Chapter 42

I wake up in the morning .

It seems she went to the dining table first .

Normally, shed cling to me when she wakes up before me, but thats unusual .

Last night, It was already late when I fell asleep .

I was busy trying to put together a plan to improve the Ortem Trolley .

Thinking back on last nights conversation with my father, I couldnt fall asleep, so I just focused myself on my work instead but

Anyway, what should I do today .

Talking about father who is overly noisy due to the traditions of the village .

They must really be trying to get ready for me and Gizels wedding starting today .

Ive got to prevent it somehow .

First, I wonder if Gizel knows about the marriage .

Its true, because of the values I had in my previous life, my common sense often doesnt come easily to me .

Even in this village, where the customs are different from those of my previous life, I have lived for sixteen years, concentrating only on magic, without knowing the common sense of the people around me .

If it was the wisdom of ordinary life, it would be of no consequence without asking, so it might have been even more so .

Even so, basically, the amount of information about the Marren customs and common sense that I and Gizel have received from our parents should not make much difference .

So since I didnt know, its safe to a.s.sume that Gizel didnt know either .

Gizel wouldnt want to marry her brother .

First I need to let Gizel know about this and bring her into my side .

If we want, Ill ask her to act out a play and try to make the people around us feel a little uncomfortable .

If we can give them the impression that were going to kill each other, we wont have to worry about getting married .

I also need to look into the history of the Marren in the past and find out the enforcement of the brother-sister marriage customs .

I already know of one instance where the tradition of brother and sister marriage was not observed .

Yes, Noswells parents .

s.h.i.+bi even knows that I dont have that intention so he keeps approaching Gizel .

If its a tradition that will always be followed, they wont do that .

Theres got to be an opening .

Im going to get there at all costs and stop this marriage .

Alright .

I get off the bed and make my way to the window of my room .

The morning sun sinks into my eyes .

Closing his eyes, he said, Pray to the spirits of our Marren ancestors, and cut a cross in the air with his left hand .

Im firmly in this habit, though .

I changed my clothes from my pajamas and headed to the dinner table .

Good morning, Father, Mother . Gizel, today first . .

I turn my attention to Gizel .

Gizel gasped, her cheeks flushed, and gently looked away .

Good, good morning brother

I have a bad feeling about this .

Dont tell me they told Gizel about it while I was late getting up .

I quickly turn my attention back to my father .

My father turned his head away from me too .

Well, Im going to go see the Chief, then .

My father got up quickly and started to leave the house .

Hey, hey! Please wait, Father!

Im sorry, but Im busy . Youll have to wait until after I get back . We need to make sure that the Berek familys rights to the incense leaves are tightly packed

Father! Father!

Ignoring my call, my father ran away .

I thought about going after him, but I didnt feel like going after him .

He got away .

However, about incense leaf again .

I believe that if we leave the matter to the Chief, they will be able to work it out for the good of the village, but my father seems to be a bit picky about it .

Im worried if hes being irritating to the Chief . Ill apologize next time .

Since I made a big deal out of it after I finished my coming of age ceremony, I dont think its anything for my father to poke his nose into .

Isnt this going to be the second Karlco family route?

Its not as if hes going to interfere with my magical life anymore, but its also a little sad because I think my father was more lively when he went hunting every day .

No, well, thats not the point right now .

After my father left, I had a quick breakfast and took Gizel with me to the garden where the Ortem Trolley was located .

Once out in the yard, I looked around to make sure there were no people in sight .

Gizel, what did you hear from father?

U-,ummn-nono-nothing Thats not important . Lets hurry and get to the woods . Yes, thats right! Id like to see the Ortem Trolley in action! Therefore .

Ive never seen her so blatantly shaken before .

I see, so Gizel has started hiding things too . . Its a little lonely .

No! Its not true! Father had only told me to not tell brother

Yes, easy .

So, what is it you were talking about?

But Father said it would be more pleasing to brother if I told you at the last minute

Gizel says as she hunches over and hides her face with her sleeve .

From the top of her sleeve, Gizels eyes flickered to my expression .

I gave her a blatantly sad look .

As a matter of fact, three days from now, brother and I will Um, perform the wedding

Alright, easy eh, in three days?

Other houses will be invited too . Isnt it too hasty?

He must be really scared of me going out of my way .

Gizel isnt that shaken either . I thought she would be even more panicked to hear that she would be forced to marry her brother all of a sudden .

After all, Gizel knew about the custom of incestuous marriages, didnt she?

Now that Ive been told about the ceremony again, it even looks like Im just a little embarra.s.sed .

Somehow, I feel like the wind direction has become worse .

N-no, it cant be that way .

Ah, ah, three days laterYeah, so Ive been working on a few things to stop that from happening . While thinking about this, I studied the history of this village .

I was shown by mother my wedding outfit, and it was so, so beautiful! Would something so beautiful and glamorous look good on me? No, no! I shouldnt feel like this! I, Im going to be a fine bride who cant be outdone by big brother!

Hmm?

Just now, I feel like we arent talking about the same topic .

Im-, Im sorry! I thought it was a little further down the road, and I wasnt mentally prepared for it either, so I somehow became strangely aware of it! I would say nervous, I would say excitedno, I dont mean in that weird way . Butwellumwhen you get married, youre going to do perverted stuff

Oh, this is a bad one .

But as expected of brother . I cant believe youre so at ease with this sudden question .

Ah, ah, no, father was acting strangely, so I thought it was something like that So, you know, theres something I need to tell you

Something you want to tell me? What is it?

uh, um about the marriage ceremony

Gizel blinks her big eyes and looks at me intently .

Gizels fingertips were moving restlessly . They must be filled with antic.i.p.ation for the future and anxiety about the sudden change of circ.u.mstances .

prevent um

I cant .

Theres no way I can say that .

Brother? Is, is something the matter?

I, I might not be feeling well today, Ill confine myself in my room and fall asleep . s.h.i.+bi might come, but tell him that and turn him away .

Brother? Are you okay? In that case, Ill sleep with you

Im sorry, but I need to be alone for a minute . I cant help but hear peoples voices echoing in my head . Uhwellyou knowa days sleep should fix it .

Brother?

I quickly go back to the house and go into my room .

Then, I placed an Ortem and set up a barrier to prevent them from entering from the outside .

Lets just calm down .

Lets calm down and think about whats to come .