The Villainess Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (hostage) in a Former Enemy Country

***

It was only a few days ago that Rishe and her company had decided to go to the seaside city in western Garkhain.

It had been about a week since their return from the Grand Shrine in the Holy Kingdom of Domana.

Early in the morning, she did voluntary training to build up her strength, went to tend to her fields, and counseled the maids on their work.

While working on business negotiations with the Aria Trading Company, she wrote a reply to Michele’s letter, and otherwise continued with the preparations for the wedding ceremony.

Such daily life was the same as before she went to the Grand Shrine.

However, there was an indescribable haze in Rishe’s heart. Perhaps it was no wonder that her brother-in-law, Theodore, saw through her.

“Older Sister.”

“!”

Rishe blinked when someone called her while she was walking through the corridors of the main castle.

Theodore, who was walking next to her, examined her face and then gave her a stern look.

“Hey, were you listening to me?”

“Of course, Your Highness Theodore…I’m relieved to hear that you’re working well with Chairman Tully.”

Rishe previously had a business meeting with the Aria Trading Company, a company she had been involved with in her first life.

Their deal was that she would tell Tully how to make nail polish and give the Aria Trading Company exclusive rights to sell them. In exchange, they would provide employment to needy people.

However, Theodore, rather than Rishe, was now the main person in charge of the project.

Theodore was the person most familiar with the situation in the favelas. He knew a lot more than Rishe about the distribution of goods and the procurement of materials in Garkhain.

That was why Theodore did most of the work while Rishe concentrated on the production method of the nail polish.

At first, Theodore was reluctant, saying, “If this succeeds, everyone will praise me, but I don’t want to do anything that would snatch the credit away from my sister-in-law.”

However, when she retorted vehemently that her purpose at the moment wasn’t to conduct business, but to laze around, he accepted the project even though he looked a little reluctant.

Nonetheless, it seemed that Theodore’s current interest was in Rishe.

“My brother told me to work hard, so it’s only natural that I should do well. That’s not the point. Sister-in-law, is something bothering you?”

“…”

He asked so direction that Rishe pressed her lips together.

“Rather than a bother, it’s more like…”

Recently, she sometimes felt pain in her left chest when she was around Arnold.

But when she did see Arnold, she felt strangely uneasy. She felt restless and uncomfortable.

In the back of her mind, she felt a sense of urgency and loneliness.

“I’m worried about His Highness Arnold.”

Theodore frowned after she muttered this. Rishe hurriedly cooked up an excuse.

“I mean, there’s nothing wrong with His Highness. It’s just that he always seems to be so busy.”

“Ah, right? Yeah, I know exactly how you feel.”

Theodore nodded in agreement, so Rishe asked him incidentally.

“Recently, Your Highness has also helped. But even so, your brother is still handling heaps of official duties almost single-handedly, isn’t he?”

“That’s right. I’ve heard that the amount of official work that Father is in charge of is about the same with Brother now…But Father has a lot of vassals, and they’re all on his side.”

Theodor sighed as they walked down the hallway.

“To put it another way. There are many of Brother’s enemies in the castle.”

“His Highness’ enemies…”

“It’s because Brother is making bold changes from Father’s methods in his area of responsibility. Plenty of people don’t gain any benefits from them and get cut off.”

Speaking of which, she once encountered a man who claimed himself to be a Count/Earl military officer in a confrontation with Arnold.

[With all due respect, Your Highness Arnold, there is no point in protecting the ordinary people so well. At this rate, some of the noble lords will become dissatisfied.]

[Please reconsider. Your leadership is, by all means, not to your father’s liking.]

The reason that Earl Marshal was so bullish was probably because he was under the authority of the current emperor.

All the important people in Garkhain right now are just vassals of the current emperor…At this stage, even Arnold Hein’s vassals are not in place.

She could think of the names of the military personnel that Arnold would use heavily in the future when they would eventually wage war.

There was one more thing that Rishe wanted to ask.

“Speaking of His Majesty…”

She asked Theodore, shaking up the story she heard from Arnold in the Grand Shrine not long ago.

“Where are your father’s consorts?”

“…You don’t mean Her Majesty, but his other consorts?”

“Yes. Do they live in detached palaces, as I do?”

“All the other concubines are dead, except for the current Empress.”

Rishe stopped in her tracks and gulped at his simple answer.

A few steps ahead of her, Theodore looked back at her.

A beautiful smile appeared on his face.

“Haven’t I told you before? ―― All the consorts who will be married to this country will be unhappy.”

“…”

Rishe cleared her throat.

Theodore looked as if it was nothing and muttered, “That’s it.”

“Oh, by the way, Tully has a message for you. He said he’ll have the results of the research you asked for soon.”

“Thank you very much.”

“And if you’re worried about Brother’s busy schedule, I’d advise you not to do anything rash. I really can’t believe you got struck by a poisoned arrow in the neck to protect someone else.”

She had no words to reply, but where did he hear that story from? Theodore’s ability to gather information was still incredible.

“See you later.”

Rishe breathed a sigh of relief when Theodore walked ahead of her.

Her knight guards were walking a little further away.

When she returned to the detached palace with them, she bumped into Arnold in the entrance hall.

“Rishe.”

“!”

When he called her name, her shoulders almost jumped.

But she refused to show it, so she smiled extraordinarily and looked up at Arnold.

“You seemed in a good mood, Your Highness.”

“…”

His blue eyes stared at her, and she inwardly cringed.

She believed she was acting as usual, but she wondered if he noticed something unnatural. However, Arnold continued without mentioning it.

“You’re just in time. I was just about to send for you.”

“Is there something I can help you with?”

“No.”

He calmly stated without a care in the world.

“I’ll be away from the castle for a while.”

“Huh?”

Rishe blinked once.

“I’ll leave you alone, but don’t worry, I’ll leave you with your guards. You can use them as you see fit.”

“Are you going away on some kind of official business?”

“I’m going to welcome some guests from abroad. They are invited guests at the wedding ceremony, and we’re planning to have them stay in Vinleys City.

Rishe and Arnold’s wedding would take place about a month from now.