A Surprisingly Happy Engagement for the Slime Duke and the Fallen Noble Lady: Volume 3 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: 288

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

After a long and eventful engagement that all began with a slime, Francette and Gabriel are finally getting married! Preparations are underway, but they hit a snag when they discover that the aurora pearls they need for Francette’s wedding dress are no longer being sold. As these dazzling pearls come from Ogre Duke Emilie’s territory, they consult with her. Emilie suggests that the soon-to-be newlyweds solve the issue by cultivating their own pearls in Triste. Francette once again joins forces with Gabriel and the slimes, this time to achieve the wedding of her dreams!

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Prologue: The Fallen Noble Francette’s Unexpectedly Happy Life

Chapter 1: The Noble Lady Francette Prepares for the Wedding!

Chapter 2: The Noble Lady Francette Tries to Make Pearls!

Chapter 3: The Noble Lady Francette Is Busy as a Bee

Chapter 4: The Noble Lady Francette Weds the Slime Duke Gabriel

Afterword

Color Illustrations

About J-Novel Club

Copyright

Landmarks

Color Images

Table of Contents

Prologue: The Fallen Noble Francette’s Unexpectedly Happy Life

I, Francette de Blanchard, second daughter of Duke Mercœur, had my life take a dramatic turn when Crown Prince Mael rescinded his engagement to my older sister, Adele, on the groundless accusation that she had insulted his mistress. My sister was banished from the country, and our family fell into ruin.

My sister immediately left for the neighboring country, where our mother had formerly been an imperial princess. The crown prince there fell in love with her, and they got married, making her the crown princess. No one objected—not when she’d already overcome the strict training required to become queen. The two of them made a good couple.

However, that wasn’t the story’s happy ending. My mother and sister invited me to go to the Empire with them, but I declined. There, I knew I’d have a stabler life, and people would treat me with respect. But if a similar incident were to happen, throwing my position into jeopardy again, I would suffer the same pain. “Duke Mercœur’s daughter,” “the former princess’s daughter,” “the crown prince’s sister-in-law”—it hurt to be evaluated based on titles alone, as if no one saw me for who I truly was. I decided that I would rather support myself even if it meant being impoverished, so I stayed in the country with my father, and we lived together in a one-story house in the old part of town.

Cooking, cleaning, laundry—all these chores used to be left to servants, and none of them went well when they became my responsibility. I would accidentally buy spoiled vegetables, eat undercooked meat and give myself an upset stomach, or slip on the wet floor after scrubbing it. There were many days when I felt depressed because everything was going wrong.

Meanwhile, my father was good at getting by—every day, he would go from one mistress to the next, living under their care. This worked in my favor, because if I had to take care of my father while already struggling just to survive by myself, I probably would’ve lost all hope. I was secretly grateful for his mistresses.

As I grew accustomed to my new life, I started to earn money daily by making sweets—a skill I’d learned while doing charity work. I consigned them to a pastry store, and however many were sold, that was my income. The store owner sympathized with my family’s situation and said I didn’t need to pay the consignment fee.

My sweets didn’t sell at first, but at some point, a regular customer began to buy them all up. Thanks to him, I was able to have a normal life. From now on, I’ll continue to live modestly with my duck, baking sweets in the old part of town—or so I thought. Until the day came that I picked up a light-red slime that was lying by the road.

The slime was a talkative and delightful fellow, and it said its name was Wibble. It’d gotten separated from its owner, and the knights said I’d have to take care of it until said owner was found.

Wibble was an incredibly talented slime that could clean, do laundry, and assist with cooking. Having it around helped stave off the loneliness of living by myself. I knew these harmonious days wouldn’t last forever—Wibble had an owner, after all—but I hoped that they would continue just a bit longer.

Unfortunately, even that small wish wasn’t granted. I received a concerning letter from my father that said nothing but “Sorry.” My bad premonition came true when I found out that, of all the things that could’ve happened, he’d run away with the wife of a wealthy merchant.

After that, a large group of thugs came to my home and demanded 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. I didn’t even know where my father was, so I couldn’t expect help from him, and there was no way I could pay it by myself.

