. And another person, Diego, raised his hand fearfully. That¡¯s right! Diego, I knew you would understand. But Diego was the only one who raised his hand. My husband smirked as if in victory. ¡°Okay, are we clear now?¡± ¡°Wait a minute! I¡¯m sure the three maids behind must have been influenced by you and Ragnard!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good to be so judgmental.¡± ¡°Yes, it is unbecoming of a master to try to overrule a decision of free will.¡± My opinion was dismissed as if it had been folded. ¡°Now then, Madam, can you fulfill your duties?¡± Con man, black-hearted, devil! Ragnard, stop smiling and help me! I¡¯m still your former master, you know! ¡°Well then, Risha-sama. Let¡¯s start by studying a little bit of home economics, shall we? Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s easy compared to the work of a lord. Besides, you seem to have read all the materials beforehand.¡± The relentless Ragnard handed me the study tools that somehow he had created before I knew it. ¡°W-When did you¡­?¡± ¡°I did my own research on the history of the Lindbeld duchy, their relatives, and the merchant families and business partners associated with them, in case you would need them someday after you got married. After this, let¡¯s do some practice on etiquette.¡± Wow. I don¡¯t need this kind of attention. I mean, Ragnard, didn¡¯t you say you were going to enjoy your retirement? Is this what you¡¯re looking forward to? Why do you seem to be enjoying my education so much? ¡°You are a steward who loves his master very much. This is what we call a loyal vassal. You have a good vassal, Risha.¡± My husband regarded me and Ragnard with a wry smile. I¡¯d like to remind you, Husband. He¡¯s now your vassal and subordinate, okay? I cursed him, hoping from the bottom of my heart that one day he would suffer the same fate. CH 1.16 ¡°Come on, Risha-sama, time to get up! Today is going to be a busy day!¡¡Here¡¯s your morning tea.¡± ¡°Time is limited! Let¡¯s get cracking.¡± ¡°Here are some facial cleansing tools.¡± It was nice to have someone serving me, but everyone was too enthusiastic. I was as good as dead from all the hard work Ragnard put me through yesterday. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare your dress while you¡¯re using the hot water.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re done washing, wash off your sweat and have a massage. After that, moisturize properly and let the moisturizer seep into your skin slowly!¡± ¡°Lila-san, let¡¯s eat first. We¡¯ll need our strength afterwards.¡± Please do as you please. I did as I was told and drank tea and ate a light meal. Afterwards, I enjoyed Layla¡¯s excellent massage, and when I got out of the bath, my hair was intricately tied up and makeup was applied. To be honest, it took me longer to get ready than on my wedding day. ¡°The dress is this way, please. I¡¯m under strict orders from the Master.¡± The dress that was ordered was quite luxurious. However, the tea party was to be held in the daytime, so it was an afternoon dress appropriate for it. The upper half of the dress was white, and the red color became darker as it went down. The dress was also decorated with gorgeous roses, and the lace was wonderfully crafted. I hadn¡¯t worn a dress like it in a long time, so it was hard to walk. ¡°This color is the shade of my husband¡¯s ¨C No, the Dukes of Lindbeld, no?¡± The Dukes of Lindbeld were famous for their distinctive crimson hair. The only person who could wear a dress of that color was the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s wife. There were similar shades of red in social circles, but no one could wear this distinctive hue. ¡°Your husband insisted on it. You are so loved, Risha-sama!¡± It was not the same as love. I was sure it was the quickest way to let people know me. As soon as everything was ready, there was a knock at the door, and my husband came in. He was holding a small velvet box in one hand, and although he looked a bit formal, he was dressed in his everyday wear. Even so, perhaps because of his outstanding appearance, his clothes weren¡¯t inferior to my dress. ¡°That¡¯s quite an accomplishment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered by the compliment. I didn¡¯t feel like I¡¯d been complimented at all, so my reply was anything but heartfelt. ¡°I complimented you, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well, thank you very much.¡± Why was it that when a person with the looks like my husband complimented me, I felt more like he was being sarcastic than happy? It must be because of my husband¡¯s daily routine. I put my gloved hand on top of the hand he offered to me. In that posture, I twined it around his arm and left the room. A carriage was already parked at the main entrance of the detached residence, and Ragnard was waiting in front of it. Ragnard would accompany us today, and was already waiting for us in his usual seamless appearance. ¡°Risha-sama, please do your best to make the most of these two days of study.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± I didn¡¯t want to work hard for my husband, but I would do my best for myself. ¡°Right, here, take this.¡± My husband opened the small box in his hand and showed the content to me. I couldn¡¯t help but be moved by the wonderful item that was there. ¡°Oh my!¡± Its brilliance was first class. It was glittering and dazzling in the light. The design was a bit old, but it was undoubtedly a set of family heirloom jewelry. A necklace with a large, crimson ruby and a pair of delicately crafted earrings. The same gemstone as the necklace was used in the earrings as well. Everyone would have been dazzled by its brilliance. ¡°This has been handed down from generation to generation by the Dukes of Lindbergh¡¯s legal wives. Since you¡¯re here, you can wear this¨D¨D¡­¡­ Oh, no, let me put it on you.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it my ¨D¨D¡± Before I could finish saying that I would do it myself, Husband quickly walked behind me and fastened the jewelry. I was unsettled by Husband¡¯s presence behind me, and when his fingers grazed my neck, I stiffened. I wanted to put on the earrings myself, but he quickly touched my ears. I felt a mixture of ticklishness and embarrassment, and my cheeks naturally flushed. ¡°All done.¡± ¡°T-Thank you very much¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t look straight at him, so I naturally looked down. My husband lifted my face and looked down at me as if he was admiring me carefully. ¡°It looks good on you.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± That was all I managed to say. For some reason, I felt so embarrassed that I couldn¡¯t look straight at my husband, hence I closed my eyes tightly. What is this? The air, the air is so sweet! Hey! Somebody please stop him! I really can¡¯t stand this atmosphere! I can also feel the stares of the people around me! Stop, don¡¯t look at me! When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see a hand gently caressing my cheek. It went perfectly with the glint in my husband¡¯s eyes that I¡¯ve never seen before. ¡°Risha¡­¡± ¡°U-Umm¡­¡± It was different from that time. He was playful back then. I couldn¡¯t look away, and my body was paralyzed as if I were in a golden bind. For some reason, my eyes started to water, and I tried to turn my face away, not wanting to be seen. But my husband did not allow it. He held my face and slowly brought his face closer to mine. ¡°Er¡­¡± K-Kiss ¨D¨D¡­¡­ The moment I thought that. ¡°Ahem!¡± At the deliberate coughing, my husband stopped moving and gave a sidelong glance. He didn¡¯t even try to hide his displeasure at being interrupted, but the coughing succeeded! I was sincerely pleased with it. There was only one person capable of this. ¡°Master, it¡¯s past our departure time. Please carry on with such matters in private.¡± Ragnard! My former butler! But that latter extra word in private was unnecessary. Perhaps distracted by Ragnard¡¯s interruption, my husband also released me. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. We¡¯ll do it when we¡¯re not going to be disturbed.¡± When I looked at him, he looked as if he was thinking of something fun. No, can we please not do this even when we¡¯re alone? We¡¯re in a political marriage, not a man and a woman relationship, aren¡¯t we? CH 1.17 The glamor in the detached villa was now in full swing. The guests arrived one after another, and the tea party had already commenced. ¡°Elise, how wonderful this garden is.¡± ¡°For sure. I chose this garden for today, but the main residence is even more magnificent. I¡¯d like to invite you there next time.¡± Everyone exchanged sniggers, covering their mouths. Everyone had their own hidden agenda, but they were carefully searching to find out who the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s wife was. Everyone knew that the head of the Lindbeld dukedom hadn¡¯t even gone near the main residence after his marriage. Moreover, what kind of person did he marry? As soon as Elise¡¯s real mistress appeared on the scene, and Her Royal Highness¡¯ anger shifted to her, Elise was allowed to enter the social circles, and she acted as if she was the legal wife of the Duke of Lindbeld. Everyone in the social circles noticed that the head of the family, Claude Lindbeld, did not stop her, and took it as being because he loved her ¨C as Lady Elise claimed. However, nobody really knew the truth of what was afoot. Elise herself didn¡¯t know much about the daughter of the Count of Verdigo, who married the Duke, and she had no information about what was going on in the mansion. The only thing that seemed to be true was that Elise¡¯s mother was still in charge of the mansion affairs, while she was benefiting from that. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for a Viscountess with no fortune to hold such a tea party. Socializing costs a certain amount of money. And judging from the fact that Elise had no qualms about using the name of the Duke of Lindbeld, it was only natural for everyone to think that she had a certain relationship with the head of the family. For that reason, everyone decided who they should flatter. Her Royal Highness couldn¡¯t marry Sir Claude after all. Hence, even if she were to marry a subject, he would be of a lower rank than the Duke of Lindbeld. If she was reluctant, everyone believed she¡¯d end up marrying into another country. In other words, her influence in social circles would soon be diminished. That being the case, the aristocrats had to figure out who was the right person to defer to. Calculation, bargaining, and betrayal were the common sense of the nobility. Those who were invited to the tea party observed Elise carefully. Today she was wearing a crimson dress that was tacitly agreed upon to be worn only by the Duchess of Lindbeld. They guessed she liked to be flamboyant, but to be honest, her dress was indecorous, with her chest widely exposed. It was quite vulgar, but no one said anything. On the contrary, they all praised her, saying that she looked splendid and that she looked great in the dress. Of course, Elise was proud of herself. ¡°Mmmm, Elise-sama. I¡¯d love to see the gardens of your main residence.¡± ¡°Of course, I would invite you to the main house next time.¡± Elise said as if it were a matter of course. Having a tea party at the main residence was the domain of the legal wife. It quickly became apparent to those around Elise that she was in a position to allow it. An astute aristocrat decided she¡¯d better establish a little connection, so she extended an invitation to Elise. ¡°Right, Elise-sama, I would like to invite you to a ball at my home, and if possible, the Duke of Lindbeld as well.¡± The girl who said this was the daughter of Viscountess, the same rank as Elise, but her family was quite wealthy. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d like to invite you too, if you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯d love to be your friend.¡± The next person to speak up was the daughter of a Marquis. Even though it was obvious she didn¡¯t really want to be Elise¡¯s friend, it was always a good idea to have more allies. Even if the rival was a woman whom she had never heard of, it took a certain amount of influence to keep her quiet. After all, she was a former Count¡¯s daughter and now the legal wife that Claude Lindbeld officially recognized. Elise smiled: ¡°Of course.¡± As if to lift Elise up, the people around her said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll do the same.¡± ¡°Well, thank you very much, everyone. I would very much like to invite Claude-sama to visit.¡± Elise hid her mouth behind a fan and smiled abandonly. As the tea was being served, the topic kept changing. Elise giggled, believing that she had succeeded in instilling her presence. A woman who didn¡¯t amount to much snatched what she was supposed to be hers, but that was only a temporary thing. Elise imagined what was to come. As she was getting fed up with thinking how to get rid of the Duchess as soon as possible, she heard someone coming right behind her. Elise turned around, smiling to see if anyone had come late, and then froze. ¡°My, what in the world is this gathering? Why haven¡¯t I heard anything about it?¡± The accusing tone made Elise freeze, her mouth hanging open in shock. Of course, the invited guests were just as wide-eyed as Elise. Everyone could only remain silent at the sudden appearance of the person. ¡°Good day, ladies and gentlemen. I was attracted by the sound of your happy voices and came for a look. But what exactly is today¡¯s gathering about? I haven¡¯t been informed of any of this.¡± The woman¡¯s shining golden hair was beautifully coiffed, and her clear, inviting blue eyes surveyed everyone. As soon as all the men invited to the tea party met her eyes, their gazes turned into fascination. They were bewitched, as if worshipping a goddess. Her imposing appearance and beautiful manners were second to none, even among the royal family. Above all, her stunning looks had never been seen before in social circles. At the very least, with such good looks, it was impossible for her not to be gossiped. Amidst the commotion, everyone immediately noticed the color of the dress the woman was wearing. Her upper garment, which started out white, gradually deepened in color until it finally reached a deep red hue. Her dress was elegant, yet had a striking presence, and the finest rubies shone around her neck and ears. The thought of such a perfect existence never crossed everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°Hey, Elise-san ¨D¨D¡­ Did I get it right? I¡¯ve never received a single greeting from you, daughter of a servant, since I got married. So, what¡¯s going on today? Who permitted you to hold something like this?¡± The Goddess of beauty straightened her back and looked down at the seated Elise. It was as if they were mutually standing in their right places. Elise was still looking up at the woman in a daze, unable to move, as if she was still suppressed by the intimidation of her massive presence. ¡°By the way, is there a seat for me?¡± The daughter of a marquis, sitting on the seat of honor, promptly moved as if she had just realized something. ¡°H-Here¡­¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± The woman took her seat as gracefully as if it were a matter of course. Normally, it was a host¡¯s duty to deal with uninvited guests. However, Elise could only follow the beautifully dressed lady with her eyes. On the contrary, it could be said that the marquis¡¯s daughter was as good as expected. Even though she wasn¡¯t exactly sure who she was dealing with, she quickly discerned that the woman was superior to her, making her respond. ¡°Right, I¡¯m sorry for occupying your seat. Elise-san is quite witless, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­It¡¯s been long overdue, but my name is Michelle of the Marquise de Andrette.¡± ¡°Oh, you are Michelle-san? I really like smart people. We are about the same age, so I hope we can get along well.¡± The woman¡¯s greeting might seem arrogant, but she was allowed to do so. ¡°I¡¯m Risha Lindbeld, as you may know. It is my pleasure to meet you all.¡± She smiled beautifully. Everyone gasped, and more than a few squeals escaped. Then everyone noticed that she had turned her sharp gaze on Elise, seemingly aiming at her prey. CH 1.18 I asked people to look it up beforehand, so I already knew everyone who attended today. Well, I was sure I could work it out. It was true that there were people of higher rank, but compared to me, their status was lower. After all, I was a Duchess. I could count on two hands the number of people who could compete with me. In other words, I walked to the party with aplomb. I held the fan in my hand and covered my mouth. My eyes were smiling, but also intimidating. It was a smile that Ragnard had made me practice a lot. I was using the fan to hide the downturn of my mouth, so I hoped no once would notice it. It didn¡¯t matter, but the high heels that were specially made for this occasion were quite uncomfortable on my feet. Who on earth was this pair of heels supposed to¡­attack?! I just realized that I should have stepped on my husband¡¯s foot as hard as I could with these just now! I couldn¡¯t say for sure, but I was sure it would have hurt like hell. Hahahah, next time, I¡¯ll do it! As I was laughing at the thought, a nice and thoughtful girl offered me her seat. I see, Miss Michelle. She¡¯s quite a nice girl, isn¡¯t she? I know you. When I was the laughing stock of the social circle, you just looked at me with a bit of a scowl. You didn¡¯t help me, but you didn¡¯t mock me either. I dislike socializing, but I love observing people. ¡°So, whose permission do you have to do this? Elise-san, did I give you permission to host this?¡± The hem of my dress was elegant and bright. And so I stuck my chest out proudly. Let me show everyone that I had the right to run the household. What kind of whim was this mere houseguest doing? When I smiled at Elise-san, she came to realize that I was the servant from the other day. I wasn¡¯t sure if she would notice since my hair was several times more beautiful and shiny than it was then, but she did. Her mouth twisted slightly. ¡°Ha, I never thought I¡¯d hear you mention Madam¡¯s name! How dare you, a servant, pretending to be Madam, say such a thing to me?! You¡¯re not even an aristocrat, yet you think you¡¯re one just because Master pets you a little? How vulgar.¡± Hohoho, you¡¯re laughing like you can afford to, but your eyes aren¡¯t smiling. ¡°Elise-sama, but this one now is¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s a mere housemaid of the Duke of Lindbeld. Apologies, she seems to be getting carried away with something. As the head of the Duke of Lindbeld household, I apologize for the bad atmosphere caused by this uncivilized, lower class citizen. Her lack of education really shames me.¡± Ehh, this is so troublesome. I wonder if the Husband will sashay around here to help me. I¡¯d really appreciate it now, Husband. No matter how much I explain to people who don¡¯t agree with me, they¡¯ll never understand. But now that I said I would do it, I should carry it out well, right? Besides, it was getting a little fun. It was fun to be the wicked woman, you know? Let me punish her thoroughly. I changed my mind and looked around at the nobles around me. I had to remind those who were looking at me with great interest. If they made light of me here, it would affect them later. No less than compared to Mrs. Miriam. Oh, it would be very helpful if they were all as perceptive as Michelle. Anyway, I don¡¯t really care about insignificant people. I¡¯ll probably never get involved with them again anyway. I closed my fan with a nice pop and fiddled with it with my hand. ¡°Elise-san, even if you¡¯re a bit witless, there are some things you can say and can not say. I¡¯m Risha Lindbeld, second daughter of Count Verdigo, who is officially married to my husband. What did you just say to me? A mere housemaid? Did you all hear that? If you associate me with such a person¡­then it would appear that we are all of the same kind here. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± A buzz erupted around me. Yeah, I understand. They all knew what I looked like before. Thus, after being cleaned by a maid with divine hands and wearing a wonderfully costly dress, even an inferior person could become a Goddess. Oh-ho-ho-ho. ¡°W-What do you mean¨D¨D¡­¡­¡± ¡°Truly, I have to admit I¡¯m a bit surprised to hear such a thing from a being who is sitting here clinging to mercy. But this time is just right, don¡¯t you agree? There are single men here, and I can arrange a marriage for you. Since the Duchess is going to the trouble of arranging your marriage, of course, you wouldn¡¯t refuse, right? I¡¯m positive my husband will be very pleased.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! You, a mere servant, are going to fight me?! What¡¯s more, your thin veneer of etiquette is really unbearable to watch¡­I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you all. Please get out of here this instant!¡± Eh? Seriously? I wondered why she still didn¡¯t believe me even after saying so much. What should I do next? I¡¯d like to take a peek inside her head, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s got a dreamy brain like a flower garden. I can¡¯t stand this kind of thing. My husband is just as terrible. Why didn¡¯t he tell me she was this bad? And, thin veneer. You¡¯re right, but at least I tried very hard to get Ragnard¡¯s approval, you know? It was very hard work, you know? So don¡¯t blame me for getting a little annoyed somehow. ¡°Elise-san, if my manners are unbearable to watch, then your very existence is unbearable to look at. You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about if you think my manners are far inferior to yours. And that dress. It¡¯s so vulgar it resembles something a pr*stitute would wear, which makes me question your taste. Right, Michelle-san?¡± I asked Miss Michelle, who was still standing behind me. I understand that as aristocrats, they were supposed to get close to influential people, but in reality, Miss Michelle didn¡¯t have to. She was already leading one major faction. At the moment, I can say for sure that it was unnecessary for her to join forces with this little guy. It goes without saying that people should pay attention to the host of the tea party, but it is natural for them to pay more attention to their superiors. ¡°Yes, I think so, too. Your Grace, Elise-san may be a bit conceited, but she is a Viscountess¡¯s daughter. She probably can¡¯t help dreaming. It is also the duty of the higher-ups to guide such people to the right path.¡± Indeed. In short, I have no intention of getting along with Elise, and I¡¯ve come here to make sure she knows who I am. Let¡¯s put it that way. ¡°Michelle, you!¡± ¡°Elise-san, how can you, a mere Viscountess¡¯s daughter with no assets or backing, call out Michelle-san, a Marquis¡¯s daughter? It seems that you don¡¯t understand the differences in status. After spending time at the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s mansion, did you think you were the daughter of the Duke?¡± I really don¡¯t want to bother with a conceited fool. Miss Michelle was also astounded. I felt sorry for dragging her into this. CH 1.19 ¡°I¡¯d better get you out of the Duke¡¯s house sooner rather than later. Your hostile act of doing whatever you please in the name of the Duke of Lindbeld and disgracing this name is worthy of death. Since I have taken the trouble to find you a marriage partner, you should consider this a generous punishment.¡± I really could have taken you to court for the so-called defamation, you know? I¡¯m confident that I will win. I¡¯m sure I can win. The court will definitely give the Duchess of Lindbeld the benefit of the doubt. That way, you¡¯ll live in a monastery for the rest of your life at best, and at worst, you¡¯ll live in prison. I don¡¯t care for either, but I think you should get married. ¡°Anyone? Do we have any candidates? If there are any, I¡¯ll make sure you get a proper dowry from the Duke of Lindbeld.¡± Although I led them to believe that Elise had the backing of the Duke of Lindbeld, the truth was good riddance. The marriage might sound beneficial, but it wasn¡¯t at all. On the contrary, it was only harmful. Unfortunately, those who idly attended this tea party have gone out of luck. The men quickly turned their heads, looking pale. Elise was already past marriageable age, but she was a beautiful woman, so I thought they¡¯d have a good time. Elise could also be treated as an accessory to be carried around. ¡°My, we¡¯re in trouble¡­I thought there might be one of you ¨D¨D¡­You don¡¯t get to show off much, do you, Elise-san? But I¡¯ve talked it over with my husband so that we can be prepared for this. We¡¯ve already approached someone and he¡¯s very satisfied.¡± Having suffered so much mocking, Elise trembled. She was furious. Despite having such an attractive face, men would have been turned off in an instant. Look, take a look at her. Was she frightened? ¨D¨D Or was it me she was scared of? Either way, it didn¡¯t matter. So far, it was a travesty. All the same, I argued that it would be a pity to force this faulty being on the young people who have bright futures, and so it was cancelled. My husband took my argument to heart and arranged another marriage. ¡°He¡¯s a little older than you, but also at an ideal age. I think it¡¯s a good balance. It¡¯s Count Gersh, owner of the mining city in the north. He had recently separated from his fourth wife and was looking for a new one. He was very pleased when I told him what you look like.¡± With those words, not only Elise but also the invited ladies paled. Count Gersh was a rich aristocrat who owned a mining town, but he looked like a reptile, and he had many mistresses. He was already over 40 years old and had a son who resembled the Count as his heir. Rumors have it that both of them have special s*xual proclivities, and they both would love his future wife. Good for you, Elise. You¡¯ll be adored by young men. I¡¯d absolutely detest that, though. ¡°WH-WHAT? No, this can¡¯t be right! Claude-sama would never send me to such a man! And I¡¯m sure Andres-sama would be against it!¡± ¡°Well, I did my best to find him with my husband. Hahaha, don¡¯t get so excited. Of course, Father-in-law gave his permission. See?¡± I took out a letter from my long sleeve and threw it to Elise. She took it from me and read it, her face draining of color. I¡¯m glad you finally understood the reality. Impossible, Andre-sama ¨D¨D she muttered in disbelief. I left Elise alone and clapped my hands together and smiled as if I was embarrassed, addressing other ladies who were invited to the tea party. ¡°My apologies. I shouldn¡¯t have singled out Elise-san for special treatment. I must arrange good matches for you¡­since you and Elise-san are such good friends. After all, it¡¯s better to marry amicably, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°U-erm, that ¨D¨D! We can¡¯t bother Your Grace with our affairs!¡± ¡°Y-Yes! Exactly. We¡¯ll take care of our own affairs.¡± When they found out about Elise¡¯s marriage partner, they all declined verbally. Oh, I see. You don¡¯t want to get married yet? You¡¯re all so young. But I haven¡¯t forgotten. I haven¡¯t forgotten how you and Elise used to make fun of me. I¡¯ll let you off the hook for now, though. ¡°Well, good luck to all of you. I hope you find a good man.¡± Finally, as I looked at the girls with the Goddess smile according to Ragnard, I saw my husband approaching from afar with strides. You¡¯re too late! He definitely deliberately showed up when everything was finished. ¡°Are you done?¡± I glanced sideways at the person who questioned so leisurely. My husband approached me and gave me a peck on the cheek as if to show everyone that I was his beloved wife. For a second there, I had an urge to knock him down with the fan in my hand, but I restrained myself. You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m so patient, Husband. That look on your face was of conviction of the status quo! ¡°C-Claude-sama!¡± Elise clung to my husband as if he was her last hope. But my husband shot Elise with ruthless words. ¡°Elise, you¡¯ll be picked up later today. Go back to your room and get ready as soon as possible. Oh, I¡¯ve received a reply that Mrs. Miriam can accompany you as your attendant. Good for you. You won¡¯t have to leave your mother ¨D¨D Take her to her room. Keep an eye on her until someone comes for her, and never let her an inch out of the house.¡± He ordered the manservants, and they left supporting Elise. Speaking of which, I heard that Mrs. Miriam was already pushed to her way into Elise¡¯s room. My husband really planned to get rid of both of them once and for all. Fortunately, Mrs. Miriam was beautiful too. Thanks to her, they took her in. My stepmother was also a beautiful woman, but she¡¯s a shadow of her former self, and I admire people who never give up making efforts. ¡°Speaking of which, what on earth is this gathering all about?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s a private tea party with some good friends, and I¡¯m glad she¡¯s able to say her goodbyes to them before she heads north to get married!¡± I should reiterate that this gathering was not hosted by the Duke of Lindbeld. And didn¡¯t forget to threaten them that if they were to say something bad, they¡¯d be next. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Elise has suddenly decided to get married, so may I ask you to leave today? Oh, yes, Miss Michelle, please come and visit us sometime.¡± At any rate, I wanted to have a proper talk with her. She gave up her seat for me, and I felt sorry for making her stand ever since. She was very perceptive and I believed I would like her very much. ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Your Grace.¡± Miss Michelle smiled winningly, bowed to me and my husband, and went home. Then, following Miss Michelle¡¯s lead, everyone greeted each other with excuses and left. They were utterly scared. Most of them were older than me, though. CH 1.20 ¡°Did you scare them too much?¡± I didn¡¯t mean to, though. You see, I was smiling and laughing the whole time, wasn¡¯t I? My husband snickered at me and sat down on the chair next to me. ¡°So, are you really not going to do anything?¡± ¡°Who knows? What do you think? There are times when misfortunes come in pairs, so I can¡¯t say anything about it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite right.¡± Husband didn¡¯t ask me if I was interested in anything more than that. But yes, maybe when the family business suddenly went bankrupt, or suffered an unfortunate investment loss, ¨D¨D You never know how life would turn out. That was exactly what happened to me when I married the Duke of Lindbeld. ¡°By the way, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve convinced him. I hope he likes his new home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy to do it. It¡¯s just right for someone who always wanted to control everything.¡± When I was facing Elise at the tea party, my husband was confronting Rockdell. I had no idea what they talked about, but he introduced Rockdell to his new workplace. His new destination was the Count of Verdigo¡¯s family. Currently, there was a successor to Ragnard in the Count of Verdigo¡¯s family, but he was from the current Count¡¯s father¡¯s side and never asked Ragnard to teach him. Of course, Ragnard didn¡¯t want to teach someone with such a character. When Ragnato quit, he was all too happy that he could finally do as he pleased. However, reality hit him. The two people who had been working for him had left, and he¡¯d been overwhelmed with a lot of unfamiliar work, so he couldn¡¯t seem to steer the ship. Ragnard received a letter from the top saying that they could rehire him under him, but Ragnard had already transferred completely to my husband. Instead, Ragnard introduced Rockdell to them, thinking that it was just Rockdell, who had a desire to control everything with his own hands, was just right for the job. Rockdell also accepted the offer, thinking it would be better than ending up like this. But was everything really alright? I couldn¡¯t believe that a former chief steward, who was well versed in the affairs of the Lindbeld duchy, was introduced to another nobleman. ¡°It¡¯s not like he knows much. He was educated with my father in the first place, so that¡¯s about it. Even if he can do the job, he can only do a few things, and he hasn¡¯t been educated in the deeper aspects of the Lindbeld dukedom.¡± What a dismal evaluation. My husband¡¯s grandfather, who gave up on my father-in-law early on, naturally provided only a modest education to the butler who assisted him. Of course, he could have raised and trained Rockdell well, but his grandfather reckoned that his character was too dangerous. And unfortunately, he was the only one in the family of butlers who could be the successor of the previous butler back then. It was really a tough time for them due to the lack of human resources. As a matter of fact, the Duke¡¯s domain was the one that suffered the most from the epidemic at that time. Many of the best talents were sent to various places and ended up losing their lives in the process. Those who survived were also sent to the imperial court, starting with the most talented. As a result, there was a shortage of human resources in various positions. Assigning an incompetent person in the position of the chief steward was foolish. For this reason, teaching Rockdell was kept at a minimum, and a lot of things were put on the back burner, waiting for the time when my husband could take his place and choose someone worthy. That must have been a lot of work, eh, Husband? He was doing a job that was left to posterity. ¡°That¡¯s why an experienced butler who can do the job is greatly appreciated¡­I¡¯d like to thank you for introducing me to Ragnard.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ve always wanted an ally too.¡± I know exactly who my enemy is, you know? ¡°Come on, don¡¯t say that.¡± My husband tugged at me without warning, and I wobbled toward him. With a thud, I collapsed into his chest and was trapped in his arms. When I looked up to question what he was up to, I saw a mischievous smile on his face. I felt an ominous premonition, but it was too late. My husband¡¯s beautiful face loomed over me. I couldn¡¯t even resist, when he kissed me. I went rigid from head to toe, but I couldn¡¯t do anything because of the hug. On top of that, my stance was unfavorable. I was pulled out of my chair, so my knees were on the ground. I couldn¡¯t do anything when I was trapped from above. ¡°Nng! Wh¨D¨D!¡± The moment my lips were released, I screamed in protest, but they were sealed again, and this time something slimy entered me. ¡°Haa! Nnn!!¡± My husband¡¯s unrelenting kisses, for the first time, threw me for a loop, and I gradually lost my senses. Before I completely lost consciousness, my husband let me go, but I lost all strength and could not stand straight. He picked me up in his arms and sat me on his lap. I was left to my own devices, and in a daze, I rested my head on my husband¡¯s chest. ¡°You look your age when you do that.¡± I glared at my chuckling husband, but he licked away the tears that had welled up in the corners of my eyes. ¡°What the heck are you doing?!!¡± ¡°Ragnard advised us to do it when we were alone, so I did. Madam? But still, your reaction is so artless, it makes me intrigued¡­I lied about what I said at the time, but I think I understand why my father is so enamored with young women.¡± Innocent¡­ shut up, it was my very first time! Please take responsibility as a gentleman for kissing a maiden without her permission! ¨D¨D No, you don¡¯t have to take responsibility, just give me some consolation fee! From the onset, as I have said many times before, we are not in this kind of relationship! If you¡¯re frustrated, please take your frustration elsewhere. My husband didn¡¯t give a damn about my glares and instead incorrigibly kissed my temples. ¡°Alright, keep up the good work, Risha.¡± Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Mister. I don¡¯t want anything like this to ever happen again! And please, raise my living standards to a decent level! Especially food! T/N: Tsk, why do I feel like this is going downhill??? I really liked the start¡­Risha should just shout her inner musings CH 2.01 The person in front of me is His Grace Duke Claude Lindbeld, the current head of the Lindbeld family. His deep crimson hair and eyes of the same color were like the finest rubies, and even though he looks passionate, he has a cold personality. No, that¡¯s not right. His true nature is that of a con man, a black-hearted devil, and the worst kind of man with an extremely twisted personality. He has an undisputedly beautiful and well-defined face, and his physique is toned and attractive, which is why the ladies of the world are pining for him, but I don¡¯t agree with them at all. Such a ridiculously beautiful man got married about two months ago. The person he married was, after all, me. Yes, yes, I still remember that day. And the damage it caused. By the way, he is currently my top imaginary enemy. Anyway, he is a black-hearted devil of a man. He distorted what he had said round and round, and forced me to do what he called my duty, and still tried to make me move to his convenience. Mmm, but there was no threat to my life anymore! I mean, I don¡¯t have to listen to this guy! I thought so some time ago. Now I am on the verge of collapse. It all started just a few minutes ago. ¡°Hey, Lil.¡± ¡°Yes, Risha-sama?¡± ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tea time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s tea time¡­ So, what¡¯s this?¡± Yes, there are basically two tea times in the routine of a typical noblewoman. Sipping tea elegantly and lazing away the hours. Once between breakfast and lunch, and once between lunch and dinner, two times in total. Sometimes I¡¯d be invited to a social tea party instead of lunch, so I sometimes have lunch and tea there. In other words, tea is a noblewoman¡¯s habit. And there are always tea cakes to accompany the tea. Yes, tea cakes! Sweet stuff! ¡°That¡¯s a document, I think?¡± ¡°It is! I¡¯m wondering why this is brought instead of tea. Why aren¡¯t there any? Something sweet!