I Married Because I Wanted To Live A Normal Life Chapter 80

Chapter 80

As he tucked my messy hair behind my ear and kissed my cheek again, I turned my head, tickled by his movements, and saw two of my vassals with very contrasting expressions.

Sir Ted just looked at us with a calm expression, but Sein, on the other hand, had a look on his face that seemed to say, ‘What the hell are they doing….’

What, punk. What are you gonna do about it? If you’re jealous, you should get married too.

“…Welcome back to the territory, My Lord.”

Sein, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, looked like he had no intention of managing his expression, speaking with the face of someone who had just swallowed something foul. Mhm, my vassal is so good at social interaction.

Instead of pushing away Hisch, who was still asking if I had a good trip and peppering my hair and forehead with kisses, I hugged him tightly and asked Sein.

“Was there anything else?”

“There are a few things to report, but nothing noteworthy. Rather, it seems you have a lot to tell me, My Lord…”

As he was saying that, Sein, as if worked up by the sight of us still pecking at each other, raised his voice.

“…But how long do you intend to stay stuck together like that? With so many subordinates around, the lord’s husband should also maintain some decorum.”

“But…”

Hisch, who would normally have scrambled away at Sein’s chiding, unusually clung to me and whispered pitifully.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen Liddell…”

“Why are you picking on my Hisch? Should I pick on you first?”

“…..”

Hearing my threat, Sein smiled serenely with an expression of complete enlightenment.

“If you are not tired, My Lord, I will escort you to the office for a moment before you relieve your travel fatigue.”

***

I coaxed and soothed a disappointed Hisch, sending him to his room first, and then met with Sein alone in the office.

I felt I had to tell him about how the royal family had wanted to use Hisch’s ability and the subsequent incident where he truly couldn’t control his power.

I thought that having him present for that might be like reopening a wound.

While I briefly explained what had happened in the capital, my aide’s eyes gleamed as if he wouldn’t let a single word slip by.

When I finally told him the news that Carshion had fallen and its crown prince had sought refuge in Kleinin, Sein nodded.

“A lot has happened, indeed.”

I wondered if the events could be summarized so blandly, but to be honest, I felt like saying the same thing myself. In a slightly weary tone, ‘A lot has happened…’

It was also a story of how rapidly the situation had changed since the former king’s passing. 

I swept my bangs up and said, “The fall of Carshion… Of course, it will have a great impact on the reorganization of power relations between countries, but that’s a matter for later. For now, it seems the royal family has decided to deal with the monster problem first.”

“I believe it’s an unavoidable choice. It’s a bit strange to say this, but it seems Carshion has been acting as an unintentional defensive wall until now.”

As I nodded, Sein asked, “How about seeking the cooperation of the southern countries? Rather than watching us get conquered one by one by the monsters after Carshion, it would be better to gather our strength and launch a simultaneous offensive.”

“…The leadership seems to think that just as we were unaware of Carshion’s situation, the south will be as well. We’ve sent messengers to explain the situation, but… honestly, I don’t know if they’ll be willing to cooperate and resolve a crisis they haven’t experienced firsthand.”

“You’re saying they might still think it’s someone else’s problem. I see. And it’s true that there are too many small countries rampant in the south. Asmo is barely maintaining its scale through commerce…”

“Yes, it’s a difficult environment to gather strength. In the first place.”

I agreed with Sein’s words and continued.

“…To be honest, it still doesn’t feel real. That we might soon be fighting a great war against the monsters…”

But what was even more frightening was…

“Then, is Ensis truly ready for everything that will follow? That’s what I started to wonder.”

When I first remembered the future of this world, it didn’t really hit me.

And why would it? ‘Destruction.’ The destruction of the world. Compared to the life I had lived until then, wasn’t it too grandiose?

And yet, I didn’t even know the detailed circumstances, I just had the vague information that ‘it will happen.’

But since this was truly the world of a book, I thought it was possible the story would unfold as it was written, so I tried to prepare for the future in my own way.

So, to be honest, it wasn’t some grand resolution.

I had heard that the children of nobles who were not heirs either got married or became independent, so I just moved it up.

