King's Proposal
The King had an heir.
He was merely overshadowed due to his sheer lack of presence, but he was undeniably the legitimate prince of the royal family, Kesirius.
Late at night, a small commotion arose in the prince's palace.
"Abamama is granting a private audience to someone at the detached palace at this hour?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"It must be Sir Hildea."
The prince, who had bolted to his feet and adjusted his attire, immediately dashed to the detached palace.
The guards did not stop the prince.
As they had not been notified of who the audience was scheduled with, they simply let Kesirius, the King's son, pass through.
The King, who had been waiting upon the high throne, twitched an eyebrow.
"Prince, return."
"Abamama, is it true that Sir Hildea is coming now?"
"There is no reason the prince needs to know. Return to the prince's palace at once."
"I wish to meet Sir Hildea."
"Prince."
"Abamama, please. If things go well between Sir Hildea and me, wouldn't that also be a blessing to the royal family?"
The head chamberlain, loyal to the king, watched the father and son anxiously from a corner, fidgeting restlessly.
'Oh dear, Your Highness. Please...'
Originally, the prince had no connection to Hildea.
The prince first saw Hildea during the Noble Council trial of the young Marquis Hapscorten.
It was the execution ceremony where she blew away only the young marquis's torso with a howitzer magical device.
That day, many men felt fear toward Hildea, and even more, they felt love.
Perhaps closer to possessiveness and a desire for conquest.
Most female knights are unpopular with men.
This is because they are often rough like men and plain in appearance.
However, Hildea appeared delicate and beautiful, as if she had never held a sword in her life, yet she was a sword genius who had become a Sword Master at 15.
For a man of noble status, she was a spouse candidate who would make the desire to produce offspring grow vigorously.
In the past, there were many nobles who secretly hoped that Ainshuvan would collapse, causing Hildea to lose her territory and drift into the capital.
As long as Hildea was putting down roots in the North, it was difficult to arrange a marriage.
'Your Highness, of all people, why must you fall for such a person...'
The head chamberlain recalled Hildea's previous audience.
Naturally, everyone had expected her to come alone, but she had brought along some young officer.
-Is that handsome officer behind you your husband, Count-nim?
-Not yet.
-Come to think of it, you've always been very fond of beautiful and pretty things. A truly well-matched spouse.
Even in the chamberlain's eyes, he was a beautiful man whose appearance was rare enough to elicit gasps of admiration.
Hildea's gaze, which was normally cold and rigid, became soft and gentle whenever it turned toward the young officer.
Prince Kesirius's wish had no possibility from the start.
"Return, Prince. This is a royal decree."
"Abamama, why on earth will you not arrange a match between me and Sir Hildea? Even though Sir Hildea is precisely the person fit to be the crown princess of this country!"
Just then, the sound of hard military boot soles walking across the marble floor was heard.
Hildea and Piel appeared.
A gallant figure with a machete strapped to the waist.
Only her white neck and hands were exposed outside her angular red military uniform; even though most of her body was concealed, a feminine aura radiated from her.
"Jeonha, Count Balckenhardt has entered the palace as commanded."
Leaving Piel behind, Hildea strode forward, knelt on one knee before the throne, and bowed her head.
The sight of her silver-shining hair cascading down and covering her soft cheek line was so enchantingly captivating that it would take a man's breath away.
The head chamberlain could see the prince's face reddening and his breathing growing rough.
'Please, please...!'
The prince is not a scoundrel.
On the contrary, he was a diligent heir who received the full expectations of the royal family and courtiers.
It was just that, with the royal family lacking power and the Noble Council's faction being strong, he didn't stand out.
"Abamama, I shall withdraw."
After paying his respects formally, the prince strode away briskly.
He glanced furtively at Hildea, who was kneeling on one knee, and then did not forget to stare intently at Piel's face again.
As the prince exited the detached palace, the head chamberlain also stepped aside, letting out a sigh of relief.
Now only the King, Hildea, and Piel remained.
***
This is the first time I've seen the prince in person.
As rumored, he looked dignified.
They all say he's handsome, but I wouldn't know about that.
I've never seen a man in my life who I truly felt was handsome.
