The Noble Girl Living in Debt

Chapter 14

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Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: A New Big Problem

TL: BabyDalyn

TLC: Krizzis

Editor: Momielxai

QC: Kitts

First published on Ainushi

Today was Bernard’s day-off.

He got up early in the morning, fixed his clothes, picked up the sword that was beside his bed, and went out.

It had yet to snow outside, but he was freezing from the chilly wind that pierce against his skin.

While it was still dark, the house gardener Dominic was already up diligently working early in the morning.

「Oh! You’re early as ever, Dominic.」

Raising his hat, Dominic nodded his head. The biggest man in the mansion, he was headed to the rear garden carrying pieces of firewood on his shoulder.

The wind howled and grew stronger.

Purposely standing against the direction of the wind, he drew his sword and begin to practice his swings.

Fwoosh, whoosh, the heavy slashing sounds echoed from the garden.

He lost count of how many times he swung, but by the time the sun had risen, he stopped.

Putting the sword down, he felt a presence behind him.

「Good morning Goshujin-sama.」

When he turned around, there was Agnes with a bashful smile as she offered him a towel.

Taking the towel, he wiped the sweat on his forehead.

「Breakfast is served.」

「Got it.」

Suddenly, Bernard noticed something strange.

Agnes was wearing the cheap looking dress she had worn when he first met her. Moreover, she was missing the usual thin ap.r.o.n that she would have on.

The dress was quite large for Agnes’s body, which gave a mismatched appearance.

「You, what happened to your livery?」

Suddenly, Agnes widened her eyes and made an awkward expression.

With a voice that seems to disappear, she confessed about how her b.u.t.ton had come off because the size of the livery she had worn previously did not match hers.

「That’s just stupid. You raised your arms and the b.u.t.ton came off.」

「It-It’s the truth. Gigille-san saw it too.」

He realized that the reason for the order of the liveries yesterday was because of what had transpired.

What she had been wearing till now were the liveries that used to belong to Gigille’s married eldest daughter.

「But, how did it end up like this? 」

「I-It’s a little………….」

「What did you say?」

「……My c-chest is a l-little, f-fat.」

「HAA!?」

He glanced at Agnes from top to toe.

He was unable to completely grasp her figure since she was in slightly larger clothes, but as a whole, she was slender. Saying that she’s fat, he was doubtful about that claim.

「What part of you is fat?」

「This, um, I’ve been squeezing my body with the correction undergarments.」

「With a corset? 」

「Yes. It’s an undergarment with metal fixtures held together by strings at the back that straightens the body.」

「Isn’t that painful for you? 」

「That is…….Yes. It’s part and parcel of wearing it.」

「Then why do you wear it? I don’t get it.」

「Eh, as I thought, it was really like that.」

The more they talk about it, the more Agnes sank into depression.

There was no reason for her to wear those corrective undergarments when she was working, so he told her to stop wearing them, but she told him she didn’t own any other undergarments. She informed him that Gigille went to town today to buy her another set of

undergarments.

「Well, if you don’t have others then it can’t be helped.」

「I do apologise.」

「No, it’s fine.」

Bernard felt sorry for Agnes who was very down and spoke.

「I don’t know how fat you are, but rather than being thin, it’s better for you to stay fat.」

「EH!?」

Surprised, Agnes looked up at Bernard.

「T-Then, do you mean you prefer a plump lady rather than a slender one? 」

「N-No, well, if you’re asking me to choose……」

Rather than recklessly slimming down, being plump was better.

After hearing his reply, Agnes’s clouded expression quickly brightened.

「That’s a relief. It’s been troubling me since my social debut.」

「No, you need to gain more weight. Your arms are this thin――」

a.s.serting it once more, Bernard grabbed Agnes’ arm and wrist several times.

Agnes’s face flushed red from being grabbed on the wrist despite it being only over her clothes.

When Bernard saw that, he was shocked and hurriedly released her hand.

「S-Sorry.」

「I-It’s fine. Please don’t let it b-bother you.」

It was then he remembered that the other party was a sheltered n.o.ble’s daughter.

Even so, other than his wife, he shouldn’t be casually touching another woman.

Both of them stood still, their faces turned away flushed with embarra.s.sment.

Having observed the events unfold from the shadows, the figure finally made a move.

