Episode 3
Why is he suddenly saying I shouldn’t get married?
Does Sir Dylan even know that my ex-boyfriend was trash?
Has it become some sort of neighborhood gossip that I’m a pushover?
This is such a reality check.
I was utterly confused.
I rubbed my head furiously and muttered,
“I’m not marrying that person.”
“Ah.”
A faint smile appeared on his lips along with a low whisper.
The corners of his mouth slowly lifted, and a subtle light gleamed in his eyes.
Is that… the rare smile of Sir Dylan?
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Seeing him smile like that, he can’t possibly dislike me, right?
“Ah, but I think anyone would want to get married soon.”
In that instant, his eyelids fluttered like butterflies.
“…Excuse me?”
Just as our eyes met, shaking violently, Henry called out to me loudly from afar.
“Effe count is short! This is bad, Ishael!”
Wait, if the Effe count is short, that’s a serious violation!
“Gah! What happened? I’m coming right away. Sir Dylan, you work hard in the meantime!”
I dashed toward Henry as fast as I could.
Counting the Effe from the beginning again, I cheerfully forgot all about my conversation with Sir Dylan.
But 48 hours from now, I would be getting married to that man.
Amid the chaos of endless tasks, my breakup with my ex completely faded from memory.
But another problem arose.
Dealing with my damned family!
What if they tried some villainous stunt again, like taking out loans in my name?
They were always causing trouble, day after day.
When I arrived at the house I shared with my parents and younger sister, it was a small but pretty home, with ivy creeping neatly along the stone walls in the suburbs.
And at the mailbox, I spotted a foreboding letter.
[Recipient: Ishael Lorelai]
I rarely received letters growing up, since I had almost no friends due to always working.
[Loan Company – Manager Mu]
Damn it.
Past, present, future—it was always my family running up loans.
And I had always paid them off.
I’ve had enough. Time to teach them a lesson.
I clenched my fists, ready to swing open the front door.
But through the slightly open gate beside the stone wall, I heard my mother’s delicate, flower-like voice.
“Pedro, did you break up with Ishael?”
“Yes. At this point, I’m thinking of dating Soldica instead of Ishael.”
“Oh, Pedro. That won’t do. They had their loyalty to each other, didn’t they? Didn’t Ishael like you very much? And Soldica will marry a true noble once we buy a title. She’s different from Ishael in every way—looks, manners, everything.”
I had to acknowledge them.
They both have this insane ability to say completely crazy things as if they’re perfectly normal.
A man claiming he’d date my sister after I broke up with him, and my mother criticizing me while smiling—it was the same level of insanity.
“So, madam, when will your noble title be restored? I will receive mine as a mage in a few months.”
Currently a commoner, the Lorelai family originally descended from fallen nobles.
Before I was born, the family fortune collapsed, and they sold the title.
“Don’t worry. I’ve contacted Manager Mu’s loan office about the missing three hundred million gold. Our family becoming nobles again won’t take long at all.”
“Hmm, interesting. Does Manager Mu lend to unemployed women as well?”
“Huh? Of course not. He would lend it to Ishael since she has a job.”
I gawked.
Is this guy really insane?
Yet their conversation continued smoothly.
“Our eldest daughter is clever enough to repay any loan quickly, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Oh.”
“Let’s see. By summer, Pedro will receive his title, we’ll buy ours, and our daughter will repay her debts. By that time, she can marry Ishael.”
Wait… I never agreed to marry!
Why are they deciding my marriage on their own?
“And what if she can’t pay the debt? I met her recently, and she seemed pretty fierce.”
Yes, I had become fierce.
“Hmm? Our daughter would never say such things, but in any case, the late Emperor implemented the ‘Familial Policy,’ didn’t he?”
Ah, right! That was it!
The late emperor hated illegitimate or single-person households and actively promoted “proper families.”
This cruel law allowed direct relatives to freely use each other’s names to take out loans—perfect for ruining people like me.
Boldly taking out loans in my name to become nobles. I paid everything and almost died from despair.
While I ground my teeth, Pedro responded with a grin.
“So Ishael will repay the debt with her salary and side jobs?”
“Yes. She’s a mage; she can do it quickly. Everything’s perfect.”
Without asking me, they smiled at each other.
“Right. Perfect plan. Madam, when will you repay the loan?”
“Maybe the day after tomorrow. I have Ishael’s administrator business card and family certificate.”
Good information, thanks.
I relaxed my clenched fists.
Even if I go berserk here, nothing will change. They would still try to take out loans in my name.
There’s only one way to sever ties with my family properly.
To establish a new household, I must get married and obtain a new home.
“Once we become nobles, everything will change.”
No. You two will never become nobles.
I will give you a taste of your own medicine.
Mother and Pedro laughed heartily at each other.
“Then, our plan is perfect.”
Everyone thinks they have a perfect plan… until they get hit.
I grinned, holding the magical recording device in my pocket just in case.
With excellent evidence in hand, the first step would be cutting ties through marriage.
Next… I’ll make them experience what it’s like to live in hardship—being treated like beggars, struggling to survive, feeling miserable. They’ll learn firsthand.
The next morning, I first went to a lawyer.
I obtained notarization for a contractual marriage.
The only way to prevent my family from using my name is through adoption or marriage, right?
Yes. You need a new household to separate from the existing family.
What if my husband tries to steal my name for a loan?
You can draw up a legally binding mutual agreement before marriage. It will prevent future legal disputes.
I spent nearly all of my remaining money to secure notarized contracts regarding marriage.
The plan was perfect.
Now, I just need a husband!
It would be better if I chose someone I already knew, like a knight.
I entered the training hall of the knight order.
Originally, I came to check the facilities.
But now, I was here to select a husband!
It was oddly exciting.
Inside, a group of knights was training.
Outside the net, administrators and noble ladies watched, wearing visors.
I sat beside the ladies.
Perfect timing—a group training session is ideal for spotting a future husband.
Training continued non-stop.
Handsome knights, ugly knights, potato-like knights, hardworking knights.
Meanwhile, I overheard whispers nearby.
“Doesn’t it seem like Sir Dylan keeps looking over here?”
“Maybe he knows Lady Garnet is here and is watching for that reason?”
I looked into the void for a moment.
It felt like our eyes met, but was it just my imagination?
Of course, I was wearing clumsy glasses.
There was no way our eyes should have met.
Ah, must be my imagination.
I took out my notebook and started seriously listing down knights who were decent-looking, disinterested in me, and generally well-mannered.
Some knights ignored me because of my messy hair and glasses. Exclude them.
Wealthy knights and noble knights are burdensome, so exclude them.
Knights who were too conspicuous or already engaged? Exclude.
After eliminating, only two remained in my notebook.
[1. Sir Tob]
- Warm personality. Closest friend among the knights. Friendly. Currently single. Trains well.
- A staunch bachelor, but mentioned at a drinking party that he could consider a contractual marriage. (Would that make him not a true bachelor?)
- Previously mentioned he needed money before my regression.
Could be a mutually beneficial marriage.
2. Henry (not a knight)
- Would understand my situation. Close friend and fellow administrator.
- Office marriage could be a problem, but we could remain friendly even after divorce.
- Fun personality.
Only these two were left.
It’s best to propose to Sir Tob first, right?
