I Became A Married Man in Another World
Chapter 139
Arrival at the Margrave’s Castle
Riji’s eyes went wide.
The carriage sent by the Margrave was magnificent. Its body and roof were a deep, polished black, accented with beautiful, colorful ornaments carved into the window frames and door panels.
She had seen black carriages before, but this was different. Even if the color was the same, the quality was worlds apart. It occurred to her that perhaps the colors seen by commoners and those seen by nobles were entirely different things.
While the driver moved their large trunks into the carriage one after another, Dorothy hopped inside with Oz.
Dorothy was dressed in a boy’s outfit—trousers and a shirt. It was a simple ensemble, but the fabric was of high quality. The elderly couple who served as her tutors had insisted she wear these clothes every day, explaining that she would look awkward if she suddenly put them on only for the trip.
They weren’t merely strict; they were wise. By choosing teaching methods the child enjoyed, they had ensured Dorothy was now equally comfortable in both noble dresses and trousers.
Peering around the interior of the carriage, Dorothy let out a shout.
“Mom, it’s amazing! The carriage is all sparkly!”
Over Dorothy’s excited voice, Riji caught a glimpse of the interior.
The inside was even more lavish than the outside. The seats and walls were upholstered in fabric so soft and radiant it felt as though light were dancing before her eyes. The curtains covering the windows were embroidered with intricate patterns she had never seen before.
Riji felt her heart drop. The cost of the fabric lining this carriage alone was likely higher than the annual income of her entire home village. She worried that Dorothy’s shoes might stain the material as the girl rolled around on the seats.
As Riji took a step forward to stop her, she happened to glance at Juhwan. He wasn’t looking at the carriage; he was watching Dorothy. He was smiling, his eyes crinkled at the corners.
Unlike Riji, who was captivated by the splendor, he remained composed, as if he had seen such things many times before.
Looking at his face, Riji thought once more, Ah, I see.
Juhwan really is a person accustomed to such things.
Juhwan hadn’t been particularly pleased about this invitation. He had made it clear that he found the connection with the Margrave—something everyone else craved—to be a nuisance.
But Riji was happy about the invitation. It wasn’t because she wanted to enter high society, but because it had given her the opportunity for an education that would allow her to stand by Juhwan’s side without shame.
She had always envied and admired Anet, but now she understood. The Anet she had envied was, of course, of a status so high a commoner couldn’t even dream of reaching it. However, within the framework of the nobility, she likely hadn’t been that high-ranking.
Even a commoner like Riji could tell the difference when comparing Anet’s behavior and speech to that of the elderly tutors.
Riji took a deep breath.
This was the beginning.
She was finally at the starting line where she could remain by Juhwan’s side without feeling out of place.
Her husband would only continue to grow. He would become great. If she wanted to walk beside him, she couldn’t stay as she was; she had to strive even harder. She couldn’t afford to be pampered just because Juhwan was indulgent.
If you want something, seize it.
The elderly woman had told Riji this when they were alone.
「Nobles and commoners are the same. If you desperately want something, you must fight for it. Kicking, being kicked, biting—out there, that war is a daily reality. It’s not just for men. The world of women is the same. No, it’s even more fierce. If you are satisfied with a passive life where things are simply given to you, as you are now, there will be no progress. No matter how much your husband allows it, eventually, it will be taken from you. Your competitors aren’t just other women. This world, war, hunger, boredom, time—everything is a competitor to us women.」
Recalling the old woman’s words, Riji braced herself.
「Riji, a woman’s fight is different from a man’s. You don’t always have to clash head-on to fight. Polishing yourself to be more elegant, more beautiful, more captivating, more wise and witty—that is the same as entering the battlefield. Become more beautiful and wise than anyone else. That will be the strength that protects not only yourself but also your husband and child.」
The old woman’s words had lit a path for Riji, who had been struggling alone in a dark hallway. Now, she finally felt she knew how and in what direction she needed to exert her efforts.
Riji straightened her back. The driver finished loading the luggage and bowed.
“Everything is ready.”
Juhwan, standing beside her, smiled warmly and held out his hand.
Riji placed her fingers lightly upon his and stepped forward.
