The Fake Wife of the Strongest Husband Wants to Survive - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 6
As if reading Pesha’s bewilderment, the butler apologized apologetically.
“My sincerest apologies. The territory is rather modest, and construction workers are difficult to procure…….”
In that instant, Owen’s eyebrow twitched.
She hadn’t known Owen long, but she could already sense which part of the butler’s words had struck a nerve.
‘Blaming the lord for the meagerness of his lands in front of him—that’s as good as publicly shaming him.’
It was clearly improper behavior, yet Owen didn’t make an issue of it.
“Fine.”
Perhaps he didn’t want to keep airing embarrassing matters in front of his new bride; he seemed intent on moving past the problem quickly.
“Handle that yourself.”
“Yes, my lord. I’ll urge them on as much as possible. Though, I’m afraid that until the work is complete, the two of you will find it rather difficult to share a bedchamber. Would that be acceptable?”
“Hold on…….”
Just as Pesha was about to interject, reluctant to let the matter rest there—
Owen spoke first.
“Yes. We’ll have to make do until it’s finished.”
At his answer, Pesha’s eyes widened.
Seeing her reaction, Owen asked in his monotone voice.
“Or would you prefer to share a bedchamber in a different room, my lady?”
“Of course not!”
If she agreed with that, wouldn’t it look as though she were the one unilaterally interested in him?
After hearing Pesha’s refusal, Owen turned to the butler with an utterly composed expression and gave his orders.
“Very well. Albert, proceed as planned.”
“Yes, my lord.”
With that settled, Owen simply turned and walked briskly into the manor.
‘Is he toying with me?’
Pesha stared after his receding figure in disbelief.
‘Newlyweds unable to share a bed because of the state of the manor is already absurd enough—and now he wants us to wait for a construction project that’s been going on for a year?’
Of course, she wasn’t eager to share a bed with that intimidating man.
But there were appearances to consider.
He’d seemed embarrassed about the territory being called modest, yet he didn’t appear to give a thought to the servants’ gossip—or worse, the scandal that would reach high society—about a newlywed couple sleeping in separate rooms.
‘When exactly is this construction of his going to finish?’
She had many questions.
But if she asked them now, she’d surely hear something like, ‘Is that because you want to sleep with me?’ just as before.
‘No! I don’t want to! But this isn’t right either!’
As Pesha stood lost in frustration, a maid approached her.
“My lady, shall I show you to your room now?”
“Ah, yes……. But what’s your name?”
“I’m Philia, my lady. Please, feel free to call me informally.”
The maid’s demeanor was more courteous than she’d expected.
Bewildered about how things had turned out, Pesha followed Philia deeper into the manor.
Upon entering the house proper, the Great Hall came into view first—its architectural style suggested it had been built roughly a century ago.
That made sense, she supposed. Swarf was the Eastern Frontier; one couldn’t expect the same standards as the Capital.
“This way, if you please.”
Yet as Pesha progressed further into the manor beyond the Great Hall, question marks accumulated in her mind.
‘Is this really a Count’s Mansion? Do the servants even maintain it……?’
The wooden portions of the building were rotting, the structures on the verge of collapse, and the stone walls had gaps between the bricks through which cold air whistled freely—so much so that Pesha found herself hunching her shoulders despite the mild weather.
Confronted with such an alarming state of disrepair, she couldn’t help but blame the emperor.
‘I mean, even in the original work they mentioned the castle was in poor condition, but this is excessive!’
The housemaids from House Reidel who followed behind her said nothing, yet Pesha could sense their genuine shock.
Meanwhile, Philia, who walked at the front to guide them, began offering a brief explanation about herself and the manor.
As Pesha listened in silence, she asked a question.
“Philia?”
“Yes, my lady?”
“Were you assigned as my personal attendant?”
At that, Philia shook her head, her gaze steady.
“No. I’m the head maid.”
“Head maid?”
A woman this young serving as head maid?
Having noticed Pesha’s surprise, Philia smiled with the ease of someone accustomed to such reactions.
“Ah, I see you’re taken aback. I was chosen for the position because I have the most experience in this manor. I previously worked for five years in a marquis’s household in the Southern Region.”
“Five years?”
“Yes.”
Even Minni, the least experienced maid among those standing behind Pesha, had been in service for four years.
Did that mean someone with only five years of total maid experience—not five years at this mansion alone—was now head of household staff?
“…I see.”
She couldn’t begin to imagine how to fix it.
As they walked, the Countess’s chambers came into view.
The bedchamber lay not far from that room.
Philia showed her the primary room first, then opened the connecting door to the bedchamber as well.
‘Well, this is something, at least.’
It was worn, but someone had cleaned it thoroughly beforehand; the whole space had an orderly air about it.
Pesha’s face brightened somewhat—until Philia spoke again.
“We currently have no spare staff for a personal attendant, so we’ll conduct additional recruitment and assign someone to you once we’ve found suitable candidates.”
“Ah. All right.”
“Still, with the three existing maids on hand, I believe you’ll find daily life quite manageable.”
“Mm… yes.”
How tightly were they running this place that they couldn’t spare even a single maid for the master’s wife?
At this point, nothing surprised her anymore.
“Then I shall take my leave. Please rest well.”
Philia bowed deeply, closed the door behind her, and left; in the silence that followed, the maids began to murmur among themselves, one by one.
“Miss. I think something’s strange about this place.”
“Did you hear? The head maid has only five years of experience.”
“And on our way in, did you notice the cobwebs on the landing? They were just… there.”
Pesha quieted the maids as they poured out their respective shocks.
“I know it’s surprising in certain ways, but this is still someone’s home. Let’s not dwell on it, all right?”
“But…”
“Girls, this place has ears. If you keep whispering like that, word will spread and get twisted before it reaches anyone. And don’t forget—His Majesty granted this mansion to Count Namo. We owe it some respect.”
“Yes… Miss.”
The maids fell silent, suddenly aware that their careless words could damage their mistress’s own reputation.
Pesha smiled at them and gave each a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
“In any case, you all worked hard today. It’s late—let’s retire. Just help me prepare for bed, then go get some rest yourselves.”
“Very well, Miss.”
With the maids’ assistance, Pesha finished her preparations and lay down on the bed, already turning over in her mind how to proceed.
‘First, I need to build a bridge between Owen and Leo. If I dawdle and become a real obstacle instead, I could end up in danger to my life, just like in the original story.’
Leo might well understand the state of this estate, take pity on it, and offer his help.
She could use that opportunity to arrange moments when the two of them were together.
She trusted that once the two main characters met, they would fall in love just as they did in the original work, without her needing to push.
“Then I should watch for my chance and gently raise the matter of a divorce.”
Since Owen hadn’t wanted the marriage in the first place, once the estate’s situation improved or his political standing became more secure, she didn’t think divorce would be entirely impossible if she broached it carefully.
“All right. For now, sleep.”
Pesha pulled the blanket over her head and spent her first wedding night alone.
She’d always slept alone, so there was nothing strange about it—yet the vast bed felt strangely empty with only herself in it.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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