Translator: Xini
Proofreader: Silavin
“That being said, you’re a married man starting today, Lord Clo.”
“Hold on.”
It was early afternoon and the sun was still high up in the sky. I returned home to receive an announcement of my marriage from my secretary, Gray.
Honestly, I’m at a complete loss. I finished my morning duties as usual and decided to have lunch at a restaurant when I was requested to return home as Gray had something to report to me in private. I was informed that my marriage had been fixed and that my fiancée would be arriving here in a few days’ time. I was aware that I wouldn’t be able to choose my own bride, nevertheless, this was simply too sudden.
I, Clo Heartfield, am a noble governing this region. The age of this body is 19. But going by my memories, I’ve lived for over 40 years. It’s my fourth year of managing this barony.
A young and competent lord… is not how I would describe myself, for I am but a noble in name. Due to a mistake made in the past, I was demoted in rank or rather isolated and pushed into managing this region.
I spoke of this body’s age and my mental age earlier because I have memories of my previous life. Moreover, ‘this world’ is the game world from a so-called otome game with swords and magic called ‘When the Ring of Fire is lit, World is painted red’ (abbr: Ring of Fire) and I was reincarnated into this world with memories of it.
Maybe it’s more accurate to say I was given a chance at a new life in a world closely resembling that of the otome game from my previous life, but that’s harder to explain so I don’t want to bother.
Also I was reincarnated not as the protagonist or one of the love interests, but as a slightly older student who would have no reason to mingle with the main characters. Well I supposed if I made an effort, I could interact with them, but I’ve actively avoided doing the very same.
Because I don’t feel like poking my nose into something that isn’t even set in stone… is one reason, but as I mentioned earlier, earning the wrath of high noble in my student days forced me to graduate early (close to coerced voluntary withdrawal ) and be kept on a leash in this boondocks I’m punished to manage. In short, if I leave this place to go to the academy in the capital, I’d be dragged back by the police.
If I hadn’t originally been born a noble, I’d have probably been executed, so this is quite the fair treatment honestly. If anything, I feel happier not having to take part in any of the cumbersome soirees in the city but live a peaceful life in the country. Though we do get attacked by monsters once in a while.
“Isn’t this good news, Lord Clo? You’ve got someone willing to marry you, when every young lady avoids you like the plague. You lucky bugger!”
At present, when I’m about to set foot into the twentieth year of my life and can only vaguely recall my previous life, I have a marriage imposed on me abruptly.
Gray claps his hands and offers me insincere felicitations. It’s obviously meant to be sarcastic but it might be his way of offering support upon seeing me distraught.
“Well, it’s true that I’m 19 and that’s already rather late for marriage among nobility. Not to mention, no noble family wants anything to do with me.”
“People do call you ‘Abnormal Cagliostro’”.
Huh, that’s news to me.
“Anyway, I thought I’d live out my days as a bachelor managing this barony, so having marriage suddenly sprung on me has put me at a loss.”
“Be that as it may, it’s already a done deal. Here, the marriage certificate from the church and the letter of acknowledgment from the parents. With all the bothersome formalities out of the way, you’re husband and wife now.”
I looked over the documents handed to me. He was speaking the truth. According to the certificate, I am a married man as of today. Though I have no knowledge of it as one of the parties involved, I seem to have a wife already. Huh, the name of her house feels familiar for some reason. If I’m right, it’s rather well-known.
Nah, probably not. There’s no way any renowned house would have their daughter marry someone whose mere association could greatly damage their reputation. It’s probably the troublesome daughter of a viscount or a baronet who was forced into this marriage.
“… I guess if it’s been recognized by the church and her parents, I can raise no objection. Ahh, what if she hates the countryside and we have an age difference of twenty years between us. Not that it matters…”
“Ehh, you were a lolicon?”
“Don’t fixate on the wrong thing.”
Though I do like children, I don’t see them in a weird way. Wait a minute, if there’s a twenty year difference, then the lady would have to be a newborn or a fetus yet to be born.
“But, Valentine… Valentine, I could’ve sworn I’ve heard the name somewhere before…”
I said the name repeatedly as I looked over the documents. Even someone uninterested in matters of nobility as I, had heard of this name. No. I feel like it had more significance in some other setting.
Count? Margrave? Though I do feel like I’ve heard the name in those circles, I think it had a more important role to fulfill in “this world” in a different sense. It’s almost at the tip of my tongue…
“As for the lady who’s to be your partner…”
Despite seeing me troubled, Gray might have purposely delayed mentioning the name of the lady who is to be my wife.
“Her name is ‘Violet Valentine’ and she’s the daughter of a duke.”
He just mentioned the name of the aristocratic villainess from the otome game in my previous world.
Violet Valentine. With beautiful lilac hair, she was a significant character who went head to head with the protagonist a lot. An aristocratic villainess with a fierce look in her eyes.
I remember all of her endings, including the bad ending of the protagonist, were rather awful. If I’m not mistaken, the rough outline of them were as follows:
- Gets killed by the infuriated hero (love interest) after she hurts the heroine (protagonist).
- Gets killed by a monster (ends up a victim of a resuscitating monster, ultimately endangering the lives of the heroine and her party).
- Challenges the heroine and the hero to a duel and upon defeat, ends up a loner in the academy, drops out and lives out the rest of her days in an abbey in the countryside (her futile death is mentioned at the end in passing).
- Same duel as above, but drops out and is married off to some ugly man in the countryside (implication being she is subjected to the man’s sexual perversions).
A villainess she may be, it made people wonder if the devs had some sort of grudge against her that led to her ghastly treatment. Even as I was watching my sister play the game, I did think she had an awful temper, placed too much importance on status, and found her rather annoying and obstinate… wait a second. If I am to trust my memory…
… Huh, I’m supposed to be the ugly man in the sticks?!
It’s okay, MC. Ugliness is a very subjective opinion. I think you are handsome 🤣