Kekkon Shoya no Deathloop~Nosuji Reijou wa Nando Shindemo Megemasen~

「N—o—!!」

I yelled with all my might. It was already late into the night. Both the ceremony and the party were over. This was the only time I had left to resist.


「Please stop it this instant, Lady Katrea! This is your first wedding night...」


Theresa huffed. 'First wedding night', these words made my heart panic even more.


「I can't! I absolutely can't! I can't become husband and wife with that person!」
「The ceremony is over and you're already married! To the Duke no less! There's no union better than this! If you make such statements, the two Madams1 will weep in heaven!」

Certainly, he was someone amazing to have as a marriage partner.
——I was happy at the beginning too. Words of his good looks even managed to reach the ears of a country bumpkin like me. I had been over the moon ever since our marriage was decided, counting down the days to the wedding.

However, I overheard the conversation between the Duke and his friends in the small hall. 


「I just thought it’d be easier to marry a submissive and sturdy country bumpkin that’s not really all that bright rather than those haughty, scheming aristocratic ladies. Plus she’s a warrior’s daughter so she probably won’t spoil so easily if I made her have 2 or 3 kids.」
「Even if you call them warriors, their ancestors were just barbarians turned mercenaries. Doesn’t the bride’s father look like a bandit?」
「You better be careful Crusseld. If you don’t guard against them, all the precious items might be stolen and your mansion might be wiped clean before you know it. And you have left the daughter of a bandit. You have a lot to lose.」

I never held any expectations to receive love from a man I've never met. I am of nobility after all. But even in a loveless marriage, I did hope that we could become a couple that could understand one another.

...However, it's impossible with that man.

Not only did he insult Father and I, he also insulted the entire Baltic Clan.

It was as they said. The ancestors of the Baltic family were indeed mercenaries. However, our family has since sworn our allegiance to the Royal Family, to bleed and give up our lives for this country. Whether it's my father, my elder brothers, my grandmother or my uncle, they had all sworn their lives to this country. How could they put us on the same level as bandits?

Right from the start, he had regarded my family with contempt. I couldn't even be considered a bride in his eyes, just a child birthing machine. 

——How could I have gotten married to someone like that?

I'm an idiot! I didn't even bother looking into him and just decided to dive headfirst into a marriage with a man I knew nothing about.

I really wanted to go back in time and smack myself for ever thinking that it was a pretty good deal. That even without love, living an extravagant life with a good-looking man was not too bad. 

Which leads us to the current situation of me clinging on to the pillar in my room in order to avoid the customs of the first night. 
Theresa, along with the three maids who were assigned to me today were all trying to tear me off said pillar. Even if the maids joined forces against me, they were still unable to separate me from the pillar. Well, this is the difference in training. 

About an hour had passed since this battle began and the maids looked like they've reached their limits.


「Just give it up, Lady Katrea!」
「Absolutely not! Just tell the Duke that I'm able to do it today due to a bad stomachache!」


I hadn't told Theresa about what when down. I couldn't find the time to discreetly update her and I was unwilling to speak of such humiliation as well.

In other's perspective, I probably seemed like a stupid girl being difficult on her wedding day. But regardless of how they viewed me, I'm definitely avoiding the first night. I wanted to give that Duke a taste of humiliation of being rejected by a woman he thought of as an idiot.

As the showdown continued, a knock came from the door. 


「C-Coming.」


One of the maids, Petra opened the door to reveal an overly-muscular man, the third son of the Baltic family, Brother Tris.

As the wedding was very sudden and rushed, my two other elder brothers were unable to attend for their schedules couldn't be changed at the last minute. Father also returned to our territory shortly after the ceremony was over. Hence why, only Brother Tris,who originally resided in the capital and had a lot of time on his hands, stayed in the castle as a guest after the ceremony. 

Brother Tris met some attractive guy at the party and spent the rest of the night drinking, having a good old time, without a care for me. I thought he was still be having fun somewhere else... Why did he come to my room?


「Rea, you're being really annoying. I can hear you shouting from the room below.」


Eh? He heard me shouting? Was I really that loud? Ah, how embarrassing.


「And what are you doing clinging onto the pillar like that? If the groom saw this terrible figure of yours he might ask for a divorce.」
「We'd best divorce! I'm refuse to be with someone like that!」
「You're saying ridiculous things again... Anyway, it's almost time. You should hurry over to the groom's room.」
「N—o—!!」
「Are you scared? Geez, I guess it can't be helped.」


Brother Tris slowly approached me. I increased the strength of my grip on the pillar but he effortlessly removed me from the pillar with just one hand. 
...The difference in our training.
There was nothing I could do as Brother Tris trapped me under his arm like he was carrying a sack of rice.


「Stop! I have a stomachache today, Brother!」
「Baltics don't get stomachaches. Hey, Theresa, thanks for taking care of my idiot of a sister. You can rest for a bit. I'll bring this fella to the Duke. ——Ah, I don't know where his room is. Can someone lead the way?」
「Then, allow me to show you the way.」


One of the maids——I believe her name was Ines——walked towards us. Ines then stomped her heels against the ground to adjust her shoes and rolled up her sleeves.
...Was she being on guard lest I escape while we're on the move? She made an accurate judgement.

 

「Is it alright?」
「No problem, leave it to me.」


Ines nodded to Petra who asked anxiously. It's not like she's escorting some rare beast, yet she seemed all determined and ready-to-go.


「Sir Hartris... Erhm, is it really alright? Lady Katrea did seem pretty distraught...」


Theresa looked at me with a worried expression on her face. Seeing the worry in her eyes made me want to cry.


「It'll be fine, this fella's a Baltic after all. Alright, let's go, idiot!」
「Uwuu... Theresa~...」


In the end, I tried to appeal to her with a sorrowful voice, but no one stopped Brother Tris. He carried me like a piece of luggage and exited the room with Ines. As we moved further and further away from my room, the maid, Harie closed the door.

1. Previously translated as Oku-sama and Dai oku-sama, referring to her Mother and Grandmother.↩