In this moment of desperation, a savior appeared: a handsome young man named Gabriel, around twenty years old, with glasses and long, beautiful pearl-white hair tied in a ponytail. Not only did he defeat the thugs when they attacked me, he even paid the two-hundred-thousand-geld compensation in my stead. I also learned that he was the slime duke—one of the grand monster dukes—and Wibble’s owner.

Though the commotion was over, and Wibble’s owner had been found, my relief was short-lived. How was I supposed to repay the two hundred thousand geld? I’d never be able to earn that much money, even if I worked for the rest of my life.

While I was at my wit’s end, Gabriel made an unexpected suggestion: I could become his fiancée. Apparently all of his many marriage proposals had been rejected in the past. I couldn’t imagine why someone would turn down a sincere, earnest, and calm man like him, but he explained to me—with an exasperated expression—that the land he governed was a lake region called Triste, where it rained all year round. Not only was it constantly damp and depressing, it was home to a large number of slimes.

I’d never been to a lake region before, so I didn’t know what to think. All I knew was that I’d endured living in this house, which leaked every time it rained, so I’d probably be fine. It wasn’t as if I were going to be able to find my father, and earning two hundred thousand geld was a difficult ask. Thus, I steeled my resolve and accepted the engagement.

And so, I became Gabriel’s fiancée and moved to Triste. I was still his fiancée, not his wife, because my father was missing—a noble lady could not get married without her father’s permission. But eventually, he was found, and my marriage to Gabriel was approved. Now we just needed to wait for the hubbub around my father’s crime to calm down before we could have the wedding.

When I spoke to past acquaintances at a soiree, they were surprised to learn I was going to marry the slime duke of Triste. The region was a place that people avoided, so they probably just didn’t know how wonderful it was. The misty rain that fell over the land was like a beautiful lace curtain. Gabriel had complained that it was damp all year round, but that didn’t bother me. It was much more habitable than I’d expected.

Triste was also filled with unique individuals, like Gabriel’s cheerful and energetic mother, Maria; my attendants, Nico, Coco, and Rico, who were triplets; and our beautiful steward in men’s clothing, Constance. The residents were all kindhearted people, and our days were peaceful. I wasn’t the only one who felt this way about Triste. Even Prince Axel—dragon duke and heir to the throne—loved it, as did Princess Griselda and Lady Magritte, the siren duke.

I was determined to continue living an honest, upright, and earnest life so that I wouldn’t bring shame to Gabriel.

Chapter 1: The Noble Lady Francette Prepares for the Wedding!

The seasons passed, dyeing the trees of Triste beautiful autumn colors. Every time I went for a walk in the garden, I’d find plants I’d never seen in the royal capital and hear the calls of migratory birds. Life here was relaxing and enjoyable, and I spent my happy days in peace.

My pastry store, the Lakeside Duck Bakery, was doing swimmingly, and I’d recently hired more people. Not only had I passed on my baking techniques, I’d also left the accounting to employees I could trust. This way, the business could function even if I wasn’t available.

However, my moment of respite was cut short by my mother-in-law wanting to discuss the wedding. My marriage to Gabriel would’ve been approved either way, since Prince Axel had requested permission from the king on our behalf, but locating my missing father had made the process all the smoother. There were no longer any obstacles in our way, so we could begin the wedding preparations in earnest.

Normally, the bride’s mother was supposed to help, but in my case, my mother-in-law was willing to fulfill that role instead. I had contacted my mother in the Empire about it, of course, but I would’ve felt bad making her travel back and forth so many times, so I’d decided to accept my mother-in-law’s assistance.

“I was worried I might’ve stolen your mother’s job,” my mother-in-law said.

“She’s said before that preparing for my sister’s wedding was utterly exhausting, so you’re doing her a big favor,” I reassured her.

“Is that so? That’s good, then.”

My mother-in-law treated me with love and care even though we weren’t related by blood. I couldn’t thank her enough.

“That aside, are you sure you want to have the wedding ceremony in Triste?” she asked.

“Yes. No other choices exist in my mind.”

Gabriel had suggested getting married in the capital, since it was my birthplace and I’d grown up there. The city had several luxurious venues to choose from, and we’d be able to request the latest in glamorous wedding productions. However, my heart was already in Triste. I could proudly say that holding my wedding ceremony here, with the blessing of the locals I held dear, would be the greatest happiness I could ask for.

