My Dream is to Get My Own House - Chapter 8

Episode 8

It’s the “Compensation Notice.”

To demand compensation from someone, you naturally needed documents.

Documents that provided evidence that the other party caused harm.

Luckily, I had evidence recorded in front of my house yesterday.

“Here. This is evidence of how they exploited me. I recorded it.”

“It’s still a little lacking, but one of the requirements for preparing the compensation notice is complete. However, there is a big problem.”

“What is it?”

“To deliver this notice, we need the other party’s agreement.”

“Does that make sense? Who would agree to pay compensation willingly?”

“Unfortunately, that’s the law. It’s a bad law. That’s why compensation notices rarely have any effect.”

Does this make sense?

I kicked in anger and came up with a plan.

Currently, there were two languages in common use in the Empire.

The majority used the Imperial Common Language, but some nobles used Ancient Imperial Language.

So, what if I wrote the compensation notice disguised in Ancient Imperial Language that Mother didn’t know?

The Empire recognized documents written in Ancient Imperial Language as legal as well.

Mother was definitely hooked by the plan in the proposal I submitted.

“Alright, I’ve signed everything!”

I accepted the document she handed to me.

“Thank you, Mother.”

She signed it with her own hands, binding herself.

“Well, when will the dress arrive then?”

As I looked at her eyes, where greed flashed, I smiled gently.

“Maybe tomorrow, or the latest is the day after.”

* * *

I left the coffee house and went to the Knight Management Team for work.

My colleagues, Henry and Marilyn, surrounded me like a pack of wolves.

“What conversation did you have with Sir Dylan last night?”

“Rumors are spreading!”

“If people didn’t experience hallucinations together, what the hell was it?”

“Yeah, it seems like we experienced hallucinations as a group.”

I brushed them off casually and hummed a tune as I sat in my seat.

It would be better to keep our marriage a secret for now.

“We might end up getting exposed if we continue like this.”

That’s what I was thinking.

While standing at the forefront, the administrator who had been interrogating me, Marilyn, came closer.

She had always disregarded and ignored me, calling me “Hey, Bank Banki.”

“I don’t know what you did to Sir Dylan. Anyway, aren’t you an ugly duckling and the prince a pair?”

To be honest, I was the ugly duckling.

But if those words were heard from someone else’s mouth, it would be like a pot calling the kettle black.

“What did you get stuck in your front teeth?”

“What? What?”

“What did you have for lunch, anyway?”

“I didn’t eat anything special. Olives?”

“No wonder your front teeth are black. I guess you got an olive stuck.”

“Oh, my god! Really?”

Marilyn looked shocked and hurriedly looked for a mirror.

“She fell for it.”

Marilyn couldn’t multi-task.

“But to be honest, being called ‘Bank Banki’ all the time isn’t nice.”

For Dylan’s dignity, it was not good to be hanging around in a halfway manner.

“I should cut my hair with a broom this weekend.”

I scratched my head and sat at the desk, starting to organize the knights’ requests.

<Sir Tob, Application for Protective Gear: Approved.>

“Why did Sir Tob suddenly apply for protective gear? Is his life in danger or something?”

Anyway, I should approve the use of protective gear.

At that moment, Marilyn, who had fallen into my prank, regained her senses.

She leaned over and whispered in my ear.

“Anyway, Sir Dylan has a lady he loves.”

“Ah.”

“She’s truly a virtuous and beautiful person, unlike you. There’s no comparison. So, just leave right now…”

Swiftly, they approached me and whispered in a rapid-fire manner.

Well, there’s an effective method for moments like this.

I took the earplug out of the table and inserted it into my ear.

Hmm, I can’t hear anything.

* * *

Right after I dropped the bombshell declaration that I got married to the Emperor, my one and only family, Dylan entered the townhouse that was arranged for newlywed couples in the capital city.

With both hands full, he carried groceries.

Today, he tried using his annual leave for the first time in his life.

When he mentioned that he would use his annual leave, the administrator’s eyes widened.

“S-Sir Dylan, you’re taking annual leave?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve been living in the Knights’ residence and returning all your days off until now. Are you saying you’re skipping the festival?”

“That’s correct.”

“Are you seriously… seriously ill? Or did you get married?”

Dylan’s expression hardened even more, and he fell silent.

“I-I apologize for rudely asking about your personal life!”

The administrator, mistaking Dylan’s expressionless face and silence for anger, nodded with an expression that seemed like she would die of curiosity.

“I-I will approve it. Sir Dylan’s first annual leave approved!”

The words “did you get married?” from the administrator kept echoing in his mind.

He had lived and was trapped in a small house cursed by dark magic throughout his childhood.

The existence he was most curious about in the world was family.

Whenever he thought about family, his father’s voice echoed in his ears.

