The celebratory banquet began, and the villagers each enjoyed drinking alcohol, eating sumptuous food, and chatting with one another.
Watching this, Noein felt a deep sense of satisfaction alone, until someone spoke to him.
“You’re still grinning like an idiot, as usual.”
When he looked toward the voice, he saw Yuri, Anna, and Edgar standing there, cups in hand.
“Grinning like an idiot? That’s harsh. I was simply gazing lovingly at my dear villagers with a benevolent smile as their lord.”
“Haha, sure you were.”
Seeing Noein and Yuri exchange lighthearted banter, Anna and Edgar, who were with them, also chuckled. While Noein maintained a composed expression in front of outsiders, the two of them had long since realized this was his true self.
“Your speech earlier was wonderful, Lord Noein.”
“I cried, remembering the day you took us in when we were refugees.”
“Thank you, both of you. I thought I managed to give a decent speech myself.”
Receiving such praise from Anna and Edgar, Noein responded with a carefree smile. This, however, hid a slight hint of embarrassment.
“Looking at it again, it’s really become quite the village,” Noein said as he gazed at the houses standing in a row and the farmlands spread around them.
The Earlkvist barony, which anyone would have called a forsaken territory—“an expanse of useless, unprofitable forest” that his wretched father had never bothered with—had now turned into something worth gazing upon.
Noein had resolved to cultivate the land, using a bit of wisdom, his skill in puppet magic, the good fortune of discovering a mineral vein, and the support of slaves, retainers, and villagers who had rallied around him to build this village.
“In less than a year, you’ve built all this in the forest. It’s impressive. You should be proud,” Yuri said.
“You’re awfully generous with your praise today. It’s a little scary,” Noein replied.
“Hey now, I do evaluate you fairly as a lord. Though, as an individual, you’re still just a crafty little brat.”
“Haha, you’ve got me figured out,” Noein laughed.
…
“Congratulations on your marriage, Mai.”
“Oh, thank you, Mathilda.”
Mai had gone over to the table with the drinks and ran into Mathilda, who appeared to be pouring wine into a cup likely meant for Noein. They exchanged greetings.
At the start of the village’s development, Mai had suggested to Mathilda, “You should try talking to more people,” which eventually led to them becoming close enough to be considered friends.
“When I was a mercenary, it wasn’t easy to think about marriage. My husband was busy being an officer in the group, and eventually became its leader. But now we’re finally together and can live in peace.”
“I’m sure Lord Noein is also delighted to see you both so happy.”
Even during casual conversations like this, Mathilda would always follow up with something about “Lord Noein,” which didn’t go unnoticed by Mai.
“So, aren’t you going to marry Lord Noein? If you wanted, I’m sure he’d free you from being a slave…”
Taking this chance, Mai asked a question she had long been curious about.
It was obvious to anyone that Mathilda loved Noein to a near-reverent degree, and likewise, it was clear that Noein adored Mathilda. If she wished it, Noein would surely release her from her status as a slave without hesitation.
“…Lord Noein has also mentioned it before, when he bought me from Count Kivileft and left his family. But I begged him to let me remain as his slave.”
“Why?”
“There is an indelible slave’s mark on my neck. If a former slave and beastkin like me were to become Lord Noein’s wife, I would undoubtedly become a burden to him as he strives to fulfill his duties as a noble.”
Mai hesitated on how to respond to Mathilda’s words.
Indeed, she wasn’t wrong. Though the northern part of the kingdom was more tolerant than the southern regions, discrimination against beastkin still existed, particularly among the nobility, who tended to look down on them.
There were rare exceptions—some beastkin who were knighted for their heroism in war or who made groundbreaking discoveries and became royal scholars. However, these were stories that would become the talk of the entire kingdom for their rarity.
Noein, a baron with only a small village to his name, marrying a former slave and beastkin—such a move could alienate him from the noble society entirely, turning allies into enemies. Even Mai could imagine that much.
“…But that’s just the surface reason. The truth is, I personally find comfort in remaining Lord Noein’s possession.”
Mathilda rarely showed much emotion, but she now wore a small smile.
“I was sold into slavery when I was very young. I barely remember my parents’ faces anymore. Every happy memory I have is from the time I’ve spent at Lord Noein’s side. I take pride in being his slave, and it brings me the greatest peace to know that I belong to him.”
Since it was rare for Mathilda to speak at length about herself, Mai quietly listened to her.
“When I told him that, Lord Noein allowed me to remain his slave. He said that someday, as his duty as head of a noble house, he would marry a lady of status, but even then, he promised to keep me by his side and continue to love me. He vowed that he wouldn’t marry anyone who didn’t accept that.”
The expression on Mathilda’s face seemed serene as she spoke.
“This way, I won’t be a burden to him, and I can stay by his side for the rest of my life, receiving his affection and serving him. For me, there’s no greater happiness in this world.”
“I see… That’s a lovely relationship. I like that,” Mai said.
As she replied, Mai found herself thinking about her own past.
Raised as an orphan in a town in the eastern part of the kingdom, Mai had been taken in by Yuri, starting as his errand girl and eventually being taught the sword, becoming a mercenary like him.
Yuri, who had been like an older brother to her, eventually became her lover as she grew up.
Having been saved by him and raised under his protection, she knew no other man. There had never been any other path for her but this, and she was perfectly content with it.
In her mind, Mai felt that she and Mathilda were alike. Both had met someone who changed their lives, and both had found happiness in devoting themselves to that person.
“Let’s continue living happily by the sides of the men we love.”
“Yes.”
…
As winter deepened, travel along the roads came to a near halt. The cold isolated villages and towns like islands, and their residents waited for spring within.
The Earlkvist barony, Noeina, became one such island.
Before winter set in, they had stored enough food, such as grain, dried meat, and pickled vegetables, and they had stockpiled plenty of firewood. Mining in the Restio Mountains had been paused (the ores they’d extract for winter had already been mined), and outdoor development projects were scaled back significantly.
People spent more time indoors, and Noein was no exception. He passed his days doing paperwork or planning for development once winter ended. Outdoor activities were limited to sunny afternoons.
“Lord Noein, here is your tea.”
“Ah, thank you, Mathilda.”
Noein was working not in his chilly office but in a living room warmed by a fireplace when Mathilda brought him a cup of hot tea. Though the estate now had maids for chores and cooking, Noein preferred the tea made by Mathilda.
“Sit by my side, Mathilda.”
“Yes, Lord Noein.”
Mathilda sat beside him, and Noein took her hand. She gently leaned against his arm.
In this first winter of their village’s development, Noein felt content.
