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Translator: thursdays Editor: Yahiko PR: LightBrin
[TN] 4/3/2021 After reader feedback, we’ve decided to go with Gongja = wife and Raviel = husband, as God the author intended.
1.
Romance Fantasy Trope 999
『You don’t need something like tropes for love.』
2.
In life, you occasionally receive gifts by chance.
“Lady of the Golden Silk. I need to tell you something important.”
“Gee, it’s been a while since you called me [Lady of the Golden Silk] instead of [milady], butler. Each time, it’s for something unfortunate. Let me deduce what happened this time.”
The Lady of the Golden Silk slowly raised her teacup.
It was truly an elegant motion.
“Do I have a secret half-sister?”
“You do not.”
“Really? Then, was my mother secretly an illegitimate child of the former emperor, thereby meaning that my blood is intertwined with the imperial family’s? Thus, the love between the crown prince and I can never come to fruition?”
“That isn’t it.”
“Or do I have both a hidden half-sister and a hidden bloodline, meaning that I have a lot of potential to be the protagonist of a story?”
“No.”
“Then what is it, you bastard?”
“I’m getting married soon.”
“Oho. Marriage. So it was marriage. Marriage—”
Pffft!
The Lady of the Golden Silk sprayed the tea she had been drinking. Mostly on my face.
There was no trace of elegance to be found.
“Marriage?!”
“Yes.”
“Marriaaggeee?!”
“That’s correct.”
“If that’s a joke, it’s a really bad one, butler! Do you want me to hit you again?!”
“It isn’t a joke.”
I wiped my face with a handkerchief.
“There’s no way I would joke about this to milady, is there? I really am getting married. You can’t stop me. I’ve already set a date for next month.”
“W-who’s your partner?”
“That would be the esteemed Lady of the Silver Lily.”
“Oh, come on. You’re definitely fibbing.”
The Lady of the Golden Silk sighed. Phew.
Her face looked relieved. Her expression showed that she didn’t think Raviel would marry me even if the world was ending. Oh, well. That was a normal reaction.
“Do you think I’m lying?”
“Yeah. It’s a poorly spun lie at that. Please come up with a more plausible tale if you want to trick me. I’m giving you a failing mark in creativity.”
“If it’s for real, will you allow me to marry her?”
“Ahaha. Sure, sure. I’ll let you marry or whatever, butler. Rather, if it’s real, it would be very advantageous for me to have my servant marry into the noblest family in the empire. Wouldn’t the value of my family soar at once?”
“Please stamp this.”
“Hmm?”
I held out some papers I had prepared in advance.
“What is this, butler?”
“This document states that you, my original master, will allow the marriage between myself and Lady Raviel Ivansia. I’ll step out of your shadow and become a consort in the Ivansia family.”
“Pfft!”
The Lady of the Golden Silk held her stomach and laughed.
“C-consort of the Ivansias… Pffft! What’s that supposed to be, a joke? A prank? Are you saying that my butler will be called [Duke Consort of Ivansia]? It’s hilarious just to imagine. Me becoming the empress is more likely than that.”
The Lady of the Golden Silk’s grin changed into a different sort of style.
“Well, that is what will happen this time.”
Hm.
I remembered the summary I had read before entering this Apocalypse.
‘It’s her second try.’
Since the Heretic Questioner hadn’t possessed her yet, I could guess at the Lady of the Golden Silk’s true nature and thought about many things regarding her.
For now, I buried all these thoughts and said, “Will you please stamp it?”
The Lady of the Golden Silk grabbed her stomach again and laughed.
“Oh, gladly. This will become a piece of your dark history, butler. As your generous master, I can’t look away from this amazing farce.”
“Thank you. Then, I’ll call over my fiancée tomorrow.”
“Yes, yes. Heiress Ivansia. The second brightest moon in the empire. Dream on.”
The next day, I stood with Raviel before the Lady of the Golden Silk.
“I brought her over, milady.”
“……”
The Lady of the Golden Silk’s jaw dropped.
“We already know each other, but I shall greet you again,” Raviel said, holding a fan.
