A Surprisingly Happy Engagement for the Slime Duke and the Fallen Noble Lady: Volume 2 E-Book

Mashimesa Emoto

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Heart
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Serie: A Surprisingly Happy Engagement for the Slime Duke and the Fallen Noble Lady
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 274

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Francette and Gabriel’s marriage is still a ways off, but their engagement has been going well. One day, the siren duke, Magritte—one of Gabriel’s fellow monster dukes—suddenly pays a visit to Triste. This gorgeous lady seems to be quite close with Gabriel, and the way they talk to each other has Francette feeling anxious! What is the true nature of Magritte and Gabriel’s relationship?

After that, busy times abound as Francette must prepare for the annual monster duke meeting and develop new products for the Lakeside Duck Bakery to sell. She and Gabriel will revitalize this slime-filled territory—with love!

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Prologue: The Fallen Noble Lady Francette’s Turbulent Life

Chapter 1: The Noble Lady Francette Shows Hospitality

Chapter 2: The Noble Lady Francette Starts a New Endeavor

Chapter 3: The Noble Lady Francette Makes Bonbonnières

Chapter 4: The Noble Lady Francette’s Side of the Monster Duke Meeting

Chapter 5: The Noble Lady Francette Has an Unexpected Encounter?!

Extra: Francette’s Diary

Extra: Gabriel’s Irritation

Afterword

Color Illustrations

About J-Novel Club

Copyright

Landmarks

Color Images

Table of Contents

Prologue: The Fallen Noble Lady Francette’s Turbulent Life

I am Francette de Blanchard, daughter of one of the kingdom’s most distinguished nobles, Duke Mercœur. My life changed in the blink of an eye when Prince Mael rescinded his engagement to my older sister, Adele, sending our family into ruin. My diligent and graceful sister hadn’t done anything wrong. She had simply fallen victim to the schemes of those who wanted to get closer to Prince Mael.

My father had no ambition—he was the ultimate pushover. So he accepted the punishment without putting up a fight and proceeded to live a carefree life with his mistresses. On the other hand, my mother, who was a princess of a neighboring country, went back to her homeland with my exiled sister.

I knew I’d have a stabler life if I went with my mother, but I chose to stay in the kingdom. It wasn’t that I was worried about my father. He was the kind of person who was loved everywhere he went, so he’d be able to stubbornly survive in any situation. So why didn’t I go to the neighboring country, then? Because I’d completely lost faith in humanity.

After my sister was accused of terrible deeds and our family lost all of our assets, our close friends distanced themselves from us and looked at us as if we were criminals. It made me realize that no one had ever seen me as myself—only as a daughter of Duke Mercœur. Now that I was no longer the daughter of a powerful duke, there was no value in associating with me. The reality sank in like a chill spreading through my stomach, overwhelming me with an indescribable fear.

Even if I went with my mother to the neighboring country, people would only show me respect as the daughter of their former princess. It would be no different from when I was treated as the daughter of Duke Mercœur. If we fell victim to another scheme, everyone would leave me again. I didn’t want to repeat that experience—it had felt like sitting on a bed of nails. So I stayed in the kingdom. I won’t deny that my reasons were pessimistic, but after making my decision, I was determined to prove my own worth.

After that, I moved into the one-story house in the old part of town that my father was renting with what little money he had. Although I’d learned how to cook, clean, and do laundry at the orphanage where I volunteered, this was the first time I had to do these things every day for the sake of surviving. At first, it was a disaster. I’d burn pots and pans and ruin my meals, struggle with stained laundry for hours, and wax the floor incorrectly, leading to many a fall. But I told myself it wasn’t as hard as the schooling for noblewomen—and I’d had a strict teacher—so I managed to hang in there.

My father rarely came home, so I found a new family member to take his place. This was Alexandrine the duck, who laid an egg for me once every few days, enriching my life. She was very affectionate with me, but everyone else knew her as a ferocious duck. This neighborhood wasn’t as safe as the noble district, so it was great to have her as a bodyguard.