¡± ¡°Actually, Risha-sama, Ragnard-sama has strictly ordered us not to serve any sweets.¡± Lil said in a troubled tone. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± Indeed. Ragnard is definitely on to something. I left my troublesome duties behind and asked Lil to call Ragnard. All I want is three meals and a nap; my definition of a depraved life! ¨D¨D Why does everyone want me to work when I¡¯ve already told my husband that? I really wish I didn¡¯t have to. While I was drinking tea grumpily, Ragnard and somehow my husband came over. In an instant, an ominous premonition struck me. A ruthless black-hearted man is a man with a twisted personality who interprets people¡¯s words to suit his own needs. ¡°Nice breeze, Risha.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no wind now, is there?¡± Just as I retorted, a cool breeze blew. Hey, there, wind! Read the air, the air! Why is even nature on my husband¡¯s side! My husband props his elbows on the table and smiles at me. It¡¯s not a kind, compassionate smile. It¡¯s a pitch-black, scheming smile. ¡°Can I have a cup of tea too, Ragnard?¡± ¡°Very well, My Lord.¡± Ragnard pours tea from the teapot that had been prepared for me superbly. My maids are watching him. It¡¯s strange how the same tea leaves and the same teapot can taste different depending on how it¡¯s brewed. By the way, Ragnard is the best at making tea so far. The next best is Lil. Layla, who graduated from an institute top of her class in practical skills, is still not as experienced as Lil. On another note, Lina is not quite there yet. I¡¯m used to Ragnard¡¯s taste, so my assessment may sound harsh. If it were normal, they would have passed with satisfactory scores. ¡°What exactly is it you want?¡± I don¡¯t really have any business with you at all, Mister. If you have time to drink a cup of tea with your long legs crossed in a showy manner, you¡¯d better bury yourself in your papers. ¡°¨D¨DIt¡¯s delicious. But drinking a good tea like this makes me want to eat something.¡± My ears perked up. ¡°Do you want me to prepare something for you?¡± ¡°Sort of¡­but I¡¯d feel sorry for you, who can¡¯t eat. So, I¡¯ll just keep my weight down here.¡± Yeaaaaah???!!! What was that?! My temples throbbed. I feel like my patience with my husband is completely exhausted. ¡°What do you mean?¡± When I opened my mouth while suppressing my anger, my husband chuckled. Of course, it¡¯s a nasty smile. ¡°It means, of course, that the contract I signed before our marriage did not include sweets ¨D¨D as a condition.¡± Hahaha, I knew you would say that! But I was just naive, wasn¡¯t I? I¡¯ve been trying to figure out some countermeasures! ¡°Well, then it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Nothing showed on my face, and I quietly agreed instead. Hmph, you won¡¯t always get the best of me. I realized it long ago. You¡¯re deplorable, Husband! ¡°Oh, speaking of which, it¡¯s no use asking Diego. One more thing, I¡¯ve already confiscated the snacks you hid in your room.¡± ¡°¡­Husband, do you know how impolite it is to enter your wife¡¯s room without permission?¡± ¡°I did not enter. I only ordered the maidservant through Ragnard.¡± Right. Hey you, traitors! What do you mean? When I looked at the three maids, they all answered with a smile. What the hell? You¡¯re not on my side, either? Where the hell are my allies? And I¡¯m sorry, Diego. It looks like it was my fault that you didn¡¯t have a vacation. I¡¯m a worthless woman who can¡¯t even protect her only ally. ¡°Well, Madam, what do you have to say for yourself?¡± ¡°¡­Husband, don¡¯t you think we need to talk about our contract a little more?¡± ¡°Right you are. I think so too.¡± I hate you. Why did I ever agree to marry this man? At the time, I thought it was for the best, but now, all I can think is that I had actually tied myself to the worst man. ¡°Ragnard, do you have the contract ready?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ragnard quickly produced a formal contract. I¡¯ve told you many times, Ragnard! I¡¯m your former master! ¡°Alright, Risha, let¡¯s go over our terms with each other, shall we?¡± I have to get into the spirit of this. I mean, wait a minute! I¡¯m at an overwhelming disadvantage when Ragnard and my husband are teaming up! Take it a little easy on me, Husband! Ku~hu~hu! It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this when we got married!! CH 2.02 ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point. We don¡¯t have time for each other.¡± Yes, we do. I¡¯m supposed to be free, aren¡¯t I? Because of someone else, I¡¯ve been working more and more. Oh, it¡¯s not work, it¡¯s duty, no? ¡°As I recall, you guaranteed me a minimum standard of living, didn¡¯t you? Unless I¡¯m mistaken, I thought after the last incident, I was reduced to the minimum standard of living for a noblewoman.¡± Yes, we negotiated repeatedly, and sometimes I used a bit of my health to stand firm. As a result, I was given the minimum standard of living for a noblewoman. Ragnard took my side on this and promised to improve my personal care and diet. The food had definitely improved, and now I ate three meals a day with my husband. I wondered what had happened to his work space at the villa, but he said he was feeling so comfortable that he came back here. He had a nice office to begin with, and was more comfortable here than in the villa. There were times when he didn¡¯t have to drop by the Royal Palace for work, but those times were the best. I wanted to send him off and tell him that he didn¡¯t have to be here all the time. The saying that a healthy husband is best out of the house was so true! I digressed; anyway, the minimum lifestyle of a noblewoman included tea time! ¡°Tea time is to be strictly observed. And the tea cakes that accompany tea are also within the scope of duty.¡± ¡°Risha, I realize now that you are a sheltered girl.¡± Eh, are you making fun of me? ¡°Do you know what life is like for the lowest class of nobles?¡± D-Don¡¯t tell me ¨D¨D¡­¡­ ¡°The term ¡®noblewoman¡¯ is broadly defined. I focused on the lowest class of noblewomen, but still, your treatment is more than enough, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Ho-h-hold on! I¡¯m fulfilling my duties as Duchess!¡± Look, housekeeping and housekeeping, and I don¡¯t know why I sometimes do the work of the head of the family! ¡°That is, it is the minimum obligation for a noblewoman to live a minimum lifestyle. Right, Ragnard?¡± ¡°Right, Sir.¡± Whoa! Why is that so? Is it me who just doesn¡¯t understand? I was on the verge of defeat, thinking that no matter what I said, I had no chance. ¡°Well, but I¡¯m not that much of an ogre either. If you want to eat tea sweets so badly, you should join or host a tea party ¨D¨D don¡¯t you think?¡± Heh, I absolutely hate it. Socializing was the most troublesome duty. ¡°So, if you attend one tea party, I guarantee you tea cakes for a month. If you hold a tea party ¨D¨D I promise you six months. Plus, if you attend a tea party hosted by the Royal Family, I guarantee you a year.¡± Oh, so that¡¯s what¡¯s coming? But Husband, do you really think I¡¯m going to attend a tea party hosted by the Royal Family? To a tea party where a nasty Royal Highness would be waiting for me? If I had common sense, I wouldn¡¯t go. Well, no one with common sense would turn down a tea party hosted by the Royal Family. I¡¯m not common, so I have a choice not to go. As I was pondering this, my husband continued. ¡°There is another proposal that will guarantee you the full lifestyle as my Duchess.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I jumped on it immediately. But then, I regretted it almost immediately. Because my husband¡¯s expression was that of a villain. He said, with the corners of his mouth turned up. ¡°To spend the night with me, to have a child with me.¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± I rejected him instantly. Of course, as a Duchess, I knew it was better to have children, but I was afraid of him. Fear of what he might do? Something like that. Because he was very familiar with women, but I was a greenhorn. Moreover, I didn¡¯t trust him. I didn¡¯t know how serious he was about what he just said, but I felt like he was playing with me more than half the time when he shrugged his shoulders in disappointment. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Actually, when I thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem so bad. If I attended a tea party or held a tea party, I¡¯d be guaranteed tea sweets for a limited time. It was a hassle to organize, but if I¡¯d rather attend, I could just do it once a month and that was about it. Besides, Husband didn¡¯t say anything about the scale of the tea party, and it looked like¡­he was up to something. After what happened some time ago, Miss Michelle had invited me to a tea party, and it might be just the thing. ¡°Fine, but for the time being, let¡¯s just say I¡¯ll go socializing for my tea sweets.¡± After all, sweets are important nutrients for women. Without it, life would be colorless. ¡°May I ask, is the tea party limited to women only?¡± Well, a basic tea party is mainly for women, but it¡¯s no problem to invite men just like Elise¡¯s tea party a while ago. In fact, a large-scale daytime social gathering may be called a tea party, but the content may be comparable to a nighttime social event. As you might expect, such a large-scale event is not often held, and I have no intention of going. I don¡¯t want to host one either. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind men at women¡¯s tea parties, but I don¡¯t approve of you being alone with men.¡± ¡°I know. I would never engage in such public questionable behavior.¡± That¡¯s common sense, Husband. ¡°What are your other conditions?¡± That being said, it¡¯s not a good idea to decide this or that without preparation. Why don¡¯t you give me some time to think about it? ¡°Husband, honestly, I don¡¯t have much time to think of anything right now. When something happens, why don¡¯t we renew the contract then and there? Something may crop up, even for you, later on, yeah?¡± If everything¡¯s tightly decided now, I might fall into something without escape. That¡¯s a problem. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, the latter idea is the easiest.¡± ¡°Let me remind you, it was you who said I don¡¯t have to bear children.¡± ¡°I did, but there are plenty of ways to avoid having children.¡± ¡°What? I don¡¯t understand. If you don¡¯t want to have children, why do you need to spend the night with me?¡± If we¡¯re not going to have kids, why do I have to spend the night with him? That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. ¡°You really look like you don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Yes, I don¡¯t understand at all. For some reason, Ragnard looked at my husband with troubled eyes, and he gave Ragnard a questioning look in return. ¡°Still a child ¨D¨D I see what you mean¡­¡± ¡°My apologies. This kind of thing is really something I can¡¯t¨D¨D¡­¡­¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped¡­Did you find anyone suitable?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re expecting the person here by the end of the week.¡± I¡¯m lost. They¡¯re in that mutual understanding mood again. In the midst of this alienating feeling of being left out, I asked the maidservants if they knew what they were talking about, and all three of them looked at my husband sympathetically for some reason. Huh? Why does this look like I¡¯m the bad guy here? CH 2.03 The weather is beautiful; what a perfect day for a tea party! Today¡¯s guest of honor is a young lady wearing a light blue dress that matched the crisp blue sky. Her black hair and dark eyes give her a winning look, and her slightly upturned eyes give off a strong impression. She is 19 years old, two years older than me, and the same age as Her Royal Highness, but I don¡¯t think she has the same caustic personality as Her Royal Highness. Her father was awarded the title of Marquis, and you can tell just by talking to her a little that she is making the effort to live up to it. You can see it in her manners, too. Yes, she is the Michelle of the Marquis of Andrette, who had attended the tea party that Elise hosted at my house a while ago. As she was leaving, we bade each other goodbye and extended invitations to each other. In fact, I even received a letter from her inviting me. But this time, I decided to invite her. You know what I mean, right? Because once I hold a tea party, I don¡¯t have to do anything for six months, right? I thought it would be a hassle, but my husband didn¡¯t say anything about the scale of the event. So you see, two women getting together makes a great tea party. No matter what anyone says. ¡°But it¡¯s really a wonderful garden. You can feel the history in the pavilion.¡± I guess so. They spend a lot of money maintaining it, and this pavilion was built by a duke a long time ago for his wife. It¡¯s natural to feel the history. Or rather, you¡¯ve studied very well. You seem to know a lot about this pavilion. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve never been to a tea party at the Duke¡¯s mansion before, given your age. Or I should say, there was no tea party for Elise the other day. ¡°Everything about the Duke¡¯s residence is wonderful.¡± ¡°Yes, I think so too.¡± We are still cautiously talking to each other. I hope we can be friends, but I¡¯m not sure. Our conversation over a leisurely cup of tea was bland. I¡¯m not very socially active, so whatever Miss Michelle says sounds so valuable and fresh. We each drank a cup of tea and ate some light sweet pastries. Ah, delicious! While I¡¯m gobbling up the sweet treats that I have been deprived of during tea time lately, without being vulgar, Michelle empties her cup and pours me the next cup of tea. Ah, then our subject changed somehow. Sensing such an atmosphere, I straightened my posture. ¡°How well does Your Grace know me?¡± ¡°How well¡­do I know you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m referring to my position in social circles.¡± I see. I only know a little bit about it, and her faction is the so-called Anti-princess faction. It¡¯s not that the Marquis of Andrette is anti-royalist. Rather, he¡¯s more of a neutral faction. As you may have guessed, the faction is because of the Princess¡¯s character. She was born as the youngest daughter. As a result, she grew up adored and pampered by people around her. You should know what happens when someone is raised that way, right? She¡¯s also powerful and beautiful, so she must be full of herself, right? To begin with, if you think about Her Royal Highness¡¯s character, which was the reason why my husband avoided marrying her, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s more than a little difficult. From what I¡¯ve heard, I don¡¯t want to get close to her. To make matters worse, I¡¯m now the person Her Royal Highness considers the most detestable, so I refuse all tea parties and evening social gatherings that Her Royal Highness might attend. Well, basically, I¡¯m refusing everything. Anyway, Her Royal Highness is such a harsh person. Miss Michelle is protecting young ladies who were unjustly targeted by Her Highness and is protecting them within her own faction. What a philanthropist. That wonderful spirit makes me think that Miss Michelle is actually a Goddess. But why would Miss Michelle, a neutral faction, be doing that? I also assumed that the main reason was that the Neutral faction¡¯s daughter was the main target. The reason why the Neutral faction is targeted is because the anti-royalist faction is basically a group of rising nobles, so they are small in scale. However, they have a lot of money, so it would be troublesome if they were to become full-fledged enemies. Her Royal Highness seems to be well aware of this, and doesn¡¯t bother them unless there is a serious problem. But once in a while, the ego bug gets the better of her, and she wants to take it out on someone, and the neutral party was just the right target. If Her Royal Highness targets a high-ranking lady, there is a possibility that the neutral one will become an anti-royalist, so she always targets only those who seem to be in a weak position. And the one who is protecting such targets is Miss Michelle. Then, from that standpoint, Miss Michelle would be the anti-princess faction. Recently, she¡¯s been regarded as a neutral party that¡¯s closer to the rising nobles. However, Miss Michelle has no such intentions. He even told Her Royal Highness about it. She wants to refrain from doing so. But the Princess seemed to think that neutrals were also a kind of enemy, so she didn¡¯t take it well at all. ¡°The reason you approached Elise-san was to protect her from Her Royal Highness, am I right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of it. In addition to that, I also considered that perhaps we can receive the protection of the Duke of Lindbeld.¡± What an honest girl. With the protection of the Duke of Lindbeld, even Her Royal Highness can¡¯t do anything about them. The Lindbeld clan, who are said to be the most loyal of loyal vassals, are related to the royal family. Rumor has it that even the Emperor can¡¯t raise his head in front of my husband. Speaking of which, which faction does the Duke of Lindbeld belong to? If you ask, the correct answer is that they don¡¯t belong to any faction because the scale of their influence is too large. What need is there for factions when a clan can even have an opinion on the royal family? ¡°Did you approach me because you want the protection of the Duke of Lindbeld?¡± ¡°I would like to have the protection of the Duke of Lindbeld, but Your Grace does not seem to be very fond of socializing, so I won¡¯t force you.¡± In short, you want me to join your faction and protect you. Hmmm¡­I¡¯m feeling a little guilty. This is because Miss Michelle¡¯s faction is suffering because I, Her Royal Highness¡¯s archenemy, do not go out to socialize. The cause of their rough patch is also my husband¡¯s marriage. I think it¡¯s because the person he married was exactly beneath Her Royal Highness¡¯s eyes. If I was another country¡¯s royalty or something like that, she¡¯d probably put up with it¡­she would, right? Absolutely¡­ Sigh~ I feel like I should help with this at least a little bit. It¡¯s not all my fault, but I¡¯m a bit of the cause. Moreover, the world of women is scary¡­ I heaved a sigh and proposed. ¡°Um¡­Should I attend a tea party hosted by the Royal Family at least once?¡± My appearance would deflect some of Her Royal Highness¡¯s hostility. If I take my husband with me, I can use him as a shield! Perhaps. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Miss Michelle hesitantly asked. It isn¡¯t advisable, but there¡¯s no other way. It was one of those nuisances that my husband had mentioned, and to be honest, I would rather manage something like this spontaneously than deal with Mrs. Miriam. Because it was something that I was more or less involved in. ¡°I believe there¡¯s one coming up, is there?¡± I also received an invitation. I was going to turn it down with a good excuse. By the way, there was one for my husband as well. ¡°Yes, what then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking the sooner we start moving, the better.¡± The truth of the matter is that you should finish what you dislike first. Michelle seemed relieved, and I was happy to be of help, even if small as it may be. CH 2.04 ¡°That¡¯s why you should also help, Husband.¡± In my husband¡¯s office, I told him the outline of my tea party with Miss Michelle and sought his cooperation. When I handed him the invitation to the tea party, he fiddled with it with his hand, while I prepared myself for the conditions that I would definitely have to meet. Against all odds, he nodded so easily. ¡°I have work to do at the Royal Palace that day. I¡¯m sure I can make an appearance for a while.¡± If possible, I wanted you to be there from the beginning to the end. There¡¯s a big difference between having a shield and not having a shield. However, he had a job to do, so I held back. If I complain here and then he decides not to go, I would be in the most trouble. But it¡¯s strange. This is unusual for my husband. Normally, he would definitely ask something in exchange. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Set your expression right.¡± Because I was looking at him quizzically, Husband¡¯s eyebrows drew closer. It can¡¯t be helped, right? I don¡¯t trust you, Husband. ¡°So? How did things go with Miss Andrette?¡± While I was gazing at him reading the invitation for the tea party, he suddenly asked me about Miss Michelle. What about Miss Michelle? ¡°How can I say it? She seemed relieved, perhaps?¡± I remembered Miss Michelle¡¯s face at the tea party, and she looked a little tired. She must have been the most nervous person of the day when we were talking about that matter. She looked quite troubled. ¡°And?¡± ¡­And? Um¡­What is it you want to ask me? ¡°Did you get along better?¡± I couldn¡¯t get his point, so Husband asked me. ¡°Get¡­along? Well, we got along better, I guess.¡± At least we¡¯ve gone from strangers to acquaintances. Besides, it looks like I¡¯ll be joining Miss Michelle¡¯s faction for a change. That¡¯s ¨D¨D Ahh! ¡°Was I imprudent, perhaps?¡± The Lindbeld duchy didn¡¯t belong to any faction. But I dare say, neutral. However, they do not support any faction, because doing so would upset the balance of the factions in many ways. In other words, a situation where the duchy is leading a faction is undesirable. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. The people around won¡¯t think you¡¯re beholden to a faction. In the first place, Her Royal Highness¡¯ attitude doesn¡¯t represent the royal family.¡± The adults around Her Royal Highness were at fault for leaving her to her own devices, but others were suffering the damage! You¡¯re a relative of the royal family there, right, Husband? You know that you are also the cause of the problem, don¡¯t you? ¡°By the way, since I¡¯m going to participate in a tea party hosted by the royal family, you have to keep your word, okay? And of course, there¡¯s also for the tea party I hosted today, no?¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s about the tea sweets, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yes, yes, that¡¯s it! To be honest, it¡¯s depressing to attend a tea party that only smells of trouble and nuisance, but those sweets make me do my best! ¡°This is the most enthusiastic you¡¯ve ever been, do you know?¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s for sure! Husband, you should do more research on the position of sweets for women.¡± ¡°I see.¡± My husband chuckled wryly. I can¡¯t point it out, but he¡¯s different from usual today. I feel like he¡¯s being kind to me. No, I shouldn¡¯t let my guard down. By the way, someone once told me. When a husband who is always cold suddenly becomes kind, it¡¯s because he¡¯s hiding something. And most of the time, the problem is related to cheating! In an instant, I remembered my husband asking about Miss Michelle from earlier. He asked me how we got along¡­Does Husband perhaps like to welcome Miss Michelle? And Miss Michelle had also been examining my reactions. O-Oh? What if this could be it? In our country, monogamy is practiced, but in order to leave an heir, a mistress is sometimes welcomed. Speaking of which, my Verdigo family is similar to this. Well, rarely do mistresses become full-fledged legal wives. Husband told me that I didn¡¯t have to bear children. And the other day, I expressed my desire not to. So, in order to leave an heir, does he want to bring in someone from¡­ But, I said from the start that it was fine. Was he just being considerate? And if it¡¯s Miss Michelle, I¡¯m all for it. Nevertheless, would the Marquis of Andrette really offer his daughter, even to the Duke of Lindbeld, as a mistress? I¡¯m not sure. Could it be that my husband holds a threat against the Marquis of Andrette? Or is it something political? But if that¡¯s the case, maybe that¡¯s why he wanted me to lead the faction. It would be strange for the world to see his legal wife join the faction of his mistress. Besides, the weaker her position is, the more he has to protect her. He has to show Her Royal Highness the prestige of the Duke of Lindbeld and shut her up. Yeah, it¡¯s kind of outlandish, but it seems to make sense¡­ Should I ask or keep quiet? I mean, there¡¯s always the future. But, is it normal to broach this kind of subject? Should I say that I¡¯m in favor of him having a mistress? Or should I be more flexible¨D¨D¡­¡­ ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by my husband. I wondered what I should do, but I decided to ask him properly. ¡°Husband, are you thinking of taking Miss Michelle as your mistress or something like that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know, you¡¯ve been asking me a lot of questions about Miss Michelle, such as how she was, if we got along, and even if she would join the tea party without condition, which is unthinkable for the usual you.¡± Just as I said this, my husband sat down and looked at me with an even more terrifying expression on his face than usual. As I expected, the power of his gaze made me take a step back. ¡°So, that¡¯s how you took it¡­That¡¯s interesting to know. I said that purely out of courtesy and worry that your first tea party as Duchess might not have gone well ¨D¨D¡­Yet, that was what you thought of it?¡± My husband rose slowly from his chair and sauntered toward me. The backlight from the sun in the west, pouring in through the windows fueled my fright. H-Heee! I-I¡¯m scared! ¡°As I thought, we should proceed as usual.¡± ¡°Huh? Huuuhh? Kyaaah!¡± I was easily repositioned and was pushed down onto his desk. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, being gentle can make a couple closer. I tried to follow that advice, but it obviously has the opposite effect.¡± Just a minute! That¡¯s for you to say, Husband! Do you know that it¡¯s useless to suddenly do such a thing toward someone with zero trust? ¡°And I must make sure to teach you never to think again of that ridiculous notion, tying me to a horrible affair with Miss Andrette.¡± Is she really mad at me? He¡¯s so serious that even I can tell he¡¯s really furious at me! I just said something a little misguided, so why is that?!!! CH 2.05 ¡°Please wait! Just a minute!¡± I desperately appealed. ¡°Um, I just misunderstood! I believe that Husband would never do such an unjust thing after only two months!¡± ¡°How can you think that way if you believe it?¡± ¡°W-We-Well, erm¡­I was kidding ¨D¨D I think?¡± Ahahaha, I grinned, and my husband gave up with a deep sigh. Hey, I¡¯m the one who wants to heave a sigh! ¡°That¡¯s not funny at all. In fact, it gives me goosebumps.¡± Huh? That far? But his face was seriously distorted. Even I could tell that he was indeed uncomfortable with it. But Miss Michelle was very beautiful. It never occurred to me that he¡¯d be that uncomfortable with the thought. Or was it that he didn¡¯t like her? Well, people have different tastes, but saying that it was impossible, and that Miss Michelle gave him goosebumps was abnormal. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Miss Michelle?¡± Was there a past I didn¡¯t know about? ¡°Who knows.¡± He didn¡¯t seem inclined to tell me, so he gave me a curt reply, and helped me up. I couldn¡¯t understand, but he strayed away from the subject. He then hugged me lightly and released me easily. Hmmm, it¡¯s not like my husband at all. Normally, this would have led to something fishy and/or at least a light peck on the face. Of course, it was only on the lips that day. Oh, I really wasn¡¯t asking for anything. I was just glad he let you go so easily, you know? ¡°Speaking of which, Risha, how much do you know about Her Royal Highness?¡± Oh, are you going to give me some advance information? That¡¯s very kind of you. While sitting me down at the office desk, my husband wrapped his arms around me, as if to confine me. But we were too close, so I wanted to move away a little. ¡°The only thing I know about her is that she¡¯s beautiful, ruthless, and she wants to be your wife. At any rate, our family wasn¡¯t qualified to participate in a soiree that Her Royal Highness would attend. The only time I¡¯d have a chance to meet her would be at a ball hosted by the royal family¡­I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get sick there.¡± At the time, I was physically weak and wanted to avoid crowds. I was too uninterested in social events as they had little to do with the management of our estate, so I mostly ignored them. ¡°You¡¯re almost spot on. Both of their Majesties pamper her, and her tutors are too lenient. The only one who scolds her is her eldest brother, but he is currently on a study tour, so she has free reign to do as she pleases. As you can imagine, all of her deeds call for censure, but she¡¯s only given a little scolding.¡± ¡°If Their Majesties sanctioned all her actions, wouldn¡¯t Her Royal Highness have already settled in this country?¡± It would change the power structure of the nobility. ¡°How well you grasped it.¡± I could see the seriousness in my husband¡¯s face as he raised his mouth in a huff. Or rather, he was jesting. ¡°I¡¯m not confused about condemning an entity that causes chaos in the country. That role is also for the Duke of Lindbeld to do.¡± I didn¡¯t know much about the details, but the Dukes of Lindbeld pledged allegiance to their country. Not to the Emperor, but to the country itself. It was an absolute and sacred vow. I had no idea why I believed that. That was why the Lindbeld dukedom was so special among the nobility. I had vaguely assumed that the dukedom and the royal family were related before marriage, and that they were quite close since they arranged marriages between the families once in a few generations, but from the way Husband talked about it, it seemed that there was more to it than that. ¡°From the very start, it was impossible to bring her into the Lindbeld family. My grandmother was a royal princess, so we¡¯re a little too close by blood. You know better than most the harm of having blood too close.¡± ¡°That, yeah. It¡¯s grave.¡± I see. It wasn¡¯t just her personality, was it? I definitely thought that was the cause, but now I knew they were a little close in blood. Well, not too close, but maybe the color of Her Royal Highness¡¯ hair bothered my husband a little. Her hair was crimson ¨D¨D not quite crimson, but red. The imperial family and the Lindbeld dukedom had intermarried once every few generations, but this was the first time that the imperial family had produced a child so close to the colors of the Lindbeld dukedom. It could be genetics. That would also mean that their blood would be quite close. ¡°His Majesty was understanding when I told him that. However, Her Majesty and the Princess were not convinced. They said that the mere possibility of ancestry was not enough reason to refuse.¡± It was because he was the best person to be the Princess¡¯s husband. I could understand why they were reluctant to let him go. He was eight years older than the Princess, so if he had married her before she made her debut in society, she wouldn¡¯t have been such a nuisance. If that were so, there was a good chance I¡¯d still be in the family of Count Verdigo. ¡°Were you disturbed by any chance?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve approached me long ago, even when she was just a child. Sure, I¡¯m a lot older than her, but not so much older that it poses a problem. That being said, the age gap between you and me is much larger.¡± It was a ten-year age gap. The age gap was still within the realm of possibility for a nobleman¡¯s marriage of convenience. ¡°I mean, there are some checks and balances, but not enough to be a problem.¡± Ah, so you really weren¡¯t interested in marriage, then. Fine, I understand that you didn¡¯t have much time for it. Besides, I was assigned a job presently, but it was too much for an ordinary noblewoman to handle. That was the thing. Without the management skills, one would probably be beset with questions about various things. The task was not simply a matter of taking charge of the household. Normally, a hostess in the home would gradually teach a married woman how to go about the work, but my husband was unable to do so. He was looking for a woman who could help him immediately. It just so happened that it was me. I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a while. If he was stumped, he only had to let me know, and I wouldn¡¯t be the devil. I¡¯d do my bit. Well, if I actually knew what was going on, I might have given it some thought. I wasn¡¯t saying that I wanted his protection, but wouldn¡¯t it be nice if we could at least have some kind of a ¡®mutual-report¡¯ system? ¡°But it was very likely that I gave her hope when I didn¡¯t get married. It¡¯s no surprise that she hadn¡¯t given up, even though I clearly expressed my refusal.¡± I wasn¡¯t surprised, either. Do you perhaps have some opinions about Her Royal Highness¡¯s actions? Do you feel somewhat responsible? I didn¡¯t think so. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to do anything about Her Royal Highness. After all, they can¡¯t do anything either. They, at least, know what will happen if they make an enemy of the Duke of Lindbeld.¡± He didn¡¯t tell me. But I thought that since he was my husband anyway, he was thinking of getting His Royal Highness to do something. ¡°The party is probably in a large, standing-room-only venue, so after the initial greetings, it¡¯s no problem to hang out there for a reasonable amount of time and leave ¨D¨D What do you think?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± Don¡¯t mind that I¡¯m totally skeptical. CH 2.06 Everyone is glittering, as expected of a large-scale tea party hosted by the Royal Family. What can I say, the spirit of the event is very different. This is the perfect matchmaking place for single ladies and gentlemen. There¡¯s a lot of giggling and squealing going on all over the place. Mainly the ladies. I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re so desperate. And why is it that when they see me, they look surprised and scared at the same time? It¡¯s ridiculous. I¡¯ve never met you guys before, right? Please don¡¯t be so frightened. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Sure enough, my husband took notice. But let me tell you, I didn¡¯t do anything! First off, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m meeting all these people. It¡¯s not without cause, but that was also your fault, too, husband, too, you know? Perhaps it was the guests of that tea party that spread the word about me in social circles. It¡¯s said that if anyone angers me, I¡¯ll force them to enter into an unwanted marriage. I won¡¯t be so outrageous. Well, sometimes misfortune strikes, but it¡¯s never my fault. Please don¡¯t make a mistake, okay? There is a word called ¡®karma.¡¯ I giggled behind the fan in my hand. My husband, escorting me, knows exactly what I¡¯m doing, but it¡¯s no problem. Hey, Husband! Why are you looking at me like you¡¯re regarding a disappointing child? That¡¯s rude! Husband heaved a sigh and urged me to look forward. ¡°The host is here.¡± Today¡¯s host is the Royal Family, that is, Her Majesty the Queen. There was no way that Her Royal Highness would not participate in a tea party hosted by her mother, Her Majesty. They are a close mother and child. Her Majesty has orange hair and eyes of the same color, and today she is wearing a beautiful blue dress. She has been socializing both inside and outside the country as the Queen for nearly 20 years, and her influence is immense. I can also see that she is making the effort to match it. Together, Her Royal Highness appeared with her bright red hair and orange eyes inherited from Her Majesty. If you just look at her, she¡¯s a very beautiful woman, but knowing her personality, her eyes look dreadful. They look as if she¡¯s aiming at a prey. Her Royal Highness is not wearing a crimson dress, but a red dress of a similar shade. It was the first time I had ever seen a woman in a dress, and it was the first time I had ever seen her in a dress. The sight of Her Royal Highness drew many glances from the surrounding nobles to my husband and me next to him. We¡¯re about to pick a fight! Even if I¡¯m poor at socializing, it¡¯s easy to tell when something¡¯s so obvious. Yeah¡­ So, is Her Royal Highness going to hunt me now like a small animal? Well, for once in my life, I¡¯m going to have to play it down and make a run for it. Besides, I have my husband. If anything happens to me, please be my shield! ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I stepped out with all vigor. My husband is dressed in his work clothes for the castle today, but he¡¯s dressed very formally. In his chest pocket is a crimson handkerchief. His cufflinks and other accessories are also jewels of the same color. As for me, I¡¯m wearing a crimson dress that had been prepared especially for this day. The crimson dress is unique to Duchesses, but it¡¯s basically an evening dress worn to evening parties. I rarely wear such a dress to tea parties, but today I went out of my way to wear it. It was for all to see me. Because only a few nobles know what I look like now. I doubted they¡¯d believe I¡¯m me. I headed for the host with my husband. As soon as people noticed us, they split sideways as if to make way for us. The host and her daughter also noticed us and looked at us. Oh, Your Royal Highness, you¡¯re glaring at me too fiercely. It¡¯s so overwhelming when a beautiful woman stares at you. My mouth almost twitched, but I still managed to smile calmly. When my Husband moved a little to protect me from Her Royal Highness¡¯s gaze, I¡¯m certain it¡¯s all for his own sake. Us couple are getting along just fine! I loves my wife very much! His performance means this. If there¡¯s trouble between a married couple, someone¡¯s likely to butt in! As for the reality, no one knows. ¡°Thank you for inviting us here today. Due to my work, I have not had the opportunity to introduce my wife to you, and I apologize for that. This is my wife, Risha Lindbeld.¡± ¡°I am Risha Lindbeld, I¡¯ve married His Grace from the Count of Verdigo family.¡± I bowed my head and waited for permission to come. ¡°Raise your head.