The Banished Villainess' Husband

The next morning .
Getting into the carriage that being pulled with a group of horses with Lucy mixed in, bring small luggage, and go back to the border!
I don’t mind staying overnight in 「Exy Town」, but it will be a waste of money .
After riding the shaking carriage for almost a whole day, my bottom is hurting .

“Ouch…”
“After being forced to sit… L-look! Look at that!”
“Wow!”

After we pa.s.sed the wooden gate… there’s nothing .
There’s a quite large river on the left side .
Other than that, it’s a vast land .
It’s covered with gra.s.s .
There’s a mountain on the different side until then it’s a gra.s.sland .
No, isn’t it too big?
Isn’t it too broad?
And the gra.s.s?
Is it the only thing that can grow?
How do they maintain it?
No, I can’t say anything after two weeks of temporarily living in luxury .

“Stupid Eufranc! You aren’t going there . It’s over here! Look at that; it’s real!”
“…I see . ”

You are right .
Then I look at the direction that Carleigh nii-san pointed .
I can see a former run-down building there .
It’s a one-story building enough to accommodate the two of us .
I don’t remember going home so much, and I can sleep anywhere .

“The stable is in the back . It will be Lucy’s from today . ”
“What about the hay?”
“Don’t worry . I’ve bought it from Exy Town . If you ride Lucy, it will take 30 minutes . If it’s not enough, you can buy it yourself . ”
“Hmm…”
“Can we look inside the house?”

Lana, are you excited?
The interior looks worn-out too .
I don’t think you should expect too much .
Since I’m going to live here, I’m going to check the inside .
And the sky is getting darker .
First, you place the feed and the water and then bring Lucy inside the stable .
Then gently pat her stomach and saying goodnight before returning .

“What are you going to do now, nii-san?”
“I’ll stay at Exy Town . Tomorrow I’ll bring the food supply . I’ll explain many things to you . See you . ”
“En, thank you for everything . ”
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow!”
“………”

What .
Please don’t ask me .

“Ara? What happened to Carleigh nii-san?”
“He’s staying in town . ”
“I see… it will be difficult to stay since there’s only one bed…”
“Only one bed??”

I pa.s.sed through the entrance door .
And I saw there’s a bed at the end of the room .
It’s also a single-sized bed .
Are the two of us going to sleep on the top of another?
The other is a table and two chairs .
The floor squeaks when I walk .
Advertis.e.m.e.ntThere are many stains in the ceiling and wall .
It’s clean but needs a little more clean-up .
It’s not as s.p.a.cious as I expected, and there are two doors in the front .
Is that a private room?

“Oh, the lamp… sorry . ”
“No, it’s OK . ”

I put the small dragon gem that I bought in Enju Town in the lamp .
I placed the lamp on the table and opened the door with another lamp in my hand .

“What room is this?”
“It’s a bath . The other is a restroom . ”
“Uwaa, it’s dark… and narrow~!”
“Having a bath seems impossible today…”
“Yes, yes!”

Lana hates the bath’s condition .
If you put on a dragon gem, the light will turn on .
We are just missing the dragon gem .
The restroom is also for one person .
As a n.o.ble, we were used to a large house and s.p.a.cious restroom; this is a bit tight .
The only salvation is there are a kitchenette and bookshelf?
From what I see, the kitchenette is rather old-fashioned .
And it’s bare .
The lamp’s brightness didn’t reveal the corner very well .
I’d better check tomorrow morning .

“Do you want to cook the meal right now?”
“Eh! You can cook?”
“I can make something simple . ”

Let’s see . I had a cla.s.s with other n.o.ble’s child with a teacher authorized by His Majesty . And I went to various foreign countries and downtowns .
So, I probably can cook simple dishes .
If I can’t, I’ll starve to death .

“I-if I have the ingredients I can…”
“Eh?”
“Ah… come to think of it, it’s the first time I see that kind of furnace . How do I use it?”
“? I can explain how to use it?”

…It’s that uncomfortable feeling again .
The tone… doesn’t sound like a young lady .
Somehow I feel like speaking to a servant?
Is this why you can speak freely to me?
Hmm? No, it feels like sucking up?
Well, it’s better than her being wary of me?

“First, you put the firewood through the hole bellow . ”
“Wait . ”
“Eh?”

The furnace is shaped like a dome with a hole to leave the firewood below .
After you put the firewood, you put the pot then light the fire .
The heat of the fire will rise from the hole opened above .
You can use the heat to grill meat and vegetables .
And Lana just looking with “I can’t believe it” expression .

