I Became A Married Man in Another World
Chapter 141
141 The Hero and the Rumors (Illustration)
141 The Hero and the Rumors
Following a servant in uniform, they walked down a grand corridor. The servant held a small silver tray in his hand, upon which lay a piece of paper folded neatly into a triangle. The names of Juhwan and Riji were written on it.
Riji glanced briefly to the side. Polished, gleaming suits of armor stood at intervals along the hallway, clutching spears. Metal visors covered their faces completely, hiding whatever lay within.
It felt somewhat eerie. They didn’t move, but she couldn’t help wondering if someone was inside—or perhaps a ghost. The thought made her feel as though the armor might suddenly swing its spear and attack.
Forcing herself to ignore the prickle at the back of her neck, Riji walked on, led by Juhwan’s hand.
Dorothy, who usually walked side-by-side with Juhwan and Riji, followed behind them this time.
They had been told that among the nobility, wet nurses or nannies raised the children, and parents only saw them occasionally. Perhaps that was why nobles rarely walked alongside their children.
Glancing back, Riji saw Dorothy walking with a dignified air. Occasionally, she would lower her head to whisper something to Oz. Unlike Riji, Dorothy didn’t seem nervous at all.
Oz was tucked into a bag made by a tailor. The bag, crafted to fit Dorothy’s body perfectly, had a soft, quilted bottom to ensure Oz’s comfort.
Behind them, Daniel and Angelica followed quietly. Walking in a single file like this made them look like a formal procession.
As they walked further, the sound of a bustling crowd drew nearer. At the same time, the decorations became even more lavish than before.
Whew. Riji took a deep breath in secret. Could she do this? She was so tense she felt as if something might pop out of her mouth. Probably her heart.
As the voices of people drew closer, a large door engraved with ornate patterns came into view. Several smartly dressed male servants stood there as well.
Reaching the end of the corridor, the servant leading Riji and Juhwan held out the tray. One of the servants at the door took the folded paper, checked the names, and murmured something in a low voice.
The escorting servant bowed politely to Riji and Juhwan.
“Sir Juhwan, I will guide you to where the others are. A different servant will guide the young lady, if you please.”
As if waiting for those words, another servant standing in the hallway stepped forward and bowed to Dorothy.
Riji felt a pang of worry. Could the rambunctious Dorothy hold her own among the young lords and ladies? What if she hurt a noble child or made a scene—or conversely, what if Dorothy got hurt?
But completely unaware of Riji’s concern, Dorothy nodded with a bright smile.
“I’ll be back!”
She spoke to Juhwan and Riji with surprising maturity before following the servant. Dorothy didn’t head toward the large main hall but entered another door leading off the corridor.
Oz’s white ears poked out from beside Dorothy’s waist. Riji used to think she could just trust Oz, but lately, she wasn’t sure she could trust either of them. A sigh of worry escaped her internally.
With Dorothy disappearing through the other door, it was finally time for Riji and Juhwan to enter the hall.
Riji glided through the wide-open doors.
“…”
She had seen many grand things since coming here. The meticulously manicured trees, the large pond, the interior of the mansion where they stayed—everything had seemed luxurious and beautiful to her.
But she had never seen anything as astonishing as this moment. Oh my goodness.
The sight before her eyes made a silent scream erupt in her mind.
The men and women filling the hall looked like a field of vibrant, colorful flowers blooming indoors.
Lifting her gaze slightly, she saw the high ceiling. It felt as though it touched the heavens. How could they build a structure so high and then put a roof on top of it? Not even the largest house in her village or the adventurers’ town was this tall or grand.
Chandeliers sparkling with beautiful colors hung in the air. The countless candles nestled in them were like stars floating in a midday sky. Even though it was broad daylight, the hall shimmered brilliantly as the chandeliers caught the candlelight.
Riji felt her jaw about to drop, threatening to make her forget everything she had learned, so she tucked her chin and took a breath.
She wondered if Juhwan was just as surprised.
