Chapter 474: The Golden Goblin(2)
Chapter 474: The Golden Goblin(2)
The sharp-eyed among you might ask: what happened to Ariel, the darling who hogged everyone’s love and affection?
She is currently back at the mansion, receiving basic education and etiquette lessons from my mother.
Ariel has been fluent in speech since the moment she hatched, but at the end of the day, she’s still a newborn. It’s only natural that she lacks in many areas.
Fortunately, she possesses a proper moral compass—she knows better than to go around hitting people—but her common sense is practically non-existent.
She didn't know that you have to pay money to buy things, nor did she realize that you shouldn't just read people's minds whenever you feel like it.
During the winter break, those around her, myself included, tried to fill those gaps, but it wasn't enough.
So, my mother stepped up to take charge of Ariel’s education personally. She also mentioned that it would be awkward for the girl to be surrounded only by adults, so she plans to help Ariel develop social skills by introducing her to peers.
It didn't matter if her true identity was discovered in the process. The appearance of an angel would certainly cause a stir, but I planned to handle the explanations myself.
My only regret was not being by her side. As a parent, being separated from your child is never ideal.
I had intended to take her with me somehow, but my mother reassured me, telling me not to worry and that she could handle it.
'She said it would be good for both Ariel and Lily to be together.'
Lily is the late-born youngest of our family, with an age gap of over twenty years from the eldest, Dave. In terms of age, she could practically be my daughter.
Therefore, the relationship between Ariel and Lily is that of a niece and an aunt. Oh, and for the record, Lily is the aunt.
Talk about a messy family tree. Even though Ariel looks like a five-year-old, she hasn't even been alive for a year.
In the end, my mother decided to keep her at the mansion, believing they would get along well as they learned and grew together.
Of course, I visit the mansion every weekend to play with Ariel. Now that Lily has started crawling, there are two creatures in that house that are hazardous to my heart.
Anyway, enough about Ariel’s current situation. Moving on.
"Is this okay?"
I was currently being fitted for formal wear for my debut into high society. The location was, naturally, the Rekilis Ducal Mansion.
Back at the freshman orientation, my sister Nicole had just picked out something that looked decent, but this was different.
It was the birthday of my father-in-law, Duke Rekilis, and countless nobles were expected to attend.
So, I put on the formal attire to look the part, but honestly, it didn't feel much different from before.
I wore a white shirt that looked quite expensive underneath, but the rest was similar to the orientation outfit.
A red formal suit embroidered with gold patterns. It was a harmonious blend of gold and crimson.
It was too simple to be called flashy, yet the gold embroidery shimmered enough to keep it from being plain.
"It’s perfect. Isaac, with your hair, your face is going to be the first thing people notice wherever you go. You don't need flashy clothes."
"Don't people judge you by your formal wear in society?"
"That’s usually what people do when they want to flaunt their wealth. It’s like a herbivore puffing itself up to survive a predator. Real judgment comes from the conversation."
Mary, who had styled my outfit, explained with a satisfied look. Normally, she would have left this to a valet or a maid, but she had taken it upon herself to style me personally.
She had the suit made the moment I mentioned I would be attending her father's birthday.
Since the Rekilis mansion was located right in front of the Academy, getting it tailored hadn't been difficult.
"Adel, you don't feel out of place, do you?"
"No. I think it’s just right."
Mary then turned her question to Adelia. She wasn't in her maid uniform today; she was wearing formal wear Mary had prepared for her.
However, since she was officially my guard knight, she wasn't wearing a dress. Instead, she wore a shirt with ruffles at the chest and black silk trousers.
It was a perfect fit for Adelia’s boyish style—a look that didn't forget her duty as a knight.
If she just held a rapier, she would be the quintessential lady knight. A heroine exuding a noble aura.
Her looks far surpassed those of most noble daughters, so there wasn't a single flaw to be found.
"Looking at you like this, you really do look like a knight."
"And what exactly did you think I was until now?"
"A maid who bakes delicious cookies?"
"Want me to hit you?"
"Sorry."
Adelia fired back at my joke with one of her own. She let out a small chuckle, knowing I was just teasing.
Despite my words, she was someone who constantly honed her skills. I wasn't belittling her at all.
It was more like a joke shared between people who trusted each other. I snickered before looking back at the mirror.
The reflection in the full-length mirror carried a much stronger air of nobility than before.
At the orientation, I felt like a teenager playing dress-up as an adult, but now, the fact that I had become a man was clear.
"Are we all done now?"
"For now. We’ll just need to touch up your makeup a bit before we start."
"Hmm..."
I stared at Mary’s face at the mention of makeup. Like me with my red hair, she was the owner of white hair with a faint blue tint.
It was a look that couldn't help but stand out. Moreover, unlike my bold colors, white was a difficult shade to work with.
Her skin was as white as snow, so even a little bit of makeup was immediately noticeable.
"Mary, you're wearing makeup too, right?"
"I am. Just a little. If I overdo it, I’ll end up looking like a pale ghost. Does it look strange?"
"No. It’s because you’re so beautiful."
It wasn't empty flattery; she was always pretty, but today she seemed even more so. The combination of her innocence and maturity created a refreshing charm.
Just as I had grown, Mary also looked more mature compared to the orientation.
Her long white hair was tied in a ponytail, leaving her slender, deer-like neck exposed.
I felt a sudden impulse to leave a deep kiss mark on that neck, but I barely managed to suppress it. I had to hold back for now.
"I know I’m pretty. You know you’re handsome too, right?"
"I guess?"
"What do you mean, 'I guess'? Even if you weren't Xenon, there would be women everywhere lining up just to look at your face. I’m just glad I snatched you up first."
