Contract Marriage with Maid

Chapter 1: Outsider 

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Hello. My name is Reina.

I’m a maid working in Marquis Julius’s magnificent mansion, and I have one of the most beloved grandmothers in the world.

Other than that I have a unique hobby of scrapping newspapers, as well as a hope for a future in which someday my grandmother and I will live comfortably at a quiet beach.

Do I have any dreams about my husband and children?

Oh, I almost forgot this.

I’m married.

It’s a fact that I sometimes forget.

That I married a knight five years ago instead of my precious lady.

I am often reminded of it recently because he’s coming back in a few days and the whole house is in an emergency.

* * *

[T/N: from here it shifts to 3pov]

Three o’clock in the morning. The maid’s attic in the mansion of the Marquees Julius. 

Laying on the bunk bed that was attached at the end of the wall, maid Reina opened the newspaper carefully, carefully looking at other sleeping maids so as to not disturb them.

Rustle…

A dim candlelight on the wall flickered over the letters.

【 The triumphant general of the century Sir Arthur enters the Viscounty of Fontaine】

【 Citizens of Fontaine scattering flowers toward the advancing triumphal army.】

【 The March of Julius is not far away.  Will the reunion with Lady Christina, his fiancé who separated five years ago happen soon?】

[T/N: March- the estate belonging to a Marquees]

【 The March of Julius waiting for the triumph has a festive atmosphere】

【 Marquees Julius. Thanks to his son-in-law’s help. The new Elector* Power Guidance ― The Marchioness Quiet Look.】

【 Featured, ‘Arthur the Knight of the Century’ – live-in son-in-law and heir to the Marquees Julius.】

【 Prince Kyle has recovered his health】

Reina rubbed her tired eyes and read the new newspaper once more.

Then, with a proud smile, she organised them in three scrapbooks in the order he liked.

【 Prince Kyle has recovered his health】 under the black cover.

【 Featured, ‘Arthur the Knight of the Century’, 】gathered under the blue cover along with other special featured news.

Other stories are arranged under the grey cover in order of publication date.

However, the news was slow in some places, and some chapters needed to be rearranged.

After cleaning up, Reina’s hands moved familiarly until she made a hole with an awl in a certain position to thread the string.

The last thing she did was ‘whoo-‘ and blew out the scraps of paper. 

Reina, who quickly compiled the newsletters into three scrapbooks, looked down proudly at them.

In the old newspapers, the unnecessary contents were cut out by her and pasted on paper to organise them, but…

The newspapers these days are almost full of what Reina wants, so there’s no need to cut them out.

As for what Reina wants, there’s nothing special about it.

It’s the same news everyone in this empire wants right now.

The story of Sir Arthur, the commander-in-chief, returning after a great victory, and the triumphal army he led.

People waited with much anticipation for Sir Arthur’s story, that the temple’s newspapers have never been sold with so much enthusiasm since its publication.

 “The story of the Crown Prince was only written in a small place in one corner.  There are no illustrations.”

 “The Crown Prince? Was he still alive?”

There were still maids who had not slept besides Reina, so a small whisper could be heard from the other side of the dormitory.

The maids who are talking now also seem to have bought the newspapers. 

Reina lowered her breathing more because she was afraid that the story would stop if they knew she was awake.

In the maid’s attic, where a dozen bunk beds are laid side by side, Reina’s seat was at the very far corner. Fortunately, it was good not to be noticed at this time.

 “Has he changed? In the past, the Crown Prince cried because he was leaving.”

 “You talk about old times. It was five years ago. Five years ago. Who’s interested in the crown prince these days? He’s like a plant in a greenhouse… If it weren’t for Sir Arthur, he’d be dead.”

She glanced up in the dark and saw two maids in the corner, whispering while reading a newspaper together.

They too relied on a faint candle that swung by the window, just like Reina.

There was a gasping sound.

 “Hey! But look at this illustration. I think the artist is too selfish in drawing Sir Arthur. He must be three metres tall.”

Reina swallowed her laughter, barely disguised as a small cough, and then carefully tucked her own scrapbooks into her filing cabinet and hid it under her bed.

Then, pretending not to know, Reina quietly dug into the bed, covering herself with a blanket, and listened to their voices.

 “Oh, my God! Look at this. Is it real?”

 “Oh, my God. They are talking about our lady, how come we don’t know anything about it?”