My mother-in-law seemed to be concerned about what my mother and sister in the Empire thought of our family’s deepening ties with the slime duke family. She would ask about it at every turn.

“They’re both grateful to you,” I said. “I am too, of course.”

At that, she finally seemed relieved. “Still, I was very surprised to hear that your sister was chosen to marry the Empire’s crown prince.”

“Yes...I didn’t know what was going to happen when Prince Mael broke off their engagement, but it all worked out for her.”

My mother-in-law’s expression suddenly became strained. “I’m sorry, Miss Francette. I heard about the incident from Gabriel, but...”

The “incident” was probably the situation surrounding my sister’s canceled engagement. To be honest, I’d never discussed my family with my mother-in-law until today. Perhaps we both thought it was a topic that was best avoided.

“I should’ve discussed it with you sooner,” she continued.

“No, it’s my fault for not sharing it with you,” I replied. “How much did Gabriel tell you?”

“After you got settled in here, he told me about your family, but only what the everyman would know. I don’t have a deep understanding of the situation,” she revealed.

“Didn’t you want to know more? I mean, weren’t you concerned about whether the person he wanted to marry had a suitable family background?”

“Not at all. Gabriel never shows interest in anyone, so the fact that he became unusually talkative when it came to you was more than enough to tell me that you were a wonderful young lady. He loves you so much, he even bowed his head and asked me to let him marry you. There’s no way I would’ve opposed simply because of your background. On the contrary, I was determined to look after you as if you were my very own daughter.”

My mother-in-law smiled warmly and gently took my hand in hers.

“When I met you in person, I thought you were a lovely lady, just like Gabriel said,” she continued. “No matter who you are or where you come from, I will treasure you as if you were my own child.”

Her words made tears well up in my eyes.

“O-Oh dear! What’s wrong? Did I say something to upset you?”

“No, I’m just so happy!”

My mother-in-law softly hugged me. Her kindness made me cry even more. The day my sister’s engagement was rescinded and my family fell into ruin, I’d lost everything, and everyone had treated me like a nobody. Since then, I’d harbored a fear of being hated like that again.

“Mother, may I tell you about what happened that day?” I asked.

“Isn’t it a painful memory?”

“Even so, I want you to hear it.”

My mother and sister would be attending the wedding, so it would be better for my mother-in-law to know what had happened. After regaining my composure, I told my story, beginning with Prince Mael breaking off his engagement with my sister. I explained how I had come to live in a one-story house in the old part of town, how I had made countless mistakes because I hadn’t been accustomed to doing housework, how my father had eloped with the wife of a wealthy merchant, and how Gabriel had saved me from a group of thugs.

“That’s the full story,” I concluded.

My mother-in-law burst into tears. “H-How awful. I can’t believe that happened to you! If I were at that soiree, I would have gone right up to you and given you a hug!”

“Mother...” I imagined her defending me on that fateful day, and the thought filled me with warmth. I felt as if my past miserable self had been saved.

“Still, I’m disappointed in Gabriel. He was there, but he didn’t help you!”

“He wasn’t feeling well at the time.”

“He should’ve saved you even if he was coughing up blood!”

Even though my mother-in-law said that, I knew that if Gabriel had rescued me that day and we had gotten engaged, the current me wouldn’t exist. I would’ve become spoiled and dependent on him.

“Mother, I like the person I’ve become after overcoming hardships,” I said. “So I’m glad he didn’t save me that day.” Besides, in the end, he had saved me two years later.

“I can only think that he reached out to you far too late.”

“No, that’s not true.” Living in the old part of town had been extremely challenging for me. I’d had to work hard in order to get results, and many of my problems had only been solved by time and effort. “My father’s elopement was the only thing I couldn’t have possibly done anything about.”

Thanks to Gabriel, I could now stand by my fiancé’s side with confidence. Words couldn’t express how proud and happy I was.

“I’m truly grateful to you and Gabriel for giving me this fulfilling life,” I said.

“I’m happy too, thanks to you, Miss Francette.”

As we smiled warmly at each other, my mother-in-law voiced a concern she had.