"Hahaha."
I let out a light laugh at Mary’s playful remark. Adelia, standing behind us, also chuckled quietly.
"Anyway, everything’s ready, so let’s head to the waiting room. Is there anything else you’re curious about?"
"What about your family?"
I should mention that I had already met with the Rekilis family. They were quite surprised when I said I would attend the birthday party.
I wanted to prepare a birthday gift, but my father-in-law, Dmitri, adamantly refused.
Instead, he said that if I brought him a grandson within a year, he wouldn't need another gift for the rest of his life. Mary poking me in the ribs after hearing that was an added bonus.
"The family is waiting in the lounge just like us. We’ll enter after some time has passed. The protagonist is supposed to arrive late, right?"
"That’s true, but I’m entering with you, right?"
"Yeah. We have to prevent the guest from overshadowing the host, after all. You might be more famous than my dad, but he’s the star of the show today."
To reiterate, today was the birthday of Mary’s father, Dmitri. I was merely attending the party as Mary’s fiancé.
"I know what you’re worried about. You’re afraid the spotlight will fall on you instead of my dad, right?"
"Yeah. Of all days, it’s his birthday. I wonder if I was being a bit thoughtless."
"No, no. It’s the opposite. This is a chance to show the relationship between you and the Rekilis family. There are rumors about you being a womanizer, but I’m your official fiancée, aren't I? Besides, everyone probably accepts the womanizer thing since the story is that I couldn't handle your nights and brought in concubines myself."
"..."
I didn't know whether to feel good or bad about that, so I just gave a bitter smile. It was true that, as she said, it was surprisingly common for a wife to bring in concubines if she couldn't keep up with her husband at night.
This was a frequent issue among former knights. Knights were beyond the level of human weapons—they were closer to living engines of war, making it difficult for ordinary people to keep up with them.
As that thought crossed my mind, I turned my head back. My eyes met Adelia’s, who was following behind me.
The moment our eyes met, Adelia blinked her sky-blue eyes and tilted her head.
"What is it? Do you not like me being treated as a concubine?"
"It’s not that, but I was worried you might feel bad."
"Feel bad? Please. I’m just happy to be with you."
Adelia chuckled at my unnecessary concern as if it were cute. She even gave my cheek a light pinch.
She was shy and called me 'Oppa' at night, but usually, she acted like a dignified older sister. That was her unique charm.
My heart felt warm seeing how Adelia had overcome her tragic past to become my person.
"I don't care if it’s revealed that I’m an illegitimate child of the Ters Royal Family. Everyone who needs to know already knows, right?"
"Is that really okay?"
"If you’re worried about me, don't be. I’ve completely moved past it ever since Prince Consort Friedrich knelt before me."
In the past, she would show signs of anxiety at the mere mention of the Ters Royal Family, but now she was confident. It seemed she had completely shaken off her trauma.
I gazed at Adelia as she gave me a soft smile, and I felt a grin spreading across my own face.
Seeing someone precious to me find happiness after leaving their past behind warmed my heart.
"Aside from that, there will be a lot of talk. Your mother mentioned it last time, didn't she? That requests for arranged marriages have been pouring in from various families. You just need to keep those in check."
As we headed to the waiting room, Mary briefed me on things to watch out for. It was my first time stepping into high society, and given my reputation, there was a lot to keep in mind.
First, there was my well-known womanizing(?) reputation, then etiquette, inter-family relations, and so on.
Since it was my debut, just memorizing people's faces was a challenge. Usually, people introduce themselves with their name and house when greeting.
However, there were a few people I had to keep a close eye on.
"The ones you need to watch most are the three Marquises. Mathews, who oversees the Northern Region; Klose of the East; and finally, Götz, who handles the Southern Seas. Those three will be more focused on my dad than you, but it’s best to stay alert."
"Aren't Marquis families usually military houses? I thought they were more interested in military affairs than politics."
The Minerva Empire’s military might was immense, so the influence of military families was strong. However, they were all so busy with their own affairs that they had mostly stepped away from politics.
The Northern Region, where the Navy Knights serve, was a literal hellhole in the past, as everyone knows, and the East is currently in a power struggle with Stavirk.
Finally, there was the Terican family, who oversaw the Southern Seas. Even though the sea's influence in this world is less than in my previous life, it is by no means neglected.
Furthermore, across the sea lies the Kingdom of Ters, which is famous for its powerful navy.
Because the ocean is closely linked to demons, proper navigation hadn't developed much, but that was only for 'long-distance sailing.'
The sea between the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Ters isn't that wide, so having a navy isn't strange at all. One can simply sail along the coast.
Given the situation, they had no room to care about politics and were sweating just to manage their respective regions.
"It’s not that they aren't interested in politics; it’s that they can't be. Instead, they’re constantly looking for any chance to snatch up the budget. Except for the South, the North and East are in such bad shape that they have to pull in funding however they can."
"I see what you mean."
The Rekilis family was the Imperial Family's business partner. In other words, to get a word to the Imperial Family, one inevitably had to go through House Rekilis.
No matter how high a Marquis’s rank, contacting the Imperial Family directly was quite difficult unless it was through a special procedure. House Rekilis acted as the intermediary.
Because House Rekilis held that much authority, this phenomenon was occurring.
"This isn't something you need to worry about; you can leave it to my dad. Conveniently, the Kerison Count family is also shaking, so things will work out somehow. You just need to stand still and answer people's questions."
"Got it."
"Ah! One last thing I want to ask. Don't go around smiling at other young ladies besides me. A polite smile is fine, but don't give them that warm, cozy smile of yours. Got it?"
"Hahaha..."
As expected of Mary and her jealousy. I gave an awkward laugh.