Chapter 15

Finally, the day of Lord Gorman and Irena's wedding arrived.

It was a beautiful morning, and it seemed like it would be a perfect day.

However, for me, it was a day of battle.

I had to show the results of nearly a month of preparation.

"Alright..."

I took a deep breath, looked up at the sky, and clenched my fist lightly.

My hands, which I had kept away from sun exposure and household chores, and had been generously coated with expensive cream, were whiter, smoother, and more beautiful than I had ever seen. I had also carefully shaped my nails and polished them to a shine.

My face and neck, free from sunburn, were soft and well-maintained.

I had washed my hair carefully, dried it thoroughly, and brushed it meticulously, making it perfect.

With this, I won't lose!

My spirit reached its peak.

"...No, I'm about to die."

After getting dressed, I slumped into a chair, but only lightly.

Ladies of the world are amazing.

For me, doing field work would have been easier.

"Wow, you look great."

Alves, my brother, who had casually entered the living room, plopped down in a chair and praised me.

However, his face was gaunt and haggard, with dark circles under his eyes.

He had organized the usual reports, prepared various documents for registering new farmland and for the upcoming large-scale civil engineering projects, and had run around various government offices in the capital with those documents and materials, all while negotiating with merchants about next year's plans.

It was an astounding amount of work, and I was amazed that he had managed to do it all alone.

Until last year, several people had helped with the preparation of the documents.

But this year, I hadn't asked anyone. ...I couldn't ask people connected to the Ophels family or the Bertea family.

Alves had apparently tried to find someone to help, but due to the last-minute timing or perhaps because the arrangements had already been made, it didn't work out.

So, my brother had been working even harder than usual.

If he weren't a knight known for his physical strength, he would have collapsed days ago. Even though he claimed to dislike paperwork, the knights who stayed during the farming season had helped, which was a great relief.

"Alves, you look terrible. Are you getting enough sleep?"

"I'm fine. I can keep going for another week."

Normally, that wouldn't be fine, but because it's my brother, he probably can really keep going for another week.

But once today is over, I can help.

Until now, I wasn't allowed to do anything because my fingers might get dirty from ink, but I won't let him overwork himself anymore.

"Even though I'm a bit tired, seeing Lucia's beautiful appearance has given me energy. I'll do my best to get the funding for the road maintenance. I'll also negotiate for seeds and stones."

"Okay, do your best! I'll start pushing hard from tomorrow too!"

"Alright. That's reassuring. But, Lucia, focus on the wedding you've been invited to. Have you checked the list of people to watch out for?"

"Yes, I've memorized it all. But I haven't met many of the high-ranking people, so I'm not very familiar with them."

"Fil will handle that. ...Hey? Where is Fil?"

My brother finally looked around the room and tilted his head.

He must be really tired if he hadn't noticed until now.

"Yesterday, I received a letter. He might be cutting it close, so he's planning to meet us halfway. So, I'm leaving soon."

"Wait, you said you'd provide perfect escort. What are you doing? Are you going to the capital alone?"

"Tiana is coming with me."

I turned around, and Tiana, the maid, smiled at me.

She is very beautiful, strict, and does her job perfectly, which seemed to reassure my brother a bit.

"Since I'm heading to the capital too, I'll go with you as an escort."

"Yes!"

Tiana looked like she wanted to say something about my brother's wrinkled clothes and messy hair, but when he changed into a viscount's attire, she nodded in satisfaction.

That's good.

I got a passing grade from Tiana!

The road to the capital runs through the fields.

As the carriage jolted along, I found myself looking at the irrigation ditches.

My brother and I can check the ditches near our home daily, but as we move further away, it becomes more difficult to manage. The area where the carriage was now passing was on the outskirts of the Laguren territory, and the irrigation ditches, which had only been repaired temporarily, were somewhat overgrown.

I have been spreading knowledge about maintaining the ditches among the villagers, but daily life often takes precedence, and they tend to be neglected.

I really need a dedicated manager who can oversee the ditches on a broader scale.

Since my marriage has been canceled, perhaps I can use the saved funds to hire a manager. Although I can't use all the money because Alves's marriage is still on the horizon...

As I was seriously considering this, a cough came from across the carriage.

It was Tiana, the capable and beautiful maid.

"Lucia. ...You have a wrinkle between your eyebrows."

"Oh!"

I shouldn't make strange faces.

I was told not to, but I ended up doing it.

If Tiana hadn't stopped me, I might have forgotten about my makeup and rubbed my face.

I quickly sat up straight and lowered my hand, which was reaching for my face.