“……We didn’t write up a contract, but we did make a vow at the temple.”

But Gwen seemed determined to cling to my ankles until the end.

Since temple vows have as much legal effect as contracts, things were about to get very complicated.

After confirming my expression rapidly turning cold, she hurriedly explained.

“Of course, after writing the agreement with you, I told my brother I couldn’t keep the promise! But then…… my brother flew into a rage and caused a huge scene.”

I watched Gwen start crying again with a tired expression.

“Huk, well, he said he’d sell Janice off as a second wife to some wealthy lower noble! He also threatened that he’d definitely sue and take away House Sharofe!”

“Janice doesn’t have to get married if she doesn’t want to, and the lawsuit…… ha, really.”

If House Roben filed a lawsuit, I’d have to fight him over Sharofe.

If I used bloodline as leverage, it would ultimately be my victory, but the problem was that it would exceed the mission deadline of one month.

As I rubbed my temples with a headache, Gwen whined at me.

“It’s hard for Janice not to get married too! He’s pressuring us by turning all the living expenses we used while staying in the capital into debt!”

“What does that have to do with me. Please just shut up quietly.”

When I snapped coldly, Gwen finally quieted down. I pondered how to resolve this situation and asked in a low voice.

“Don’t you have any weaknesses on Viscount Roben? Fatal weaknesses that could cancel the temple vow and stop the lawsuit.”

“Th, that……”

Gwen rolled her eyes around and answered as if squeezing it out.

“I left the family after marriage, so I don’t know much about their internal affairs. But it seems like Roben Trading Company has some secret. They literally became rich overnight one day.”

I see, then there’s only one way.

Having made my decision, I stood up and spoke to her like giving an order.

“While I resolve this matter, you cut off your hands and feet.”

“Wha, what?!”

Gwen, whose face instantly drained of color, looked at me in terror.

“You don’t think I really told you to cut off your actual hands and feet, do you. I’m telling you to personally kick out all your lackeys.”

To make my work later a bit easier.

At my words spoken while looking at her as if she were pathetic, Gwen came to her senses and nodded awkwardly.

Just in case, I warned her.

“If you leave even one person behind, then I won’t leave Janice alone.”

“Ah, I understand! I’ll weed them all out! Please spare our Janice……”

I left the office, leaving behind Gwen who was showing desperate maternal love.

After leaving the count’s mansion that I couldn’t yet call mine and returning to the carriage, I spoke.

“Mandy, you stay at the mansion and monitor my mother. If she tries any tricks, stop her immediately. Got it?”

“Yes, Miss.”

Mandy answered resolutely.

“And Carl, you come infiltrate Roben Trading Company with me.”

“……You mean you’ll personally step forward? It will be dangerous.”

Carl slightly frowned and expressed opposition.

“But I can’t send you alone. I don’t have time to sit still and wait either. If I investigate directly, things will progress quickly.”

“……I understand.”

At my strong insistence, Carl reluctantly backed down.

‘Really, there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.’

Realizing that truth once again, I personally moved to resolve this mission too.

Since it’s come to this, I’ll dig into everything thoroughly.

***

The Roben family currently resides in the capital, but the trading company they operate is based on the eastern coast.

In other words, that’s their home base.

I obtained a magic potion that changes hair color. When I drank the potion, my silver hair that seemed to contain moonlight changed to common brown.

Disguised as a commoner named ‘Sasha’, I applied to Roben Trading Company’s recruitment notice with Carl……

“So, you two are married?”

“Yes! And we’re newlyweds who haven’t been married long, so we desperately need jobs!”

At the interviewer’s sharp gaze, I quickly linked arms with Carl and laughed cheerfully.

What happened was, Roben Trading Company had the peculiarity of giving bonus points if family members like couples, parents and children, or siblings applied together.

Seeing the overflowing applicants and feeling panicked and threatened, I modified the original plan to pretend Carl and I were strangers.

To newlyweds.

“Hmm, our trading company aims for a family-like atmosphere. It’s very good when couples work together.”

In my experience, companies that say this usually just have a shitty atmosphere.

But I smiled brightly and appealed enthusiastically. The important thing was infiltrating the trading company and digging up weaknesses.