¡± With Her Majesty¡¯s permission, I raise my head. I was a little nervous at the sight of the royal family up close. I had an audience with the Emperor when I came of age, but I was one of the many adult nobles, so this was the first time I had ever been this close to the royal family. Well, I guess you could say that my husband is part of the royal family, but I¡¯m used to him. Her Majesty looked me up and down and gave me a faint, sharp glare. Right, even Her Majesty has her own reservations about me, since I am the one who stole her daughter¡¯s son-in-law. Even though it can¡¯t be helped, it¡¯s amazing in a way that a powerful woman in the social world hates me. I enjoyed it when it was someone else¡¯s problem, but not when the problem befalls me. ¡°Hmm, not bad. You¡¯re a lot like your mother. If it¡¯s just looks, you match the Duke of Lindbeld, no?¡± I received a high-handed assessment that all I am is a pretty girl! I know it¡¯s critical to say that all I have to offer is my looks, but thank you! Thanks to everyone, I¡¯ve undergone an amazing transformation. I¡¯m also delighted to have my appearance complimented by the royal family, and to have them say that I resemble my mother. In fact, when I was with the Count of Verdigo family, I was told that I resembled my father, who was not very good looking, so this makes me even happier. ¡°Thank you for your compliment. I will continue to support my husband and make the Lindbeld dukedom thrive. I would very much like to follow the example of Your Majesty and the other ladies, and would appreciate your guidance and encouragement.¡± Stand up for my husband and be modest without being too outspoken, and then reply in the safest way possible. This is what a newlywed wife would do. At any rate, making an enemy of those who have been married for a long time is more troublesome than making an enemy of the ladies. If I just greet in hopes of getting along with each other, it would spread outward to the ears of those who were listening nearby. ¡°Oh, would you like to be good friends with me, too?¡± Suddenly, as if to interrupt the conversation between me and Her Majesty, Her Royal Highness spoke up. Hmmm, you do know that you¡¯re being rude, right? This is a kind of official business. In other words, even between a mother and daughter, this is something that needs tact. As I was wondering how I should react, my husband conveyed his dissatisfaction to Her Royal Highness. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you start that by doing something about your attire? Wearing a dress made of a fabric close to crimson on a social occasion is like saying that you have some reservations against the Lindbeld dukedom. Don¡¯t tell me that as a member of the royal family, you lack such common sense, do you?¡± Wow. Husband, you said that. The nobles around were surprised. I feel like the tension has instantly increased. As expected, I also started to sweat a little. How can he criticize the royal family in public? He¡¯s fearless ¨D¨D Or perhaps it¡¯s allowed because he¡¯s the Duke of Lindbeld. ¡°Oh, Claude. My daughter, Lindette, didn¡¯t mean any harm either, you know? And it¡¯s not just a red dress. Red suits her very well. It¡¯s also the color of her hair.¡± Her Majesty glanced meaningfully at my dress. As if crimson doesn¡¯t suit me ¨D¨D In other words, she¡¯s criticizing me for being unworthy of the Duke of Lindbeld. But I can say for myself that this dress and the dress I wore before looked good on me. Thanks to everyone¡¯s efforts. CH 2.07 Now that I¡¯m being accused of something, what am I supposed to do about it? It¡¯s my dress that¡¯s in question. But to interfere here would be just as unmannerly as Her Royal Highness. After all, my husband, the head of the Lindbeld dukedom, is talking to the Queen. I can only stand aside and wait quietly. Well, Husband, thank you for your hard work as my shield! It¡¯s fine for me to be at ease, but if I do too much, I¡¯m afraid of what will happen after he leaves, so I¡¯m gonna do it in moderation. Not really! ¡°It¡¯s true that it¡¯s just a red dress, but if she chose it, knowing that my wife will be in attendance, it could be regarded as challenging the Lindbeld family, Your Majesty.¡± Her Royal Highness¡¯ eyes took on a more swarthy glint. She was annoyed at being told that it was just a red dress. Well, I guess she wore it to show that she looked better and was a better match with the Duke of Lindbeld, but it was nonsensical since my husband hadn¡¯t taken her completely seriously. What was more, she was humiliated in the process. But stop staring at me like that! It¡¯s Husband who said it! ¡°Claude, if you weren¡¯t of my blood, we could have been together. It¡¯s a pity.¡± Husband, look! Face-face! It¡¯s scary! ¡°Is that right? I am very happy now. I¡¯m beyond happy to have married my beautiful wife. She is smart, dynamic, and always surprises me. So if something happens to her, who knows what I would do?¡± I was torn; was that a compliment? Allright, I¡¯ll take it as a compliment. Besides, it seems that it nailed Her Majesty and Her Royal Highness. If they do anything to me, he won¡¯t forgive them. I didn¡¯t expect my husband to go this far, but I guess a couple that gets along well would do that, yeah? The nobles around me are under the impression that my husband and I married for love. It¡¯s a marriage of convenience, though. No, I guess you could call it a contract marriage. I¡¯m the pathetic, unthinking girl who fell for the con man. Her Royal Highness grits her teeth so hard you can almost hear them clench. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we should be going. It seems that there is someone else who would like to greet the two of you.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything at all. I just smiled next to my husband the whole time, but inside, I was covered in cold sweat. In the end, it seems that my husband won, but the Princess really seems witless. It¡¯s a little disappointing to think that she¡¯s the Princess of a country¡­ the most powerful one among the neighboring countries. I think she should not go out of the country. If she leaves the country, all we¡¯ll be getting will be bad rumors from other countries who finally get to know of her true nature. Consequently, it¡¯ll also give our country a bad reputation¡­ Among the most popular views was that Her Royal Highness would marry into another country¡¯s royal family, but I doubt it. I think it¡¯s impossible. Then, on the one hand, I understood why Her Majesty was so obsessed with marrying her to my husband. It was because he was the only one she had. Her Majesty probably knows exactly what will happen to her daughter. She understood what would happen if Her Royal Highness was sent to another country, and that¡¯s why she focused on the domestic market. It was partly because she loved Her Royal Highness, but also because the only person who could restrain Her Royal Highness was my husband. Of course, since she was her daughter, she wanted a better marriage for her. If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t they do something about it before something really happens to Her Royal Highness? It was just that Her Majesty is as busy as His Majesty. Basically, education is still the job of the nanny or the tutor. If children are too pampered, that¡¯s how they¡¯ll grow up. If there¡¯s no one to discipline them, they will grow up even worse. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± I¡¯m tired but also at ease because my husband did most of the work. I wish he had been as proactive as now before. ¡°The Marquis of Andrette¡¯s daughter is over there.¡± ¡°May I go and see her?¡± ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll be leaving soon, but as long as you stay by Miss Andrette¡¯s side, there should be no problem.¡± My husband led me to Miss Michelle. Around Miss Michelle is a bunch of ladies in colorful dresses. Some of the girls looked younger than me, just coming of age, while others were older than Miss Michelle. But the thing that caught my eye the most was¡­ They¡¯re beautiful, all of them¡­ They may be cute or beautiful, but they are definitely successful in attracting men¡¯s attention. Even if someone wants to talk to them, it¡¯s quite challenging to do so when there are so many good-looking women gathered in one place. Unless, the man is confident with a face as good as my husband¡¯s, who has money and power. Well, such people are classified as serious or insincere, and the ones who approach them are the latter, the overly self-conscious ones. ¡°Good day, My Lord and Your Grace.¡± ¡°How do you do, Miss Michelle?¡± While Miss Michelle and I were exchanging greetings, my husband simply nodded without speaking and whispered in my ear. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now, but when the seventh bell rings, come to my office at the Royal Palace. She knows where it is.¡± ¡°? Okay, I understand.¡± I didn¡¯t get it, but it¡¯s a good excuse to get out, so I replied. He said that Miss Michelle knows where it is, but I wonder why? She seems to know a lot about the Royal Palace, so I¡¯m not surprised, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to ask a knight or something like that? My husband completely denied any relationship with Miss Michelle, but I¡¯m still suspicious. While sending him off with skeptical eyes, I asked Miss Michelle to introduce me to her friends. ¡°Let me introduce them to you in order from the right. The first is Amanda, daughter of the Viscount of Amadrette, Reese, Daughter of the Count of Rudolph, and Matilda, daughter of the Count of Cidre.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, I¡¯m Risha, Duchess of Lindbeld. Please call me Risha.¡± Amanda is probably the youngest girl in the group with chestnut hair. She has the fluffy cuteness of a little animal. Reese looks like an older sister! She¡¯s got a cool vibe about her. If you approach her without knowing anything about her, you will be cut off. She is a twenty-five year old lady who has never been married, which is quite unusual for a young lady of noble birth who tends to get married early and start a family. And then there is Matilda. She is a beautiful, soothing girl, if I may say so. With her soft smile, I was very curious how many men she attracts. They¡¯re all really beautiful girls. It¡¯s no wonder they¡¯ve caught Her Royal Highness¡¯s attention. But there is one thing that bothers me. I¡¯m pretty sure that Miss Michelle¡¯s faction is a thorn in the eye of the Princess. Why don¡¯t I sense that vibe at all? Truth to tell, if it came down to verbal dispute, the other faction may easily beat them to the punch. But it seems that the singled-out kids hadn¡¯t attended a tea party hosted by the royal family, because I don¡¯t get a tragic vibe from them at all. I was brimming with eagerness! But then, there¡¯s not even a sign of it?!! CH 2.08 ¡°Uh, Miss Michelle? I feel different from what you told me ¨D¨D¡± ¡°Oh, what do you mean?¡± You said that you were troubled because Her Royal Highness was eyeing you like an enemy, no? What do you mean by ¡®trouble¡¯? It¡¯s weird¡­ It¡¯s quite hard to define ¡®troubled¡¯¡­ ¡°Have a drink, Miss Risha. Besides, all the sweets here are delicious.¡± The youngest girl, Amanda, smilingly invited me to join her. ¡°Rest assured. I¡¯m certain there¡¯s nothing poisonous in there.¡± I looked up at Miss Reese, a bit surprised. In fact, she is even taller than me, who is one of the tallest women in the room. I mean, wait! Do you just say ¡®poison¡¯ like it¡¯s an everyday conversation? S-Scary¡­ ¡°Take your time eating. If Her Royal Highness is here, we will fight her off, or rather, deal with her.¡± No way! You¡¯re so dependable, Miss Matilda! Isn¡¯t it funny how much more dependable you are than my husband? I thought you were in trouble. I mean, I have a feeling that if you were, it would make a boring tea party a lot more fun! Miss Matilda, who seemed to be the most dependable, seemed the best at armed struggle. Eh? When I looked at Miss Michelle, she smiled and said she was glad we could be friends. ¡°Miss Risha, please attend our tea party sometime! We always have a good time with this group of good friends.¡± Miss Amanda, whose eyes were sparkling, makes me feel at home as a marked member. Yes, yes, charming, no? If you, elder sisters, ever encounter troubles, I¡¯ll help you, okay? ¡°The main subject of the tea party is about how to manage to corner Her Royal Highness¡¯ faction in an argument, and everyone¡¯s stories are very informative! It makes me feel like I have to do my best too.¡± The way you sniff and clench your fists is adorable, but the things you say aren¡¯t adorable at all, Miss Amanda¡­ ¡°I¡¯d love to hear your story, Miss Risha! You were so cool just now!¡¡I loved the way you smiled and intimidated your opponent! I could eat several loaves of bread with that frustrated look on Her Royal Highness¡¯ face!¡± Un, un, it¡¯s a misunderstanding! It¡¯s too troublesome, so I just smiled for safety. It¡¯s my husband who talked her down! Don¡¯t misunderstand me! Don¡¯t put strange expectations on me! ¡°Hmm, I hope her conceit settles down a bit.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no fun when she calms down, is it?¡± Miss Matilda¡­What the hell are you aiming at? I¡¯m speechless. ¡°My goodness, everyone, Risha is in trouble. Please calm down a little.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just a little excited! If such a beautiful woman is married to the Duke of Lindbeld, Her Royal Highness will be churning with anger inside! Everyone is saying it. She¡¯s like a Goddess.¡± That¡¯s too much praise. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m averse to compliments, but my husband seems to think I¡¯m a disappointment when I open my mouth. But in any case, he approves of my looks. ¡°But you¡¯re really beautiful¡­You know, before you got married, I didn¡¯t hear very good things about you.¡± Miss Reese said with a touch of trepidation. I wasn¡¯t going to get angry at her, as it was all my fault. In fact, she now sounds skeptical about the rumors. I¡¯m just glad everyone¡¯s talking to me like this now! They have a lot of quirks, but they¡¯re somewhat kindred spirits. I think I have a rather quirky personality too, so maybe we are kindred spirits. Eh? She said she was aware of the rumors? I¡¯m aware of them to a certain extent, but probably not as good as Michelle¡¯s friends. ¡°Please keep in touch with me, and hopefully we can be friends, Miss Risha¡­Or would that be a bit brazen of me?¡± ¡°Oh, no, not at all.¡± I¡¯m kind of glad. I don¡¯t have many friends ¨D¨D er, almost none! I¡¯m terrible at socializing, so I asked them to please teach me various things! They emphatically said they¡¯ll take me in. So, I¡¯ve made friends. It¡¯s going to make socializing a little more fun from now on! I hadn¡¯t found much to look forward to, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have fun with the ladies. As we were chatting for the sake of exchanging information, the bell that my husband had mentioned rang. ¡°My, it¡¯s already this late. Excuse me for a moment, I¡¯m going to go to my husband¡¯s.¡± My husband told me to visit him at this time. Besides, I¡¯m getting a little tired and want to rest. ¡°I¡¯ll show you around. My father has an office in the Royal Palace, so I¡¯m familiar with it since I¡¯m often in and out of there.¡± I see. As I recall, the Marquis of Andrette is the head of the Foreign Ministry. Because of this, I heard that Miss Michelle has been to the Royal Palace many times. I am not familiar with the Royal Palace, so I thankfully asked Miss Michelle to show me around. My husband also told me to ask her to show me the way. It¡¯s safer than asking a complete stranger. After all, we¡¯re in the enemy¡¯s stronghold. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll do something today after receiving a hard bashing from my husband, but one can never be too careful. ¡°Let¡¯s go then. The Duke¡¯s office is located near the royal residence. I¡¯ve never been there before, but I know where it is, so please don¡¯t worry.¡± I trust you, Miss Michelle. However, I realized after this that I had been very naive in my thinking. CH 2.09 Let¡¯s backtrack a bit. So, I was on my way to my husband¡¯s office in the Royal Palace under Miss Michelle¡¯s guidance after confirming the sound of the bell that my husband had mentioned. Hm, the Royal Palace was vast. Rumor has it that newcomers to the palace always get lost at least once and are rescued by their seniors in the same department, which is a tradition when newcomers are assigned to the palace. Miss Michelle has been going in and out of the Royal Palace since she became an adult, so she knows her way around quite well. I believed that because she¡¯s been leading the way without hesitation. ¡°Remembering directions is my forte.¡± ¡°I can see that. I¡¯m the opposite.¡± I¡¯m totally aware that I¡¯m a road idiot. However, I don¡¯t need to memorize directions because a servant will usually remember them and show me the way. The Royal Palace has its own servants, so there¡¯s no need to memorize the paths, but Miss Michelle has been here so many times that she seems to have memorized them naturally. Moreover, in her spare time, she often takes a knight with her to guide her around the Royal Palace, so that she would get accustomed to the way. I wondered why she came to the palace so often, but she only told me that it was because of the Marquis of Andrette¡¯s business. ¡°Oh?¡± All of sudden, Miss Michelle stopped in her tracks. There were two knight guards waiting ahead of us. As Miss Michelle looked at them, one of the knights approached us. ¡°This area is restricted to the public.¡± ¡°This is the Duchess of Lindbeld. We¡¯re on our way to the Oval Office down the road, so we¡¯re not strangers.¡± Miss Michelle quickly explained the situation. According to Miss Michelle, my husband¡¯s office is similar to the office of members of the royal family. I was convinced that this was why there was such a tight security situation ahead. However, Miss Michelle begged to differ. She asked the knight for an explanation. ¡°That¡¯s strange. There are usually no knights guarding this place. Are you really part of the King¡¯s Guards?¡± ¡°Lady, insulting us is the same as insulting the royal family. I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. But since Miss sounds unconvinced ¨D¨D Let me explain a little more: a large tea party is being held today, and I¡¯ve been assigned to provide security to prevent any lost guests from going beyond.¡± I see. The Royal Palace is large and easy to get lost in. If anyone wanders in without knowing that the royal familys¡¯ offices were just down the road, that would matter. ¡°I see. That being the case, could you please go check with the Duke? His Grace has summoned us.¡± The two knights exchanged a few words with Miss Michelle, and then one of them left the scene. He seemed to have gone to check on it. Miss Michelle is doing what would normally be done by a servant for me. It¡¯s easier, but I felt apologetic. The knight who had gone to check it out came right back and agreed to take us to where my husband was waiting for us. ¡°It feels a little special to be shown around by a knight guard, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Miss Michelle sounded like she was having fun. The main job of a King¡¯s Guard was to guard the royal family. Now that she asked me, I think she¡¯s right. After a short walk, the knight opened a door for me. I was surprised at the sudden opening, but there was no one inside. Huh? The knight who was opening the door said somewhat apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll have to wait here.¡± The knight urged me and Miss Michelle to wait in place. I knew it. I could tell that something was wrong. I went inside in bewilderment, and when I looked at Miss Michelle, she was staring at the knight¡¯s face. Or rather, Miss Michelle has been looking at the knight with an amused smile on her face the whole time. Is she admiring him? Well, he¡¯s handsome. The King¡¯s Guard knights are the dreams of the ladies. I¡¯ve heard that the King¡¯s Guards are basically nobles, and they are selected based on their appearance and recommendations from noble families. Of course, it takes a certain amount of skill to be a knight. If they¡¯re good-looking, there is a reason why the King¡¯s Guards standing by during official events look better. I understand the logic, but was that what the Royal Family was after? Well, there are other knights before the King¡¯s Guard knights, so nothing too serious can happen. But how can they choose a knight of the King¡¯s Guard, who can be the final barrier, based on their appearances? And it seems that Her Royal Highness is notorious for this. It¡¯s a mess. ¡°His Grace, the Duke, asked that you wait here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, do you? Isn¡¯t this the room that Sir Illegal likes to use?¡± Uh-huh? Who is Sir Illegal? Not understanding who Miss Michelle was referring to, I inclined my head. ¡°I believe you¡¯re mistaken.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. My father told me to stay away from this place.¡± Miss Michelle maintained her smile as she countered the royal knight. At that moment, I thought the knight had clicked his tongue as if he had changed his mind, and he suddenly extended his hand toward me. As I was confused by the sudden turn of events, Miss Michelle struck the knight¡¯s hand with her fan as hard as she could. ¡°You¡¯re being rude. You should know better than to be a mere dog of Her Royal Highness.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the ones who need to get a grip!¡± Hep-hep-hep! Do you two understand each other?! Erm, let me see. Miss Michelle¡­Did you know who this knight was all along? The knight tries to put his hand on his weapon to show his prowess. No, wait! This is the Royal Palace! It is forbidden to draw your sword carelessly! Plus, we¡¯re unarmed! Well, even if I had a weapon, I wouldn¡¯t be able to use it! Miss Michelle glanced at the knight¡¯s weapon and shrugged heedlessly. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped¡­¡± Miss Michelle said with a hint of resignation, and then walked quickly deeper into the room. Uh, wai-what? Isn¡¯t it dangerous to enter? ¡°What are you doing there, Miss Risha? Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Eehh?¡± ¡°Yes, if you stay quiet, I¡¯ll give you a good time.¡± ¡°See, the villain here ¨C No, a knight of the King¡¯s Guard says so. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± She pulled me into the room. And then the door closed so fast I didn¡¯t have time to look back, then came the sound of the lock outside. The situation was so strange that I couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Um¨D¨D¡­ What should I do?¡± ¡°Nothing, really. This is pretty interesting¡­No, it¡¯s a rather troubling development.¡± Miss Michelle, did you just say something about an interesting development? You did, didn¡¯t you? Why do you all have such slightly weird sensibilities? ¡°Hahaha, I never thought she¡¯d be stupid enough to set a trap when His Grace is in the Royal Palace, even after His Grace warned her. I¡¯ve let my guard down.¡± Guard down? Did you say you¡¯ve let your guard down? Strange. Yet you¡¯re letting me tag along with you with a huge grin. ¡°Well, what do you think they¡¯re going to do? I think I¡¯m starting to understand.¡± But first, Miss Michelle, could you please explain what things to me? I think you¡¯ve changed too much since we first met, you know? CH 2.10 ¡°Take a seat, Miss Risha. I¡¯m sure that knight will come back soon. I¡¯m too tired to keep standing.¡± You¡¯re quite gutsy. Rather, it looks like you¡¯re having a lot of fun¡­ But first off, please explain everything to me. ¡°Hahaha, Miss Risha, you seem unfamiliar with the connections within the imperial court, or rather, the social circles. Let me explain a few things to you.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°First of all, the knight you just saw is the knight guard of Her Royal Highness. I recognized him immediately because Her Royal Highness often takes him around. She probably thinks that you don¡¯t know him. There was no mistake, but she couldn¡¯t have imagined that I would be with you.¡± If it were just me, I¡¯d be wary, but I¡¯d certainly believe in the knight. Nobody would think that a knight of the Royal Guards would do something like this, right? He¡¯s a knight, after all. Honorable knight ¨C there is no longer such a person in this world, is there? I got it. Because knights are people, too. But, Miss Michelle? Did she know about it, yet still followed me? I think she was already prepared to get involved! Tell me! I¡¯ll avoid you before you get dragged into this! ¡°This is a good opportunity, Miss Risha, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. All the same, even Their Majesties would not be able to protect Her Royal Highness after she lays a hand on the Duchess of Lindbeld. His Excellency, the Duke, would never let it go. Giggle, Miss Risha, you¡¯re quite loved, you know?¡± No, not at all. Far from being loved, my husband is subjecting me to something underhanded. What? So does everyone around me think I¡¯m cherished? Oh, but I see. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it looked that way at the tea party. He defended me and warned people to keep their hands to themselves. ¡°And Lord Illegal is the first of Her Royal Highness¡¯ admirers. He is an imperialist, but also an extremist, a slightly delusional person who is drunk with himself and thinks that it is his duty to relieve Her Royal Highness of her sorrows.¡± That¡¯s harsh. But thanks for the explanation. Miss Michelle deliberately rode into the enemy¡¯s territory and seemed to be enjoying herself. Since she did so on purpose, she must have a plan, right? ¡°Miss Michelle, are we just going to sit here and wait for someone to come?¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m a little disappointed. I thought that there were already a number of gentlemen in the room, and that they were planning to make a grab for us.¡± Erm, I think you¡¯ve been reading too many novels. ¡°There are other ways, too, like being knocked unconscious and transported somewhere, or being sold into slavery¡­¡± That¡¯s how popular novels develop nowadays¡­ I read some after my maids recommended them, so I¡¯m aware of these. ¡°And, um, all jokes aside, I hope the Duke arrives in time.¡± ¡­Eh? Could it be that my husband set this up? Did he use me as bait? That¡¯s totally possible. That husband of mine could be¡­ He said I didn¡¯t have to fight the Princess, but he never said he wouldn¡¯t use me as bait. Miss Michelle, I believe you. But the possibility of you being my husband¡¯s ally is getting higher¡­ I thought we could be friends. Seriously, that man! If that¡¯s the case, a year¡¯s worth of tea sweets isn¡¯t worth it! ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s back.¡± It looks like the knight¡¯s back, all right. Why do you look like you¡¯re having so much fun already? Simultaneously, I heard the door unlock, and three men entered through it. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m not far off the mark! Looks like I was right that they¡¯ll come later rather than at the beginning!¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I don¡¯t know where exactly she¡¯s going with this¡­ ¡°Well, well, well, just when I thought everything¡¯s turning tragic, it gets more optimistic.¡± The one at the very front ¨D¨D¡­¡­ is magnificent! He¡¯s dressed to the nines and is physically glowing. What can I say? He¡¯s just so magnificent, I was lost for words in amazement. Is this what it means to be truly speechless? Not really. ¡°Miss Risha! The one at the front over there is Lord Illegal. Isn¡¯t he impressive?¡± Miss Michelle whispered to me. Yes, he¡¯s impressive. In the sense, where he stands out terribly. He should use his beauty to turn Her Royal Highness¡¯s attention. ¡°What are you whispering about!¡± Lord Illegal yelled at the top of his lungs. I know that under the circumstances, it¡¯s normal to feel scared, but why am I not scared at all? Rather, I feel dumbfounded? No, do I find it ridiculous? Un¡­Anyhow, I have a big feeling that everything won¡¯t be over soon. ¡°Look! I¡¯m going to go out of my way to take care of lowly women like you, so you should feel honored!¡± This time, I quickly asked Miss Michelle. ¡°What is this man¡¯s identity?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the third son of a Royal Court Count, just the kind of man you want to cut down.¡± I see, I see. But you know what, Miss Michelle? We are powerless girls, after all. If three men come at us, there¡¯s no question that it will be unfavorable to us. How do you feel about that? ¡°Hey, guys. Hold those women! Well, your looks are the only thing that make you worthy of my company, so I¡¯ll put up with this.¡± No, thank you. I glanced at Miss Michelle, who suddenly stood up, still smiling. She stood in front of me, as if to protect me from the approaching men. ¡°No thanks, Sirs. Men aren¡¯t really my thing.¡± What do you mean, Miss Michelle? Did you just say that men are not your thing? Looking up at her profile, she looks very dignified and brave. ¡°I¡¯m genuinely interested in ¨D¨D women!¡± Miss Michelle loudly announced her sexual proclivities and thrust the closed fan in her hand as hard as she could into the midriff of one of the approaching knights. A knight and a lady, indeed. Her attack is no big deal for a knight, who¡¯s definitely gone through special training. The difference in strength is obvious with a light attack like that ¨D¨D¨D¨D As I was thinking this, the knight suddenly fell unconscious. Hu-huh? CH 2.11 Are You Strong? No way! I gaped and looked at Miss Michelle with a blank stare. No, this isn¡¯t the kind of attack you¡¯d expect from a beautiful, powerless young lady, is it? Was I hearing things, or did I just hear something terrific? ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. This is an iron fan that weighs about two kilos. It hurts if you get hit, you know?¡± I would rather ask you who you are, playing with it gracefully with one hand. Miss Michelle¡¯s sudden attack rendered the other two stupefied. In fact, Lord Illegal¡¯s face turned blue. However, as expected of a knight. The other one immediately became wary of Miss Michelle. ¡°You! What the hell are you ¨D¨D!!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so weak, yet you call yourself a knight. I think I could easily identify myself as one.¡± She instructed me while aiming with her iron fan. ¡°Miss Risha, please stay where you are, okay?¡± Definitely, I won¡¯t interfere. I had no more words to say to the spirited Miss Michelle. I felt it would be better to let her do as she pleased. Was I really involved or not? ¨D¨D¡­ I¡¯m absolutely sure it¡¯s the latter. Ugh, Husband. What on earth do you want me to do?! Thinking that it was definitely my husband¡¯s work, I yelled at him inwardly. But, for the time being ¨D¨D¡­ Miss Michelle, you¡¯re so cool! ¡°Isn¡¯t it a badge of honor for a frail young lady to outmatch a knight?¡± I think she¡¯s not weak when she¡¯s wielding a two-kilogram iron fan. But it certainly doesn¡¯t look like it, so the gap is huge. Appearances really can be deceiving. ¡°Take her down, now!¡± Lord Illegal commanded in the background. If he were a man, he should have joined in, but he seems to be afraid of Miss Michelle. You¡¯re quite a pussy, Lord Illegal. ¡°I¡¯d be more than happy to subdue her, but ¡­ what can I do?¡± ¡°Oh, do you mind?¡± For some reason, Miss Michelle asked me for my opinion. I don¡¯t mind at all, so by all means, go ahead and do it! Un, she pondered, and as if saying Oh well, she swung her iron fan again. Of course, the knight who kept in mind the attack on the knight earlier was on guard, so he avoided it. Well, that blow was just decided easily because the opponent was off guard, s0 it¡¯s like telling him to avoid such a direct attack. Miss Michelle seemed to have expected this, but knew what she was doing. It¡¯s as if she was toying with him. ¡°Tsk, tsk, are you just going to run¡­are you that scared? By all means, you can draw that one out if you like.¡± Her gaze fell on the weapon that the knight held. The knight is still rational, or perhaps he understands what it means to draw a sword unnecessarily in the Royal Palace, so has not drawn his weapon. ¡°T-That¡¯s right! Hurry up!¡± Miss Michelle waits with a toothy grin, perhaps confident that she can overpower even a knight with a weapon in his hand. But, just then ¨D¨D The door was suddenly kicked open. At the same time as my shoulders jumped at the crash, Miss Michelle deftly punched the knight away. Or I should say, she blew him away. My jaw dropped, and all I can do is gape the back of Miss Michelle¡¯s head. This is exactly what it means by jaw-dropping. This is what happens when you watch a powerless-looking young lady blow away a man despite their overwhelming physical disparity. Yeah, I want to be like this. Un, I can¡¯t be the only one! ¡°Geez, I¡¯ve heard that the hero appears later. Is the hero supposed to appear earlier?¡± Beyond Miss Michelle¡¯s gaze¡­ I also looked in that direction in a daze. Ummm¡­ ¡°Michelle¡­what the hell is going on here?¡± My husband and all the knights came in. My husband¡¯s voice dropped lower, and he glared coldly at Miss Michelle. ¡°¡®I thought this would be the quickest way.¡± What? The way my husband spoke, it seemed that he was totally in the dark. I thought for sure that he was involved in this¡­ Wait, why is he calling Miss Michelle by her name? Why? Is he that close to her? While they were conversing on the side, the knights captured the three men and dragged them away. Er, wasn¡¯t the timing of my husband¡¯s arrival too timely? Maybe he knew about it to some extent¡­ Hmmm, I¡¯m starting to get dizzy. Can someone please explain everything to me in detail? ¡°Are you okay?¡± My husband got down on one knee and peered at me. He looked grim, but I could tell he wasn¡¯t angry with me. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but¡­um, aren¡¯t you the mastermind?¡± Oh, shit! I couldn¡¯t help but speak my thoughts. My husband gave Miss Michelle a sideway glare. Ah, is my husband also dragged into this? That thought dawned on me somehow. Or rather, Miss Michelle. Isn¡¯t it amazing how she got my husband involved, or vice versa? Please let me know how you did it! I want to get back at my husband too! ¡°Let¡¯s go if you can stand up.¡± I took my husband¡¯s hand and stood up, but I staggered for a moment. My husband immediately supported me. ¡°Miss Risha.¡± I looked at Miss Michelle when she called out to me. She smiled and told me with a grin¡­ ¡°Miss Risha, His Excellency, the Duke of Lindbeld, is not a nice man, but he keeps his promises.¡± So you¡¯re saying he¡¯s not a nice guy, but he can be trusted? Sigh, I don¡¯t understand it at all. By the way, how did she come up with such words? Could it be that she thought this would worsen our marriage and she could follow up on it? Miss Michelle evaluated my husband with the ease of a light-hearted conversation. My husband still glared at Miss Michelle, took my hand and walked quickly away. My husband seemed to have said something to Miss Michelle when we passed by her, but I didn¡¯t hear a word of it. On the contrary, Miss Michelle told him that he was overprotective. He scowled at her again, though. What did she mean by overprotective¡­? ¡°Um¡­Where are we going?¡± I initially was on my way to my husband¡¯s office at his summons. I had forgotten about it. ¡°The nap room.¡± Yeah? The nap room? The nap room is that nap room, right? Huh? What are you planning to do? Huh? When he opened the door, I found myself in a spacious office that was exclusively for my husband. Inside was Diego, working with an intent look in his eyes. He¡¯s still the same guy. My husband silently stormed across the room and opened the door at the back. ¡°I¡¯ve been expecting you, Miss Risha.¡± ¡°Eh, Lil?¡± For some reason, my maid, Lil, who was supposed to be at the mansion, was waiting for me in the room, which was connected to the office, a luxurious room that didn¡¯t look like a nap room. A large bed was sprawled in the center of the room. I looked up at my husband, not understanding what he meant, and he looked down at me, somewhat dumbfounded. ¡°I told you that too, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m not a nice guy ??? but I keep my promises.¡± And by that, he meant Miss Michelle. ¡°I promised you in the beginning that you would get three meals and a nap. As far as I know, you haven¡¯t missed a nap since we got married, have you?¡± ¡°Ah, take a nap¡­¡± ¡°Sleep.¡± After saying that briefly, he quickly left the room and closed the door. Uh? No, wait a minute! It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve been taking naps without fail, but I¡¯m really wide awake right now! Can I still sleep peacefully after all that¡¯s happened?! ¡°Why don¡¯t you change your clothes and lie down on the bed for now, Miss Risha?¡¡You might be able to get some rest.¡± Following Lil¡¯s advice, I removed my makeup and took off my dress. Lil had brought me a dress that wasn¡¯t much of a nightgown, but it was pretty simple and not too tight, so I changed into it and went to bed. The light from outside was still bright, so Lil pulled down the curtains for me. I thought I couldn¡¯t sleep, but after I closed my eyes for a moment, I fell fast asleep before I knew it. CH 2.12 I feel like I slept well. I wriggled to get up and gently brushed the curtains aside. My head felt a little heavy, but I put on a pair of indoor slippers that had been placed beside the bed and stood up. The curtains were drawn at the window, so I opened them gently and was surprised to see that it was dark. Eh?! It was pitch dark outside! I thought I had napped briefly, but it seemed I had fallen completely asleep. Ah, so that¡¯s why my head¡¯s heavy. I overslept. I looked for the bell that was always kept by the bed. I couldn¡¯t find it. Thinking that this wasn¡¯t a mansion, I opened the door that connected the room to the office. A bright light shone into the dark room, blinding me because I was accustomed to the darkness. ¡°You¡¯re awake. You¡¯ve slept too long for a nap.¡± He¡¯s being sarcastic. ¡°What time is it now?¡± I didn¡¯t feel like retorting, so I asked my husband, who was also alone in his office, what time it was. ¡°It¡¯s almost past suppertime.