“What is it?”
“Can you… make something like a furnace with dragon gem? Where you can ignite the fire with one motion?”
“Dragon gem for fire? Its…”

You begin saying something weird?
For a moment I want to deny that idea… but…

“I wonder if it’s possible?”
“Really?!”

“Yeah . It can be incorporated into the tool’s effect to generate heat…”
“Eh! Then perhaps we can make a refrigerator too?!”
“Refrigerator?”
“Oh, um… it’s a box that keeps things cool, so it doesn’t rot… I wonder if there’s something like that?”
“… A box that keeps things cold… I see? Certainly, if we have a cold storage box like in winter… The food will not rot in the summer?”

There was nothing like that .
If such a thing exists, it won’t be demanded just in this country?
A new furnace, winter-like preservation box…

“Lana’s idea is brilliant . ”
“Eh! W-well, I guess so~?”
“Okay, let’s try it next time . But it will be difficult if we don’t use a medium-sized dragon gem . ”
“…Etto, is it expensive? How much it cost?”
“Thirty silver coins . ”
“Ehh… so expensive . ”
“I think I can get one . But they probably don’t deal in this town . I’ll ask Carleigh nii-san when he comes tomorrow . ”
E-en . But is it okay? The money…”
“It’s about time we get the soap money, so it’s okay . Besides, if the 「New furnace」 and 「cold storage box」 finished, we can sell them to the n.o.bles!”

Nice .
Suddenly I feel motivated .
When it’s complete, getting one gold coin isn’t hard!

Advertis.e.m.e.nts

“! I see! You are right! If you sell it to the n.o.bles, you will get a lot of money!”
“Right . We also need saving money to renovate this house . It’s bad if the ceiling collapse, and the floor is creaking . ”
“Y-yes!”

The two of us smile at each other .
Let’s cook a meal .
Until the new furnace finished, we have no choice but to use this one .
Lana said she could cook .
Look, I liked cooking a lot .
And I never heard any rumors about it, and it’s not something you expect from a Duke’s daughter .
In the past half month, Lana didn’t act like what I expected .
I heard that she was arrogant, prideful, full of jealousy, and domineering .
She’s nothing like that .
There are various interesting rumors; for a Duke’s daughter, the contents are not quite normal… hmm .

“I’ll help to cut the vegetables . ”
“Eh? Such a thing for a Duke’s daughter…”
“I can do it!”

I handed out the carrots to her .
I bought it for Lucy’s food, but it’s not like a human can’t eat it .
She unexpectedly peels off with a knife smoothly and cut it into bite-sized pieces .
Oh wow .

“You are not joking . ”
“That’s why I told you I could do it!”
“Okay, okay . My bad . ”
“Hey, are you going to put this in the soup?”
“Yes . Using salt as the only seasoning, I’ll simmer it well to get the sweetness . ”
“I see . You have to prepare the seasonings . I want a seasoning shelf around here!”
“Oh, that’s good . The rest is a cupboard . ”
“That too!”

Surprisingly, Lana seems to be able to cook .
No, it’s shocking .
Who would have imagined the Duke’s daughter could cook?
But well, it’s good to have someone who can cook like this .
If it’s a seasoning shelf around here, I’ll be able to place it there .

“Fran is strange . ”
“Yeah, I’m often told . ”
“A man but also a n.o.ble that able to cook…”
“It’s not exactly like that . And I’m not the heir to the house . ”
“Eh? Why? Usually, the eldest son is the heir, and you are? Is there any older brother on top?”
“No? My brothers are better . As for me… well, I’m not good . It doesn’t fit me . ”
“Eh? That’s unexpected… but to caught up in something like this with me…”
“I told you, right? Since it’s interesting, it’s okay . How long you will bring it up?”
“B-because!”

A lamp placed on the counter top .
The hand is illuminated by it .
Slender fingertips .
I’m certain these soft hands will not last .
From now on, these hands will get dirty and stiff like another commoner .
Lana said she didn’t want to go home, but could she who was born and live as a n.o.ble live as a commoner?
She hasn’t lived like me… is it possible?

“It matters because you are getting dragged for my fault…”
“It’s nice . ”
“…Eh?”
“I don’t have to be ordered by them anymore . ”
“………”

That’s my real intention .
Well, I think so from the bottom of my heart .
I want that and want this, look for this, if there aren’t you make it…
They think of me as a convenient servant .
Even if we are in 「Honorable Friend」 together, the social status makes a difference .
Because they can’t bring their servants inside the Academy, they use me who has a lower social status than them .

