Chapter 11

I had breakfast quickly, sooner than the conversation I had with Asulin beforehand.

The meal was simple, but given that it was meant for someone with an active lifestyle like a knight, there wasn’t much reason to prolong it.

“I enjoyed the food. It was a splendid meal.”

After finishing my meal and placing down my dishes, I noticed Asulin’s left eyebrow twitch slightly at my words. She seemed a bit surprised by what I said, which made me wonder why.

“The menu was quite humble…”

She trailed off, revealing her melancholy through her tone. Her attitude didn’t quite make sense to me.

“Isn’t this meal more than sufficient?”

I expressed my puzzlement, but she continued,

“Something went awry with the instructions I gave to the servants, making the menu much simpler than intended. I didn’t want to give you such a meager breakfast on your first day here…”

Her attitude suggested that even this meal didn’t meet her standards. Hmm, it’s impressive how something so good could be considered lacking. Is this really what living in the Duke’s residence is like?

I thought carefully. While I was satisfied with the meal, expressing that this meal alone was enough would surely upset her subtly.

I needed to say something that would ease her apologetic demeanor. How could I make her feel better?

Ah, this should do it.

“…Is this really a humble and unimpressive menu?”

I acted like an innocent country bumpkin.

Though she might boast about being from a renowned house of swords and an imperial countess, I decided to use her background from Sword Mansion, which suffered a sharp decline after the head of the household made foolish choices.

“…Yes.”

She spoke with a slight frown, finally meeting my gaze after not wanting to look at me throughout our conversation.

“Sword Mansion… Our house declined so much that even talking about being a baronet feels awkward. We struggle to pay the salaries of the knights and servants left in our house.”

Matching her sentiment, I added some embellishments to my words.

Truth was 95%, with a 5% dash of exaggeration.

The more I spoke, the more her gaze fixed on me, despite her attempts to avoid eye contact. Seeing the sorrow in her eyes made me want to smile bitterly.

…

“Oh…”

After my story, Asulin let out a short comment.

“Was Sword Mansion really in such dire straits?”

To confirm, she asked again.

“It’s worrying how my younger sister, who’s still growing, isn’t getting proper meals.”

I mixed deception and concern in my words.

She gets food, albeit poor quality. Not fresh meat, just preserved and salted meat, which is hardly satisfying.

As soon as I finished speaking, Asulin blinked rapidly, lost in thought. Then, she snapped her fingers with her left hand.

“What is it?”

Before I could finish my thought, a maid cautiously entered through the door and knelt beside Asulin.

It seemed her finger-snap was a signal. Given the thickness of the dining room door, her snap wouldn’t have been heard clearly. Yet, the maid appeared immediately, suggesting she wasn’t an ordinary servant.

‘Aha.’

This maid wasn’t ordinary. She was the aide-de-camp who rarely left Asulin’s side during the Succession War.

It was her outfit that made me miss her initially.

“Bring that over.”

“Understood.”

The maid, whom Asulin called Katarina, carried a rather antique-looking leather case.

“Let’s see…”

As Asulin opened the case and looked inside, her eyes darted back and forth.

Documents, it seems. What in the documents caught her attention so urgently?

“…That will do. Take it. No returns.”

Quickly examining the contents, Asulin handed them to me. Curiosity piqued, I took them and started reading.

My eyes widened in surprise.

“How do you find it?”

Asulin smiled, looking at me with anticipation.

Wow, she’s beautiful. Meeting her gaze directly makes my heart race.

Wait, stop thinking about that. I need to respond.

“…Why is it like this? Is it lacking?”

Worriedly, I asked Asulin.

“Thank you for accepting it.”

I worried she might snatch it back.

No, no. Carefully, I tucked away the contract granting me the marble quarrying rights in the southern part of the Zakarat Mountain Range, which borders the territory of the Sword Mansion.

Compared to the northern part of the Zakarat Mountain Range controlled by the Sword Mansion faction, this quarrying right is insignificant, but it’s enough to help revive our declining fortune.

I never imagined I’d get this back so easily, especially considering it was sold cheaply by the previous head of the household, my biological father, to fund preparations for the civil war.

But, even if she’s a lesser lord, shouldn’t giving away something like this be questioned?

Even if it seems sweet now, consuming something indigestible can lead to trouble.

“Don’t worry. Your expression reveals too much when you’re concerned.”

Asulin shrugged, seeming to dismiss my worries as she handed the leather case to Katarina.

“As your wife, I should be able to do this much for you.”

…

Hmm…

Even hearing it, it makes my heart feel secure.

Is this an incredibly bizarre marriage, considering we’re in a strategic alliance?

Though this situation doesn’t align with my understanding, Asulin seemed content with her actions, raising her shoulders and tilting her head slightly.

Watching her from the front, her current behavior also startled me, but the servants standing beside her didn’t seem surprised by her actions.

In fact, they nodded vigorously, saying,

“Miss, you’re adorable today!”

Their reactions only added to my confusion.

People say the one known as the Sword Demon, who supports the empire, is called the Sword Demon not just because of her appearance, but also because she can be endearing in her own home.

Well, although it’s different from her usual image, I guess I’ll have to get used to seeing this side of Asulin more often.

…

After the small commotion, as we left the dining room,

“As the young lord, there are duties I must attend to. Would you like to join me?”

Asulin asked politely.

“Sure.”

I replied briefly.

“Paperwork, right? I’ll filter out anything sensitive before showing it to you.”

I assured her I wouldn’t do anything she’d worry about.

“Hmm, the retainers can handle the filtering. After that, only final approvals are needed. There’s no need to start so early.”

She seemed confused by my words.

“Then…”

I was about to ask what we would do for the morning schedule, but before I could finish,

“What else?”

With a playful grin, Asulin responded,

“We’ll drive out the demons who dare to intrude on human territory after the civil war.”

“Of course, I’ll be by your side as your bodyguard.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t want to hear my harsh wife telling me to go to the front lines while my mana core is injured and I can’t perform.”

Ha!

Laughing heartily, Asulin walked away, her confident strides looking quite enjoyable.

Whether she finds joy in fighting demons or in fulfilling her duty to protect her territory, I couldn’t tell.

“Nothing beats a post-meal workout.”

As she walked, defining her activity as a post-meal workout, it became clear why she was officially called the Sword Demon despite the numerous exceptions.