“It’s the day after tomorrow.”
I stood tall on the spot.
“... What?"
“It’s the day after tomorrow.”
I was taken aback by the butler's answer.
Seeing me like that, the butler tilted his head.
“Has My Lord told you about the banquet yet?”
"Not at all! This is my first time hearing this.”
As my tone of voice rose with a straight face, the butler began to correct the Master's mistake.
“Originally, My Lord, hebare a reasonable person. After returning from the Five Years’ War, when his birthday came around, he paid his respects to the previous Lord and Madam and rested for a day in the annex in the back garden.”
"Yes? I think many people wanted to celebrate the Temnes family head’s birthday.”
The butler said proudly.
“Of course it is. However, he also sorted out the things that came as congratulatory gifts and added them to the self-reliance of the serfs.”
“Self-reliance of serfs?”
"Yes. The Lord takes special care, so there are not many serfs in Temnes now.”
It would seem that there would be a lot of lords who ruled a huge territory, most of them vassals who had noble status or were blood relatives of noble families, and below them there would be people who were commoners, but in reality, there was a floor below them.
Serfs were bound to the land.
Unlike commoners who can freely hold commercial, service, or technical jobs and public offices that operate and manage fiefdoms, these are people who are born on the land, tied to the land for their entire lives, and then buried in the land.
Hands and feet that farm huge territories.
Rather than being the same person, these people existed like dirt or grass on the land where harvesting took place but became a part of farming without any changes even when the owner of the land changed.
Even in Valmonde, I was enthusiastic about serving outside the castle. Other than that, I couldn't go outside the castle, and perhaps because I grew up as a commoner, I felt more comfortable with the dull citizens of the territory than with the people of the castle.
However, as my status changed from a commoner to a noble overnight, I and my friend Hannah, who was like family to me, began to have a relationship where we could not get along as before, I became more interested in the status of nobles in the class system.
What was especially heartbreaking for me was that if I was born as a serf's child, my life would have to be that of a serf-like my parents.
Just as potatoes and wheat grow with roots in the ground and produce the same seeds.
But when I heard that Kaian had taken care of solving such a problem, it felt like light had come from somewhere in the dark hallway.
“Except for the Pagos area, which is close to the capital, most people became commoners.”
"Right. He did a really great job.”
“He is a great person. He is better than anyone who has been the Lord of Rowen Castle for hundreds of years. He is someone who can easily do things that they have not been able to do for a long time.”
From the butler's words, I could feel the pride he had in serving such a Master.
Although I had only known Kaian for a few months, I agreed with the butler's thoughts.
He was a man who could bring me back to life even though I was destined to die.
“It was this morning that he decided on the banquet.”
“Why did you suddenly decide to hold a banquet?”
“In the meantime, I guess he thought there was no one to celebrate since the previous Lord and Madam were not there. Isn’t Madam is here now? Since it was close to the fall festival, he probably didn’t think much of it.”
As I listened to the butler's words, I soon arrived in front of the room.
“Don’t worry about preparing the banquet.”
“I understand.”
However, even when I entered the room, the butler did not close the door and he hesitated as if he should say something or not.
“Is there anything else you want to say?”
“If it costs money to prepare a gift for My Lord, you can use a promissory note.”
"Ah...”
“I haven’t been able to tell you because Madame has been sick, but there are funds that you can freely manage. My Lord, he entrusted this to you in case you needed it while he was busy.”
“I’ll think about it.”
"Yes, My Lady."
The butler smiled happily as if he seemed to be paying attention to his master's gift.
“Don’t worry too much. My Lord, he is not that picky.”
Closing the door, I went to the sofa and sat down.
"Phew."
Sitting on the soft sofa, sighing and closing my eyes, I pushed myself up and stamped my feet.
“He's not that picky!”
Kaian's tastes were, by all accounts, very picky.
The butler's words were a very subjective opinion that lost objectivity.
This is because he stayed at Rowen Castle longer than Kaian, so the butler's standard was 'perfection' itself.
I could understand why the butler said that Kaian was a ‘reasonable person.’
Unlike the Duke of Vermont, he was not the type to risk his life on ostentation.
Surprisingly, he behaved well, but perhaps because of his ingrained elegance, he didn't look unsightly but instead seemed cool and carefree.
“But everything has only good things in it.”
Every single item that Kaian wrote or used was of high quality. Putting it all together, I was able to see how insightful and high his standards were for a man named Kaian.
"Ha. What should I give you?”
My heart felt heavy.
“I can’t believe I found out about my husband’s birthday two days ago.”
When I wake up tonight, it's only one day later.
“Even if we didn’t get married this way by the King’s command, I would have known his birthday.”
Even in marriages between nobles, it was common for them to date for about a year.