“That said, I’m surprised your sister’s broken engagement wasn’t considered a serious controversy.”

“A controversy?”

“Your mother was formerly an imperial princess, wasn’t she? Prince Mael shouldn’t have gotten away with treating her daughters so horribly.”

She had a point—Prince Mael’s utter lack of respect and courtesy during the whole ordeal could have become an international issue with the Empire.

“Maybe my mother and sister prevented it from escalating,” I said.

“Given the lack of protest from the Empire, that must be the case.”

In certain circumstances, this same scenario would have resulted in war. I shuddered at the mere thought of the future we’d avoided. A royal marriage wasn’t something that could be affected by emotions—it was a duty that had to be fulfilled no matter what. But Prince Mael had lost his senses in a bout of passion and canceled his engagement. Perhaps he hadn’t understood how grave a sin it was because he had been so caught up in love. As a result of his actions, he had been removed from his position as crown prince, and now he served as a knight guarding the country’s border.

“Apparently the king didn’t know about the rescinded engagement,” I added. He must’ve disinherited Prince Mael the moment he found out, to avoid a dispute with the Empire.

Prince Axel, the king’s second son, was now first in line to the throne. However, rather than being named the crown prince, he was called the heir apparent. I didn’t know how it was in other countries, but in ours, “crown prince” was a special title reserved for the king’s firstborn son. It was unbelievable that someone in that position would act based on emotions alone, with no regard for his country’s future or international relations.

“All I can say is that I’m appalled,” my mother-in-law said.

“Indeed...”

As the crown prince, Prince Mael had surely been expected to behave a certain way, and part of him had probably found it suffocating. My sister was also a strict puritan. I’d heard that the woman Prince Mael loved was the type to behave however she wished, not bound by conventions or common sense. Perhaps he had been attracted to her because she was the complete opposite of my sister.

In regard to my sister, I had planned on attending her wedding, but due to a sudden storm in Triste that day, I hadn’t been able to. I felt bad, but I also realized that part of me was relieved. In the past, my mother and sister had sent me countless letters trying to convince me to move to the Empire, but I hadn’t replied because I hadn’t had the money to buy stamps. That had made the prospect of a reunion somewhat awkward for me. If they’d known that I hadn’t had any money, they probably would’ve taken me to the Empire with them by force. But they didn’t know about my impoverished life in the old part of town—I’d even had them address their letters to a post office instead of my house.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason I hadn’t looked forward to seeing them again. A big part of it was that I was afraid of being seen as the younger sibling of my amazing sister who went to the Empire and became crown princess. Ever since her first engagement had been rescinded, I couldn’t help but be terrified of people’s stares. It was that fear that had given me cold feet.

I confessed all of these feelings, which I’d kept hidden until now, to my mother-in-law. As I spoke, I felt the pent-up emotions deep in my heart begin to dissipate.

My mother-in-law hugged me gently without saying anything.

“I’m sorry, mother,” I said. “I didn’t mean to go on for so long.”

“Please don’t worry, Miss Francette. I’m glad I was able to learn about everything you went through. I know you experienced many hardships before coming here, but we truly love you just the way you are. Please remember that.”

“I will... Thank you.” I felt so fortunate to have my kindhearted mother-in-law by my side.

◇◇◇

My mother-in-law advised me to first think of a wedding theme with Gabriel. I wasn’t familiar with the concept, but apparently, it was customary in Triste to theme wedding ceremonies around something in particular. My mother-in-law’s theme had been roses, and she had prepared a rose dress and enough roses to fill the entire venue. I also asked the married employees at the Lakeside Duck Bakery about their weddings, and though they had varied in scale, every one of them had had a special theme, be it chocolate, violets, fire, or water.

Gabriel said that we should just make it whatever I liked most. But the first thing that came to mind was, well, Gabriel. When I told him that, he flushed bright red and exclaimed, “Well, you’re also what I like most!” The discussion that day accomplished nothing other than making us both embarrassed.

We thought it over for a few days, but no good ideas came to mind. At this rate, we wouldn’t get anywhere. We decided to look outwards for inspiration.

Gabriel and I got on a horse together and rode into the forest, where the autumn foliage shimmered in the bright sunlight.

