Chapter 6 - Take It Off, Ma’am

Chapter 6 – Take It Off, Ma’am

Woah!

The exclamation erupted from my mouth because petals fell from the castle tower.

In addition, white ribbons congratulating the Grand Duke’s wedding swayed in the wind from the branches of the long roadside trees.

This deviation from the book gave me a strange feeling.

Demonic beasts and demons from the Demon Realm ran on the wide-field by the river. And the eerie and terrifying scenes, described as the den of evil that I imagined while reading the book, disappeared in an instant.

Beautiful poplar, acacia, and wisteria flowers bloomed alongside the road, splendidly welcoming the carriage procession. In addition, small irises and peonies were blooming under the trees.

The chorus of buzzing bees, the sweetly fragrant smell of flowers, and the petals falling into the carriage enchanted me, body and soul.

In addition, the wide-field was shining brilliantly in the dying afternoon sunlight. Beyond the river in the distance, the Demon Realm made the natural scenery beautiful like a demilitarized zone.

tl-n: A demilitarized zone (DMZ) is an area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers, or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel.

The windmills on the low hills, the partially submerged watermills in the river, and the quaintly modest homes were creating an idyllic landscape.

The strong smell of cow dung from the field wafted through the wagon.

This place was still inhabited.

After driving for another two hours, I saw the Archduke’s residence, Shlezen Castle, in the distance. It was magnificent. It was a blessed fortress built with large and strong bricks.

[Stretching from the territory to the river, the one-way road lay on a hexagonal island with a pointed end, so it was closer to the Demon Realm than any other area in the Viatria Empire.]

The tall watchtower displayed soot in the place of each weapon hole, lingering evidence of the battle against the Demon Realm.

I could sense the determination to protect the Empire at the forefront. The Castle was built on the land protruding across the river toward the Demon Realm, which once occupied the area, and served as the outpost for the Conquest of the Demon Realm.

It was a place closer to the Demon Realm than any other region in the Viatria Empire.

As if their purpose was to symbolize the fierce war they fought and commemorate the defeat of the Demon Realm, soot remained in the cannons of the mana-stone constructed Shlezen Castle.

Gerard’s father, Julius, conquered this place and fought head-to-head with the denizens of the area called the Demon Realm. He was really popular and loved by the people.

But there were no children to succeed him. He handed over the throne to his younger brother without regret and fought for the safety and future of the Empire on the land of Karikas, which was formerly the Demon Realm.

Most of the people of this territory were the families and children of the knights who conquered the Demon Realm.

The late Emperor Julius cherished and loved the people who willingly followed him to this territory as family. Because they were loyalists who risked everything for the safety and future of the Empire…

The Estate residents also had a different sense of pride and self-esteem compared to other regions. Because it was thanks to them that the peace of the empire continued.

Julius loved the Karikas Estate and created a system merciful and benevolent with a no-discrimination policy. His vassals were also wealthy enough to be counted among the best ten in the Empire.

And when the Crown Prince, the current Emperor, was five years old, Julius witnessed the miraculous birth of his son Gerard. However, the throne was not returned.

Protecting this place at the forefront of the Empire was the most important thing. And it was an honor to continue as a sentinel from generation to generation.

The late Emperor was respected by the people while guarding the border with a strong sense of mission. Does that reputation continue to this day?

As Gerard waved his hand politely, the people who welcomed us spoke,

“Congratulations on your marriage, my Lord!”

“Congratulations, Your Grace!”

Cheering, they knelt to the floor and bowed their heads. The loyalties in this territory had not changed since the time of the late Emperor.

I followed him, mugging gracefully and waving like a beauty contestant.

The procession was endless. After a while, my cheekbones started to tremble, and my arm cramped.

Glancing to the side, I could see Gerard waved his hand at the people with an elegant smile showing no sign of exhaustion.

Finally, at the end of the river, we reached Shlezen Castle, the northernmost tip of the Karikas territory. The magic stones that built the Castle showed off their magnificence by reflecting orange-red in the afternoon sun.

As we crossed the bridge on the moat, the servants stood in a row at both ends and bowed their heads politely.

Numerous warriors died on this bridge. And at the end of this road was the devil.

My beloved Alfred also ran down this sidewalk in tears of blood to fight the devil.

Automatically, my expression was full of resolve, and then,

“You wanted to live your life willfully enough to attempt suicide before the ceremony? The oath you made before God is not a lie, right?”

“…!”

I was puzzled. Did he think about this all the while smiling at the people who welcomed us?

“As my wife, will you do your best as a wife and the Lady of this Estate?”

‘Jerk, are you finally ready to parley?’

I gladly entered into the negotiation.

“Mmm… that would be difficult.”

“…!”

Gerard’s eyebrows shot up. I quickly stated my purpose.

“It’s hard to be a wife. I don’t know the Grand Duke yet, right? It’s not like we’re in love or anything. But as Theodor’s mother and the hostess of this estate, I will do my best.”

For my survival.

Gerard, mouth slightly agape in surprise, must have reached his decision.

“I see. I will watch over you, but if you can’t even keep that promise…”

‘I’m going to die.’

“I’ll do my best to die.”

Gerard looked a little perplexed.

“His Grace, the Grand Duke, and Her Grace, the Grand Duchess have arrived.”