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry about that.¡± Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, I walked into the room, and my husband urged me to sit on the sofa. Ugh, this is awkward. If this were our house, I¡¯d have run to my room immediately! ¡°Are you hungry?¡± He said that it was long past dinner time, but I wasn¡¯t that hungry. When I said I was fine, he replied curtly, ¡°Oh, I see.¡± At that moment, I informed my husband. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t always eat three meals a day, but I don¡¯t consider that a breach of contract.¡± I¡¯d rather not be woken up in the middle of the day and told to eat. Well, considering the time, I have no choice but to wake up. My husband nodded and accepted my words. ¡°By the way, when are we going home?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to stay here today. A lot of things happened while you were asleep, and it took me this long to process them. I thought of us going up after you woke up, but¡­it¡¯s very late to leave now. It¡¯s also a bit dangerous at night.¡± ¡°Er¡­that being the case, can I borrow a guest room somewhere?¡± ¡°We¡¯re a married couple. If I ask you to do such a thing, suspicions about trouble in our marriage will arise.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take the couch¡­¡± ¡°We can share a bed. I¡¯m not going to do anything.¡± I tugged at the corners of my mouth in a huff. You know, I can¡¯t just take the word of someone who has done so much to me, right? Do you have any idea how much credit you have, Husband? ¡°Are you, by any chance, into Michelle¡¯s type?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± I looked at my husband quizzically at the sudden development of the topic. ¡°Is that the kind of person you¡¯d prefer to marry?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± Besides, I¡¯m already married, so I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in talking about it. But my husband asked me so seriously, so I answered seriously as well. ¡°If I¡¯m to answer in all seriousness, I¡¯d say I prefer a man, so I don¡¯t think I could answer Miss Michelle even if she confessed.¡± This time, my husband raised his eyebrows as if to ask what I was getting at. ¡°You ¨D¨D do you not know? Wait, you didn¡¯t notice?¡± Huh? What? ¡°Michelle is a man, okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Sure, he¡¯s a woman on the registry, but he¡¯s a man, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Hiss, I don¡¯t know! What the hell?! What, is that common knowledge? Husband, you¡¯re talking about it as if I should know about it, but in social circles, that¡¯s unspoken knowledge! ¡°I know exactly how you¡¯re feeling. In case you¡¯re wondering, it¡¯s a part of the Marquis of Andrette¡¯s shame, so very few people know about it. I didn¡¯t know about it, either, until he told me.¡± ¡°Then why would I know about it?¡± ¡°¡­I thought you were cooperating because you knew he was a man and bore goodwill.¡± ¡°Not at all! Why would I do that?!¡± I¡¯m not that slu-tty, Sir! ¡°No, honestly, I¡¯m just attending a tea party hosted by the royal family.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s because I thought we could be friends¡­and I was feeling a little guilty.¡± ¡°So I guess that means you¡¯ve been taken for a ride.¡± Oh, shut up! Not everything he said was a lie. At least the issue of factions, while true, he is not in a weak position ¨D¨D that much was clear to me today. ¡°It took me great pains to convince him to attend the royal tea party with us¡­but when all was said and done, everything was wasted on a dumb b.itch.¡± ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m still curious. Why did you defend me this time, Husband?¡± ¡°Your tone implies that I¡¯m always up to something.¡± ¡°Let me make myself clear, you¡¯re right. I thought for sure that you had planned the whole thing today. You¡¯re always distorting my words, and Ragnard¡¯s, too!¡± I told him something I normally wouldn¡¯t have said without concealment. Usually, he would have ended up poking fun at me, but today, he listened to me seriously. ¡°This was my first large scale social gathering since our marriage. Even though it was daytime, and if it was hosted by the royal family, I, as your husband, is obligated to do my bit to protect you. Besides, if someone who hates socializing is motivated to do it anyway, but I failed to provide backing, there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Somehow, I had a feeling it wasn¡¯t just that. He warned Her Majesty and Her Royal Highness because he didn¡¯t want them to mess with me. Why is that? ¡°I don¡¯t want you to become more and more averse to socializing¡­Well, today ended up in an indescribable manner, but wasn¡¯t it nice to have someone you¡¯re reasonably close to?¡± My husband said somewhat softly. I blinked incessantly at my husband¡¯s words and stared at him. At that moment, for some reason, I felt I understood why my husband wanted me to socialize so much. CH 2.13 ¡°Did you want me to make friends, Husband?¡± I asked with some certainty. My husband suddenly looked up from his papers. ¡°Would you believe me if I told you yes?¡± ¡°Because you want me to have some influence in social circles?¡± ¡°Did you cry?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± I waited for my husband¡¯s answer, confused by the sudden change of topic. He put away his pen, came to the sofa where I was sitting, and sat down facing me. ¡°I¡¯ve been poking and prodding you every step of the way because I wouldn¡¯t have succeeded otherwise. You want an idle life, do you, Madam? I thought that would be nice too, but it¡¯s unhealthy. People connect with other people, work, eat, sleep, that¡¯s the most normal and healthy thing.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Um, is that normal? Yeah, I understand, okay? ¡°I thought you might have noticed, more or less¡­But it seems that you still didn¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°No, I think I understand a little. At least, when we were first married, that was just a quick nutritional supplement, right?¡± The livestock food I was forced to eat. Frankly, it tasted awful, but it was highly nutritious. Actually, it was not the cheapest of all grains, but rather a bit expensive. I thought he was spending a lot of money to harass me. ¡°You got that, huh? Well, the circumstances after that are the same for me. I was trying to see if I could really entrust you with the job of my Duchess.¡± ¡°Wait a minute! Did you just say job? I knew you took it as work! Where¡¯s the word ¡®duty¡¯ there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the part you should be reacting to ¨D¨D I mean, I just wanted to check a little bit to see if the person who recommended you to be my Duchess was right or not.¡± Pardon? That sounds a bit strange, no? The way you phrased it, it means someone recommended me to be your Duchess. Did I get it right? But at the time, I was regarded as a crazy girl who spent money as I pleased and put pressure on my family¡¯s finances. Who in the world would ¨D¨D¡­ ¡°I was caught a bit off guard to discover that you¡¯re unexpectedly tough¡­Nevertheless, I figured that there¡¯s no problem with your abilities.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being so tough. Speaking of which, stop putting on airs and just tell me everything. Of course, you¡¯re going to tell me what you¡¯re up to, including what you¡¯ve done so far, aren¡¯t you?¡± When I pressed him, he said. ¡°Not all of them, mind you¡­Alright, I thought I would at least listen to the regrets of the person who introduced you to me. In fact, I also had a few considerations myself¡­Risha, you¡¯ve been studying and protecting the Count¡¯s family, including their estate, since you were a child, haven¡¯t you? Even though you had no choice, I sympathized when I heard about it. Well, it was for the best.¡± My husband leans his back against the back of the sofa and slowly crosses his legs. He looked me straight in the eye with those crimson eyes. ¡°Sympathize?¡± ¡°You reminded me of what I had gone through at the age of ten, so I felt sorry for you. I had an incompetent father for some reason, but I also a grandfather at the time. I was strictly disciplined and did a great deal of obligatory studying for the future. Even if I was asked for my opinion on something, it was only for reference, and my grandfather had the rights to make decisions, so to put it simply, I had no responsibility.¡± He was a protected child, my husband continued. ¡°Meanwhile, I was sent to the estate and found friends that I had spent my childhood with. Now that I think about it, I had a fairly carefree childhood.¡± I see. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s having a hard time now, to the point that he¡¯s nostalgic for the past. ¡°What about you? I may not have had the best childhood, childish I might say¡­but I still felt better than you.¡± ¡°So you took pity on me and asked me to marry you?¡± ¡°Not exactly. But now I¡¯m really glad I married you.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you want me to do something that I couldn¡¯t do as a child ¨D¨D is that it?¡± My childhood certainly isn¡¯t a happy one, but there¡¯s a part of me that doesn¡¯t want to be told that now. ¡°I may be meddlesome, but that¡¯s what I meant. You¡¯re no longer a kid, so I can¡¯t tell you to play whatever you want, but I¡¯ll tolerate some. Well, I¡¯m sorry about Mrs. Miriam and Elise, but this isn¡¯t a charity either. Everything is meaningless unless you¡¯re able to properly protect the dukedom in my absence as the head of the duchy.¡± I know that. The official wife has the primary authority in the absence of the head of the family. What happens when a person with insufficient power assumes the position can be seen clearly in the case of the Count of Verdigo. ¡°So, who is it? The man who recommended me to you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you already know?¡± Yes, I do. I mean, only one person would do so. ¡°Ragnard.¡± ¡°Ragnard.¡± The name I uttered overlapped with my husband¡¯s. ¡°As we get older, we have less time to regret and redo things. In fact, he¡¯s much older now. Even if he doesn¡¯t look like it¡­It¡¯s only natural for him to want to find someone he can entrust you with when he¡¯s gone, right? It¡¯s me, your precious husband.¡± When you put it that way, I have nothing to say. Ragnard is invaluable to me. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that he¡¯s my only family now. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? He loves me.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± I feel like I¡¯m going to cry. When I bowed my head, my head came to my side and gently pulled my head toward him. ¡°I thought it was a little out of place that such a rigorous person would have regrets.¡± I could hear the husband¡¯s chuckle from above my head. ¡°Ragnard wants to give you back some of the things he wanted to give you as a child. Besides, isn¡¯t this what your mother would have wanted? She wanted you to be happy. I don¡¯t know if she would be happy about you marrying me, but at least for Ragnard, I¡¯m a man worthy of entrusting you to. Fine, I¡¯m sorry for all the terrible things I¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°How to¨D¨D¡­¡± ¡°I told you, Ragnarok is old. If I take my time, I won¡¯t be able to deliver what he wants. If I recklessly order you to do something you¡¯re unwilling to do, you¡¯ll just be defiant and that¡¯s the end of it. So I had to make you do it, even if you¡¯re unwilling. Well, when Michelle approached me, I thought I¡¯d get you to join his faction instead. As you¡¯ve seen, he¡¯s an oddball, and the people in his faction are generally oddballs. I figured you¡¯d hit it off.¡± I¡¯m sorry about that¡­ I got married and turned defiant. What¡¯s wrong with losing my temper and being defiant? I thought I could finally relax, take it easy, and sleep a lot without anything on my back, and then it happened. Yeah, I did get plenty of sleep. Also, I finally understood what Miss Michelle ¨C or rather, Mister ¨C meant when he said that my husband was overprotective. How could it be my husband¡¯s place to tell me to make friends? Is he my mother? Please take care of my daughter and be good to her ¨C doesn¡¯t sound like I¡¯m his wife, right? On top of that, when the royal family came at me, everyone around me would have left because they didn¡¯t want to incur the royal family¡¯s wrath. And so that was why my husband warned them first. Miss Michelle¡¯s faction had nothing to do with that, though. T/N: Alright, there¡¯s a turn around. (^¨Œ^) I thought the Duke is going to be an a-s-shole.. CH 2.14 No, I didn¡¯t know that at all. I thought it was just harassment¡­ ¡°Well, there was a moment when I seriously thought it would be a good idea to forcefully indoctrinate you, such a child, but ¡­ I rationally decided against it.¡± I-Is that so? I felt a chill run down my back for a moment there, Husband. CH 2.15 After that, my husband said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just have to put up with things for a while and try to build trust.¡± By all means, please do! He¡¯s not a nice person, but he¡¯s trustworthy, said Miss Michelle, so I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what my husband will do from now on. I¡¯ll also talk to Ragnard, of course. I don¡¯t think that his claim was a joke or a lie, but I wanted to hear from Ragnard himself, so I rushed to the office of the general butler that Ragnard uses. Perhaps he knew what I was there to ask, so he didn¡¯t seem surprised and offered me a seat and poured me some tea. Yeah, it was pretty much as my husband had said. That is, unless he¡¯s conspiring with my husband to lie to me, but everything is probably true. I have known Ragnard for a long time, and he knows me better than anyone else. There was just one thing Ragnard added. ¡°I don¡¯t know what would make you happy, Risha. That¡¯s why I wanted you to try many things. I¡¯m sure there were many things I forced you to give up, but I want you to do what you want if possible. However, if you want to start something, you need to have something to start with.¡± Oh, you mean money? Ragnard, did you think of my husband as a money-grubber? My husband said that he was a man worthy of Ragnard¡¯s trust, but it wasn¡¯t about his character or private affairs, it was mostly about his financial power? Did you know that, Husband? I felt a little sorry for my husband. ¡°Miss Risha, I am deeply sorry. I really should have apologized sooner, but I didn¡¯t get the chance¡­¡± Ragnard bows tightly. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Ragnard regret something like this. But I¡¯m not holding a grudge against him. He¡¯s the one who raised me and protected me, and even now, he is sacrificing himself and breaking his bones for me. I wanted him to spend his old age relaxing, but Ragnard had to work for my husband until his death. That¡¯s probably a good thing, though, because Ragnard seems to be having fun. Besides, my husband seems to be relying on him, so there¡¯s nothing much I can say if they have a good relationship. On a spur of a moment, I mischievously asked Ragnard. ¡°If we were to quarrel, whose side would you take?¡± Ragnarok smiled serenely and answered. ¡°It depends on what it¡¯s about, and what you say.¡± Tch. That¡¯s a sly way of putting it. Well, one of the roles of the chief butler is to stop his master when he¡¯s in the wrong. I want him to side with me. In most cases, my husband¡¯s at fault. I sipped my tea as our conversation came to an end. Then there were a few knocks on the door from outside. Before Ragnard could reply, the door opened. My husband is the only one capable of this. Normally, he would have just opened the door or called for me without question, but he seemed to have taken care of it at least. ¡°Have you finished your conversation?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir. Would you like some tea? And your companion behind you?¡± At Ragnard¡¯s words, I looked at the person who had come in with my husband. Then my eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Long time no see, Miss Risha.¡± ¡°Miss Michelle ¨D¨D No, Mister?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard about me from Claude, haven¡¯t you?¡± He had cut off his long hair and was wearing a masculine outfit. In this way, he certainly looks like a man. He¡¯s more cute than cool, though. Ragnard left his seat, and the two of them sat down opposite me. After pouring tea for the two of them as well, Ragnard stood behind my husband. ¡°So, let¡¯s start again. Nice to meet you, Duchess of Lindbeld. My name is Michel Roux. I look forward to working with you. Please call me Michel.¡± ¡°Roux?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my mother¡¯s family name. It¡¯s no longer in existence, but Claude arranged for me to take that family name.¡± ¡°Er¡­How about the Marquis of Andrette?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve cut ties with them. From the very start, they saw me as a useful piece of equipment, and if I had been treated better for the work I did, I would have worked for nothing.¡± Miss Michelle ¨D¨D hep, Michel presented a radiant, refreshed face as he smiled and said such things without care. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell you more later.¡± ¡°I brought Michel here because I wanted us to talk with him about the future. ¡°What future?¡± ¡°Michel has come under the protection of the Lindbeld dukedom and will be working for us. His main task will be to protect you.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll certainly have more opportunities to go out, but I can¡¯t let you go alone. I don¡¯t think you¡¯d like to have a knight accompany you, so let him do it instead.¡± ¡°Yes-yes. You can leave the ladies¡¯ tea party to me. I¡¯ve always liked cross-dressing. Girl¡¯s talk, you know?¡± ¡­Husband said it. As you can see, he¡¯s an oddball. No, really, he¡¯s too eccentric. What does it mean when a man is enjoying himself with glee and joins a ladies¡¯ tea party? Moreover, the world is such a remarkable place because he¡¯ll be the perfect beauty in his outfit. ¡°I look forward to working with you in the future, Madam. Oh, and of course, if you have any problems with Master Claude, I¡¯m here to help! I¡¯m more of a woman¡¯s ally. By the way, if there¡¯s anything you want to retaliate for, please let me join you.¡± Can you spout such things next to my husband, who will be your employer onwards? Michel, your heart of steel makes me jealous. Or rather, you¡¯re absolutely a grinning criminal, like the other day! ¡°He has a complicated personality, but he¡¯s skilled. Just make sure you go out with him in moderation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to accidentally spill Claude¡¯s secrets.¡± What secrets? I¡¯m so curious! But my husband glares at Michel with a frozen glow in his crimson eyes. If he were Diego, he would have frozen immediately, but Michel was aloof and didn¡¯t seem to be affected at all. ¡°Cough, I¡¯ll leave that for later. I won¡¯t go up against my employer out of the blue.¡± Michel, your character is too unique. I think I¡¯m going to be really tired, but mainly me. Don¡¯t tell me, Husband¡­Are you sure you didn¡¯t just impose ¡­ on me because you were getting tired of him? As I looked at him, our eyes met, and his mouth lifted up in a smile. I knew it! You pushed him to me! Please don¡¯t force troublesome people on me like you force work on me! Where¡¯s the trust building? Hmph! Despite expressing my anger, my husband didn¡¯t seem to want to withdraw. Michel and Ragnard looked at me and my husband happily. CH 3.01 Do whatever you want. That¡¯s what Ragnard told me, but the truth is ¨D¨D¡­ I can¡¯t! Or better yet, I can¡¯t think of anything right away, you know? It¡¯s because until now, I¡¯ve always been focused on estate management. What I want to do is also to develop my territory! Or something like that. I feel like it¡¯s too late to develop the Duchy¡¯s territory that¡¯s already thriving. Even if I were to think of venturing to a new business, there are already existing ones, so it¡¯s useless. I¡¯ll be competing with others. If others were to find out that the Duchess is involved, existing merchant houses may go under. That¡¯s too much of a no-no in reverse. ¡°Risha-sama, you¡¯re very selfless.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because I¡¯m that selfless.¡± After all, I want to enjoy life and eat good food. I want to rest physically and be lazy. I have such desires. Michel has been consulting with me face to face while serving me tea. He seemed to have settled into the Duke¡¯s mansion and was always enjoying life. ¡°See, that¡¯s why you¡¯re selfless. All you can think about is what everyone else wants! Normally, when someone becomes Duchess, she¡¯d buy jewels, dresses, and even a villa, and spend money like it¡¯s hot water every day and enjoy her life. Is that strange?¡± ¡°Do you really think that kind of life is fun?¡± ¡°I guess we have different values. There are a lot of ladies who dream of doing such things, but I¡¯ll pass. On the contrary, they seem tiring and not to my liking. Even Miss Risha isn¡¯t interested in them, no?¡± No, not at all. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never really envied the life of the Countess of Verdigo, my stepmother, and half-sisters. Well, it felt really good when the maids massaged me comfortably, and I could well understand being shushed by the maids to soak in a bath. I think that¡¯s one of the few indulgences that I understand. ¡°At any rate, I think it¡¯s the duty of the rich to spend money and keep the economy going.¡± ¡°So, do you want to start some kind of business, Madam?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you busy.¡± ¡°How about we just make a draft and dump it to Claude-sama? He seems to be bored lately.¡± That¡¯s true! We¡¯ve been having tea together a lot lately. ¡°I¡¯m sure Diego-san will be busy with that.¡± Ah, I get it. Diego, stay strong! You¡¯ve become a victim of my husband¡¯s attempt to build trust. I¡¯m sorry, Diego. I can¡¯t give you the day off, but I¡¯ll be sure to advise my husband next time! Please do the job. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you go outside and have a change of scenery? You¡¯ve been cooped up all day.¡± Outside. When Michel said outside, he meant outside the mansion. He doesn¡¯t mean a walk in the garden. In fact, we¡¯re having tea in the garden at the moment. I¡¯m not a hermit by any means. It¡¯s just that since I don¡¯t have to go outside the mansion to get everything done, I don¡¯t move as much. After all, I am a Duchess. I don¡¯t have to go outside, and people will come to me. ¡°I¡¯ll go once in a while¡­¡± I don¡¯t always have work, labeled as duties, that are assigned to me. Basically, I¡¯m busiest when the seasons change or when personnel changes occur. In other words, I¡¯m supposed to be free at the moment ¨D¨D but I¡¯m also studying voluntarily. Ragnard has been training me to be a Lord, but that¡¯s a man¡¯s job. As for the main part of housekeeping, since my stepmother was in charge of it, I¡¯ve only done some of it on the side, so I haven¡¯t had a chance to learn it well. I can perform the basics, but I¡¯m not good enough yet. More importantly, the scale is different from that of the Count of Verdigo. ¡°Study some other time! You need to relax once in a while!¡± It¡¯s like I¡¯m always taking a breather. In fact, Michel seems to be the one who¡¯s having the most fun. Isn¡¯t this supposed to be my break? ¡°Now that we¡¯ve decided that, let¡¯s get ready! I wonder if I need to inform Claude-sama? Oh, and by the by, I need to borrow one of your maids.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re planning, but¡­Lil, go find someone who¡¯s available. If there¡¯s none, please help him. Lina, can you go and inform my husband? Layla, help me get ready.¡± Since we¡¯re going outside, I need a change of clothes. What I¡¯m wearing now is called loungewear. I¡¯m okay wearing it outside, but this is a matter of dignity as the Duchess. A person could be recognized upon seeing him; the way he was dressed. I have no plans of meeting any acquaintance, but since that tea party, my appearance is rapidly becoming known, so I can¡¯t be too careful. With my instructions, each of us started to move. Well, all I had to do was get dressed. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going out on a formal social occasion, so I should change to something comfortable enough to move around and not be disrespected as a Duchess. To be honest, it¡¯s so annoying, but having Layla around at times like this is a big help. She¡¯s fond of this kind of thing, so I just leave everything to her. Leave what people love to them; this is important! Lina came right back and conveyed what my husband had said. He told me to be careful and go. It¡¯s a bit of a clich¨¦, but it shows his concern for me. By the way, Lil is still with Michel. I don¡¯t know what Michel needs a maid for, but I can¡¯t be bothered with what he¡¯s doing. ¡°What do you think, Risha-sama?¡± My dress today has a purple tone to it. I like the calm color. I turned around in front of the dresser and was satisfied. ¡°Hmm, I really like this color. And the fabric is worth the price.¡± I¡¯m not saying that I¡¯ve taken dressing up as a hobby since becoming the Duchess ¨D¨D However, I still get excited when the things I wear are much better. I didn¡¯t really understand the point of spending money on such items before, but the feeling seemed a bit different, now that I could afford to do so. It¡¯s troublesome to dress up every day, but it¡¯s fun to dress up for the occasional outing like this. When I finished dressing up and headed for the main entrance, I found my husband and Ragnard there, and¡­ Is no one going to get in? Or is it already packed?! ¡°Oh, Risha-sama! Let¡¯s get going, shall we?¡± Michel was there, too dressed as a woman. ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Huh? Doesn¡¯t it look good on me? This is my new dress! This is written off as a necessary expense, that¡¯s why life here is fun!¡± ¡°Husband¡­¡± Are you sure about this? I asked him with a look, and he let out a sigh as if he had given up. Oh, are you tired, Husband?¡­By the way, how did Ragnard get permission? If this is a necessary expense, doesn¡¯t that mean that all the receipts are going to Ragnard? ¡°I found it useless to say anything. All I can think now is that he could have taken over the Marquis of Andrette.¡± Ahhh¡­Hmm, perhaps. Michel can make allies just by talking, and then can beat the opposing faction to death. He certainly is capable of it. Or rather, he should do it. Just as he did with Her Royal Highness. He took up a job from my husband because he decided it would be more fun. Absolutely. CH 3.02 The carriage rattled and rocked gently. It¡¯s only like this because the road is paved, but in the countryside, it¡¯s nothing like this. It seriously hurts my butt. Mind you, that¡¯s proven. ¡°By the way, what are you wearing?¡± ¡°Uh? Doesn¡¯t it look good on me?¡± Of course it looks good on you. You are the image of an incredibly beautiful woman. If people didn¡¯t know you were a man, I¡¯m sure many would be fooled. ¡°It¡¯s a women¡¯s outing, you know? Isn¡¯t this a better way to hang out with them? And besides, wouldn¡¯t it be eye-catching if I, a man, walked into a cute store in my male knightly attire and talked about women¡¯s trinkets?¡± It¡¯s kinda funny, but on a serious note¡­I, too, wouldn¡¯t do something like that. I think I¡¯ve been criticized for knowing too little as a woman. ¡°But are you fine dressed like that? You said you¡¯ve cut ties with the Marquis of Andrette family, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll easily be recognized, dressed like this¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the wig is for! I¡¯ve always been fascinated by the color of your hair! Look, don¡¯t we look like sisters?¡± So you say. I¡¯ll just assume that you¡¯re probably doing this because you¡¯re confident that you won¡¯t have a problem being found. No questions about it, because it¡¯s fun! I trust you¡¯ve already considered that. Even though he¡¯s a man, I think he looks more perfect as a woman than I am! Let me tell you a little about Michel¡¯s situation. According to what I heard from Michel, he was originally the daughter of the Marquis of Andrette¡¯s younger brother. In fact, the Marquis of Andrette proposed that his eldest son substitute his younger brother, who died prematurely, in the bedchamber instead of helping his widowed wife, and Michel was born there. It was a very complicated family environment. In other words, Michel was the child of the Marquis of Andrette¡¯s heir, and the grandson of the current Marquis of Andrette. As a matter of fact, this seemed to be a common occurrence. A woman who is to be educated in her own home can get pregnant. It¡¯s totally condemned, and there¡¯s a possibility that the woman can¡¯t give birth, but the Marquis of Andrette has one ambition. The Marquis of Andrette had no daughters available for political marriage. Therefore, he thought that if a daughter was born, he could use her, and so he eventually forced Michel¡¯s mother to have one, and then guaranteed her future for the rest of her life afterwards. As a result, the child that was born was a boy. However, Michelle¡¯s mother was also desperate. In fact, she had three children with her late husband, and she had to raise all of them. Even though the Marquis of Andrette was her relative, he was not the kind of person who would give her a hand easily. It was also difficult for her to rely on her own family since they had already moved to the next generation. So, she faked that Michel was a girl. She wondered if it would be that easy to make it work, but to her surprise, the Marquis of Andrette lent a hand. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she¡¯s a woman, or if it was just because Michel was his grandson, but he also provided him with a boy¡¯s education while falsifying his family registration. Michel didn¡¯t say it outright, but I could tell that his mother was very grateful to the Marquis of Andrette. As for the Marquis of Andrette¡¯s son, he said something like, ¡°I¡¯m glad we don¡¯t look alike,¡± so I don¡¯t think he has any good feelings about him. Yeah, well¡­that¡¯s it. ¡°By the way, what is your purpose today?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who suggested today¡¯s outing? I don¡¯t have any ideas¡­so any recommendations?¡± ¡°Um, aren¡¯t you familiar with the Royal City? Even though the Count of Verdigo¡¯s whole family resides here?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get out much.¡± We didn¡¯t have a lot of money at our disposal. Whenever I used a sum without permission, they would complain right away. Who did they think was making the money? ¡°My personal recommendation is to go to the central market, but¡­if you suddenly go to such a place, Claude-sama will probably kill me.¡± Michelle¡¯s mumbling reminded me about the central market. It¡¯s the main market for the people living in the royal capital, and it is said that there is nothing that cannot be found there. However, because of this, the market is crowded with various nationalities, and the security isn¡¯t the best in the relatively safe royal capital. But exciting new things spread from here. Since it sometimes affects even the imperial family and aristocracy, its existence is now conspicuous to everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s go there, Michel. You can just say that I was the one who demanded to go there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d go there with overtly aristocratic clothes¡­¡± As expected, Michel is wary of the danger. ¡°Then, let¡¯s change clothes somewhere around there.¡± I pointed to a number of clothing stores that we passed along the way. There are a lot of shops that cater to the aristocracy because they are located on the main street, but there are also shops that are used by women from middle-class families. ¡°Besides, my husband has assigned other guards besides you, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Michel is my main guard, but as what suits my station as a Duchess, I can¡¯t be alone when going out. Several knights are guarding me, and a maidservant is accompanying her. Incidentally, today¡¯s chaperone is also the oldest, Lil. Lina had been so envious, so I made up my mind to buy her a souvenir. Not only her, but also Layla, of course. When I was working hard as a servant, I received a lot of gifts from them, so I wanted to return the favor. I know that they weren¡¯t just doing things for me out of a sense of duty. I also know that I¡¯m sometimes a nuisance. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s stop by there.¡± In the end, Lil reluctantly followed suit, while Michelle smiled and agreed. Of course, various conditions were set. I feel sorry for the knights, but I¡¯ll talk to my husband so that he can give them a special allowance. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve always wanted to go there?¡± ¡°I was curious, but Ragnard wouldn¡¯t let me.¡± The central market is even said to be the center of cultural development and trends. From a management point of view, it would be a lie to say that I¡¯m disinterested. Because of this! And if I can spot something like that first, I might be able to increase my assets at once. ¡°You¡¯re like Claude in that aspect, you know? Normally, I just enjoy myself.¡± Does that mean I¡¯m a workaholic? Well, I guess this time it¡¯s more like a visit. A surreptitious inspection. I felt a little excited. It¡¯s like the thrill of doing something you shouldn¡¯t do in disguise. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. Risha-sama, you seem to be enjoying yourself.¡± Michel then instructed the coachman to change course. CH 3.10 As I stared at my husband who was trying to force this whole mess on me, that large lump suddenly began to squirm and move. I had thought it was big when it was lying down; my, it was enormous. It was probably more than two meters long. As I recall, Vancouries are said to be two meters, but it was probably more than that. Of course, there are individual differences, but even so, it was huge. On my feet, I think its head is almost around my chest. It approached me slowly, but the fact that neither my husband nor Michel took a stance suggests that it wasn¡¯t hostile. I certainly didn¡¯t feel scared. ¡°Um¡­H-How do you do?¡± It sniffed me repeatedly. I somehow feel like it turned into a predator. ¡°Eh, do you think it¡¯s safe to touch it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I¡¯ve heard that Vancouries let people touch them during the shearing season, but only by selected people. I don¡¯t know what the criteria is¡­Hmm, if they don¡¯t like it when you touch them, I think you just have to stop. They wouldn¡¯t just bite you out of the blue.¡± That¡¯s reasonable enough, Husband. Sure enough, even he doesn¡¯t know much about Vancouries. But why doesn¡¯t he take the initiative and touch it himself? I wonder if he wants to make a human sacrifice out of me. It¡¯s a huge beast that¡¯s within easy touching distance if I just reach out my hand. So, I stretched my hand with trepidation. It looks fluffy, but it is smooth to the touch. The softness of its fur is irresistible, as if it is about to fall out of your hand, yet surprisingly firm. Its fur is much firmer than that of the little pup. Moreover, it¡¯s really smooth. ¡°It¡¯s so docile.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­It¡¯s hard to believe that this is a wild beast. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s been tamed.¡± When I leaned down to hug its thick neck, it took the initiative to approach me on its own. I hugged it and buried my face in it. Mmmmm! It feels so good!! ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was time to trim their fur this year? Is that why it has such fur?¡± Its fur does seem overly long. Ignoring my words, my husband stared at the large beast in front of him carefully. ¡°I think it would be closer to say that it understands your intentions, Risha, rather than being accustomed to people¡­¡± My husband commented pensively, as if pondering over something. It¡¯s true that as soon as I reached out to the large beast, it put its face closer to mine¡­Wasn¡¯t that a coincidence? ¡°Well, it¡¯s a beast shrouded in mystery. A Vancoury case.¡± Oh, so that¡¯s how you¡¯re going to conclude it, Husband? I thought you were going to pursue it, but you probably think it doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°That aside, what are you going to do? As the owner?¡± Husband asks, looking up at me from below. ¡°I¡¯m not the owner yet¡­¡± ¡°You must be a splendid owner. It¡¯s a loyal dog, I¡¯d say, no?¡± It¡¯s not a dog, though, is it? ¡°Canines won¡¯t disobey a superior animal if there is a clear hierarchy, whether it¡¯s a house dog or a wolf in the wild. This makes me believe that this guy is a canine.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for your overly calm analysis, Husband.¡± First off, I don¡¯t think it matters if it¡¯s a wild dog or cat. The strongest is the winner, and there are no exceptions. It¡¯s only natural to follow the strongest. But when I think about it that way, I don¡¯t understand why this beast in front of me or the little one would follow me. No matter how you look at me, I¡¯m not the strong one. At least, if it¡¯s only in terms of appearance, my husband looks much stronger than I do. Or rather, there is no doubt that he is a strong man. In human society, it is natural to follow the strong. With that in mind, the human race are also animals after all. Animals that can reason, talk, and communicate. To be honest, I know it¡¯s fine to go against a strong husband, but I¡¯m somehow repulsed by it. I mean, I can¡¯t be blamed if things started that way, right? He¡¯s been quiet lately, but I¡¯m always on the lookout for him because I never know when he¡¯s going to strike. I don¡¯t want to let my guard down, even though there¡¯s an air of enjoyment about me these days! ¡°Excuse me, will you let my husband touch you?¡± Not just my husband, but the others as well. Husband shrugged and extended his hand. He went on to touch its neck, as if caressing it, but it doesn¡¯t seem as friendly as with me, but it has no choice but to let him pet it. That¡¯s how it looked to me. ¡°You¡¯re acting like an adult who treats a child.