While greeting them all, I waited for my bride.
She’s here……..and she’s absolutely beautiful…………
She was wearing a black dress, the color of the Frontier Count’s Household.
And this black dress was plentifully decorated with gold threads, something only suitable for dukes and those with higher court ranks.
Even the nobles who were used to extravagant things let out sights without even realizing.
Bea’s beautiful face was not paling in comparison with the dress; on the contrary, her face was gathering all the attention.
Her white skin seemed transparent, and her fascinatingly elegant black hair was dancing in the wind like silk threads.
Her cherry blossom lips were accentuating her beautiful features, especially her long slit eyes; she possessed both a mature beauty and sweetness at the same time.
Nothing but ‘peerless beauty’ came to mind when looking at her.
While all the attendants were watching in fascination, we started the wedding rituals, basking in the morning sun.
We took a love oath in front of the priest – the servant of the gods, and the spirit – the messenger of the gods.
“I vow that my love for you will never change until death do us part.”
“I vow that my love for you will never change until death do us part.”
“The gods have heard and accepted your oath. They offer you their blessings.”
(Dad, Mom, I wish you happiness.)
Simultaneously with the priest’s words, the gates were opened.
Holding our hands, we started walking towards the gates.
“Bea……You look incredibly beautiful.”
“…….Thank you.”
A carriage was already prepared for us once we came forth through the gates.
We got help from the attendants, all dressed in white, and got on the carriage. We departed towards the castle town.
It was time for the parade.
100 black knights wearing ceremonial clothes and ornaments were surrounding and protecting the carriage.
They were the carefully selected elite unit.
The parade troupe was slowly advancing, surrounded by the loud cheers of the townspeople.
Bea and I were constantly smiling and waving our hands from inside the carriage.
“Beatrice-sama, you’re so beautiful!”
“Woaaa, mother, she’s so beautiful.”
“Zest-sama! Look over here!”
“Congratulations!”
“The black knights! So cool!”
“Beatrice-sama!”
We slowly paraded through the castle town.
We paraded for half a day.
Skipping some of the steps was not allowed.
In the evening, we returned to the castle.
We moved to the main hall and the party started.
“Thank you everyone for gathering in such large numbers to this joyous event, the marriage between our empire’s leading figures, the Duke and the Duchess.”
In the time his Majesty was giving his speech, I was looking around me, smiling.
The Emperor was attending the party too.
It was the first time he attended a marriage ceremony outside of the imperial capital.
It showed how important this marriage ceremony actually was.
Bea, you don’t need to wave your hand anymore.
Return to your senses.
Her eyes looked vacant, so I nonchalantly held her hand down.
The fatigue was gradually reaching its peak……..
The Emperor’s greeting finished and we moved to salute the guests.
I finished listening to all their greetings, even though my consciousness was about to leave me at times.
Could I finally rest for a bit?
No.
It was time for dancing!
We had to do an opening dance since we were the leading figures of the night.
I used some healing magic on Bea, and approached her ear.
“Are you all right? You don’t have to overdo it, you know?”
“I’m fine. I’ll do my best!”
We motivated each other and finished in grand style.
We returned to our seats with great difficulty.
Could I finally take it easy?
Nope.
We had to cope with the line of new guests who were waiting to greet us!
Smiling, I shook their hands, but I ignored all their greetings.
At this point, I couldn’t understand anything they were saying anymore.
The forced handshake meeting somehow reached its ending.
Could I finally rest?
Nope.
It was time for changing our attire!
I returned to the waiting room, and finally got to eat something that was not very appropriate for a noble.
It was my first meal for the day.
I didn’t even have the time to go to the toilet, so I peed in a pot that I found in a corner of the room.
It wasn’t even funny, I had no other choice.
Once we finished changing clothes, we returned to the main hall.
Could I finally take it easy?
Nope.
It was time for the second dance round!
Even though my physical strength recovered a little, I was still feeling drowsy.
I finished the dance, trying my best to keep my face muscles from becoming stiff from all that smiling.
I took Bea’s hand and returned to our seats.
Could I finally relax?
Nope.
It was time for a handshake meeting with the lower nobles!
