Marina

“And these are…”

“The seeds I mentioned before. Please plant them on your soil.”

The burly man sitting in front of me scratched his bearded chin. He didn't even try to hide his disbelief.

"Spring is coming and I wish for you and your guild members to plant these. They're similar in every way to the wheat and potatoes you always planted, only they would yield a higher result in this cold climate."

I stared at him right in the eyes as I said those words. I had no doubt in my seeds. None whatsoever. I had worked on them for months and I would see to it that they were utilized by the farmers in this region. This man in front of me, Mr. Falagor Redstone, was the head of the Farmers' Guild. As long as I could convince him of the efficacy of my seeds, the rest of the Farmers' should follow.

"And what if they don't grow?" His eyes narrowed. "How would we be compensated?"

His words were bold and brazen. The Guild had quite the influence in this region. Some even said it was more influential than Grandfather's own authority as an Earl. Such was the fate of an Earl with barely any assets to his books.

"Then we shall levy the taxes on farming goods this year and the next. We are also prepared to pay each of you the fair amount in compensation according to the market price of wheat and potatoes this year."

Of course, Grandfather didn't have the money for such compensation. However, he had authorized me to present this bluff. He had his faith in me and the seeds I had created.

By the way, I learned of this negotiation trick from Elise. She was surprisingly knowledgeable on how to deal with this kind of stuff. As you would expect from Reinhard’s assistant.

He took a deep sigh. “I don’t know, Milady. Us farmers around here… we don’t exactly trust all that fancy magic stuff…”

“If I might ask, is there a special reason for that distrust?”

“We just wanna grow our crops with our own hands. Not with somebody else’s power.”

“You would grow them with your own hands. If I wanted to, I could grow an entire farm worth of crops in an instant. Surely, you have heard of who I am, right?”

“Y-yes, Milady. You’re the Verdant Witch of Death.”

“Then would you doubt my abilities?”

“O-of course not, Milady.”

“Then good. See to it that it’s done. As Lord Archimond’s granddaughter, I shall see to it that this region prospered under his rule.”

With a polite smile, I bid him farewell. As decorum dictated, I stayed in place, letting him leave on his own with my maid opening the door for him. It was how you were supposed to show your superior position in the negotiation, which I had as the Earl’s granddaughter.

And when he was gone, at last, I could let out a deep, relieved sigh.

Haah, playing a noble’s granddaughter really is tiring…

“Tired, Miss?” Henrietta giggled as she walked towards me. “That was excellent! You really looked cool and lovely there! You deserve a full massage course from me tonight!”

I gave her a weak smile. “I felt bad, having to scare him like that."

The rumors about my actions had reached this region at last. And with my escapades with the bandits and a number of monsters I helped Reinhard exterminate, it wasn't hard for the masses to put two and two together. And to my pleasant surprise, it wasn't all that bad. Sure, some were afraid towards me because of it, but it also earned me respect. They recognized me as a great mage and thanks to my deeds here, they decided that the rumors were overblown and I wasn't some monstrous butcher who slaughtered people for fun.

"It's fine, isn't it?" The maid giggled once more. "You need to be respected. You're the Earl's granddaughter after all!"

I gave her a wry smile. With my current look, I really did look like I was Marina Archibald, the granddaughter of an Earl. Instead of my usual day-to-day adventuring dress, I was instead wearing a luxurious green dress, tailor-made to my specifications. I also wore a pair of emerald earrings, a diamond necklace, and a crimson red lipstick—something I wouldn't even consider doing if not for Henrietta's insistence. The dress was like one a noble lady would wear, with many layers of skirts and fabrics—petticoats and the like. It had an open shoulder design, generously showing off my cleavage (I objected to this design but Henrietta insisted). As for the footwear, they were uncomfortable high-heeled slippers made out of jade. I also had a pair of white lady gloves attached to my hands.

I knew very well how much funds Grandfather must have spent to order this outfit. Even if the jewellery were hands-down from Grandmother, the rest of the outfit was still custom-made by the city’s best tailor. He believed that I should have at least one dress that would fit for the granddaughter of an Earl, so he ordered Henrietta to not hold back and chose the best and most fitting dress for me.

I just hope he didn’t bankrupt himself to pay for all of this... I thought with a sigh.

“Take me to the baths.” I told Henrietta once I sat up. “This dress really is stuffy…”

“Aaw, don’t be like that! I want to see Miss with them for a little bit longer!” She grinned. “And you haven’t shown it off to Master Reinhard yet either! He would definitely be surprised by your new look!”

"Why would I show it to him?"

"Oh, don't be such a grump!"

I could only sigh in response. It wasn't just her. All the other maids and butlers seemed to want me to marry Reinhard. I didn't know why if I were to be honest. Perhaps they wanted him to stay being Grandfather's heir. Makes sense. He had done great running this place for years. I would never marry someone who already had two wives, no matter how good of a man he was.

Afterwards, I went to the baths as planned. But not before meeting with Reinhard on the way there. 

"O-oh, well, you look… different…"

The sight of me did indeed surprise him. He started to stutter and his cheeks gained a little color. We only chatted for a little bit though, with him asking about the meeting and me replying that it went swimmingly. He was on his way to report to Grandfather so he couldn't stay for long.

