01x01 - A Marriage Just For Show

[bunniefuu]

Pardon me.

I'm terribly sorry to be introducing
myself at a time like this.

My name is Julius Royus.

I know it's very sudden,
but I, Elsa Eukarainen,

and Lord Julius, whom I've only just met,

will be married today.

The Duke's Son Claims He Won't Love Me,
But Showers Me with Adoration

What a beautiful carrot!

It's Lady Elsa!

Hello, everyone!

I'll leave the vegetables here.

Lady Elsa, thank you
for always helping us.

Please think nothing of it, Matron.

After all, I harvested
a lot of carrots today.

What? Carrots again?

Stop it! How could you say such a thing?

For vegetables you don't like,

if you chop them up and add them
to soup, you won't notice them!

You can't fool me!

Hello!

Oh, it's Mister Alan!

Oh, please come in.

Lady Elsa, the work clothes you gave us
the other day were very well received.

Oh! I'm so glad to hear that!

Lady Elsa, does he mean the work
clothes you make out of old garments?

Yes.

We'd love to ask you for more, but...

Of course! Please don't
hesitate to ask.

Thank you.

We baked this bread this morning.
Please have some, if you'd like.

Oh, thank you so much!

What? I'm jealous!

Mister Alan's bread!

I've brought enough for all of you, too!

When I've harvested more
vegetables, I'll come visit again!

Lady Elsa! See you later! Bye-bye!

Come back soon!

She really has no hidden side to her.
She's just a kind, wonderful person.

Yes, and if the times had not changed...

she would have been the princess
of a prestigious kingdom,

and yet, she's such a friendly person.

Say, Mother...

can't we stop making
the soup potage style?

Every time I take a spoonful,
I'm disappointed.

Oh, silly Hannes.
You shouldn't speak so frankly.

She's right.

And this soup is a Eukarainen
family signature dish!

I mince vegetable scraps as small
as possible and simmer them with care.

I'm aware.

Is this bread from Alan's place?

Yes!

Today, when Elsa went out to make
a delivery, he gave some to her.

It's as delicious as always, isn't it?

What's wrong, Elsa?

It's nothing.

I was just thinking
that since we have this,

it would be nice to have some meat, too.

But...

the trap didn't work at all.

There will be days like that.
Don't you think, dear?

Though, this is five days in a row now.

The rabbits that live on our lands
certainly are intelligent, aren't they?

It's snowing.

It's going to get cold tonight.

That draft...

It isn't much warmer
inside than it is outside.

It doesn't seem as though we'll be
able to make repairs to the house.

I'm worried about being able to buy
enough firewood to get through the winter.

And I want to allow
Hannes to study more, too.

The marriage proposal I received...

I was told that he's about
the same age as my father, but...

I'm already nineteen years old.

The time may have come for me to resolve
myself to accept a marriage proposal.

And he said that he'd
support my family, too.

In any case, if it's a place
where I'll be able to eat, then...

I've just returned!

Father, Mother, the marriage
proposal for me that we'd set aside...

Elsa, we have something
important to discuss with you.

The eldest son of the ducal
family of Royas, Julius Royas,

has sent an offer of marriage.

An offer from the Royas family?

Sister, when did you
and he become acquainted?

What? He and I aren't
acquaintances at all.

To be perfectly honest, this is
the first time I've even heard his name.

Are you serious, Sister?

He's Julius Royas!

He's a personal aide to the crown prince
of our Ralt Kingdom, Prince Aleksis,

and he serves as aide to the chancellor.

Prince Aleksis? Aide?

Um...

It's no surprise that
you don't know him, Elsa.

We don't have sufficient means
to appear in society, after all.

And?

What are the conditions for the marriage?

There doesn't seem to be
anything in particular.

Impossible.

Even within the Ralt Kingdom,
this is the boonies!

There isn't a single thing
worthy of sightseeing!

The soil is poor,
the food is all just grains,

and on top of that, there are
many natural disasters!

So that's what you think of our home...

Hannes, you're being much too frank.

Offering a marriage to a fallen noble
house full of liabilities like us...

It's obvious that he must
be plotting something!

Far from plotting anything,

he's offering help to reinforce
the safety of our territory

and to repair the buildings.

What?

When his subordinates came to inspect
us, he said they were surprised.

No, he's treating us far too well!
There has to be something else!

Father, Mother, Hannes...

I will marry him.

Wait, Elsa. Will you be
all right emotionally?

We want you to find happiness
with someone you love.

Suddenly marrying someone
you've never even met is just...

And it seems so suspicious!

Father, Mother, you said yours was
an arranged marriage, yes?

He's willing to treat us so well.
I'm certain he must be a kind person!

Elsa...

Besides, if Father, Mother, and
Hannes can live happy lives...

then no matter what sort of person he
may be, I'm certain I can endure it.

I will officially accept Lord
Julius's offer of marriage.

I answered so quickly...

but I never imagined my wedding day
would come without meeting him even once.

Being the chancellor's
aide must be very hard work.

Lady Elsa, Lord Julius has arrived.

Come in.

Pardon the intrusion.

My work prevented me
from making arrangements.

I'm terribly sorry to be introducing
myself at a time like this.

It can't be.

My name is Julius Royas.

Thank you for accepting
my proposal of marriage.

This radiant individual is...

N-Not at all!

People from the city are dazzling!

It's a pleasure to
meet you, Lord Julius.

My name is Elsa Eukarainen.

Preparations for the
ceremony are complete.

We ask that both of you
please make your way there.

O-Of course!

Elsa.

Shall we?

Yes.

My groom, Lord Julius,
is such a wonderful person,

and this lavish party
with food on top of that...

