Chapter 60
Chapter 60
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Political Marriage? (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After finishing the conversation and leaving the restaurant, I walked down the quiet hallway.
According to Cardron, it would take three days to decipher the code.
He said that much time was needed to figure out what mission they were on and then interpret it accordingly.
It was ridiculous.
Even though it was their own cipher, it took that long.
It was a case where they had sacrificed efficiency for security.
He said it wasn't urgent anyway, so I acknowledged it.
There were still over twenty days until Lordr Heiser's public execution, so it wouldn't be too late to set out after seeing the deciphered version.
Lost in such thoughts, I soon found myself in front of my door.
Before opening it, I doubted whether this was really my room.
Noisy voices were coming from inside.
And I knew the owners of those voices all too well.
These guys...
"Did you enjoy dinner?"
When I opened the door, Allen greeted me as if he owned the place. This time, Nederman was there too.
"Was dinner with Cardron tolerable?"
"It was really great for us!"
Excited, Iriel poured out unasked stories.
"There’s this eldest daughter of the Teynan family named Cecilia who hosted us, and it was amazing! She’s incredibly beautiful, kind, and overflowing with refinement. If Sir Jenes had seen her, you’d probably have fallen for her too."
"Cecilia is indeed like that."
Nederman added with a subtle smile.
Of course, I had zero interest in the story.
What I cared about was why these guys had gathered in my room instead of their own.
"Whatever. What are you doing here?"
"Can't you see? We're playing cards."
Nederman showed me the cards in his hand, as if to say I couldn't even figure that out.
I swallowed my rising emotions and clearly conveyed my intent.
"So, why are you doing it in my room?"
"We came because we thought Sir Jenes might get bored alone. This room is the biggest, and the spacious balcony makes it comfortable too. Come join us."
Allen picked words that made my fists itch, all while smiling.
How should I handle these guys to build a reputation for doing it well?
Oblivious to my dilemma, Nederman beckoned me over.
"Come on, sit down already. This round just ended, so we can start right away."
"Yeah, don't just stand there—hurry up and join."
Even Iriel chimed in with their antics.
They seemed completely relaxed lately, with no major incidents.
Anyone would think they were on vacation.
But the current situation was actually serious.
Halent wasn't content with exploiting the dead crown prince; they had even declared a public execution for Lordr Heiser.
And here these independence army guys were, sprawled out playing childish card games.
"You think we came here to play around?"
"Ha, you're more of a worrier than I thought. Put aside the needless concerns and relax. No one can live seriously all the time. Even in wartime, people make love—that's humanity. You have to know how to enjoy a bit of leisure to work harder. Don't you agree?"
Allen and Iriel nodded in agreement with Nederman's words.
Yeah, he had a point there.
You have to know when to rest.
I was being uncharacteristically dishonest.
Truth be told, I didn't mind them playing cards.
I just didn't like them doing it in my room.
"Is it because you don't know how to play? I'll teach you, so don't worry."
Allen smiled and stoked my anger again.
But he was right—I didn't know the rules of the card game they were playing.
Still, who did they think I was to provoke me like that?
"Whatever. If you want to play cards, do it in your rooms."
I suppressed my anger and spoke more kindly than usual.
Maybe the satisfying dinner had put me in a more generous mood.
Iriel shot me a glance and scolded me.
"Come on, don't be so standoffish and join us. Why are you being such a buzzkill?"
"Exactly. Even I, a mature middle-aged man, don't act so heavy. If you don't want to, just say so. We'll play among ourselves."
Nederman said as he shuffled the cards deftly.
They showed no signs of leaving my room.
People really don't listen to kind words.
Realizing that anew, I approached them.
I'd eaten good food and tried to treat them nicely, but they always veered off course.
"Get out of my..."
Mid-sentence, I looked at the setup they had laid out.
These bastards had stacks of cash in front of their spots.
"You're betting money? Where did you even get money?"
We were living off the funds Lucian had given us when we left.
We had divided it precisely into three equal parts for expenses, so they were clearly betting their living allowances.
"It's just light fun."
As Iriel shrugged and said that, Allen added an explanation from the side.
"We're using the money we've saved lately, so no worries. We even set aside Sir Jenes's share."
Come to think of it, we'd been camping out a lot recently.
That must be why they had some spare cash.
But betting living expenses?
...Ha, these immature brats.
I let out a deep sigh.
They had no idea how terrifying gambling could be.
So many people went bankrupt at casinos.
They'd only learn after getting properly burned. Tsk tsk.
Clicking my tongue, I squeezed in and sat between Nederman and Iriel.