A year after my family’s downfall, when I had become comfortable with my new life, I began baking sweets to consign to a pastry shop. It wasn’t a lot of money, but it was money I’d earned through my own hard work. Sales were going well and I was even considering increasing my output when, one day, I encountered a mysterious creature: an adorable light-red slime named Wibble. Not only was it tamed, it was smart enough to understand human language.

I brought Wibble to the knights first, but they said they couldn’t take custody of living things. So I ended up taking it in until its owner, Gabriel, could be found. I’d never lived with a monster before, but Wibble was more talented than I ever could have imagined. It could heat up the bath in an instant, clean the house, and help me with the cooking. Before I knew it, I didn’t want to see the slime go.

Wibble made my life more enjoyable, and I realized that although I was poor, I had much more freedom now than back when I’d lived as the daughter of Duke Mercœur. I absentmindedly assumed that these relaxing days would continue for many years to come. However, one day, my life took yet another turn when I received a letter from my father that said nothing but “Sorry.”

Shockingly, my father had gotten involved with a married woman, and the husband was demanding two hundred thousand geld as compensation. It was a large sum—the kind of amount a wealthy noble family would prepare for their daughter’s dowry. From the sound of it, my father had fled the capital because he had neither the money on hand nor the good faith to pay it over the span of years. To make matters worse, not only had he taken the married woman with him, but her husband was the president of Fastoux Trading, a world-famous company. From the apology letter, I could guess that my father had expected the demands to come to me. And yet he had fled the capital anyway.

Within minutes of the letter’s arrival, a group of thugs came to my house to collect the compensation my father hadn’t paid. In this moment of desperation, an unexpected savior appeared: a young man, around twenty years old, with long pearl-white hair tied in a ponytail, silver-rimmed glasses, and an intelligent air. He was Wibble’s owner, Gabriel, and he’d run into me by coincidence while searching for his slime.

Gabriel could’ve just taken Wibble and gone, but instead, he paid off my father’s two-hundred-thousand-geld debt. I couldn’t imagine why he’d do such a thing for me, but it turned out that he also had an unavoidable issue to deal with: marriage. Apparently one of his relatives was accusing him of disgracing their family name by not getting married. And so, he proposed that I marry him in exchange for the two hundred thousand geld he’d paid in my stead.

Needless to say, I was surprised. I’d lost contact with my numerous engagement candidates after my family’s decline, and even the word “marriage” itself seemed foreign to me at this point. If I were as beautiful and talented as my sister, I’m sure I would’ve had suitors regardless of my status. But even though we were born to the same parents, we were nothing alike in appearance or personality. I liked the wisteria-colored eyes I’d inherited from my mother, but my father’s brown hair only made me look even more plain. So I didn’t expect anyone to want to marry me, not when I hadn’t restored my honor since the incident that had tarnished my entire family’s reputation.

Gabriel began to explain his reasoning. Much to my surprise, he was the slime duke, one of the grand monster dukes. It was a title passed down from long ago, originally bestowed by the king to the heroes who had saved the world from seven evil monsters.

The prince who had slain the Dragon had been given the title of Grand Dragon Duke.

The fisherman who had slain the Siren had been given the title of Grand Siren Duke.

The adventurer who had slain the Ogre had been given the title of Grand Ogre Duke.

The charcoal maker who had slain the Treant had been given the title of Grand Treant Duke.

The knight who had slain the Fenrir had been given the title of Grand Fenrir Duke.

The priest who had slain the Harpy had been given the title of Grand Harpy Duke.

And the lord who had slain the Slime had been given the title of Grand Slime Duke.

The monster dukes had the highest rank after royalty, meaning that Gabriel was in a very respectable position. But even at the age of twenty-two, he had yet to find a fiancée. The reason was the land where he lived, a lake region named Triste.