“Even though I’ve been looking forward to our wedding, I can’t quite think of any specific theme,” he remarked.

“Maybe the hard part is narrowing it down to one thing.”

“What about making Wibble the theme?” suggested the slime, who had transformed into reins.

“You as the theme?” Gabriel asked. “I suppose we could decorate the venue with light-red items and—”

“Can Wibble be Fra’s dress?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why?”

I found myself thinking, if we couldn’t come up with any other themes, we should go with Wibble. It was the one who had brought us together, after all.

“I’m fine with Wibble,” I said.

“Fran, marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime event. We should think it over carefully.”

“Gabriel, if you get divorced, you can marry as many times as you want!”

“Wibble! How could you say that?!”

“It’s true!”

“There are many things that must never be said out loud, even if they’re true.”

“Is this one of those ‘taboo’ things?”

“No, it’s not that extreme.”

“Hmm, sounds complicated,” Wibble said nonchalantly, not seeming to care.

Gabriel, on the other hand, seemed very concerned. “Goodness! Where do you learn those words?”

“It’s a secret!”

“It would be, wouldn’t it?!”

Their conversations were always so amusing. I couldn’t help but giggle.

“Fran laughed at me because of you,” Gabriel said accusingly.

“It’s because you’re funny!”

“No, it’s because you say strange things.”

I hoped they would leave their banter at that—I was laughing so hard, I shed tears.

There was a poultry farm on the way to our destination.

“Fran, do you mind if we stop by?” Gabriel asked.

“Not at all.”

The farm raised ducks for their meat and eggs. It was also staffed by fowl knights who took care of the ducks and guarded them from slimes and other dangers. The concept of knights protecting ducks seemed unusual to the rest of the world, so there were many tourists who wanted to see them. As a result, the fowl knights had recently set up a guided tour where they explained the ecology of ducks and how they were raised.

As usual, the fowl knights were busily running around from place to place. One of them noticed our presence and said, “Oh, Lord Gabriel and Lady Francette. Greetings.”

“I’m sorry to bother you when you’re busy,” said Gabriel.

“Don’t be! You’re always welcome here!” The knight explained that there were three tours scheduled for the day, so they had their hands full getting ready for them. “We’re planning out ways to make it more enjoyable for the tourists. We’ll let you know when our proposal is presentable.”

“I look forward to it.”

The man bowed and ran off to continue his work.

“I’m glad this facility is well received by the tourists,” said Gabriel.

“Indeed. I’ll have to bring the knights some sweets.”

The fowl knights were also looking after my duck, Alexandrine. I’d have to find time to think of a thank-you gift.

Next, we rode to Chagrin, Triste’s only village. Up until recently, it had been on the decline, with many vacant houses. But now, it was full of life, with crowds everywhere. The number of sightseers from the capital was increasing, and as usual, there was a line outside the Lakeside Duck Bakery’s store today.

Some children coming down the street spotted Gabriel and ran up to him with beaming smiles.

“It’s Lord Gabriel!”

“Lady Francette is here too!”

We were surrounded in the blink of an eye. In the past, the children had kept their distance, but now, they were very friendly with us. Their eyes sparkled as they updated Gabriel and me on the latest happenings in the village.

“I showed a visitor how to get somewhere and she said I was a good boy!”

“Me too!”

“My mom said all of the new customers are keeping her busy, but she’s happy.”

The increase in tourism had had a major impact on the lives of the local residents. I’d been afraid that our revitalization efforts were putting a strain on them, but much to my relief, it didn’t seem to be a problem.

“My big brother came back from the capital since there’s work for him here now.”

“My dad came back home! I’m so happy!”

From the sound of it, more and more people who had gone to work in the capital were returning. I sneaked a peek at Gabriel’s face and saw him listening to the children’s stories with a tearful expression.

They kept speaking to us one after the other, until the proprietress of a bakery passed by and yelled, “Are you kids crowding His Grace and Lady Francette again?!”

“Eek!” the children squealed in between giggles, scattering in all directions. Wibble ran ahead of them, as if leading the way. “It’s Wibble!” they exclaimed, cheerfully chasing after the slime.

