My Dear Husband, Let's Keep It Business-Like! ~Countess Anastasia, Raised in The Downtown, Won't Give Up Her Way~ - Episode 88

“Oh wow! As expected, it’s lively!”

After that, I impulsively changed clothes and set a magic stone into the pendant, then I washed off the countess’s makeup with a splash of water and rushed out of the mansion with a bare face.

Unlike the sheltered noble ladies, for someone as fit as me, running straight to the city center is a piece of cake.

A little while ago, the town that Marie and I used to visit almost every day looks quite different now that many shops have opened.

There are even stores that I had never seen open before, and new stalls I didn’t know about are increasing.

I know that Marie has been working hard on various things since I couldn’t come to the city, but what on earth happened in such a short period?

As I walked through the town, looking around for any clues, I came across a line that I had never seen before in the count’s territory.

Th-this is…!!

Driven by curiosity, I went to the front of the line, and what I saw was the candy sculpture stall from that day.

They even put up a banner saying, “This is the shop where the Earl shopped!” and everyone is buying the bird-shaped candy and even taking commemorative photos next to the stall.

It’s becoming a pilgrimage siteーーー!!?

I knew that the people of the count’s territory admired you, but I never thought it would be to this extent.

“Oh! Isn’t that Ana-chan? It’s been a while!”

When I was out in the city, the street vendor I often met called out to me.

“Oh, uncle! What’s all this commotion about?”

“Wow, you won’t believe it! It was about a month or two ago, I think. Suddenly, the Count came to that store to shop!”

Oh, I know that.

“I was there too, you know. Wow, the Count was so dashing! Even Toby, the candy craftsman, was deeply moved. Have you ever seen him, Anna? Our lord!”

Ah, yes. Relatively every day.

“So, Toby, who was moved, started telling everyone everywhere. ‘If I had closed the shop that day, that touching encounter wouldn’t have happened! From now on, I’ll open the shop every day!!’ he said.”

Oh, Toby, who used to open the shop less often!!

“They say there’s going to be a wedding parade soon! Everyone’s really motivated and opening their shops and setting up stalls. Who knows, the Earl and Lady Anastasia might just make a surprise appearance again!”

Sorry, uncle.

It’s already right in front of me, popping out unexpectedly.

Wait, why has the news about the wedding parade already spread to the villagers!?

Isn’t this a bit too well-coordinated? Is this Marcus’s doing!?

Waving goodbye to the uncle who was called by the customer, I walk towards the less crowded square.

A wedding parade, huh…

I wonder if I can smile and wave next to my husband.

As I sat on the bench lost in thought, Kuntz, who had been by my side all along, floated over and perched lightly on my shoulder.

“Ana, how long are you going to stay here?”

“Hmm, maybe a little more… Sorry, Kuntz. Did you come looking for me?”

“We’re fine, but the mansion was in an uproar. They were saying the lady of the house ran away!”

……ge.

I didn’t intend to run away from home, though.

“Eugene is running around on a horse, looking pale as a ghost!”

What do you mean!?

N-no way, is the master running around town again with his face fully exposed and without any disguise?

At that moment, a chill ran down my spine as I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my back due to a bad premonition.

“Anaaaaaaa!!”

And then, I heard my husband calling me loudly.

When I looked, my husband was rushing towards me with a desperate expression.

As expected, I was taken aback by the unmasked face.

“Y, milord! Please lower your voice. What are you doing without any disguise?”

“Yeah, but Anna suddenly disappeared, didn’t she!? This isn’t the time to be leisurely talking about disguises!”

Ugh… I know it wasn’t right to leave without saying anything, but still, after hearing something like that…

“What happened, Ana? … Have you grown tired of the noble life?”

My husband clings to me with a face that looks like he’s about to cry, but it’s me who wants to cry.

No, it’s not that I started to dislike you…

Eeeh! Just say it already!!

“Because my husband said that as long as he can take the child, he doesn’t care about the mother.”

“What’s this about?”

“I heard it today, you know. Right in front of the stable.”

“Stable? …Ah, that story!”

The husband nods as if he understands.

It seems like I do remember that conversation after all.

“So, why does Ana run out of the mansion?”

“Why, you ask…? Because I’m young and healthy, so I’m convenient as a vessel, and once I give birth to a child, they don’t need the mother anymore. I just hate that, or rather…”

“I see!!”

Suddenly, my husband lets out a loud voice as if he has come to an understanding.

Huh, what?

Could it be that my husband found out I like him!?

“Sorry! Ana wanted that mare, didn’t she?”