In Gabriel’s words, “You will rarely see a clear blue sky there. All year round, it’s nothing but damp, depressing, more damp, and more depressing. The houses are all made of stone and blackened by moss, making the entire town darker than you could believe. It rains often and there are frequent storms. Because of this, there are long stretches of time when it’s difficult to go outside. The residents are all shy and introverted, perhaps because they don’t get to socialize much. On top of that, many young people are complaining that they can’t live in such a place and are leaving for the city. The population decreases every year. And don’t even get me started on the slimes. There are more slimes than humans! Slimes in the gardens, slimes in the fields, slimes sticking to the windows, slimes in the wells... You wake up to the sound of bouncing slimes, you realize it’s noon when the slimes start to hum, and you listen to the slimes snore as you go to sleep. From morning to afternoon to night, it’s nothing but slimes, slimes, slimes.”

Essentially, it was a land of deep fog with a difficult climate all year round, a declining population...and slimes. His territory was well-known for being unattractive to young prospective brides. However, I owed him for saving me from Fastoux Trading, and he had already paid two hundred thousand geld on my behalf. I didn’t have an aversion to slimes, seeing as I’d been living happily with Wibble, and right now, I felt like I’d be fine living anywhere. So I accepted his marriage proposal.

However, we couldn’t get married right away. We needed my father’s permission. Until he was found, I would live in Triste as Gabriel’s fiancée.

Just before the move, I received an unexpected visitor: our kingdom’s second prince, Axel. Unlike Crown Prince Mael, Prince Axel approached everything fairly and never let himself be influenced by selfish feelings. He was a handsome man with a strong sense of justice. He also held the title of dragon duke, which was given to the most skilled swordsman in the royal family.

Prince Axel was visiting my home in the old part of town because he’d heard that I’d been attacked by ruffians from Fastoux Trading. Apparently he was worried about me—he even offered to become my guardian so that I would no longer be in danger.

When I told him I was engaged to the slime duke, Gabriel, he looked relieved. After my sister’s engagement to Prince Mael, Prince Axel had looked after me as if I were his own younger sister. I’d assumed that our ties had been severed after the incident, but he still showed me the same kindness as before. Now that I was engaged to Gabriel, I wouldn’t have to make him worry anymore.

And so, together with my duck, Alexandrine, I made the journey to the slime-filled land of Triste. There, I met many new people. Gabriel’s mother, Maria, was a very spirited individual. She was terribly afraid that I would become one of the many people who left Triste in favor of a large city. Then there were my lovely attendants Nico, Coco, and Rico (who were triplets), and the wise and beautiful steward, Constance. They and the other servants made Gabriel’s home very lively.

I also met Gabriel’s second cousins, Diane and Liliane. They were hostile towards me for some reason and played a nasty prank. But most troublesome of all was Gabriel’s great-uncle. He wanted to marry one of his granddaughters to Gabriel, so he kidnapped me and sold me to a brothel. Wibble helped me escape, but we were soon discovered. Gabriel came to my rescue, and at the same time, I reunited with my father, who was working as one of the brothel’s guards.

My father was detained for the crime of eloping with a married woman, but Prince Axel had my marriage to Gabriel authorized as a special exception. All of the obstacles between us were now gone.

Unfortunately, news of my father’s arrest spread, and it became a scandal. However, there’s a saying from a foreign country that goes “Gossip only lasts seventy-five days.” People would forget with time.

Between starting a new business in Triste, getting kidnapped, and watching my father get arrested, it had been a hectic time. But things had finally settled down as of late, and after a thorough discussion, Gabriel and I decided to get married in one year’s time. Until then, while preparing for the wedding, I wanted to do something to help develop the region.

Chapter 1: The Noble Lady Francette Shows Hospitality

Daily drizzles, a warm and humid breeze, slimes clogging up entire ponds—such was spring in Triste, apparently. One would assume that early spring was the breeding season for slimes, but it was actually a bit different in nature. Slimes reproduced by division. The current weather was the most comfortable for them, leading to them multiplying in droves.

Gabriel went around the ponds on a daily basis, ordering his tamed slimes to swallow up the wild ones and bring them back so that they could be processed into various things like lenses and fertilizer. The products were very good, but since they were made from slimes, he couldn’t find buyers for them. As a result, he offered them to locals at a low price instead.

