I Favor the Villainess

The Kingdom of Bauer is in a transitional period.

Nothing was more than the nobles flirting with the great event of the revolution.

The general public, who has become the bearer, is also pressed to respond to future changes in their lives.

Citizens of the Kingdom of Bauer who have shaken off the interference of the Nah Empire and achieved a bloodless revolution, but do not immediately improve their standard of living.

Rather, it can be said that citizens' lives are worse than before the revolution because of the effects of the eruption of the Sassal volcano and the temporary turmoil of the revolution.

I mean, this is a tough time.

"I know that. I know..."

I don't have Lady Claire on my side right now.

Master Claire is running all over the place to establish a new administration.

I want to help you, too, and I actually do, but I'm an amateur at politics.

We know what we can do to create a new government and so on.

At best, use it according to Claire's instructions, and...

"It's easy to heal Master Claire, who returns tired,"

Now what I'm doing is simmering cream stews in the cooking room in the college dorm.

Ingredients are not very luxurious due to lack of supplies.

The vegetables in particular continue to fail because of the ashes from the volcano.

What is available is also incomparable in poverty compared to when the College was the garden of the nobles.

Still, I manage to get lean carrots and onions and use them.

Protein sources used to be mostly beef too, but nowadays such things are almost unavailable in luxury.

I'm trying to get this chicken to taste good again, and I'm working on this.

"Ray."

I heard a voice with high keys, then strangely familiar with my ears.

Looking back, Master Claire stood.

"Welcome back, Master Claire. You were early today, weren't you?

"It's just now. The meeting was in dispute… Everyone opened today to chill their heads."

"Was I? Looks like it's hard to navigate."

"Yes."

With that said, Lady Claire sat back in her chair and rubbed her eyes.

Once I stop and wash my hands, I give them the towel dampened with hot water.

"Please put this to your attention. I think it feels good."

"Thank you. I wonder... oh... this will work..."

As it was, Master Claire stood still on the towel for a few minutes.

I wonder how tired you are.

"I have a broken opinion on whether to involve women in politics or not. I naturally agree, but the opposition is deeply rooted."

"I guess so."

If we lived in Japan in the twenty-first century, it would be an overly normal matter such as women's political participation, but the fact that women participate in politics in this world is never easy to achieve.

"You were still reluctant before I was here, but the basic doubts of your lords are about this. I mean, what do you know about politics to women?

This again only sounds like a hell of a rumble in the light of Japanese common sense in the twenty-first century, but the situation placed in Japan and this Bauer is too different.

First of all, there are problems with literacy rates and educational standards.

It wasn't a lie or a joke, "What's politics? There are many women on the" level. "

Of course, former aristocratic women know as upbringing, and even former civilian women know those with high educational standards.

But those people are a handful based on the overall number of women.

Furthermore, the number of women is high.

There are fewer men in military service as a result of the war against the Nah Empire, so there are more women as an absolute number.

The question of whether politics will function by involving women in politics in such a situation is not just beautiful.

"I don't think it's going to start until I try to get you to join me for now. I know it's a lot of confusion at first, but I think it's gradually taking shape."

Master Claire is positive and optimistic.

In fact, if all women waited until they wore their current masculine upbringing, women would always remain left out of politics.

Besides, all politics needs is more than just something you learn in school.

Even a sense of the problems rooted in everyday life is a great need for politics.

But explaining the area, he said, is hard to understand the greats of the new government.

"Prejudice against women is still deeply ingrained."

"Right."

I gently hugged Master Claire from behind.

Master Claire will keep herself.

The temperature is pleasant.

"You smell kind of good. What's for dinner today?

We had been making sure each other existed for a while, but Master Claire said so with a sore nose on the pretend.

"It's cream stew tonight."

"Well. That's a treat. It's this time of year. It must have been hard to prepare, huh?

The former nobleman, Claire, is now fully prepared for the food situation.

Lady Claire instantly nursed my struggle to prepare this dinner.

"Because it's for Master Claire. Let's go back to your room and have dinner."

"Thank you, Ray. I'm always grateful."

With that word alone, I thought everything would pay off.

Return to the room and serve stew and baguette to Claire on the table.

If it's true, I'd like to add some side dishes to this, but I've had a luxury with stew, so this is the best I can do tonight.

My share of the meal was also served, and I took my seat.

"Okay, I'll take it"

"I'll have it."

We both start eating hand in hand.

"! What a brilliant chicken. Is this the kind of good chicken you can get right now?