Once he disappeared over the corner, Henrietta broke into a giggle.

"You really charmed him there, Miss!"

Unfortunately, I had to agree. I wasn't a fool. I noticed him looking up and down, checking me up. For a married man with two wives to do something like that, it was quite shameful of him. I suppose he's one of those men who just has a higher libido than normal, judging by all the noises he made his wives make in the bedroom every night.

Once in the baths, as always, Henrietta helped me with my undressing. The zipper for the dress was located at the back, so it would be difficult for me to unzip it by myself. I suppose a lady's dress was just designed to be worn with the help of the lady's maid.

With the dress off, only my panties remained. Just like the dress, they were expensive, tailor-made garments. I didn't know why they would bother, since they would be hidden under the many layers of skirts I wore. You should only buy and wear expensive panties if you wanted to impress your lover in bed, like Mother did with Father (I happened to accompany her lingerie shopping in town once). And what I wore now definitely belonged to that category. They were a pair of low-rise green fishnet panties that exposed a lot of skin.

I looked at myself wearing them through the mirror in the changing room. Hmm, they don't actually look that bad to be honest. They have that mature appeal I'm quite fond of. Still, I would definitely categorize them in the lewd and provocative category. Not something I would wear day-to-day outside where there's a chance for an upskirt. After all, that kind of sight should only be given to somebody you like.

I wonder how he would react if he saw me wearing them…

"Oh, what's this~? That's a happy smile if I ever see one. Are you thinking about something good, Miss? Maybe showing these sexy panties to a certain someone?"

"N-no, I was just—"

"Oh my, you're blushing, Miss! You do have someone you want to show them to!" The maid giggled. "Come now, tell me! Who is it? It's Master Reinhard, isn't it? If you want to, I can make it look like an accident~"

"I-it's not him, alright? It's my little brother."

"...Eh?"

"I-it's just me teasing her. He's a bit perverted but he's a gentleman through and through, so whenever he gets a peek of my panties, he will go all flustered and it's really adorable."

When I finished my sentence, I realized I probably shouldn't have done that, judging by Henrietta's shocked expression.

"...I-I see." She forced a smile. "W-well, i-I guess I can help with that if the opportunity comes."

"Indeed..." I sighed with a wry smile. "I can only hope that the merchant could arrive soon."

It had been months since Grandfather told me about the good news. And yet, still no hint of the merchant and their orb whatsoever. Perhaps they were still busy settling their businesses in the southern countries. Or perhaps they just decided not to make the transaction in the end.

Oh Hugo, how much longer will we be separated? You're fine on your own out there, right? I forgive you, so please, forgive yourself as well.

With those grim thoughts, I stepped into the water.

***

Spring slowly but surely crept into the snowy region of Grandfort. One could start to wear two layers of clothing instead of three and some brave (or poor) men started to stop lighting their fireplaces at the day.

And with it, arrived the blessing Marina had wished deeply in her heart.

“Brr! It’s already spring yet it’s still this cold! I’m jealous of you two and your cold-adaptable bodies!”

A certain hobbit had entered the city of Lochestat. Immediately she drew attention from the locals as with her, she brought two lizardmen retainers, in charge of pulling the large cart she had on tow. She was dressed in a thick fur coat while said retainers were only dressed in light clothes, with the large male one even going shirtless. Like she said, thanks to the race of the two, they had no need for fur coats and the like to be comfortable in the cold. Their blood allowed them to be adaptable, with organs that could survive in a temperature range far bigger than humans’ could.

Of course, she was stopped by the guards at the front gate, with them asking for her business and eyeing her for being a “suspicious person”. However, with a letter shown, they immediately changed their attitude 180 degrees, apologizing over and over for their rudeness before giving them directions towards the Earl's estate.

Her name was Sophie Bramblewood—the head of the Bramblewood Trading Company who specialized in magical items. And currently, inside that cart, there was a wealth of items expensive enough that you could buy a large mansion with it if you were to sell them all. And the most expensive of them all was the Dream Orb, an ancient artifact capable of sending messages through dreams. She had come all the way here to sell it. Well, that, and one other reason, which would come later, if the opportunity arrived.

"Here we are!" She declared once they stood in front of the building. "Greetings, Sir Guards! We came here as a guest of Lord Archibald! Here's the letter if you don't believe it!" She cheerfully handed over the same piece of paper she had shown to the town guards.

The two estate guards exchanged confused looks with each other, but ultimately, they couldn't find any fault in the letter. And so, they told her to wait there while one of them brought the word to the Earl.

"Aah, it must be nice, having a big house like this…" The hobbit mumbled to herself as she looked around the place. The lizardgirl followed suit, while the lizardman stood by like a statue, eyeing his surroundings with less of an awed look and more of a suspicion-filled one.

It didn't take long until the guard returned, telling them that the Earl was ready to receive them.

With a big grin on her face, the hobbit declared, "Well, let's do business, shall we?"

***

Marina

"Miss! Miss!"