I sighed and then burst out laughing in bewilderment.
“What am I saying? If it weren’t for the King’s command, I would never have married him from Temnes.”
Sometimes the spinning thoughts ended after reaching enlightenment.
"Birthday present..."
The reason I want to give him something is because I have feelings for him.
There was still a lot more to get to know each other in our relationship, but if I gave him something now, it would become a memory next year, and the year after that.
“What could he like?”
Something that will leave a lasting feeling of happiness.
I suddenly looked down at my hands.
On the fourth finger of my left hand, the button decoration that Kayan had given me on the second night was still worn like a ring.
First, it was Hannah, and after Hannah had become a faithful servant who had sworn to give her soul to Temnes, Kaian made a fuss to take it away and throw it away.
But I didn't want to do that.
“Because it was the first thing I received it from Kaian.”
The humiliation I had suffered when I got this did not hurt my heart as I saw the golden light of the full moon hanging from my slender white fingers.
At that time, neither Kaian nor I knew each other.
My mind was blank as to how we should get along and how we should treat each other over our previous feuding ancestors.
I said as I thought Kaian was trying.
It bothered me that he kept trying to compensate me materially even though I was his wife, but if anyone heard it, they would say it was a blessing for me.
Maybe that was also Kaian's way of approaching me.
“I want to give you something nice too.”
It was not an easy problem.
Knock knock.
At the sound of a knock on the door, I slowly went over and opened the door with a grumpy expression.
“Why is your face like that? You haven’t even changed my clothes yet.”
Kaian was dressed comfortably, having come to rest.
“I just heard about the banquet.”
“That’s no big deal.”
When he spoke casually, I became upset.
“Is this how I need to know your birthday story?”
“Was that the problem?”
“We should get ready.”
“The butler is doing it, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
I thought I couldn't bring up the gift here, so I kept my mouth shut. Kaian, who must have thought that I was burdened by the banquet I suddenly found out about, hugged me and began to comfort me.
“Because you failed to attend the wedding banquet on the third day.”
Kaian had thought that I, who was offended by the button decoration, had deliberately not come to the banquet to embarrass him.
'What? She won't attend?'
'Yes, Duke. She said she couldn't sit down because she was sick.'
'Tell her that she will never be called to a banquet again.'
Although he had said that out of anger, it was clear that the wise butler had not conveyed those words to me.
Now I know that it must have really hurt back then.
It was a very fortunate thing.
“I came back to the castle after dancing at the festival, so I need to show my face properly.”
“You brought it here.”
“I like it.”
I glared at the shameless man, and the strength in his eyes faded. When I looked at my husband's face, I would often get angry but then just relax.
“Don’t be too nervous. Your reputation is good after the festival.”
“What do they say?”
“I heard no people whispering that you were from Vermont.”
“That’s a good thing.”
He pressed his lips to my forehead.
“It’s just a matter of having dinner. There’s no need to feel pressured.”
"Yes."
“You have to prepare well. Do you want me to change your clothes?”
One of the things Kaian is most into these days is playing dolls with me.
The next day, I headed to Huwon for the first time in a long time.
We were busy all the time because of the festival, but then we were introduced to Rohan and suddenly there was a banquet.
There were endless things to worry about.
“The life of a Young Lord’s wife is busy.”
My great-aunt, the Duchess of Vermont, was so busy that sometimes I couldn't even see her during meal times.
“Because the Rowen estate is larger than Valmonde. You knew that you would be busy if you became the proper lady of the Lord.”
But I didn't know my husband would be so uncooperative.
I, lying down in the water, sighed and closed my eyes.
“Shall I show you that swimming is a gift?”
Still, I kept it a secret from Kaian that I could swim.
I didn't forget how he said he would help me stay afloat but then played with me by pulling my hand away, causing me to fall.
So I thought that one day when I got good at swimming, I would tease him by pretending that I was drowning.
When he saw me swimming skillfully, I wondered what his reaction would be.
I remembered that when Kaian first swam, he looked as flexible as a mermaid and as graceful and free as a large fish, and I wondered if he would feel just as beautiful when he saw me swimming.
"Gift. The gift is the problem.”
I had already been to the Marketplace in the morning, but there was no way I could match Kaian's level in a place where young people usually go to buy things.
Everything he owns, even a pen, is custom-made.
My eyes widened as I waded into the water.
Swimming down to the bottom of the lake, I stretched out my hand and grabbed something from the depths.
“Puh-ha!”
I came out of the water and stretched out my hands, and in my palms lay a small red stone, the size of a thumbnail.
“...Pretty."
Strangely enough, the smooth stone was shaped like a heart, as if someone had carved and carved it.
“Would I rather give him this?”
However, thirty minutes later, Madame Marcel and Hannah shouted in unison.