They looked at me with blank faces.
All I had inherited from my master was a rundown shack—how do you think I made ends meet?
In the martial world, I earned money in just two ways.
Extorting annoying bastards or fleecing casinos.
I was an expert at this.
You idiots. If you were betting stakes, you should've told me sooner.
Looking at their stunned faces, I said,
"What? Deal the cards."
* * *
"You called for me."
A refined woman stood before Cardron.
She had golden hair and sparkling green eyes—it was Cardron's eldest daughter, Cecilia Teynan.
"Did you host the guests well?"
"Yes. They seemed like good people. It was fun. But why did you suddenly ask me to host them?"
"To pique their curiosity."
Cardron smiled contentedly as he gazed at his beloved daughter.
"I've found your future husband this time."
"Pardon? My future husband?"
Cecilia's eyes widened at the unexpected news.
A future husband out of nowhere.
"You're at the age where you should be getting married soon."
"...I've never really thought about it. I don't even have anyone I like."
"Don't worry. You'll definitely like him. It's for the family too. He's from the group you hosted. He's around your age, and from what I saw, he's quite the catch."
Cecilia waited for Cardron to continue.
He wouldn't choose her husband based on looks alone.
As expected, he went on.
"Moreover, he's a Sword Master."
"A Sword Master?"
"You've heard the rumors about the White Lion, right?"
Cecilia nodded. He was the hottest topic in Francia lately. There was no way she hadn't heard.
"Ah, is his name Jenes by any chance?"
"That's right."
"Ah, I heard a lot about him from the group."
During dinner, Cecilia had heard plenty of stories about him.
They were all badmouthing him, so she'd imagined him as quite the brute.
Who knew he was the White Lion.
Still, she didn't think badly of him.
Even while badmouthing him, they gave off a strong sense of trust.
Listening quietly, it was hard to tell if they were praising or insulting him.
And now, he was to become her partner?
She was curious about what kind of person he was.
"Has he agreed?"
"No, I haven't told him yet. But with your beauty, he'll fall right away."
"I don't think so."
Cecilia smiled faintly at Cardron's confidence.
As she did, she recalled Iriel from the dinner table.
Her hair was boyishly short, but Cecilia had never seen anyone so pretty.
Even as a woman, she'd been captivated.
There was no reason for someone traveling with her to fall for Cecilia's looks.
Cecilia conveyed that fact directly.
"He won't fall for looks. There's someone incredibly beautiful in the group."
But that wasn't enough to shake Cardron's confidence. It was rooted in his love for Cecilia.
"Don't worry. Men always prefer a cultivated flower over a wild one. You know how much I cherish you, right?"
"Yes."
She knew well how precious Cardron considered her.
Just recently, he'd threatened never to marry her off to any ordinary man.
And now, he'd changed overnight and was pushing for marriage.
But if he was a Sword Master, she could understand Cardron's change of heart.
"What about Mother?"
"I haven't told her yet, but she'll approve, of course. He's that outstanding a groom. If he sides with us, the family will enjoy unprecedented glory. Plus, he has no family or house to support, so he can live with you here in Teynan."
"Ah—."
It seemed Cardron planned to take him in as a son-in-law.
That wasn't bad for Cecilia either.
Better to live in the Teynan she grew up in with her parents than somewhere unknown.
"Hm, I'll think positively about it for now."
"Good. I'll introduce you naturally soon, so take a good look. He has some personality flaws, but he's not without manners, so considering his abilities, it's more than bearable."
"Yes, I understand."
As Cecilia nodded, the beaming Cardron changed the subject.
"By the way, where have you been wandering off to lately?"
"...Just sightseeing in the village. I have a lot of shopping to do."
"You're always going with escorts, right?"
"Of course. I'm always with Lily."
After that, Cecilia endured a long lecture from Cardron before finally wrapping up the conversation and leaving the room.
Marriage out of the blue, though.
Calming her startled heart, Cecilia gently bit her lower lip.
'It's not set in stone yet.'
The most important thing was ultimately Jenes's feelings.
He had to like her for the marriage to happen.
For her, it would be hard to refuse if Cardron pushed strongly. So the choice would naturally fall to him.
'What kind of person is he?'
A man she might spend her life with.
Honestly, she was curious.
His personality seemed iffy, but he wasn't without manners...
'Well, I'll find out when I meet him.'
Cecilia headed to her room, clutching her fluttering heart.
At that time, she thought she'd meet Jenes around tomorrow evening.
But their meeting happened much sooner than she expected—and in a very chance encounter.