¡± I know exactly how that feels! It¡¯s not that the large beast doesn¡¯t like it, but it finds it annoying. It¡¯s like saying, Just deal with it, or something like that. ¡°For now, it seems harmless. But I still think we should ask the owner what she wants.¡± I say, I¡¯m not the owner yet! Husband dismissed the servants who had gathered around and walked back towards the mansion. The two beasts followed behind. Glancing behind him, Husband let out a sigh and ordered Michel. ¡°Michel, do something about them.¡± ¡°Wa-what?! Why me? Why don¡¯t you ask Risha-sama to do something about it!¡± Yes, why was I brought here, otherwise? But I can¡¯t do anything, either, Michel. ¡°I¡¯d rather have them both inside, is that okay? That would be a problem if the house is small, but the duke¡¯s mansion is so large that passing this guy wouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± ¡°Sounds like an idea a cleaning servant would bemoan.¡± Ah, cleaning. Sheds of fur are going to fly¡­ I can picture the servants frantically cleaning and purifying the house. They are so disciplined, cleaning the house without leaving a single speck of dust. Still, I think it¡¯s better for small indoor animals, but we¡¯re dealing with a big beast. I think they¡¯ll be shedding a lot. Plus, their coats are a bit long. Ah, but¡­ ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think he was shedding any hair at all¡­¡± ¡°Come to think of it, he did.¡± Husband shot back, as if he remembered too. I¡¯m pretty sure that when I was lifting that little furball and carrying him around, he wasn¡¯t shedding any hair. At least, there was hardly any hair on my dress, and I think the same was true when I washed it and hung it to dry. ¡°Okay, then? It¡¯s more of a distraction from work to have them here. Don¡¯t they bother you?¡± That¡¯s true. If such a conspicuous creature is sitting there, even if you try not to care about it, you¡¯ll be bothered. ¡°That¡¯s why please allow, Claude-sama.¡± When Michel asked Husband for permission, he looked up at me and said, ¡°Tell them to behave.¡± I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not their master! Above all, I don¡¯t know whether they will listen to me. The only thing I know is that they don¡¯t hate me. Anyhow, that seems to be enough for my husband. It looks like these two will be left in my care. Hmph, I don¡¯t mind! Mofumofu[1] is the best! As long as they don¡¯t shed, there¡¯s no problem with having them on the bed! These thoughts ran past my mind as I looked at them. CH 3.11 Now what in the world is going on? Presently, Michel had gathered information ahead of time. We gathered in Husband¡¯s office to listen to it with the main members. Of course, there are two beasts waiting on the side. One of them is obviously playing, though. ¡°A servant found them first and screamed like a banshee.¡± Michel seemed to have heard the scream, too. The volume of the scream was so loud that it could have echoed throughout the mansion, but since my room, Husband¡¯s office and bedroom were soundproofed, we didn¡¯t hear it at all. Husband didn¡¯t even know what was going on until Ragnard went to inform him. ¡°That, indeed, would be shocking. If a large wild animal suddenly appeared in front of me, I would be prepared to die. We don¡¯t normally see something like this in the middle of a big city, no?¡± ¡°I heard that scream, too. To be honest, I thought something was wrong.¡± It was a little past noon, and it was still light out. Hearing such a high-pitched scream, it sounded as if a monster came into sight. Ragnard immediately investigated and reported it to Husband. But what I¡¯m wondering is, why did Husband come to wake me up? Lil or the other maids could have done it! It¡¯s quite bad for my heart to be greeted with such a divine face right after opening my eyes. ¡°It was an emergency, you know. Wouldn¡¯t it be quicker to get you up if I did it myself?¡± It was, well¡­ If it had been Lil, it would have been hard to wake her up. It¡¯s because I was pretty tired today. The large beast outside perhaps thought that I had come to retrieve the fluffy pup that was supposed to be in my room. Well, I thought it was strange that it lay down so leisurely there and without hostility. At any rate, Husband wanted to wake me up to show me who was responsible for this situation. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think it was dangerous?¡± The beast did nothing, so he could have left me alone instead of waking me up, right? ¡°If it were dangerous, it wouldn¡¯t be here anymore. It¡¯s on the grounds of the Lindbeld dukedom. There are always knights of the territory army staying here, so if there¡¯s any dangerous beast, they¡¯ll be disposed of immediately.¡± Apparently, because it wasn¡¯t hostile and is quiet, they did not touch it and informed Husband instead. ¡°Anyhow, how did it get here without being spotted by those supposedly elite knights of the territory army? Besides, it couldn¡¯t have entered the duchy without passing through the Royal Capital, right? ¡°Oh, I looked into it, but there are no sightings of him¡­ So the only thing I can think of is that he came from the Royal Palace.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a better possibility than walking around the city.¡± The most famous building in our country¡¯s Royal Capital is naturally the Royal Palace. The palace stands at a slightly higher elevation, with a steep mountain range behind it. This means they don¡¯t have to worry about what¡¯s behind them, and only have to look ahead, even if the Royal City becomes a battlefield. I don¡¯t know much about it, but I heard that there¡¯s an underground passage through the mountain range that allows people to cross. It was built at the same time when the capital was built as an escape route for the royal family and the residents of the Royal City, but it has never been used. And of course, the site of this Royal Mansion of the Duke of Lindbeld is the closest place to the Royal Palace. In short, you know? Assuming that these beasts were Vancouries, and if they lived in the high mountains, they could cross such a mountain range with ease. However, the mountain behind was a sheer cliff. It would definitely be difficult for even a beast, let alone a man, to cross. He¡¯s a trespasser, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s not a person, though. But if such a beast appeared, it would be a threat¡­ It¡¯s going to be a headache for Husband. More work, eh? People say that Husband is a workaholic, and he super loves his special job! Not really. It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t like it, but he doesn¡¯t want to do too much work. That¡¯s why I got involved in this. ¡°So let¡¯s talk about the future, shall we, Risha?¡± Husband spoke smilingly. How many times has that face fooled me?! Yeah, yeah, I know. Anyway, you want to push me on this, don¡¯t you? I totally understand. They¡¯re more trouble than they¡¯re worth, but I have one answer. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t go back, let¡¯s keep him!¡± That¡¯s the only answer. Or rather, I¡¯m hoping that he won¡¯t go back. I mean, wouldn¡¯t it be great to sleep with that fur wrapped around me? Moreover, it¡¯s so cuddly that I don¡¯t want to let go anymore, practically! ¡°¡­Your thoughts are so transparent. It¡¯s dangerous to pine for what you desire, don¡¯t you think? If you like their fur so much, I can buy it for you.¡± No, that¡¯s quite¡­it costs 500 gold coins. I don¡¯t feel quite comfortable putting that around my body¡­ ¡°By the way, just to be sure, can we now rule out that they¡¯re Vancouries? I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never seen one before.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no denying it. They look exactly like the Vancoury I¡¯ve seen in the past. I¡¯d hate to think that there are several kinds of these creatures out there.¡± That¡¯s reasonable, I suppose. It would be scary if there were several kinds of these humongous carnivorous beasts wandering around. ¡°¡­Even if you do keep them, where are you going to shelter them? And what about the permissions?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just keep them here?¡± The estate is vast. ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but will they be satisfied? Vancouries are beasts that dwell at high altitudes. I¡¯m sure they get a fair amount of exercise¡­¡± ¡°But the territory is¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let them loose until we get the word out.¡± Before all else, I have never been to the territory since our marriage. As the Duchess, I know I have to go, but I know that the Lindbeld dukedom vassals will definitely try to mess with me, so to be honest, it¡¯s a hassle. So far, the conversation came to a stop at Husband¡¯s place, but I guess a direct confrontation is inevitable. ¡°Shall we go, to the estate?¡± I nodded to my amused husband with a sigh. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped¡­Let¡¯s bear some hardship for the sake of these beasts. Then we¡¯ll go to the neighboring countries. I¡¯d like to take advantage of the good opportunity and ask them some questions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty motivated for a lazy wife?¡± Hmph, of course. Because healing is very important for a healthy mind! With these beasts around, I¡¯ll be able to do my best even when things are unpleasant! Oh, that doesn¡¯t mean I have to do more work, Husband! Although Husband didn¡¯t know what I was thinking, he looked at me somewhat happily and said¡­ ¡°Let me tell you one thing, whether in our territory or a neighboring country, we¡¯ll have to be in the same room.¡± You don¡¯t have to say that! CH 3.12 Lately, Claude-sama is trying his best to capture Risha-sama¡¯s attention. No, I think he¡¯s trying to gain her trust. On that note, how is he doing his best? For Risha-sama, who has an insatiable appetite for food, he casually found out what her favorite foods are and served them more often at meals, or raise the grade of the sweets at tea breaks, but Risha-sama probably didn¡¯t notice. Sometimes, he even joins her during tea breaks¨D¨Dwork! But it¡¯s good for them to have some time as a couple. A family with a happy couple permeates a good air and atmosphere in the house. At least, the mansion is a lot better than it used to be. I¡¯ve got caught up with work, but it¡¯s wonderful that I don¡¯t have to deal with the harassment of my master, who is slightly hot tempered, as often. Nonetheless, the fact still remains that he¡¯s the master among masters, and this will never change. Which is to say he¡¯s fond of tormenting people. He loves it, absolutely. You have my word on it! I believe the world would classify him as a sadist! He has a face that makes people squeal, but you should see the devil he is at work. Wait, I¡¯m being rather serious here. Claude-sama is like that, but lately he¡¯s been working harder on his political duties. The reason being, Risha-sama doesn¡¯t seem to be paying much attention to him these days. In the past, she would have dealt with him somehow, regardless of how reluctant she was, but now, it feels like Claude-sama¡¯s existence to her is rather thin. Well, we¡¯ll never know. Currently, Risha-sama is obsessed with a certain kind of beast. Claude-sama has given her permission to keep them¡­She couldn¡¯t possibly be attached to them, right? At any rate, how can she dote on them so much that she ignores anything else? She¡¯s doing it. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re cute. Except the small one. The big one¡­it¡¯s cute, but very scary. Anyway, it¡¯s intimidating, even though it¡¯s just lying there. And that big beast came here for some reason. ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t it kind of cold in the room?¡± Michel-kun knocked on the door and opened it himself. As Risha-sama¡¯s knight, he¡¯s supposed to be with her at all times, but when she¡¯s in the mansion, that¡¯s not necessary. From time to time, he would come here to make small talk with Claude-sama as a kind of report. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Claude-sama sounds in a sour mood, doesn¡¯t he?¡± He walks up to me and asks me in a whisper. I¡¯m so glad he asked! Yes, he¡¯s in a foul mood! ¡°It¡¯s because of that beast there.¡± I also whispered to Michel-kun. The beast I pointed at is the large, furry beast that Risha-sama is obsessed with. I had no clue what it is before, but it¡¯s a Vancoury, a beast that dwells in a neighboring country. Their fur is so expensive that Claude-sama¡¯s coat even cost 500 gold coins. It was only recently that we heard of it, so Risha-sama and I were shocked. Such is the case with Vancouries, but for various reasons ¨D¨D I¡¯m not sure of the details, but there¡¯s now a pup Vancoury and an adult Vancoury here in the Imperial Capital residence of the Duke of Lindbeld. And, although it¡¯s also a mystery to me, they¡¯re absolutely obedient to Risha-sama and do her every command. The little one doesn¡¯t seem to know any better yet, and only seems to know not to bite, bark, or growl, but the adult one is different. When Risha-sama tells it to do this or that, it does what she tells it to do. And now, there¡¯s an experiment in progress. If Claude tries to abandon his work and leave the office, Risha-sama orders him to stop him. It¡¯s like a complete watchdog. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Michel-kun was satisfied with that alone. The man who¡¯s oblivious to the air is now very perceptive. ¡°What the hell are you doing here? If you¡¯re here to play, get out.¡± ¡°No way! How can I be here just to have fun seeing Claude-sama in a bad mood?¡± You must be kidding. Michel-kun, you can definitely afford to make fun of him! I can tell Claude-sama is in a bad mood! ¡°How is Retzel doing? It seems that it¡¯s perfectly obedient. He really does whatever Risha-sama commands.¡± Retzel is the name Risha-sama gave the grown Vancoury. Even though keeping it still hasn¡¯t been decided, Risha-sama was already ready to keep it. In fact, if the Vancouri shows no signs of leaving, they will keep it too, but they will have to go to the territory for that. Risha-sama gave him a name, feeling that it¡¯s inconvenient for him to not have one, but it seems that the name has already taken root and Rezhel himself understands that the name refers to himself. Oh, also, the little wolf-like Vancoury is named Licht. ¡°Can you tell Risha to cut the crap? Don¡¯t experiment on me.¡± ¡°But if something happens, Claude-sama is the only one who can deal with it. It¡¯s quite inadvisable to sacrifice a knight, isn¡¯t it?¡± No, no, no, it¡¯s worse to use the head of the family as a test subject! ¡°If something happens in this room, well, someone¡¯s going to be the first casualty.¡± ¡°Hey! I can¡¯t be that!¡± ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you have some practical training, Diego-san?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got the lowest rating. He¡¯d been so underrated that he¡¯s fallen in love with it.¡± Excuse me! Please don¡¯t expose my grades! Forget it, since I fight with my head! ¡°Anyway, stop trying to hold me back every time I get up.¡± He¡¯s right. This has been going on for the past few days. You could say that Retzel is a loyal dog, but his master is Risha-sama, so he doesn¡¯t listen to Claude-sama much. In particular, Risha-sama instructed him to hold Claude-sama back if he tries to throw off his work. Well, Retzel didn¡¯t seem to understand what it meant to throw away his work, but he believed that standing up is it, and he restrains Claude-sama whenever he does so. In short, he can¡¯t go see Risha-sama by himself. That said, Risha-sama comes to visit him at meal times and such, so I think that¡¯s a good thing. ¡°But now that we know that he will listen to Risha-sama¡¯s orders for the time being, there seems to be no problem.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Large beasts that can be allowed into the Imperial Capital require a certain amount of provisions. One of the requirements is that the animal won¡¯t harm people, and that it will listen to people. At the moment, if they decide to keep Retzel, they¡¯ll have to ask for permission, that¡¯s why they¡¯re testing him now¡­but I felt intimidated and wanted something done as soon as possible. ¡°So, Claude-sama, who can¡¯t visit Risha-sama, I¡¯m here to report. Risha-sama is hooked on trimming Vancoury hair these days, so please buy her a good brush!¡± Claude is unresponsive, but Retzel, who is lying face down, wags his tail. He looks happy. ¡°Why should I do anything to please these beasts?¡± ¡°Are you jealous? You¡¯re so narrow-minded. You need to be more open-minded and accepting!¡¡They¡¯re cute, but you aren¡¯t, you know?¡± Claude¡¯s fingers twitched. Stop it, Michel-kun! I¡¯ve advised you multiple times, don¡¯t stir things up! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you just have to get Retzel to help you decide which one is better! Risha-sama will be very happy if you give her the one that Retzellikes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about ¡­¡± Gathering information needs various sources. Claude-sama, you can get information about Risha-sama from Ragnard-san and Michel-kun, but in the end, it¡¯s useless if Risha-sama takes no notice at all. Also, please don¡¯t bully me just because you can¡¯t be bothered. One more thing, please don¡¯t abandon your work and carefully read the report on Risha-sama that Michel-kun gives you since you¡¯re still seated in your seat. Please do your job! CH 3.3 The owner of the clothing store was staggered and looked quite troubled. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve caused you so much trouble! If someone wearing a dress of the highest quality came to his store, it would definitely make him nervous. His store isn¡¯t a place for aristocrats. Meanwhile, Michel and Lil are discussing this and that. I should be part of their discussion, but I don¡¯t really know what kind of thing is needed, so I just shut up and listened to them. Honestly, why is a man like Michel so detailed? Even Lil thinks that I¡¯m completely out of my depth when I chose Michel as my advisor. They asked me what color I wanted, but I was too picky and ended up deciding between Michel¡¯s and Lil¡¯s preferences. I went into the fitting room with Lil and changed. Of course, I can put on the simple dress by myself, but I can¡¯t take off the dress I¡¯m wearing by myself. After letting her take off the dress, I dressed myself. Ah, snug! It¡¯s not constricting and easy to move in! The skirt below my knees danced softly, making my legs feel cool. Knee-length skirts are the latest fad, but for me it¡¯s a huge hurdle, so I go with below-the-knee skirts. If you just look at my outfit, I look a bit like a wealthy young lady. ¡°Wow, it looks good on you, but¡­¡± Michel¡¯s is now in a commoner man¡¯s garb. The shopkeeper looked at Michel in confusion, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°I guess Risha-sama¡¯s beauty can¡¯t be hidden for a bit. I think you¡¯ll need this.¡± He handed me a wide-brimmed hat. Once I put it on deeply, it blocked my eyes. I don¡¯t want to sound overly self-conscious, but I know that my skin is glowing thanks to my maids. There are no ordinary commoners like me. ¡°If we¡¯re too eye-catching, it¡¯ll be too dangerous, so keep the guards at a distance. Risha-sama, don¡¯t separate from me. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to hold your hand.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Getting lost in a crowded place like that would be a big deal. It is not only me, but also the people who are following me will be punished, so I didn¡¯t resist and took the hand that he offered to me. Then Michel withdrew his hand. ¡°No, geez, geez! What do you think will Claude-sama say after I tell him this?¡± ¡­Why can¡¯t you stop stirring things up? All the same, I hesitated whether to stop him, but I ended up not saying anything. It¡¯s useless for me to speak. ¡°Let¡¯s go then, My Lady! There¡¯s a food stall I recommend, let¡¯s go there!¡± He pulled me languidly into the marketplace. The entrance to the market was already crowded like a festival, which naturally lifted my spirits. ¡°Risha-sama, it¡¯s not safe to stand still.¡± I almost stopped to take a good look around, but the flow of people was so fast that if I stopped, I would be blocking traffic. I looked around and asked Michel every time I saw something unusual. Michel seemed to be accustomed to the place, and he moved easily and knowledgeably, answering our questions in detail. He¡¯s a wonderful guide. ¡°Come here.¡± Suddenly, Michel pulled me by the hand and I moved towards him. Then a hunchbacked man walked past me speedily. I thought I made eye contact with him for a moment, but he¡¯s gotta be a rude man because he clicked his tongue at me and walked away. I was about to turn around to see what the hell was going on, but Michel took my hand and started walking away, so I turned around too. ¡°Risha-sama, you¡¯re quite an easy target. I can¡¯t count how many people have been eyeing you since a while ago. Could it be because you exude the air of a pampered young lady?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There are pickpockets. Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± Huh? I didn¡¯t notice them at all¡­ I¡¯ve heard that pickpockets in these places are so skilled that even the city guards can¡¯t capture them easily¡­ ¡°You okay?¡± Forget it. I certainly don¡¯t owe it to Michel to catch them. ¡°That was an attempt, and we¡¯ll have to catch one red handed to see if he¡¯s really a pickpocket. So when I said ¡®pickpockets¡¯ earlier, I meant he¡¯s most likely one.¡± There¡¯s a lot of these incidents, huh? But, it¡¯s true that if nothing happens, someone can get away with it unless we have conclusive evidence, as is the case with any crime. ¡°Now, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t give you the wallet, but would you like to buy something? It will all go down as an expense, so please don¡¯t hesitate to tell me anything.¡± As a duchess, I¡¯ve been allotted an allowance¡­Well, if Michel says so. I¡¯ll buy something so that I don¡¯t embarrass Ragnard. As this thought popped in my head, I heard a rushing cheer coming from the front. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the central square. Maybe they¡¯re putting on some kind of a show. Shall we go there?¡± Sure. I nodded, and Michel led the way there. The cheers are getting louder and louder, but they¡¯re more like high-pitched cheers of children. Others were women¡¯s voices. The crowd is quite large, but Michel is able to squeeze through the gaps and make it to the front. And then¨D¨D¡­ ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°No way! What is this?!¡± We both looked at each other and our mouths dropped as the scene unfolded in front of us. ¡°I know! This is the kind of thing women and children like.¡± Even though Michel seemed to be calmly analyzing the situation, his eyes are shining. I knew it then. Michel likes this sort of thing. Well, this kind of thing is irregardless of gender. ¡°Risha-sama, let¡¯s buy this! Let¡¯s buy one of them! I¡¯ll definitely persuade Claude-sama on your behalf! I¡¯ll take the initiative and take care of him!¡± Michel¡¯s cheeks flushed as he appealed to me. They¡¯re little furballs. They were fuzzy, fluffy, cute baby animals. CH 3.4 Fluffy and lumpy. So this is supreme heaven! ¡°Wow! She¡¯s so friendly!¡± Michel-kun, your face, your face! Hmm, but I totally understand!! ¡°Michel, look at this baby! Look at her tail!¡± They have pointy eyes and ears that stand up straight. A wagging tail. It¡¯s an affectionate baby that expresses its happiness with its whole body. Gosh, should I buy them all?! There¡¯s no worry! The Duke¡¯s estate is huge! ¡°But what kind of store is this exactly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about it, but have you heard of the recent trend among the nobility about breeding small animals that can be kept indoors?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard some.¡± ¡°I guess they¡¯re becoming popular among the commoners as well.¡± I see. What¡¯s popular among the nobility is also popular among the citizens. This kind of thing appeals to people¡¯s hearts, so they are quick to copy it! They¡¯re actually cute! ¡°But they¡¯re pretty expensive.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it used to be a pleasure for the nobility. The price will probably plummet after a little while.¡± It seems that Michel is a cat person. He¡¯s been hugging all he can since a while ago. Michel himself is like a fickle cat, so maybe they hit it off. This place is like a blind date area, where you can get to know the girl you like, while searching for a young animal you have affinity with. By the way, I¡¯m a dog person. Dogs are cute because they¡¯re loyal to their masters. However, the Count of Verdigo and the Duke of Lindbeld households do not keep any animals. They have horses that pull carriages and the like, but no small animals as pets. ¡°I think I¡¯ll buy one¡­¡± Comfort is important! ¡°Let¡¯s do that! Preferably this one!¡± Michel, that¡¯s the one you like best¡­ You¡¯ve been carrying a bunch of them, but that one¡¯s been getting special treatment. It¡¯s definitely cute, though. ¡°Michel, why don¡¯t you keep it yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m currently a houseguest at the Duke¡¯s mansion, so it¡¯s a bit¡­But if my master can keep it, I can also take care of it, right?¡± For me? Well, alright. ¡°But even if we buy it now and bring it home, what would my husband say?¡­Do you think it¡¯s okay without consulting him first?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? You see, Claude-sama can forgive you for anything.¡± Uh, that¡­ Trust building period. To be honest, I haven¡¯t been too angry with him since we had that conversation. He realized that he has put me through a lot of things¡­and he seems to be reflecting on it. And he apologized to me, at least. ¡°So, let¡¯s buy this kitten. If it¡¯s this, I¡¯ll pay for it myself!¡± I smiled and told Michel. ¡°No, I¡¯m a dog person.¡± ¡°Uh? Then, why don¡¯t we buy one each? I¡¯ll take care of one of them! Maybe Claude-sama is a cat person!¡± ¡°What if he¡¯s a dog person? He¡¯d probably prefer a loyal pet to a fickle one.¡± ¡°Why are you talking like you¡¯re a married couple who understand each other? But Claude-sama likes you, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯s more into fickle cats.¡± ¡°Yes-yes¡± I just let Michel do his thing and watched him lazing around, running around, and moving around with the young animals spiritedly. Even though we can keep a puppy indoors, we still don¡¯t know how big it will grow. I think if it¡¯s a big puppy, it will grow big too. ¡°All young animals are cute.¡± ¡°They are cute.¡± Michel sulkily turned his face away and followed me, looking betrayed and unhappy. Thinking that I shouldn¡¯t be naive here, I look around. Then I immediately spotted a basket stacked in the back. It¡¯s a sturdy-looking basket, and I guess they keep each one in each of them. However, in the midst of it all, I found something inside a cage that looked sturdy enough to be out of place. ¡°That baby¨D¨D¡­¡± ¡°What? You want that one?¡± Michel looked at me in surprise. ¡°Er¡­¡± One of the animals is in a small cage as if it was isolated, and it was growling at us in wariness. Its fur stood on ends as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer.¡± ¡°Hmm, Risha-sama¡­Do you desire to tame a cocky guy like that?¡­It¡¯s true that Claude-sama is cocky, too. But it¡¯s not as simple as it sounds¡­¡± Michel says with a smirk and a sideways glance. Shut up, Michel! ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m just curious about this little one.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. This one¡¯s a little¨D¨D¡­¡± When I asked the person in the store about it, he kind of bristled and said he couldn¡¯t recommend it. It¡¯s for sale, but it doesn¡¯t seem to like anyone, and if you try to touch it, it will threaten to bite you. It was unclear where they got it from, and the store was at a loss as to what to do with it. The staff said that if they couldn¡¯t find anyone to take it in, they would just sell it like a mouse-trap cat or ranch dog, but that the little one was unfriendly to begin with and was only likely to be slaughtered. After hearing that much, I can¡¯t stay still! The staff may not have been in the mood, but he recommended another puppy, but the little one was my only choice. Even if it¡¯s not good at all, I decided to take it in. Even if it¡¯s impossible at the moment, if we treat it with love and affection, it may eventually show a friendly attitude to people. Dogs are so much smarter than cats! ¡°Risha-sama, are you serious?¡± ¡°Is it bad?¡± ¡°¡­If you get hurt, Claude-sama will kill me, you know?¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m sorry. Will he kill me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re terrible! Aren¡¯t you my best friend?!¡± My potential best friend, Michelle, is already non-existent. I asked the shopkeeper to unlock the cage. Then I slowly open the door. Whether the puppy is wary, it just looks at me and growls. Perhaps it knows that it¡¯s useless to run away, so it doesn¡¯t try to jump out. I slowly held out my hand so as not to frighten it. But, as expected, it bit me vigorously. Even though it was a puppy, its canine teeth were so strong that it seriously hurt where it bit me. This is the stron prey on the weak world. If you don¡¯t show who is stronger, you lose. Our eyes met and we stared each other down. Its eyes are a strange shade. They are blue, like mine, but they wavered somewhat powerfully and somewhat fragilely. The standoff, which was not that long, continued for a while. And then, as we waited patiently without doing anything, it slowly let go of its canines from where it bit me, as if it had given up. Then, it licked the spot where blood was flowing. Hahaha, I won! ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡± ¡°You won! Don¡¯t you think so, Risha-sama? But I think I should be doing something¡­Oh, yes, treatment!¡± Michel grabbed my hand and asked the shopkeeper for some medicine. While Michel tended to my hand, the shopkeeper let the puppy out of the cage. It was so quiet that it seems like its growling earlier was but an illusion. Rather ¨D¨D¡­ He¡¯s a little dirty, but it feels so good! I can¡¯t get over how smooth its fur feels, almost like it¡¯s absorbing my hand. I¡¯d bury my face in it if I could! ¡°I¡¯ll buy this little one! It¡¯s the one!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever you want.¡± You sound disinterested, but you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to pay for it, Michel! The puppy¡¯s dull eyes stared at me, and I rubbed my cheek against its soft fur. CH 3.5 In the carriage on the way back, the puppy was sitting quietly in my arms. I was actually going to put it in the cage that it was in, but I guess it didn¡¯t want it. Hmm, I guess it doesn¡¯t like it because it¡¯s been trapped in a small space for a long time. I was worried that it couldn¡¯t handle being out here in the middle of the crowd, but no problem has arisen. It growled lowly as if wary, but that was all. Actually, Michel asked me if he could carry it for a while, but the puppy refused. Un, it¡¯s nice to know that the puppy is only fond of me. When I stroked the puppy¡¯s head and comforted it, it wagged its tail for a bit, feeling relaxed. Michel seemed unconvinced, but the puppy didn¡¯t want a man who was cheating on it with a cat. ¡°Do you think I should wash it a bit when we get back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little dirty¡­ Maybe some of the kids have animals at home, let¡¯s ask them.¡± ¡°Lil, do you have any animals at home?¡± ¡°In my family, not particularly. But Lina comes from a dairy farm, so she might have at least had a sheepdog.¡± Big dogs and small dogs, regardless of the size, were all dogs. There shouldn¡¯t be a big difference in keeping them. I thought about the various things I need to prepare, and reflected on when was the last time I had so much fun planning things. ¡°You look like you¡¯re having fun, -Risha-sama.¡± Michel was looking at me, cross-legged and leaning on his elbows. It wasn¡¯t me that he was looking at, though. ¡°Is that really a dog?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It seems too smart for a dog, and¡­it has exceptional canine teeth. I talked to the guy at the store, and he said that all the dogs there were specially bred to be kept indoors.¡± ¡°You mean?¡± ¡°Dogs may have instincts, but they¡¯re different from the ones that actually live in the wild. You might say, some of their instincts have regressed¡­I¡¯ll have to have a closer look, but I can feel the blood of a wolf¡­Besides, wolves and dogs are kind of the same species.¡± Michel stretches his hand again, skeptically. Grrrr! The pup growled, and threatened by baring its canines in the air. However, it didn¡¯t reject Michel¡¯s hand and soon quieted down. Michel stroked its head a few times and looked at his hand in amazement. His surprise was well founded. Hahaha! Is this pup dangerous?! When I looked at Michel, the corners of his mouth curled up in triumph. He looked stunned, as if in disbelief. It¡¯s not the reaction I was expecting. ¡°Hey, Risha-sama¡­That¨D¨D¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Uh, no¡­how can I say it? I don¡¯t know for sure¡­Dangerous? Sort of?¡± ¡°Huh? It¡¯s definitely dangerous to the touch, but¡­¡± I want to be able to touch it forever. I want to bury my face in it and fondle it. If I could, forever! I know how great the puppy¡¯s fur is, to the extent where my desire intensifies. ¡°Un¡­I¡¯ll have to ask Claude-sama about it.¡± Eh? What¡¯s the point? After that, Michel fell silent. I talked to Lil, who was sitting next to me, but he didn¡¯t join in. Normally, he would be the first to join the conversation. In fact, he would be the first to raise a subject. When we arrived at the mansion, Ragnard was there waiting. I hadn¡¯t informed him when we¡¯d be returning home, but it turned out that Michel was the culprit. Nevertheless, it was unusual for him to go out of his way to welcome me. ¡°Your husband is waiting for you in his office.¡± ¡°Eh? My husband?¡± Why? Maybe he wants to ask me how my day out was? ¡°Together with that pup.¡± ¡°And the pup?¡± I didn¡¯t realize that the puppy in my arms was looking at the mansion with interest¡­ I got increasingly skeptical. Will he perhaps object? I guess I should¡¯ve talked to him first¡­ ¡°Michel, you¡¯ve been bothered about this pup for a while now. What¡¯s so special about it?¡± I asked Michel, who was standing next to me. Michel seemed to be confused himself and said he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°It could be a very precious animal¡­I¡¯ve never seen one like it before, and I¡¯ve only touched its fur once, so I¡¯m not really sure.¡± He couldn¡¯t say for sure, but there¡¯s something about this pup¡¯s fur that seems to absorb your hands. And it¡¯s a rarity that Michel can¡¯t determine. What? Can this possibly really be a problem? Anyway, I¡¯m not letting this pup go! Ragnard leads me to my husband¡¯s office. A curt reply inside asked us to enter. Once inside, the door was closed tightly and it was just me, my husband, Michel, Ragnato, and Diego. I sat down on the sofa in the office and put the pup in my arms down on my lap. After squirming a bit, the pup slowly curled up. The action was so cute that my mouth dropped open. My husband and Michel, sitting opposite each other, were doing something, and Ragnard was preparing tea. Diego obviously likes the pup, too because I saw him looking at the pup on my lap with a twinkle in his eye. Once the tea was served to each of us, my husband slowly turned his attention to the pup curled up on my lap. ¡°Either that or¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I couldn¡¯t decide. After all, I¡¯ve never seen one in person. What do you think, Claude-sama?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only seen the real thing once. And coincidentally¡­ I do, however, have a fur coat.¡± ¡°Wow! As expected of Your Grace! You¡¯ve got out-of-ordinary stuff!¡± I¡¯ve always wondered why the two of them are so on the same page. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re talking about and neither does Diego. I wanted a clear explanation, so I said, glaring at the two of them. ¡°What exactly is the issue about this pup? Can you please explain it to me so I can understand?¡± ¡°Michel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, so I can¡¯t answer you. Just in case, I just wanted you to check with Claude-sama.¡± Not sure, the real thing¡­ I have no idea what¡¯s going on. My husband let out a sigh at Michel¡¯s response as he got up from the couch and sat down beside me. This distance. I got a little nervous because we haven¡¯t been this close lately. ¡°I¡¯m going to touch it.¡± ¡°G-Go ahead.¡± His outstretched hand was about to touch the pup on my lap. But at that moment, the pup¡¯s ears twitched and raised its head. It didn¡¯t growl, but it did show signs of dislike, so I stroked its back to quiet it down. Then he accepted my husband¡¯s hand as if it had no choice. ¡°What do you think Claude-sama?¡± My husband stroked the pup¡¯s fur a few times more to make sure, and then withdrew his hand when he was satisfied. My husband nodded, with a tangled look on his face. ¡°Probably the real thing¨D¨D¡­¡± My husband stared at the puppy on my lap and let out a sigh, looking troubled. CH 3.6 My husband turned towards me and looked at me sternly. ¡°Risha, do you know the fur of an animal called Vancoury¨D¨Dor rather, the product?¡± ¡°Yes, at least the name.¡± I nodded, perplexed at the question my husband suddenly popped. Vancoury is the fur of a precious animal that can only be found in neighboring countries. Or, more precisely, the name of its species. They live at high altitudes, and their fur is fine, smooth, heat-insulating, and of super high quality. Despite knowing the name, I¡¯ve never seen or even handled one before. The fur is so rare that only the royal family or rich people with stacks of money can get their hands on it. In the neighboring countries, I heard that it accounts for a large percentage of exports, to the extent that it has become a major industry. ¡°Do you understand now? It wasn¡¯t hard for me to understand with that much prelude. In other words, my husband and Michel both think that this pup is the offspring of that Vancoury. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± But¡­It¡¯s rare in this country to begin with, and I¡¯ve never seen the creature itself. Seriously? I can¡¯t be blamed for asking that question. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure¡­Let¡¯s just say it¡¯s as close to black as you can get. Ragnard, there is a blackish coat at the back of my winter wardrobe. Fetch it, please.¡± ¡°Okay, Sir.¡± My husband asked Ragnard to fetch something. It might be the coat made of Vancoury fur that he mentioned earlier. ¡°I¡¯ve seen one before, when I was in the territory. I didn¡¯t know it at the time and only found out about it later.¡± ¡°Then, how did you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a very pleasant story. They infested an area around a farming village in the Duchy, and were targeted for subjugation. They aren¡¯t particularly evil, but they¡¯re large beasts, over two meters long. You know what they say about dealing with things before they become a big problem, right?¡± I¡¯ve once acted as Lord, so I understand what he was saying. I think I would have done the same. ¡°Master, here.¡± It didn¡¯t take for Ragnard to bring back the coat. It¡¯s a black coat, and it would look really good on my husband if he wore it. ¡°This is Vancoury¡¯s fur. It is soft and smooth. It¡¯s so soft and smooth, it¡¯s almost as if it can absorb your hands.¡± Husband held out the coat for me to touch. I stroked it slowly, and immediately understood. It is the same as the pup on my lap. The pup also got interested in the coat and sniffed it. ¡°Just so you know, you have to spend nearly five hundred gold coins just for the tailoring of one of these.¡± ¡°WHOA!¡± Five hundred! Gosh! I swear I uttered the same thing as Diego! Michel nodded as if he expected such reactions. ¡°In other words, they are that rare. They look like large wolves, but their fur is thin probably because they live at high altitudes. As a result, their fur has this texture. I don¡¯t know why they inhabit such places. To be honest, they are so strong that they are unlikely to lose in a fight for survival, so there is no need for them to live in such a harsh place.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no question that they¡¯re creatures shrouded in mystery, Risha-sama. Moreover, do you know how they collect all those animal fur? But surprisingly, these animals would come to get their fur shorn themselves. Once every two years, at a certain time. ¡°Aren¡¯t they¡­smart?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than just being smart. It¡¯s not normal. For the record, wild animals can groom their fur themselves or shed them with the changing of the seasons without human care. But with all this fur to begin with, a greedy person would probably hunt them all down, and poaching would become a common occurrence, but that hasn¡¯t happened yet.¡± That¡¯s true. If the texture is this good, I think at least women will buy them. Women are more sensitive to these commodities than men. If that happens, poaching will flourish, and these animals may even become extinct. No matter how much control the government has, I think it will be difficult to completely eliminate such things. ¡°It could be that they know they can¡¯t be harmed by appearing in front of people ¨D¨DOr it could be that they know they can¡¯t harm us, so they act accordingly. Absolute confidence, which could be considered as conceit because of their strength. Who knows? But just looking at this, I think I somewhat understand¡­doing something reckless.¡± My husband gently took my hand and stroked the bite mark (or marks). It hurts a little, but it¡¯s not a big deal. ¡°Even though it is a cub, its teeth are sharper, thicker and stronger than those of other dogs and wolves. If he¡¯s taken you seriously, he could have at least bitten your fingers off. Uh¡­ Does that mean that the pup was being very easy on me? I only bled a bit, but it stopped right away. My husband slowly and gently kissed the spot he¡¯s been caressing. Even though it was just a touch with his lips, it felt hot and strange there. ¡°Ah¡­m¡­¡± ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Now it does. I¡¯d say it hurts, but something that isn¡¯t pain is creeping in! It¡¯s something else that makes me feel very shy! ¡°Michel is being Michel for not stopping you, but from now on, don¡¯t do something like this.¡± He looked at me straight in the eyes with concern, and I timidly averted my eyes. Because! My husband is a very handsome man! When he stares at someone like that, any woman will probably fall for him, including me! Oh, no, no, no! My cheeks are burning up! ¡°¡­Excuse me, we¡¯re still here. Can you please do that kind of thing when you¡¯re alone?¡± A dazed stare and a dumbfounded voice that sounded like a complaint came. I instinctively shook off my husband¡¯s hand. My husband glanced sideways at Michel. His eyes seemed to be telling him to stop cutting in, but I was very grateful to Michel for interrupting us. And Diego. You look like you¡¯re covering your eyes with your hands, but why are you looking at us through the gaps? I¡¯m rather embarrassed by it, you know! ¡°Claude-sama, we seemed to have gone off track, but what are you going to do in the end? In case you¡¯re wondering, the fur itself is a problem, but smuggling and trafficking live Vancouries is a crime, okay? Are you just going to ignore it?¡± My husband put his hand to his chin as if in contemplation. ¡°I¡¯ve seen them in my territory. This means that some of them have strayed from their pack or have been driven out, and come to us. Tell them we found it there, and no one will complain. After all, we¡¯re not keeping them as livestock. They¡¯re in their natural habitat, so it happens.¡± ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about them either. It¡¯s probably the same for our neighboring countries. The ecology of this animal itself is shrouded in mystery, so no one can argue with it no matter what we say. If they want us to give it back, well, that¡¯s none of our business. After all, even the neighboring countries don¡¯t have the right to own them.¡± They just happen to live there, and they just happen to let them shear their fur. So it seems. Maybe the animals think they¡¯ll be cleaner if they let others do the deed rather than shedding by themselves. Or perhaps they feel good about it¡­ Is that what you want, wild animals? ¡°All in all, it¡¯s not going to be a problem to have it here, is that correct?¡± That¡¯s what I want to hear, Husband. I looked up at my husband, and he glanced down at the little furball in my lap. ¡°I can¡¯t make a judgment based on just one animal, anyway. I can¡¯t say that I am one hundred percent sure either. If others say anything, we¡¯ll go through with it and pretend ignorance.¡± You¡¯re saying, we¡¯ll claim we didn¡¯t know about it, are we, Husband? ¡°Risha, are you seriously going to keep this creature?¡± My husband¡¯s question clearly implied his disapproval. CH 3.7 Seriously, I¡¯m a little lost after hearing all this. It¡¯s not the same as a crossbred, artificially created beast. Domesticated animals may have a little bit of a temperament, but that¡¯s an individual thing, and I don¡¯t think they have the power to seriously harm people. However, this pup has lived in the wild. I don¡¯t know how the pup was brought to this country, but its wild instincts are stronger than any other pup. He may be small now, but as my husband says, he can be a threat if he gets serious. ¡°Before I go any further, I¡¯m against it. It¡¯s dangerous to keep a beast that could eventually become a vermin capable of killing even people around. It is over two meters long and weighs quite a lot. If such a beast were to attack you, you would have no choice but to die.¡± ¡°But¡­it¡¯s very quiet.¡± ¡°Risha, it¡¯s quiet now, but you can¡¯t tell what it will do in the future. I¡¯ve never heard of any cases of Vancouries harming people, but that¡¯s just because I¡¯ve never heard of it. I don¡¯t really know.¡± There are many aspects about this specie that we have no knowledge of. Taking it lightly just because it¡¯s just too cute will only get you hurt. I stared at the pup in my lap. His blue eyes that were staring back at me, as if sensing something, were shining with a very mysterious color. Besides, the truth is ¨D¨D¡­ ¡°If I could, I would return it to his mother.¡± If it was smuggled in, maybe his mother is looking for it. At this young age, it¡¯s too early for him to be separated from his parents. He¡¯s probably still at the age where he wants to be spoiled by his mother. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll accept him again after being separated from his parents, albeit forcibly.¡± ¡°As long as they¡¯re living in the wild, they can¡¯t keep waiting and worrying about a lost child, can they?¡± ¡°Still, if it¡¯s possible¡­¡± I lost my mother when I was a child. So, I wanted him to be pampered and protected more. When I think of how difficult it must have been for this little body to get here after being separated from his mother, it breaks my heart. My husband patted me on the head as if he was soothing a child. ¡°It is difficult to go to a neighboring country and enter their habitat, but it isn¡¯t impossible. If we file a formal request, they will at least let us visit. This year is supposedly their shearing period, and it¡¯s exactly right around this time of year. In case you¡¯ve forgotten, this is the dukedom of a great nation. A mere King of a small country cannot refuse.¡± Un, you¡¯re amazing, Husband. Honestly, I¡¯ve almost forgotten about it¡­ I don¡¯t really feel it, but it¡¯s times like this that I realize how influential I am. Since my husband answered with full confidence, I felt that the Dukes of Lindbeld is indeed as powerful as a small country. And since our backer is our country, which is a major power, it is certainly scary to refuse us. Although wars and armed conflicts are not popular nowadays, the difference in military power is so great that if our country wanted to, it could eliminate one or two small countries. So, the head of the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s family. I¡¯d like to confirm something, can I? ¡°Um, are you suggesting that we use force?¡± It can¡¯t be, right? You wouldn¡¯t do that, would you? Everyone looked at me. ¡°By no means, if we¡¯re going to do this, we¡¯re going to do it thoroughly. This time I have a plan.¡± ¡°A plan¡­?¡± Something suspicious suddenly settled in the air¡­or is it my imagination? ¡°Why are you looking at me suspiciously? What do you think I¡¯ll do? I¡¯m basically a pacifist, except that I don¡¯t condone anyone who opposes me.¡± ¡°Pacifist, you say¡­?¡± Everyone agreed with Michel, except for Ragnard. My husband seems incredibly unwilling, but does he realize that pacifism is not a word that fits him at all? I mean, his face alone doesn¡¯t exude pacifism at all. ¡°That aside, are you okay with that, Risha?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take naps when we go to the neighboring countries.¡± ¡°I know.¡± However, I love to take naps after lunch. In fact, I usually get sleepy these days. Perhaps, my body has just got into the habit. My husband gently touched my cheek. ¡°Well, your complexion is great. You¡¯re in much better shape than when we first met.¡± ¡°¡­My life has improved since.¡± It took a lot of work to improve my life, though, didn¡¯t it? When I think back on it, I still felt a bit angry with the husband¡­ ¡°Now, since Risha says there¡¯s no problem, I¡¯ll accept some long-standing official business.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°If we¡¯re going to a neighboring country anyway, why not? Since you insist on keeping this guy, I¡¯ll let you keep him to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Um? What do you mean? Michel and Diego shook their heads at my gaze, while Ragnard gently handed me a letter. The seal had already been opened, but I looked at the seal stamped on the wax and slowly looked up at my husband. I hope my mouth didn¡¯t look cramped. ¡°Er¡­what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift from the Emperor.¡± ¡°O-Of course you were going to decline, weren¡¯t you?¡± I had to force myself to keep my hands from shaking as I stared at that stamped seal once more. It definitely belonged to a neighboring imperial family. ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything special or important, so I was going to decline. However, since Risha is motivated, I¡¯ll take it. Don¡¯t tell me you thought you can go to a neighboring country just like that, as if on a trip?¡± Yeah, I did, so what? Perhaps, my feelings showed all over my face. I had never been out of the country in the past, so I was envisioning a short trip. ¡°Risha, for the record, do you really think that a member of the Lindbeld dukedom can leave the country so easily? You¡¯ll be treated as a state guest. In case you forgot, the Dukes of Lindbeld are the closest relatives to the royal family. So, if the royal family is short on manpower, they may approach us.¡± Husband, did you just emphasize ¡®manpower shortage¡¯? ¡°Did you know that thanks to the self-serving actions of someone, somewhere, one member of the royal family is gone?¡± Uh, that¡­ Yes, I know about that. Hey, there, Michel! What¡¯s with the ¡®I had nothing to do with it¡¯ look? ¡°As a matter of fact, the imperial family has also asked me to arrange a big wedding reception banquet. It¡¯s a great opportunity to have a social gathering abroad. We don¡¯t have to prepare for it, and just invite a bunch of people from other countries. That¡¯s great, Risha. You¡¯ll enjoy yourself more without having to host it here.¡± Enjoy myself, really? Husband¡­from the start, even without this, you were thinking of foreign diplomacy, weren¡¯t you? Besides, you just said I can take my time easily, but a party like a wedding reception is an evening party hosted by men, you know? I¡¯m somewhat involved, but it¡¯s mainly your job to make decisions, Husband! You just want to reduce your own workload, don¡¯t you? I glared at the master who took away my nap time and smoothly reduced his own workload. He must have been planning to take away my nap time even without this incident. I can¡¯t blame him, though, because I volunteered to give up my nap this time, but now he¡¯s definitely thinking that he killed two birds with one stone. It¡¯s going to take you a lot more to gain my trust, Husband! Translator Note: I¡¯m not quite sure if I translated this one right, but this one Åû¶Ŀ¤Îϯ came up as wedding reception¡­or just a reception banquet??? (£­??) CH 3.8 ¡°By the way, what does he eat?¡± A normal dog would probably eat anything, but a ¨D¨D wolf? When I asked what the mysterious Vancoury ate, my husband shrugged. When I asked him what the mysterious Vancoury ate to survive, he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t know? It¡¯s hard to imagine them living in the mountains at high altitude and eating meat.¡± Right? There are only a few animals that live in such high mountains. As my husband said, in the natural world of the weak and the strong, Vancoury is one of the strongest. The reason why these pups don¡¯t live on the plains is because there¡¯s something about those high elevations. Specifically, something that they eat. ¡°Native to the highlands¨D¨Dthat doesn¡¯t sound like a lot, does it? ¡°If anything, they¡¯re probably eating the grass and stuff that grows around there.¡± Diego, don¡¯t say that. Husband is looking at you quite coldly, you know? You¡¯re making a complete fool of yourself. ¡°Diego, like I said before, they don¡¯t have to live in the highlands. They¡¯ll come to farmlands first.¡± After Michel expressed her opinion, Diego held his tongue. He realized that he had said something stupid. Think a little before you speak, Diego. ¡°I talked to the guy at the store, and he said he didn¡¯t eat any of the baby food. He was drinking milk.¡± ¡°You mean, he¡¯s just a baby?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. With fangs this fine, he should be able to eat a fair amount of food by now.¡± ¡°I mean, who needs fangs when you¡¯re not a carnivore? Wouldn¡¯t it have flatter teeth if it feeds on grass?¡± Indeed. It¡¯s hard to believe they¡¯re not carnivores when their canine teeth are so well developed. ¡°¡­.Uh, I have an idea.¡± Ragnard interjected. ¡°Some fruits can grow at high altitudes, or even in cold places. It is covered with a rather hard shell, which is also like a rock. But what¡¯s inside is a rather nutritious grain-like seed¨D¨D¡­¡± At that moment, everyone except Diego thought of that existence and raised their eyebrows slightly. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°¡­That one?¡± ¡°That thing I¡¯ve been trying to avoid talking about for a while¡­¡± ¡°Uh? Huh?¡± Diego, you seem to be the only one who doesn¡¯t know, but we all thought of it right away. Well, if you didn¡¯t know, you wouldn¡¯t know¡­ ¡°Diego, don¡¯t you think you should expand your knowledge and not just focus on numbers?¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite knowledgeable, though maybe it¡¯s all just a bunch of useless knowledge.¡± Husband, Diego is hurting so badly! Diego¡­be strong¡­don¡¯t give up! Because these three are just insane! Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re pretty awesome too! I rooted for Diego as I comforted him inwardly. I hope that it will be conveyed one day. ¡°To explain to Diego, who doesn¡¯t get it, it¡¯s one of the most nutritious grains for livestocks, you know? The kind that people can eat, but it¡¯s not half as bad as it sounds. I feel like I¡¯m going to throw up just thinking about it. I feel like I¡¯m super awesome for putting up with it for a week. No, it¡¯s not that I feel great, it¡¯s that my tongue was dead, I swear. My husband turned his eyes on me, so I glared back at him. I¡¯ll definitely make him eat it next time. ¡°Er¡­is it Vakui?¡± Yeah-yeah, that! I don¡¯t even want to hear the name, but that¡¯s the one, Diego. ¡°That¡¯s something that we can produce now, but in the past, it was only available in some cold territories. It¡¯s so hard nobody ever considered it food before¡­but it¡¯s everywhere. There are people who eat it.¡± Really seriously, I respect our forefathers. I¡¯m amazed that they were willing to eat it. ¡°There was a spurious story attached to it that if you eat it, you can move around all day without getting hungry. Then, they came up with an idea. They crossbred it with various plants to make it easier to eat, and that¡¯s what we have.¡± ¡°If I may add, Vakui is not a grain, but a seed, though it looks like a grain and is generally treated as a grain for livestock feed.¡± ¡°I wonder. Did Vakui get its name from the fact that it is eaten by Vancouries?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± It was called Vakui because Vancouries feed on them¡­Isn¡¯t that a little too easy? I mean, didn¡¯t they have a better name for it? ¡°Just feed him for now and we¡¯ll find out.¡± In addition, I want to bathe this pup. It¡¯s a little dirty¡­but is that advisable? ¡°It¡¯s okay to get it wet. It rains and snows in the highlands too.¡± That¡¯s true, too. ¡°But, Risha-sama, you can¡¯t do it by yourself. You¡¯ve injured your hand.¡± In the end, we all moved to observe this pup. Is he a large animal? It seems that I have to make sure he won¡¯t harm the people around me. Husband said that if he got serious, he would be quite dangerous even at this size. It doesn¡¯t look like it, though. He was so cute, seeing him being washed by the maids. He was, but when I told him not to move, he was at my mercy. When the dirt was washed, his pure white fur was revealed. I was told that the original color of Vancouries¡¯ fur was gray, and that this color was rare. This was probably why nobody considered him as a Vancoury. By the way, he was gobbling up that livestock feed. I put some milk next to him, but he ignored it. Perhaps Vakui is really their staple food. He was quite starving because he was caged and wasn¡¯t getting any nutritious food. When I saw him begging for more and more, and eating more than was appropriate for his size, I was worried if he¡¯d be okay. At any rate, since I knew that he would listen to me, I got permission to let him stay in the room with me. However, I was asked to keep a collar and leash on him just in case. I had no choice but to put him on the inorganic collar. At first he tried to take it off, but eventually he got used to it, and then the Vancoury pup curled up and slept below my bed. Looking at his peaceful sleeping face, I naturally felt sleepy and climbed into bed. It had been a long time since I had gone out in the daytime, so my sleep was deeper than usual. Translator Note: I learned at school that it is the pronoun for animals, but let me just use he here. This might change once we know little pup¡¯s gender. (^-^) CH 3.9 ¡°Risha, wake up!¡± With a shake on my shoulder, I was forcibly called back from the depths of sleep. I rubbed my sleepy eyes and woke up grumpily, only to see my husband in front of me. It¡¯s too much to be greeted by such attractiveness. ¡°¡­What¡­Why are you here?¡± I complained vaguely with a groan, and then my husband picked me up without warning. All of a sudden, I couldn¡¯t comprehend what was going on and was left to his mercy. ¡°We have a problem. It seems they were an unexpectedly strange species.¡± What? They? Unexpectedly strange? Without any idea of what was going on, Husband scooped me up from the bed and held me in his arms. ¡°Gasp!¡± What the hell¡¯s going on?! Before I could complain, he opened the door to the balcony of the room and stepped outside. ¡°Look down.¡± After he brought me to the balcony of the room, he urged me to look down. My thinking ability has yet to catch up, so I did as I was told and looked down the balcony. A crowd was beginning to form there, watching something in the distance. ¡°¡­Big¡­he has grown, has he?¡± ¡­Un, he¡¯s gotten bigger. I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s quite small before I went to bed, wasn¡¯t he? Huh? Am I dre-dreaming? I can see a big, grayish creature. Will he look like that when he grows?¡­ ¡°Woof!¡± Down my husband¡¯s feet, a small fur ball barked as it peered out through the gap in the balcony railing. Ah, it¡¯s so cute! But is it my imagination, or is the chain around his neck chewed off? ¡°Don¡¯t try to escape reality, wake up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡± My husband let out a sigh because of my childish rejoinder. ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± When I mumbled this, Husband hugged me back with one hand. ¡°Hya!¡± I almost lost my balance and clung to my husband¡¯s neck. Hyaah, don¡¯t carry me weirdly! What¡¯s more, don¡¯t catch me by surprise when changing positions! Before I could protest, Husband picked up the wuffling, tail-wagging little pup at his feet with his free hand and put his foot directly on the balcony. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Hold on tight.¡± After this brief instruction, he jumped down from my room on the second floor. I felt a soft floating sensation. I was held tightly but somehow unsteadily, so I clung to him in fright and wonder. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Why are you jumping down? I almost bit my tongue! I mean, we could have just gotten out the front door! Why are you being so reckless? Do you know that normal people don¡¯t think of jumping down? He is a very lawless man who sometimes moves very roughly. A fall from the second floor may not kill you, but it can seriously injure you. My heart is pounding like a clanging bell, and it¡¯s not because my husband¡¯s giving me the butterflies! In response to my cry, my husband approached the scene of the commotion with his long strides. Along the way, since I was wearing thin indoor nightclothes, and was barefoot, my husband did not put me down, but kept me in his arms. My husband, not caring about my weight, walked between the servants on either side. ¡°Ah, Risha-sama¡­¡± Michel was at the very front, and his eyes widened when he saw me and my husband. No, don¡¯t say anything! That grin on your face! It¡¯s nothing, you know? Really! ¡°So, what can I do to help? You¡¯re in for a bit of trouble, Risha-sama.¡± Why are you dumping things on me? I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on! I don¡¯t know why a big beast is just sitting there! There is a large beast lying on the ground, which can be seen from the second floor. It was lounging comfortably on the grass, as if to say that this was its place ¨D¨D its own territory. It was completely unconcerned, its head resting on its paws so naturally. ¡°Er¡­it came to pick¡­pick it up, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty out of it. Look, it¡¯s not usually that easy to locate someone. First off, it¡¯s clearly unusual to follow a scent so far across the border.¡± I know. I was awakened from my comfort, so my head was suddenly stuck in a lot of places. ¡°Woof, woof-woof!¡± The pup that my husband lowered to the ground moved closer to the large beast that was happily relaxing. As they touched each other, perhaps they were greeting each other with the tip of their noses or perhaps checking each other out, the larger one was now gently licking the pup. The furball rolled about in delight and warmth. But this wasn¡¯t the time for warmth! ¡°Um, is it here to pick him up?¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Ah, yeah. Did I get what you¡¯re implying? You mean he might stay, right? But they are wild animals, right? How can they prefer to live with people? If there were, they would have been domesticated long ago. ¡°At any rate, it¡¯s not posing any threat to us, but¡­you can expect, it¡¯ll be unfavorable if we¡¯re told that a beast of this size was brought into the Imperial Capital without permission.¡± Michel said. He¡¯s right. There are certain large beasts that can be brought into the Imperial Capital. Aside from that, you have to go through complicated processes, and if something happens, the owner is required to fully compensate. But in this case ¨D¨D¡­there¡¯s nothing we can do, right? ¡°Um¡­is it my fault?¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re in charge for now. It was you who brought him back, Risha.¡± Who¡¯s in charge? Hold there! It¡¯s true that I¡¯m the one who brought the pup back home, but I¡¯m not the one who brought him to the Imperial Capital. And, what¡¯s more, that large beast-sama came here on its own! I don¡¯t know where it came from. For now, let¡¯s ask for details from the first person to discover it, Husband! Of course, we¡¯ll do it together, right?! CH 4.01 This day had finally come. When I was feeling down, Retzel next to me licked my hand. I always thought he¡¯s a smart and kind beast. Licht, the pup I found and brought back, is still happily frolicking with Retzel¡¯s tail. I¡¯ll give you lots of grooming later, Retzel! ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± My husband showed up in his traveling clothes ¨D¨D Although they were just more comfortable clothes than his normal clothes, they were still decent. The same goes for me. I¡¯m wearing something simpler and more comfortable than an indoor dress. ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡± With his order, the carriages departed from the ducal residence in a steady stream. When I sneaked a look outside from the carriage, I saw that people on the street had stopped to watch our convoy. That¡¯s right. The Duke and Duchess of Lindbeld, relatives of the royal family, but not quite royal, are passing by. Seeing such a bunch of carriages in a row, they¡¯ll definitely stop to watch. It¡¯s intriguing, I suppose. I¡¯ll definitely watch it, too. This time, I¡¯m part of the convoy ¨D¨D or rather, one of the main members! Now, there must be a lot of talk about where our party is going. We¡¯ve been preparing for a few days, so I, of course, know where we¡¯re going. Yeah, our destination is the territory that could be called the home of the Duke of Lindbeld. Normally, engagement and wedding ceremonies are held in the territory of the head of the family. However, my husband and I had a very unusual start. As a result, we hadn¡¯t had a chance to go through the wedding until now. We had been putting it off, but this time, for some reason, we decided to go to the estate. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Husband.¡± ¡°If you call this miss, then you¡¯ve been pining for both the beasts.¡± I spoke smilingly, but the reply I got was quite bitter. Fine, considering that we are going to the territory, it¡¯s time for me to stop missing my husband. I picked Licht up, who was rolling around at my husband¡¯s feet and playing with his feet. Of course, we¡¯ll stay in the same carriage with my husband until we get to the territory. I had hoped to have someone with me, but there was no way anyone else would board the carriage occupied by their Master and Madam, so I ended up bringing Licht into the carriage where it was just the two of us. It¡¯s difficult to be alone with someone, in so many ways! Licht is in a playful mood and just wants to play more, and when I picked him up and told him to be quiet, he laid his head on my lap and lay down on the seat. When I see him with his head in my lap, it makes me wonder who the Master is. When I glanced at my passenger husband, he was still working even at a time like this. ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard to work at a time like this?¡± As I looked with pity at my husband who¡¯s sitting in front of me reading a document, he snickered and quickly offered it to me. ¡°You might want to read this before we arrive. Ragnard just gave me a copy of the latest information he¡¯s collected.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± He urged me to take it quickly, which I reluctantly did. Ragnard, just because you¡¯re the Chief Butler doesn¡¯t mean the vassals have trust in you! So, how did you manage to gather so much information about other families?! Even my husband probably finds it strange, doesn¡¯t he?! I gave up halfway through, thinking there was no point in dwelling about these two crazy people. I had no choice but to accept the document. It¡¯s so thick! Will I be able to read this before I reach the territory? The territory of the Duke of Lindbeld is not that far from the imperial capital, so if you leave in the morning, you can reach it in the afternoon. But the size of it is comparable to a small country. The Lindbeld dukedom, which borders most of the eastern part of the country, is a family that¡¯s also in charge of defending the eastern region. Essentially, the country itself faces the sea in the west and north, and most of the east is connected to the continent. That is to say, the most important base is the eastern territory, which is guarded by the Lindbeld dukedom. They protect the eastern border from north to south. Their territorial army is also said to be quite skilled. And of course, my master who leads the army has learned to be a military leader since childhood, and learned how to fight in case of emergency. It¡¯s probably true, since everyone says that his strength is unparalleled in the history of the world. I know that he¡¯s physically capable of carrying a person and jumping down without hesitation. The Duchess is the next in line for such a territory. When my husband was a bachelor, my authority was handed to the Chief Steward. Well, for my husband, who didn¡¯t like Rockdell, he probably wanted to marry an excellent wife at any cost. I¡¯m certainly pleased that my abilities are recognized, but I didn¡¯t realize that there was more to it than that¡­ But ¡­ Come to think of it, when exactly did it start? I¡¯d never heard of that part. It¡¯s hard to ask about it either. I sneaked peeks at him from the shadows of the papers, but I was exposed right away. As expected of a well-trained person. He is sensitive to gazes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing. Um, about this mine¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­that¡¯s a coal mine. The output wasn¡¯t good to begin with, and unprofitable. That¡¯s why the mine was closed down in my grandfather¡¯s generation¡­¡± ¡°It seems that the miners have been making a ruckus about it lately.¡± My husband rested his elbow on the window sill of the carriage and lay his cheek on it. ¡°We compensated them fairly well, but it wasn¡¯t enough for those who are living hand-to-mouth. They couldn¡¯t settle down for the jobs they were offered, and hang onto their compensation. It¡¯s only now that it¡¯s come to light that they¡¯ve been mining secretively in the abandoned coal mine, and Rockdell was managing them.¡± Oh dear¡­ I¡¯m really feeling an ominous premonition about this! ¡°Fun, fun, mayhem¡¯s in the air, Risha.¡± My husband smiled at me with the corner of his mouth raised, but mine tugged the other way. Even under normal circumstances, I seem to have a lot of enemies to face in the territory, so by all means, please solve them, Husband! It is strictly forbidden to involve me in this! ¡°You look amazing, but I thought I¡¯d discuss it with you now, just in case. Tell me what to do.¡± It smells very fishy, Husband. I mean, when Rockdel was involved, I¡¯m sure my Husband knew about it. It makes me wonder why he left it alone until now. ¡°I could have taken it up with Ragnard, but Ragnard advised me to talk to you, Risha. Personally, I would have shut down the mine as soon as possible and give them an ultimatum, telling them that I can¡¯t take any more care of them.¡± Agreed. The Duke of the previous generation offered them compensation, and their actions were a form of disregard for that. Seriously, what was Rockdell after there? Was it ultimately for the taste of money? My husband seemed to think that, too. CH 4.02 ¡°Even if I have influence, the power of money is great in its own way.¡± Agreed. I thought that was the case. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that their yield isn¡¯t very high right now? Is it profitable to hire coal miners?¡± ¡°Saying that it¡¯s not much is a misnomer. In fact, there is, but they¡¯re buried deep. I¡¯ve had geologists check it out, and they all say the same thing.¡± ¡°That it¡¯s dangerous, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°On the surface, it¡¯s fine, but deep underground, it¡¯s quite dangerous. The risk of collapse, toxic fumes, etc. increases. Considering these, it would be better to abandon the mine. There¡¯s no substitute for human life.¡± Husband has a good point. But there¡¯ll always be factions everywhere who don¡¯t want to understand it. They¡¯re probably the people who¡¯re causing all the commotion now. ¡°Rockdell is the contact of the person who manages that whole area. Since I¡¯ve fired Rockdell, he¡¯s now the new head¡­And looks like he¡¯s out of control.¡± I don¡¯t know if the miners are on it or not, but if they are, it¡¯s probably only a few of them. It¡¯s safer to think that the majority of people have been hired and forced to engage in dangerous work all these years without knowing anything. If you suddenly ask a former coal miner to get another job, it is natural that he will have a hard time adapting. If he could, he would want to go back to a job he¡¯s familiar with. Moreover, the more they mine, the more money they can earn. That¡¯s where Rockdell and the person in charge of the area took advantage of them. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve always wondered. Are the people from Father-in-law¡¯s time all like Rockdell?¡± At any rate, we live in an age where there is such a labor shortage, to the extent where talented people are sourced out by the central government. Who¡¯s left of the territory ¨D¨D Well, it seems that there are a lot of people you can¡¯t count on. ¡°My grandfather isn¡¯t that stupid. There¡¯s some of them left, but it¡¯s ¡­ we have to consider aptitude, for people, you know?¡± In other words, they were all people who had very little aptitude to serve as butlers. I¡¯m really out of luck. ¡°If only Rockdell hadn¡¯t been so extraordinarily ambitious, my grandfather would have felt comfortable leaving my father in charge¡­¡± Husband, you¡¯ve had it rough. I don¡¯t feel sorry for him, though. ¡°Speaking of which, the territory steward is Ragnard¡¯s junior. It seems that he is also his student. That being the case, I¡¯m pretty sure Rockdell is also his junior and student.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Huh? Who is Ragnard¡¯s student? I didn¡¯t understand what my husband was saying, but then he told me dismissively. ¡°What, you didn¡¯t know? Ragnard is a vassal of a branch of the Count of Verdigo¡¯s family, but before he actually worked for the Count of Verdigo, he was a teacher.¡± ¡°I think I heard something like that a long time ago¡­¡± ¡°That was back in the days when his father was still alive. He said that it was part of his job to nurture talented people. I¡¯m not entirely informed, but there are quite a few people whom Ragnard has trained. It¡¯s his way of knowing a lot about other families.¡± Whoa, my butler is unparalleled! And here I was wondering, who is he, exactly? Seriously, it was rather a mystery. ¡°I heard that the butler paled the moment he heard that Ragnard was chosen as the Chief Butler. It¡¯s interesting to imagine what kind of face he¡¯ll have when he meets Ragnard this time.¡± My husband chuckled in delight. The Territory Steward/Butler is the second-in-command to the Chief Steward, and is basically the person who keeps an eye on the territory in place of the head of the family and the Chief Steward, who tend to stay in the imperial capital and are often absent. While the Chief Steward works for the head of the household and requires many skills such as socializing, the Territory Steward manages the affairs of the estate and requires many practical things. There¡¯s also someone of the like in the Count of Verdigo family. There¡¯s a young man of only thirty years old who said he was going to retire once I got married. I don¡¯t know who is running the estate now. I might be able to find out if I ask Ragnard, but I think I never will. A Territory Steward naturally needs to have the foresight of a Lord. At all events, he or she will be the first to make a decision and move on when something occurs. Of course, if it¡¯s something important, he needs to inform his Lord immediately, but he must do what he can at his own discretion. In other words, Territory Stewards tend to be sharp people. The Chief Steward is expected to have the same abilities, but from the outset, it is impossible for someone who¡¯s always with the head of the family to be ignorant. ¡°Of course, he¡¯s the worst match for Rockdell, but he knows the estate better than I do. My grandfather got him engaged quickly before the central government could take him. He now took over the branch of the family in the form of a son-in-law. I guess my grandfather thought it would be better to let Rockdell out than to leave him in the territory.