Chapter 11: Chapter 4: The Bride's Transformation (1)

Florentia, who was looking at the ledger, suddenly raised her face.

"Mother-in-law, what does this mean?"

"Where could it be. ...Ah, this is the cost for the flood control construction done last year."

"You are paying the construction cost from last year just now?"

"Yes. Originally, the contract was to pay an advance payment and the rest upon completion, but because they finished a difficult construction without any accidents, I tried to add a little extra."

Natalie, who was sitting opposite her, stood up and peered into the ledger from Florentia's side.

"Then the foreman asked me to wait on receiving the extra amount until after we safely get through the next rainy season, so I was holding the payment."

"Is that so."

Florentia opened last year's ledger. It seemed to have been a quite large-scale construction, and seeing the amount, Florentia raised a voice of surprise.

"This much...!"

"There is also a subsidy from the country. However, since the flood control in the Kent region was Abalov's dearest wish, it was important to do solid construction work even if it cost money."

The Abalov Marquis House was one that could casually move an amount equivalent to the annual budget of a small territory.

"Once the social season ends, I will guide you through the territory. Let's go to Kent together at that time. ...Truthfully, it is Erwin-san's role, but with the current situation, we do not know when he can leave the Imperial Capital."

"It is his work, so it cannot be helped."

One week had passed since they married, but Erwin still had not been able to take a vacation. However, Florentia, who had him guide her around the Imperial Capital in the few hours he barely managed to free up, was fully satisfied.

"Tia, you... do not need to try to learn household management in such a hurry. You are also playing with the children. It will ruin everything if you get completely exhausted."

And then, Natalie gently added.

"The future is long, so you should study slowly."

Smiling vaguely, Florentia dropped her gaze to the ledger.

What she and Erwin had tied was a temporary marriage. There was no future ahead, and there was no future where learning household management would be useful.

Even so, the reason she asked for Natalie's teachings was because she knew from her past experiences that knowledge would become a weapon.

She had not yet decided how to make a living after the divorce. Even if Damon came to pick her up, she probably could not just rely on the Knowles Earl House.

Either way, since she would hide her status, she would not work as a noble. It would be fine if there was an opening for a tutor, but she did not intend to aim too high.

"Darrell praised you, saying you were a fast learner."

At the words of praise from the strict house steward, Florentia’s eyes shone.

"Really?"

"Yes. I also heard from Casey that the maid assigned to you is showing a tremendous amount of motivation. What on earth did you do?"

While laughing, Florentia denied what the head housekeeper probably told them.

"I have not done anything. It is just that even a single way of brewing tea is different from Lindor, so I am just having them teach me various things."

After the divorce, she might be in the position of brewing tea herself. Thinking that, her interest in the movements of the servants grew, and conversations naturally increased. In the Marquis House, even the maids were all people with solid backgrounds, and since they worked with pride as members of a distinguished house, being paid attention to for their work by the young madam became a good stimulus.

"Come to think of it, are there no ladies-in-waiting in the townhouse?"

If they were high-ranking nobles, it was common sense to hire a lady-in-waiting as a conversation partner and caretaker for the mistress. However, Natalie gave a wry smile at that question.

"Yes. Actually, there are no ladies-in-waiting in the country house either."

Florentia tilted her head.

"The maids of the Marquis House are all excellent, so there is no inconvenience."

Natalie, still smiling, quietly returned to her own seat.

"There were some originally, but because my status was low, a small... problem occurred. My husband became angry and dismissed them."

A daughter of a local lord, and a Viscount House widow in her early twenties. Because the former wife's status was high and she gathered admiration with her beauty, it was not hard to imagine what kind of attitude they had towards Natalie, who was the second wife.

Natalie, who managed the household matters solidly, was reserved, and above all, was loved by the head of the house, was a splendid Marchioness who had no need to hesitate before anyone. Despite that, she seemed somewhat unconfident, and the fact that she was looked down upon by someone like Lucy was probably because the troubles at the beginning of the marriage were dragging on.

"If the Marquis House was the same as that time, I, who am from an enemy country, might have been treated harshly in the same way."

When she said it casually, Natalie waved her hand in front of her face.

"If it were Tia, you surely would have done well. Even with our twins, you became like real siblings."

"Because those children are truly cute. With such honest children, anyone could become good friends."

"How nice it would be if it were as you say."

Natalie placed her right hand on her cheek and let out a deep sigh.

"We have a splendid heir named Erwin-san, right? Therefore, we have not been very strict with the twins."

"...Is that to not cause a succession dispute?"

She ended up asking in her usual tone, and Florentia bit her lip, thinking she messed up. However, Natalie only blinked once and did not try to blame her for the overly frank question.

"Yes, well... even if it was not direct, I will not deny that there was such an intention. Because if by any chance Abel were to succeed the Marquis House, there is no telling what people might say."

"I think the second son of a distinguished house is usually raised strictly to prepare for an emergency."

"I wonder if that depends on the situation. At least in our case, it is different. ...The husband's relatives also have many excellent people."

In other words, even though Abel had the blood of the Marquis, he could not be the successor because his mother's status was low. Florentia fell silent at the overly unreasonable story, but Natalie was writing numbers into the ledger with a frank attitude.

"That is enough about that. More importantly, because they were raised indulgently, both of them are selfish, and they are quite childish for their age, right? Despite that, just by talking with you a little, they are taking their classes seriously! Hey, what kind of magic did you use?"

"Something like magic, that is not true. I have not done anything."

