Chapter 485
It’s a no-brainer, but not all nobles are created equal. There’s a whole hierarchy among the nobility, like where they stand among dukes, counts, and barons, whether they’re heirs or mere successors, and if they even own a fief—and if they do, how rich is that fief? There are so many factors that determine a noble’s power.
In this light, the vassals of the Kato family are counted among the top-tier nobles. They brazenly serve high-ranking counts and dukes, wielding real authority while the absent duke takes care of duchy affairs. When you combine all this, even a marquis would find it tough to treat them as equals, because if the duke clears his throat, heads are gonna roll.
So, before coming to the Servette duchy, I was trying my best to show maximum respect to the butler and all the other vassals.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Husband. I caught a glimpse of you at the New Year’s Ball but never got the chance to properly greet you. I’m truly sorry.”
That was certainly the case until the butler cheerfully claimed he was beneath me.
“No, no! I know Count Sicila has been working tirelessly for Servette. I should be the one visiting you. I apologize for taking this long to come see you.”
Desperately clutching at my waning composure, I finally managed to respond. I expected the butler to be courteous, but I never imagined he’d bow this much.
I was foolish. I underestimated the desires and hopes of my vassals. They must have watched their lord live for a hundred years without family, feeling both human sympathy and fear as subordinates. If Trixie were to remain single forever, wouldn’t it mean the end of the Kato family line?
“Your Husband, please, speak comfortably. How can you elevate a mere vassal?”
Seeing the butler bowing even lower made me want to laugh. Even my faction members from the Northern Region don’t bow this low.
“I’m still getting used to it. Once I’m more familiar, we can speak comfortably.”
“Is that so? Then I eagerly await that day.”
I offered a typical, formal line since I wasn’t officially recognized as his husband yet.
While the butler seemed disappointed with that remark, he didn’t argue. After all, in just a few months, our relationship would formalize. It didn’t seem like he wanted to bother the future husband during that brief time.
“By the way, I felt bad coming empty-handed, so I prepared a small gift.”
With the butler retreating a bit, he shifted the topic to gifts. Surely, this would help convey that I was here as a guest, not just the husband. Maybe it’ll put the excitable vassals at ease a notch.
“A gift, you say?”
But that was a bad choice.
In their eyes, I was already engraved as the husband. Whatever I brought would never be seen as a mere guest’s gesture.
“I shall regard this as a treasured heirloom, Your Grace!”
It was just a token from the highest-ranking husband who could show up after a hundred years.
Ugh. Why are there so many people who see fur pelts as heirlooms?
“…I’m glad to hear you like it.”
Seeing the vassals tear up over Trixie’s fur made it hard to criticize.
There were a hundred of them, so they’d figure out how to share…
Greeted with fervent cheers and applause, I moved toward Trixie’s room. Before I could unpack, Trixie was overjoyed that I wanted to see her. Technically, I had nothing to unpack anyway.
Of course, it wasn’t just me going; Rizie and Lynn were coming too, which caught Trixie off guard. But since those two were also viewed as part of Trixie’s family, they didn’t try to stop it. The formerly lonely duke spending intimate time with his newly found family? No one could prevent that.
“You really are a beloved lord among your vassals. I think I should learn from you.”
As soon as we arrived at Trixie’s room, I tossed out a lighthearted jab.
“Indeed. Though I met them today for the first time, I can tell they genuinely respect you, Master.”
Rizie, darting her eyes around, added to my comment. The more she spoke, the redder Trixie’s face got.
Of course, I pretended not to notice. Trixie was slowly getting used to physical affection, so I wanted to savor this shy side of hers for as long as possible. That was just fair.
“It really is fascinating. Previously, I had a chance to see the Gold Duke and his vassals. While they were united by trust, there was a stark hierarchy.”
At Rizie’s innocent admiration, Trixie’s ears drooped slowly.
Rizzie’s praise meant “A true lord that treats their vassals like family!” but for Trixie, already overwhelmed, it probably sounded like “You’re just a nobody adored by your vassals.” Such a pity.
“I honestly don’t even know where we should raise our child when they’re born. If I raise them in Jeju or Tailglehen, I’ll definitely hear some grumbling!”
