Dream Life Vol 3 Chapter 31.2: “The Incident In The Garden”

　We have been in Welburn for quite a few days, but I have yet to visit my grandfather’s house, as we were not free to leave the castle until Harrison Gunnel was captured. From what I’ve heard, the family seems to be relatively wealthy.

My grandfather calls my brother by a title, but that is inevitable between them, who are commoners, and us, who are of knightly rank. He called my mother “Mrs. Lockhart” or “Your Ladyship,” as he had done in the past.

My grandfather called me, my brother Theo, and my sisters Sera and Sophia by “master/young lady”, it felt strange to me, as I still have Japanese sensibilities. I still can’t get used to it, especially since I have been in a place where there is no hierarchy of status since I came to this world.

However, they seem to love their grandchildren, especially the young Sophia, and I was relieved to see that they love their grandchildren the same way in any other world.

Once parting from my grandparents, we entered the main hall.

The altar has already been set up, and I see the priests discussing with the civil servants how to confirm the procedure and arrange the offerings.

For them, this is their first big event in a long time, and it is obvious that they are very enthusiastic about it. Especially because of the Light God Church, the priests of each temple seem to be doing their best to make a good impression on the Frontier Count.

When I looked out from the main hall into the courtyard, I saw a number of nobles strolling in the garden.

I guessed that they have as much free time as we have.

After saying a polite goodbye to my father and mother, I asked Mel and Sharon, who were standing by my side,

“Would you like to go see the garden?” (Zack)

Mel’s carrot-red hair that is tied back in a chignon and is wearing a pale blue dress with a rather daring design that shows off her shoulders. Her skin from her shoulders to the nape of her neck is glistening despite her suntan, and the corset she wears accentuates her narrow waist and rapidly growing bosom, giving her a strangely feminine appearance. However, she may be in a lot of pain, and she said, “I can’t eat anything in this dress”. However, when I complimented her on how well she looked, she smiled happily.

Sharon’s beautiful platinum blonde hair was braided on the side and pulled back. She was wearing a mature A-line dress in a light pink color. Unlike Mel’s dress, it showed little skin and suited Sharon’s usually neat and tidy appearance. When I told her this, she shyly replied, “Thank you,” her face slightly upturned.

I led them to the courtyard, but Liddy and Beatrice did not say anything in particular.

There was a reason for this.

This time, I was supposed to spend the daytime with Mel and Sharon, the younger of the girls, while Liddy and Beatrice were supposed to wait until after dark. That, too, had been decided without my knowledge.

We circled the courtyard to kill some time, then headed back to our rooms for a light lunch.

Then it was noon.

All the bells in the city of Welburn were rung at once, and the marriage ceremony between my brother Rodrick and Rosalind began.

After the bells had finished ringing, my brother entered through the great door behind them.

My older brother was dressed in the formal attire of the Imperial Northern Governor’s Army of Caelum, with a blue-toned military uniform and a decorative sash draped over his shoulders, and his shoulder-length dark gold hair was pulled back in a bun. Wearing a slender, beautifully decorated sword, his dashing figure was that of a young hero.

Rosalind, on the other hand, wore her rich blonde hair brushed down her back and a silver tiara on her head. Her dress was an elegant sapphire blue with a wide opening at the bust. With clear-cut eyes and mature features, she had the glamour of a stage actress, and her reputation as the most beautiful woman in the northern part of the country was well deserved.

With the red carpet and chalk walls and pillars in the background, the sunlight streaming in through the ceiling windows created a spotlight-like effect, and the two of them standing side by side looked like a scene from a famous painting.

I can hear sighs of admiration from all over the place, probably because the people here in Welburn have a strong impression of her wearing men’s clothing.

The ceremony proceeded smoothly.

The ceremony began with The Creator, the god of creation, followed by Ignis, the god of fire, Lucidus, the god of light, Wentus, the god of wind, Arbor, the god of wood, Fons, the god of water, Noctis, the god of darkness, Remus, the god of earth, and Ferrum, the god of gold. Finally, the blessing of the three main gods, Caelum, the god of heaven, Mons, the god of earth, and Whyta, the god of man, is performed.

The blessing ceremony by the priests of the Twelve Temples was so solemn that even I, who am skeptical about such ceremonies, was under the illusion that there really was a divine blessing.

My father felt the same way, muttering words of thanks to the gods. My mother was especially moved to tears.

The young Mel and Sharon looked far away as if they were dreaming of their own marriage as they watched the ceremony.

After the ceremony was over without a hitch, my older brother and his wife headed for the parade. The parade includes the newlyweds, the Frontier Count’s family, and our father Mathias and mother Tanya. They will ride in an open-air carriage and travel around all the major streets, but it will be hard work just to keep waving to the crowd. Incidentally, Sim Marlon, Mel’s older brother, is the coachman for my brother and his wife. He was chosen by our father and the Frontier Count for his support of my brother as a valet. Sim was said to be so moved by this that he shed tears.

At first, the Lockhart family was not planning to participate in the parade, but it was hastily decided on the grounds that it would impress the good relationship between the Roswell and Lockhart families. I was also urged to participate in the parade, but to be honest, it was a hassle, so I declined, giving a suitable reason. This meant that I had about two hours to spare before the parade was over.

We returned to the room assigned to us, but it was not as relaxing as I had expected.

The reason is that the daughters of the nobles from the imperial capital are coming to see me. It’s understandable that a discerning nobleman would want to have relations with the Lockhart family. It is not surprising since I am the second son who is 15 years old, which is recognized as an adult in this world, but I could not understand why they would target me when my father, the patriarch, was not around.

However, the reason soon became clear.

They seem to think that since I don’t have my father or mother, it’s easier for me, who is young, to be swooned. The young ladies wearing bold dresses keep inviting me to go out and be alone with me.

(Does that mean we would retreat to the shade of the trees in the garden and trap me… or… Or do they forcefully claim to have had a relationship with us by using this “beauty pageant” method of “baiting”…? But it’s just a hassle…) (Zack)

Beautiful princesses from Marquis and Count families take turns visiting the room.

(They are beautiful, to be sure, but their sense of privilege is on the nose. They don’t even try to hide the fact that they only see me as the second son of a knight’s family and that they don’t want to come here, and only reluctantly acquiesced…) (Zack)

Fed up with the severity of the situation, I took Mel and Sharon with me and escaped outside.

It was late July, the height of summer, and the sun was strong, but the humidity here in Welburn was low, probably due to the continental climate, and it was quite comfortable in the shade of the trees.

Many guests were strolling in the garden on the west side of the front of the castle, cooling off on the benches under the shade of the trees.

I found an empty bench in a corner of the garden. It was located at the southwest corner of the castle wall and provided a good shade from the sun. Not only that, but the nicely pruned plants made it difficult to see into the garden. Thinking I had found a good shelter, I leaned back on the bench sloppily.

Mel and Sharon sat down next to me, anxiously fixing the hem of their dresses.

I can hear the guests chatting in the garden, but it’s quieter than I expected and it’s hard to believe that there are so many guests.

((It’s more than an hour until the parade is over… It’s so peaceful, isn’t it? It’s as if the flurry of activity up until yesterday is a lie… I’m getting a little sleepy…) (Zack)

When I think about that, I naturally yawn.

“Do you want to lie down for a little while?” (Mel)