Ron stayed at Lir's house until nearly dawn before leaving. During that time, Lir repeatedly invited him to her room, claiming that she felt uneasy about keeping the money without offering him some special services.
Ron declined Lir's invitations. However, before he left, he did visit her room—not for any such purposes but to wake her and reiterate some important instructions. Once he was sure everything was clear, he returned to his own inn.
When he arrived back at the inn, he found a four-wheeled carriage waiting outside, adorned with the Moore family's large bear emblem. The one there to meet him was Sir Enke, whom Ron had seen the previous night.
Sir Enke looked at Ron as he returned from the outside, frowning briefly before his expression returned to normal. He greeted Ron with a smile and said, "I was curious why you weren't in the inn, but it seems you were out. You weren't doing anything unfaithful to the lady, were you?"
"Would you believe me if I said I spent the night being relentlessly pursued by an assassin?" Ron replied with a smile.
"Whether I believe it or not is irrelevant!" Sir Enke opened the carriage door for Ron. "Please, get in. The lady is waiting for you!"
"Thank you! You are quite the gentleman!" With that, Ron climbed into the carriage.
Enke also got in, sitting directly opposite Ron. Once the carriage was on its way, Enke furrowed his brow and began to scrutinize Ron.
"No injuries and you don't seem fatigued, but you do have a hint of blood on you. It seems you've dealt with the assassin."
Ron knew he couldn't hide this from Enke but preferred to be vague. He said, "Not quite, just gave him a cut on his back!" hoping to end the discussion quickly.
"Oh, really?" Sir Enke smiled broadly, though his curiosity was evident. "Did that cut really require you to spend an entire night?"
This question made Ron uneasy. His instincts told him that Enke was probing too deeply, which indicated something was off.
"In reality, we spent the night roaming the streets. He had great patience, but so did I," Ron responded ambiguously, not giving away any specific details.
"Oh! How interesting, two grown men wandering the streets late at night!" Enke continued to smile.
Hearing this, Ron smiled as well, thinking: Enke must have an agenda. How did he know the assassin was a man? Either they're working together, or Enke already knew about the assassin.
Despite this, Ron chose not to confront Enke. Instead, he shifted the conversation.
"Sir Enke, I noticed you smell of my fiancée's perfume and, despite your careful grooming, your hair is still somewhat disheveled. It seems you were quite busy last night."
"Of course, I'm not jealous. I just want to remind you that your wedding ring is beautiful. If you get it stained, trust me, with my knowledge of the nobility, you might find yourself wearing a green hat. If I notice it, your wife certainly will. Instead of focusing on my affairs, perhaps you should be more concerned about your own wife!"
Enke's smile froze immediately, and his face turned serious, remaining silent.
Ron was pleased to see Enke quiet down and leaned back in the carriage, closing his eyes to rest. He wasn't sure how long the ride lasted—perhaps a day, an hour, or a minute—but when Ron woke up, he found they had arrived at the Moore family estate in Lane Town.
The estate was a massive stone building, five stories high, painted blue, with several thousand square meters of lawn and even a fountain, exuding elegance and luxury.
As Ron got out of the carriage, he saw Christie, dressed elegantly, waiting at the door. She was accompanied by dozens of well-dressed nobles, presumably members of the Moore family.
Ron was puzzled. "What is all this for?"
Seeing Ron standing dumbfounded, Christie approached and took his arm. "You finally arrived! The formal attire has been prepared for you; today is our engagement party."
"So soon? I thought today was just for me to meet your sister?" Ron was surprised.
"Is there a conflict between these two things?" Christie smiled. "That's how the Moore family operates—once a decision is made, we act swiftly without hesitation. You'll get used to it once you're familiar with us!"
"Ha ha!" Ron smiled. "Indeed, I should have guessed when you personally came to see me yesterday. This is fine; I quite like it. Where is the formal attire? I'll change myself!"
"You don't know your way around. Come with me, my fiancé!" Christie said, leading him inside.
...
With the assistance of several maids, Ron took a refreshing bath and changed into a brightly colored, grand robe that showcased his noble status. Once he was dressed and presentable, he joined Christie for the engagement party.
In this world, an engagement party was quite simple—a gray-haired priest offered blessings to the couple, and that was it. The rest of the event was a social gathering, where people mingled and got to know one another.
At the party, Ron maintained a constant smile, following Christie as she introduced him to various nobles. Each introduction involved small talk and compliments, and by the time they finished, it was almost dark.
However, Ron noticed something odd. Although many nobles attended the party, most were local to Lane Town, and there were very few actual Moore family members present. Even those who did attend were from the extended family and not key members. Christie's parents didn't appear at all.
Moreover, Christie, the eldest daughter of a viscount, seemed to be treated poorly, with even the maids giving her orders. Ron remembered that after they had bathed, Christie mentioned that the dress she wore was missing a belt.
This was a minor issue that could easily be fixed, but instead of addressing it, the maid blamed Christie for being picky and ordered her to fetch a belt from upstairs. Christie, surprisingly, did not get angry and prepared to go herself.
This surprised Ron greatly, making him empathize with Christie's situation, recalling his own past experiences of being undervalued. He decided to intervene, stepped out of the bath naked, and slapped the maid hard enough to knock out a few teeth.
The maid immediately became compliant and soon returned with a belt, resolving the issue.
During a break in the party, Ron and Christie found a quiet corner to talk. Christie wore a resigned expression as she said, "Does your family look down on you, or do they look down on me? Based on today's situation, it's hard to believe the promises you made!"
Christie, although trying to appear indifferent, couldn't hide her disappointment. "Probably both! So you better prove yourself! Govern your territory well, show them your capabilities, and give them something to think about. It will also be a relief for me!"
"Of course, don't worry. I'll make sure to keep my promises because it's my sister who is in charge. She's the family's precious one, and no one would dare ignore her opinions!"
"It's rare to see you get angry," Ron said with a smile.
For some reason, when Christie told him to prove himself, he found her quite endearing.
"You want me to prove myself? No problem. But can you agree to one condition?"
"What is it?"
"I ask that if you have a preference for muscle-bound men, stick to one or two and keep it steady. Don't go around looking for men everywhere."
Ron expressed his concern for his future reputation. Christie, with wide innocent eyes, asked, "What's the difference?"
"Of course, there's a difference!" Ron explained. "If you have one or two regular lovers, people might call you indiscreet, but it's common among nobles. It's nothing unusual, and no one will think badly of you."
"But if you're seen looking for men everywhere, it changes the situation. As your nominal husband, if I return from battles or parties and every man I meet is smirking and calling me 'brother,' saying how great my wife is, my heart might not handle it well."
"Haha!" Christie laughed heartily. "Alright! If you help me deal with the old fossils in my family, I won't touch any other men besides you!"
"No, no, no!" Ron quickly countered. "Let's stick to the old arrangement. You pursue your lovers, and I seek my own love. We'll remain nominal spouses. Just don't embarrass me too much!"
"Deal!" Christie agreed with a smile. "Now, let me take you to meet my sister. She's been waiting for you upstairs for quite a while."