"No!"
“... What?"
“It’s the day after tomorrow.”
I was taken aback by the butler's answer.
Seeing me like that, the butler tilted his head.
“Has My Lord told you about the banquet yet?”
"Not at all! This is my first time hearing this.”
As my tone of voice rose with a straight face, the butler began to correct the Master's mistake.
“Originally, My Lord, hebare a reasonable person. After returning from the Five Years’ War, when his birthday came around, he paid his respects to the previous Lord and Madam and rested for a day in the annex in the back garden.”
"Yes? I think many people wanted to celebrate the Temnes family head’s birthday.”
The butler said proudly.
“Of course it is. However, he also sorted out the things that came as congratulatory gifts and added them to the self-reliance of the serfs.”
“Self-reliance of serfs?”
"Yes. The Lord takes special care, so there are not many serfs in Temnes now.”
It would seem that there would be a lot of lords who ruled a huge territory, most of them vassals who had noble status or were blood relatives of noble families, and below them there would be people who were commoners, but in reality, there was a floor below them.
Serfs were bound to the land.
Unlike commoners who can freely hold commercial, service, or technical jobs and public offices that operate and manage fiefdoms, these are people who are born on the land, tied to the land for their entire lives, and then buried in the land.
Hands and feet that farm huge territories.
Rather than being the same person, these people existed like dirt or grass on the land where harvesting took place but became a part of farming without any changes even when the owner of the land changed.
Even in Valmonde, I was enthusiastic about serving outside the castle. Other than that, I couldn't go outside the castle, and perhaps because I grew up as a commoner, I felt more comfortable with the dull citizens of the territory than with the people of the castle.
However, as my status changed from a commoner to a noble overnight, I and my friend Hannah, who was like family to me, began to have a relationship where we could not get along as before, I became more interested in the status of nobles in the class system.
What was especially heartbreaking for me was that if I was born as a serf's child, my life would have to be that of a serf-like my parents.
Just as potatoes and wheat grow with roots in the ground and produce the same seeds.
But when I heard that Kaian had taken care of solving such a problem, it felt like light had come from somewhere in the dark hallway.
“Except for the Pagos area, which is close to the capital, most people became commoners.”
"Right. He did a really great job.”
“He is a great person. He is better than anyone who has been the Lord of Rowen Castle for hundreds of years. He is someone who can easily do things that they have not been able to do for a long time.”
From the butler's words, I could feel the pride he had in serving such a Master.
Although I had only known Kaian for a few months, I agreed with the butler's thoughts.
He was a man who could bring me back to life even though I was destined to die.
“It was this morning that he decided on the banquet.”
“Why did you suddenly decide to hold a banquet?”
“In the meantime, I guess he thought there was no one to celebrate since the previous Lord and Madam were not there. Isn’t Madam is here now? Since it was close to the fall festival, he probably didn’t think much of it.”
As I listened to the butler's words, I soon arrived in front of the room.
“Don’t worry about preparing the banquet.”
“I understand.”
However, even when I entered the room, the butler did not close the door and he hesitated as if he should say something or not.
“Is there anything else you want to say?”
“If it costs money to prepare a gift for My Lord, you can use a promissory note.”
"Ah...”
“I haven’t been able to tell you because Madame has been sick, but there are funds that you can freely manage. My Lord, he entrusted this to you in case you needed it while he was busy.”
“I’ll think about it.”
"Yes, My Lady."
The butler smiled happily as if he seemed to be paying attention to his master's gift.
“Don’t worry too much. My Lord, he is not that picky.”
Closing the door, I went to the sofa and sat down.
"Phew."
Sitting on the soft sofa, sighing and closing my eyes, I pushed myself up and stamped my feet.
“He's not that picky!”
Kaian's tastes were, by all accounts, very picky.
The butler's words were a very subjective opinion that lost objectivity.
This is because he stayed at Rowen Castle longer than Kaian, so the butler's standard was 'perfection' itself.
I could understand why the butler said that Kaian was a ‘reasonable person.’
Unlike the Duke of Vermont, he was not the type to risk his life on ostentation.
Surprisingly, he behaved well, but perhaps because of his ingrained elegance, he didn't look unsightly but instead seemed cool and carefree.
“But everything has only good things in it.”
Every single item that Kaian wrote or used was of high quality. Putting it all together, I was able to see how insightful and high his standards were for a man named Kaian.
"Ha. What should I give you?”
My heart felt heavy.
“I can’t believe I found out about my husband’s birthday two days ago.”
When I wake up tonight, it's only one day later.
“Even if we didn’t get married this way by the King’s command, I would have known his birthday.”
Even in marriages between nobles, it was common for them to date for about a year.
I sighed and then burst out laughing in bewilderment.
