The Main Wife Seems Tough
The main wife position seems tough.
As soon as the morning sun rose, the Histania siblings prepared to leave the mansion. Hanna had to head to the academy, and Malik was cutting his vacation short to return to the knight order. It was a shame to see them go, but I couldn't hold back the busiest people in the empire.
I hadn't even gotten to talk properly with Hanna. I wanted to hear how she'd handled Mikhail, and what had happened since that day—but they were leaving sooner than expected, leaving a lingering regret.
Standing at the entrance, I handed Malik the paper bag I'd prepared. It contained the tteokbokki recipe and a cake I'd made myself.
Malik peeked inside the bag and flashed a light smile.
"You made this yourself?"
As expected from the godfather of the food industry—he spotted it right away from the amateurish packaging.
I gave an awkward smile and replied.
Normally, it'd be proper etiquette to buy desserts from a decent shop, but there weren't any open at this hour, so I'd made the cake myself. I hoped it tasted good.
"Yes, haha... No shops were open at this time, so I gave it a shot. Can't vouch for the taste, though."
"Opening a shop at this hour would just mean losses anyway."
Malik wore a satisfied smile.
Back during my trainee butler days, the young lady had told me: It's rude to send guests away empty-handed. Imagine coming all this way and leaving with nothing—how disappointing would that be?
"Ricardo, don't you give gifts after fighting at parties?"
"Whose hair did you grab today, miss?"
"Sylvia."
"Who might that be?"
"She's around. Fat and ugly kid."
"Even so, grabbing hair..."
"She just wastes food around me, the pest!"
"Well done, miss. Where's that young lady's address?"
"Huh? Anyway, you don't give gifts after fighting?"
"No."
"...How rude."
It was a lesson born from the young lady's own experience. Malik and Hanna seemed to appreciate the gesture, smiling as they offered their thanks.
"I'll enjoy it."
"Thanks, I'll dig in!"
Just before stepping out the door, Hanna turned back to look at me. Her face flushed, she gave me a meaningful gaze—was she running a fever? Worried, I naturally placed my hand on her forehead.
"Huh?"
Her face turned as red as a persimmon. I realized my mistake too late.
It was a habit from doing this all the time with the young lady, but touching the forehead of an unmarried virgin like this? In my past life, I'd have been thrown in irons.
Hanna's eyes went wide.
"Wh-what... what are you doing?"
With a look like What's going on here? She fanned her burning face with her hand, muttering, "Is... is this that flirting you only hear about in rumors?" hot breath escaping her lips.
I hastily pulled my hand away from her forehead. I didn't forget to bow my head in apology.
"Sorry. Your face was so red, I thought you had a fever."
"My face is red...? Oh. Ah... uh..."
Hanna made a strange noise. She touched the spot where my hand had been, glanced at my face, then covered her flushed cheeks with her hand.
"No fever... or maybe there is. Try touching again..."
"I'll get the fever medicine."
Hanna waved her hands frantically in refusal.
"No need. I was just... startled."
"Sorry."
"No, you don't need to apologize, but once more... no... never mind."
"Don't worry about me. We have medicine stocked in the mansion."
"I'm really fine. Seriously...!"
Watching this, Malik grinned like some old uncle who'd lived a lifetime.
"Ah, young love..... Gah!"
Hanna elbowed him in the side. It felt infused with aura—hope he's okay. I heard a bone crack...
Malik clutched his side and couldn't move for a while.
A cool breeze blew in through the open front door. The morning sun rose, birds chirped.
Malik straightened his clothes, rubbed his side, and extended a hand to me.
A rare sight: a noble offering a handshake to a commoner. Even in the equality-guaranteed academy, you wouldn't see this often.
"The 'Pexri No.1' we talked about yesterday should be ready as early as December. As for the thank-you letter..."
"I'll stuff ten pages full and send them."
Malik turned serious.
"Don't bother—can't even read your handwriting anyway."
Ouch, that stung my pride in more ways than one.
We exchanged final goodbyes. Hanna hugged me tight, whispering something meaningful like "Next time, definitely" with a wink. Malik was practically stomping in excitement about the new menu launching at Forest Friend.
Malik urged Hanna, who was clinging to me like a security blanket.
"Let's go."
"Just a bit longer."
"No time. Gotta stop by the shop too—no slacking."
"Bro, aren't you going to the imperial knight order?"
"Can be a little late there."
Malik, more serious about his side hustle than his main job.
Before leaving, Malik turned back to me, remembering something he'd forgotten.
"Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention. Academy students might come to Hamel soon."
"Academy students? Here for a group meal or something?"
"Nah, heard they're using an undiscovered dungeon for a test. You know about it?"