The part they were reading and talking about was clearly drawn in Reina’s mind.

It was because Reina had already read the story more than ten times and memorised it.

【Shock! Lady Julius and Sir Arthur, had officially married five years ago with the permission of the Imperial family, but the parties kept it a secret……】

【Many lords who had Lady Christina in their hearts expressed their disappointment……】

【A Count fainted down in shock…..】

“Are they officially married? Does this mean they two slept together?”

 “Woah….  No way?  If so, wouldn’t we have known?  What a sight to see at this Marquees mansion!”

 “They did it secretly. When everyone wakes up tomorrow, let’s ask if anyone knows this story.”

Even in the midst of holding their breath, the excited voices of the maids were heard.

Reina quietly pulled the bed sheet over her lips.

None of these people can tell the story they are curious about.

Except for Reina here…….

 “…….”

Well, it was a simple matter.

Five years ago. 

Marquees Julius, who was struggling to become an Elector, sold his daughter to gain the Imperial family’s trust. 

The other party is the illegitimate son of the Emperor who was despised in society. 

It was a thunder bolt from the blue for a high-nosed girl who was born and raised in Julius.

Reputation and honour are important places in aristocratic society, and illegitimate children were of course not considered an honourable origin.

Even at that time, the Imperial family was silent about his lineage, and the fact that he had Imperial blood was not officially recognized.

So, after all, he’s just a low-ranking nobleman who is rumoured to be the Emperor’s illegitimate child, and got married.

While his lineage was uncertain, the humiliation that the other party’s poor reputation would bring to Lady Julius was certain.

The Marchioness also jumped up and down, saying that she could not let her only precious daughter go through with such a marriage.

But the Marquees Julius dismissed all opposition from the family and said:

「He has to leave for the battlefield right away, so the wedding will be held quietly first, and when the Emperor recognizes his bloodline and his reputation in the social world is restored, the marriage will be announced later!」

「It’s a war anyway, hence social gatherings are banned, so no one will know unless you brag about it!」

The imperial family has decided to give such consideration.」

Why should Lady Julius get married like that?

Marriage doesn’t end when you simply nod and say, “Let’s do that, let’s pretend we’re married.”

Even if it was an ordinary aristocratic girl, it would have been four months.

There was no way that a great lady who had never worn shoes that she hated was obediently willing to marry such a person.

Of course, there was an uproar that she would not marry…….

Well, in the end… Among the maids, Reina, who was also said to be the same age, but sometimes quite beautiful, was quietly summoned….….

That’s what happened.

Reina silently blinked her eyes under the blanket, staring at the ceiling, the rotten floorboard of the bunk bed.

“…What kind of person is he? Sir Arthur….”

From the other side, the maids were curious and whispered.

It looks like she’s going to poke all the maids and ask them tomorrow, but she probably won’t come and ask Reina.

Reina was somehow sidelined among the maids, because she has things that she can’t easily open up about.

Well, even if they ask her, she can’t give them an answer….

—Bang!

 “Gather up, maids!”

Suddenly the door opened and the voice of Mrs. Hurst, the head maid, echoed through the maids’ beds.

The maids who had fallen asleep on the bed or were whispering amongst themselves got up in agony.

It was nothing new.

It was a routine that repeated everyday, with the whole house already getting roasted.

All the maids, including Reina, struggled with the midnight calls that disturbed their drowsy sleep. 

Shaking and waking others who could not get up, they got out of bed and found their maid’s outfit in a familiar and orderly manner.

* * *

 “Here, who is in charge of cleaning?”

The Marchioness asked, looking down at the seemingly dry stain on the railing of the stairs.

One of the young maids, with a pale face, stepped forward from other maids belonging to different ranks, and bowed her head as if she had no neck.

The Marchioness pulled the curtains by the window, without giving the maid a glance.

 “What about here?”

Perhaps a lucky bird hit the window and died, there were feathers and a few bloodstains. 

Another maid swallowed her breath silently and stepped forward and lowered her head.

So a few more maids and employees were called out.

No one hesitated.

It was because everyone knew that their future wouldn’t be good if there was any hint of hesitation.

“…….”

The marble floor in Reina’s view, with her head down, was clean enough to reflect her face.

No matter how large the Marquees’ mansion was, more than 200 maids were roasted for more than a month to clean up, and it would have been strange if it was not clean.