This time were the lower nobles…..
I finished it fast, since all the greetings were the same.
Could I finally take it easy for a bit?
No.
It was time for thanking and escorting the leaving guests!
First, we had to salute the Emperor.
“Just for a little longer, do your best!”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you, your Majesty.”
He encouraged us in a low voice, and I felt a little better.
We greeted all the other guests and saw them off.
Could I finally rest?
Nope.
It was time to salute everybody still present and take our leave!
We turned towards the attendants inside the main hall, expressed our gratitude and left.
Could I finally take a moment to relax?
Nope.
It was time for setting up the bridal night!
The maids took off all my clothes and washed my naked body.
At this point I didn’t feel anything anymore, not even embarrassment nor happiness.
Disinterested, I let them wash my body.
With my body shining, I returned to the appointed room.
Could I finally just take it easy for a moment?
Nope.
It was time for the bridal night!
A few noble married women were watching over us, as we did our ‘thing’.
Bea and I exchanged glances……..We did our best.
Once we finished, we got moved to another room.
Someone was in the middle of validating the marriage, by checking the sheets.
Could I finally relax?
Nope.
It was time for hearing the results!
The woman in charge of checking the sheets came in front of us.
“I certainly saw it with my own eyes. I have no objections.”
Everyone lowered their heads, as we left the room.
Could I finally rest?
Could I finally take a moment to breathe?
Yes, I could!!
“Bea, it’s over………..”
“Yes…..I’m so tired……”
We both collapsed on the bed and couldn’t move anymore.
“I understand now why nobles don’t usually get a divorce……No one wa
nts to do this time and time again.”
“Yeah…….I never thought it would be like this………”
I used my arm as a pillow for Bea’s head and was gradually falling asleep.
“But since it finally finished……I can feel at ease now.”
Did Bea fall sleep already?……..
I’ll sleep too then……
“……………..You have to do your best for your marriage with her Highness, Princess Tsubaki too!”
I felt my consciousness drifting away and I desperately tried to convince myself it was because of sleepiness………….
Do I have to do this whole thing……..one…..more……time……..?
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Translation: Nana
Proofreading: Carmina
DA BEST (among the worst): Mockii
Chapter 60: First Book – Epilogue
The second chapter for today is the Epilogue of the 1st Book.
Hope you’ll like it! ;D
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Chapter 60: First Book – Epilogue
“What’s wrong? Are you done already? You cowards!”
Albert’s angry voice could be heard in the distance.
Half a year passed since my wedding. We moved to a temporary residence built on our domain and we got used to it considerably by this time.
I employed new servants, so we didn’t live in discomfort. Bea and Toto were feeling great as well.
“Come on, stand up! Stand up and attack me!”
Albert became the Knights Commander of my newly formed Duke’s Army. He wasn’t going easy on the new recruits.
………….Are the soldiers all right?
Because I came to see their training, they showed even more fighting spirit than usually.
I got 100 black knights transferred to my army, and even adventurers and soldiers from the imperial capital announced their candidacy for enrolling into it.
Up to this point, it was fair enough, so I got no trouble understanding it.
“The soldiers adore you, my d….dear.”
Bea was damn cute when she called me ‘dear’ and got all embarrassed.
Occasionally, she abuses me with her icy cold expressions, just like before……..But, just forget about it.
Yes, I am being loved by my soldiers.
But still……
“Next, the fighting maids unit! Come!”
“Yes sir! The entire maids unit, start attacking!”
………..The black knights and the maids were fighting against each other.
This is weird……..It’s absolutely weird, right?
For some reason, a lot of maids who grew up in a military environment ended up enrolling into my army.
‘Your Excellency, what do you think about women military officers?’
‘Hmm? Being a man or a woman is nothing but a trivial problem. All that matters is how useful one actually is. I will accept all those who have skills and reject the incompetents. It’s only natural.’
This was the answer I gave the people who wanted to join my army and came to take the admission test. It was a bad answer.
Because they were women…
Using this pretext, they were denied the chance to become knights and were looked down upon as adventurers too.
A large number of tomboy girls, who were sent to start their training for homemaking and become maids, ended up enrolling into my army.
