The Tyrant’s Daughter-in-Law
One year ago, in Galnem Village.
“Uncle Zimmer, but… did you eat dinner?”
At my question, Uncle Zimmer shook his head with a pitiful expression.
Just from that look, it felt like his stomach was growling.
“Then come eat at our house. We have leftover deer meat, and I was thinking of making a tomato stew.”
Before he passed away, Mother left me with the wish to take care of Uncle Zimmer.
Honestly, that was an impossible wish. A grown man, when I was only seven years old.
According to Mother, Uncle Zimmer and my late father were close friends, but even so…
“Really? Are you sure that’s okay, Arinell?”
“Of course. I’d rather eat with two people than just by myself.”
If Uncle Zimmer hadn’t been a good person, he wouldn’t have followed Mother’s wishes.
But somehow, he had become close to me. He was honest and kind (I never did figure out how he caught the animals with that agility), and he had some hunting skills too. He was a fine man.
And…
“Arinell really is a kind child.”
Seeing such a big man happily eating dinner with a little girl was oddly touching.
Because he always arrived injured too, I had started to think Uncle Zimmer might be a little lacking as a person.
Even now, there are people like that. They don’t harm others, but because they’re too kind-hearted, they struggle with social life.
Mother probably thought the same thing, which is why she left me with the wish to take care of him.
“Then today, I get to see Arinell’s cooking skills. What a wonderful day!”
Uncle Zimmer said it with a voice full of happiness.
And Uncle Zimmer ate my stew with great relish.
“The fragrance of the spices is unique and delicious. How did you make it?”
“I just added some wine to remove the smell, and crushed some tule leaves.”
“Tule leaves? You make that kind of fragrance with tule leaves?”
Tule leaves are common, but when dried and powdered, they smell like pepper.
“Yes, there’s plenty in the village. I developed it.”
“As expected, Arinell really does have talent.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
Honestly, compared to the other kids my age, I had to be talented.
Actually… this was a second life, and without talent, wasn’t I doomed?
The reincarnated people from the villain novel I read had all been reborn as major characters like heroines or saints and used the information to carve out brilliant lives for themselves.
But I had been reincarnated as a minor citizen of the empire that would be ruined by the future tyrant. At best, I could survive by picking red sugar beets.
“Uncle….”
“Hm? Arinell.”
When I recalled the tragic original story, a slight gloom settled over me as I looked at Uncle Zimmer and thought for a moment.
These days, my mind was filled with the scenario of preparing for the disaster that would occur when the cruel tyrant Parmes Aslet ascends the throne.
“When you’re hungry….”
While thinking, I met Uncle Zimmer’s eyes.
Seeing him smile brightly without even noticing the stew on the corner of his mouth made me sure.
“Whenever you’re hungry, come to our house anytime.”
Uncle Zimmer blinked his eyes wide open, not understanding what I meant.
I let out a small sigh and continued.
“No matter what happens, I’ll make sure to feed at least one person like you!”
At my words, Uncle Zimmer’s eyes flickered.
“……Arinell.”
By now, my stored amount of red sugar beet pills was enough to sustain me for several years.
And with three years left until the famine, if I worked hard to make more, I could make enough for Uncle Zimmer too.
“……”
I really didn’t want a poor Uncle Zimmer to starve to death during the famine.
The other neighbors would be able to make and store food thanks to the recipes I taught them, but I had no choice but to take responsibility for a man who had neither athletic skill nor cooking ability.
Plus, there was Mother’s wish.
“This is our secret. Don’t tell anyone else.”
I brought my index finger to my lips and said in a low voice, “Shhh.”
“……”
Uncle Zimmer stared at my tiny frame for a long time without saying a word.
His gaze was complicated, like someone too innocent for that, and he looked a bit sad, but also happy.
What was he thinking? Just as I was getting impatient, Uncle Zimmer spoke.
“Arinell really….”
It was a voice that seemed a bit choked up, but I frowned because I couldn’t hear the rest of his sentence.
A moment later, Uncle Zimmer spoke again.
“Then shall we make a signal, Arinell?”
“A signal?”
“Yes. A signal that only we two can understand.”
Right away, Uncle Zimmer clenched his fist and knocked on the table where the stew was placed.
Tdok dok dok! Tdok dok!
The sound echoed, and the stew in the bowl rippled slightly.
I clenched my small, round fist and followed what Uncle Zimmer had just made.
When I copied the signal, Uncle Zimmer smiled brightly.
“Great, now we have a signal that only the two of us can understand.”
The complicated expression he had shown for a moment just now was a lie. Right now, his eyes shone with the purity of a kind-hearted young man from the countryside.
And the next day, Uncle Zimmer left.
* * *
Tdok dok dok! Tdok dok!
Though the shock came a beat late, like thunder after lightning, it was intense.
Kugugung—!
It felt like my heart had dropped.
Emperor Parmes Aslet.
The male lead of the original novel I Will Stop Being the Tyrant’s Wife.
His dead bodies piled up into mountains, and the people’s cries formed rivers.
This mad emperor… was standing in front of me as kind Uncle Zimmer?
No way. That couldn’t be. Uncle Zimmer was kind, a bit lacking… my precious neighbor!
“My dear daughter-in-law.”
Shocked and terrified by what I had just heard, I flinched at the words that came from Uncle Zimmer’s mouth.
So, that was the moment I truly realized Uncle Zimmer was a bit lacking.
“……”
Uncle Zimmer, who had identified himself as the tyrant Parmes Aslet, pulled something out from under his light armor.
His cool eyes shone with a red pupil.
No way… is that…?!
“It’s better not to think about running away.”
He slowly unfolded the crumpled paper with his long fingers and showed it to me.
Seeing my pupils shake, he said, “Here’s the marriage contract. Didn’t you sign it?”
I stood frozen, staring at the childish scribble I had made when I was eight years old.
The paper that had been folded with such care, as if it were precious, by Uncle Zimmer’s honest face overlapped in my mind with the man wearing a crown standing right in front of me.
“W-wait, Uncle Zimmer, what is this…!”
I was too stunned to continue, but someone approached from behind me.
And the one who stopped right beside me stared at me with wide eyes.
Still frozen by this unbelievable situation, I slowly turned my gaze toward that someone.
A boy who looked a bit taller than me.
The boy had the exact same snow-white silver hair and jewel-like clear blue eyes as Uncle Zimmer.
A perfectly handsome young noble who was completely different from my scruffy village girl.
His breathtaking handsomeness needed no explanation. He looked like a different race from another world. Blindingly so!
When the boy smiled faintly at me, I startled and took a step back.
I didn’t know who this child was who had suddenly appeared and was smiling at me, but anyone was fine. I just wanted them to fix this ridiculous situation!
At that moment, a gentle voice flowed from the boy’s mouth as he extended his gloved hand.
“We finally meet, my wife.”
The boy smiled radiantly and gently took my small, scruffy hand with his gloved one.
How could a person’s appearance shine so brightly?
If I was the insignificant weed sprouting by the village path, the boy in front of me felt like a grand blue rose in the imperial palace garden.
A literal prince from a fairy tale. In the modern world, being this handsome meant a 100% chance of becoming a future idol.
But what did this child just say to me…?
“……N-no way….”
I quickly denied the possibility that had popped into my head and looked up at Uncle Zimmer… no, at Parmes.
And Parmes answered as smoothly as flowing water, with a satisfied smile.
“Briton Sane Aslet.”
“……”
“My son, and starting today, you are my fiancée, Arinell.”