I Thought I Was Married, But I Was Left Alone, So I'll Live as I Please. So Please Don't Mind Me Anymore, My Lord of the Border - Chapter 1

A week of being jostled in the carriage.

It felt more like torture than mere vibration. The shabby seats had no springs or any such luxury, and I felt like my butt had split into four.

But the moment I saw “it” through the carriage window, none of that mattered anymore.

A green carpet stretching as far as the eye could see.

Endless fields of medicinal herbs. Every time the wind rustled them, the scent of greenery washed over me in a wave, and a warmth tightened deep in my chest.

Ah… I’ve really arrived. The frontier territory of Graphica.

Driven from my homeland, sent to a fiancé whose name is all I know.

No servants, a carriage on its last legs.

Any normal noble would be in tears.

“…Well, I’m not normal, after all.”

I’m a reincarnator.

In my past life, I devoured alchemy games down to the bone. An alchemy nerd who’d be an embarrassment anywhere.

When I learned this world had alchemy, I was ecstatic and decided to live for it.

And my greatest fortune was being born in the Kreuz Barony, a land famous for herb cultivation.

I spent my days mastering alchemy alongside my parents.

But they passed away when I was twelve, and our mansion was immediately seized by an uncle who appeared out of nowhere.

I was confined to a small workshop in a corner of the estate, but since it was a place I’d shared with my parents, I was actually happy there.

I brushed off the occasional snide remarks from my uncle and his family while devoting myself to alchemy.

But at seventeen.

The moment I came of age, I was finally driven out of there, too.

And so I ended up here, in the Graphica frontier territory.

From today, this is where I’ll live.

Loneliness? Sorrow?

Those feelings were blown far away the instant I saw the herb fields.

“That leaf is ‘Shadow Serpent Grass’ for paralysis antidotes, over there is ‘Vitality Root’ for nourishing tonics… and that flower! ‘Ecstasy Petals’—high-quality stimulants! It’s a treasure trove! What should I brew first?”

Cheers rose in my heart.

What alchemy otaku wouldn’t be thrilled by this sight? None, I’m sure (I assert it).

In fact, my excitement shot through the roof.

I bounced around gleefully inside the carriage, all by myself.

Before long, the carriage stopped before the gates of the lord’s manor.

The gates opened, and the carriage moved again. The final stop seemed near.

I stretched, loosening my stiff body.

“Ouch! I’m really creaking…”

It’d be a waste to use magic for this level of fatigue, and potions are for when they’re truly needed.

As I stretched, my silver braid slipped over my shoulder, and I met my own eyes in the window reflection.

Only my large navy-blue eyes—which my parents always called cute—were gleaming brightly.

…Am I really going to meet my fiancé with this face, all mixed up with exhaustion and excitement?

Calm down. Start off friendly.

I rubbed my cheeks plumply and tried smiling.

Yeah. I’m cute!

I’m a fresh seventeen-year-old—youth is on my side! It’ll be fine!

Satisfied with my reflection, I prepared to disembark as the carriage came to a complete stop.

But no one seemed about to open the door from outside.

“I am a noble, technically.”

Muttering to myself, I pushed the door open.

My luggage was just one trunk. Inside were a few changes of clothes and the rest were my precious alchemy tools.

“We’ve been expecting you.”

A single butler stood there, his face clearly showing distaste.

Polite words, but a tone utterly devoid of welcome.

“Nice to meet you, I’m—”

“I’ll show you in.”

He cut me off mid-introduction.

This treatment reminded me of when my uncle took over the Kreuz estate.

Somehow, it felt nostalgic.

…Well, whatever. It’s a forced engagement my uncle pushed through. I never expected to be welcomed.

The butler strode ahead without a care for my pace, while I struggled to keep up, hauling the heavy trunk one-handed.

This trunk was clearly too big for me—the absolute maximum size I could carry without dragging it.

And yet, not even a “Shall I carry that?”

…Ah, no, I’d have stopped him if he tried. It’s dangerous, after all.

I can carry it because I can use body-enhancement magic.

But it’s the thought that counts… that consideration! It matters, right?

Feeling vaguely irritated, I walked down the hall.

The manor’s interior was plain, fitting for a territory led by a fighting lord.

But there was a certain tension in the air.

Through the windows of the hilltop manor, I could see the pitch-black forest bordering the Graphica frontier.

Graphica protects the kingdom from the terrifying magical beasts dwelling in that forest.

And the knights of this territory are constantly on the front lines, immersed in battle.

Even the frontier count is no exception.

For the past three years, magical beasts have been appearing abnormally in the forest.

Thinking that someone might be fighting beyond that dark forest even now made my chest feel slightly rough.

So, they probably don’t have the leisure to bother with someone like me.

…If that’s the reason for this treatment on the first day of the engagement, I can understand it.

Yes.

I can understand it.

But whether I accept it is another matter.

The butler knocked before a heavy-looking door.

A few seconds passed before a response came.

“Mind your manners.”

A low, whispered warning.

…Ah, geez.

I’m used to this kind of treatment, but disappointment welled up anyway.

What do they even think I am?

Some spoiled brat who forced this engagement?!

The rumors going around aren’t about me, you know.

The door opened, and ignoring the butler’s words, I stepped quietly inside.

Inside were stacks of documents and a young man buried in his work, his face practically in the piles.

A well-proportioned profile where shadows fell beautifully whenever his blond hair swayed.

Beside him, a black-haired youth sorted papers expressionlessly.

The black-haired one glanced at me with indigo eyes, then immediately looked back at the documents as if bored.

The blond one didn’t even lift his head.

Only the rustle of paper and the scratch of a pen echoed for a while.

And when he finally spoke, it was about territory matters or monsters—things I didn’t understand.

This engagement was apparently forced by my uncle, but they resent me more than I imagined.

Yep, zero interest in me.

It’s almost refreshing.

Ah, so this is my fiancé.

I thought if we got along, we might at least become allies, if not spouses.

But that’s impossible now.

Since they’d probably never address me if I stayed like this, I decided to at least get the greetings over with.

“Nice to meet you, I’m—”

“Apologies, but I have no time for you. As long as you don’t live extravagantly, do as you please. Head Butler, show him around.”

The blond youth—Frontier Count Oliver—never once looked at me.

No, his gaze might have brushed past me or so I thought.

But immediately, the sound of paper drowned out everything else.

…I see.

The black-haired youth was glaring at me with clear annoyance.

Looking back, I saw the cold stares of guards and the retreating back of the head butler as he walked away, leaving the door open.

“Haa…”

I let out a sigh.

I’m used to this.

I never had any expectations to begin with.

And yet, for some reason, I felt an urge to laugh.

Taking a deep breath, I lifted my head.

“Alright…!”

If that’s how they want it, I’ll do as I please without holding back.

It’s fine, right?

After all, I was told to do as I like.

No one said a word about staying in the manor.

Instead of following the head butler, I turned back down the hall, left through the door, and exited the gate.

The outside air was cold, and it tasted of freedom.

“My duties as a fiancé are done! From now on, I’m just Ash the alchemist!”

No more restraint, obligations, or need to watch anyone’s expression.

In this land, I’ll make potions to my heart’s content.

“Yesss! I’ll work hard to achieve my dream—Ash’s workshop!!”

The green wind caressed my cheeks.

My story starts here—!

I jumped as if to cheer myself up, and the alchemy tools in my trunk chimed faintly, as if in encouragement.