「Agnes-san!」

「Y-Yes!」

Agnes and Bernard’s shoulders quivered in surprise upon hearing Gigille calling out to them.

「Are you busy right now?」

「No.」

Watching the two of them talk, Bernard felt ashamed of himself for being so shaken up that he had not noticed the person’s presence even in the slightest.

「If that’s so, please help out in the kitchen.」

「Understood.」

Agnes bowed deeply to Bernard and left the place with little strides.

After making sure she had left the garden already, Gigille reproached him.

「――Let me say one thing, Master.」

「W-What is it.」

「Next time you hold Agnes-san’s hand again, please take responsibility by marrying her.」

「H-HAAA!? WHY MUST I !?」

「By society’s standards, it’s only natural that you do so.」

「Well, it’s not like I held her hand ! !」

「You did. With the exception of dancing at an evening party, an unmarried woman mustn’t be touched by another man other than her husband to be. Also, it’s about time you think about getting married since a letter of the likes has arrived from Milady.」

「WHEN DID IT ARRIVED ! ?」

「The other day.」

Bernard tried to s.n.a.t.c.h away the letter that Gigille took out from her ap.r.o.n’s pocket, but she dodged his hands by a hair’s breadth.

「You ! !」

「It is not addressed to you, Master.」

「What?」

「It was addressed to me.」

「……」

Gigille read a section of the letter that came from Bernard’s mother.

That is, her worries for her son that hadn’t married yet.

「Milady has arrived at the capital.」

「HAAA, WHY ! ?」

「In order to search for a marriage partner for Master.」

「I’m still fine not getting married. Besides, there’s not a n.o.blewoman out there who wants to marry a man who owns this rundown mansion! 」

「Milady said that it’s fine even if your spouse isn’t a young lady from n.o.bility.」

It was also written that as long as the partner has a good personality and loves Bernard above anything else, then she welcomes her.

「Milady is the type to follow through with her words.」

Bernard’s eyes unconsciously went blank when he hit upon the hints she was dropping.

He knew his mother was the fired-up sort since a long ago and she was tenacious, a person who doesn’t know when to give up until she gets what she wants.

The thought that perchance, he might actually be forced into marriage made sweat form on his forehead.

「I’m not getting married yet!」

「……It’s not me, but Milady whom you should be saying that to.」

It has been three months since he was a.s.signed to the 『Third Division a.s.sault Corps』.

He wasn’t able to cope with his job and his new post yet, and there was also Agnes. He was at his limit.There wasn’t any time yet to consider marriage.

「Hey, tell that to mother when she swings by!」

「It’s not my place to say that to Milady, I’m just but a mere servant.」

「It’s fine, just do something about it !」

「That would be difficult.」

Since he’s already of marriageable age for a n.o.ble, therefore how can she go about telling her mistress when he has strengthened his resolve.

However, since Bernard did nothing but simply reinforce that huge decision he made a few days ago, there was nothing much Gigille could do about it one after the other so she brought it.

「How unmanly.」

「Don’t measure a man’s worth with your personal feelings!」

「You’re right. Please pardon my rudeness.」

Gigille ended the talk with that, bowed and tried to leave the garden.

Bernard hurriedly stopped her.

「Hey !」

「Master, a servant’s morning is really busy.」

「It’s okay, so just listen.」

「What is it?」

「I don’t intend to get married.」

「I heard you say that earlier.」

「B-Because I don’t want to get married yet, that’s why I need a favour.」

「That’s not the att.i.tude you show when asking for a favour from someone.」

「……」

Though they had a master-servant relationship, for him, Gigille was like the mother who raised him.

Since he was young, she was one of the few people he couldn’t disobey. Bernard fixed his att.i.tude and begged whilst lowering his head.

「Gigille, please help me somehow.」

「Alright.」

「EH ! ?」

「Why are you so surprised for?」

「N-No, I’m surprised you’re really doing it.」

「Yes, if it’s feasible.」

He had nothing to lose therefore he had begged her for a solution, but Gigille said that there was an easy way to avoid getting married.

「And that would be――」

「It’s simple.」

Gigille flashed a sweet smile at Bernard and bluntly put it.

「It’ll work out if you request Agnes-san to act as your fiancée.」

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