Gabriel returned from today’s rounds looking weary again. His pearl-white hair was damp from being exposed to humidity all day, and his fogged-up glasses obscured my view of his beautiful ice-green eyes. He didn’t have to say anything for me to know that he was utterly exhausted.

“Fran, I have returned,” he said.

“Welcome back.”

We had a custom of embracing each other once a day, which was supposed to help us become ideal partners. I tried to initiate today’s hug, but he stopped me for some reason.

“Um, I’ve been outside all day in Triste’s infamous humidity,” he said. “I’m probably the clammiest thing in the world right now, save slimes themselves. Let me take a bath first.”

“That doesn’t matter.” I ignored his reservations and hugged him. He went stiff as a board, but after I gave him a few pats on his back, he gently hugged me back.

“You don’t have to force yourself on days like this.”

“I’m not. This is a hug of appreciation for all of your hard work.”

The daily embrace was also intended to deepen our relationship. There was still some awkwardness, but we would surely get used to it eventually. A year from now, we were going to be married, and I hoped we’d be able to hug each other naturally by then.

“How were the slimes in the ponds?” I asked.

“Three years ago, we had a once-in-a-century outbreak. This year is even worse.”

“Oh my! That sounds terrible.”

“It is.”

“I wish there was something I could do to help.” I knew I’d only be getting in the way if I tried, but I couldn’t help but worry when I saw how fatigued he was.

“You’re already providing me with a great amount of support.”

“Did I do something?”

“Simply thinking about you waiting for me at home gives me energy.”

“Oh, that’s what you mean.”

“It’s not something to be taken lightly! It’s an incredible contribution!”

Gabriel explained that until now, he’d been going out to exterminate slimes in the ponds without telling anyone, not returning home until the middle of the night, when he’d sneak in through the back door. Neither his mother nor the servants knew what he was doing.

“This year, since you’ve been making everyone aware of my work, my mother doesn’t give me suspicious looks anymore, and the servants prepare waterproof boots and linens for me.”

“Couldn’t you have just told them yourself?”

“It’s a pain.”

The sigh that left my mouth was so deep, I wondered if it’d reach the world’s core.

Gabriel wasn’t a good talker, and he struggled with social interactions. If only he would try harder to show people his hard work and accomplishments, they would see him differently. It felt like such a waste.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s a hassle for you too, isn’t it?”

“Not at all. I do it because I want you to be more respected and loved by the people around you.”

“I’m happy just knowing that you care about me.”

Gabriel’s idea of happiness was far too modest. He was allowed to be greedier than that. Then again, his lack of ambition was why he didn’t feel the need to show off to others, and perhaps that was the reason I was so attracted to him. I’d just have to do my best to show him my love so that he’d feel happy every day.

There was a quiet knock on the door. It was Constance, the slime duke family’s beautiful steward. She looked dashing in her tailcoat, and her back was so straight, you’d think there was a rod of some sort inside it. Her short hair suited her well, and the men’s clothing looked completely natural on her.

“The bath is ready, my lord,” Constance said matter-of-factly, not showing any emotion.

Gabriel nodded, and the steward took her leave.

“Oh, why don’t I wash your back?” I asked.

“Huh?!” Gabriel jumped in surprise as if my suggestion had been absurd. I’d only meant it as a show of appreciation, though, since he’d been laboring all day.

“Sorry, I guess it’d be a bother to you.”

“No, that’s not—”

“Gabriel, welcome baaack!”

Wibble the cute light-red slime rocketed into the room and slammed into its owner. Gabriel, tired from a long day’s work, was easily sent flying.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

“Y-Yes, I’ll manage...”

Wibble was the first slime that Gabriel had ever tamed, and normally, it was harmless. However, for some reason, it was very forceful with Gabriel. Perhaps it was because they were trusted companions who had known each other since childhood. Still, this kind of physical bonding wasn’t safe.

“Wibble, you can’t body-slam Gabriel like that,” I said.

“Why?”

