Chapter 10

In front of the stone path lined with bright red torii gates, a building predominantly red and white was filled with many people.

Staring blankly at the screen, the sound suddenly cut off.

The image remained, but for some reason, only the audio was blocked.

"A wedding ceremony? So that shrine is still around, huh."

"Sis..."

Looking at the large shrine displayed on the screen, Soba-san muttered.

Beside her, a soft voice echoed in the room, and Soba-san, tilting his head, looked at my face.

"Your sister... the person treated as a maintainer over there. If that's the case, it makes sense that this is a wedding ceremony at this shrine."

The shrine currently shown on the screen is a place where powerful priests, who can sometimes have more authority than even the lord, gather.

Therefore, only people of high status can have their weddings here.

The ceremony must be over by now; the reason I can't see my ex-fiancé is probably because he's at the ceremony for the succession of the lord.

"If they hurried to prepare the ceremony after bringing me here, it would indeed be around this time..."

"...What do you mean?"

While thinking that his gestures are so cute, I answered his question, tilting my head.

"My sister framed me to bring me here. The one who ultimately decided to bring me in was my fiancé, or rather, my ex-fiancé. My ex-fiancé, who is the next lord, decided to bring me here after being deceived by my sister. Since he has that kind of authority, I think this wedding is probably between my sister and my ex-fiancé. If it's the lord's wedding, it would definitely be at this shrine."

Soba-san, who blinked more frequently, was speechless and looked at me.

This person may have a poker face, but his emotions are easy to read... so cute.

Noticing that I was making him think, I quickly opened my mouth.

"I don't have any lingering feelings for my ex-fiancé, so don't worry. I'm in the mood to give my blessings."

"R-really?"

"Of course. Coming here means they wanted me to go insane or die. I can't keep loving a man who was deceived by another woman and ended up wanting to kill me."

"I see. ...The lord, then. He's probably a man from my or my brother's bloodline."

"Since it's a hereditary system, that's probably the case. Thinking about it, I was supposed to be related to you. Strictly speaking, it's a bit different, but..."

Feeling a bit happy about finding a new connection with him, I stared at the screen.

This computer really can do anything.

I never thought I would learn about the outside world in this way after coming here.

Whether it's a god or a devil, this computer, which was given to me by some supernatural being, I decided to cherish it even more and continued to look at the screen.

In the screen, my sister, adorned with what looked like expensive jewelry, was talking to people from neighboring countries and prominent families in her own country.

"I'm sorry to say this about your sister, but even for a lord's wedding, isn't the jewelry a bit too much? I thought she would wear a few more subdued pieces. Times have changed, so I can't say for sure, but..."

"Well, I hate my sister, so that's fine. I also think the jewelry is too much, so I don't think it's a matter of the times."

Soba-san looked at me with a surprised expression.

I was a bit worried that I might have made him uncomfortable with my harsh words, but unexpected words came out of his mouth.

"You also feel such strong dislike for someone?"

"...I never thought I was a saint or anything."

"Even if my situation is known, or rather because it is known, I thought you wouldn't easily dislike or hate someone since you accepted me, a suspicious person, living in the same room. I feel a bit relieved."

"Relieved?"

"I hate my brother who put me here and my friend who betrayed me in the end. I'm glad you have such feelings too, even if it's just a personal opinion."

Soba-san returned his gaze to the screen, and I followed suit.

I hadn't realized he felt that way, but objectively, I might have accepted things too easily.

However, in this special space, I don't really care about small things, and during these three days, Soba-san has never made me feel uncomfortable, so I don't think I could ever dislike him.

I've always liked him as a character, and in reality, I think he's a wonderful person.

Despite the lack of free time, he's been considerate of me during the day and has been very gentlemanly.

I understand that his anxiety at night, when he spends time alone, is due to his situation, and I don't mind him rushing in in the morning.

Even though he's so anxious, he's never suggested that I sleep in my room, and I've noticed that this is his consideration for me as a woman, so I've never felt anxious about living with him.

That's why I don't feel any aversion to sitting next to him.

In the screen, my sister continued to talk to various people.

Many of the people I see are ones I've met during my engagement, so they seem to be people of high status.

Honestly, I don't care about my sister's marriage, but Soba-san, who is interested in the outside world a hundred years later, is looking at the screen seriously.

I nodded in agreement and also looked at the flowing images.

As I watched the various faces, I noticed something.

"Huh? He's not here."

"What's wrong?"

Soba-san responded to my muttered words.

After a moment of hesitation, I decided to talk about the feeling of unease.

"Well, this marriage is also a symbol of the lord's succession. So, I think my ex-fiancé will become the lord from now on."

"Ah, yes, a marriage at this age would likely mean a succession."

"Right. That's why important people from this country and other countries are here... but the most powerful advisor to the current lord doesn't seem to be here."

"Maybe he's just not in the frame?"

"Lord has been on the screen for a while, and this person was always by his side, so I think he's not here at all."

I was particularly concerned about this advisor because I had been greatly helped by him after my engagement was decided.

Although the period was short, he taught me what I should do as the lord's wife.

He was a very strict and stern old man, but his advice was very beneficial, and he was a great help to me, who was naive and easily deceived, and was going to marry my ex-fiancé.

The last time I saw him was the day before I was imprisoned, when he came to see me, who was already locked in my room, knowing I was going to be brought here.

I thought he would scold me, but he held my hand, said he was sorry, and told me not to lose to that space.

He was one of the few people who believed in me, other than Kikyo and the servants who were fond of me.

He had served the lord for a long time, supporting and protecting him.

It seemed strange that such a person would not attend a wedding that symbolized the succession of the lord.

As I talked to Soba-san, I began to feel a bit anxious.

"I hope he's not sick. He seemed fine the last time I saw him."

"If he knows you were framed, he might have deliberately not attended. Given the situation, he might have realized your sister was behind it."

"I don't think he would skip an important event out of emotion."

On the contrary, he seemed like the type who would enthusiastically participate to protect the lord from my sister.

After thinking for a moment, a thought occurred to me, and my face twisted.

"What's wrong?"

"I just thought... this person is very strict and gives very beneficial advice, but he's also very harsh. I've cried a few times. Since he would definitely offer to educate the lord's wife, I think he must have given my sister some guidance too."

"...Even from what little I've heard, it seems like your sister wouldn't get along well with such a person."

"Right. She can't stand to be patient, and my ex-fiancé was infatuated with her, so she might have told him to exile this person. She's very good at persuading people."

"But such a person wouldn't be silent about it, even to the current lord."

"True. Before I came here, the lord seemed to like my sister a lot, but I don't think he would execute or exile someone. However, he might retire the person when his son takes over. If my sister and my ex-fiancé refused, they wouldn't be able to attend the wedding."

I recalled the faces of the people my sister had been talking to.

"I don't know about the people from other countries, but the people from this country who are on the screen seem to be the kind I wouldn't want to be involved with."

"Involved with?"

"Well, you know. People who abuse their power, or people who are extremely flattering..."

"I see."

"...Not just that person, but I don't see anyone who speaks harshly for the good of the country."

After hearing my words, Soba-san stared at the screen and then lowered his eyes slightly.

"If they were forced into a ceremonial position or exiled by your sister or ex-fiancé... a major crisis might come before the barrier's effect wears off. Even if it's impossible to expel all the people they dislike, many of the people who can make sound judgments often leave before the country falls. Even if they have a debt of gratitude to the current lord, they might resign out of frustration with the new lord."

Hearing Soba-san's words, I sighed deeply.

It's just my impression from the wedding, and I might be wrong, but I felt a dark cloud hanging over the country's future.