Happy Daily Life of a Reincarnated Noble Blessed with Vassals - Chapter 10

The hectic days flew by, and before I knew it, the day of the Canilunya family’s arrival had come.

Though when I say hectic, it was really just my retainers who were busy. Personally, I didn’t have much to do. The only notable issue I faced was a minor squabble with Alice and Irina, the maids, about what I should wear for the welcome banquet.

They tried pushing fabrics in loud colors—red, yellow, and gold—on me, while I insisted on more muted tones like black, white, gray, and silver. They argued that wearing the vibrant colors, which were reserved for high-ranking nobles, would be a gesture of respect toward the Canilunya family. For days, they tried to convince me.

But I wouldn’t budge. After all, they’re also a count’s family, so we’re equals. Isn’t flaunting our status as high-ranking nobles to people of the same rank a bit redundant? It’s like a rich man bragging about his wealth to another rich man. Instead, I thought it would be better to show that we live more humbly than expected by wearing simpler attire.

…Or so I thought. Yet, here I am, wearing a ridiculous outfit that makes me look like a jester, in bright red fabric with yellow and orange trim.

Why? Partly because I couldn’t bridge the gap in our worldviews—apparently, there’s nothing wrong with flaunting wealth if you’re wealthy. Being rich is a status, and being a high-ranking noble is also a status. So, showing that off is not something to be ashamed of. In fact, when it comes to marriage arrangements, such a display would likely be appreciated.

Then, there was the matter of a certain promise I made on the first day. And because of that, I had no choice but to surrender.

Yes, the promise that I would let them handle my wardrobe for public appearances. I did say it. I remember it clearly. But come on, I didn’t want to deal with this right after waking up, so I put it off. How was I supposed to know they’d cash in on that promise so soon?

I curse my past self. The trouble you postponed has come back to bite you in no time at all.

“You look dashing, my lord. The orange accents really pop,” Alice said.

“You look absolutely splendid! I’m sure Lady Amy will fall in love with you at first sight when she sees you in that outfit,” added Irina.

“You look so cool, big brother! Will you wear that when we play later?” Yumika chimed in.

“Well, it’s fine, isn’t it? Dressing up is one of the perks of being a noble. Me? Even if someone made me a noble, I’d pass on wearing something that flashy,” Mary muttered.

“As expected of my lord. You wear the colors of the high nobility with such elegance and grace. I am deeply impressed,” Odolski chimed in.

“Whoa, you startled me! Oh, this is for the marriage meeting, right? I remember the folks at the royal palace wore flashy outfits too. It’s just for the meeting, so good luck!” Mahdavikia cheered.

“Clothes are just decorations. It’s your attitude that matters most, Lord Rex. If you slouch, the clothes will overpower you,” Jean-Jacques added.

So, I’m at four wins (Alice, Irina, Yumika, and Odolski), two losses (Mary and Mahdavikia), and one draw (Jean-Jacques). But honestly, these people are always so supportive of me that I can’t really trust this score. Especially Odolski and Yumika—they seem like they’d agree with anything I say.

Still, there’s no point in lamenting what’s already decided. Or rather, I have to tell myself that, otherwise, I won’t be able to deal with this. I’ll just have to get used to it.

“My lord,” Jean-Jacques said, interrupting my thoughts. “The Canilunya party has been sighted. They number around 20, as expected. They appear to be lightly armed, but it seems this is more for protection in case of a magical beast attack than because of us.”

“Got it. And they’ve arrived exactly when you predicted, as expected. Please tell everyone to get into position. Odolski, instruct the soldiers to surround the mansion as soon as the Canilunya family passes through the gates. Make sure not even an ant gets through.”

“Yes, sir!”

The knights I obtained through a gacha pull. I hadn’t paid much attention to them, but it seems the soldiers are usually stationed in a guardhouse attached to the mansion. I peeked in the other day and saw them training relentlessly in an area that looked like a sports field.

According to Jean-Jacques, they’re well-trained, so I’ve instructed them to protect the mansion. No matter how strong Odolski and Mary are, there’s only so much ground they can cover alone.

By the way, the soldiers also got to enjoy some of that dragon meat from the other day.

“My lord, the Canilunya family has arrived. They are waiting in the entrance hall.”

“All right, I’ll head there right away.”

I couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious about how my garish outfit would be received, but hey, courage is part of being a man.

I called out to the two people who would be supporting me today, “Jean-Jacques, Mary. I’m counting on you.”

“Understood,” they both responded.

But something felt off—particularly with Mary.

Mary, who’s usually a sharp-tongued, mischievous boy, had been transforming into more of a refined young lady as this day approached. This morning, when I saw him with his hair styled and light makeup on, I got goosebumps. Seriously, where did this idol-level beauty come from?

Not just his face, but his mannerisms and speech had become flawlessly feminine, and even his usually low voice had been adjusted to a husky yet clear tone.

“What’s the matter, my lord?” Mary asked, tilting his head in that perfected ladylike gesture.

“No, I just want to wrap this up quickly so you can go back to being the Mary I know,” I muttered.

“Oh my! Haha, don’t worry about that, just focus on what you need to do, bro.”

There it is—his real self peeking through. It’s confusing seeing that face and hearing that voice speak so naturally. Jean-Jacques is glaring, and even Alice looks a little scary. Only Yumika, clenching her tiny fists in support, is encouraging her “big sister” with a “You can do it!”

“Alright, let’s get going. This isn’t a life-or-death situation, so no need to get too tense. Alice, Irina, go ahead to the entrance hall. If anything comes up, deal with it.”

“Understood. Let’s go, Irina.”