At the servant’s announcement, the wagon door was opened. His Grace held out his hand, and I took it gladly.

Finally, my married life in the novel began.

However.

“Take it off, Wife.”

Now, Gerard was talking leisurely to me while wearing nothing but a robe, with his bum perched loosely on the cot next to the bathtub.

He sat in the middle of the bathroom, sporting that sublime face like a Greek statue, with a sponge and a towel in his hands.

Where am I encountering him like this?

Me?

My… bathroom entrance!

There I stood, wearing a transparent bathrobe and trying to cover my chest with one arm, and the Y zone with the other. The discomfort had me limp and restless.

‘Ah… Should I die?’

But I was a cursed witch who couldn’t even die.

“Ha…”

I let out a sigh.

“Are you shy, Wife?”

I asked him to be polite, but if I learned one thing today, it was that someone could be simultaneously cheeky and respectful.

Until I disembarked the wagon,

Until the reception in the banquet hall,

I never imagined I would be in a situation like this.

Since it was a marriage with the Vonzeyer family!

In the presence of even the damned Emperor who ordered the killing of a five-year-old kid, I was obliged to visit the elders with Gerard and accept their blessings.

Afterward, I sat elegantly with him, receiving congratulations and blessings from relatives younger than me and the young lords and ladies.

From the Chairman of the Board of Directors to the Principal; Vice-Principal; head of the School Affairs Department; head of the grade, and homeroom teachers—I displayed my perfect skills as a fixed-term teacher and took care of everyone accordingly.

However, having to match the pride of the Imperial Family was like a rice paddy cracked apart in the peak of summer drought.

Moreover, when this greeting reception was finished, even the vassals of Karikas and the residents of the Estate filed past and greeted one by one.

They seemed to wonder if I would do well in the Karikas Estate hostess role.

I asked the maid to bring water, but I couldn’t drink it because it contained a lot of lime water.

Ultimately, I sipped a very large amount of wine.

And the Bride was commanded to dance alone.

A bride’s solo dance?

Wow, this wasn’t a feast for the bride and groom, but a complete Bridal Examination Banquet.

‘Alright, since things are like this…’

I once promised the kids in school to dance to the bullet group’s “Fireworks” when the average score exceeded 90 points. So I practiced to do orchestra’s performance, but

Looking at the adults in the family scrutinizing me arrogantly, I remembered Sinclair practicing as special training. I started to dance, and the women suddenly rushed at me like a pack of dogs surrounding a female in heat.

Oh my gosh… What was this mayhem?

Just like a bride throwing her bouquet at a wedding, it was a Karikas tradition that the young women of marriageable age had to tear off the bridal veil while the bride performed a solo dance.

They were like ghosts trying not to miss the Imperial blessings. I thought I was going to lose all my hair!

The trouble was that there would be no other person to marry in the Imperial Family for a while until Alfred or Theodor reached marriageable age.

They quarreled for greater portions of the bridal veil.

A physical fight to possess the veil of a woman fated to be torn to death by her stepson!

Even if their stepson kills them five years later, would they fight so tenaciously like this and tear out my hair in their frenzy?

I wanted to confess the truth!

It was Gerard who smoothly saved me. As the adults in the family said, he was the best swordmaster in the Empire, second only to Julius

It was pretty cool. Seeing his calm eyes gave me some sense of relief.

Gerard’s great aunt once said that the Grand Duchy of Vonzeyer would reign even after conquering the Demon Realm, and those words would have been true if not for Theodor’s curse.

Since anyone who divulged his curse would be killed on the spot, she commanded me to keep Theodor safe from such mishaps.

Violating the Will of the Imperial Family earns an immediate death sentence.

This was their world.

Thus, I was shaking in fear.

Knowing that the witch’s blood runs through Sinclair’s body, will the Archduke and royals keep me alive?

‘Demon Realm’ was a phrase spoken with hatred and contempt in the Viatria Empire.

Those living in the Demon Realm were inferior to beasts and something that had to be slaughtered.

Barbarism and chaos, that was the Demon Realm.

The people there knew how to perform magic. They have lived on the other side of the Terion River, which flows around the Viatria Empire, since before civilization.

Up until 15 years ago, numerous wizards and witches lived in the Shlezen Castle, which was part of the Karikas territory.

But they considered themselves too good and great. Therefore, they did not combine their strength to create a Kingdom or Empire.

There was no need for that. They just lived independently. In short, they were anarchists.

Occasionally, some of them entered the Empire out of curiosity and showed off their superior abilities.

However, if betrayed or insulted, they mercilessly turned their opponents into beasts, made them suffer from an incurable disease, or death, or drove them crazy.

So the people of the Empire feared them and called them wizards or witches.

Emperor Herace was the first to massacre the evil beings living in the Empire, starting the moment he ascended to the throne.

If any mana was detected, they were enslaved and treated like untouchable people.

Therefore, it should never have been revealed that the witch’s blood flows through Sinclair (me). Because it was a family shame. That was the reason for her family’s abuse in her childhood.

They left those gruesome scars on my back.

‘But now, what am I going to tell Gerard about the wounds on my back?’

“Wife.”

Gerard’s teasing low-pitched voice rumbled through the bathroom. I bit my lip.