“Humans aren’t as resilient as slimes. You don’t want him to get hurt, do you?”

“Wibble wouldn’t like that.”

“So apologize and promise that you won’t do it again.”

“Okaaay.” The slime meekly approached its owner and apologized. “Sorry, Gabriel. Wibble won’t do that anymore.”

“I greatly appreciate it,” said Gabriel.

Wibble looked relieved.

“Gabriel, you have to tell Wibble when you don’t like something,” I said. “Otherwise, it isn’t going to learn.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“Because...Wibble is my friend.”

Since Triste was so remote, Gabriel hadn’t been able to interact with other nobles his age when he was a child. The most he’d been able to do was watch the children in the village play from afar. Wibble had probably been his only friend.

I could understand why he would allow it to get away with a bit of mischief, but this wasn’t good for Wibble either. Wibble wasn’t an ordinary slime—it had transformed into a spirit. This was a phenomenon that occurred with beings that attained exceptional power and intelligence. Wibble was no longer a monster.

Gabriel had explained that Wibble had become stronger than before, so it needed to be properly educated. Out of the many slimes he had tamed, Wibble was the only one that had transformed into a spirit. The inner workings of the miracle remained mostly unknown.

“Gabriel, let Wibble make it up to you by washing your back.”

The slime’s suggestion made me envious. After all, Wibble was extremely proficient at washing. It used its tentacles to scrub away every last impurity, leaving your skin as smooth and polished as a boiled egg.

“No, it’s fine,” said Gabriel.

Wibble extended its tentacles and began dragging Gabriel towards the door. “Go with the flow, go with the flow!”

“Where do you learn those phrases?!”

The two headed for the bathroom in a friendly manner. I think.

As I smiled and saw them off from the hallway, I spotted my mother-in-law, who looked pale.

“Mother, what’s the matter?” I asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing bad. We’re going to be inviting guests over, but...”

Apparently it had been ten years since the slime duke family had last done so. But now, Prince Axel was coming and going anyway, and Triste was becoming more well-known.

“Miss Francette, what should I do to welcome our guests?!”

“Huh?”

“It’s been so long since anyone’s come here, I’ve forgotten how to show hospitality! Will they even show up? They wouldn’t lie about visiting, would they?!”

“Mother, please calm down.” My mother-in-law had become paranoid after seeing many people leave Triste. “They wouldn’t write you a false letter.”

“Y-Yes, you’re right. They wouldn’t lie...”

“Yes, so there’s no need to worry.”

Just when I thought she’d calmed down, she panicked again. “Sh-Should I order first-flush tea from the capital?!”

“Mother, your guests are coming from the capital too, so you don’t need to do that. How about serving them Triste’s tea?”

“Our damp tea, covered in fog?”

“It’s very delicious.”

I offered to go over ideas with her tomorrow, which fortunately seemed to calm her down.

“I’m sorry for all the trouble I cause you, Miss Francette.”

“Don’t worry about it. I enjoy thinking about things with you.”

“Thank you.” My mother-in-law went back to her room, relieved.

As soon as she left, my personal attendants, Nico, Rico, and Coco, came up to me. Nico was carrying Alexandrine the duck.

“Lady Francette, Lady Alexandrine has returned from the garden pond,” Nico said. “She ate a lot of greens today.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Nico was an animal lover and took good care of Alexandrine for me. She was a cheerful and energetic girl.

Rico stepped forward next. “Lady Francette, three letters have arrived for you.”

“Thank you.”

Rico was the stoic and grounded one. She was in charge of assisting me and kept perfect track of schedule items that slipped my mind. My life in Triste would have been in shambles if it weren’t for her.

Coco hesitantly came forward last. “Lady Francette, I drew a few new illustrations for the Lakeside Duck Bakery.”

“May I see them?”

“Yes!”

Coco was a skilled artist and used to be tired all day long because she sacrificed sleeping time for drawing. I’d recognized her talent and told her to draw during working hours instead.

