Chapter 16
I’ve been at the Margrave Santorina’s house for a week now.
Currently, I’m being treated excessively as a guest, and honestly, it’s troubling.
No, they are treating me with utmost care. It’s beyond anything.
Despite being known as the villainess, everyone warmly welcomes me as the newlywed wife of the head of the family, Margrave Rudy.
My room, clothes, meals, and all the things around me are arranged luxuriously to the point where I, who was raised in the Duke family, feel overwhelmed. The people I interact with are all kind and considerate. It’s a very comfortable life.
However, I haven’t been able to meet Rudy-sama much. Perhaps it’s because Rudy-sama is busy with work, but our living spaces are strictly separated, even meals are separate, and I’m told that there’s no need for greetings or farewells as the mistress of this house. He comes and goes through the back entrance secretly, without even properly meeting face to face.
When I discreetly asked the maids, it seems they are considerate, thinking, “You wouldn’t want to see such an ugly person,” but apparently, the previous lady of this house spent her time like this as well.
Hmm, my determination for the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law battle (physically) is growing.
Especially since I haven’t been given any specific tasks, I’ve spent this week preparing diligently every day and focusing on practicing magic. Rudy-sama’s mother seems to pass the time by calling merchants, watching plays, and meeting with her lover. Well, I don’t feel like losing. No, I will win.
I digressed.
Anyway, even though we’re supposed to be a married couple, if I don’t actively go to meet Rudy-sama, I won’t even have a chance to see his esteemed face.
Since realizing this fact, I have made it a point to visit him on my own initiative and declare my love.
“Good morning, Rudy, I love you!”
This morning, I caught him just after he finished his training in the garden and said this.
“O-Oh, good morning, Emmanuella. Um, I think I’m sweaty, so it’s better not to get too close.”
Rudy-sama replied with a bright red face, and he looks cool today too.
It’s true that he’s sweating after training, but rather, that sweat looks refreshing and sparkling. Honestly, I want to taste it. At least, I want to keep it.
No, I’m his wife, so even if I absorb this sweat with my handkerchief and quietly take it home, no one would blame me, right?
“Ah, no!”
Perhaps sensing the danger as I aimed with the handkerchief in hand, Rudy-sama said in a slightly louder voice and stopped me with his hand.
Taking a deep breath as if to calm himself, he still had a red face as he spoke to me.
“Well. . .I understand that you were hurt by the betrayal of the Crown Prince. But I am your supporter. Even without such excessive words, I will never betray you. Actually, it’s bad for my heart to lie, so I’d rather you spare me. . .”
Hmm, is this still his response to my earlier “I love you”? It’s not a lie though.
“Yes, just your presence alone is enough. . .Ah, Emmanuella, you are as beautiful as ever today. I can see your beautiful figure even from afar, and being able to call you my wife is the only happiness I need. I will do anything for you.”
Hmm, there’s no lie in Rudy-sama’s words, mixed with a sigh.
He is certainly captivated by my beauty (hair). We have mutual feelings. How wonderful.
However, he still doesn’t fully believe in my feelings.
Or rather, it’s difficult to handle being worshipped like this by everyone in this house, including the staff.
Come to think of it, I just realized that the problem lies in me being excessively praised.
Ah, that’s right, today is supposed to be Rudy-sama’s day off.
“. . .I can do anything for you.”
“Yes, let’s even destroy the temple! The goddess belongs only to you!”
“Oh, you don’t have to do anything dangerous like that.”
I lightly restrained Rudy-sama, who responded with an excited and dangerous answer to my muttering.
“So, what can I do for you?”
He said that with an obviously dejected expression. While promptly collecting the sweat on his forehead with my handkerchief as if taking advantage of the opportunity, I put into words what I had thought of earlier.
“Today, how about the two of us, Rudy-sama and I, go on a demon beast subjugation? I remember hearing that there’s been an increase in wild boars causing trouble near a village in the northern mountains, right?”
Wild boars are quite vicious demon beasts, resembling aggressive boars. I heard a plea asking if Rudy-sama, who is the strongest force in this territory, could thin them out, just a couple of days ago.
I feel somewhat sorry for suggesting it on our day off, but I thought it might be a good idea to show my slightly barbaric side during boar hunting, to let him see a different side of me and develop a closer bond. I also have hopes that our distance might shorten through this adventure.
“Um, understood. I’ll accompany you. I was actually thinking that we should deal with it sooner. So, um, unnecessary excessive service is not needed, so please stop. . .!”
Service? What’s that supposed to mean?
Rudy-sama blushed so much that it seemed like steam would come out of his ears, and he continued speaking while wiping sweat off his forehead. I tilt my head in confusion.
Well, I don’t really understand why he’s freezing up like that, but it’s convenient for collecting sweat. Oh, wait, is this it?
As I wipe the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief, due to the height difference, we’re quite close, causing even more sweat to pour out. Maybe he wants me to stop.
It’s not like I’m pressuring him with something like, “I’ve gone this far to provide you with service, so even on your day off, you’ll go boar hunting, right?”.
. . .Well, but it does seem like it might be endless if we continue like this, so it might be better to end it here.
“Well then, today is a wild boar hunting date! As the Margravine, I also want to prove that I’m a magician who can be of use in this land.”
I smile at him and gently retract the handkerchief.
Rudy-sama visibly exhales in relief and relaxes his shoulders.
I think it’s cute that someone as cool as him is not very experienced with women and still innocent, but honestly, I wish he would get more accustomed to me.
I wonder if he would carry me like a princess again if there’s some kind of emergency in the mountains. No, that would be too much of a burden for Rudy-sama in the mountains.
As I pondered what to do, I proceeded with the preparations for boar hunting.
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