Civil Servant in Romance Fantasy

Chapter 248: A Happy Year-End (5)

I quietly slipped the matching pair of the couple ring (or rather, the ‘lost couple ring’) into my pocket and looked at the Mage Duchess, who was grinning like a child. Seeing her laugh so innocently unlike her usual calm and dignified smile filled me with a sense of pride.

I would've given it to her sooner if I had known she'd be this happy. I should be more generous with gifts from now on.

...Is this really okay?

However, seeing her become so pleased with just half of a ring gave me a slight pang of guilt. It felt like watching a wife pretend to be happy because she didn't want her husband to feel bad for not being able to afford a full couple ring.

Well, it should be fine as long as she’s happy. It was just a temporary ring anyway, so I shouldn’t get too hung up on it.

"I’ll treasure this for a lifetime..."

I quickly shook my head when she murmured that in a dreamy voice. That sinister thing was definitely not a lifelong ring.

"That won’t do. You need to save space for a proper wedding ring."

Yes, my goal was to put a proper wedding ring on the fingers of the brides and not just a half-piece.

Judging by how things looked like now, even the wedding ring might end up being split in two. But no matter what, dividing a wedding ring would be a bit much, wouldn’t it? I’d have to do everything I could to prevent that when the time came.

"A wedding ring..."

Fortunately, the mention of a wedding seemed to have a remarkable effect. Her once-dazed eyes started to sparkle.

"Um, baby?"

"Yes?"

But the Mage Duchess’s thoughts seemed to drift elsewhere as she hesitantly spoke up after fiddling with the ring.

“When… do you think we’ll get married?”

She asked with a shy expression, and the sparkle of hope in her eyes made me smile.

Since I had already accepted her confession and even mentioned marriage, the Mage Duchess was probably envisioning a grand wedding with little quarter-elves playing in the garden by now.

I understood. I did get upset about the life-extension potion earlier, which really brought her down. For someone who hit rock bottom, the idea of marriage must seem like pure bliss.

"Well, probably next year at the earliest. Mar needs to graduate first."

At those words, the Mage Duchess froze.

What was this? Could she really not wait until next year?

Still, it would be difficult to marry Marghetta while she was still a student.

***It was only after baby spoke that I came to my senses. Blinded by happiness, I hadn’t noticed—no, I had been willfully ignoring the approaching problem.

The Iron-blooded Duke’s daughter as the first...

My hand wearing the ring trembled. I unconsciously bit my lip.

Baby mentioned Lady Marghetta when I asked about the wedding date. This meant that the first wife would be the Iron-blooded Duke’s daughter.

Of course, it made sense. Baby gave the ring to her first, and unlike me, who selfishly hurt him, Lady Marghetta had done nothing wrong.

So, it was only natural that she would be the first wife.

Then, what about me?

The issue I had desperately tried to ignore and avoid thinking about began to creep into my mind.

Someone of a higher rank than the first wife couldn’t become the second wife.

It was an unspoken tradition to protect the authority of the first wife. Now that marriage was imminent, this tradition suddenly came to mind.

If Lady Marghetta became the first wife, then essentially any noble lady in the empire could become baby’s wife. After all, there was no lady higher in rank than her.

However, I wasn’t just any noble lady. As a duke, I outranked a noble lady.

If only I were a duke’s daughter, too.

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I wouldn’t be lower than Lady Marghetta if that were the case, but I wouldn’t be higher, either. I’d be perfectly qualified to be the second wife.

I missed father more than ever. If he were still alive… I could’ve fulfilled my love and shown him his adorable grandchildren.

For the first time, the title of a duke felt like a burden. This was the first time I’d felt this way in a hundred years, and yet, once again, baby was the cause.

A first I could have done without...

...But he told me he’s going to give me a wedding ring.

I tried to shake off the gloomy thoughts and focus on something positive.

Yes, baby did say that he was going to give me a wedding ring. Even if I couldn’t become his wife and even if I couldn’t have a wedding, he told me that he saw me as his wife in his heart.

Being a mistress would be sad, but with the barrier of tradition in the way—

"It might take a bit longer since you’re the second, but please understand since we can’t have the weddings at the same time."

...?

Something felt off about baby’s words. That statement made it sound like he was planning to marry me.

That was strange. It would be impossible for baby to marry me unless I was the first wife. But didn’t he just say I’d be the second?

"Are you saying you’ll marry me?"

"Yes."

The look he gave me, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, left me dumbfounded.

Oh.

And then it hit me. Perhaps baby didn’t know about the tradition.

Well, of course. Baby had just turned twenty. He had only just become an adult and started his life as a civil servant. It was understandable that he might not know much about marriage customs.

"Baby, that’s impossible. The second wife can’t outrank the first wife."

I spoke as gently as possible. Explaining why I couldn’t be baby’s wife was heartbreaking, but I couldn’t let him misunderstand.

"I know."

"Wh-what?"

But his response only deepened my confusion.

He… he knows?

"Are you planning to break the tradition? You can't do that. The Valenti family won’t stand idly by."

I hurriedly tried to stop baby as the worst-case scenario flashed through my mind.

If baby still wanted to marry me despite knowing tradition, it meant that he would be disregarding a custom that had been upheld for generations.

That must not happen. No matter how much I care for him, he shouldn’t do something that would threaten the authority of the first wife. If he brought in a wife who would challenge that position, the Valenti family—specifically, the Iron-blooded Duke—would undoubtedly be furious.

I couldn’t allow baby's strongest ally, the Iron-blooded Duke, to become his enemy because of me. If I set aside my selfish desires, everyone could be happy.

"Are you really caught up in that tradition?"