And so I came to Ensis.

I rallied the territorial army, introduced various advanced weapons.

I built a road through the mountain range that crossed Ensis to allow for rapid exchange with the capital, where resources and manpower were concentrated, and I reinforced or built new castle walls.

Still, I thought I had done my best in a short amount of time, and I wasn’t confident I could do better even if I went back to the past.

And yet, my anxiety just wouldn’t go away.

It was natural. No matter how you looked at it, I had never lived my life thinking that some monster could threaten my life or the lives of others.

“…Of course, in a situation like this, looking after the safety of one’s own territory is a desirable mindset, but aren’t you worrying a bit too much ahead of time?”

“…..”

“Didn’t you just say, My Lord, that Carshion failed to stop the monsters because it exhausted its national strength in a civil war? Kleinin is not weak. Moreover, for the front line to retreat further than the capital…”

It couldn’t happen, and it shouldn’t happen. That meaning was implicit in Sein’s unfinished sentence.

But I knew now. Just as Violet had seen in her dream, sooner or later, the August Mountains would become the front line, and Ensis would become the foremost fortress.

This world was just flowing in that direction. As if it had been prophesied in a book in another world, that it would happen that way.

“…..”

My heart stirred anew, and I swallowed dryly without realizing it.

I had never once thought that I could change this world with my own power like the transmigrators before me. And why would I? I was just… an ordinary person.

It wouldn’t be easy for an ordinary office worker to suddenly resolve to rule a territory and fight against monsters.

I had lived and adapted to this world for several years, but that’s how it was for me.

But I also knew that running away or giving up was not the answer, so I think I’ve been doing my best, trying various methods in my own way.

And yet, the reason all of this still feels overwhelming and frightening is surely because I am not a person of such a large caliber.

But that’s why, rather, I grinned at Sein.

There was no turning back now anyway.

That would be rude to Sein, Sir Ted, and the other vassals who had followed me.

And more than anything, I instinctively knew that with this mindset, I would not be able to protect the things I loved.

I can’t be scared.

…I have to be brave.

“Well, I just started having all sorts of thoughts since the situation became like this. As you said, it’s a bit of an early worry.”

I affirmed his words lightly, as if it were no big deal.

“Still, I thought it would be a good opportunity to conduct a general inspection of the territory. In that sense, I was thinking of looking around Ensis tomorrow.”

“I will have it prepared.”

“Come to think of it, how far has the construction of the underground shelter I mentioned before progressed?”

The last thing I had instructed Sein to do before leaving for the capital was to look into ways to build an underground shelter.

Of course, it would be impossible to prepare a full-fledged facility like a bomb shelter, but I thought it would be good if we could create a space where people could live while avoiding the eyes of the monsters.

“I’ve put in a request with a magic engineer who has specialized in the relevant field… I was also about to check on the progress of the work, so it might be good for us to check on it together tomorrow.”

I nodded at his words.

“Alright, then I’ll leave tomorrow’s schedule to you. I think I should probably get some rest now.”

I’ve finally come home, so let’s think about the troublesome things tomorrow. With that thought, I stood up.

***

The next day. I was heading underground, accompanied by Sein and the magic engineer.

Renold, who had come to Ensis at Sein’s request, fussed over me as he guided me to the shelter under construction.

“To give you the conclusion, it’s impossible with the current theories. But!”

He clenched his fists and exclaimed in a confident voice.

“If you give me enough time and resources, I will definitely make it happen.”

“…So you want to conduct research under my support?”

“Hehe, you’re quick on the uptake.”

The adult man, who didn’t look harmless at all even when he said ‘hehe,’ smiled with only his mouth.

At Renold’s bold declaration that he would openly leech off me, I gave Sein a look, and he sighed and said, “He may look like this, but he’s quite skilled. It’s just that… since his field of research is limited to theoretical matters, he hasn’t had as many opportunities to receive support as those who research other practical theories like weapons…”

So there are few wealthy people interested in this sort of thing, and he can’t miss the opportunity to secure the support that has finally come his way, is that it?