Wibble was very popular with the village children and played with them every time we visited Chagrin. It had originally been my suggestion—I had asked, “Wibble, why don’t you play with the children?” And now, they were the best of friends.

Thanks to Wibble, the residents had become less afraid of tamed slimes, to the point where it was hard to believe that they used to fear Gabriel for bringing Wibble around with him. Their impression of him must have changed greatly, especially since he now visited the village more often.

The bakery proprietress gave the children an exasperated look before bowing apologetically to us. “I’m sorry the kids keep bothering you.”

“I don’t mind,” said Gabriel. “I enjoy listening to their stories very much.”

I nodded firmly in agreement. Through them, we were able to learn about the residents’ thoughts and feelings. To be honest, I was grateful for the children, because the villagers were always reluctant to share what was truly going on in their minds.

“Everyone might be busy today because we’re welcoming a tour group for the first time, but do relax and enjoy yourselves,” the proprietress said.

“Thank you.”

She seemed to be heading back from a delivery, so she left quickly.

“I didn’t realize the group tours started today,” I remarked.

“They do,” said Gabriel.

Up until now, tourists had only come to Triste as individuals. However, a travel agency in the capital had expressed interest in organizing group tours, which were apparently beginning today.

“Look, Gabriel!” I exclaimed. “There’s a line outside the slime-product store!”

“Oh, you’re right.”

The store had opened the other day, and it sold products Gabriel had developed out of a variety of slimes. It was packed with things like water-repellent clothes, waterproof gloves, dustproof boots, and umbrellas, all carefully crafted by artisans in a workshop.

When the project first started, even the locals had been skeptical of whether the products would sell. However, after word got out in the capital that Prince Axel was wearing slime-enhanced clothing, we had received inquiries from all over the country. A reporter had interviewed Gabriel about it, and as soon as the article was published, we had been swarmed with requests from people who wished to buy them. That had gotten the store plans rolling, and at last, it’d had its grand opening the other day. I’d heard that the popular items had already sold out, with advance orders fully reserved for the next half year. The artisans were busily processing slimes every day.

“In the past, we disposed of most defeated slimes by burning them, and the fuel costs were a headache,” said Gabriel. “It’s hard to believe that we’re commodifying all of the slimes now.”

“It’s all thanks to your amazing talent.”

“No, that’s not true. Slime products were considered disgusting for many years. We had to force people to use them for the sake of improving their living conditions.”

Before, the locals had only been using slime-coated waterproof bricks and water-repellent clothes. But now, they weren’t averse to using all sorts of slime-enhanced products.

“Right, it’s because of Prince Axel’s influence too,” I said.

“That may be one of the reasons. But, Fran, it was you who gave me confidence in my slime products,” Gabriel declared with a serious look in his eyes, squeezing my hand.

“M-Me?!”

“Yes. Since you were impressed by them, I felt comfortable explaining the slime lenses to Prince Axel.”

Come to think of it, during Prince Axel’s sudden visit to Triste, my mother-in-law had shoved Gabriel, breaking his glasses. Because of that, he had switched to his spare monocle, and Prince Axel had been the first to point out the change. Gabriel had explained the special nature of his usual glasses with ease, and that was when Prince Axel had learned about slime-enhanced products for the first time. After that, Gabriel had shared various research results with him. Later on, Prince Axel had requested to do business with Gabriel, and Gabriel had provided him with his prototype products free of charge.

“If you hadn’t praised my research, I would’ve been too embarrassed to tell him about it,” Gabriel continued.

“I see. I’m glad it all worked out.”

Gabriel had spent many years on his work, only for it to go unrecognized. I’d always thought that it was a shame. Now that there was a long line of people waiting to buy his inventions, I couldn’t help but feel happy. In fact, it was so emotional, tears welled up in my eyes.

“Fran, are you crying?”

“I’m just so moved that everyone wants your products.”

“I feel the same way.”

Gabriel hugged me gently and wiped away my tears. Needless to say, his kindness made me cry even more.

After I regained my composure, we continued looking around the village. As all of Chagrin’s previously vacant houses were occupied, new buildings were now being constructed. The latest one had been dedicated to a storefront for high-end porcelain made from Triste’s kaolin. The Lakeside Duck Bakery’s bonbonnières had become famous all around the country. Many people wanted to buy them, and we had finally opened a store for them.