“You’re a disgrace in my life. The only reason I don’t kill you is that I don’t want to dirty my hands with your filthy blood. You’ll live like a disgraceful dog, trapped in the northern region for the rest of your life.”

He silently washed his hands.

Even while living alone, he always dreamed of the day he would have a precious wife by his side.

Memories of practicing household chores for a long time resurfaced.

“The marriage period is only a year, but I should take care of her as much as possible.”

Dylan, whose exterior was plain and whose inner self was lacking.

In contrast, Ishael shone brightly just by looking at her.

But it was a law that they couldn’t form a true bond of love.

However…

He pushed away negative thoughts and looked inwardly, raising his head again.

He had to treat Ishael to a nice dining experience to celebrate their marriage.

Dylan, who had put the groceries in the kitchen, slyly looked at his watch.

Isha’el finished work at 6 p.m.

The current time was 12:33 p.m.

He had 5 hours and 27 minutes remaining.

“What should I cook?”

He had bought all the ingredients.

He was most confident in his ability to prepare aged meat.

He was also skilled in filleting fish due to his meticulous knife work.

However, he learned from a cookbook that people had mixed opinions about cooking catfish.

What would Isha’el like?

Should he start with a salad?

Dylan firmly grasped the knife, taking on the most serious and earnest expression of his life.

“I can do it.”

The hand holding the knife trembled imperceptibly to anyone.

Of course, he was skilled in cooking.

He had to cook for his own survival.

But cooking for his wife was a completely new experience for him.

His heart pounded, and his hand holding the knife trembled.

He silently reassured himself, “I can do it.”

Then he dressed respectfully in an apron with carrots and rabbits drawn on it.

His expression became more determined.

He stood in the kitchen, grilling, boiling, steaming, and simmering.

I plated the food on a clean dish.

Exactly 4 hours and 33 minutes had passed.

It was the moment he was doing a final check on the food.

He heard the sound of the door opening.

“A delicious smell… Huh? Sir Dylan?”

Ishael, who was lovely like a fairy due to her petite height, had arrived.

She approached the dining table, fluttering by his side.

It seemed like her pupils behind the glasses had clearly enlarged.

Dylan opened his mouth with a stiff tone.

“As I mentioned earlier, I’ve prepared dinner. Please have a seat.”

It was the first time he prepared a half-sized banquet.

He planned meticulously down to the second and kept it on track.

He even put a heating tool on to prevent the food from getting cold.

“It doesn’t seem too shabby…”

However, Esha’el remained silent.

“D-Did you… finish all this?”

“Yes.”

“By yourself?”

Her face showed astonishment.

Her black hair, with a slightly rough texture, swayed as if in disbelief.

“Yes.”

Was his effort lacking after all?

Well, a half-sized banquet might not be enough.

Moreover, it was their wedding day, a truly momentous occasion.

To only have 50 dishes for such a day.

Dylan’s shoulders slouched slightly, imperceptible to anyone.

* * *

I was in a daze, looking at Dylan’s chic expression that said, “This is nothing.”

How did he manage to do all this alone?

He didn’t order a buffet for a business trip and lie, right?

But he was Dylan.

Even in the Knights, he was famous for being honest and having a typical rough personality.

I sat down and, with a solemn expression, picked up the spoon and spoke.

“Let’s eat.”

“Yes.”

He still had the same unchanging, unexpressive demeanor.

His posture seemed slightly off, but it was probably just my imagination.

I turned my gaze to the dining table.

Various dishes, from catfish to crab and fresh salmon, were spread out!

“Oh, my, my mouth is watering.”

I took a bite of the oven-roasted cube-shaped salmon.

In an instant, the melody of a symphony echoed in my ears.

The salmon is dancing in my mouth!

I quickly swallowed the salmon in my mouth.

For a while, the only sound was the clinking of the spoon against the plate.

By the time I had tried a bite of each of the 50 side dishes, I snapped out of it.

“Th-That was… I couldn’t help but eat because it was so delicious.”

“I’m glad.”

Now it was time to have a proper conversation.

For example, about a contract marriage!

“I have a question, um… why did you decide to get married?”

“Ah.”

He pursed his lips.

Seeming somewhat hesitant, I playfully said.

“It’s not because you like me, is it… Ahahaha! I’m sorry.”

It was like a remark from a crazy person.

I scolded myself for acting like a fool and quickly tried to salvage the situation.

“It was a joke, a joke!”

Dylan’s expression faltered slightly.

“R-Right.”

“Yes, I know that Dylan doesn’t like me.”

“…”

“We’ve never even met before!”

“…”

“To be honest, marrying someone you like can be a bit burdensome, so I actually prefer it! But, in the first place, there’s no one I really like.”

That damn ex-boyfriend, Pedro XX.

Seeing such a sudden and self-esteem-crushing remark pop up!

That jerk completely shattered my self-esteem.

I quickly changed the subject.

“Ah, but Dylan, why did you really decide to marry me?”