episode_0067

To be reborn as a noble, I learned many things.

Mister Aban introduced me to a head maid who had worked for a noble family for 40 years.

Held captive by this demanding and strict old woman, I learned and was corrected on everything: how to walk, dining etiquette, tea ceremony, vocalization, tone of speech, nobles’ interests, international affairs, family ties, and even family history.

The time given was just three days.

The goal was to acquire noble-like conduct as much as possible within this short time.

It was tedious and boring, but I did my best.

I tried to get used to the nobles’ etiquette, which was so old-fashioned it was hard to understand.

When I had absorbed all the training in just two days, even the old woman began to doubt my origin.

No matter how much I explained that I was a commoner from a mountain village, she insisted that I must have noble blood mixed in, claiming her eyes could not be deceived.

Anyway, as I was steadily preparing to attend the ‘Banquet’ without a hitch.

“What?! What did you say?!”

Right now, a shocking document lay before my eyes.

Mister Aban replied.

“It’s simple. You just need to write your name here.”

“That’s not what I was asking!”

I picked up the paper and pointed at the words written at the top.

“‘Marriage Registration Form’?! Am I reading this correctly right now?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

I was so dumbfounded that my voice wouldn’t come out.

Yet, Mister Aban explained with a perfectly straight face, as if nothing were amiss.

“A woman never attends a ‘Banquet’ alone. One man and one woman. This composition is the most common way to attend. Therefore, it’s best to naturally enter as a ‘married couple’.”

“I know that… but with whom…?”

“Naturally, Mister Modaless.”

I looked sideways.

Uncle Fosao was also stammering, as if he too was surprised.

I couldn’t possibly accept what I had just heard, and it took my breath away.

“M-Me… marry Uncle?”

“It’s not a real marriage. It’s just acting as a temporary married couple. This is a certificate valid only within Deseo. Anyway, no one will care once the banquet is over. Tia, you’ll be returning to Brizedon, won’t you?”

“That’s true, but…”

“If any inconvenience arises later because of this marriage in Deseo… I’ll make it as if it never happened.”

Mister Aban calmly told me to listen and explained the detailed background story.

Uncle Fosao is the son of a noble who governs a small rural village, very far from Deseo.

I am a distant collateral relative of Uncle’s, who married and became his wife.

The Modaless couple arrives in Deseo with the dream of revitalizing their declining family.

Starting a new business in Deseo requires a significant amount of investment.

Therefore, they plan to use the ‘Banquet’ as an opportunity to interact with Deseo landowners and explain their business.

However, a difficult problem arises here.

Uncle Fosao said he wouldn’t be very welcomed by the nobles.

His receding hairline could be covered with a wig, and his plump belly didn’t matter since other men were similar.

But his stuttering habit was fatal.

Among nobles, a stutterer was considered no different from an idiot.

Therefore, Uncle Fosao had to avoid speaking whenever possible.

The business explanation, interaction with nobles, and responses all had to be handled by me.

Not only could this not be done in the status of a maid, but even in the case of a proxy, it was usually a man who took charge.

So, the explanation was that it was best for me to simply become ‘Uncle’s wife’.

“Haa-.”

Hearing this persuasion that wasn’t quite persuasion, a sigh escaped me.

Even in Tsarrak Village, I had a hard time because Uncle arbitrarily introduced me as his ‘lover’.

But now, they’re telling me to become a ‘married couple’ outright.

I’ve already tried it once, so I don’t have as much aversion to it, but…

Still, I couldn’t help but feel something unsettling about it.

Let’s judge coolly.

This isn’t a real marriage.

It’s just becoming Uncle Fosao’s fake wife.

If I just remember this fact, I can get closer to my goal of 1,000 gold.

“…Alright.”

“Here, you can sign here.”

Mister Aban handed me the pen.

I dipped the pen nib into the inkwell and brought it to the signature line.

The words were visible.

[Fosao Modaless][ ] The above two individuals are certified to be in a marital relationship.

Next to the blank space for my name, Uncle Fosao’s signature was already written.

“…”

Seeing those words, my chest felt heavy.

Originally, Ritsu should have been beside me now.

Instead of ‘Fosao Modaless’, the name ‘Ritsu’ should have been written.

And I should have written the name ‘Tia Anshier’ on this marriage certificate with a happy and proud heart.

Scratch, scratch.

As if carving letters into my heart with a knife, I wrote my name clearly.

[Fosao Modaless][Tia Modaless] The above two individuals are certified to be in a marital relationship.

It’s strange.

Looking at these two terribly awkward names, I felt incredibly stifled and blank.

Just as I was thinking about retracting my decision even now.

Mister Aban immediately took the documents away.

“Good! I’ll take care of this now. Tia, please listen to the etiquette lessons carefully until the end.”

“Ah, yes…”

I replied softly and glanced sideways.

I saw Uncle Fosao’s profile, glistening with sweat.

I tightly clasped my hands over my constricted chest.

I see…

For a short while, I am no longer ‘Tia Anshier’.

Fosao Modaless’s wife, ‘Tia Modaless’.

This was my new name.

* * *

The last day.

Uncle Fosao’s demeanor still hadn’t changed.

I had no choice but to teach him etiquette myself.

Even if he didn’t speak, he should at least know how to eat or walk to avoid suspicion.

