Chapter 24: Marriage Contract… is missing!

Ever since we announced our engagement, I’ve been consumed with wedding preparations.

The Kingdom of Baratonia doesn’t have any organized religion or churches. Instead, the royal family serves as the spiritual leaders. When I asked Lord Balk, who has a unique perspective as both a noble and commoner, he explained that the king is revered as a deity.

Despite not relying on written records or modern conveniences, the citizens of Baratonia lead self-sufficient lives and have access to medical care through oral traditions passed down by their doctors. This, combined with their clean lifestyle, contributes to a longer lifespan compared to the rest of the nation.

In the Faithnum Empire, it was customary for commoners to clean themselves with cold water, but in Baratonia, there were no public baths until colonization. It’s remarkable that the spread of disease was prevented under such conditions.

“I thought I was knowledgeable about the Kingdom of Baratonia, but there’s still so much I don’t know until I see it for myself.”

“The ban on bringing in goods also extends to taking goods out. Customs that are not documented cannot be exported. With such a vast territory and population to govern, it must appear like a divine act to the people, more so than Claire-sama might imagine.”

There were other nations that also considered their royal family as deities, however, those countries were either small in size or had a low level of literacy.

“Maybe because we deal with food, even the common folk are quite meticulous about cleanliness. You rarely see people with lice in their hair.”

It made sense for us to be meticulous about food, given that we were situated in a fertile region. The country was dotted with tributary rivers, but there were no canals. Without them, agriculture would be impossible.

With the help of the Faithnum Empire, the construction of the water supply system and public baths was introduced generations ago. If the people continued to live their daily lives with such diligence, we could potentially even surpass the Faithnum Empire and become a significant force.

“You’re in charge of maintaining the family registry, right?”

“Yes, it’s currently being transcribed onto paper. However, the marriage registry is usually reported orally to the local government office, and a celebration is often held among the community or relatives. The royal family also holds a festival to announce it to the whole nation. ——The people serve as witnesses, and there are no official certificates.”

“No certificates?! What about the family tree or genealogy?”

“The royal family keeps a record of it on parchment. But for the nobles and commoners, they simply make a request to the government office, which is recorded on wooden tablets and maintained by the state.”

“It’s unbelievable that there isn’t a formal marriage contract…”

“It’s such a relaxed approach. When a couple splits, they simply notify the authorities and if a child is born, they register it with the government. But now that paper records are being kept… How about Claire-sama creating a new form of marriage for the country?”

It’s commendable that the country has a straightforward system for reporting and managing marriages. And having the people serve as witnesses to the royal family’s unions is a positive aspect.

However, the lack of a formal contract or pledge for nobles to unite or separate can cause problems, such as confusion over family names if the head of the household passes away and takes in a son-in-law. While the general population may not be affected, it can create difficulties for the management.

I don’t want to overhaul the entire system, but I do want to establish a framework that makes it easier to manage marriages for the royal family, nobles, and commoners, while also strengthening their bonds. This can be achieved by including provisions in a formal marriage contract agreement.

“…My goal is not to reinvent the wheel, but to expand the scope of employment and job opportunities in the future. It’s great that we’re bringing in skilled craftsmen from overseas, but it’s also crucial that we groom and develop local talent to succeed them. To do that, we need to foster stronger connections and bonds between families and communities through marriage. If we allow people to leave the industry just because they feel like it, the industry won’t survive.”

Lord Balk cast his gaze downward and nodded in agreement, and we concluded our meeting at the General Affairs Department, resolving to re-evaluate our future needs.

I never imagined that our solution would begin with reworking the marriage system…

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