"Count-nim, I have heard you achieved great military merit in the Empire. Though belated, congratulations."
"I am overwhelmed with gratitude, Jeonha."
"Thanks to you, Sir, the Imperial family bestowed splendid gifts upon our royal family. I feel I could eat four meals a day now."
Hildea let out a low laugh, "Pfft."
Only then did I realize it was the King's joke.
'Was that... funny?'
Does her sense of humor match perfectly with Hildea's dad jokes, which burst out suddenly from time to time?
"I do not speak empty words. The bestowed goods easily exceeded 100,000 gold coins in value. Thanks to that, the royal treasury's finances have been greatly relieved."
"If you are considering distributing a portion to me, I beg you to reconsider."
"Is that so? Thank you. I was actually about to make an awkward request of you since the finances were shaking."
Did he call me to say thank you and to offer a share of the imperial bestowed goods?
Because it is not customary for a monarch to swallow whole the benefits gained thanks to a vassal.
He probably didn't actually receive 100,000 gold coins.
It means the value is equivalent to that.
When the emperor bestows goods upon other kings, he mixes luxury items and necessities evenly.
He rarely gives gold coins directly.
He'd rather give a sculpture made of gold.
"Lately, rumors about the northern Marshall flour have been all over the capital, I hear."
"It's a wheat variety we happened to discover in the snow-covered Elf Forest. Just as it has dynamic vitality capable of growing through bitter cold and perpetual snow, its taste is exceptionally excellent."
Hildea spoke calmly as I had prepared her to.
Considering long-term stability, fabricating the source like that is the best option.
"Therefore, even if one obtains the seeds, they will not grow properly in the warm south and will wither and die.
Just as the one-horned rabbits of the North fail to adapt to the southern climate and easily die off unless an ice mage keeps them cool and comfortable."
"You've seen through my inner thoughts. I am embarrassed."
I don't know if the King truly wanted the wheat variety.
But Hildea preemptively drew a soft line.
'When Hildea was commissioned five years ago, the King promised he wouldn't issue any more royal decrees after that final royal decree to protect her own territory well.'
In other words, Hildea has no obligation to comply with the demand for the variety.
However, as the sovereign-subject relationship remains valid, there's no reason to deliberately create an awkward relationship.
'Is he going to bring up Mom— no, the Loosbel story again?'
The North is now showing only details of a completely changed appearance.
It's on a completely different level from when we repelled the Plant Legion that invaded the inland and when we established the Upper House.
Watching the flour auction, the King would have certainly recalled the Loosbel family.
'Because the King currently presumes that an unidentified massive patron is supporting Hildea.'
"Do you remember the advice I gave you before, Sir?"
The danger of the Loosbel family.
That they would try to create a disorderly society where commoners are not like commoners, nobles not like nobles, royalty not like royalty, and imperials not like imperials.
"I have not forgotten."
"That is sufficient. Always engrave in your pride that you are the noble marquess of the North."
"...!"
My eyes flew open.
The King spoke again indifferently.
"You knelt as a count and observed the courtesy between sovereign and subject, but when you rise, you shall stand tall with your shoulders spread wide as a marquis."
"Jeonha..."
"Rise now, Marquis Valkenhart."
Hildea stood up slowly.
The head chamberlain brought a splendid cloak and draped it over Hildea's shoulders.
"A few days hence, a formal investiture ceremony will be held, but you are a marquis from this very moment."
"Jeonha..."
I sensed a faint quiver of tears mixed in.
As a poor commoner orphan, Hildea had always thirsted with a desire to found a splendid and wealthy noble family in her own generation.
The sense of reward from the promotion in rank would be so profound it's hard for me to imagine.
"This year, without the countless military merits you, Sir, have accrued, this country would have long since collapsed.
In my heart, I would also grant you a ducal title, but conferring a title against the law risks undermining the legitimacy of the Valkenhart family, so I only ask for your understanding."
"I am simply grateful for the royal favor."
We followed the King and moved to the terrace table.
The King and Hildea sat at the same table, and I also sat alone at a table slightly apart.
I was able to watch their comfortable conversation in a tranquil mood.