“You made everything that Prince Alfred gave to Rifana, aren’t you?”
“Yeah . ”
“His Highness said that he was the one making it . They’re taking the credit of something that you make . ”
“That’s the usual . Saying, 「I was the one who came up with the idea」 . Well, I don’t have that kind of imagination . If you say the person who thinks of the idea is the first creator, that’s right . ”
“! That’s not true! It’s obvious they’re stealing your achievement!”

Uh, I was surprised .
Please don’t yell when you hold a knife in your hand .

“I can’t believe it… only his face is good-looking . I can’t believe he makes a habit of making such underhanded moves . ”
“………”
“Why isn’t Fran angry?! You should be angrier!”
“Eh, no… I’m not really interested~ . ”
“Eeeh??!”

The ability to come up with ideas? I can’t do that .
There are a lot of rules of thumb for how to deal with it, but that’s it .
It’s inconvenient, and I want something like this .
The lacking ideas that I possessed .
A while ago, when Lana said, “I want a seasoning shelf here!” in my mind, I was like, I thought so .
You can’t apply that if it’s not there .
I have a terrible sensibility for something like that .

“That’s not good! All the things you develop are amazing! It’s 「something that didn’t exist before」 in this world?! Got it?! The stove and refrigerator that I just mentioned should also be patented!”
“Stove? Refrigerator?? ahh, product name? Have you already named it?”
“Oh, uh, yeah! I think the faster, the better!”
“Okay?”

Don’t you think it’s too early?
No, but I don’t mind .
And what’s a patent?

“No, it’s not! You should set the rules for your work properly! What you make is remarkable! Those guys who did as they please using your work should be punished properly!”
“You are exaggerating…”
“No, I’m not!”

Somehow, Lana is getting intense .

“………………”

Ah, I see .
I think I know the reason why I’m attracted to you… it’s the amount of pa.s.sion that dwells in your eyes .
I finally understood it .
When I first met you, your eyes staring intensely at Alfred .
The amount of pa.s.sion that I can see in your eyes .
It’s something that I don’t possess .
In a moment I was struck, I have a lot of strong feelings for the future .
I’m sure I was captivated by the heat in your eyes .

“Are you paying attention?!”
“Uwaahh…”
“Hey! Listen! You create things . Like instructions on how to make soap and dryer’s blueprint! If someone wants to buy it, you can sell at a high price!”
“E-ehh? How much is that?”
“The soap is 50 gold coins! And the dryer is 300 gold coins!”
“Huh… Ee!? Is it not too much?”
“No! If you imitate them and sell them, you can collect them in no time!”
“………”

Is that the case?
The dryer is a dragon gem tool that dries your hair, right?
Is it worth that much?

“And 10% of the sold amount!”
“E-ehh…”
“That’s how much you will get! Rather, I don’t think you will suffer any loss! If they’re n.o.bles, they can afford to pay and also can make money in no time . It’s okay, trust me! I was in charge of management strategy… nghhgh!”
“………?”

In charge, management strategy?
Are you talking about territory?
…Right? But Lana’s father is the prime minister, so you aren’t doing territory management?
Hmm? What do you mean?

“anyway . ”
“Okay?”
“You also have to claim your rights . If the bad guy uses it for making money without permission, you can fine them as a punishment! You can also withdraw it?”
“Eh? You’re going that far?”
“It’s also to protect the rights of other investors! And when you get 10% of the amount sold every month, you’ll get a lot of money . Even when you didn’t do anything, you still receive money! Isn’t that the best?”
“Well, that’s for sure . ”

No, her idea is fantastic .
I can’t possibly think something like that .
Will I get money every month?
Naturally, the 10% shares will increase when the amount has sold every month rise too .
Indeed, the one who sell it and I will make a lot of profit .

“Hey! Let’s do it!”
“…Okay . I’ll agree with your plan . But in the first place, who’s going to spend a large amount of money for the dryer? Is there anyone who wants a blueprint?”
“Fufu, I am . And a stove and a refrigerator!”
“…Right . I’m sure the refrigerator is useful . It is possible they will want this in the castle too . ”
“Of course! The refrigerator blueprint might cost 800 gold coins if you sold it . ”
“I think we will be able to build a mansion in no time~ . ”

I don’t believe her at all .
This time .

“En, the soup is done . I’ll prepare some bread . ”
“We will need buying a soup bowl tomorrow . ”
“Oh, I’m going to sleep on the floor tonight . ”
“… T-thank you…”

I’m sleeping on the floor .
And she accepts that so quickly…