Florentia was just laughing and saying so. She actually had not done anything major. She only advised that studying was essential to meet the brilliant Highness, knowing that Abel admired the Crown Prince, and asked to be taught what they studied that day in exchange for drawing embroidery designs that Jasmine seemed to like.

"Is that so...? Well, that is fine. It is a fact that those children are seriously studying."

"It is probably the age where they will settle down soon. Once they debut in the social world, I think they will come to understand worldly matters as well."

This was also her true feeling. They were twins with somewhat childish parts as Natalie said, but with appropriate guidance, they would grow remarkably.

Florentia casually returned to work without particularly boasting about her own achievements, but her mother-in-law did not hide her impressed state.

"His Highness truly gave us a good connection. To grant you to Abalov."

"That is an exaggeration. Erwin could have married a wonderful person anytime."

"No matter what kind of young lady from who knows where, there could not be a person better than you! ...Despite that, Erwin-san left you neglected like this."

Natalie's voice became lower. Florentia smiled bitterly and gently interrupted the complaint that seemed likely to become long.

"I have no dissatisfaction, and Erwin is also caring for me. Besides."

She sent a quick, mischievous glance.

"He brings home a gift every day. And all of them are things that seem popular with women. He is surely being advised by someone."

"Is that so? If you are happy, then that is good."

At her mother-in-law's composed face, Florentia raised her voice and laughed.

Carrying back small gifts such as sweets and books was Erwin's daily routine these days. All of them were casual things to a degree that did not become a burden, and Florentia happily received them. However, what she rejoiced over the most was the very first gift.

—I was happy with that flower.

A small bouquet she received the day after she married into the family.

That which was placed in the bedroom was wrapped in newspaper, and even the thorns had not been processed. Thinking that it might be his, Florentia took it in when it was almost thrown away by the servants.

The clumsy cutting method could not possibly be thought to be a gardener's, and the more she looked at it, the more her husband's image floated in her head, and Florentia arranged that flower in a vase with her own hands. When she left a message while thinking it might be wrong, it was gone by the next morning, so it seemed to have been from him after all.

She felt somewhat embarrassed and had not been able to ask him face-to-face. In the same way, Erwin also remained without touching upon the message. When she imagined what kind of face he had as he walked around the night garden, her chest felt ticklish.

"Because you came to our house, everyone truly became brighter. Erwin-san is the same."

Startled, she looked at Natalie, who had a meaningful smile on her face.

"Previously, we rarely even had meals together. But now he is diligently coming home in time for dinner, right? Taking work home is not commendable, but it is proof that he cherishes his time with you."

She felt an increasing sense of apology towards her mother-in-law who told her so while smiling warmly. There was no one who knew that she was hiding her status and how calculatingly she was interacting with the people of the Marquis House. Florentia slowly cast her eyes down.

"...He is truly a kind person."

She slept together with Erwin every day. Even though there should be no need to share a bed with a wife who was forced onto him, whenever she woke up, a man with radiant beauty was always sleeping next to her.

His blond hair bathing in the morning sun was dazzling, and his well-shaped features, which stood out even more by closing his eyes, were somewhat bad for the heart right upon waking up. It was all the more so because she had thought they would share a bed only on their first night.

"Um... well, Tia."

Natalie, who started speaking while hesitating, was extremely restless. Florentia, who had been lost in thought, tilted her head.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Um... it is about your glasses."

"Glasses?"

She instantly put her hand to her face and confirmed the cool sensation of metal.

"Are you troubled in your daily life without them?"

Florentia was at a loss for an answer.

This was something to hide her face, not something to correct her eyesight. However, it was an indispensable thing for Florentia.

"...No. There is no prescription in these glasses."

Even so, the reason she answered honestly was because of the guilt she felt earlier. She did not want to lie anymore—except for things that were absolutely unavoidable.

"I thought so."

Natalie, who seemed to have expected it to some extent, leaned forward.

"I was thinking that might be the case."

"I am deeply sorry."

"Oh dear, you do not have to apologize. Hey, are the glasses to hide your face?"

"......Yes."

Unlike Florentia, who was sinking down more and more, Natalie's eyes were shining.

"Do you want to continue hiding your face like that from now on?"

Florentia was startled and raised her face.

The fear that she might be violated by her blood-related father. The ghost that continued to follow her even after her father died was fading away because she was embraced by Erwin. The hometown where she only had abominable memories was already far away. Florentia pressed her noisy chest and swallowed her saliva with a gulp.

"These glasses protected me up until now. But... I do not need them anymore."

"That is the spirit!"

"Ah!"

Natalie clapped both hands and swiftly took away the glasses.

"I will keep these. Now, we are going to be busy. First, we will order a dress at the maison, and accessories, and also shoes! Let's arrange your hair too. There is a very skilled girl among my maids."

At the state of her mother-in-law whose face was full of joy, Florentia panicked.

"Um, just taking off the glasses is fine."

"What are you saying!"

Natalie opened her eyes wide.

"Do you think I can stay silent and watch you be made a fool of any longer? Listen, we will absolutely make Lady Lucy gasp in surprise!"

For some reason, Lucy visited the Marquis residence almost every day and was endlessly picking on Florentia.

"You do not need to worry about Earl Nelson's daughter."

"No."

Natalie insisted firmly.

"Just because she cannot beat you in words, how much do you think she is mocking your appearance? Unless we show off that the real Tia is incredibly wonderful, I will not be satisfied!"

It did not hurt or itch for Florentia no matter what she was told by others, especially by someone she did not care about, but Natalie's thoughts seemed to be different.

"Now, since it is decided, we must hurry."

"The ledger is—"

"Such things are for later. Someone! Someone come here!"