But it’s that kind of blotch. It happens several times a day when the servants come and go with their luggage, 

A bird flew into the window and hit it, and it was not something that could be prevented.

Nevertheless, everyone pretended to be as ashamed as possible as they could so as to not go against the Marchioness.

With this obedience, most of them end up without much bloodshed.

At first, even the youngest maids, who were trembling at the Marchioness’ wrath, were relatively resolute in the repeated ordeal.

Everyone knows that the problem is not about cleaning anyway.

The Marquees’ mansion, which has been acting strange for five years, will not suddenly look beautiful just because the mansion shines.

The maids couldn’t have known that it was just a stress relief for the Marchioness, whose sensitivity was at its peak.

Anyone can see that the Marquees had neglected Sir Arthur and the conscripts for the past five years, so it was obvious that the Marchioness was hysterical over his return.

“I’m not paying you all to see this happen.”

The Marchioness passed by Reina.

“…….”

The moment when Reina was about to be a little relieved that she was out of the Marchioness’ sight.

And as she moved, the Marchioness turned around and slapped the maid standing right next to Reina with a fan in her hand.

“……!”

The beaten maid stumbled against Reina’s shoulder. 

Reina held her breath.

“Are you sleeping?”

The maid, unable to control her body, bowed her head in embarrassment.

“N- no, ma’am.”

“No?”

Slap.

The Marchioness once again slapped the maid in the face with a fan.

 “Then do you mean I saw it wrong?”

The fragile fan was broken and worn out in an instant.

Tension spread among the servants.

Reina stiffened herself.

Did the maid next to her really doze off? 

She didn’t know. She couldn’t feel it.

What was clear was that this was not going well.

 “Reina Astarin.”

As soon as she made up her mind, her name was immediately called.

 “Yes, madam.”

Reina strained herself in response.

But it was an unexpected remark that followed suddenly.

 “You are an outsider from today.”

Reina opened her eyes wide.

“…Pardon?”

The maids next to her were shocked, and some forgot to bow and looked at her in surprise.

Oh… by any chance?

Reina had a moment to point out.

The reason why she was called an “outsider” at this time.

However, she hurriedly bowed her head as if she did not know and waited for the next word.

The reason came to Reina’s mind because it was a secret that only the Marquees’ family and the head maid knew.

 “Olga”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

The Marchioness, who called the head maid, chinked at Reina and turned her body as if entrusting her command.

Mrs. Hurst, the head maid, continued on behalf of Marchioness.

 “Miss Christina has named you as her maid. Follow me, I’ll tell you what to do.”

Reina hid her bewildered look and bowed her head with her hands together politely.

 “Yes, ma’am.”

The maid, whose eyes were empty, soon turned away from Reina with a tired face.

Reina smiled bitterly inside.

……It would be better to serve a lady of noble birth.

What she went for was hard work that won’t even give a proper sleep, but no one envies Reina, who was left out by the call of a young lady.

It was a part of knowing how popular the lady was among the maids.

* * *

Following the maid up to Lady Christina’s room, Reina nervously wiggled her fingers buried in the apron.

 ‘I don’t think….. me as a lady’s servant….’

Reina thought as she looked at the back of the head maid ahead.

 ‘…..It’s almost time for him to come back, so maybe?’

Judging from the stories in the newspapers, it was two days ago that Sir Arthur and the triumphant army arrived in Fontaire, the neighbouring estate.

When the triumphant army arrives in a village, it is common to stay for about five days to a week.

And it takes about three days by horse to get here from Fontaire to the March of Julius.

And it’ll take about a week considering moving with the army.

In other words it seemed that Sir Arthur would arrive here, the March of Julius, at the earliest in ten days.

Now that he’s here, Lady Christina needs to be his bride, so why don’t they avoid Reina lingering around her?

Knock, knock.

Seeing the maid knock lightly on Christina’s bedroom door, Reina corrected her posture.

 “Miss, I brought Reina.”

“Come on in.”

The maid opened the door and looked at Reina and nodded inward.

Reina entered the door and bowed deeply.

“”Miss, you have you been looking—”

Crash!

The ashtray that flew in and hit her head rolled on the floor.

Drip. Blood came from her head.

―――――

*Elector: Seven people, who are feudal lords, with the right to elect the emperor and the right to be elected (into position).

T/N: in this novel, if you see ‘*’ it’s a note given by the author herself while I will give my notes like this [T/N: xxx]

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