"The Idea of a Woman Stealing Someone Else's Partner is Ridiculous," I laughed. But After Being Reborn, I Became a Victim of Such a Woman. However, My New Fiancée was Absolutely Amazing. - Episode 35

“…!? Does that mean we’re not the only ones going to repair the barrier?”

“Yes. The more spiritual power we have, the better. There’s no reason for the heads of the Ten Guardian Families to refuse, and this year, more than twenty engagements have been broken. That means there are many young ladies whose weddings have been delayed. To help them, it’s highly likely that this arrangement will be put in place.”

“I see…”

That makes sense.

I’ve seen noble girls get their engagements broken off for the most ridiculous reasons. It’s sad to think their marriage prospects are now uncertain.

For me, finding a “next” partner so quickly was nothing short of a miracle.

In noble families, marriages are usually arranged with houses of similar status.

If these girls participate in the barrier repairs, it could serve as proof of their dedication, making it easier for them to find a match—even with a family of slightly lower or higher status.

Ideally, they’d find partners close to their age.

“They might also use this as an opportunity to corner you. Some could be jealous that you alone managed to find a wonderful new fiancé. But, I don’t think anyone in our school would be that petty…”

“Y-Yeah, right?”

Wait… so there are girls like that!?

Even though I’ve been handing out protective charms, not every broken-off fiancée has come to get a ‘Self-Defense’ charm.

I thought they had enough sense to move on rather than go back to their foolish exes… but I guess that’s not always the case!?

Ugh, what a pain!

“Also, for those ladies, this is a rare chance to meet military officers from the Curse Demon Subjugation Unit. We should quietly support them in forming good connections.”

“Wait, the Subjugation Unit will be there too?”

“Yes, of course. If the barrier repair team were attacked by demons, it would be a disaster. Lately, miasma has been building up, and some even suspect a Hyakki Yagyō might occur.”

“You mean… a large-scale demon outbreak that happens once every few decades?”

“Yes, exactly. My parents mentioned it’s about time for one, so we need to be extra cautious.”

That makes sense.

If that’s the case, they better be taking precautions.

Come to think of it, the reason I brought rice balls to Kouga-san’s unit was because Mrs. Ito said, “A big one showed up.”

Kouga-san seems really busy—he even joked about coming over just to eat my cooking.

And the next dinner gathering is in two days.

If his unit is coming as escorts, does that mean Kouga-san will be at the barrier repair, too?

“Well then, since he’ll be coming over for dinner, I have to put extra effort into cooking!”

“Oh? A dinner gathering?”

“Yes. More like a way to restore spiritual energy.”

“I see. That is an important duty for a future wife. Please do your best. Now, my escort should be arriving soon, so I’ll take my leave. Let’s work well together on the repair day.”

“Yes! Thank you for everything!”

Since my fiancé is from the Ichijou Family, I guess my status in her eyes has gone up.

Changing attitudes based on family rank… well, it happens.

It’s actually pretty common among the noble families.

Among the Ten Guardian Families, the five Outer Houses are considered equal, while the five Inner Houses have a strict hierarchy.

The Outer Houses are treated as equals to maintain harmony, but the Inner Houses compete for rank to keep order.

However, even within the Outer Houses, the branch families and their sub-branches are often looked down upon.

I can’t do that kind of thing.

Even gender plays a role in these hierarchies.

At least I can choose not to participate in this nonsense.

“Alright! More importantly, I need to buy ingredients and start prepping! Kouga-san is coming in two days, so I should stock up on rice, vegetables, and miso now. Oh, and I should try that idea, too.”

And so, I borrowed two male servants and one maid from the Kujou Family and went on a massive shopping trip.

Among the things I bought, the two iron safes stood out the most.

The servants looked confused when I asked them to place both safes in the kitchen.

After sending them back to the Kujou estate, I rolled up my sleeves.

In the cramped kitchen of the Yuukizaka House, I placed the two safes side by side.

On one of them, I stuck a charm.

“This one will be left alone for a while… and on the other iron safe, this charm.”

Done!

I hope it works…

If it does, this could change everything.

“If this works, it’ll change history. Alright, let’s start chopping vegetables!”

Cooking vegetables too early will make them spoil.

It’s almost August, and the temperature keeps rising.

Summer means food poisoning is a real risk.

That’s where my new safes come in.

After thoroughly cleaning one, I placed cut vegetables inside ceramic containers and stored them.

The charm I placed on this safe is for ‘cooling.’

That’s right—I turned a safe into a refrigerator!

I don’t know if it’ll work yet, but if it does, it could revolutionize household kitchens.

I chose a safe because getting my hands on a large metal box was nearly impossible otherwise.

And the smaller safe on top?

That one is going to be a microwave oven!

…Well, that’s the plan.

The charm on it has a ‘heating’ function, with additional instructions to ensure it only warms the interior safely.