BIHNM 02

Chapter 2

A New Place of Employment

My father’s sudden words filled my head with question marks.

“The Duke’s household… wants me for something?”

The words slipped out before I could stop them, and that seemed to irritate my father; I heard him click his tongue in annoyance.

“You’re as slow-witted as ever. Don’t tell me you don’t even know about the Browning Ducal House—the one famed for its valor?”

Of course I knew the name. No one in this country didn’t know it.
It wasn’t ignorance—it was just that his explanation was too abrupt to make sense of.

“I’ll say it again. Algerita, you’re to be married into the Browning Ducal House.”

Once he’d said it aloud, he seemed to gain momentum.
He threw a document across the desk—it stated that all rights and authority concerning Algerita Clarence were to be transferred, and stamped beneath it was a seal I recognized well.
Forgery was a grave crime—so it had to be genuine.

“But… why would they want someone like me?”

I was called the disgrace of our house.
To think a ducal family would propose marriage to me—it was absurd.

There had to be some mistake.
Besides, I already had a fiancé—William Ashbell—chosen by our parents.

I looked from my father to my mother, silently asking what they thought about that, but both of them seemed far more concerned with the advantages of this “opportunity” than with my confusion.

“We’ll be sending our reply to the Duke’s family immediately. Make sure you behave yourself.”

“Wait, what do you mean? Why me and not Liliana…?”

And that phrase—“all rights concerning me”—it didn’t actually say marriage. What did that even mean?

My father’s face twisted faintly at my question.

“Oh, come now, Sister,” a familiar voice chimed in from the side. “It’s not like you’re marrying the Duke himself.”

I turned to the speaker—my younger sister, Liliana.
Unlike me, she possessed the gift of healing magic and served as a healer in the royal palace.

Sunburned skin, calloused hands, tangled hair, and worn clothes—that was me.
She, on the other hand, was radiant and impeccably dressed.
No one would believe we were sisters.

“Your husband-to-be is the old general, Lord Roland Browning.”

“Lord Roland…?”

Of course I knew of him. A brave general, a national hero—
but he must be past eighty by now.

“Liliana!”

My father’s voice snapped sharply, as if to scold her for saying too much.
Liliana only shrugged.

“Oh, please. She was bound to find out soon anyway. It would be cruel to let her keep misunderstanding.”

She then looked me up and down, eyes glittering with amusement, before curling her lips into a smirk.

“Let me explain it in simple terms. You’re not marrying a dragon, Sister—you’re marrying an old man to take care of him.”

My father coughed awkwardly, and Liliana finally fell silent.

“That’s enough. The Browning family appreciates Algerita’s hard work—that’s why they’ve chosen her.”

Lord Roland was known to be a difficult man.
After his wife passed away, he’d handed over most of his fortune to his relatives and retired to a small country estate.
But because of his temperament, no servant ever stayed long.

He was independent by nature, but age spares no one.
Apparently, he now sought a trustworthy caretaker—someone who would never betray him.
In other words, a wife.

And somehow, someone heard about me—
the eccentric daughter of a count who had secluded herself in a dragon-rider village,
a young woman who endured the hard labor of caring for draconic beasts without complaint,
who lived simply, sturdily, and came from a family of little standing—
and they decided I was the perfect candidate for a second wife.

“Most of his assets are already given away, but there’ll be something left for you.”

“But…”

“How dare you question such a rare offer!”

No one cared for my opinion. The decision was already made.

“We can’t afford to turn this down, you understand?”

My mother’s tone softened, but it was clear she was watching my reaction carefully.

“…And what about the engagement with the Ashbell family?”

They were nobles too.
If we broke the engagement unilaterally for the sake of a better match, it would be only natural for them to be offended.

“That’s fine. I’ll marry William instead.”

Her words hit me like a slap.

Did she have no concept of shame?
Or did she simply not see me as a person capable of feeling at all?

“Come on, William,” Liliana called cheerfully toward the door. “Be a dear and give my sister your formal apology.”

The door opened quietly.
William appeared—looking hesitant, uncertain.
He approached like a dog being called, awkward and pitiful.

