Honey, I’m Going on Strike – Chapter 10

Paul had never seen his master like this, so he was shocked.

Zester was a man who was as stiff as his personality. He never slouched even when he was tired or even sat down or leaned to make himself more comfortable. Yet that same man was looking like this?

“M-Master…?”

Zester was slumped across his office desk, his cheek pressed against the wood while he blinked slowly with a blank expression. It seemed he didn’t even hear Paul’s voice.

He had been like that ever since Cassia coldly told him what she was thinking. As foolish as Zester could be, he had at least managed to firmly deny any improper relationship with Vita.

Of course, that did nothing.

『Even if it’s not that kind of relationship, it doesn’t matter. It is the same whether it is or not. So, whatever it is, you don’t need to worry about what I think. 』

With her saying that, what more could he even say?

‘If you say that you and Vita are not involved, Baron, then I believe that’, she said with her mouth, but her face said she didn’t believe a word.

Zester felt scorched inside.

How could someone trust so little? Then again, it was mostly his own fault, so he couldn’t even blame her.

He had given Vita a room inside the territory under the guise of childhood friendship and even let her speak informally to him. If she suspected something immediately, he had no right to complain. Zester admitted as much.

“Did your talk not go well, Master? When I passed by Lady Cassia’s room, she looked to be in good spirits. I assumed your conversation ended on a good note.”

In good spirits?

Zester realized just how indifferent Cassia was toward him. While he was agonizing about this, she barely seemed affected.

“Also, the Madam said she’d leave Miss Vita’s punishment to you. Though she placed her under house arrest, she said it’s fine for you to lift it at any time… What shall we do?”

Zester, still slumped on the desk, let out a weary sigh.

What was this?

They had only been married a week, and his wife already suspected him of infidelity, yet still told him to keep the woman in question around if he pleased.

He groaned and turned his head away in frustration while Paul’s concerned voice followed from behind.

“I’m the one who hurt my wife so it’s up to her to decide. I don’t care so let her decide whether to forgive Vita or not.”

***

Time continued to pass. Although not in an outright cold war, the couple hadn’t spoken in days. They lived in the same castle, yet they hadn’t crossed paths even once.

Paul came to deliver a letter from afar addressed to Cassia and he had grown used to seeing the Madam enjoying her leisurely teatime. He stood quietly for a moment, wanting to disturb her.

“Mm. What a lovely aroma.”

Cassia murmured as she gently lifted her teacup with graceful fingers.

Unlike most noblewomen who usually enjoyed teatime, Cassia had never really indulged in such leisure in her past life.

No one had stopped her from doing so, but in the run-down Greze territory, steeped in the smell of dung, it felt wasteful to embrace aristocratic luxuries.

That’s not to say she had lived in misery but she simply avoided the excessive extravagance that nobles usually did.

After all, noble luxury was a visible expression of power and wealth. It was expected and, in moderation, even necessary.

But let’s be honest, what was the use of a noble image for the wife of a rural baron in a poor backwater? The title ‘baroness’ sounded nice, but it meant little in reality.

Her past as the daughter of a prestigious Count didn’t matter. In the Empire, a woman’s status followed her husband’s. So, upon arriving in Greze, Cassia had quickly given up her old expectations. It was the only way to adapt.

No fine dresses. No expensive jewels.

Gone were the luxurious ingredients and rich dishes of the Ruberno territory. Such things didn’t exist in Greze.

No one had thought Cassia, raised in wealth and comfort, would adapt well to life in the Greze territory. But she had.

Frugality and modesty had long been her strengths. Even in her second life, she found no real desire for extravagance. Comfortable clothes were enough. As for jewelry, who was she even going to show them off to?

“This cake is delicious.”

After returning 10 years in time, the thing that Cassia found herself enjoying the most was teatime. Although the tea wasn’t the rare, expensive variety she once drank in Ruberno, it was pleasant enough. The cake, specially requested from the territory’s cook, was also sweet and satisfying.

She didn’t really have a habit of spending frivolously or being wasteful so just eating, sleeping, and lounging around like this was enough to satisfy her..

Furthermore, Greze was so beautiful in the winter, blanketed in snow. Since she had boldly declared her ‘strike’, the world had never seemed so lovely.

“Madam, a letter has arrived for you from Havelyn. It appears to be from Viscount Havelyn himself…”

As Cassia sipped her tea and nibbled her cake, Paul quietly handed her a letter bearing the blue rose seal of Havelyn. Cassia accepted it with a faintly dazed expression.

The Viscount of Havelyn, Drian Havelyn.

Now that was a name she hadn’t heard in years.

In her previous life, she had received this very letter on this very day. After replying with a rather cold response, they had ceased communication. She hadn’t seen his face in over a decade.

