Chapter 9

I woke up to the sound of birds singing. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw the morning sun sparkling through the gaps in the trees. It felt like a fairy tale.

When I got up, a large cloak for three people slipped off my body. Another one was neatly folded and used as a pillow. The fire had long since gone out, and the surrounding grass was wet with dew. Thank you, everyone.

"Em, are you awake?"

Lance-sama pushed through the bushes and came over, leading Ring.

"Are we leaving?"

"No, I just took Ring for a bath. No need to rush."

Looking closely, both Ring and Lance-sama were shiny and fresh. One by one, the other three and their three mounts returned with refreshed faces.

"Then I'll go take a bath too!"

"Absolutely not (Sir)!!!"

All four of them shouted, "Cheapskates!!!"

◇◇◇

After passing through the forest, we reached a beautiful grassland, and it became a bit chilly. Lance-sama pulled me closer, transferring his warmth to me. Perhaps because of his well-built muscles, Lance-sama was always warm.

"We've entered my territory. If we ride for another two hours, we'll arrive. Please bear with it."

"Um, Lance-sama?"

"What is it?"

"What should I do in your territory?"

Lance-sama, facing forward while riding, thought for a moment.

"…Do whatever you like. Do the things you couldn't do before, freely."

"Can I take a walk in the forest?"

Lance-sama nodded slightly.

"Can I bake cookies?"

He nodded.

"Can I go shopping?"

He nodded.

"Can I sing loudly?"

"Please, I'd love to hear you."

"Then let's do it together."

In this new land, I'll start doing the things I've always wanted to do, little by little, freely. I smiled softly, looking down.

Maybe my luck is finally turning around.

"Ah, but what's my role, Em?"

Lance-sama whispered in my ear. I extended my right hand from under the cloak and raised my index finger!

"The lord's wife!"

"Don't forget to play that role."

"Understood!"

I am an actress, I am an actress...

"And... keep your evenings free for me, okay?"

Right. In the evenings, we should take off our roles and comfort each other!

"Understood!"

"...I doubt you understand..."

◇◇◇

A wide, black fortress came into view. Wyatt-sama, who had been leading, was already inside.

"Why is it black?"

"It's soot. It's been set on fire many times."

Douglas-sama, riding beside me, explained.

Burned down?... I've come to a formidable place. Perhaps my luck is still bad.

Ronnie-sama, who had been behind us, bowed and lightly kicked his horse, speeding towards the fortress.

"Ronnie is checking to make sure everything is ready for Lance-sama and his wife. There will probably be a large welcoming party."

A welcoming party? I thought I would have a little time before meeting the people of the territory!

"Lance-sama! Please let me down. It's embarrassing to cling to a hero's wife! I'm dressed as a man... That's it! I'll enter holding Ring's reins, like a stable boy... Ring, can you help? Gah!"

Lance-sama pressed my stomach! As expected of a hero...

"Em's place is here. If you stay here, everyone will see that you are my wife, and no one will mistake you for a child."

Just like this? I'll be embarrassing myself by riding with Lance-sama because I can't ride a horse?

I looked at Douglas-sama pleadingly. Douglas-sama gasped.

"Douglas-sama, please! After Lance-sama enters, can I ride Nancy on your back and sneak in through the back door..."

"Rejected!!!"

What's with this close relationship between master and servant? I feel a strong killing aura coming from above...

"Lady, give up. Lance-sama, there's no need to put on a show now. Please ride quickly to the castle for Lady's sake?"

"Understood."

I didn't understand at all, but Lance-sama charged towards the castle gate without any changes.

◇◇◇

"Open the gate!!!"

The inside of the fortress was like a theme park. Stone-paved roads spread out in a grid, with shops and houses lining the streets. I couldn't see any fields, but I could hear livestock, so they must be inside. The sturdy, unadorned building on the hilltop must be the lord's residence, right?

"The people around here have never been to the capital, so they call the lord's residence a castle and the town a castle town," Douglas-sama explained. Indeed, it looked grand and large even from a distance.

A large crowd gathered along the road leading to the castle on the hill.

"The new lord of the eastern frontier, the Earl of Kiara, is entering the castle!"

Wow!!!

The cheers were so loud that the ground seemed to shake.

"Hero, hero!!!"

"Lancelot-sama!!!"

"General-sama!!!"

"Amazing!!!"

Lance-sama raised his hand. The crowd immediately fell silent. Lance-sama was used to such scenes.

"Thank you all for the welcome. Regardless of my past, I am a new lord. I look forward to working with you. See you later."

With that, Lance-sama signaled to Ring and galloped up the hill!

The cheers for the hero continued along the road.

The road suddenly narrowed, and it was only wide enough for one large mount.

Douglas-sama moved to the back.

"Why is the road to the grand castle so narrow?"

"To prevent enemies from rushing in, I suppose."

It seemed more practical than I expected. I thought the noble's residence would be more ornate.

Incidentally, the Barony of Balt was modest except for the guest room. They had to spend money on me. The prince had sneered at our modest lifestyle.

Ring powerfully climbed the hill. At the top, a sturdy wall with evenly spaced spears stood, and a black double door was open in the middle. Lance-sama slowly entered.

The scene inside was different from any of my expectations.

No one was waiting; instead, armored soldiers were running around busily, probably preparing.

"Earl of Kiara!"

Wyatt ran over and spoke to Lance-sama, who was still on horseback. Lance-sama closed his eyes for a few seconds, then gave some instructions. A young soldier ran over, and when Douglas-sama gracefully dismounted, the soldier took Nancy, his beloved horse, to the stables?

"Everyone, gather!!!"

Douglas-sama called out, and everyone stopped what they were doing and lined up in front of Lance-sama.

"Lance-sama! We've been waiting for you!"

"Sir! Congratulations on receiving the territory!"

"Hero, we'll follow you forever!"

"Ah, Sir, you ended up with a strange woman? Poor you!"

"But if she's not here, it means she didn't want to come to such a backwater! It's better not to be a hindrance, right?"

"Lance-sama! There are good women in this territory!"

...What a way to talk.

"You have a very close relationship with your subordinates."

"...I'm deeply regretting it right now."

I heard Lance-sama take a deep breath above me. The atmosphere changed.

Lance-sama removed the cloak covering me. It seemed my black hair had blended with the cloak, and no one had noticed me until now, like a bug's camouflage.

Lance-sama, holding me in one arm as if it were second nature, dismounted. He handed the cloak to Douglas-sama.

"This is the Lady of Kiara, Emeline, Countess of Kiara."

Douglas-sama introduced me.

Lance-sama didn't put me down, so I had no choice but to bow while being carried.

When I looked up at the soldiers lined up in front, they were stunned... and their expressions soon turned to disgust.

To be disliked so quickly... I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.