She used to drag her feet, making a scuffing sound, but now she moved forward smoothly, as if walking on clouds. She hadn’t even realized she dragged her feet until she learned the proper way to walk from the old woman.
She felt she understood a little why nobles looked down on commoners with such contempt. To them, commoners probably looked no different from cattle or pigs, just animals that happened to walk and talk. They must have seemed like beasts in human form.
She hadn’t known before, but now she could see a glimmer of their perspective. Not that she understood or agreed with the nobles, but she recognized the difference.
Juhwan must have seen it all from the beginning. Yet, he had looked at her as a person. Now, she was as happy about that as she was about him seeing her as a woman.
‘I think I understand why Juhwan was so intent on teaching me how to read.’
After boarding the carriage and sitting side by side, Riji wrapped her hands around Juhwan’s. She leaned down and kissed them.
“Riji, what is it?”
Juhwan looked down at her, tilting his head slightly in confusion.
In this world, in a life that had once been devoid of hope, he was the gift that had been bestowed upon her.
“Thank you,” Riji whispered, then kissed the back of his hand once more.
And in her heart, she whispered quietly:
I love you so much that my heart feels like it’s being torn to pieces—more now than when we first met, and even more tomorrow. I truly love you.
Dorothy, who had been rolling around on the opposite seat, crept closer and peeked out.
“Mom, Dad, Dorothy says thank you too.”
Hearing Juhwan’s laughter, Riji raised her head. A smile bloomed on her face as well. They heard the driver shout that they were departing.
It took several days to reach the Margrave’s castle.
The driver took a route Juhwan didn’t recognize, but by driving a full day, they were able to reach a town of considerable size, if not a full city.
Because they had the invitation, entry into cities and towns was unrestricted. At night, they stayed in the finest accommodations. The driver handled all the payments.
Yeonhwa ran alongside the carriage, occasionally slipping away when a forest came into view. She seemed to be hunting magic beasts. When she returned, her white mane was sometimes stained with blood.
Juhwan wondered if the food provided by humans wasn’t enough for her. Of course, she might just enjoy the hunt, but since they couldn’t speak to each other, he couldn’t be sure.
When they finally arrived at the city where the Margrave’s castle was located after several days of travel, Dorothy’s jaw dropped.
Juhwan was also somewhat surprised. The city of Moderni had been surrounded by impressive walls, but this place was on another level. The entire city was a fortress.
There were guard posts everywhere within the city, with soldiers constantly moving about.
While Moderni might have been more decorative, this city was far superior in terms of defense. It truly felt like a fortress city on the border.
The carriage traveled deep into the city along a wide boulevard. After passing several buildings, it stopped in front of a long, sprawling mansion.
Once the carriage came to a complete halt, the door was opened from the outside before Juhwan could reach for it.
“Welcome, Master.”
“….”
The person who opened the door was a man who looked quite young. He was the very picture of “the butler.”
Beside him stood a woman in a maid’s uniform; they looked very much alike. She also appeared quite young.
The man in the butler’s outfit gave a broad grin.
“I am Daniel Rhea, and this is Angelica Rhea.”
“Ah.”
Juhwan had already heard their names from the elderly tutors.
“I heard that someone would be waiting to help us, but I didn’t expect you to be dressed as a butler and a maid.”
“Please, speak comfortably to us, Master,” Daniel said with a smile. “First, let me show you to your rooms.”
“The luggage…”
“Do not worry about that. The servants will bring the luggage in.”
Daniel glanced briefly at Yeonhwa.
“The Margrave has specifically designated a room where the unicorn can enter. He said it’s a place he built so he could stay with his favorite horse.”
The Margrave seemed to be a rather unique individual.
Juhwan escorted Riji as they followed Daniel. He found most noble etiquette pointless, but this was one part he liked. When he led Riji by the hand like this, she walked as light as a feather. It was incredibly endearing.
Angelica Rhea, following behind them, giggled.
“The two of you really are close. I heard stories from my grandmother, but seeing it in person is truly amazing. I’d love to find a husband like that.”
“Grandmother?”
When Juhwan stopped and looked back, Angelica stuck out her tongue playfully.