“Yes, we’ll take care of it, Count.”

Now, it’s time to meet Amy for the first time.

When I arrived at the entrance hall, as reported, around 20 people from the Canilunya family’s entourage were lined up. At the front stood an elderly man with a bald head and a striking white beard.

There didn’t seem to be any women among them. The old man noticed me and respectfully bowed. “I am Hameslot, the steward of the Canilunya family. I humbly thank you for granting us this precious time, Lord Hesselink.”

“Oh, there’s no need for formalities, Hameslot. But… I notice Lady Amy isn’t with you. Could you explain why?”

The Canilunya family had arrived, and we were supposed to have a brief meeting followed by a dinner party. But the main guest, Amy, was nowhere to be seen. What’s going on?

“My lady was unfortunately fatigued from the long journey… I deeply apologize, but she’s currently resting in the room you kindly prepared for her. I ask for your understanding.”

Alice gave a subtle nod, signaling she was aware of this. It seems Irina isn’t present because she’s showing Amy to her room.

Fatigue, huh? Was that really her type? The reports said she was tough enough to spar with Odolski and survive.

“I see… Well, it can’t be helped. We can’t force her to come. Shall we postpone the dinner then?”

“Oh no, that won’t be necessary! She assured me she just needs a brief rest and will recover soon. The dinner will proceed as planned without issue.”

“Jean-Jacques?”

“I believe there’s no issue on our side. We could combine the face-to-face meeting with the dinner. What do you think?”

As long as this doesn’t mess with Mahdavikia’s preparations, I’m fine with it. He’s been so pumped about this day that I don’t want to kill his enthusiasm. Keeping morale high is key to a positive workplace, after all.

“Thank you for your understanding. I’m sure the young lady will feel reassured. She was terribly sorry for this inconvenience as soon as she arrived.”

“No need to push her too hard. Make sure she takes her time and rests until the dinner. We’ve also prepared light refreshments and tea for the rest of the servants, so let them relax and recover as well.”

“Your kindness is greatly appreciated. We are deeply thankful for your hospitality.”

“Mary, please show our guests to their rooms.”

“Certainly. This way, please.”

Mary disappeared upstairs with the household servants in tow. The plan was for Amy and her servants to stay on the second floor of the mansion, which was reserved for guests. But seriously, why does this mansion have so many extra rooms? There’s even a large room that could accommodate several people sleeping on the floor. Someone should really explain the purpose behind this unnecessary design.

[Shall I explain it for you?]

No, that’s okay.

[Very well… If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.]

I always rely on you. But for now, let’s focus on the people from the Canilunya family.

After returning to my room, I immediately sat down with Jean-Jacques to go over the situation.

“So, what do you think? Lady Amy seems different from the impression you got when you visited. Was she the type to be so exhausted from a long journey that she’d need rest?”

“Hmm. The answer is no, my lord.”

“So, could she be ill? Or is she plotting something? No, that can’t be it. She wouldn’t come all this way under the pretense of a marriage proposal just to cause trouble between two count families. Especially not to target a territory as unremarkable as ours.”

The only advantage we have is people like me and Odolski, who can hunt monsters regularly. Without that, the residents would be forced to cower inside the mansion, constantly fearing for their lives. Meanwhile, the kingdom would still demand taxes. When I think about it, this territory is pretty terrible.

“I’ve known their steward, Hameslot, for a long time, and he’s a picture-perfect loyal retainer. I doubt he’d cause any trouble, but who knows…”

“Just in case, let’s ask Mahdavikia to prepare some light dishes. If she really is unwell, a full-course dinner might be too much for her.”

“As you wish. I’ll go inform him immediately.”

As Jean-Jacques left, Mary returned, still in maid mode, cautious of prying eyes.

“Pardon me. I’ve just finished showing the Canilunya household to their rooms.”

“Good work. It’s just us now, so you can relax. So, what did you think?”

The perfect picture of a graceful maiden melted away in an instant, revealing the familiar rough-edged boy.

“The servants were nothing special—just a bunch of sturdy, down-to-earth guys. I half expected someone to try to flirt with me, but nope, nothing. I also took a peek into the lady’s room. That’s where we’ve got a problem. She’s not tired at all—it’s a complete lie.”

“How can you tell?”

“She was wolfing down food at an unbelievable pace. A giant basket stuffed with sandwiches, and she was shoveling them in like her life depended on it.”

Wait, what? Now I’m even more curious.

“Hey, eccentric count, I can see that you’re way too interested in this.”

“My apologies. I guess telling Mahdavikia to prepare light food was a wasted effort, then?”

“I’ll take it. The old man’s been making me try all kinds of heavy meals for his tests lately, so I could really use some soup, salad, or porridge.”

No matter how good Mahdavikia is, banquet food tends to be on the heavy side. Since Mary’s the only young male servant we have, he’s naturally the one who gets roped into tasting all the dishes. Alice and Irina refuse, saying it’ll make them gain weight, and Odolski and Jean-Jacques claim they can’t eat that much. Yumika’s too young.

“Do what you want. Now, what should we do? If she’s not actually sick, then it’s not a big deal. But… yeah, there’s no point in overthinking it. Mary, let Jean-Jacques and Odolski know to stay alert. Also, bring Yumika here.”

“Yumika? What are you planning, bro?”

“There’s always a chance someone might try something shady with our precious little sister. I’ll keep her by my side. Alice and Irina can stay with Odolski. As for Mahdavikia, he can manage.”

“You’re really cold to the guys, aren’t you? Don’t worry, me and Gramps will stick with the old man and keep an eye out.”

“That’s reassuring. Now, go ahead.”