¡± Being a son-in-law, he used the excuse of the need to protect his family to avoid entering the central government. I see, I¡¯m learning. ¡°When I took over, I made some pretty big personnel changes, but there were a lot of more or less troublesome people in important positions¡­ Recently, the absence of war has made even the most united vassals more ambitious. It¡¯s quite hard to keep them in check.¡± A corner of my husband¡¯s mouth curled up. His eyes glinted sharply, with a shade of darkness. I wonder why¡­. I can only say sorry for your suffering to whomever this Master has his eyes on. Or rather, my husband. It seems like he¡¯s going to take care of everything once and for all on this trip home. Does this mean that his plans are in order? ¡°By the way, Risha, it¡¯s better to let them think that we are on good terms so as not to invite unnecessary trouble.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me, let me ask you something. Where are we exactly?¡± My husband looks at me with one eyebrow raised and an arc drawn around his mouth as if he is enjoying himself. That something in his eyes raised my vigilance. He quickly reached out and took a tuft of hair that was fluttering over my shoulder and kissed it. The gesture was so elegant that my cheeks burned red. After all, he has the kind of good looks that make any girl giddy. My husband kept his eyes on me while kissing ¨D¨D ¡°Can I at least kiss you?¡± He asked. I screamed without hesitation. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Then we¡¯ll have to put that off until we¡¯re alone.¡± That, too, is impossible! I glared at him with bright red cheeks, but he merely shrugged with an irksome glint in his eyes. That¡¯s when it finally clicked on me. He is teasing me! Tch. CH 4.03 Ugh! I groaned and glared at my husband, but he twirled my hair around his fingers and played with it, watching me intently. ¡°Let me go, please!¡± I retrieved my hair from my husband¡¯s hand before he could twist it around his fingers any further and turned away. He acted like a child, but I couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°I see¡­¡± Husband revealed a bitter smile. I felt that he was definitely laughing at my childishness. Excuse me! I may be married now, but the affairs that transpire between a man and a woman are still novel to me. ¡°I thought we still have a long way to go, but¡­it¡¯s not as much as I thought, huh?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He shouldn¡¯t be surprised if my tone sounds harsh. However, he didn¡¯t expound his statement. He just looked outside and told me. As if to divert the conversation. ¡°We¡¯ve entered the territory.¡± We¡¯re just down the road and nothing has changed out there. There¡¯s a sign on the street, but Husband didn¡¯t seem to need to see it to know. Even now, he informed me even without looking carefully outside. Apparently, we entered the territory a long time ago. It¡¯s calm outside, and the roads were in good condition, so the carriage ride isn¡¯t that painful. Well, this road was built for military reasons. ¡°The Linbeld Duchy will be the first to become the battlefield in case of war.¡± As if to dissipate the atmosphere of the previous moment, my husband begins to speak. I¡¯m still bewildered by my husband¡¯s quick pace of switching topics. Is this the so-called difference in life experience?¡­ ¡°Thanks to this, I was also able to have a territory army with various favorable conditions. To that end, the territory is no longer being fought over by nobles in the country to this day.¡± That¡¯s pretty much true. If they fight with him, they¡¯re likely to be annihilated. Even though the military belongs to the nation, they have as much military discretion as an independent country. It¡¯s also possible for them to ignore orders, especially during wartime, because it¡¯s too troublesome to ask for instructions every time. Well, I heard that the Lindbeld dukedom is the most experienced when in war, so I¡¯ve never heard of any complaints against them from the Imperial Capital even in the past. On that note, the lineage of most of the warlord families can be traced back to the Lindbeld Dukedom. That doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re on the Duchy¡¯s side. The current warlord families were originally founded by the Lindbeld dukedom, but those who made a name for themselves in wars were given fiefdoms and titles and became independent. Thus, most of them could only make a name for themselves by fighting. However, as they were already independent from the Lindbeld Dukedom, they could no longer cheekily participate in the wars that took place in the Duchy¡¯s territory. They were nobles with their own domains after all. They couldn¡¯t just walk into someone¡¯s territory without invitation. So, what could they do? They had no choice but to form a military faction in the center of politics, stand alongside the Duke of Lindbeld, and join as reinforcements for the national army. But of course, the Lindbeld dukedom wasn¡¯t a lenient family. They couldn¡¯t tolerate troublesome factions running amok in their territory every time there was a war. As a result, the Duchy imposed a greater demand to settle wars immediately, and succeeded in shortening wars steadily. The fame of the Lindbeld Dukedom went on the rise. Anyway, in short, other families can be despicably jealous and then regard the Lindbeld Dukedom as their imaginary enemy, but since they are no match for them in a fight, the Lindbeld dukedom remains at peace and untouched by them. To be honest, I¡¯ve always believed that if this house were to commit treason, the country would be destroyed. But then again, the Lindbeld dukedom will never turn on the nation. This fact has become so ingrained in the people that it¡¯s almost like an imprint. Anyway, I know how much the Dukes of Lindbeld have contributed to the country. Everyone knows that. That¡¯s why everyone acknowledges the Lindbeld dukedom¡¯s superiority. The territory of the Lindbeld dukedom bore the brunt of most of the war¡¯s damages. In fact, I can only assume that the Duchy was given the lands to use as a shield, and that¡¯s what they did. The first generation promised to be a shield to protect the country. They handed this promise down from generation to generation until now. ¡°Land-wise, there is no problem. There is a lot of farmland, and the soil is fertile. Therefore, we have enough warehouses to supply our own wartime food needs. There are dangers, but it¡¯s really a fortune that in this era, we don¡¯t have the biggest danger of all: war. In my grandfather¡¯s time, the seeds of war were still smoldering, and then there was the epidemic.¡± The Dukes of Lindbeld had lived through really turbulent times, haven¡¯t they? The history of war had always accompanied them, and for that reason, their vassals seemed to be tightly united. That aside, I want to say, Rockell isn¡¯t the only exception, you know? In essence, I¡¯m a complete alien. An existence, who suddenly appeared, and who can become a bud of discord¡­ ¡°Would it make you feel any better if I wipe out your past reputation?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m sure not everyone will believe the rumors, but I¡¯m sure those who want to be your wife will have a problem with it.¡± The previous candidate was the Princess, and the predecessor before her was the daughter of my father-in-law¡¯s right-hand man, I believe. My husband might resemble his father, but he also took after his mother. After all, from the rumors I¡¯ve heard, his personality is a far cry from my father-in-law. ¡°Marriages of convenience aren¡¯t in vogue these days. I believe that in times like these, I think it¡¯s better to choose a person of good character.¡± Isn¡¯t it the other way around? I thought so, but my husband continued. ¡°It is true that even in wartime, people of good caliber are needed. But before that, political marriage for the sake of alliance is more important. Besides, now that there is peace, more and more people are going to school. The intellectuals of that time were all privileged people, so inevitably, it was also the daughters of the privileged who possessed the caliber whom the higher-ranks seek.¡± Precisely. In fact, it still is. However, nowadays, the citizens in the cities are reasonably wealthy and literate. Literate people naturally avoid hard work, which is why many of the menial and hard dirty jobs of the aristocracy and the wealthy are done by illiterates. ¡°In times of peace, I need to focus on internal affairs. To do that, I need a person who plays a different role than in a war; an accomplished person who can attract others. I prefer a person who has her own will and not just a yes-man. I want someone who has the guts to confront the head of the family at times.¡± Can you not look at me when you say ¡®the guts to confront you¡¯?. Are you implying that I¡¯m cocky? ¡°Political marriages are still the norm. Our marriage is also a kind of political marriage. We never know where we¡¯ll get sidetracked if we show a crack.¡± In fact, it¡¯s like a deceptive marriage. If I were Her Royal Highness, I would have given up, but given my terrible reputation, I can understand why she couldn¡¯t accept our marriage. However, I¡¯m comfortable enough with my circumstance, to the extent that I don¡¯t want to give it up, so let me pretend to be a good girl at the very least. I mean, if I part with my husband, I can¡¯t keep Retzel and Licht. They eat too much. The cost of food for my beasts is quite pricey. They are the cutest if I just keep them! But their food is so expensive I can¡¯t afford it. If I were to be sent back to the Count of Verdigo¡¯s house, I¡¯d have to think about how I¡¯m going to pay for their food. No, given the size of the Count¡¯s residence, it¡¯s not impossible to shelter them, but my father, the absolute head of the family, would never allow it. Honestly, I wondered if I would be going home soon. I¡¯ll miss them when I get back, but then I won¡¯t have to go to some territory or do official business in neighboring countries! Those were my thoughts for a while. However, Retzel and Licht are staying here for some reason, so we have to provide them with not only food, but also a place where they can get lots of exercise. The Duke¡¯s mansion is large, but given Retzel¡¯s size, it would be too small for him to really move around. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s coming into view. Einhorn, the territory¡¯s capital.¡± I peeked through the window of the carriage at my husband¡¯s words and saw a city that was gradually coming into view. It was surrounded by walls, and even deeper moats and rivers. It was a solid fortress-like city, known as a citadel. CH 4.04 Einhorn isn¡¯t such a majestic city, but it radiates a simple solidity and history-like feeling. As we entered, I looked out the window, and the bustling, cheerful citizens welcomed our convoy. This is their stronghold, and they adore it. I can distinctly feel that. The carriage continued forward, and the entered the Lord¡¯s mansion. Even the Duke¡¯s Mansion felt like a castle, but this one was truly a castle. It was not a Lord¡¯s mansion, but a Lord¡¯s castle. In case of an emergency, this castle will serve as a fortress to protect the people and allow them to escape. Hence, it also functions as a fort. I checked myself so as not to stare with my mouth hanging open. As I stepped out of the carriage with my husband¡¯s escort, I was greeted by a scene that gave me a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. This¡­This was even more awesome than before. No, yeah, I knew it, okay? But despite knowing it¡­ The servants are standing in a row. Makes sense. That¡¯s because the Lord and Lady of the house are back. They have to do it! Naturally, the Territory Steward is in the front row. I was worried whether he would be able to handle the appointment of someone from my side, who had no ties to the family, as the Chief Steward, when he was practically on top until now. I decided that if the Territory Steward won¡¯t climb over Ragnard¡¯s head, then there wouldn¡¯t be a rank dispute. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you, Master and Madam.¡± The man with dark brown hair mixed with gray looked somewhat nervous. He¡¯s younger than Ragnard. However, he has the looks that made me feel like he should be the person in the position to protect the historic territory of the Lindbeld dukedom. Rockdell has a tricky and stern appearance, but the person in front of me has a soft face that seems meek. Well, perhaps it¡¯s just his face that¡¯s meek. There¡¯s no way that the person chosen by my husband¡¯s grandfather could only be kind. ¡°Risha, let me introduce you. This is Alois. He¡¯s been working for me for many years as the Territory Steward. He knows more about the domain than I do.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Madam. My name is Alois. This is my wife, Helmina. I¡¯m in charge of the housekeeping of this castle, so if you have any needs, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± Helmina has the air of a strict tutor. Her green hair, mixed with gray, was tied up tightly and not a strand was out of place. I feel a little nervous. I feel like I need to earn her trust. It makes me wonder if I can do it. She¡¯s not hostile, but she¡¯s looking at us. Can I really trust her? If I can trust her? At any rate, I greeted her with enthusiasm. ¡°Nice to meet you, Alois, Helmina.¡± For a moment, Helmina¡¯s stern gaze flew to me. However, I dodged it without losing my smile while breaking out in cold sweat inside. I got worried, feeling like my lips were drawn. We continued to probe each other for a while, and then Helmina nodded faintly and smiled. For now, at least I got a passing grade. That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. I mean, I¡¯m scared. Seriously. ¡°I heard about Madam from my husband. Please feel free to let me know if you need any help.¡± By all means, I will. I have tons of questions I want to ask you. After all, my knowledge of housekeeping is still limited. ¡°By the way, where is that man?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the Duke¡¯s Mansion. He¡¯s too old, and it takes a toll on his body to be carried around so much.¡± As I was conversing with the Territory Steward and his wife, a gorgeous voice suddenly sounded from the back of the room. When I looked up to see who it was, I saw a glamorous bunch beyond. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were coming back.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± I should have been informed in advance if there¡¯s going to be a troublesome disturbance. The group appeared as if they were the mistresses of the castle. I think it¡¯s even more so when they had their cronies behind them. Before my husband could answer, the group arrived. They stared at my husband with sparkling eyes, and then gazed at me as if inspecting me. It¡¯s just plain rude normally, but they seem to take it for granted. Afterwhich ¨D¨D Ah, someone snickered at me. ¡°Claude-sama, we¡¯ve been waiting for your return for a long time. I have heard that you have gotten married. Please allow me to greet your wife.¡± The speaker was a woman who seemed to be the leader of the group. Her presence was unmistakable. Her bright pink hair was tied up in a gorgeous bun, and she appeared on her way to a social event. The impression I got: she¡¯s a bully. Yeah, that means I¡¯m the one who¡¯s being bullied here! Well, they¡¯re everywhere. People like her. Or should I say, Husband¡­ Wherever you go, you have followers, right? Or believers? I think it¡¯s about time you do something about your special appeal to women, just because you¡¯re good-looking, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯m tired. If you show your true colors, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll run away barefoot! Also, their outfit isn¡¯t appropriate for the occasion to begin with. Why are you dressed like you¡¯re going to a soiree? When I glanced at my husband, I found that he¡¯s a bit irritated. I could tell that this woman is someone he didn¡¯t want to see. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Lady Rhodia.¡± Helmina spoke back to the woman named Rhodia, standing as if to protect me. ¡°Eh? Was it rude of me to come out to greet her? Don¡¯t you think it would be rather rude if I didn¡¯t come out to greet the Duchess? And, Helmina, have you forgotten who I am? I¡¯m a member of this family, remember? I hope you won¡¯t do anything to undermine Claude-sama¡¯s dignity by giving me your opinion, a servant. Don¡¯t you think so, Claude-sama?¡± ¡°I beg to disagree. It¡¯s true that we¡¯re related by blood, but disrespect for my wife is unacceptable as it disgraces the Duke of Linbeld.¡± Oddly enough, my husband retorted in my defense. Or rather, he¡¯s taking the initiative to scorn her! That¡¯s the attitude! ¡°Risha, she¡¯s also my cousin, Rosaliemond. Rosaliemond, this is my wife, Risha.¡± That was smooth, Husband. Does that mean there¡¯s no need for further explanation? But, you know? There¡¯s a lot of stares. Not at me, but at my husband. Speaking of which, Her Royal Highness is a second cousin on my grandmother-in-law¡¯s side of the family. And yet, it¡¯s quite interesting that her color is closer to that of the Dukes of Lindbeld. As I recall, she¡¯s on the list of relatives I received before. She¡¯s the child of a younger sister¡¯s son. The younger sister got married to someone in a territory along the southern border. His title is Frontier Count. He¡¯s a count, but he has as much influence as a marquis, and in terms of rank, he¡¯s higher than just any count. In short, in terms of rank before my marriage, she is above me. This cousin is 25 years old. She¡¯s a woman who feels confident and powerful. It¡¯s also true that she has studied abroad and achieved excellent results Despite being the Duchess of Lindbeld, I think she has a more respectable status and rights than I do. She probably thought that she would be the next Duchess of the Lindbeld family. There was Her Royal Highness, though, but she sure had the advantage in terms of age. I could tell from the report that she was also making efforts to achieve this. When she saw me, she wondered why it became me. But then¡­ I thought I understood something. ¡°I¡¯m Rosaliemond. These are my friends. If I may, would you like to join my faction? I¡¯d love to get to know you.¡± She¡¯s so welcoming, but my impression of it isn¡¯t like that at all. You seem to love ¡­ bullying the weak, do you? I was very curious to know, if she¡¯d met Her Royal Highness, would they get along with each other like friends do or hate each other? CH 4.05 ¡°What do you think ¡¡I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t know anything about the Lindbeld dukedom, so I¡¯ll tell you all about it.¡± Do you honestly think I¡¯m going to nod my head in agreement to the offer above? It¡¯s a basic rule to be wary of overt solicitation, you know? Or are you trying to tell me that I¡¯m too stupid to understand such things? It¡¯s true that my reputation is in shambles. ¡°I have recently returned from studying abroad after graduating with honors. I¡¯d like to talk about the future development of the Lindbeld dukedom based on my experience.¡± Whoopsy! The part about young being excellent was pretty emphatic. I can well understand being made to look so blatantly stupid! What¡¯s more, I have no idea what the future holds for the Lindbeld dukedom. It¡¯s hard on her to say this much. I felt a little compelled to listen. For a start, I also felt that it would be beneficial to hear from a woman who had graduated with honors and had seen other countries. Erm, it¡¯s okay to just listen for a while. ¡°On that note, Helmina, I¡¯ve told you countless times it¡¯s troubling that you¡¯re still using a prehistoric style of leadership. You see, we¡¯ll be having more and more exchanges with other countries in the future. You¡¯ll have to adapt to that.¡± Helmina¡¯s temples twitched. I see, a troublesome sojourner, ey? My husband said that Helmina is in charge of the housekeeping. Helmina¡¯s attitude is telling me to get the hell out of here. Quite impressive. I wondered misguidedly if she¡¯s what the world calls a woman who can¡¯t read the air¡­Or, she¡¯s exactly that woman who can¡¯t read the atmosphere! Besides, if she really thought that the position next to my husband was hers, she would have taken care of Elise¡¯s matter and settled down herself¡­Oh, was she studying abroad? No, but she knew even before that¡­ ¡°I heard that those two are gone. That¡¯s good to hear. I couldn¡¯t punish them for their deeds because Mother told me not to interfere. But at the right time, I could have done something about them.¡± So you were studying abroad when the right time came. ¡°Did Madam kick them out or something? Hmm, you¡¯d have to be capable to do that, though.¡± ¡°Rosaliemond, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s unpleasant.¡± Does my Husband find it unpleasant? After all, he was the one who got me involved in Elise¡¯s affairs, even though he had his reasons. I squeezed my husband¡¯s arm and interrupted the conversation. I smiled at Miss Rosaliemond as I felt my husband giving me the ¡®What?¡¯ look. ¡°That¡¯d be amazing. I¡¯ve never been abroad and would love to hear more about it¡­You¡¯re right, Helmina. I¡¯d love to have her as a companion.¡± When I replied, the people behind her looked at me as if they were gnashing their teeth. Surprisingly, however, Miss Rosaliemond only narrowed her eyes and looked at me, but her face didn¡¯t distort in rage. ¡°Madam¨D¨D But¡­¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, Husband. You won¡¯t object, right?¡± My husband fell silent as he pondered my true intentions. ¡°You want to chat with her ¨D¨D?¡± ¡°Yes, I would be happy to have her share her extensive knowledge with me. I still have a lot to learn.¡± While admitting that my knowledge is inferior, I was trying to appoint her as an advisor¨D¨Da servant. Rosaliemond looks somewhat unamused. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s uncomfortable, but she¡¯s probably frustrated because my reaction isn¡¯t what she expected. She¡¯s disbelieving, or ¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s hard to describe. ¡°Husband, may I?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re fine with it, then so be it.¡± Somehow, I felt the blood of the Dukes of Lindbeld. They weren¡¯t as vicious as my husband¡¯s, though. ¡°Then, Madam, I will come to your room later.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the same room as your husband. Is it alright to invite someone in, Husband?¡± I saw everyone who must be burning with jealousy at my words. At that moment, my husband wrapped his arm around my shoulders, hugged me tightly to himself, and kissed the top of my head. ¡°Of course not. I can¡¯t allow anyone to enter our marital bedroom. Invite them to the parlor.¡± I looked at him in protest at his sweet, debauched tone. That was overdoing it, but my husband is exuding a thorough-like resolve. That¡¯s not it! I¡¯m the one who has to deal with them, no?! ¡°Arrange it that way¡­.But no later than tomorrow.¡± Precisely. Afterwards, I¡¯ll have to meet with a number of vassals. ¡°Rosaliemond-sama, we will meet tomorrow at tea time. And everyone, of course.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. However, I¡¯m on my way to a dinner party, so we will meet again by then.¡± With a chuckle, Miss Rosaliemond turned around and left. Hmm, should I point this out to her? It¡¯s rude to turn your back on the head of the house and his wife¡­ But no one else has pointed it out, so I¡¯ll just have to wait and see. My Husband seems disgusted as he sees off the departing figure of Miss Rosaliemond. Speaking of which, Husband, there are many people here and there who would like to take my place. Please do something about your face even for a second! CH 4.06 I fell headfirst onto the bed with a thump. It¡¯s already deep into the night. I¡¯ve finished my bath and changed into my nightgown. The soft bed gently enveloped me as I fell heavily. ¡°I¡¯m ti-i-ired¡­¡± Moving on, I had dinner with scary Uncle-samas. This is what I mean by no time to rest. In a way, I learned that it had been peaceful at the duchy. I¡¯m already feeling nostalgic. I miss naps, naps, and more naps. I want to live a lazy life. I said I was going to work, but I want to take it back. As I groaned under my breath, I heard the sound of a door opening quietly. I hear the sound of someone moving, and the bed sinks a little. ¡°Are you playing dead?¡± Yes, I am! So please don¡¯t talk to me! My husband patted the back of my head and caressed it, as if he was comforting a child. My hair was scattered out on the bed, and I could feel him lightly tugging at it. Or rather, he likes it. Playing with my hair. ¡°How was it?¡± What? I wanted to ask him back, but he probably meant today¡¯s dinner party. I was surprised to see that the vassals and even their relatives had gathered there. They were all very curious about me. I felt like I was being tested by a bunch of people. In fact, I knew I was being tested. Even though I knew in some part of my mind that this would happen, I was scared! I couldn¡¯t enjoy my meal because my grandfather and mother¡¯s generations were watching my every move. My stomach shrivels up. ¡°There were some people who were curious about me. I¡¯ve noticed a lot of overt stares. There were some annoying ones, but the younger people all seemed nice. I think the people of your father¡¯s generation are the most troublesome.¡± I know that my husband feels the same way. I sat up in bed. I almost jolted away from the unexpected close proximity of my husband. ¡°Believe or not, the elders of my grandfather¡¯s generation know that tradition is important, but sticking to it indeed stupid of them. After all, they are of a generation that was around the war era, and their ancestors had experienced it. There was no such traditional, rigid concept entrenched back then.¡± I see. In war, you have to be flexible, right? The fact that the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s army alone was able to defeat enemies in battles between countries was also due to their flexible thinking. Well, I think the advantage of the land was also a big factor. ¡°If anything, they became fussy about tradition and heritage since peace reigned.¡± And they disliked my husband, who got married, ignoring tradition. And that includes his wife too. Of course, I understand the importance of tradition. I don¡¯t think my husband wanted to neglect everything either. Marriage is a major event in life, so it must be done properly! I can understand their sentiments. This reminds me of today¡¯s dinner. Today was billed as a dinner party to celebrate the return of the head of the family, but it was actually an appraisal gathering for me. Well, since my official introduction had not yet taken place, all the relatives and vassals were gathered there. Some of those relatives in particular were watching vigilantly for the seat next to my husband, so they kept staring at me. By the way, this dinner party wasn¡¯t a formal one. The formal one with proper invitations will come later. This is a prelude to that. An acquaintance of mine is asking me for dinner, so I¡¯m inviting him to dinner, that kind of dinner. However, as expected of the Lindbeld dukedom, the number of their acquaintances is awful. I heard that dinner parties with vassals are held on a regular basis. They use it as a place for labor and exchange of opinions on future matters. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d also be working, even though it was just for dinner. But I guess that¡¯s what socializing is all about. ¡°It¡¯s quite amusing to see them looking so frustrated.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always thought you had a twisted personality.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come to say most of the time.¡± Yeah, yeah. I realized that I can¡¯t be shy about it. This is what happens when you become enlightened. ¡°What was the most engaging conversation you had?¡± ¡°I guess it was about the coal mines. Actually, I thought that coal mines are located at high altitudes, similar to the places where those beasts live.¡± If the coal mines are closed, please make it a playground. ¡°And it¡¯s more like the North. From the look of their fur, they¡¯d probably be better in a cooler environment.¡± The Vancoury-sans have always dwelled in the highlands. It¡¯s no wonder they have a special knack at cold places. My Husband seemed to understand exactly what I was asking for. He pondered over it for a moment, and decided that it was okay. ¡°If the mine is abandoned, people won¡¯t be able to live there anyway. I don¡¯t have a good plan for a new industry¡­If I may venture to guess, you could cultivate that plant.¡± That¡¯s Vakui, you know? ¡°There are animals that eat it, so why not? The northern part of the country is a big producer. Wheat production is very small.¡± ¡°For a start, how much does it sell in the market? And how much is bought?¡± The husband didn¡¯t seem to know anything about the business he wasn¡¯t involved in. He seemed to know everything, but this relieved me a bit. ¡°The Count of Verdigo¡¯s family in the northern region of the country also produced some, but most of it was consumed within the estate. As you may know, it is expensive, but it is nutritious and requires less feed. So, in reality, if you buy it, you¡¯ll pay more for the feed.¡± Only if you buy it. If it is not for sale in the domain, but for use, the price will be somewhat lower. It¡¯s a remarkable food that will grow on its own in cold places. I¡¯m reluctant to admit that it¡¯s food. The most time-consuming part is taking out the seeds inside. Even if the variety has been improved, a hard seed is still hard. ¡°I¡¯d prefer providing for our own territory instead of buying it.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, there was a report recently that meat becomes more tender and sweeter if animals are fed that. I was going to allocate a budget to do some research, but now that I¡¯m married, it¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Sounds like an interesting study.¡± My husband showed interest. ¡°I thought if I could brand it and sell it, it would fetch a high price. In the north, even livestock are scarce, so people haven¡¯t paid much attention to it, but it¡¯s the same with people, they change depending on what they eat.¡± Basically, it¡¯s common practice to use slightly expensive feed and cheap feed. However, territories that produce meat say that feeding livestock products that people aren¡¯t willing to eat won¡¯t have a positive effect on them. Well, I understand. Even if it¡¯s nutritious, if it doesn¡¯t taste good, it¡¯s going to affect them. ¡°If we¡¯re going to abandon the mine anyway, why don¡¯t we build a research facility? It sounds like a good plan. Researchers like strange things, so I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t complain about big animals running around.¡± ¡°There will also be employment there.¡± The first step is to grow crops. We¡¯ll need people to take care of them, and manpower is most necessary during harvest. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of other things we need to consider¡­but we¡¯ll get to that later.¡± It¡¯s already very late at night. I have to go to bed soon, or I¡¯ll get sick tomorrow. I casually looked at my husband, and we made eye contact. It made me feel uncomfortable, and my body itched. I¡¯m tired and want to sleep. But ¨D¨D¡­ How are we going to sleep, Husband? CH 4.07 This is a rather important matter. We are a harmonious couple! I know that we¡¯ll be in trouble once we show otherwise. That was why I didn¡¯t object to sharing a bedroom. But you know what?! The question is how do we sleep! ¡°Um¡­should I sleep on the sofa?¡± When I timidly suggested this, he looked at me with a dumbfounded look, as if to say, Are you stupid?¡° ¡°If only one of us slept, we¡¯d be exposed in no time. This is kind of hostile territory, you know?¡± ¡°Er, we had a spat or something?¡± ¡°We just got here to squabble.¡± ¡°Like¡­I can¡¯t sleep with the change of pillows?¡± ¡°I hope that excuse holds up ¨D¨D Come on, let¡¯s go to bed. Your dog¡¯s already asleep.¡± It¡¯s not a dog! But, you could say that. Licht has been sleeping on his stomach on the bed for quite some time now. Has he forgotten his wild instincts? I¡¯ve been wondering about this a lot lately. He doesn¡¯t even respond to my voice, nor does he care if the bed shakes. He¡¯s the type of beast that would never survive in the wild. Ep, is it perhaps because he¡¯s a pup? No, no, no, even for a pup, this is a little too much! You can look at him favorably and think he¡¯s fitting in, but if you look at it negatively, he¡¯s just a dog that has learned depravity. He¡¯s not a dog, though. I wish I could have a life like yours, Licht-kun. Do you have any idea who I¡¯m going through all this trouble for, Licht-kun? ¡°Look, get over there.¡± ¡°P-Please don¡¯t do anything weird!!¡± I told my husband off with a glare, when he pushed me by the shoulders and almost made me lie down on the bed. At that moment, a wicked smile appeared on his face. It was gone before I could chew over it. ¡°What do you mean by weird?¡± ¡°Whatever is weird is weird!¡± Can it be more specific? ¡°It¡¯s too abstract. If it¡¯s not weird to me, then it¡¯s not weird. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± I vehemently disagree! Please don¡¯t interpret this to your advantage! It¡¯s a universal-like problem! I think. ¡°If it¡¯s not strange between a married couple, then it¡¯s not a problem, right?¡± ¡°Why is that so¨D¨D!¡± Without warning, my husband placed a finger on my mouth, momentarily silencing me. ¡°You can bark all you want, but you¡¯ll wake up Licht.¡± ¡°If this was enough to wake him up, he¡¯d be up by now!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief, isn¡¯t it?¡± My grinning husband pushed my shoulders with intent and rolled with me down on the bed. For some reason, the top-quality bed, which softly took the weight of two people, is now abhorrent. In my position, I¡¯m being surveyed from above, and thinking that this is indeed a terrible idea, I said to my husband who was in the shadows ¡°Where has your trust building plan gone?!¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard for me to argue with that¡­but I¡¯m going to build a playground for your dogs in my territory, so shouldn¡¯t you at least thank me?¡± Seriously? This territory belongs to you, Husband? Am I asking you to build a playground here? But you should know! In return, I¡¯m also doing some troublesome face-to-face meetings and doing my best to fulfill my role as Duchess ¨D¨D Although it¡¯s hard to say, I¡¯m doing my best here! I had a lot of things to say, but I just couldn¡¯t get the words out, probably because my husband¡¯s eyes were looking at me more seriously than ever. ¡°In the worst possible way, I could force you to do it. Men are like that. A man can embrace a woman without feelings.¡± Really, that¡¯s the worst thing you could have said! ¡°But of course it¡¯s better to have feelings. Women may think that men are scumbags who only want their bodies, but they can be more sensitive than you think.¡± I know that everyone is different. Even women can be jerks, and men can be romantics. ¡°I told you before that I like you. I understand that my valuation has fallen rock bottom in your mind for a number of grounds. But have you ever given it some thought?¡± Indeed, he told me. And even I, who once worked like a Lord, can honestly admit that my husband is doing his best to carry the Lindbeld dukedom on his back. I understand that my husband has also been through a lot. My husband is now paying the price for the past deeds of the Duke of Lindbeld, which are too much for him to bear alone. He told me he likes me, I was the one who tried not to think about it because he put it on hold. It wasn¡¯t that I hadn¡¯t thought about it at all. However, I had indeed relegated it to a corner of my mind. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re having fun, but part of me thinks I¡¯m never part of it.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Even if I wanted to say something, it would only be an excuse. My husband is still quite reckless and convincingly awful. Because of this, I don¡¯t trust him completely. However, I think I can trust him as a comrade in business to a certain extent. I enjoy talking about work with him, and I like that he¡¯s intelligent enough to understand me immediately. When it comes to work, my husband makes very serious and legitimate suggestions, and even points out things that I would never think of. ¡°You¡¯re still very young, but can I at least expect a little bit of that by now?¡± ¡°Er, that¨D¨D¡­¡± I clammed up and couldn¡¯t get a word in edgewise. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know what he wants. ¡°I thought I¡¯d leave it to you at your own pace for the time being, but if you don¡¯t change anytime soon, I¡¯ll have to force you to turn your attention to me. To be clear, I want to retract a lot of things. After all this time, I want us to be a married couple. I¡¯d like to get a little closer to you, kids or not.¡± It¡¯s not a matter of physical distance, but of heart. My husband expressed his intentions, but I don¡¯t know how I should respond. It¡¯s easy for me to say no. We initially had a verbal promise, and I hope he can stand by that promise. However, I¡¯m also beginning to wonder if that¡¯s enough. My husband gently stroked my cheek and chuckled at my confusion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to say this out of the blue, but ¡­there you go.