80% of the girls passed the awful Frontier Count Style Test, even though it was said that only one person out of 100 could pass it.
And because of that, the neighboring domains started to call the newly formed girls army troops ‘The Duke Army’s War Maidens Unit’.
One section of this unit was the maid corps.
Wearing the maid uniforms and with spears in their hands, they even worked as gatekeepers.
‘I see some maid gatekeepers, let’s go mock them!’
If you would take them lightly and pick a quarrel with them, you’d get killed in an instant then thrown away.
It was a regular scene in the duke’s domain.
“Good, we’ll finish the training here. You’re dismissed!”
“ “ “ “Thank you, sir!” “ “ “
It was indeed a praiseworthy training session……however….this……is pretty weird, right?
Well, since I’m shorthanded anyway, it can’t be helped.
I’ll get over it thinking there was nothing I could’ve done differently.
“Your Excellency, what do you think? There are still a few soft spots I got to work on, but it’s considerably finished.”
“Oh, Albert. As expected from you, it was a great training session.”
Once the training was over, it was time for the drinking party.
A drinking party with the maids.
Isn’t this a side benefit for the male soldiers?……I envy them.
There were no idiots who would dare to think something like this in my domain.
“Your Excellency, are you listening? That noble green boy said I was unrefined!”
“Hey, isn’t the salad ready yet?”
“Commander Albert! Fight me!”
“Your Excellency, did you finish arranging my formal marriage interview?”
“Anyway, what is good about that woman……?”
“ “ “ “Hey, are you listening?” “ “ “
“ “Yes, I am.” “
Albert must participate to all the women troops’ drinking parties, since he has to pay for the drinks and food.
I only join them once in a while, but even so, I know we can’t really oppose them.
Albert was a baron and the Knights Commander, and yet he was also a devoted husband. There was no way he would get drunk and make a pass on one of the soldier women.
And, by the way, the other party for the formal marriage interviews was composed by the black knights.
The empire’s most elite soldiers.
For the war maidens, the black knights were superior ‘goods’.
And so, Albert had to join them every time……..
I knew it wasn’t much for him to pay for their drinking parties.
The black knights also started a fund raising campaign; it seemed they wanted to get married too.
The war maidens were the perfect partners for them, since they didn’t care much about lineage and court ranks.
‘I was deeply moved by the black knights’ dignity! I will fight together with them!’
All the girls in my army had muscle brains…….
Still……..There were many cute ones.
I didn’t want to accept this…….But it was nothing but a nice present for the black knights and their training.
I returned to my mansion and got welcomed by Bea and Toto.
“Bea, Toto, I’m back. Did something happen while I was out?”
“Welcome back, my dear. Nothing happened, I only got to spend some fun time with Toto-chan.”
(Mom helped me make a flower crown! Did I do it right?)
Bea became more and more beautiful.
My wife is truly a gorgeous person……I’m glad I came to this world.
I’ll never go back.
I praised Toto for her little work and went to eat dinner, then we entered the bathroom together.
Since Toto played a lot during the bathing, she fell asleep immediately after.
I enjoyed a relaxing time together with Bea.
This was the usual for me.
“Dear….I’m sorry for not making you a child ye…….”
I embraced her tightly.
“We don’t have to hurry. This time with you now is a blessing for me. There’s no need to become impatient.”
“But……”
“Besides, I want to be alone with you for a little longer. Will you forgive my selfishness….?”
“……..I’ll forgive you since I have no other choice.”
She joked and pressed her lips against mine.
The night was gradually advancing towards morning……
We were spending our every day in a peaceful manner. But then, a messenger from the imperial capital came that night.
The sweet and happy time was over, as I got swallowed up by the huge swirl what was about to happen.
It was a turning point for the Grun Empire.
The story of the Duke, now called the Empire’s blade, and his heroic followers, who accomplished the domination of the entire continent, is about to unfold.
The agitated footsteps were drawing near, slowly but surely.
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Translation: Nana
Proofreading: Carmina
DA BEST (among the worst): Mockii
Chapter 61: The Characters until Now ※Contains Spoilers ※
Stranger's Handbook - WN Chapter 01-76 Page 29
