Chapter 9: Husband and wife (Rumia’s point of view)

Noon at the beach, inside a small cottage, I am currently being dress by our maids. “You look beautiful Miss Rumia” “……Thank you” The maid said that and left the place.

I looked at the window and see a bunch of nobles; they’re probably just here because they’re forced to. But I don’t really care to them. “Although I’ve said that he should come to my wedding” I muttered.

There’s no way he can attend to this. This party is exclusively for nobles, form what he wore on the first time we met, at best he can only watch me at my parade.

I look at myself at the mirror; I wore a white gown that reaches the ground. Everyone said that I look wonder in my dress but I’m not happy with that compliment. They said that servants will notify me if it’s the time, so I guess that all I could do is wait.

And all of the sudden, my tears started to fall. “No….I-I shouldn’t do this…” I said to myself but I just can’t stop crying. *Knock Knock* “Miss Rumia? It’s now your time to show yourself” I swept the tears in my face and fix myself.

“I’m coming” I said and open the door.

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In the venue where I steadily walk as to not to step on my dress, the crowd is quite. I don’t know the reason on why they’re quite but it works for me. I lift up my face and there, I see the Viscount. He’s breathing rough and his face is reddening as he looks at me.

I’m terrified by that, I already know that he will definitely do something terrible to me but I got no choice but to continue. The priest starts the ceremony.

I’ve been told that I will be spared from kissing him in the public. I’m quite happy because at least I will not do some shameful things in front of the crowd.

After the wedding, the gift opening started. I hate this part, because I know the other hobby of that Viscount. Whenever they’re a party that’s held by him, he would often invite a starting merchant and make fun of them. In this case since it’s a wedding, they would ridicule them because of their gift.

And it begin, one after another they would mock the merchant whenever they present their present. I could see the face of the merchant enduring the shame while presenting their gift.

But soon it stopped because one of the merchant pulled out something different. He took out a dragon skin, not only a dragon skin but a white dragon skin. Those are luxury that even royalties had a hard time attain those.

Dragons are powerful because you need a team of skilled S-class adventurer to defeat those, but to defeat a White Dragon you at least need a five group of S-class Adventurer. The nobles are gulping and looking at the dragon skin with envy.

The next one arrived really shocked me. Because it was no other than King, I had no idea that King is a merchant and a staring one. But this is bad, since his here it also meant that King is a merchant that’s invited by the Viscount!

I put my hands and started to pray to the Goddess that King would be alright, I’m praying that he could endure all the insults that the nobles would say. He took out a purple gem from the box, I peek at the nobles but they seem to be busy as they did not say a word.

King put the gem on his hand and said “This thing is nothing special……..Unless you put mana to it” The gem started to glow.

The lights that the gem emits blend with the darkness of the night, it looks so perfect that I muttered “So…..beautiful...” accidentally. He does various tricks on the gem, when he do that I forget the entire problem that weight upon me.

All you do is helping me really.

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It’s close… The weddings end will come soon, and after that the Viscount is free to do anything to me. My I could feel my heart beat faster than what it’s supposed to be, chills run down in my spine. I can’t move to where I sit, all of this is the result when I thought about on what that Viscount will do to me.

My breath is getting rough and my hands started to shake. If this continues, I will definitely pass out. And then as if an angle descended from heaven, a voice calls me out. “Good evening” “Umm…. Good evening” That’s the only reply I could give right now.

‘This is not good, I need to act as if nothing happen, I mean he attend at my wedding so I must be happy right?’ I convince myself with such thought but it doesn’t help as much as it should.

“So… How’s the party?” I ask. “Quite nice” “I see….” And after that he kept his silent for a minute.

“Are you alright?” And then, at that word it finally reaches the peak. The stress and the emotion that keeps piling up finally shattered. Because he is the first person who asked me if I’m alright, people around me just compliment on how beautiful I am but they never ask how I feel.

I grabbed his arm and hide my face in there and I wept. I also feel ashamed of myself that I suddenly grabbed his arms and buried my face there. “I don’t wanna die……I don’t wanna get tortured….. I….I----!” As I whine to him, he gently stroked my hair and when he did that, I finally calmed down and clear my thoughts.

“I get it” he said and continued. “You want to be free right?” “Yes… I want to be free” When I said that I looked at him to show my sincerity, but since my face is so close to King I continue to look at him bashfully.

“Then what are going to give me in return?” “What?” I asked him. “You want to be free right? A proper price is needed to complete this transaction” “So you will help me?” “For a proper price”

I see, I can understand what King meant. He may be an angle but he’s no saint, helping me is no easy task so that’s why I can understand King if he asked for an exchange. But… “I don’t have anything to offer right now… but you could take me I guess?” I replied. What I said is not a joke; actually I want to be with King.

I don’t know why but I feel like everything will be fine when I’m with him, I find it funny though because we’ve only met two times.

“Hahahahaha!” He burst out when he heard my reply. “I’m serious you know!” “I know I know” He then pats my head again. Wha-! But I don’t feel irritated or sick though, but if other man tries to do this to me I would definitely be annoyed by that.

King stand up from his seat and said something, but I can’t hear him since the noise around us is loud. King then snatch my hand and walk. Since my height is only at Kings waist, my hands are swaying up because of him.

