Chapter 6: To the new house
“Roll up your sleeves.”
While saying that, he stood up.
I rolled up my sleeves without hesitation.
“You asked me if there was something wrong. I demand that you properly take care of yourself as my husband.”
He sighed and after a moment of silence, he opened his mouth.
“Well… yeah. First of all, I apologize for my impolite remarks to you and my misunderstanding that being born as a prince or noble means you have everything.”
“I accept your apology.”
“However, taking care of oneself is not a priority. As you said, for me as a researcher, spending effort on taking care of oneself is a waste of time, and for the common people, it’s impossible to spend money on it.”
And he laughed self-deprecatingly.
“I won’t get close to royalty or nobles anymore. I’ll try to decline any honors in the future.”
I understand his feelings. After being caught in such a deceptive trap, it’s only natural that he wouldn’t want to be near the social circle or the palace anymore.
But if I am his wife, I expect my husband to take care of his appearance.
The purpose here is not to argue, and when the sadness from this matter subsides, it would be good to gradually improve.
“As you wish.”
The door is knocked and a message comes in that the carriage has been prepared for the return.
When escorted by the guards and heading outside, what was there was a carriage for the officials who entered and left the palace.
The servants do not put the stairs in front of the carriage.
Mr. Peltra… no, nowI am Peltra now too. Alex-sama quickly gets on the carriage.
A snickering voice was heard from behind. I guess I must now look like a funny woman in the eyes of the servants.
“Vilhelmina-sama, would you like me to help you get on?”
A teasing voice is offered.
“No need. Alex-sama, please.”
“Hmm? O-Oh… alright.”
He bent down and extended his hand, and I placed mine on it. Despite being thin, his hand is firm.
I was pulled into the carriage.
“Thank you.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
The eyes of Alex-sama, who sits on the seat, are red. It seems that he is not used to being an escort, not because he is a commoner, but because he is not used to being a woman.
“No, I also need to get used to life as a commoner.”
The man who is the driver looked back at us sitting in the carriage, and immediately the sound of the whip echoed. The sound of hooves and wheels. The carriage is leaving.
I wanted to talk in the carriage, but Alex-sama faces the window and does not move, and our eyes do not meet.
His eyes, which can be seen from under his hair, are gray. I can’t see much of his forehead or eyebrows, but I can tell that he is probably frowning.
He probably didn’t expect this day to turn out like this, and he may be thinking about what to do next.
Maybe I was a little tired too, I gazed at the cityscape of the capital from the window, when suddenly Alex-sama raised his voice.
“Hey, driver! You’re going the wrong way!”
The small window between the driver and us opens.
“What is it, my lord?”
“My house is not here, take the right at the corner just now!”
“I don’t know, my lord. I am following the road as told. I don’t even know where your house is.”
Saying that, the window was closed with a snap.
Alex-sama shook his legs slightly.
“Calm down, Alex-sama.”
“But…! No, you’re right. So this strange situation is still continuing.”
Thus, we waited a little while. The carriage stopped in front of a house that was not very wealthy, even in the area where the commoners lived, outside the capital.
We got off the carriage. This time, Alex-sama properly took my hand and got off. He muttered.
“Where is this place…?”
“Of course, it’s your new home.”
There was a voice that answered that way. It’s the person who was serving the official we were talking to at the palace earlier.
“Why, what happened to my place?”
“Mr. Peltra’s residence was a single dormitory of the National Research Institute, so he had to move out after getting married.”
“This house was given as a wedding gift from His Highness Elias.”
“…When can I go pick up my belongings over there?”
“No, they have already been brought here.”
“Dammit… there are materials that are sensitive to vibrations in there!”
Alex-sama runs to the door and tries the doorknob, but it seems to be locked.
The official’s attendant says.
“I’m not in charge of bringing them in, so I apologize. If you need anything, please go to the office window. Oh, the key is.”
Alex-sama snatched the brass key from him, and entered the inside after opening the door.
“Yes, indeed. That’s all I have to hand over. Now if you’ll excuse me.”
The attendant lowered his head to me, then left the premises.
Hm.
I look at the house. It’s a small house. Although it’s two-storied, the floor area is about the size of the gardener’s storage area at the Duke’s territory.
There is a garden, not so big as a yard, but the site is overgrown with grass.
I walked inside the house.
