Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Is Marriage Insanity?
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"Kukuku."
"…"
"Kukukukuku."
"Then shut your…"
"Kuhahahahaha."
"Hohohohohoho."
"…"
The Richthofen family and I sat back down at the dining table.
But the seating arrangement was different from yesterday.
Manfred's parents were at the head of the table, with Manfred and Therese sitting side by side.
…And Elise and I were side by side, facing Manfred and Therese.
Squeeze-
"Hehe."
Elise had clung to me the moment she woke up and wouldn't let go.
Manfred and Kunigunde's teasing was pretty uncomfortable… but honestly, it felt nice.
…The problem was.
"You, that damned…"
Albrecht ground his teeth as he glared at me.
If I had just hopped on the train and bolted, I might have actually gotten shot, so I had confronted him anyway…
This wasn't going to be easy.
But the water was already spilled. I steeled myself and looked Albrecht straight in the eye.
And I pulled out the line I had prepared.
"Father."
"Who the hell is your fa-"
"Please give me your daughter."
"Ooooh."
"Agh!!! I…! My neck…!!"
Manfred and Kunigunde clapped and cheered, regardless of whether Albrecht clutched his neck or not.
Judging by how they were teasing me like this, it seemed like convincing Albrecht alone would do the trick.
I placed my hand over Elise's hand, which was gripping my arm.
"I'll make her happy."
"…"
Albrecht stopped rubbing his neck and glared at me with eyes burning fiercely.
The knife and fork in his hands trembled, so I tensed my muscles, ready to dodge if they flew at me.
Albrecht slowly opened his mouth.
"Happy? After spending the night with my… my… on the day we met!!!"
"Oh my."
Unable to hold back any longer, Albrecht exploded in rage.
Seeing his eyes welling up with tears showed just how much he cherished Elise. His tone was utterly pathetic.
Kunigunde patted him.
"Daddy."
"…Yeah?"
Only then did Elise, who had been quietly watching Albrecht with her arm linked in mine, speak up.
She hesitated, blushed, and said in a small voice.
"Actually… I was the one who led him on."
"…?"
"…?"
At her words, Albrecht and I both turned to Elise.
Albrecht, whose brain seemed to have frozen, stammered.
"So… you were the one who… suggested sharing a bed first?"
"Uh?"
"Yes…"
Albrecht grabbed his neck again.
He flailed his arm to call for a servant, but they had already left due to the deepening conversation.
Instead, he turned to Kunigunde.
"The switch, bring me the switch. Who taught her such wicked things-"
Kunigunde awkwardly cut him off.
"Hoho, I told her to do it."
"What?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Elise, you've made up your mind, haven't you?"
"Yes. There won't be another man like Rommel."
"I see…"
Her daughter's eyes shone with unwavering determination.
Kunigunde was astonished. The girl who had always been so passive, now asserting her will so strongly.
She pondered for a moment, then opened the cabinet that took up one wall.
"…Wer wagt, gewinnt. (He who dares, wins.)"
Shelves of high-proof premium liquors stretched out before her.
Originally meant for her fourth child as 'emergency rations'… but as they grew older, she'd left them untouched, figuring they'd come in handy someday.
Today, they finally had a use.
Kunigunde fetched a basket and swept the bottles into it.
"Darling, our family is a Prussian military lineage."
As the cabinet emptied, she carefully handed the heavy basket to Elise.
"Once you've set your mind to something, you must move like lightning and press the enemy relentlessly. Love is no different from war."
"Yes."
Elise listened to Kunigunde's words without a hint of strain, despite the basket's weight.
Satisfied with her resolute posture, Kunigunde continued.
"I've heard that this boy Rommel is the greatest military prodigy, and no one can predict his thoughts on future warfare."
"…"
"Moreover, for a commoner to rise that far means he has exceptional cunning and self-control."
Elise tensed at Kunigunde's words.
Kunigunde gripped her shoulders.
"From my long experience, Rommel is like an iron fortress. But fortresses can be bypassed."
Poke- Kunigunde tapped the basket with her finger.
"Darling, Rommel has to return to cadet school soon. Time is short."
"…Yes."
"If you truly like him."