But instead of agreeing, baby looked at me as if he didn't understand.

"Isn't that rank just a matter of family standing?"

His words left me speechless.

"I thought people within a ducal family were considered equals."

Well, they were technically equals. But still, it was hard to consider a duke and a duke’s daughter as the same rank.

"There have been cases where both the first and second wives were daughters of counts."

That was true. In fact, it was quite common. But if the second wife had been a count herself, it wouldn’t have been possible.

...Or, would it really be impossible?

There's no precedent, but...

Baby's words made me quickly revisit my memories.

There had indeed been many cases where daughters of families with equal standing had become co-wives. So, if we considered Lady Marghetta and me as members of ducal families regardless of titles, we could be seen as equals.

To refute this, one would have to argue that a titleholder and a simple noblewoman couldn’t both become wives to the same person... but there was no precedent for that. After all, why would a titleholder settle for being just one of several wives?

"...Isn't it possible?"

"You’re right. Baby, you’re absolutely right."

I answered firmly when baby cautiously asked again.

In truth, it was quite the stretch—a very convenient interpretation.

However, it was a claim that could be argued. This wasn’t breaking tradition; it was just a different way of interpreting it.

As expected of baby.

He was a pioneer who discovered a path no one else had thought of and a partner who found a way for me to be a legitimate wife.

Baby, who was already so dear to me, became even more cherished in my eyes.

***I walked down the corridor, following the butler who managed Carl’s mansion.

My heart pounded with every step, and I couldn’t contain my excitement. This wasn’t just a tour for a guest but a formal introduction to the mansion for its future hostess—the first wife, no less.

Impressive.

I thought as I observed the butler's back. I’d noticed since last summer that the staff at this mansion were truly exceptional.

In fact, I was impressed from the moment I entered the mansion. Despite the unusual situation of its master, Carl, being absent, the butler handled everything perfectly.

The staff greeted me with a grand welcome as soon as I passed through the main gate. The butler at the forefront bowed deeply, treating me not just as a guest, but as if I were his superior.

His impeccable courtesy left nothing to be desired, and though I told him he could relax, he simply smiled and replied:

"Though I’m lacking in many ways, my eyes and ears are still sharp."

How could I argue with such words? The staff Carl handpicked were truly nothing short of outstanding.

"I must say I'm a bit nervous to be hosting the future ladies of the house."

He even added a few words to include Lady Louise and Lady Irina, making sure they didn’t feel left out. His thoughtfulness was evident. It was clear why Carl trusted him with the mansion.

"Would it be alright to guide you to the same room you stayed in last time if it was to your liking?"

"Of course."

With that, the pleasing butler led me to the room where I would be staying. Not long after I settled in, there was a knock at the door.

When I told them to come in, the butler entered, bowing his head.

" I would like to show you around the mansion’s facilities if you don't mind."

I nodded without hesitation. There was no need to show a guest around the mansion in such detail unless they were someone special.

“All that's left is the treasury.”

"Is that so? I’m looking forward to it."

I responded softly to the butler’s words, which broke my train of thought.

We had already toured the entire mansion, leaving only the final location. Although the mansion was vast, the areas Carl actually used were limited, so the tour didn’t take long.

"Oh dear. Compared to the Valenti family's treasury, it’s rather modest."

"Fufu. Valenti’s treasury has been growing for 300 years, but this one was built by Carl in just a few years, wasn’t it?"

I laughed at the butler’s proud remark.

This wasn’t the Krasius family’s treasury, but Carl’s personal mansion vault. If he was comparing it to Valenti’s treasury, then it must be something special.

And as if confirming my thoughts, the butler opened the vault door with a broad smile.

My goodness.

The moment I saw Carl’s treasury, I understood the butler’s pride.

It was filled with weapons that a warrior like Carl would appreciate, jewels of various colors, luxurious clothes and fabrics, and other treasures.

While the quantity wasn’t large, the variety was impressive, and each item was of the highest quality. It was a small but richly stocked treasury.

"This vault was built from spoils of the Great War in the North, gifts from the imperial family, and various rewards accumulated over time."

Even the process of filling the vault was extraordinary. Every treasure was earned through merit.

“That's amazing.”

"Master, however, takes little interest in it."

The butler added this with a touch of regret, which made me smile faintly.

That was true. Carl had always been frugal. He even wore his Prosecutor’s uniform most of the time.

So many fine clothes, and they’re all just sitting there.

A collection of ceremonial garments was gathered in one corner. Any one of them would have been perfectly suitable for him to wear.

Hm?

But as I reached the deepest part of the vault, I stumbled upon something completely unexpected.

Usually, the most treasured items were kept in the deepest part of a vault. These would commonly be heirlooms or objects left by the founder of the family.

What are these?

However, the items before me were surprisingly ordinary.

The display case was clean and looked luxurious, but the items on it—a sword, a staff, a spear, a scripture, two crossed swords, a dagger, and a bow—seemed entirely random.

They didn’t appear to be anything special. I might have thought that Carl had a hobby of collecting antiques if they at least had the feel of artifacts, but no.

"These are Master's most cherished possessions."

The butler spoke softly as I stared at the items in confusion. I wondered if they had been misplaced, but it was clear that these were indeed treasures Carl valued.

...Why?

"It would be better for Master himself to explain these to you. That way, you'll understand their significance."

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, the butler added with a slight smile.

"And the same goes for that."

Following the butler’s gesture, I noticed more peculiar objects tucked away in a corner.

What was in there was a greatsword and a scythe. It was another combination that made little sense, leaving me feeling even more puzzled.

“…They seem to be a bit neglected.”

"Master instructed us to leave them as they are."

I felt even more confused.