Chapter 37: My Home and the Ring Uproar
ㅤAfter passing through the walls of Blood Territory, the Adventurer Town came into view. The owner of a general store, who handled goods for adventurers I knew, called out, “Welcome back!”
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ㅤ’I’m back…… Oh, my beloved territory!’
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ㅤI never thought I would miss Blood Territory so much that such feelings would well up inside me.
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ㅤAfter escorting Catherine-Ojou-sama with Edra and the Stiria Mercenary Corps to the town of Karim, where the Dot Trading Company’s base is located, declining the mercenary corps’ recruitment offer, squeezing out a reward from the Dot Trading Company’s president, and encouraging Ojou-sama, our return trip ended up taking considerably longer than planned.
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ㅤHaving few female adventurer acquaintances, I felt a pang of sadness parting with Edra, but she was refreshingly straightforward,
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ㅤ”Let’s meet again if we’re still alive!”
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ㅤWe parted with a bright smile.
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ㅤ”Come visit Blood Territory if you’re still alive!”
ㅤ”Come to the royal capital if you’re still alive!”
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ㅤFrom there, it was my first genuine solo journey in this life. True freedom. I’m proud of myself for making it this far, but still, protecting myself alone without relying on anyone is nerve-wracking. This world isn’t as safe as my previous life, so self-defense is a given, but knowing that made me even more tense, and I was exhausted.
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ㅤ’Catherine-Ojou-sama is amazingggg!’
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ㅤAn amateur Ojou-sama spent a week alone, so as a Rank B adventurer, I can’t lose, but honestly, I can’t help but think she has quite a talent for this kind of thing.
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ㅤ’I have to ask Danna-sama about the Cyrus Trading Company when things calm down.’
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ㅤIt’s a large trading company where there’s talk of Catherine-Ojou-sama becoming the second wife. Unlike Relph, the president of this company definitely has a significant age gap with Catherine-Ojou-sama. He’s old enough to be her grandfather.
ㅤI have no intention of interfering in the territory’s management, but I’ve formed a connection with Catherine-Ojou-sama. I’ll say what I want to say from her side.
ㅤWalking down the main street of the Adventurer Town, I’m even planning my future schedule! How impressive, me!
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ㅤThe town seemed unchanged from when I left.
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ㅤ’Well, it’s only been a month.’
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ㅤOccasionally, I would meet acquaintances and exchange greetings, making the feeling of returning even more real. This feeling is somehow blissful.
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ㅤ”Welcome back……!”
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ㅤAt the entrance of the mansion, Ellis greeted me with a happier face than I had ever seen.
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ㅤ”I’m home!”
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ㅤAh, it’s nice. It’s nice to have a place to say “I’m home.” As an adventurer, I might have some doubts, but I’m aware of my selfish desire to be an adventurer while living a stable life, so let’s consider it a good thing!
ㅤI also heard the sound of footsteps thudding from the back of the mansion. What’s going on in this usually quiet mansion!?
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ㅤ”Welcome back! Welcome back, Tempest!”
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ㅤIt’s Danna-sama. It seems he had just returned to the mansion and saw me from the window of his office, so he came running at a speed unbefitting the master of the mansion.
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ㅤ”……He was waiting at the mansion, worried because Madam was late returning.”
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ㅤEllis whispered to me. He has a cute side, doesn’t he, Danna-sama? I can see him wagging his tail like a big dog.
ㅤGood boy, good boy! As I reached out my hand……,
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ㅤ”Wh……wha……wha……wha……wha……wha……what is that ring～～～～……!?”
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ㅤHe pointed his finger at me, his voice rising, but he was pale. Hey, that’s rude.
ㅤHe noticed the magic stone ring on my finger. He’s quite observant.
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ㅤ”Ah, this is……”
ㅤ”W-With me here……aaaaaghhh!!!”
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ㅤHe’s making a fuss and looks like he’s about to cry, but listen to me first!
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ㅤ”Shhh! Be quiet!!!”
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ㅤI put my index finger to my lips and gave him a look as if I were admonishing a small child, and Danna-sama somehow regained his composure with a “Guh……guh……guh……” and swallowed his seemingly still-present urge to yell.
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ㅤ”This is a magic stone ring bestowed upon me by Christina-sama.”
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ㅤI added, “I worked quite hard for it, you know?” I wouldn’t mind if he confirmed it. There should be a record of it.
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ㅤThen, as if the shock suddenly disappeared, Danna-sama collapsed as if his strength had drained away. Victor, who was nearby, quickly supported him. He had an expression that seemed to say he had never seen Danna-sama like this before.
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ㅤ”I’m glad…… I often hear stories about adventurers and clients falling in love…… You’re beautiful and cool, so I was worried that something might have happened with your fellow adventurers…… I apologize for losing my composure……”
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ㅤWell, I was caught up in something like that, which is why I was late getting home.