She stole a glance at her husband, but he didn’t look surprised at all. She had heard that this was his first time at such a party and his first time acting as an escort, yet Juhwan seemed incredibly accustomed to it.
“…”
He felt like a stranger. He was her husband, yet he didn’t seem like her husband. It felt as if she were standing with an unfamiliar man she had never met. Her heart skipped a beat.
She lowered her gaze and then stole another look at him. Perhaps she had stared too long; her husband’s eyes flickered toward her.
When their gazes met, Juhwan’s eyes crinkled slightly into a smile. One corner of his mouth quirked up. It was enough to make her lose her senses. A sweet sigh escaped her lips.
Through an objective lens, Juhwan might not be considered exceptionally handsome. In terms of sheer prettiness or conventional beauty, Daniel was far superior. Even most of the servants in this mansion had sharper, more pleasing features than Juhwan.
However, with his shimmering black hair swept back and that relaxed expression on his face, her husband looked truly dignified—like a stone statue carved in the image of a god of destruction. This had to be what people meant by overwhelming charisma. Of course, she was just an insignificant commoner wife, so she didn’t know for sure, but that was what she felt.
Up close, he was the same husband, but could clothes really change a person’s impression this much? It was strange. Or was there something wrong with her eyes? She didn’t know. But the thumping in her chest was undoubtedly because of him.
Her cheeks flushed. She could feel her face heating up. Flustered, Riji fixed her gaze forward.
While she was lost in her fluster, the two of them had arrived where the Guild Master and Leonard of the Miller Merchant House were standing.
“My word, I hardly recognized you.”
Leonard of the Miller Merchant House looked at Juhwan and Riji, his wrinkled face full of smiles.
“It has been a while, Lord Leonard.”
Juhwan bowed, expressing his gratitude for the etiquette teacher Leonard had introduced last time.
Leonard and Guild Master Percel were also dressed to the nines, looking quite different from when he had last seen them.
Their clothes featured thick padding at the shoulders and dense pleats at the arms and waist. And, just like Juhwan, they were wearing codpieces.
There were a few people without them, but it seemed to be the fashion. Almost every man in the hall was dressed similarly. Codpieces of every shape and color were gathered in the room.
‘Well, I suppose that’s a relief.’
If everyone is naked at a pool and you’re the only one dressed, you’re the idiot. If everyone is together, even a swimsuit isn’t embarrassing. Yes, this outfit is fine here. Throw away Earth’s common sense. Sigh.
“…”
Noble parties usually required a partner. Both Leonard and Percel were accompanied by their wives.
While they exchanged leisurely greetings and spoke, the people around them whispered and stared at Juhwan and Riji. The gazes ranged from curious eyes to looks of contempt because they were commoners. Juhwan felt like a monkey in a zoo.
A few of them were staring at Riji.
Daniel had mentioned that Riji was a type very much preferred by certain segments of the nobility.
Seeing the greed in the men’s eyes made Juhwan feel uncomfortable. He hated it, even if it was just a gaze. He wondered if he had always been this narrow-minded. He used to be a bit cooler about things.
“Both Sir Juhwan and his wife look quite different when dressed up. I never imagined they would transform this much.”
Percel smirked.
Leonard took a glass from a passing servant and gave a slight nod to his wife.
Leonard’s wife smiled warmly and spoke to Riji.
“Mrs. Riji, while the men talk of dull things like hunting and war, why don’t we step aside for a moment? I know a lady over there I’d like to introduce you to.”
“Thank you, Madam.”
Riji replied gracefully and let go of Juhwan’s hand.
As Riji and Leonard’s wife moved away, Percel’s wife and the other men’s wives followed.
At first, Riji had looked like a trembling deer caught by a hunter, but she seemed to have regained her composure. It appeared the etiquette teacher’s rigorous training was finally showing results.
Once the women had moved a short distance away, Leonard lowered his voice so those around them couldn’t hear.
“I heard a suspicious rumor from the Royal Capital recently. They say His Majesty’s behavior has been a bit strange. Have you heard anything, Percel?”