“The people who taught you etiquette are our grandparents. We are descendants of a fallen noble family. You could say our only strengths are our lineage and our manners. When we were so destitute that we were struggling just to survive, our grandparents found a way out: selling our lineage and education. If it weren’t for them, our whole clan would have starved to death by now. Well, not everyone in the clan welcomes it, though. They’re sitting around worrying about their ‘dignity’ when they’re about to starve.”
As Angelica rattled on, Daniel spoke up from the front.
“Angelica, they say you should speak the truth even if your mouth is crooked, but that’s not quite right. It’s not that they’re about to starve today; it’s more accurate to say they already starved to death yesterday. Grandfather and Grandmother are essentially bringing corpses back to life.”
He was quite sharp-tongued. Angelica smirked and then returned to a prim expression.
“Master, Madam. Daniel and I are here to assist you, but we’re also here to look for potential spouses. Since our family has nothing but noble blood to offer, we’re looking for noble spouses who have money and power but are desperate for a higher status. Our bloodline has a bit of royal blood in it, so it’s surprisingly valuable. We look forward to working with you.”
Following Angelica, Daniel spoke again from the front.
“With this, the debt you owe to the Miller Merchant House and our grandparents is settled. It’s rare for young men and women to have a chance to see and judge their prospective partners in person before marriage and before their social debut. We were looking for a gap to slip into this scene. We were lucky. We’ve been given the chance to choose the person we like best. Our parents asked us to convey their gratitude.”
Like rabbits being born to rabbits, these two seemed to have inherited their grandparents’ talkativeness. Juhwan smiled and gave a small nod.
“We look forward to working with you as well.”
Daniel and Angelica spoke almost simultaneously.
“Leave it to us. From the current political situation to the balance of power among the nobles, military strength, and even the distribution of unmarried women and widows—there is nothing we don’t know.”
“Don’t worry. We may look young, but we’re veterans of the social battlefield. From styling your appearance to briefing you on the backgrounds of the party guests, there’s nothing we can’t do. If we didn’t know at least that much, we wouldn’t survive the marriage market of noble society. Daniel and I are the culmination of the education our grandparents poured their souls into. From subtle charm offensives to dirty rumor campaigns, bring it on.”
Well, hopefully, it wouldn’t come to such a nasty mudslinging fight. They weren’t exactly jumping into the marriage market themselves.
Riji gave a small laugh, finding their words amusing.
Daniel and Angelica narrowed their eyes as they looked at Riji, and then said at the same time:
“Master is a lucky man.”
“This is good. My hands are itching to get to work. You can look forward to the big day.”
Juhwan grinned.
“Ah, I think I’m lucky too. I’m really looking forward to the day of the party.”
Dorothy chimed in, her eyes sparkling.
“Dorothy is looking forward to it too!”
Angelica said with a look of mock pity, “Children aren’t allowed in the adults’ ballroom, My Lady. There’s a separate area for the children to gather.”
“What! No way!” Dorothy’s eyes went wide.
Daniel glanced at Angelica and then gave Dorothy a warm smile.
“Don’t worry, My Lady. There will be lots of delicious food prepared where the children gather. Besides, you have a horned rabbit, so you’ll be very popular.”
“Oh, really?”
“Of course.”
Daniel, who had been leading the way, stopped in front of a large set of doors leading into the building and turned around.
“This is where you will be staying.”
As the doors opened, the interior came into view. It was massive, large enough to easily fit several houses inside.
“The door over there leads to the Master’s room, and beyond that is the Madam’s room. Even married couples among the nobility use separate rooms. My Lady’s room is on the opposite side.”
On one side of the hall, there was a space for a horse to rest. A large saddle sat in one corner.
“That is a gift from the Margrave. He sent it for you to use when you go to the hunting grounds.”
Daniel smirked.
“He said it pained his heart to see a unicorn pulling a carriage last time. The Margrave is famous for his love of horses. Ah, that’s something I heard separately.”
The debts were piling up. Juhwan felt a bit weighed down. He felt a sigh wanting to escape.
The party was the day after tomorrow. All the other guests had reportedly already arrived. It seemed Juhwan was the last to get there.
From the Guild, Guild Master Percel and Leonard from the Miller Merchant House would be attending. He had heard that a few other people he didn’t know would also be there.
Watching the servants bring their luggage inside, Riji let her shoulders drop slightly, looking tired.
That evening, the whole family slept like the dead.