The Ruberno and Havelyn territories had always maintained close ties, being neighbors. As the daughter of Count Ruberno, Cassia had once been on good terms with Drian, the heir to Havelyn. The same went for their fathers.

There had even been a few tentative talks of marriage between them, though it never became serious. Despite the friendly relations, Havelyn simply wasn’t prestigious enough for Ruberno.

Cassia’s father, Count Ruberno had searched day and night for a marriage partner for his beautifully raised daughter, hoping to send her somewhere wealthy and powerful. The marriage proposals pouring into the Ruberno Castle every day did not meet the Count’s standards.

‘After all that fuss, I ended up being sold off here.’

If her father had been less picky, or even just sent her to nearby Havelyn, she would have avoided the disaster of being ‘sold’ to Greze altogether.

‘Anywhere would’ve been better than here.’

Cassia thought as she opened the letter from Viscount Havelyn. She remembered she was a distance away, watching as the old Viscount Havelyn passed away from an illness and his youngest heir, Drian Havelyn, inherited the title.

Having just inherited his title, it took Drian a while to finally stabilized his territory, then he took the chance to write to Cassia. Cassia remembered receiving this letter around this time ten years ago. And she remembered the contents vividly.

Cassia glanced at Paul who was looking in her direction and swallowed dryly.

The content of the letter was definitely something. Naturally, even after going back in time, its contents would not change.

My dear Baroness of Greze… yeah, bullshit.

Tears are filling my eyes as I write this.

I simply don’t understand.

Are you seriously still holding out in that dump? How are you feeling?

Now that I finally have some breathing room, I thought of you. I’m worried.

I want to pack my bags right now and come and see if that place is even livable so please respond.

I’m dying to see the lucky bastard who got to marry the Empire’s most beautiful woman and drag her out to the boonies.

If I knew that would work, I would have gone around punching people too.

I better stop here before I swear even more.

Hoping you reply soon.

Your old friend, Ian.

Back then, Cassia had been so horrified that she threw Drian’s letter into the fireplace without hesitation. No matter how close they were, why would he write such a blatant and informal letter so openly? She dreaded to imagine what would have happened if a servant, or Zester, had seen it first.

The tone openly mocked the small rural estate of Greze and the newly appointed noble that was Zester. Cassia had been mortified. At the same time, she worried that her husband might misunderstand if he saw it and think that her thoughts were the same as Drian’s.

Cassia had been very angry at Drian’s letter in her previous life and wrote a scathing response. It was a cold letter that said she was extremely shocked and disappointed by his letter which insulted her and her husband and that she did not want any contact with him again in the future.

Frankly, she was probably recalling it pleasantly, the real letter was vicious. There were probably curses in there. After that, several apology letters arrived at the Greze Castle, but Cassia tore them all up and burned them.

Why had she gone so far back then?

Cassia, who had been smiling, let out a weak laugh. Ah, right, she had been overly cautious of Zester’s opinion.

Even though Drian was a friend, she felt like even writing to a male friend was wrong and she was also upset that he disregarded and looked down on her husband. It was only natural that Cassia, who was desperate to be a proper wife, has spoken harshly to Drian in her previous life.

Later down the line, whenever Drian came to mind, she sometimes wondered if she had gone too far.

‘Right, I lost a good friend.’

There was no doubt that Drian had truly cared for her. This time, Cassia didn’t throw the letter into the fireplace or tear it into pieces.

“Paul.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“I’m going to send a reply. Can you help me prepare?”

“Of course.”

Paul quickly set out parchment, pen, and ink on her tea table. Cassia picked up the pen, trying to recall Drian’s face after ten long years.

“Viscount Havelyn would like to visit Greze. It should be alright to invite him, yes?”

Cassia asked as she wrote, and Paul gave a small nod.

Refusing a visiting noble was unheard of. If anything, it was proper to welcome him with courtesy.

“Of course, Madam. I will inform the Baron and begin making preparations. Did he mention when he will make the visit?”

“He will likely leave once my reply arrives. Since he says he’s already packed, I assume he’ll head here as soon as he hears from me. That would make it… about two weeks, right?”

“Yes, that sounds about right. Then I will prepare accordingly.”

“Thank you. And please let the Baron know. Viscount Havelyn is an old friend of mine.”

“Ah… yes.”

Cassia hummed softly as she continued her letter, visibly excited. Paul watched her quietly.

Unlike the frosty anger of her past life, this time, Cassia’s reply was full of affection and nostalgia for her old friend.

Dear Viscount Havelyn,

What were you thinking writing in such a frivolous tone? What if someone else read it?

I’m doing well, one way or the other.

There are many faces I miss, yours included.

It sounds like things have settled down for you and I’m glad you can take a breather.

Come visit once you receive this letter.

I’ll be waiting.