“Try it like this.”

“Ugh…”

“No, not like that, like this.”

Even with me diligently teaching right beside him, his skill in holding a knife was still very awkward.

I’d felt it when teaching him swordsmanship too, but Uncle was extremely slow at learning.

It was hard to expect him to improve now, so…

In the end, I decided to go in a direction where he would use the knife as little as possible.

He would eat food with just a fork, and if any food needed cutting, I would do it for him.

We spent quite a lot of time on his walking posture.

Uncle Fosao waddled due to his heavy body, and it didn’t improve easily, so I seriously considered whether we should go with the excuse of him having ‘injured his leg during the war’.

“Uncle. When you practice with me, you walk well, but why do you keep waddling when you walk alone?”

“Well…”

Uncle Fosao scratched his head.

“T-Tia… If you h-hold onto me, it seems to work better…”

“Of course, that’s because I’m holding onto you so you can walk straight!”

“Then, c-couldn’t Tia just hold onto me then too?”

“What? You want me to hold onto you all day?”

“Yeah. Because we’re a couple. Th-there’s no problem, right? Hee hee.”

“No—that’s not the problem. Haa…”

Well, rather than trying to fix Uncle, who won’t be fixed anyway.

Perhaps that’s a more realistic alternative.

To others, we’ll just look like a special couple who walk arm-in-arm all day.

Right. Just endure for three days.

“We don’t have much time, so I guess so.”

I clung close to Uncle’s side and linked my arm through his.

…Ugh! This makes it look like I’m hugging Uncle because I like it!

Anyway, we’ll have to walk together continually at the banquet, so I first carefully observed Uncle’s steps.

Uncle Fosao always starts with his right foot when he begins to walk.

His pace was slow, and his stride was rather short.

I matched him, extended my right foot, and walked as slowly as possible.

Softly, softly.

Thud, thud.

We walked around the lodging in circles, perfectly matching Uncle’s footsteps.

Matching our steps somehow felt fun.

“Hehe-. Walking together like this, matching our steps, it feels like we’re dancing.”

“Y-You’re right… Hee hee…”

“Uncle, have you ever danced?”

“Hm?”

Uncle was flustered by the sudden question.

A moment later, he lowered his gaze and spoke.

“Yeah… with Rina… at the baptism ceremony. We danced.”

“With Mom?”

Uncle Fosao and my mom were close friends, just like Ritsu and I.

That’s why Mom chose Uncle even at the baptism ceremony.

Uncle said that was very unexpected.

For a woman to choose a man as a dancing partner at a baptism ceremony meant she had a liking for him.

Because among the village elders, it was very common for ‘partners’ who danced together at the baptism ceremony to end up becoming married.

“B-But… I danced too badly… I was s-sorry to Rina…”

“I figured as much. You’re clumsy, Uncle. It’d be stranger if you danced well!”

“Ngaah…”

“But so what! You can learn slowly later. Now, let’s just practice walking again.”

We continued walking until late into the night when we fell asleep.

Finally, tomorrow.

The banquet begins.

My heart pounded so much at the thought that I ended up tossing and turning a bit in my sleep.

* * *

Clip-clop, clip-clop. Snort.

The carriage stopped.

Mister Aban, disguised as the coachman, nodded.

“Then, it begins now. I hope you return safely after three days.”

“Yes. I’ll definitely succeed and return.”

Mister Aban got down first and opened the door for me.

Creak.

Uncle Fosao alighted from the carriage, receiving an escort.

Uncle extended his hand to me, just as he had been trained.

I took his hand, gently gathered the hem of my dress, and carefully alighted from the carriage.

Servants who had been waiting rushed out.

They took out trunks one by one from the carriage and carried them to the guest room.

“Shall we go?”

I gently took Uncle Fosao’s arm.

Perhaps it was because we were facing the grand, brilliant white mansion right before our eyes?

I could feel a sudden surge of nervousness from Uncle.

I whispered softly.

“Smile pleasantly. As if entering a general store.”

“…Uh-huh.”

Uncle gave an awkward smile.

Snap.

I unfurled the parasol I had prepared and stepped into the banquet hall’s garden.

The servants bowed their heads and welcomed us.

They asked if we needed anything, or if we wished for drinks and refreshments, to just say the word anytime.

I dismissed the servants by saying thank you but that we wished to be alone.

We deliberately walked around the garden a bit.

This was to grasp the atmosphere of the ‘Banquet’.

It seemed not all attendees had arrived yet.

Thanks to this, I could leisurely look around and familiarize myself with the layout of the banquet hall.

“Here’s a handkerchief. Wipe your sweat.”

“Th-Thanks… Phew.”

Uncle was sweating all over.

He seemed to be having an even harder time because he was very nervous, the wig was heavy, and his clothes felt stifling, almost bursting.

By the time Uncle had calmed down a bit.

People began arriving at the banquet hall one by one.

Those who descended from the grand carriages possessed an undeniable elegance.

At the same time, their posture – backs straight, walking with arrogant gazes.

…They were true nobles.

By the time the sun began to set.

The servants closed the banquet hall doors.

This meant everyone who was coming had arrived.

It was time for us to move too.

“Uncle. Let’s go now.”

“Mm-hm…”

I held onto Uncle’s arm and headed towards the banquet hall.