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THE two weeks leading up to my departure to Solalitika were a blur. I was busy thanking everyone that I was indebted to. Every time I mentioned my future husband’s name, Lucas Stock, I was greeted with shocked faces as they all repeated the same phrases.
“Isn’t that the nouveau riche? I don’t hear good things about him.”
“He’s the rumored new aristocrat—a country bumpkin that bought his way in. He’s pushing his luck.”
These straightforward insults slowly morphed into discussions about his business.
“He apparently got rich by importing Marmaria stone slabs. He’s rather influential.”
While there were mentions of his business and his mines, I couldn’t glean any other information. The conversation would usually close with rumors of his notoriety, based entirely on speculation.
“I heard that it’s awful there. Once you start working at his company, you can never leave. You can’t flee…”
As I listened to these unreliable rumors, I realized why I’d never heard his name before. The aristocrats in the royal capital purposefully avoided him. The ones that I was familiar with all had a noble lineage that went back over a hundred years, embracing tradition. Thus, many didn’t welcome new aristocrats, fearing that it would affect their societal standing in the future, and their eyes narrowed in disdain.
Even my father showed his contempt by protecting my sister from these new aristocrats, sending me in her stead. This kind of pride had blocked me from receiving any information, resulting in my lack of knowledge.
The only confirmed rumor about Lucas Stock was that he had some business with the household of the royal prince, the king’s younger brother. He obtained the title of “baron” so that he could personally meet His Highness.
“If Lucas Stock can entertain the royal prince, I’m sure that he’s at least a rather respectable man,” I muttered to myself with a wry smile. Amongst the rumors, it was the only bit of information that I was certain of. “I’m sure that he’ll soon divorce me. I’m very dull, after all.”
Even so, I wanted to gather as much information about him as possible, and I was determined to show him my utmost respect. Before my departure, I wrote a letter to my mysterious fiancé.
“I apologize that I’m being sent in my sister’s stead. I lack flair, am very dull, and am told that I have no presence; I’m invisible like air.”
Since he requested my sister, I’m sure he wanted a cute wife like her—an energetic, cheerful young woman with beautiful, curly golden hair.
I peered at a mirror. My black hair was like a curtain of night. My eyes were pitch-black, as though one were peering into the bottom of a well. My only unique characteristic, a mole by my eye, was often noted as looking promiscuous.
“I’m dull and lack presence… I’m like air,” I repeated like a curse.
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IN the following days, a carriage from Solalitika arrived, ready to bring me to my future husband. The carriage was elegant, new, and seemed tailor-made for a woman. It looked like he specifically bought it to welcome me, and I sensed his kindness. A young, silver-haired man greeted me, representing the servants.
“Pleased to meet you, my lady. Lord Stock has sent me for you. I’m the footman, Leikzig Kudrya.”
“Thank you, Sir Kudrya,” I replied.
“Please call me Leikzig. Everyone at the manor does.”
He had an effeminate, soft-spoken demeanor. He seemed mild-mannered and gave off an air of refinement. Though he had a slight northern kingdom accent, he was still easy to understand.
“Come now, Kiki. Say your greetings,” he said, introducing my new personal maid to me.
“Yes, sir,” she said.
A small-framed maid timidly appeared behind him. She was a delicate woman with her brown, curly hair neatly braided, wearing thick black tights that were unsuitable for spring. Her maid uniform was a bit too large for her, and the apron string around her waist held her attire together.
“Pleased to meet you, my lady. My name is Kiki Russetbrown.”
Perhaps due to her nervousness or anxiety, her expression was stiff, and she wouldn’t look me in the eye. She restlessly stared at the hem of her skirt or the ground.
“I’m Iris. The pleasure is all mine.”
She must’ve expected to meet a flowery noblewoman from the royal capital. I was far too plain-looking, and I couldn’t blame her for being hesitant.
“Erm… Lady Iris, is this all you’re bringing from home?” Kiki asked while glancing around at my bags.
“Yes, this is all.”
“May I know where your servants, who’ll be accompanying you from the royal capital, are?”
I shook my head apologetically. “No one will be accompanying me. We only have just enough to run our house. I’m sorry, Kiki. I’m sure I’ll be troubling you quite a bit.”
“That’s…not an issue at all.” She stared at the ground again before falling silent.
I didn’t have any money with me. I only had a few items from my bridal training and my late mother’s mementos. I’d basically been sent to an unknown man’s place to marry with little more than the clothes on my back. Suddenly, a young man’s voice echoed from beyond the carriage.
“I’m so sorry, Sir Leikzig! I’m late!” A tall man with ash-blonde hair wearing a thick trench coat approached us. Leikzig glanced at the man coldly.
“Apologize to Lady Iris instead of me,” he said.
The tall man laughed. “You’re right!”
With a happy expression, he took off his hat, fixed his hair, and brightly smiled at me. “You’re Lady Iris, correct? Pleased to meet you! I’m Dazzle!” He bowed. “I apologize for being late. The wheels of the carriage were a little rickety.”
Leikzig coughed, cutting the introduction short. “Ahem, Dazzle, don’t introduce yourself first. As he’s already stated, he will be your coachman. Unfortunately, this is the kind of man that he is. He may be a little unpleasant, Lady Iris, but I beg for your leniency. I’ll be sure to discipline him.”
“I’ll be in your care,” Dazzle said.
Despite his large stature, it was his glittering eyes that left a lasting impression. His unique, bright, amber-colored eyes looked as though the sunset or the light of a lantern was trapped within. I lightly curtsied and greeted him.
“I’ll be in your care as well, Dazzle.”
I took in the servants that Lord Stock had prepared for me: cool-headed Leikzig, nervous Kiki, who still wouldn’t look me in the eye, and Dazzle, who seemed to go at his own pace. They’d be taking care of me from now on.
The Karelia household had mostly servants that were present when my late mother was still around. There weren’t many young people. In addition, many were already familiar with the Karelia household’s traditions and the formalities of the royal capital. They all strictly adhered to “correct” standards of what a servant should be.
I’d never had to conform to others for the servants to accept me. My duty as a wife started there.