Reincarnated Villainess Does Not Want Revenge - Chapter 112
Translated by: ShinigamiTori
(Special Edition) My Knight
“Why’s there an uneven expense for this part lately? Did the tariffs increase…? Oh, I see. In that case, let’s purchase this separately. I think it would be cheaper to buy this elsewhere. The rest should be fine as it is. Also… that’s right. The price of firewood is likely to go up as we head towards winter, right? But this year, it won’t get that cold, so we don’t need to allocate this much budget. Hubert’s land gets warm winds every three years in winter. So, the really cold periods won’t last long…”
“Marie-sama, Marie-sama…!”
As I was intensely scrutinizing documents and conversing with the accountant, one of the servants hesitantly addressed me.
At first, I was addressed as “Madam” and “Mistress,” but due to my shyness and the fact that I am close in age to the servants, we’ve reached a point where I’m addressed by my first name.
Of course, when guests are present, I’m still referred to as “Madam.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Master has returned!”
“Eh?”
I hurriedly stood up from the chair. In the process, a stack of documents fell onto the floor.
“Let’s prepare quickly!”
“Y-Yes.”
Considering my current attire – a dark-colored dress to withstand ink stains, hair tightly pulled back – and the minimal makeup I applied, with the only decoration being a bracelet gifted by my husband, Alberto, I thought it would be better to change into a dress to welcome him. But…
“There’s no need for that.”
The sight of Alberto entering the room made both the servants and me momentarily freeze.
“Alberto.”
My husband smiled as usual at his wife, who was too busy with paperwork to dress up.
“I’m home, Marie.”
It has been about a year since I married Alberto, and we have finally settled into each other’s lives.
My husband, Alberto, continues his work as the Knight Commander of the Diresias Kingdom in the capital. However, he also had to manage the McClain territory he inherited.
Initially, there was an official appointed by the kingdom to oversee the management of the territory, and I assisted him in managing it, but over time, I gradually assumed the primary role of managing the affairs.
This was because the official who had been helping us needed to return to the capital to take care of his aging parents living there.
Originally, he was supposed to work in the territory for a few years as an official and then transfer back to the capital. However, due to the change in royal authority, the management of the territory shifted from the kingdom to the McClain family’s control.
As a result, he had to return to the capital.
At that point, it becomes essential to have individuals managing the territory.
So, I, Marie McClain, ended up taking on the responsibility of managing the territory.
Thanks to my prior involvement in territory management in Edigma alongside my father and my pre-existing knowledge of the Hubert territory from my previous life, the process went smoothly.
Twenty years ago, this land was ruled by the Hubert family, which had high power within the kingdom, so there was no problem with resources or distribution. As long as the management was handled correctly, it was a prosperous territory.
The issue then became the place to live.
Due to Alberto’s responsibilities with the Knights’ Corps, commuting from the territory is not feasible.
Alberto and I had purchased a mansion in the royal capital immediately after getting married, so we had a place to live in the capital.
Indeed, before I started managing the territory, I also lived in a mansion in the royal capital.
As I became more involved in the management of the McClain’s territory, the number of days I returned to my mansion in the capital drastically decreased…
Before I knew it, we were living separately, with me living in the McClain territory and Alberto residing in the royal capital.
Alberto was vehemently against this situation.
There was at least a suggestion that one of us should live together, and the idea of hiring someone else to manage the territory also came up, but that wasn’t a good option.
Due to the gravity of situations when irregularities occur, territory management is commonly delegated to reliable individuals, often within the family.
However, even among family members…
Alberto’s family is a family of knights. Entrusting the management to the McClain family, who had rejected the offer of a title in the past and chose to become knights, was difficult.
Looking at Alberto himself, it seems that everyone in his family likes to keep physically active…
As for my family members, there are only my father and brother, both responsible for overseeing the management of the Edigma territory.
I might be able to find out more about distant blood relatives, but there’s no way I’d leave it to someone I don’t have that much contact with.
“Ah… Finally, I get to see your face.”
Alberto embraces me tightly with a relieved expression.
I wrap my arms around his back and hug him back.
“Welcome back… It’s been five days, hasn’t it? Were you missing me that much?”
“Of course. I hate being apart from you for even a day.”
He smiles as he places his lips against the crown of my head. I catch a subtle whiff of sweat from him. It seems like he’s been riding a horse for quite a while.
