CH 5

As is often the case with romance novels, misunderstandings and fabrications continue, and Violet, the female protagonist of the series, <I Picked Up My Husband>, ends up running away from the male protagonist, Alan.

While traveling across the kingdom to find her, Alan discovers something amazing at the back of the mountain range that divides Ensis.

It was a cliff standing majestic at the entrance of the forest, and seeing the scene unfolding there, Alan decides to take this land in the future.

This is because the entire rocky cliff was made up of magic stones, stones containing mana.

But what a surprise. The land is now in my possession, hahaha!

Now that things are like this, I feel like I’m really in the story. Why do I feel like heaven is making arrangements for me?

I looked up at the sky and spoke inwardly.

Now, are you looking at extras like me?

“Liddell……? What’s in the sky?”

Hisch, looking at the idyllic passing countryside scenery, asked me in a puzzled voice.

“I want to thank the absolute man of the world for a moment.….”

“Oh, to God? I didn’t know that Liddell had a religion. To which god did you pray? I will pray together so that Liddell’s wishes come true.”

“No, I thanked God that my prayers had already been fulfilled. It’s… To thank him for letting me have a lovely, cute husband like you.”

“Liddell……!”

“…….”

Sein was like, ‘Are you crazy?’ and looked at me with a suspicious expression.

Ah, why is this bastard next to me every time I get in the mood. Leave our married life alone!

Sein, who was in the carriage together, immediately changed the subject by looking at Hisch, who was deeply moved, as if he had given up.

“…… We’ll be there soon.”

“Did Sein say that he has been to this place before?”

“It was a stopover, but I still remember being impressed by the wine I tasted while staying.”

‘Impressed’…… Whether it was good or bad.

Anyway, the nobles talk too indirectly which is a problem. I thought so as I looked at the side of Sein, who looked so gloomy.

One of the knights who was traveling with us knocked on the window and informed us that we were soon arriving at the manor.

Despite Sein’s dissuasion that it was dangerous, I stuck out my head and looked over the horizon in the distance.

We will be arriving soon. In our new home.

The Ensis estate, which was owned by one of the vassals of the Duke of Catlan, was purchased by the duke after the line of succession was cut off, paying compensation to nearby relatives.

Since no one wanted to take over the land because it had no special advantages and was laborious to manage, the duke took responsibility and took it over instead.

The castle without an owner was old, but it was well maintained. The old butler, who had managed the mansion and estate, seemed to have taken care of it with considerable care.

Among the employees who came out to greet our party, the old butler bowed to me with a stern look.

“I greet the new lord. Please call me Albert with ease.”

“Ah, yes… … Albert..… The Duke also said that you have been loyally managing the estate. I’ll get a lot of help.”

At my words, Albert opened his mouth as if he had waited for me.

“I don’t know where to put myself because he even said good things about me, who is of humble origins.”

Then he suddenly spoke in a determined manner.

“But this Albert will show devotion to the lord of the land, so please trust me and rely on me at any time.”

“Yes…..?”

What did this grandfather say as soon as I met him?

“As you know, Ensis is a manor that I have managed alone for a long time.”

He looked very strict, and he said as he adjusted his glasses.

“I’m confident that no one knows this land as well as I do. So, if the Lord just entrusts it to me, I’ll do everything without making any noise, as I’ve always done.”

Oh my, would you look at this? His words sounded like a check that I should stay idle and relaxed instead of touching any of the groundwork.

I felt Sein staring at me with sharp eyes as I asked back, ‘Yes?’, as if I was having fun.

Aye, don’t be so nervous.

It would only make us look ridiculous if we tried to heat things up together.

Being angry is enough when someone in my class has violated my legitimate interests, and I didn’t feel the need to exhaust my emotions on this insignificant thing.

“Well, I don’t know anything about this manor. It’s actually the first time I’ve ever managed my own land.”

“You’re right. How much more, the young lord is a woman of noble blood. Just leave all the troublesome work to this old man and you can devote all your time to your family at home comfortably.”

“Yes, yes. But Albert.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“How do I trust you?”

“…….”

Albert opened his eyes wide. I smiled casually and opened my mouth.

“No, don’t get me wrong. I know you’ve been really good at managing this estate. That’s why I want to ‘trust’ you. Isn’t it our first time seeing each other today?”

“…… That’s right.”

“I can’t guess your loyalty at first sight, perhaps because I’m not good at seeing people yet, yes.”

“…….”

“I’m confident you’ll move for me. I’m not sure whether you’re going to regard me and my family and aides together as my life and treat them as such……”

“…….”

“I think we can talk about this and that only after I measure those things. Am I wrong?”

Albert licked his lips a few times before taking a step back, saying, ‘I’ll follow your words.’ And him looking at Sein and Hisch briefly made me laugh a little because it felt like he was studying his competitor.

“So let’s talk about the complexities later. I just got here, so shouldn’t I unpack and rest a little?”

“……I’m sorry. I was in a hurry to bring it up, so……. I’ll show you to your room. My lord and your husband, this way please. I’ll let him be guided by another servant.”

Only then did the situation seem to have been settled. When I gave Sein a hint to see me a little later, he bowed his head slightly and saw me off.

After that, Albert quietly led us to the lord’s room. Meanwhile, Hisch was contemplating something the whole time.

When I poked him in the side, he looked at me with a sheepish expression.

“Is there anything that bothers you?”

“No, it’s just that. I’m nervous because it’s my first time here.”

“You’ll get used to it soon. You don’t have to be too impatient. As you go through life, you get used to it and become comfortable, whatever it is.”

Actually, I don’t think that’s what he really wanted to say, but… Now, it’s not just the two of us, and Hisch looked strangely depressed, so it was no use asking more.

Instead, I opened my mouth as a way to cheer him up.

“By the way, when Albert said that he was devoted to the family, it reminded me. Looking forward to tonight, right?”

It’s no wonder, today is the auspicious first day of sharing a bed with Hisch.

Hisch blinked blankly at my words, and soon looked at me with a flushed face.

I said with a chuckle.

“You’re going to devote yourself to me, right?”

“Li, Li, Liddell!”

“……We have arrived.”

Perhaps he was listening to our conversation, Albert said so with a shit-eating expression.

I smiled and said thank you, and Albert finally left after saying that he would send people when it was meal time.

The room we were guided to was reasonably spacious and luxurious. Compared to the duke’s mansion I had been living in, well, it was on the ordinary side.

I still had the sensibility of a modern Korean, so I felt that even this was wide enough.

Similar to the old exterior façade, the furnishings in the room looked a bit old, but they were well maintained.

At that moment, Hisch staggered toward the sofa that was facing toward the garden.

Then he spoke to me without even making eye contact with me.

“I, I’ll sleep here.”

“Eh? Your waist will hurt. How important is the waist to a man…….”

“Liddell!”

Hisch shouted with a red face. I just laughed because I thought he would start crying if I teased him more.

An unfamiliar space, a butler with an unwelcoming attitude, an uncertain future.

Considering all this, one thing was certain, seeing that I could laugh at this moment.

It wasn’t a bad start for the first time.