“I am Raviel Ivansia, daughter and successor to the Duke of Ivansia. I received the epithet of the Silver Lily from His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Huh? Ah. Yes, of course we know each other. Your Ladyship…?”
“It is a joyous occasion for me to marry your butler. The butler is bound to you. Getting married would be difficult without your permission, but you have easily granted it. Truly, thank you.”
“All right…?”
“This is a wedding invitation.”
Raviel curtly handed her a letter. The border was decorated with a thread of silver, and in the center of the envelope was the red wax seal of the duchy. The Lady of the Golden Silk accepted the letter with a dull face.
“Rejoice. You are the first person to receive an invitation. I hope you know what an honor it is. Well, it is but a small gift to you as you have cared for him until now.”
“B-butler…? This is a joke, right…?”
“How impudent. As of today, this man is my fiancé, not your butler. You don’t possibly believe that the Ivansia family is inferior to your barony? From now on, treat my fiancé politely.”
“D-d-d-uke… consort…?”
The Lady of the Golden Silk stared at me like the world had flipped over. Her gaze was desperately asking me to deny the title she just spoke.
I bowed politely.
“It was an honor to serve you, milady.”
“……”
“But from now on, please call me Duke Consort. Respectfully.”
“……”
“Then, shall we go, Raviel?”
“Hmph. I told you to call me ‘Husband’ in front of others.”
“Ahh, pardon me. Husband. My mouth isn’t used to calling you that yet…”
“My wife is so silly. But I like everything about you, including that part.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
We left, side by side.
A while after, we heard a faint scream behind us.
“What is thiiiisss—?!”
A spring with falling magnolias.
Our marriage was drawing near.
3.
My lover, Raviel Ivansia, was a person who followed through on her words.
If Raviel said our wedding would take place within a month, it really would.
“I’ve detained my father in our villa,” Raviel said, casually and calmly.
“There is a group of people in my family who still follow my father, but their numbers are few. We can ignore them. I negotiated with the emperor for my succession to be recognized, and I’ve already become the Duchess of Ivansia. Now, I shall be called the Silver Lily Duchess, not the Lady of the Silver Lily.”
“Uhh…”
My father-in-law was incarcerated overnight.
‘Is this all right?’
While I was feeling uneasy for an in-law I had never met, Raviel looked at me.
“You are now the fiancé of the Duchess of Ivansia. You are the host of the second highest-ranking family.”
“……”
“Other than the emperor, the empress, and the prince, there is no one you must bow your head to. At least, not in this empire. All citizens of the empire, regardless of status, must bow to you. In the absence of the imperial family, you will be treated with the highest regard.”
Raviel was serious.
It was only after I heard her words that I felt that [something huge] was happening.
Until now, I thought of our wedding only in terms of my love for Raviel. Our love was sweet. It was romantic. But for Raviel, marriage was more than just romance.
The immense truth of the matter dawning on me, I opened my mouth.
“But I’m only a commoner…”
“Of course, the socialite biddies will gossip. Gongja. Your past is like the train of an uncomfortable dress, and it will follow you wherever you go. But I’ve taken what measures we could.”
Measure.
“What did you plan?”
“You will become the adopted son of the grand chamberlain of the imperial palace.”
Raviel handed me a sheet of paper.
“The grand chamberlain has served the imperial family for a long time. He was awarded a noble rank; his personal record is clean; and his honor is regarded highly. Most importantly, he has no children. Becoming the son of this old chamberlain will raise your status immediately.”
Oh, my god.
No, really. Oh, my god.
“I-is that allowed?”
“It is. If I want it to be.”
Even now, Raviel was working through a mountain of files. Swipe! Raviel’s quill never stopped moving. It was hard for me to guess the contents of those documents and the political repercussions they would have.
“I omitted all the annoying steps. Just sign that paper. Then, you’ll be recognized as the son of the grand chamberlain.”
“……”
It was like this.
The reality of marriage.
The father-in-law I had never seen was confined in a villa. I also became the adopted son of someone I never met. Many things were happening that I didn’t know about.
I realized belatedly as I signed the adoption papers how momentous it was to become [the wife of the Duchess of Ivansia].
It was clearly demonstrated by the scenes that I faced a few days later.
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