¡± ¡°N-No¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± I have no idea what I was apologizing for, but that¡¯s what I couldn¡¯t help but spill. ¡°You have a lot on your plate tomorrow, don¡¯t you? Let¡¯s get some rest.¡± I couldn¡¯t grasp the distance. But my husband seemed unconcerned, which was somewhat frustrating. He moved out of the way from above me and lay down next to me, covering me with a quilt. When I turned my head to the side, his face was close to mine, so I turned the opposite direction. ¡°Good night, Risha.¡± ¡°¡­Good night.¡± His quiet breathing in sleep soon became audible, and I turned to face him again. He is also handsome even in sleep. I¡¯m sure women in the world would easily nod if pressed, but I couldn¡¯t be honest with myself. I think I¡¯m scared. What if I fall in love with him, and he betrays me? My parents were in a loveless, political marriage. What I could endure because it was a loveless marriage, I might not be able to if I fell in love with him. That being the case ¨D¨D¡­ I curled my body into a tight ball and tried not to think about it. Translator Notes: And now we know. Risha¡¯s scared¡­With her parents¡¯ relationship as an example and limited experience, I guess any girl her age would feel the same¡­ CH 4.08 Uh¡­face¡­ In the morning, I woke up to some heavy weight. There was something warm behind me, and something heavy on top of me. I wondered what it was, and when I moved, something on top of me slipped off and came back on. When I look at that heavy something, I felt amused ¨D¨D ¡°Licht, you¡¯re heavy¡­¡± ¡°Waf-waf!¡± This is no time for some warf-warf! He¡¯s gotten so big lately that he¡¯s getting heavier and heavier for me to lift. It¡¯s really hard when he treats me like a futon. Do you understand? He proabably he couldn¡¯t tell if he was getting bigger and heavier or if he was simply gaining weight. You¡¯ve been playing to your heart¡¯s content at the residence in the capital, but I got mad because you¡¯ve been too naughty, remember? Can¡¯t you take a lesson from Retzel? Why is he so quiet and gentle, but you¡­is it because you¡¯re a pup? It¡¯s because you¡¯re a pup, right? He huffed and lifted himself up. Then, Licht immediately went down to the side, but the next moment, I was flabbergasted. That existence next to me. I forgot about him! A lump larger than a Licht. For a moment, I thought it was Retzel, but Retzel was now quietly outside. ¡°¡­.Ng.¡± The lump of heat next to me slowly opened his eyes, as if he was stirred awake. ¡°¡­You¡¯re awake?¡± I was somewhat startled to hear the husky voice of my waking bedmate. No, I have always thought my husband had a beautiful voice, but why does his faint voice upon waking up sound so sexy?! I nodded, averting my gaze as it was difficult to look directly at him. ¡°You¡¯re early¡­¡± As I was getting up, my husband also got up. The sun has not come in through the curtains yet, so it must be just after dawn. Even though I went to bed late, I was awakened by the early sleeper and early riser, Licht-kun. He usually stays quiet until I wake up, but why today?¨D¨D I wondered, but then Retzel was usually in the room with me. I just discovered that Retzel is indeed a deterrent. ¡°Do you still want to sleep?¡± ¡°No¡­I¡¯m already awake. I¡¯m sorry I woke you. If you are going to be angry, by all means, reprimand Licht. ¡°You look like you want to go outside.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re doing well, but you¡¯re not really getting enough exercise, are you?¡± Doubtlessly, he¡¯s talking to Licht. ¡°Wild animals are basically out in the open all the time. That means they¡¯re probably moving around a lot. At least, more than this guy lounging around the house. Tell me, didn¡¯t you get up early because you lack exercise and have too much energy, huh?¡± Ah, I see. You¡¯re very knowledgeable. I¡¯ve never owned an animal, so I have no idea¡­ But compared to a wild animal, Licht is certainly not exercising. The same goes for Retzel. He seems to be under a lot of stress, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°Do you want to go to the stable? Since you¡¯re awake anyway, why don¡¯t we go for a walk?¡± ¡°Do you have one?¡± ¡°This is the home of the largest estate in the country. We raise horses on the property. We¡¯ll need them for the war.¡± Oh, you mean war horses. There¡¯s definitely an open space for raising them, isn¡¯t there? ¡°It¡¯s pretty vast, so running around won¡¯t be a problem. They probably wouldn¡¯t be using the place right now, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re here, right?¡± Right on the mark. It was for the two beasts to exercise. ¡°I don¡¯t know about Richt, but Leitzel is a bit monstrous.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not as big as he seems. My husband got up from the bed and rang the bell on the side of the room. After a while, knock sounded on the door. Husband opened the door himself and talked in the crack. He closed the door right after. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can you ride a horse?¡± ¡°A-A horse? Yeah, sort of.¡± The Count of Verdigo¡¯s estate is quite rural, you know? It¡¯s easier to move in a horse than a carriage. ¡°It¡¯s a long way to the stable. It¡¯s not too far on foot, but a horse would be faster.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t bring my riding clothes, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they have some here. Even if you didn¡¯t bring it from the mansion, everything¡¯s here. When you¡¯re ready, come to the main gate.¡± The master quickly left a number of commands and left the bedroom. He¡¯s acting kind of normal. Very normal¡­ Yesterday, we were talking about something important, but I didn¡¯t feel a trace of it just now. I wonder if he has his mind on the matter, or if yesterday was an illusion¡­ I believe not. That aside, I need to get ready too. There are two bells in the room that call people. One bell is for the Master, which my husband uses, and the other is for the Duchess ¨D¨D or rather for calling maids. Although it¡¯s called the Master¡¯s bell, it¡¯s for the butler or an attendant male servant. So, if you want to call either of them, ring the Master¡¯s bell. If you want to call a maid, use the Duchess¡¯s bell. Before I could use the bell, however, there was a knock at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Excuse us.¡± It¡¯s probably the lady attendants of the castle. Incidentally, the only one I brought with me on the trip was Lil. This is because Layla and Lina are still inexperienced as lady attendants, so they might be taken lightly by those who have worked at the castle for a long time. Well, I don¡¯t want any bullying to happen to my maids, but I¡¯m also sure that as attendants to a Duchess, they lack experience. The skill of a lady attendant is also linked to her dignity as a Duchess, so this time, I let them stay and see how they improve in my absence. On the contrary, Lil is actually from this territory and has been to the castle many times for training. I see. So that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t quit even though she was forced to do something different from being a lady attendant for a long time. When I heard that, I understood. I thought that no matter how much the salary was, they still have pride. Mystery solved. ¡°I¡¯ve brought you riding clothes by Master¡¯s order. Shall we begin getting ready?¡± ¡°Please.¡± The lady attendants moved briskly. At their urging, I got off the bed and took off my nightgown. CH 4.09 After I prepared and headed to the entrance gate, my husband was already there waiting. Even though a man¡¯s preparations are basically faster, I wondered how long he had been waiting for me. No, even though it is a man¡¯s prerogative to wait, it is indeed uncomfortable to make him wait too long¡­ My husband looked frustratingly good-looking in his black riding suit. I rather wonder if there are any clothes that don¡¯t fit him. ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s go.¡± The master has something in his hand. A basket? Licht, who was at his feet, sniffed something and was distracted by the contents of the basket. The contents must be food. Come one, have a little patience, Licht. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been gaining weight lately, you know? ¡°Good morning, Risha-sama.¡± As I looked at Licht in disapproval, Michel appeared from the side, gabed in the uniform of the Lindbeld dukedom territorial army. ¡°Good morning, Michel. Are you coming with us?¡± ¡°Yes, since Claude-sama woke me up early this morning.¡± Oh, I¡¯m sorry about that. Normally, he¡¯d still be asleep at this hour. ¡°Claude-sama is the head of the Lindbeld dukedom, and Risha-sama is the Duchess. It¡¯s inadvisable to leave you somewhere unprotected.¡± ¡°Is there anyone else?¡± ¡°Yes, there are.I¡¯m not the only one going with you, but I¡¯m your only exclusive knight, so I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Even though his role is to protect the master and his wife, when the question comes to whose protection is priority, the obvious answer is the master. However, the bounds of exclusivity are not limited to that. Since I only have one exclusive guard at the moment, Michel will inevitably be my constant guard. My husband had given me some documents, but I couldn¡¯t say for sure until I saw the others in person. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be a problem if my husband recommends them, but they have to be people who can work well with Michel. ¡°I¡¯ll try to wake up later from now on.¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could.¡± In the main gate, which was astir in the morning, my husband called out to me to see if I was ready. ¡°How fast can you ride, Risha?¡± ¡°Only in a canter. I haven¡¯t ridden in a while, so I¡¯d like to take it slow if I can.¡± There was no point in telling a lie. I¡¯ve never ridden a horse since I got married, and my husband knows it. Please don¡¯t expect me to be an excellent rider. ¡°Well, it was supposed to be a walk, so as long as we can get this pup walking, we¡¯re good.¡± That¡¯s good to know. I pray that nothing like an emergency will happen. Horseback riding is one of the favorite pastimes of noblewomen, but not many people take it seriously. It¡¯s usually a social activity, with a servant pulling the reins while riding comfortably. I¡¯m good enough to ride by myself. ¡°Most of the people living in the Lindbeld domain can ride horses, so I was going to recommend it if you couldn¡¯t. However, I see there¡¯s no need. I see. Another war situation here. A horse is useful for escape. You can ride away, or you can have them pull a cart with your household goods on it. They may even gallop to deliver news. Hence, most of the people in the territory can ride. ¡°It¡¯s also a horse breeding area.¡± In addition to the military horses, the Lindbeld duchy¡¯s horses are also the best for farming. This is why they are so expensive. After all, they have different horsepower, and many of them are excellent. Then I thought of something and asked my husband. ¡°It¡¯s not a war horse, is it?¡± I don¡¯t have confidence in my ability to ride such a magnificent horse. My husband glanced at me as if taken aback with my question. ¡°I can¡¯t give a warhorse to someone who¡¯s only a novice. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Ah, right? A warhorse is specially trained for war. I¡¯ve heard that they have a surprisingly rough temperament. ¡°Oh, I can ride a warhorse!¡± Michel looked at my husband expectantly. Warhorses are expensive, so they are neither affordable nor necessary. Most of them are used in the Duke of Lindbeld¡¯s domain. Some of them are delivered to the state army, but they are rarely sold in the market. In other words, you rarely get a chance to ride a war horse, and even less to have one. ¡°You¡¯ll have to work for it.¡± ¡°Yeah. I think I¡¯ve been working pretty hard. What do you think, Risha-sama?¡± ¡°If I say no¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m Risha-sama¡¯s personal assistant. I¡¯ve been doing a great job, haven¡¯t I?¡± No, Michel, I think you¡¯re just having fun stirring things up around you. You¡¯ve just been playing with Licht lately. Licht, you think Michel is a playmate, don¡¯t you? ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯m new here, so I guess I¡¯ll just have to be patient.¡± Yes, modesty is the best, Michel. At the moment, you¡¯re more of a talker than a knight. When we got to the front, the guards were ready to go. One of them is holding the reins of two horses. One was a well-built horse at a glance, with a shiny black coat. I thought it was definitely a war horse. There was something different about its aura. The other horse was smaller in size but had beautiful chestnut hair. ¡°Risha, come here.¡± My husband introduced me to the horse with the chestnut hair. ¡°He¡¯s a little older, but that makes him smarter and calmer. He wouldn¡¯t be intimidated by a large beast next to him.¡± That¡¯s true. I don¡¯t want him to be frightened with Retzel right next to him. At present, Retzel is at my side, looking around curiously, but calmly. Well, I¡¯m pretty sure these beasts aren¡¯t carnivores, so I guess everything will be fine. Speaking of which, although Retzel and Licht are herbivores, they seem to eat anything. They expressed dislike, but if something was all they had, they had no choice but to eat it. Surprisingly, his favorite food is fruit. They especially like dried fruits. They also like nuts. I¡¯ve learned a lot about ecology, and I¡¯m wondering if I¡¯ll get in trouble if I conduct a proper research and publish it in neighboring countries. CH 4.10 I was a little nervous about riding a horse since I haven¡¯t ridden in a long time. I could let it canter, though. However, I was able to manage it because my body was remembering it, and the chestnut-haired horse my husband introduced me to was gentle, smart, and easy to handle. The walk to the stable is indeed a bit of a long one, but it¡¯s just the right distance if I urged the horse lightly. The horse isn¡¯t currently in use, but its training will start in a little while. Before that, I was supposed to borrow it for a while. In fact, if the Master of the house says he¡¯s going to use it, it¡¯s his territory, so even if others had complaints, they¡¯ll have to swallow them. Of course, I don¡¯t want to push it that far, so I¡¯m really only borrowing for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s expansive!¡± As soon as we arrived, Michel exclaimed in a dumbfounded but impressed tone, as if he was voicing my thoughts. The others were naturally used to seeing it, so they didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Over there ¡­ you can see the horizon ¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s vast, that¡¯s for sure.¡± My Husband said lightly and dismounted. He immediately came towards me and gave me a hand to dismount. Quite the gentleman. ¡°You can play if you want.¡± ¡°Do you want to go for a run, Retzel?¡± For a moment, he seemed to be concerned about Licht, but perhaps he wasn¡¯t getting enough exercise, so he left Licht with us and started running briskly. I¡¯ve never seen it before, but he¡¯s really fast. He¡¯s already gone so far! Funnily enough, Licht is also running around. However, he doesn¡¯t go as far as Retzel, and always remains within our sight. Even so, he seems to be having a good time, running where there¡¯s no obstacle. ¡°I can¡¯t see Retzel anymore¡­Will he be okay?¡± ¡°He¡¯s smart enough not to climb over the fence, and at this time of the evening, it¡¯s almost impossible for anyone to see him, so I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be a problem.¡± No, I¡¯m more worried about the people in the territory than Retzel. What worries me the most is the reaction of the fiefdom populace when they see Retzel. I hope they won¡¯t be too surprised and overreact¡­ If there¡¯s an uproar, I¡¯d be sorry if the territory army immediately makes a move and appear, Anyway, if they meet a beast that big, I guess they¡¯ll have to report to my husband first. ¡°He¡¯ll be back sooner or later. Besides, if Risha calls him, he¡¯ll come back, won¡¯t he?¡± ¡°I checked to be sure, but even though I couldn¡¯t see him, he appeared. I don¡¯t know how far away he was, though.¡± I don¡¯t know if my voice will ever reach a distance where I can even see the horizon, Husband. ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough. For now, let him roam free.¡± After living in the wilderness for so long, they suddenly find themselves living in the midst of human life, which seems to be causing them a lot of stress. I don¡¯t know what Retzel is thinking. Did he think it would be easier to raise Licht here, or was he kicked out of the pack? However, at least they are friendly to us, so they are accepted at the Duke¡¯s mansion. Retzel casually carries heavy things for me, you know? He seems to know that he is a housemate. Of course, I don¡¯t think Licht is thinking anything of it. ¡°Risha, come here.¡± Riding a horse is a light exercise. Even if I wasn¡¯t riding much, I got somewhat tired. Perhaps sensing this, my Husband urged me to the desk and chair outside. He¡¯s holding the basket that he had strapped to the horse in his hands. ¡°I told everyone we¡¯d have breakfast here, and had them prepare it. I¡¯m sure the knights have brought enough for themselves.¡± ¡°T-Thank you.¡± He skillfully took the food out of the basket. It felt like we¡¯re on a picnic. Small sandwiches that are easy to eat by hands, scones and other baked goods, and several kinds of jams. Other colorful hors d¡¯oeuvres((appetizer or starter) and fresh fruits came out of the basket, and fruit juice as well. Yummy! I was a little impressed. Somehow, I felt something special about this kind of food. It¡¯s the excitement I had dreamed of as a child. ¡°¡­Did you ask Ragnard, by any chance?¡± ¡°No, why? I¡¯m just doing what I think kids like to do.¡± He said he wanted me to experience things I couldn¡¯t when I was a kid, but I mean ¨D¨D ¡°You¡¯re treating me like a child?!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± I pursed my lips at my husband who smiled happily. Alright, he isn¡¯t far from the truth, no? Haven¡¯t I longed for events like this?! But even adults like to have picnics! If anything, it¡¯s a way for women to socialize sometimes! ¡°Even though the distance is short, you haven¡¯t worked out in a while, so you¡¯re probably starving. Besides, you didn¡¯t seem to have much appetite yesterday.¡± I honestly wondered if he was watching me. Husband said I didn¡¯t look like I had a good appetite, but I still ate as much as a normal noblewoman would. My appetite was a little low, but not enough to worry him. It¡¯s all about feelings. I don¡¯t have the stomach to eat without reservation with a crowd of important people, milling about! ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll¨D¨D¡± I addressed him as he was about to pour a drink into my glass. However, he¡¯s in control with his hands, so he eventually did it for me. It is perfect. I just sat there. Is it fine to have the head of the family do something like it? ¡°Hah-hah-hah!¡± While I was watching my Husband¡¯s deft movements, Licht, who had been running around, came pacing back and forth at my feet. He knew that I would get angry if he climbed on the table, so he kept moving back and forth underneath me. However, Husband easily picked him up and handed him to Michel to discard. Michel received him with a look that said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± and took him with him. ¡°Here, Licht-kun! Don¡¯t disturb the couple. Let me take your food, then we¡¯ll go over there, shall we? Oh no, you¡¯ve gotten really heavy lately, haven¡¯t you? Is it a growth spurt? Or are you just fat? It¡¯s hard to tell when you¡¯re a little too furry, but come on.¡± Michel chattered with Licht. I knew I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought he might be fat. Maybe I should limit his food intake a little. Or maybe let him exercise more¡­But, you know, he¡¯s been playing so energetically at the Duke¡¯s mansion, so unlike Retzel, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s lacking exercise. Maybe he¡¯s eating too much. Whenever he appeals to a maid or a servant for a snack with those round eyes, he¡¯ll get treats secretly. I must impose a total ban. I have a feeling that spoiling him because he¡¯s growing up won¡¯t do him any good. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing¡­Thank you.¡± As I was thinking about the dietary restrictions for Licht, which was taken farther away, my Husband handed me a glass. I took it and thanked him for all his service. ¡°Michel can definitely take care of Licht. After all, they seem to be kindred spirits.¡± It¡¯s not that they¡¯re kindred spirits, but they¡¯re simply playmates. For both. ¡°Let¡¯s eat for now.¡± ¡°Everything looks delicious.¡± It¡¯s quite fun to eat outside, isn¡¯t it? Every time my husband took a dish out of the basket, it made me swoon. I¡¯m dying to see what else is in there, Husband. ¡°The cook at the mansion have been with me since I was a child, so we know each other well. He¡¯s good at awe-inspiring dishes, but he¡¯s also good at packing these playful baskets.¡± ¡°Did you often go on picnics and such, Husband?¡± The way he said it sounded like that. ¡°Not often, but children of my age were often lumped together, and we used to play together whenever we had time. Back then, we all used to barge into the castle kitchens and have them cook for us. The grandson of the feudal Lord was the head of the kitchen, so he would cook for us even when he was busy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little surprising. I thought you were serious about your studies.¡± When I commented, he only shrugged. ¡°Playing with other children is part of socializing. I think we were just trying to blow off some steam.¡± ¡°So are you used to this kind of occasion?¡± The preparation was excellent. Husband said all he had to do was take them out, but I could tell he was used to seeing it all neatly arranged. ¡°I know you¡¯ll get used to it. Then you can at least have a picnic anywhere.¡± That¡¯s true, too. When we return to the imperial capital, I can enjoy a picnic in the mansion of the Duke of Lindbeld. Eating outside is different and almost addictive. CH 4.11 We ate everything and took a rest. I thought there was quite a lot of food, but I ate surprisingly much. Is it my imagination that eating outside somehow feels more delicious? No, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not! My husband also ate a lot even though it was early in the morning. To be honest, I was thinking that our basket was bountiful, but it didn¡¯t seem to be so. When we were somewhat relaxed, my husband started to talk about something serious while pouring more drinks into our empty glasses. ¡°About last night¨D¨D¡± ¡°Er, last night?¡± My voice squeaked, and I averted my gaze. He knew that I was acting suspiciously, but he didn¡¯t point it out and went on. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the quality of the meat. I¡¯d like to see that done in the north, but how exactly are we going to do that?¡± Ah, you mean that. I thought he¡¯s going to dig up where he had left off last night, but it turns out to be something else. I mean, I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re even talking about work here¡­ Perhaps that¡¯s how bad the coal mining problem is in the north. ¡°Well, we have to start from the ground up, don¡¯t we? It will take a few years before we can commercialize it, and we have to figure out how to compensate for that¡­¡± ¡°If we build it in the north, it would be favorable because it would provide employment for the current miners, but the question from the outset is, can we trust them? I don¡¯t know if the people my grandfather introduced jobs to, but didn¡¯t stick to them, would accept honestly¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never actually been there, so I honestly don¡¯t know what the situation is like. Isn¡¯t it possible that the older generation is just hung up on it, but the younger generation is surprisingly different? According to the data, there¡¯s a younger generation, too¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re that stubborn¡­Honestly, I don¡¯t understand why people stick to dangerous coal mines when there are safer jobs. They might have been instigated, but what about once the mine was abandoned? Besides, they were offered jobs they could pursue.¡± Hmm, I¡¯d like to ask what they¡¯re dissatisfied with after their Lord had done so much for them. Would they rather work in the coal mines, where money is earned as they dig, or in a stable job where they are promised a minimum wage? If I were them, I¡¯d go for the latter. If they have no harvest, they¡¯ll have no income, and they also know from the start that it¡¯s dangerous. Even the previous generation of lords knew that they couldn¡¯t mine more unless they got deep into the strata, so they just left mining on the surface. So there was no way forward. I¡¯m sure there were some explanations, and it¡¯s also very likely that there are very few of that generation left. It could be just that the majority of the population don¡¯t understand it. That¡¯s conceivable, but¡­ I¡¯m still not fully clear about the status quo. Was the situation already complicated at the time when the mine was abandoned, or was it complicated afterward? They wanted to cash in as much as they could, so they were forced to mine for coal, and were compensated highly in times of need. I must say, they were blessed. There aren¡¯t many lords who would go to such lengths when a lord-led project goes bankrupt. There are a lot of bad lords out there, you know? Like my father. ¡°Negotiation is a must. If we start something and fail to get the understanding of the residents, it will soon fall apart.¡± To put it coldly, they¡¯re doing something illegal, and there¡¯s no need to help them. On the flip side, it is also necessary to catch those who are doing illegal trade to maintain order. However, this time, I don¡¯t want to make a big deal out of it because the previous Chief Steward was involved and instigated it. For what it¡¯s worth, it¡¯s terrible that they were deceived, but I think my husband, the head of the family, who failed to control everything, is also at fault. ¡°At any rate, I¡¯m eager to see the place. It¡¯s important to know what the environment is like for raising livestock there.¡± ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be on our way in a couple of days. It¡¯s possible we¡¯ll get there sooner or later.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too soon to make a decision?¡± ¡°Time is limited, you know. If you could, could you put the research you¡¯ve been thinking about in writing? It can be as general as you want, or it can be the plan you had in mind for the Count of Verdigo¡¯s family.¡± More work! But I give up as if I have no choice. If the territory prospers, it will bring in money, and I will be able to enjoy my future¨D¨D¡­! My hope isn¡¯t for the future, though! However, since this is something that I wanted to do, and since I have a husband who is interested in it as a patron, I will submit that much. It doesn¡¯t have to be something formal. In just a few bullet points or something. If I write down a rough outline, I¡¯m positive that it will be shaped by my husband¡¯s brilliant mind! ¡°How far away is it, by the way?¡± ¡°Huh? It doesn¡¯t take more than a day to get there by carriage from here. It would take about half a day by horse.¡± Oh, that might be just the thing. As the business planner, I will come back once in a while to see how things are going until things get on track. However, I¡¯m sure that frequency will decrease if the distance is further away. If it¡¯s close, I can come more often and let my beasts play as much as they want while I¡¯m there. It¡¯s nice for them to run around on the plains, but I think it would be better for them to live in a similar habitat. Retzel returned before I knew it, but he seemed somewhat unsatisfied. ¡°By the way, are you really meeting Rosaliemond today?¡± My husband suddenly asked. I¡¯m intending to, why? ¡°¡­I¡¯m just curious. What¡¯s going on with you and Miss Rosaliemond?¡± Don¡¯t tell me you had an unspoken relationship with her ¨D¨D Did you? No way. ¡°There is nothing for you to worry about. I dare say she¡¯s my natural enemy.¡± My husband¡¯s face twisted in disgust. A natural enemy? I didn¡¯t expect that my husband had a natural enemy. ¡°Don¡¯t take her words seriously.¡± Our picnic came to an end with that appreciated advice. CH 4.12 ¡°Er¡­ Why is this happening, Michel?¡± ¡°I should be asking you that, Risha-sama. You¡¯re the one who got carried away and now here we are.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t give me a chance to refuse, you know?¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s quite powerful and vigorous. She¡¯s the type that Claude-sama would have a hard time with.¡± My husband did say she¡¯s his nemesis. As we were whispering, the woman who had been leading us turned around. Her sudden turn scared me, fearing that we might have been overheard. She walked up to me and grabbed my arm. ¡°Come on, Risha-sama! Let¡¯s get going!¡± Miss Rosaliemond, who shed off her dress and replaced it with the kind of clothes commoners would wear, smiled dazzlingly as if having so much fun. So, why exactly is this happening now? It goes back to yesterday. After having breakfast outside with my husband yesterday, I returned to the castle and wrote a plan for a research project that had failed in the past. After writing as I thought for a while, I approached and went to the parlor for the promised tea appointment to Miss Rosaliemond. Since I am the mistress of the castle, no matter what the current situation is, I am the hostess. In other words, I was supposed to entertain Miss Rosaliemond and the others I met yesterday. It¡¯s just yesterday, but she was supposed to come today in the first place, so I had them call on me today as well. ¡°Thanks for inviting us.¡± Yes, what a beauty. She is a bit older, but her youthfulness overshadows her age. Rather, I may as well say she is powerful. But, in contrast to yesterday, has she got no attendant? Her cronies? Surprisingly, her cronies or attendants are nowhere to be seen. ¡°Are you alone?¡± ¡°Yes, I planned on telling you about the Duke of Lindbeld today, so I refrained from bringing them.¡± A smiling front, yet disturbing words. Meaning to say, she doesn¡¯t want others listening. I offered her a cup of tea, muttering in my mind, ¡°Please be gentle if you can.¡± We both took a sip of tea and sized each other up. However, my rival is quite composed. And so she should be. She obviously knows more about the Duke of Lindbeld. She looks rather formidable. She quietly put her cup back and looked me straight in the eye. Her gaze naturally made my spine straighten up. ¡°By the way, how much do you know about the Lindbeld dukedom?¡± ¡°I learned a whole bunch of history and kinship stuff.¡± I¡¯ve read the reports that my exceptionally merciless butler has amassed. ¡°Then what about the kind of business the Lindbeld dukedom is involved in and so on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still learning the details, but my husband has briefed me about them.¡± There are quite a few regional differences within the dukedom, as it guards the eastern border from north to south. The wealthiest of these places is the south. It has a widespread fertile agricultural area, and is part of the country¡¯s food supply. They are engaged in another business which is horse breeding. This is done here in the center, but it is a lord-led business. Their range of business is extensive, but these two main businesses account for half of their income. If they were to engage in too many areas, they might end up ruining the businesses of other lords, so extra caution is paid here. In this sense, meat research is a new entry into an existing business, which may be considered dangerous in other territories that specialize in meat production. However, I think it¡¯s possible to produce in a different category because we are aiming for a high-end route. ¡°I have always thought that I would marry Claude-sama in the future. Therefore, I thought it necessary to broaden my knowledge. Not only have I been preparing for this by studying abroad, not only in my own domain, but also in the Lindbeld duchy.¡± Miss Rosaliemond stares at me. There was Her Royal Highness the Princess, and Elise, that ridiculous freeloader; but of the three of us, she was probably the one who considered more about the Lindbeld duchy than anyone else. I can¡¯t decide if I¡¯m being accused or she¡¯s saying I, this hillbilly, is unworthy! The atmosphere makes it hard for me to gauge which is which. ¡°And yet, in the end, it was you who was chosen. The former Duke has regarded me highly since I was a child, and told me to spread my knowledge. I have always tried to follow his advice. I¡¯m pretty sure that the former Duke would have wanted me to be Claude-sama¡¯s wife. With this belief¡­¡± The two were well matched in terms of age. My husband is a little older than her, which is the ideal age difference. What¡¯s more, the fact that they were related and had known each other since childhood and knew each other well was reason enough for them to get married. If I were to believe Rosaliemond-sama¡¯s words, it seems that the former Duke ¨C that is, my husband¡¯s grandfather ¨C looked out for her. If he had such high expectations for Rosaliemond-sama, even she would have believed that one day she would become the wife of the head of the Lindbeld dukedom. ¡°It is not right that someone who knows nothing about the Lindbeld dukedom was chosen for a mere love marriage, let alone a political one. To be honest, I was disappointed in Claude-sama. Everyone thought that he was the son of the former Duke.¡± Huh? Love marriage? I mean, our marriage is more of convenience, right? But now that I give it a second thought, it might not look like a love marriage from others¡¯ perspectives. And I can¡¯t deny it, because that¡¯s how I made it look since I got here. That aside, how terrible of a head of the family was my father-in-law? I¡¯ve been told countless times. ¡°But I can see that you are at least a woman who has the backbone to kick the crap out of that dolt and egomaniac, so I¡¯ll give you a pass. O-Okay¡­ I didn¡¯t take the initiative though¡­ Well, whatever. There¡¯s no need to say anything else. ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯re up to snuff, but since you apparently don¡¯t know much about the Duchy of Lindbeld, I¡¯ll tell you a little bit about it.¡± Then came a lengthy preamble. Nevertheless, it¡¯s already good to say that she did so with a whiff of resentment. Besides, it is true that I know less about the Duke of Lindbeld and the Lindbeld Duchy than Miss Rosaliemond, so I¡¯m more than grateful to listen to whatever she has to say. ¡°You may not know about this but there¡¯s a great disparity between the rich and the poor in the north and south of the Lindbeld Duchy. I¡¯m deeply pained for the countless of people in the north of the Duchy, in particular, who have been suffering from poverty for a long time, especially because there¡¯s no industry.¡± I¡¯m aware of that. That is why they resorted to illegal coal mining. ¡°Honestly speaking, I have been studying the gap between the rich and the poor for a long time. As an aristocrat in this country, I have always thought that I should consider the people, so I also studied policies in other countries. However, the disparity between rich and poor is the same in every country. So what¡¯s to be done? First off, I decided to investigate what causes poverty.¡± Yeah, I think that¡¯s a noble cause. As a daughter of a nobility, few think that far ahead. In fact, I don¡¯t think many men ever entertained such a noble idea. ¡°For starters, I investigated the poor in the Linbeld Duchy¡¯s domain, whom I may eventually marry into. I thought that knowing ahead of time would allow me to act quicker after marriage. Then just recently, I heard that there had been some money flow to the north. I wondered if any new industries had sprung up there, but to my surprise, there¡¯s actually a coal mine there! I see no reason not to take advantage of this.¡± Errr¡­Miss Rosaliemond, did you do all these on the premise of marriage? ¡°Coal mines make money. Of course, I did my research. I know that it is not on the surface, but strategically deep within the strata. But if we follow proper procedures, it¡¯ll be safe. If the mines make money, we can save them. And yet, Claude-sama is trying to ¡­ to turn it into abandoned mines, which I believe is the height of folly.¡± ¡°¡­Who told you that?¡± ¡°My father. He¡¯s sincerely concerned that Claude-sama is still young, and advised me to come to him.¡± What age is it today? You know, you don¡¯t have to actually meet and talk to him, but a letter or something else would have been fine. To top it all, Miss Rosaliemond is a distinguished guest in the territory. She is from another territory, albeit a neighboring one. I understand what she¡¯s saying that considers the place her marital home because there¡¯s a good chance that she¡¯d get married into the family, but territories have their own circumstances. What¡¯s more, we¡¯re trying to abandon the mine, or rather, the mine was abandoned in the first place. ¡°Since you¡¯re the wife of the head of the family, it is your duty to stop him from going down the wrong path.¡± ¡°No, Miss. That mine has already been abandoned, and I would say that the people who are mining there unfairly are the ones who are in the wrong.¡± ¡°If so, what is the meaning of those who visited my father? They said they wished he could admonish Claude-sama.¡± I glanced at Michel and he nodded at Miss Rosaliemonde¡¯s words. It means this is a matter that should be reported to my husband. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s a trivial matter. At the very least, as the Duke, he must know more about those who have asked for aid even from other domains.¡± Do you have any idea what¡¯s wrong here from the get go? Why appeal to the lords of other territories? And why ask them? That¡¯s unnecessary, no? There is a specialized place to sue in case of injustices, so the normal route is to go there. Since the majority of them are people who disliked territorial aristocracy, they will be more than happy to look into it if you appeal to them. This is pretty well-known, you know?