I was in the middle of my reading when Henrietta barged into my room, all sweating and panting.

"T-the merchant! She—she came! She's talking with Lord Archimond right at this very moment in the study!"

My book hit the carpet with a muffled thud.

Naturally, I made my way there at once.

When I arrived there, I saw Grandfather already being in the discussion with the merchant. Two lizardfolk were also there, standing away a fair distance, along with Grandfather's maid. If I had to guess, they were her servants.

"Ah, there you are." Grandfather stood up, brushing his stache. "Here. Meet Lady Bramblewood."

The merchant stood up, turned around, and—

"M-Marina?! Y-you're Marina, aren't you?!"

"And you… you're Sophie… that hobbit I met all those years ago."

We were both speechless. We stood there staring at each other for what felt like an eternity, until—

"Marina!"

She ran straight towards me before hugging me as tightly as she could.

"Ooh, I miss you so much! To think I would meet you here again of all places!"

Naturally, the rest of the room was looking at us with a bewildered look.

***

We then sat down on the sofa located in the room as we exchanged our stories with each other. Grandfather sat beside me while the two lizardfolk took their seats with her after she insisted.

She began her story from where we last met, back at Aarom all those years ago. After our “fateful meeting”, as she put it, she went to Tulpio and crossed the sea to head to the Holy Continent. There, for several years, she wandered in the region, building her wealth as a merchant bit by bit. “Those days weren’t easy, you know.” She bragged with a smile as she lit up her pipe. “I was scammed and swindled a few times more before I really got a hang of the business. But I never gave up. I always bounced back and looked for the next big opportunity. Eventually, I had enough capital to purchase these two on the slave market, along with the big wagon I parked outside.”

As she took a deep huff of said pipe, my eyes wandered to the two lizardmen beside her. So she purchased them as slaves to be her assistants. I’m not sure how to feel about that. But they seem happy with their position, so I have no reason to complain.

“Oh, by the way, hope you don’t mind me smoking. Tell me if the scent is unpleasant to you, alright?” She smiled.

The smoke she produced actually had an oddly sweet scent to it. Hobbits did indeed have a custom of being a smoker of grasses and herbs, and if I had to guess, she was smoking Remgrass, one of the more popular types of plants to smoke. The sweet scent matched its description and this feeling of calmness it exuded was certainly one of its effects on the smoker and anyone who happened to inhale it in the vicinity.

“Afterwards, I decided to make my fortune back in this continent, so I returned back to the south and crossed the ocean once again. And then, at Tulpio, I was met by a pleasant surprise.” She grinned at me as she seemingly paused to raise the tension. “Guess who I met. Come on, guess!”

And then, it hit me.

“Correct! I met your little brother! I had no idea what he was doing there but it was definitely him! Although, if you asked me, something was certainly wrong with him. He seemed angry and frustrated with himself. Human puberty, perhaps?” She chuckled. "Out of nowhere, he lifted me up and slapped me, all while crying. You two just got into a fight, didn't you? It's odd though that I couldn't find you or him again in that port city after that."

“N-no, he’s—”

“Hmm? What’s the matter, Marina? What’s with that grim look?”

It was then my turn to tell her my story.

When I finished, her countenance had changed considerably. Her eyes were glossy, and she had brought out a handkerchief to blow her nose in and to wipe her tears.

"That's… that's terrible! I-if I had known, I wouldn't have been so harsh to him…"

"He's suffering, wasn't he? And I wasn't there to comfort him… If I hadn't been so stubborn, then we would still be together… me, him, Father and Mother…"

"W-wait, d-don't cry!"

She was right. Before I realized it, tears dripped down onto my knee.

"L-look! That's why you wanted the Dream Orb, right? I'll give it to you! It's the least I can do to repay your kindness all those years ago!"

I looked back up and forced a smile. "You're right. I'll tell him that I forgive him. That silly boy really should stop being so hard on himself."

You're doing fine, aren't you, Hugo? You're strong after all. You'll pick yourself back up in no time. I only need to tell you where I am right now and you'll come running straight here.

Or, have you decided to start your adventure on your own instead? You always said you wanted to do that. If so, then I won't hold you against it. Go out there and see the world. Your big sister is fine on her own.

...No, that's a lie, isn't it? I'm not fine. This feeling of loneliness… its cure is only him and him alone.

But, as a big sister, I shouldn't be selfish. What I want is irrelevant. I should support him in all his endeavors, no matter if he leaves me behind in the process.

Yes, that would be my message to him. I will not be a needy and shameless big sister who begs for him to come home. My duty is to relieve him of the self-guilt he must be plagued with.

I just wish… in your travels… you'll always remember me—your family.

***

A/N:

Here, we see Marina being both a cool future Duchess and a brocon who just wants her little brother to be with her. It's interesting to see the duality.

And I like the idea of a lady wearing skimpy undergarments underneath a big, layered fluffy dress. Technically, you can even go nopan underneath that kind of outfit.

Also, I kinda want to write something like Re;Zero. Not with the time loops probably, since I’m bad at writing that kind of stuff, but just by the amount of suffering the MC has to endure. And it would be a clean, non-harem story without a perverted MC.