“What am I saying? If it weren’t for the King’s command, I would never have married him from Temnes.”
Sometimes the spinning thoughts ended after reaching enlightenment.
"Birthday present..."
The reason I want to give him something is because I have feelings for him.
There was still a lot more to get to know each other in our relationship, but if I gave him something now, it would become a memory next year, and the year after that.
“What could he like?”
Something that will leave a lasting feeling of happiness.
I suddenly looked down at my hands.
On the fourth finger of my left hand, the button decoration that Kayan had given me on the second night was still worn like a ring.
First, it was Hannah, and after Hannah had become a faithful servant who had sworn to give her soul to Temnes, Kaian made a fuss to take it away and throw it away.
But I didn't want to do that.
“Because it was the first thing I received it from Kaian.”
The humiliation I had suffered when I got this did not hurt my heart as I saw the golden light of the full moon hanging from my slender white fingers.
At that time, neither Kaian nor I knew each other.
My mind was blank as to how we should get along and how we should treat each other over our previous feuding ancestors.
I said as I thought Kaian was trying.
It bothered me that he kept trying to compensate me materially even though I was his wife, but if anyone heard it, they would say it was a blessing for me.
Maybe that was also Kaian's way of approaching me.
“I want to give you something nice too.”
It was not an easy problem.
Knock knock.
At the sound of a knock on the door, I slowly went over and opened the door with a grumpy expression.
“Why is your face like that? You haven’t even changed my clothes yet.”
Kaian was dressed comfortably, having come to rest.
“I just heard about the banquet.”
“That’s no big deal.”
When he spoke casually, I became upset.
“Is this how I need to know your birthday story?”
“Was that the problem?”
“We should get ready.”
“The butler is doing it, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
I thought I couldn't bring up the gift here, so I kept my mouth shut. Kaian, who must have thought that I was burdened by the banquet I suddenly found out about, hugged me and began to comfort me.
“Because you failed to attend the wedding banquet on the third day.”
Kaian had thought that I, who was offended by the button decoration, had deliberately not come to the banquet to embarrass him.
'What? She won't attend?'
'Yes, Duke. She said she couldn't sit down because she was sick.'
'Tell her that she will never be called to a banquet again.'
Although he had said that out of anger, it was clear that the wise butler had not conveyed those words to me.
Now I know that it must have really hurt back then.
It was a very fortunate thing.
“I came back to the castle after dancing at the festival, so I need to show my face properly.”
“You brought it here.”
“I like it.”
I glared at the shameless man, and the strength in his eyes faded. When I looked at my husband's face, I would often get angry but then just relax.
“Don’t be too nervous. Your reputation is good after the festival.”
“What do they say?”
“I heard no people whispering that you were from Vermont.”
“That’s a good thing.”
He pressed his lips to my forehead.
“It’s just a matter of having dinner. There’s no need to feel pressured.”
"Yes."
“You have to prepare well. Do you want me to change your clothes?”
One of the things Kaian is most into these days is playing dolls with me.
***
The next day, I headed to Huwon for the first time in a long time.
We were busy all the time because of the festival, but then we were introduced to Rohan and suddenly there was a banquet.
There were endless things to worry about.
“The life of a Young Lord’s wife is busy.”
My great-aunt, the Duchess of Vermont, was so busy that sometimes I couldn't even see her during meal times.
“Because the Rowen estate is larger than Valmonde. You knew that you would be busy if you became the proper lady of the Lord.”
But I didn't know my husband would be so uncooperative.
I, lying down in the water, sighed and closed my eyes.
“Shall I show you that swimming is a gift?”
Still, I kept it a secret from Kaian that I could swim.
I didn't forget how he said he would help me stay afloat but then played with me by pulling my hand away, causing me to fall.
So I thought that one day when I got good at swimming, I would tease him by pretending that I was drowning.
When he saw me swimming skillfully, I wondered what his reaction would be.
I remembered that when Kaian first swam, he looked as flexible as a mermaid and as graceful and free as a large fish, and I wondered if he would feel just as beautiful when he saw me swimming.
"Gift. The gift is the problem.”
I had already been to the Marketplace in the morning, but there was no way I could match Kaian's level in a place where young people usually go to buy things.
Everything he owns, even a pen, is custom-made.
My eyes widened as I waded into the water.
Swimming down to the bottom of the lake, I stretched out my hand and grabbed something from the depths.
“Puh-ha!”
I came out of the water and stretched out my hands, and in my palms lay a small red stone, the size of a thumbnail.
“...Pretty."
Strangely enough, the smooth stone was shaped like a heart, as if someone had carved and carved it.
“Would I rather give him this?”
However, thirty minutes later, Madame Marcel and Hannah shouted in unison.
"No!"
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