"By the way, do you still eat only two meals a day these days?"
"That is political pressure to suppress the luxury of the capital's nobles. If the king eats two meals, the nobles would be too embarrassed to openly flaunt their extravagance."
The King laughed as he said that since the establishment of the Standing Inspectorate, he had been eating three meals a day.
"However, Marquis-nim, do you intend to leave the other 15 great nobles who concurred with the Frontline Reorganization Pact alone?"
The Frontline Reorganization Pact.
A secret collusion of 17 great nobles to redeploy south of the Dwein River after causing the front line to collapse through northern supply control.
If that had succeeded, Hildea and Rebecca would have been reduced not to frontier counts, but to the status of a struggling young household head's guard dog living on a meager salary.
Except for my shameful father, who would be an embarrassment anywhere, and the annihilated Hapscorten family, 15 great nobles still remain.
"I have never forgiven them, but I am more wary of rash retaliation disrupting the kingdom that has barely stabilized."
"...Truly a loyal subject of the kingdom. If you had been my daughter, this country could have achieved so much more."
The King sighed softly.
"I wish to speak with that young officer you favor so much. Could you excuse us for a moment?"
"Jeonha?"
Hildea looks troubled.
She seems to be imagining something like the King taking me hostage to manipulate her in some way.
"It is an honor, Jeonha."
I quickly stood up, bowed my head, and gave Hildea a subtle hint to comply.
The possibility of the King playing some strange trick against me converges infinitely to zero.
He was probably just curious about the character of the idler next to the precious female marquis Sword Master.
"...Understood. Please remember that Colonel Marshall is a very precious person to me."
She even knows how to apply pressure against the King.
If I keep raising her well like this, maybe Queen Hildea isn't impossible someday...?
Before Hildea moved aside, she discreetly pointed at her own ear in front of me.
It means to call her anytime via the in-ear. How commendable.
Only the King and I remained on the terrace.
Though at separate tables.
"Come sit here."
"Yes, Jeonha."
Without hesitation, I promptly sat in the chair Hildea had used.
"I hear you were originally a child of the Count Anbelrum family?"
"That's correct. I have now received a baronial fief under Marquis Valkenhart."
The King stared intently at me for a long while.
His laser-like gaze made my heart uncomfortable for no reason.
"You saw the prince earlier, didn't you? Do you remember?"
"Of course, Jeonha."
"Do you know why the prince was there just before the private audience with the marquis?"
"I do not know."
I suppose the father and son were having some intimate conversation before the private audience.
"The prince desires the marquis. And very earnestly, fervently so."
"...!"
Instantly, my mood soured considerably.
What is his intention telling me such a thing?
I thought he was a wise king, but could it be that he means to tell me to behave myself, as he intends to match the prince with Hildea?
How I have raised Hildea!
You, insignificant and impoverished destitute king!
Do you truly wish to see the blood of the Jeonju Yi clan flowing within me rise up in righteous fury, wielding the great and beautiful Pentagon Sword of Certification?!
"Therefore, marry the marquis quickly."
Cough! Cough!
Your Majesty? Pyeha, what did you say?
No, no, since there's the Nelssmill Empire, I shouldn't call him Pyeha.
"Before this king dies, let me be able to officiate your wedding."
Suddenly, the King's complexion, abnormally red compared to his neck, caught my eye.
As if he had drunk heavily, but I felt no hint of alcohol now.
"Though the prince is not truly exceptional, he nonetheless has the qualities to become a wise ruler.
However, if a love blinded by youthful passion is mixed in, no one knows what catastrophe might unfold."
"...Jeonha."
"As a monarch, I am afraid. A future where the next king after me attempts to climb a tree he must not, and shatters this country to pieces."
I became certain that the King's health was very poor.
"If you, Sir, become the marquis's husband..."
He's not keeping an eye on me for my own sake.
To the King, I am merely a noble's illegitimate son cherished by the kingdom's highest power.
He is simply worried about a future where, after his death, his son tries to possess Hildea and ruins the country.
"I will give you the rank of Archduke as a wedding gift."
I nearly burst out coughing.