Lady Claire with her mouth of cream stew says something delightful.

"No, the chicken itself is a regular breast. It's a little tricky."

"What did you do?

"Shake the salt and the cooking liquor gently and rub it in, then set aside a little. Then thinly cover the whole chestnut flour."

Since breast meat is meat from areas that are concerned about being crusty when cooked as is, it is the stone that should be treated underneath.

"That's all?"

"Yes. I was wondering if I could keep my pussy down a little bit."

"It's not a little bit. I thought it was meat."

"I'm afraid so."

Master Claire seems to be pleased. Most of all.

Even if satisfactory ingredients are not available, depending on the ingenuity, the food will taste as good as possible.

Of course, the ingredients have never crossed the line.

"Ugh...... Thank you for the treat. It was delicious. That's Ray."

"Thank you very much."

With that said, serve Mr. Claire a cup of coffee after dinner.

Lady Claire sipped a cup of coffee as she glanced through the newspaper's evening paper.

I feel Lady Claire's presence on my back, while I start cleaning up.

I like to cook, but the washing is a little annoying.

"Ray."

"What is it?

"So... when do you do it?

"What?

I didn't know what Lady Claire intended, and I asked back without looking back.

"Isn't that settled? It's our wedding."

I almost accidentally took off one plate.

"A wedding... Master Claire, are you making fun of me?

These days, and we're same-sex.

In every sense, now I didn't think it was realistic for us to have a wedding.

"Oh. Ray doesn't want to marry me?

"I want to."

There is an instant answer.

There's no way I don't want to.

It is decided that I want to.

But that's a different question of whether we can do it or not.

"In the first place, it's still before the new constitution was enacted, and wasn't the new constitution expected to not allow same-sex marriage?

I sat face to face with Lady Claire when I finished washing and tried to say what I wondered.

Master Claire folded the newspaper,

"We can't legally marry."

And I admitted it perfectly.

"Isn't it?

"But I don't think weddings are a legal problem."

"What do you mean?

"I believe it's a ritual where two people who want to marry each other are allowed to get along with each other's family and friends without any relation to the law."

What Lady Claire says is close to what we call a public service concept in Japan in the twenty-first century.

There are many different forms of weddings, including divine ceremonies to take oaths in front of God, Buddhist ceremonies to stand in front of Buddha, but there are other things called public ceremonies.

This was not a religious ritual, but a format that had the implication of taking vows to each other's associates and was becoming increasingly widespread around the younger generation.

I could not hide my surprise that Master Claire has such values in this world where old values reign.

"I agree with that thinking a lot, but there's also the money problem, right?

The wedding ceremony in this world is also a reception.

The side of the wedding costs money, and so do those invited.

Could you come even if you forced a wedding while everyone couldn't afford it?

"Let's narrow down the participants. Most of our associates are in that position in the new regime. You'll be economical enough to get into the ceremony."

"Oh, if you ask me"

"Of course, I will give money for Ray's parents to participate. There's no point in you two not attending a ceremony."

"No, I'll give you that."

Dear Claire's assets as a nobleman have been confiscated leaving a minimum at the time of the revolution.

Still, Claire is able to live normally today because the citizens have made donations in honor of Claire's accomplishments.

Honestly, I have more savings.

In living with the two of us, I offered to share my assets, but Lady Claire refused.

Although we are halfway through the cost of living, we manage each other's own personal spending money.

"Then let's break that in half too. Anyway, we need Ray's parents to join us at all costs."

"Ha..."

Lady Claire is positive about having a ceremony anyway.

Not that I want to mention it, either, but I wish things had settled down more.

I don't want to water Norinoli's feelings about Master Claire, so I decide to see how things are going for now.

"Other things I call the ceremony are Princes, Lene, Lambert, Mischa, Father… Is it difficult for your sister and Cardinal Lily"

"Dear Princes, Dear Manaria, Cardinal Lilli, perhaps you cannot"

"Distant sister, I understand Cardinal Lily in the middle of an interview, but how could the Three Princes?

"You seem to have forgotten, but Master Claire is another citizen. I was wondering if it would be difficult for the royal family to attend the ceremony."

"Oh...... Yes, you did."

I'm sure Master Claire herself is careful, but the feeling that being aristocratic was normal seemed hard to modify.

It would also be due to the fact that we are still meeting normally with dignitaries of the new government to discuss reciprocity.

While Claire is a citizen, there are many heavy towns of the new government in her friendship.