Perhaps I truly am being
tricked in some way.

Elsa.

Are you tired?

Oh, no.

I had heard that you enjoy gardening,
so I made the reception a garden party.

Have I ended up boring you instead?

I enjoy gardening?

Oh! I wonder if he means
our vegetable patch.

Not at all! I'm simply surprised.
I feel quite well!

Thank you for being so considerate of me.

From now on, I'll have to appear
in society as my husband's partner,

so I have to grow
accustomed to this quickly.

Congratulations, Julius!

Rebeka.

This is my childhood friend,
Rebeka Rikkonen, wife to a marquis.

A pleasure to meet you, Lady Elsa.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rebeka.

When I heard that Julius was
getting married, I was surprised,

but I feel a little better now.

A lady from the city. She's dazzling!

Lady Elsa, I would love to have a
nice, leisurely chat with you sometime.

Yes, I hope you grant me that honor.

Of course. Then, until next time.

Lord Julius, it has been
some time, hasn't it?

Thank you for inviting me today.

Oh, she's beautiful!
All of the city ladies are so dazzling!

The pleasure is mine.
Thank you for coming.

It was a lovely ceremony.

It's a pleasure to meet you, madam.

My name is Serafina Parnilla.

My name is Elsa. I look forward to...

You're even more naive and
unrefined than I'd imagined.

Serafina.

You look beautiful, Elsa.

Elsa, Lord Julius, congratulations.

Father. Mother.

Thank you.

This is such a lovely garden.

To have everyone celebrating the marriage
in a place as beautiful as this...

it's such a joy.

I'm glad to hear you say that.

Lord Julius, Elsa,
congratulations on your marriage.

Master, Mistress, welcome home.

Oh my!

You must be tired.
Please allow me to take your things.

Thank you.

I wonder if I'll be
able to grow used to this.

A wedding ceremony
in a glittering church...

Delicious food...

And more importantly, there were truly
so many people who wished us well.

Today was full of things
that felt like dreams.

Oh. Now that I think about it,
tonight is our wedding night.

Elsa.

Y-Yes?

Huh?

I will say this one thing...

What could it be? His voice is so
cold he sounds like a different person.

I may have married you,

but I have absolutely no intention

of loving you.

As we are now married,
I have three conditions for you.

First, you will behave in a manner
that befits the wife of a future duke.

Second, you will not
interfere in my affairs.

Third, when in front of others,

you will act as though we are
a friendly, intimate couple.

As long as you hold to those conditions,
you may do as you please.

I-I, um...

The reason I proposed marriage to you
was that I deemed marriage

between the daughter of the
Eukarainen family and the Royas family

would be a benefit to the kingdom.

And you came here in order
to benefit your family, didn't you?

It happens that our
interests aligned. That's all.

You may think of this
as a marriage of convenience.

I...

I see!

As you say, I thought I could reduce
the number of mouths to feed in my family,

and that's why I accepted your proposal.

If this marriage benefits both of us,

then it means that
I'm not simply a burden to you.

That is quite a relief!

Lord Julius, allow me to say, I look
forward to our continued partnership.

If you understand,
then that's a great help.

I'll head to bed first.
Spend your time as you like.

Th-That was a surprise.

To try to love someone all
of a sudden is a difficult thing.

But I did think we'd
become friendly, at least.

Still...

all of his conditions were things
I expected of myself anyway.

I'm glad I learned the reason he proposed
instead of him awkwardly hiding it.

This will be your room.

Everything was brought
here specifically for you,

so please feel free to use them.

It's so spacious! And lavish!

It's incredible!

And there are even snacks in my room?

This is no good!
I can't take any more today!

That music box is our treasure.

Elsa, one day, you will also...

together with your beloved...

Father, Mother,

I will treasure this music box you
gave me to celebrate my marriage.

Julius.

Will you marry Elsa Eukarainen for me?

What?

You know, too, don't you?

About a hundred years ago, the Eukarainen
Kingdom, led by an evil government,

attacked Ralt Kingdom and
had the tables turned on them.

For the sake of peace,
the princesses of the Eukarainen family

were offered to the Ralt Kingdom
as concubines.

Their descendants are
the current Eukarainen ducal family.

I do, of course, know that, but...

Which means, that ducal house

carries the blood of both the former
Eukarainen Kingdom and our Ralt Kingdom.

Their lineage is quite impressive.

Recently, the eldest daughter
has reached a marriageable age.

It's possible that treasonous elements in
our kingdom will set their sights on her.

I want to bring her in before they
have the chance to make use of her.

Bring her in?

The truth is, I should actually
make her my second wife,

but I just can't love anyone
other than my wife, you see?

Even so! Please don't just
force her on someone else.

You're used to dealing
with women, aren't you?

What I am used to dealing
with is information.

It just so happens that the women of
the nobility are overflowing with secrets.

That's all.

Consider me informed.

Can I ask this of you?

I understand.

I will carry out your orders.

Good.

However, as the Eukarainen family
doesn't make appearances in society,

we have no information about
what sort of girl she may be.

What kind of girl is she?

She's different than I'd imagined.

But I don't yet know
what she's really like.

Work prevented me from
attending the ceremony today.

What was the bride like?

Surprisingly unrefined.

Or, rather, very plain.

Or, actually, she was a girl
that left no impression at all,

Big Brother Jarmo!

Really?

Oh, honestly! It's unbelievable!

How could Lord Julius have
married a girl like that?

Serafina, there is no girl in this
world who can measure up to you.

Brother!

I'll meet her soon, too.

I'm looking forward to it.

It isn't cold.

And so, it's a little
different than the norm,

but our married life together has begun.