The liquors in the basket were weapons and supplies for war.
The commander was Elise, the enemy a massive fortress guarding his body: Rommel.
A prolonged war would mean defeat for Elise, so a swift decisive battle to force surrender was needed.
"Strike like lightning, but make it certain."
"Understood."
With her resolve hardened before battle, Elise marched to the front.
Fortunately, the midnight lightning operation ended not as the Schlieffen Plan, but as a scythe harvest.
Rommel declared unconditional surrender atop the bed after just a few hours.
He became Elise's prisoner.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"What did you teach my daughter?"
"Hohoho."
Even Manfred asked in disbelief, but Kunigunde just covered her mouth and laughed.
The revealed truth left me on the brink of collapse, and Albrecht was KO'd.
I knew it was a trap… but did it have to go this far?
"Ugh…"
"Hehe, but you became my prisoner, right?"
I couldn't tell if my dizziness was from the crazy mother-daughter duo or from how endearing Elise's constant beaming smile was.
You… just wait until tonight…!
"My life is ruined… Those Junkers… Of all people, my family has to be this shameless…"
"What, if it's good, it's good, isn't it?"
"Therese… even you…!"
Therese, who had been quietly watching with amusement, replied cynically, and the already gravely wounded Albrecht seemed utterly drained.
He waved his hand dismissively, as if fed up.
"Do whatever you want with your dating or engagements… Ugh, I retired from the military, and yet this humiliation…"
"Then we can get married?"
"NOOO!!!"
As Elise asked as if she'd been waiting, Albrecht bellowed.
Laughter peacefully filled the table.
When Albrecht stood first, the meal awkwardly ended, and I returned to my room with Elise.
More precisely, Elise followed me.
"Getting ready already?"
"Yeah, I have to leave early tomorrow morning. We won't see each other for a while."
"Hmm…"
As Elise gently wrapped her arms around my neck, I smiled and took her hand.
But her next words made my mouth and hands freeze.
"Then I should get ready too."
"…R-ready for what?"
"To set up house in Berlin, of course."
Elise whispered in my ear.
Another ploy to dizzy my mind and overwhelm me…
"Hoo-"
Ah… no…
Why does blowing in my ear feel so good!
No. I can't let her control the pace, or I'll really lose.
"I'm living in the cadet dorms anyway, so it'll be hard to meet. You'll get bored alone."
"But…"
She grinned creepily.
"I need to keep an eye on you, make sure you don't cheat, right?"
Her breath in my ear rang like an alarm bell, giving me goosebumps.
At the same time, I felt wronged.
"Cheat? If you named the least popular guy in Berlin, I'd be one of them."
"Hehe, not anymore."
Rubbing her head against my neck, Elise continued.
"Brother doesn't know, but taken men are always more attractive."
"…No, I literally don't even meet women."
"Mm, I don't know about cadet school life, but I'm anxious, so I'll come along."
So this monitoring excuse is just a front!
She just wants to go to Berlin!
"Not allowed?"
"…Ask your mom and dad."
But I couldn't disappoint those sparkling eyes.
Instead, I tossed the bomb to them-
"Then I'll go pack right now."
"…Huh?"
"I already got permission."
"Permission from Father-in-law?"
"Mom said yes."
Chilling.
A dagger flies and embeds itself.
"…What about Father-in-law?"
"Hmm~ Mom convinced me, so Dad's going to ask Brother."
"You mean Manfred?"
"Ahaha!"
Please answer properly.
Suddenly, a conversation from my past life flashed through my mind.
[Come to think of it, you're not married, right?]
[Please, my whole family is already nagging me to get married. Not you too, sir…]
[No, no! I have no such intentions.]
The senior in my memory hurriedly shook his head.
[I just want to say enjoy it while you can.]
[What's so bad about marriage that all you seniors say the same thing?]
[What's bad? Hahaha…]
The senior lit a weary cigarette.
[Marriage is insane, what else? It's complicated to explain.]
Honestly, I hadn't understood back then.
"Then I'll go get ready too?"
Looking at Elise's clingy eyes, it was starting to make a little sense.
It seemed like, besides Manfred, there was one more passenger joining me on the train.