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ㅤ”As I said before, I’m very happy with the current situation. I wouldn’t do anything like betraying Danna-sama and losing that precious thing.”
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ㅤI want him to trust me on that. It was a loveless marriage from the beginning, and I’m doing whatever I want, but that aside, I have the ethics to keep the bare minimum.
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ㅤ”Precious thing……!?”
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ㅤDanna-sama picked up only that word and had a bright face. It seems he got caught up in his positive thinking, but I’m tired today. It takes energy to retort!
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ㅤ”Danna-sama. Thank you for coming all the way to welcome me. But could you let me rest in my room today?”
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ㅤI’m seriously asking you. I want to take a bath and sleep in my bed.
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ㅤ”Ah…… Ah! Of course!”
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ㅤHe was smiling, perhaps because his mood had improved, but then,
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ㅤ”And could you give me some time tomorrow? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you…… It’s nothing strange!”
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ㅤHis expression suddenly changed to one of anxiety, so he immediately followed up. Is he emotionally unstable!?
ㅤAccording to Ellis, Danna-sama was seriously worried that I might not come back. Hearing that makes me feel like I did something wrong.
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ㅤ’Is he afraid of being abandoned?’
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ㅤPerhaps because he suddenly lost his family when he was young, that anxiety might always be with him. I might have to explain things to him for both our sakes.
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ㅤI was thinking about such unusually serious things, but after soaking in the bathtub for the first time in a while, abandoning my adventurer’s pride and taking advantage of the Duchess’s privileges, having the servants take care of my bedtime preparations from start to finish, and collapsing onto the fluffy bed, I slept like I had fainted.
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ㅤMy home was enveloped in a comforting scent.
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ㅤI woke up around noon the next day. It had been a long time since I had slept this much. The weather was nice, and sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the large curtains of the large window.
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ㅤGood morning. I heard Ellis’s gentle voice.
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ㅤ”……Where’s Danna-sama?”
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ㅤI yawned and rubbed my eyes as I asked. I’m busy again from today. I can’t relax without doing what I have to do.
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ㅤ”Oh, Madam! They say absence makes the heart grow fonder!”
ㅤ”No, no, no, no, no!”
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ㅤEllis also started misunderstanding happily, so I quickly corrected her. With sleepy eyes, I told her about what happened when I accepted Catherine-Ojou-sama’s escort request, and by the way, gathered information.
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ㅤ”The Dot Trading Company and the Cyrus Trading Company?”
ㅤ”Do you know anything?”
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ㅤSpecifically, about the second wife story.
ㅤWhile having Ellis help me get ready, I emphasized that one maiden was having marriage talks pushed forward, ignoring her will.
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ㅤ”I heard that the Dot Trading Company has recently started focusing on products for nobles.”
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ㅤI heard that from Catherine-Ojou-sama. They started selling high-quality weapons made in our territory with elaborately decorated cases to rich people.
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ㅤ”And the president of the Cyrus Trading Company was supposed to be very close to his deceased wife, so the talk of a second wife is a bit surprising.”
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ㅤI don’t know the actual situation since she passed away shortly before I got married.
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ㅤ”So, it’s possible that the second wife story is the Dot Trading Company pushing it.”
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ㅤOjou-sama also said that various trading companies are eager to get close to the Cyrus Trading Company. For the sake of business, they might think Danna-sama, who is called the Cold-blooded Duke, is less approachable than someone with potential.
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ㅤ’No, no, Danna-sama, who is considered less approachable than someone who would marry a man with grandchildren……’
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ㅤWhile I was thinking that,
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ㅤ”Madam, how about having tea with Danna-sama in the greenhouse today? Wouldn’t you like to consult with him about this matter?”
ㅤ”I don’t need to have tea specifically…… I’ll go to his office.”
ㅤ”Oh, come on! It’s good to have some couple time once in a while!”
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ㅤSometimes I feel an undeniable pressure from Ellis. This is one of those times. Seeing her like that, slightly reminding me of my mother in this life, I can’t say no.
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ㅤ”Well…… then, well……”
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ㅤI’m starting to suspect that she might have been bribed by Danna-sama!? No, come to think of it, there were signs of that from the beginning…… After it was officially confirmed that I was an adventurer, it seemed like she wasn’t as keen on pushing us together anymore.
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ㅤ’Ah…… Was it because Danna-sama was in Neville that she couldn’t do anything about it?’
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ㅤEllis showed a smile that said she hadn’t given up on our married life being like a married couple.
ㅤ”Oh, and a letter arrived from the Witwish House, so please check it later.”
ㅤ”Eh!?”
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ㅤWhat’s that!? I have a bad feeling about this!
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ㅤJust imagining the contents as I looked at the envelope on the table made me feel somewhat uneasy.