"I meant to know... but I'm sorry to hear that. Then maybe Ray's parents, his father, Lene, Lambert, Mischa."

"How is Claire's aristocratic friend?

"There are still kids who exchange letters... but it must be difficult. Now it seems to be best to adapt to the loss of nobility."

What happens if those who were wealthy and given various privileges from birth suddenly lose them?

No wonder there are a lot of people who get lost in the streets.

Of course, an asset was left for living as a citizen, but that is difficult when it comes to whether those who have lived as nobles can soon switch to living as ordinary citizens.

"Dear Claire, why don't you still do it after the public opinion settles down a little bit? We might be able to join Claire's friends."

"What is it, Ray? You didn't boil it off just now. Is the word you said you wanted to marry me a lie?

"No, it's the undisputed truth,"

"Then -!"

I looked like Claire was in a hurry.

I don't know why.

I reached out and held Master Claire's hand.

"What are you in a hurry, Master Claire?"

……

"We are friends who have confirmed our thoughts already. You can always do a wedding. There's no need to rush."

"... I'm anxious."

"Anxiety?"

Ha?

"Was I behaving in a way that made Master Claire anxious? Then I'll fix it. Please point it out."

"It's not! There's nothing wrong with Ray. I'm the one with the problem."

"? What's wrong with Master Claire?

Lady Claire is always perfectly adorable.

"Because I... am not a nobleman anymore..."

"... what?

I didn't understand what Lady Claire was saying.

I make an unexpected dumb voice.

"So I'm not a nobleman anymore, am I? No status, no honor, no assets. All there is is is a disproportionate upbringing and wasted pride. How long will Ray think of me like this..."

"Dear Claire..."

I was accidental.

I had assumed that Master Claire had already fully adapted to the loss of his aristocratic status.

Even Master Claire is a former nobleman - a nobleman who was at the top of the list.

There couldn't have been any anxiety or confusion when such a Claire was to live as a citizen.

I was on my side and wondering what the hell I was looking at.

"Dear Claire, please calm down"

"Ray......"

I took a seat and went around behind Master Claire and embraced her body.

so that you can remove any anxiety at all.

As my thoughts convey.

"Even if I cease to be a nobleman, my feelings for Lord Claire will not shake even fine dust. I don't like Claire because she's noble."

"... yeah, I know. That's what Ray is. But what about Ray's family? What about Lene or Mischa?

"Dear Claire..."

For Master Claire, being aristocratic was a way of life itself.

As much as temporarily I tried to scatter in martyrdom at that way of life.

Now is the time to choose to live with me, but it makes no difference that the great pillars that supported Master Claire are gone.

I guess Master Claire is becoming unstable.

"Dear Claire, let's go to the election"

"Ray, now we're talking about our ceremony."

"Yeah, I know. But if we had a wedding as it is now, I'm sure Master Claire would feel vain."

"Why?"

"Master Claire needs a new way of life. This is how I live. Without it, we remain much more anxious."

……

Master Claire has thought about it.

Master Claire herself, you know that.

That I have nothing to stand by right now.

As for the real deal, I wish that was me.

I would lie if I told you that I had no dark desire to spoil Master Claire stickily, who depends on me.

But that's not for Master Claire.

In the unlikely event that I leave this world for any reason, it is then that Master Claire truly loses any support.

I can't do that.

"... I think I finally know what Ray's trying to say"

Lady Claire, who had been silent for a while, said so in a pompous manner.

When I saw it, there was a light back in my eyes showing strong will, with the usual winning face of Master Claire.

"Then what?"

"No, I will not be in the election"

"Huh?"

To me confused, Lady Claire continued to smile.

"Taking on politics as part of the new administration will certainly be a rewarding task. I'm sure it's perfect for me."

"Then..."

"But you can't do that. Because of the hard work and the revolution by the citizens, people who are supposed to be the symbols of the old system remain at the centre of politics, but they don't know what the revolution was for."

……

If we tie the history of the world together, even if revolutions and coups d 'état occur, the constituents of the old system will remain somewhat in the new system, but Master Claire did not seem to want it.

Then I can't force myself.

"But I'll look for you. The way I think I live."

"Yes, I'm here for you"

I dropped my mouth on Claire's hair, which looked like a blowout.

Lady Claire leaks a voice that seems to tickle.

I hope that one day Master Claire can find her own way.

The wedding, that's fine.

I will always wait.

Because the person I marry is always such a cool Claire.