“Shall I prepare a bath?”
“… Do I smell that bad?”
It seems like he was also bothered by it.
“You’ve probably been riding non-stop, haven’t you? First, let’s give your body some rest.”
“Would you join me?”
As I give instructions to the servant about the bath, Alberto comes up with that comment.
My face turned red in an instant as I understood I was being teased, and I gave Alberto a playful slap on the arm.
No doubt it wouldn’t be painful or itchy, yet Alberto chuckles.
During the time it took to prepare for the bath, we reported on each other’s recent situations.
Throughout that period, we hugged each other and held hands to make up for the time we couldn’t see each other.
In the midst of busy times, not being able to see each other was indeed lonely.
To comfort the lonely feelings, we started spending our time together, snuggling close whenever possible.
“I’m on the lookout for someone in the royal capital who can manage the territory… but it’s proving to be quite difficult.”
After taking a bath, Alberto was wiping his hair with a towel, so I took the towel from him, sat him down on a chair, and wiped his hair instead.
His dark brown hair had a slightly coarse texture.
“I even considered resigning as the Knight Commander…”
“Were you stopped?”
“Yeah…”
A year has passed and things have calmed down considerably within the Diresias Kingdom, but we still can’t afford to let our guard down.
It’s still too early for Alberto, as the Knight Commander, to step down.
Moreover…
“Besides, Alberto, what would you do here? You’re not fond of managing the territory, right?”
“…”
Looking down at Alberto’s face from above, I notice quite a few wrinkles forming on his forehead.
“Should we create an exclusive knight order for the McClain territory…?”
“That might be considered an act of rebellion.”
“I don’t intend to make it such a large organization. It will be more like a self-defense unit.”
“Hmm…”
I feel like if we were to associate it with the title of ‘knights,’ we might end up aiming for higher goals than intended.
I think the Knights’ Corps in the royal capital is the most suitable for Alberto.
But I don’t want to dismiss the thoughts he has in mind.
“Alberto. I received a letter from Lieber the other day.”
Lieber is the steward of the Rose territory. His family has a history of serving as stewards in the household of the previous lord of the Hubert territory.
Even Rosemary’s father had Lieber’s brother working as a steward.
“I’ve asked Lieber if he has any trustworthy relatives that I can employ, and he’s willing to recommend a candidate. If we work together for a while and there are no issues, I plan to appoint that person as the lord’s representative.”
“That’s…”
Alberto turns and looks at me.
“If everything works out, I’ll go to the mansion in the royal capital, and we can live together. We can create time to come back here occasionally for inspections. What do you think?”
Living together with Alberto is something I desire as well.
Even though we’re married and a couple, the fact that we are separated like this is lonely, not only for Alberto but for me too.
I miss him.
As Alberto turned around and adjusted his position, he raised himself and leaned in to kiss me.
It’s our first kiss in five days.
“That’s a great suggestion. Really… thank you.”
Entranced by his sweet smile, we shared another kiss.
Just the thought that I’m the only one who knows Alberto’s smile, which is sweeter than any dessert, fills my heart with joy.
“… Hahh, in the end, I end up relying on Marie.”
When the long kiss came to an end, Alberto murmured with a hint of regret.
Alberto himself has been trying to somehow handle the current situation in the royal capital, but it seems he’s not entirely satisfied that the issue was resolved through my suggestion.
He seemed somewhat frustrated.
I can’t help but smile at my older husband’s childlike emotions.
“Thanks to Alberto looking out for me, I have the freedom to move around. My dear husband.”
I’m not oblivious to the mockery directed at me in the royal capital.
After being highlighted in the newspaper as if I were a hero, some articles reported amusingly against me for marrying the Knight Commander.
Despite my marriage to Alberto, there were speculations about me and Reynaldo.
Most of it is born out of envy, I know.
It’s true that some people aren’t amused by the rise of a country girl.
However, Alberto continues to play an active role in the royal capital, to the extent that he has put such rumors to rest.
He consistently declares his respect for me and his dedication to protect me in any circumstance.
Although he doesn’t convey these things to me personally, the contents are written in the letters I receive from Reynaldo.
Alberto doesn’t know.
“Always stay by my side. My knight.”
Just like the knight in the picture book I used to read when I was little.
My knight has always been Alberto.
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