“King! If the Viscount saw us we will be in a big trouble!” I said to him, if it’s me then I can somehow manage it but if it’s King then he will surely be executed.

But King didn’t stop and continue to strive. Huh? Even though we’re walking in the center, no one dare to bat an eye towards us. All of them continue to talk to each other. And soon we reach the exit and King spoke to me.

“You see that carriage over there?” “Yes” “Go in there and hide, I will soon follow you” “Where are you going?” “Me? I am just need to take care of something” He said then goes back to the party.

I follow what King said and go to the carriage. The carriage is full of weapons like swords and axe, is King perhaps an arms dealer? Weapons are indeed profitable but when you’re a travelling merchant that is a no go!

Trust is needed when an adventurer and an arms dealer are negotiating with each other, that thing is hard to achieve when you’re always travelling. I must tell this to King when he came back.

A minute has passed and I saw King walking towards me, but he’s not alone. King is together with my parents… “No way…”I never thought that even King will betray me. I thought that I can depend on him. Tears began to swell up in my eyes; I’m going to cry again.

“Rumia, come out” King said. I came out while hanging my head down; I don’t wanna see them that I am crying. “What is the matter?” King asked. “Nothing…. I always knew that I can’t escape this” I said. “I am not breaking my promise though” as if sensing that I’m sad King immediately deny my suspension.

“T-then why are Mother and Father here?” I asked. King then comes toward me and kneeled to me, making his face and my face meet with each other. “Everything is alright, I do not have a plan to give you to them since you are mine” That’s right, he said that he made deal between us. I burst out in cry and then hug him. “D-dwats rwight! I’m so sowwy King!” “I know, I know. Calm down, calm down.” King said while gently tap my back.

This is the first time that a man touched me like this, even my Father can’t do this to me. But I don’t feel uncomfortable; in fact I feel the opposite. King stands from his feet but I still grab him resulting to me clinging on his waist. “Then let us finish this shall we?” King said. “Mrs Camille? Mr Jordan? I will now take your daughter, Rumia and bring her to my adventure. Is that alright with you two?” King…. There’s no way that’s gonna happen because my pa--.

“Do as you like King, we hope that you will take care of our daughter” What? Did my Mother just approve it? “Then if that’s alright with you, please take care of my daughter Rumia” Father too? What’s the meaning of this?

King looked at me and said “See? Your parents care about you after all” “But….” I want to retort but I decided to keep my mouth shut. I avoided his gaze and cast my sight down, but when I do that, I see a stain of red in his shoes.

“King… What’s that?” I pointed his shoe and ask. “Oh that? It is just a wine that I have spilled during my conversation with the Viscount. But really, that wine lacks elegant, all I taste is the strong amount of alcohol” “Hahahaha, you’re right King. If I were to rate it, I would give it a two out of ten!” My Father replied to King as if he’s acquainted with King for a long time.

“Even that is too high for it my dear” Mother then joined the conversation. ‘What’s this? Mother and Father are too jolly? Is this perhaps their true color?’ I thought. “Then, Rumia and I will leave. I will bid my farewell now” King said.

King grabbed my hands and led me to back to carriage. “B-but” I muttered. Maybe King heard that because he stops and is asking me “What is wrong? Perhaps you also want to bid your farewell to them?” I also stopped. “No” I said. “Because if I do that, they might change their mind and take me back” “Well that is not going to happen though, and even if it is the case I will definitely protect you” He said. And in the moment he said that, my heart starts to ache, my stomach feels weird and…. I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve experience this so I can’t explain it properly.

“T-then let’s leave this place” I desperately changed the subject and enter the carriage. King entered the carriage too and steer the horse. “Mumumumu” Why are you distancing yourself to me King?

I stand up and carefully sit right next to him. “Oh right! King! I want to say something about the things you sell” “HHmm? Alright I will listen” He said. At least look at me when you’re talking to me.

I explain to King the suggestion that I thought earlier. He smiles at me and praise me. “Nice Rumia, now that I know that you’re good at this, you will handle the management of the store”

“M-me? But are you sure about that? You know, I’m only twelve and I’m basically…. You know? You’re slave. Are you sure that I should handle such special job?” I said. But King only pat me in the head and said “I do not care about those, since you are qualified I will hand over the job to you” He said.

“Hehehehe--!” I immediately cover my mouth when I let out a creepy laugh. I then look at him to see his reaction but it looks like he was busy maneuvering the horse. Phew….. I don’t know what I will do if you look at me with disgusted eyes.

But there’s something that’s been in my mind right now. “Hey, King… How did you manage to get away from my Parents and the Viscount” “That huh?... I just plainly said that I will take you as my bride” “What!”

From the tone of this voice, he seems joking but since it’s him who’s saying it! My heart started to pound faster! King then closed the distance between me and him. Our body now is touching each other! I-I can’t take this anymore. And before I know it I passed out.

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King intentionally makes Rumia flustered for he can’t reveal as to what happened to her parents and the Viscount, for it is inappropriate for a child to listen at. King decided that since Rumia is useful for the business, will do anything he can to get Rumia on his side. Rumia do not know this and she will never know.