I did know. A new storyline was about to begin. Mikhail's awakening arc. The story where Yuria gets kidnapped by heretics and Mikhail rescues her—it all starts here in Hamel. I'd known for a while, which was why I'd been looking for a prosthetic hand replacement.
I shook my head.
"No idea."
Malik let out a long sigh and pulled a cigarette from his pocket, sticking it in his mouth. As he reached for a light—
Whoosh.
Hanna's hand flashed by in an instant, flicking the cigarette over the fence.
"No smoking. It stinks."
"...Smoking outside doesn't leave a smell."
"No smoking."
"..."
Malik gave me a wistful look.
"Got a little sister?"
"No. I'm an orphan."
Malik nodded.
"Lucky you."
He gazed longingly at the cigarette vanishing beyond the fence and sighed.
"That was a good one..."
"Anyway, I figured it wasn't a good idea, so I mentioned it. Probably best if you and those kids from there don't cross paths."
Malik was direct, no beating around the bush—that was his personality, and the reason for the warning.
I nodded slightly and thanked him.
"Guess I'll be holed up in the mansion for a while."
"Your call."
Hanna left with a reluctant expression.
In the carriage heading to the capital, Hanna asked Malik, who was poring over blueprints like some perv reading a dirty magazine, grinning sleazily. He looked half-dead.
"What's that?"
"Adult magazine."
"You're insane?"
"Nah."
Malik chuckled softly.
"Just something kids shouldn't see."
"Where's that exist? Show me too."
"Nope."
He tucked the blueprints into his pocket. If she found out he'd blown 3 million gold, he'd be toast. Even for the swordmaster house of Histania, 3 million gold was a stretch. Sure, dipping into personal funds or family coffers could cover it, but he'd catch hell for it.
He'd gone ahead and done it anyway, only to realize post-purchase how massive the sum was—a secret he'd take to the grave. Sighs escaped Malik's lips nonstop.
A bid he'd excitedly inflated himself. But Pexri No.1 was worth every coin—no regrets.
Stuff that sets a man's heart ablaze? You splurge first, think later. And once you promise to make it happen, a knight follows through.
Are you really a knight?
The capable butler's words made Malik chuckle dryly. 3 million gold. Not even his own dog, and he'd promised it on a whim—the madman. Who knew it'd be me?
Yes, a lot of money spent, but no waste. The gifts he'd received were worth it, and sitting side-by-side with his sister now? All thanks to that guy.
"Sorry for treating you like shit all this time?"
"You joking...? I was dying because of you and that bitch.... Now you're sorry?"
"Why? 'Cause I awakened aura and Dad wants me back?"
"Or you wanna play big bro now? Go learn sword from Dad if you're so great. I'm living my life."
Thanks to that guy, he hadn't given up.
Coward? He'd have teased him endlessly if he'd stayed the same—obvious. It made him realize his shortcomings, how lacking he was. He clung harder.
Clashed, apologized, got rejected—but persistent effort finally earned his sister's forgiveness.
"Didn't wanna forgive or anything—just wanted out of this damn family."
But....
His sister cried. For the first time in front of him.
"Waited like an idiot all this time for those words.... So unfair."
The first real talk with his sister, realizing what trash he was—it was all because that guy pushed his back.
3 million gold? A bargain.
Malik sighed deeply.
'Wonder what Dad'll do.'
His second brother wanted to disown Hanna, Dad just stayed silent and let it slide.... Even he knew it was a hopeless family.
Hanna wouldn't even look at Dad's face anymore. Stuck in the middle, Malik's sighs multiplied.
The carriage pressed toward its destination, past Hamel to the capital. As the imperial palace came into view through the window, Malik tossed a casual line at his sister.
"Sis."
"Yeah?"
"You like that guy?"
Smack!
Hanna stamped her handprint on his back. A vivid red mark—Malik sensed a bruise forming by home time.
Still, he pressed on—her reaction was too fun.
"He's decent-looking and skilled, definitely prime husband material."
"...Shut up."
"Your big bro's rooting for you. Looked like he doesn't have a fiancée either."
Hanna shook her head.
"Yeah..."
"Huh?"
Leaning against the window, Hanna sighed heavily.
"I don't know."
"He has a fiancée?"
"No. Just feels like something's there."
Hanna trailed off, staring blankly out the window. Yesterday evening kept replaying in her head.
"The young lady doesn't like Mikhail senior anymore, right?"
"Huh...?"
The lady's flustered face. Not the embarrassment of a crush exposed, but genuine shock.
"Ah.... Well."
The lady stated clearly.
"I don't think I like him anymore."
That awkward smile nagged at Hanna.
The main wife position seems tough.
Hanna was quick on the uptake.