Lakeside Duck Bakery was the brand name I sold my sweets under. I used Coco’s illustrations for the packaging, and they had become popular in the royal capital. Her amazing talent helped us raise awareness of Triste through sweets.

“Thank you, Nico, Rico, Coco. You may retire for the day.”

The triplets bowed in unison and left. There was still some time before dinner, so I decided to relax in my room. I placed Alexandrine in my lap and went through the letters and Coco’s illustrations.

The letters were from my sister, who was worried that I might be facing problems here. After being banished from the kingdom, she was now crown princess of the neighboring country. She must’ve been very busy, yet she had still taken the time to show concern for me. My current life was very fulfilling, so to prevent her from worrying about me, I wrote in my reply that I was the happiest I’d ever been.

◇◇◇

Today was the start of another enjoyable day. The slime duke family ate breakfast together every morning as a rule. Gabriel and his mother were early risers, so they were fully awake. Maybe it ran in the family. I envied them so much.

As usual, I was the last to arrive. “Gabriel, mother, good morning.”

“Good morning, Miss Francette.”

“Yes, good morning.”

The dishes laid out on the dining table looked scrumptious as always. When you had a skilled chef, you looked forward to every meal.

Today’s breakfast was a bowl of rich café au lait, warm bread fresh out of the oven, a truffle omelette, and thick slices of bacon. Everything was delicious. It was like starting the day with a dose of happiness.

Gabriel claimed that Triste had nothing of note, but from my perspective, it was full of charm. Spring was when the sweet violets were at their height of beauty, their fragrance carried by the wind. Early summer had delicious white eels, and in autumn we could enjoy picking mushrooms and berries. This was also the only place where truffles could be harvested in such high quantities. Winter was the season for escargot, with edible snails appearing every which way. Triste was a good source of luxury ingredients; it just wasn’t well-known. We also had plump trout, frogs with a subtle but rich flavor, and poultry fattened before the winter. There was an abundance of delicious food.

After negotiations with merchants, some of our products had begun to be sold in the capital. We even had some merchants coming here directly to buy fresh ingredients, to say nothing of the tourists coming just to eat Triste’s truffles and escargot. In order to make the village function as a tourist destination, a new inn, restaurant, and general store had been opened. Perhaps due to the increase in job availability, there were even some locals who’d returned to the village after previously leaving. Triste was becoming much livelier than before.

After breakfast, I spent a bit of time relaxing in Gabriel’s room. Today, he showed me the collection of books in his study. They covered a wide variety of subjects, including economics, medicine, community welfare, and military affairs.

“My mother called it a boring collection,” he said.

“That’s not true at all.”

There was a book I was interested in, so I asked if I could borrow it.

“Read as many as you like,” he said.

“Thank you.”

It would’ve been nice if we could have indulged in reading together, but there was still work to be done. Gabriel had to make his rounds again. He had a gloomy expression on his face, so I hugged him from behind. The sound he let out was more shocked than surprised.

“What’s wrong, Gabriel?” I asked.

“Nothing, but I work hard every day in anticipation of the hug I’ll receive from you when it’s over.”

“Have you lost your motivation now that I’ve already hugged you?”

“No, I was just shocked that today’s hug ended so soon.”

I laughed at the unexpected reason. “I’ll do it again when you come home.”

“Really?”

“Yes, so don’t be so discouraged.”

Gabriel nodded happily. “What are your plans for the day, Fran?”

“I’m going to bake cookies at the village workshop.”

“I see. Please bring an escort with you whenever you go outside.”

“Yes, I know.”

“And no matter where you go, be sure to bring Wibble with you.”

“Of course.”

Gabriel insisted that Wibble and I go everywhere together. It seemed like he was making a big deal out of nothing, but the fact was that slimes weren’t the only threat in Triste. I had already been kidnapped by his great-uncle once before, so I couldn’t refuse the protection.

“Be cautious of slimes as well. And—”

“Gabriel, stop nagging. You’re acting like her dad,” Wibble said, coming up to us and interrupting him.

Gabriel fell silent. He was probably so worried about me that he couldn’t help but warn me about every little thing. It was a sign of his love.