So I hoped Carl would play along, but strangely, he had stiffened and wasn’t moving since the moment I linked arms with him.

What’s wrong, my quick-witted bondservant.

“Since you’re a young couple, you’ll have good stamina, and your kind faces aren’t bad.”

The interviewer looked us over carefully and flinched slightly when looking at Carl.

I keenly noticed this and pinched Carl’s side. Then Carl showed an awkward smile.

Hmm, I don’t know about kind, but he’s handsome.

The interviewer also seemed to like the handsome man’s smile and shouted heartily.

“Good, you’re both hired!”

“Thank you!”

Thanks to disguising ourselves as a married couple, we successfully got jobs at Roben Trading Company.

The fact that they provided room and board was quite nice, but receiving one room because we were a couple was somewhat problematic.

‘We’re not really married!’

I only wailed inwardly and outwardly thanked them as I entered the room with Carl.

Left alone together, the atmosphere somehow became awkward as we fumbled around putting down our luggage.

Thud. The bag made a heavy sound because I had stocked up on magic potions under the clothes.

“Ahem, I’ll sleep on the floor so you sleep on the bed.”

“Uh, okay. Thanks.”

I went to the bed and plopped down, suggesting to eliminate the subtle tension flowing in the air.

“Want to wash up first?”

“……What?”

But that was a mistake. Seeing Carl’s flustered face, I realized my words could sound meaningful.

D*mn, what kind of statement is this like real newlyweds……!

I held back from wanting to tear my hair and waved my hands.

“Ah…… I, I didn’t mean it in a weird way, so absolutely don’t misunderstand.”

“Well, there’s precedent so I can’t trust you.”

Carl, who replied in a playful voice, walked to the bathroom and pulled up the corner of his mouth.

“Don’t peek at me, Sasha.”

“……I, I won’t look!”

When I shouted indignantly, low laughter echoed from beyond the bathroom door.

Geez, only I got flustered.

We who had accidentally become a married couple were also assigned the same work at the trading company.

Specifically, fish warehouse management.

It was fortunate that we worked in the same place, but the insane fishy smell made me nauseous.

“Ugh.”

“Carl, are you okay?”

Carl, who had a weaker stomach than me, finally threw up.

When I chased after him and patted his back, he gestured for me to go away.

I handed water to Carl who returned with a haggard face after a while.

“Drink some.”

“……Thanks.”

“I’ll organize the boxes that came in for now, so you rest a bit.”

“I can’t do that. I’ll do it, so you rest.”

I firmly pressed down on his shoulder as he tried to get up urgently and said resolutely.

“I’ll do it.”

“But—”

“Don’t be stubborn and look at yourself right now. You look like you’ll collapse any moment.”

Carl couldn’t argue back and only moved his lips slightly. Then several employees passing by the warehouse spotted us and whistled.

“Whew, as expected of newlyweds, so lovey-dovey!”

“Hey, newbies! Your affectionate display is giving me goosebumps!”

They seemed to be teasing us because I was close to Carl with my hand on his shoulder.

Then one of them even threw in a crude joke.

“Don’t make your pretty wife suffer! If it seems like your husband can’t do his job properly, come find me!”

“That bastard……”

I stopped Carl who was clenching his fist with an angry face and whispered.

“Not now, beat him up later.”

At those words, Carl reluctantly backed down. Instead, as if trying to remember his face, he stared intently at that employee.

Perhaps feeling the murderous gaze, the employee flinched and quickly disappeared.

In the end, I did most of that day’s work alone. As soon as we returned to our room after work hours, Carl apologized.

“Sorry for making you work alone today. I’ll do everything tomorrow.”

“Don’t nitpick over every little thing like that, dummy. You came here because of me in the first place.”

Carl, who had been staring at me as I sniffed around thinking the fishy smell had gotten on my clothes, suddenly asked.

“Why are you suddenly trying to inherit the family?”

“I think I need a stronger foundation to marry the person I want.”

At my answer without hesitation, Carl slightly frowned and turned his head.

He who had roughly sat on the round table placed in the room opened his mouth again.

“Still, I hate that it ends up helping that stepmother of yours.”

“You think so? In the long run, I don’t think I will.”