The store’s employees were mainly family members of the porcelain craftsmen. They all served the customers with cheerful expressions on their faces. Meanwhile, the kaolin slime that Gabriel had formed a contract with was still helping at the workshop and getting along with the craftsmen.

Triste’s porcelain was now renowned for its high quality, and even the royal family had expressed their desire to use it for their banquets. Naturally, we had fulfilled their request. As a result, the store’s signboard boasted a royal warrant in shiny letters.

As a general rule, most of the products made in Triste were for local use and consumption. At one point, we had considered selling them in the royal capital, but after discussing it, Gabriel and I had decided to limit sales to Triste to avoid antagonizing competing stores. This led to many people coming to Triste in search of goods that weren’t sold anywhere else—a very different situation from not so long ago, when Chagrin had had a noticeable number of vacant houses due to many residents migrating to work in the capital.

As I gazed at the village houses, an idea came to me. “I know! Gabriel, why don’t we make the villagers our wedding theme?”

“The villagers?”

“Yes. We can invite them to show our gratitude!”

“I see. So it would be like a party for everyone to enjoy?”

“That’s right.”

“I think it’s a wonderful theme for us.”

It felt as if all of the uncertainty surrounding the direction of our wedding had cleared up in an instant.

“Fran, do you have any specific ideas on what we could do?” Gabriel asked.

“Let’s see... We can serve delicious food and have a treasure hunt for the children. I think a duck race would be fun too.”

“I like that. I’ll go right ahead and inform the mayor of our plans.”

I would’ve liked to go with him, but something else required my attendance. “I have to go to welcome Mrs. Molière. Could you give the mayor my regards?”

“I will.”

Julietta de Molière was Gabriel’s kindhearted aunt who had helped me buy everything I needed for my marriage back when I had still been in the capital.

Gabriel offered to teleport me so that I could return home without him. “I’ll see you later, Fran.”

“Yes.”

Just as he was about to cast the spell, I heard a voice from afar.

“Fraaa! Wibble will go with youuu!”

The slime had become all muddy from playing with the children. Gabriel washed it with a water spell, and after shaking the droplets off, it jumped into my arms.

“Fra, let’s go home!”

“Wibble, I’m your master.”

“Are you sure?”

“What did I do to deserve a slime like you?!”

“Tee hee, Wibble is blushing!”

“That wasn’t a compliment!”

Gabriel heaved a sigh before sending me and Wibble to the castle. The scenery around us changed in an instant, and we were now in my room, where the triplets—Nico, Rico, and Coco—were cleaning.

“Welcome back, Lady Francette!” said Nico.

“Thank you.”

Nico was the cheerful one of the three. Rico was the bespectacled one giving a stoic bow, and Coco was the one with the slightly reserved smile.

Rico stepped forwards and whispered in my ear, “Lady Francette, Mrs. Molière has arrived.”

“Oh my, she’s already here?!”

“Due to the increase in wyvern flights to and from the capital, it appears that she was able to come one flight early. She is currently engaged in conversation with Lord Gabriel’s mother, though, so there is no need to hurry.”

I changed from my outdoor attire to a tea dress for entertaining visitors. I also had my makeup done and my hair arranged. Once I was ready, I headed to the parlor.

“It’s been a while, Mrs. Molière,” I greeted her.

“Oh, Miss Francette! I’m glad you’re doing well.”

“I’m happy to see that you’re in good health.”

She giggled. “There’s no need for those stiff formalities. We’re family, aren’t we?” she asked, giving me a big hug. Her warmth made me feel warm and fuzzy inside too.

“Julietta, Miss Francette won’t know what to do if you hold on to her forever like that,” my mother-in-law said when she realized her sister wasn’t letting go.

“R-Right. We haven’t seen each other in a while, so I couldn’t help but feel emotional.” Mrs. Molière released me and peered into my face with a smile as bright as a sunflower. It was mysterious how being with her always filled me with cheer.

Wibble came in after me and greeted her. “Oh, it’s Juli!”

“Why, if it isn’t Wibbly...I mean, Wibble!”

“Yep, that’s right!”