“I’m sorry, Fran...”

“It’s fine. I appreciate it. My real father never once worried about me.” He was the kind of parent who ran away with his mistress, leaving me with his debt. I wished I could’ve had a father who worried so much about his daughter that he couldn’t help but nag. “I’m glad that you care.”

“Fran...!”

We were both moved, but this wasn’t the time to be teary-eyed.

“I have to get going now,” I said.

“Likewise.”

I parted ways with Gabriel and pumped myself up for another productive day of work.

Together with Rico and Wibble, I headed to the village to make cookies at the Lakeside Duck Bakery’s workshop. Our cookies, made with Triste’s naturally growing sweet violets, were extremely popular in the capital. I used to bake them in the castle kitchen with the chef, but since we couldn’t keep up with demand, a workshop had been set up in the village. It wasn’t a newly constructed building, though. The village had several vacant houses that belonged to nobles and merchants. We’d bought the one with the largest kitchen and had some work done so that it could be used as a workshop.

We employed many women from the village to help make the sweet violet cookies. Thanks to them, we were able to drastically increase our output and send more products to the capital. My days used to be hectic, but after delegating most of the processes to other people, I now had time for myself.

My next stop was the fowl knights, whom Alexandrine had been staying with as of late. They were a unit tasked with protecting poultry from monsters and thieves. Triste was sustained by livestock farming, so the knights’ role was crucial.

Rico and I went with our escort to the knights’ station. The moment we opened the door, Alexandrine charged out—and nearly delivered a flying kick before realizing it was me and landing on the ground.

“Whoa, Alexandrine!” A man came to pick her up. His armor had a duck’s side profile engraved on it. He was a member of the fowl knights, and if I recalled correctly, his name was Noel. “Why, if it isn’t Lord Gabriel’s young wife!”

“Good day.” I greeted him and mentioned that I’d come to see how Alexandrine was doing with her work, but her actions had already spoken for themselves.

“Oh, Alexandrine’s doing a fine job. Whenever someone suspicious approaches the henhouse, she quacks and drives them away.”

Alexandrine had been recruited by the fowl knights for her ferocious nature. The increase in tourism meant that all sorts of people were coming to Triste, some of whom were intrigued by the idea of fowl knights and would peek into the henhouse without permission.

“Do people from the city find this interesting?” Noel asked.

“I understand how they feel,” I said. Gabriel had shown me around the flour mill before, and it had been so interesting that I’d suggested setting up a guided tour. The tours were a success and continued to be flooded with applicants to this day. “We might want to set up a tour of the henhouse too.”

“Yes, if we know in advance, we can accommodate visitors.”

Noel said he would raise the topic with the captain of the fowl knights. I’d hoped to speak with him directly, but apparently he was on patrol.

“Do you think the fowl knights could use more hands?”

“Oh, yes. It’d be reassuring to have two or three more people.”

The fowl knights currently had around twelve members, but they had night shifts to cover too, so it was troublesome if anyone took a day off. This season was probably especially busy because of the slime outbreaks. There had been an incident about fifty years ago where slimes swallowed up all of the poultry, so we couldn’t let down our guard.

Alexandrine pecked furiously at the basket Rico was holding, reminding me of what was inside.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” I said. “I made cookies and sandwiches for you all. Please have them if you’d like.”

“Thank you, Your Grace. We really appreciate it.” Noel politely accepted the basket and smiled shyly.

After I left the station, the rest of the day was busily spent doing business with merchants and attending the village’s women’s association meeting. It was almost dusk when I headed home.

After dinner, I had tea with Gabriel. Constance came by with two letters on a silver tray, both addressed to Gabriel.

“At this late hour?” he asked.

“They seem to be wyvern mail from the capital,” she explained.

Wyvern mail was a courier service that made use of tamed wyverns to quickly cross long distances. They could deliver in mere hours what would normally take several days by carriage.

“Who could they be from?” Gabriel asked.

The moment he saw the sender’s name, his face stiffened. Who would provoke such a reaction from him?