“W-well, that…”
Mentioning future children nudged Trixie, who had been silent, to speak up.
Though, she couldn’t complete a coherent sentence—not that day, at least.
It was really a shame.
*
The hundred furs gifted by my Husband.
After much deliberation with all the vassals, we decided that each family would get one, while the rest would be stored in the duchy’s treasure room. The gift from my Husband would shine forever alongside the name of Kato.
“So what do we do now?”
Once we stored the furs in the treasure room with reverent hearts, the captain of the guards finally spoke.
“Considering how seldom both the Duke and your Husband visit Servette, we should do something while we can. Who knows when the next opportunity will arise?”
That vague yet relatable statement hit home. The master of the Magic Tower, the Duke, and my Husband, the head of the Information Department—they wouldn’t often both be in Servette.
As vassals, we naturally wanted to do something nice for them. Not agreeing with the captain’s words would mean forgetting the benefits granted by Kato.
But the problem was that the captain’s initial question felt far too open-ended.
“Indeed.”
“Such experiences are necessary to even share opinions…”
Sadly, we lacked knowledge and experience regarding these matters.
Helping our lord and lady have a harmonious marital life and extending the bloodlines of their house was our duty. But how were we supposed to execute that?
It made sense. We didn’t just lack personal experience; it had been nearly impossible for our ancestors and predecessors to serve a ‘couple.’ Since the previous duke’s death, there had been no couple in the Kato family for around a hundred years.
“I know nothing.”
It was frustrating. Here we were, as vassals of the Kato family—the most prestigious magic family in the Empire—yet we couldn’t act due to a lack of knowledge. I could never lift my head in front of our ancestors.
As awkward silence hung in the air, the clerk finally spoke.
“…If we cannot, we should rely on the Duke to take action.”
“The Duke?”
Instinctively, I found myself questioning, partly out of disbelief at the clerk’s suggestion.
Expecting the Duke to take action is even tougher. In the end, we still wouldn’t be able to do anything.
“The Forest Park was personally established by the previous Duke, and the villa within is where the Duke was born.”
While that was somewhat unexpected, I listened intently. The clerk wasn’t one to say something frivolous—
“Let’s lock them in there.”
…
The clerk has definitely lost his mind lately.
“Oh.”
“Being in such a sacred space with just the two of them…”
What struck me as more horrifying was that the other vassals nodded in agreement with that crazy proposal.
What’s going on? Have all the vassals collectively taken some strange medicine without me knowing? Or did I accidentally eat something that scrambled my brain?
“Clerk, that’s a rather radical idea, isn’t it?”
I forced myself to calm my throbbing head and spoke.
Locking them up? Not only could the Duke get out in a heartbeat, but that’s way too extreme. What vassal would ever imprison their lord? We’re not in some rebellion storybook!
To such reasonable critique, the clerk hesitated but continued.
“I hear the Duke’s first wife is already pregnant.”
“That’s true, but what does that have to do with this?”
“If the Duke starts trying now, he might still end up behind the last wife’s pregnancy.”
That comment instantly chilled the atmosphere in the meeting room, where people had been acting like lunatics moments before. The clerk had just mentioned both our current and future lord in the same breath. It was a serious matter.
“Clerk, mind your words. The Duke’s health is perfectly fine, and their relationship is healthy. How can you say such things?”
“It’s not about the Duke. While it’s true that it concerns him… it’s also unavoidable.”
The clerk sighed softly, as if resentful of having to say such things.
“The Duke and your Husband… they are of different lineages. Thinking back to the previous Duke’s example, it’s conceivable, but it may take considerable time.”
Silence enveloped the room again after the clerk’s words. Despite wanting to deny it, it was hard to refute the reality.
‘That was indeed the case.’
There had been lineage differences.
The previous Duke and his wife had taken years between their marriage and the first pregnancy.
‘…But they’re at least mixed-blood!’
That thought crossed my mind. The Duke was part human. So wouldn’t it be different from before?
I wanted to believe that—
“Well, we should lock them up today, then.”
“Yes. We cannot waste even a single day.”
Oh, for the love of—
How did the conclusion twist like this?
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