“Algerita, I’m sorry. But… well, you see how it is.”

Liliana looped her arm around his, her smile triumphant—radiant with pride that she had “won.”

──What had happened between them while I was away tending dragons?

I couldn’t begin to guess.
Maybe William mistook my silence for heartbreak, because he began to stammer out excuses.

“You’ve spent your life caring for dragons. You’re not used to the manners of the court or noble society. Considering our futures, this arrangement is better for both sides, don’t you think? The Browning family has a long history of knighthood—they’ll understand dragons.”

He rubbed his hands together as though this was all a perfectly happy arrangement.
I’d never thought him cruel before, but now… his words rang hollow.

“You see, it’ll be easier this way. No pressure, no expectations. You’ll be marrying someone who wants you—that’s happiness, isn’t it? Everything in its proper place.”

Liliana’s voice struck the final blow.

“So you understand, Algerita,” my father concluded. “The Clarence family will be tied to the Browning house. A splendid opportunity.”

──Or would you claim you could bring us something better than that?

His gaze said all that without words.
And he was right—I had nothing to offer them.

“…Understood. I’ll go to the Browning estate. But before that, I need to return to the dragon-rider village—”

“You’re not running away, are you?!”

My father slammed his fist on the desk, shouting.

“No, I just—”

I only wanted to fulfill my duties properly.
If I disappeared suddenly, my coworkers would be left struggling.
If I was doomed to leave anyway, I wanted to at least part on good terms.

“The Browning family requested your arrival as soon as possible. What if he dies while you dawdle?!”

His spit hit my cheek.
He wasn’t angry out of concern—he was afraid of losing a profitable deal.

“Don’t worry, Father,” Liliana said sweetly. “I already sent our acceptance letter to the Browning family. The sooner the better—it’s a joyous occasion, after all. And sisters should marry in order.”

“Good girl, Liliana.”

Their exchange was nauseatingly false.
They were desperate not to lose the chance to sell me off at such an unexpectedly high price.

I’d long accepted that I wasn’t as talented as my sister.
But I had finally found a place where I belonged—or so I thought.
Now that illusion was shattered.

Dragged back into the “real world,” I was nothing but a product to be traded.

I shut my eyes against the dizziness.
In my mind, I saw the dragons I’d left behind in the valley.

Just this morning, I had no idea this would happen.
Now, I realized I’d never return to them again.

So easily, so cruelly, my life had been decided for me.
I bit my lip hard to hold back the tears and anger.

When I opened my eyes again, my family was gone—
as if to say, “We’re done here.”

──The carriage came almost immediately.

For a fleeting moment, I hoped it was all a dream—that I’d wake up to the soft light of morning and the dragons’ cries.
But reality crushed that hope.

Before dawn, a carriage bearing the Browning crest stopped in front of the Clarence estate.
They truly had meant “as soon as possible.”

“Algerita, once your work is finished, you can come back home,” my mother said.

Her words sounded kind—but her eyes gleamed with greed for whatever fortune I might someday bring back.

“Go on, then,” my father urged. “Serve faithfully. And if you bear a child—well, so much the better.”

“…Yes, Father.”

I clutched my old trunk and stumbled down the steps.
At the bottom waited a man—a few years older than me, perhaps. His features were foreign, his skin dark not from sun but by birth.

“Lady Algerita,” he said smoothly. “Thank you for your swift reply. My master is most pleased.”

Even seeing my shabby appearance, he didn’t bat an eye.
His command of our language was perfect.

“Is that all your luggage?”

All I had was the worn leather trunk.
My wages from the dragon village had been sent home—and supposedly saved for me as a dowry.
But of course, I hadn’t seen a single coin.

“Y-yes… that’s all.”

He frowned slightly.

“You didn’t use the preparation funds?”

Preparation funds? I hadn’t been told of any such thing.
Would they scold me for showing up in such a pitiful state?

Unable to answer, I gave a weak smile.
He only gestured silently toward the carriage. Perhaps it wasn’t his place to question it further.

“I see. Everything you need will be provided by the Browning house. Please, have no worries at all.”

And with that, the door of the carriage closed behind me.
My new “employment” had begun.