“Ah, I’ve heard. There are all sorts of stories going around—that His Majesty whipped several people who opposed him, that he’s obsessed with the Hero, and so on.”
“And I heard the Duke has taken charge of the Hero for the time being.”
Leonard lowered his voice even further.
“But they say that Hero is saying some strange things. Apparently, upon hearing Sir Juhwan’s name, she claimed to know him.”
Leonard and Percel’s gazes turned toward Juhwan.
“No, I don’t know her. There’s no way I would.”
At Juhwan’s words, Leonard furrowed his brows.
“But you see, the things the Hero supposedly said align strangely with Sir Juhwan. Of course, it’s just hearsay… but it bothers me.”
It was impossible. There was no way someone who knew him could be here. When Juhwan repeatedly stated he didn’t know her, Leonard nodded.
“I see. I also think what the Hero is saying is a bit odd. From what I know, that Hero is a summoned person. Regardless, you need to be careful regarding the Hero. She seems to have a very strong interest in you, Sir Juhwan.”
Just then, a loud voice announced an arrival. Everyone turned toward the entrance.
The Border Count of Bern was entering the hall with his wife.
The people who had been chatting in small groups of men and women moved smoothly to find their partners. Juhwan, like the others, headed to Riji’s side.
The Border Count offered a few brief words of greeting to the guests before moving through the room with his wife. The crowd parted like a receding tide to create a path for him.
In this world, those of lower status could not speak to those of higher status first. He had heard that for the first encounter, the person of higher status must always speak first.
The reason servants guided guests to pre-arranged spots was so the Border Count could speak to them along his walking path.
And unexpectedly, the first person the Border Count spoke to was Juhwan.
The Border Count walked straight up to Juhwan, who bowed his head slightly.
“It has been a while. Did you find the accommodations to your liking? That is a place I am very fond of.”
“Yes, Your Excellency. Yeonhwa, the unicorn, took a particular liking to the estate.”
“Haha. I see. I am glad it pleased her. Well then, enjoy your time.”
“Yes, thank you for inviting us.”
After that, he spoke to Leonard and Percel. The Border Count and his wife moved slowly through the room, selecting a few people to speak with before moving on.
Living like that must be stifling enough to kill a man. Being a Border Count seemed like a job Juhwan wouldn’t want. If it were him, he would have quit immediately. For some reason, the Border Count’s expression looked incredibly weary.
Dorothy walked energetically through the large door. Because there had been a door, she thought there would be a wall next to it, but it was wide open. Instead of a wall, there was a continuous line of pretty flowers and short trees. It was like a wall made of plants.
Through the tangled branches and blossoms, she could occasionally see the adults. There were plenty of women wearing dresses three or four times larger than their bodies.
The place where the adults were was inside a building with a roof, but for some reason, the children’s area Dorothy was heading to was outdoors.
A little distance away, several beautifully decorated tables were set up, and children were swarming around. There were children older than Dorothy and some younger.
She didn’t know why, but there were more boys. The few girls there were decorated from their hair down with pretty dresses and ribbons, like miniature versions of adults.
It looked like fun. She rarely saw so many children around her age. Her body felt restless; she wanted to go play with them quickly.
Then, suddenly, she saw her mother through the trees.
‘Ah!’
As she followed the servant, Dorothy unconsciously pressed herself against the wall of flowers and trees.
Her mother, as beautiful as a vibrant flower, was walking as if she were gliding along with her father. Dorothy wondered if the floor was actually slippery like water or ice. The thought suddenly occurred to her.
Dorothy poked her head slightly through the branches and scanned the women in the wide space.
“Hehe! My mom is the prettiest.”
As she muttered to herself with pride, a voice suddenly spoke from beside her.
“How insolent! My mother is the most beautiful.”
“What! Who’s there?!”
Startled, she pulled her head out of the trees, and the voice spoke again.
“Hmph, a girl? How dare a girl wear pants…”
Dorothy snapped her head around to glare at the source of the voice.
Standing there was a boy so pretty it made her eyes widen.
She had never seen such a pretty boy. Her anger vanished instantly.
