92. Let's Begin the Title Honorifics Arrangement
The power of prior learning is truly great. I can imagine why all the parents in my previous life were so enthusiastic about academies.
"My father may seem extremely logical and even overly rigid on the surface, but in reality, he's a person who loves people very much. If we have good conversation topics and talk nicely, he'll loosen up quickly."
"In Karl's standards... um, military stories aren't bad either. My brother becoming an officer was also influenced by my father, who was a former commander."
"Or perhaps the noble stories. Not too heavy a topic, but... ah! Tell me about the four of them, and you'll hear something fun."
I followed Selena's advice I heard when I came to the Marquisate of Naplio. And the result was my father, who was cheerfully laughing right next to me.
"The Empire's officers are all a bit rigid, you know! It wasn't like that in my day. Hehehe!"
"Hahaha! You must have suffered a bit. After all, Duke Adria has always had a bit of a quirky side. I didn't think my son would inherit that quirk. Hahaha!"
The moment he saw me, he was probably thinking 'That damned son-in-law. Sending my daughter to grad school must feel good!' and I worried he might grab my collar.
Why? Because even I would think that. How could one look kindly on a man who turned his only daughter into a grad student.
But my father seems to be a bit more rational than I am.
"So, even more impressive. You persuaded those four young masters to establish the pension foundation."
"It seems you knew about this as well, Your Highness."
"I do. How could I not know? It's a hot topic in social circles these days that gets forgotten quickly. Recently, even the Bernstpol Duchy has joined forces, so everyone's interest is even greater."
Ah, Bernstpol Duchy. Our Remus Byron young master. That... guy who was crazy about mint chocolate...
Suddenly, a bad feeling washes over me. The Karl Adelheit Disabled Veterans Pension Foundation is just an excuse; isn't it actually the 'Mint Chocolate Lovers Club'?
Thinking about it, the four of them are mint chocolate lovers, and Remus young master too. Later, they might say 'Honorable Medal Recipient Karl Adelheit also likes mint chocolate, so try spreading it on bread!'
I suddenly thought, maybe, really, maybe. The Marquis... so, our father-in-law... isn't he one of those mint chocolate lovers? Please, please! If my father-in-law is a mint chocolate lover, it's a big problem!
If he says 'Hehehe! Try some mint chocolate, son-in-law. Aren't you going to eat it? You're not marrying my daughter, are you?'
"However, that mint chocolate is a bit unfortunate for the young masters."
Ah, ah!
"Mint is mint, chocolate is chocolate, after all. Isn't it better to enjoy the original taste rather than mixing them indiscriminately?"
At that moment, I almost grabbed the Marquis's hand and shouted 'That's right!' without realizing.
Honestly, every day the four of them sat next to me sucking on mint chocolate and muttering 'Why isn't Karl eating this delicious thing?' I was worried I might be the abnormal one!
"Your Grace's insight is truly admirable."
"Hm? Even if it's empty praise, I'm grateful."
"It's never empty praise. Never."
There was still some time until dinner. So, Selena, the Marquis, and his grandfather headed to the reception room.
And shortly after, the Marquis's wife also came and greeted me.
Hmm. Looking at it this way, it really feels like I'm greeting my girlfriend's parents.
"We've heard the news. That you recovered the lost treasure."
"That... yes. That's right."
Rather than recovering, I wanted to say I swung the sword to educate the four of them, and by chance, it came out from inside the broken rock, but I held back.
It wouldn't do to belittle myself in such a place. Honestly, a smart daughter, a smart son-in-law looks much better, right?
"Hearing that, my father was truly overjoyed. Isn't that right?"
"Yes. Yes. The gods clearly favor our Empire. How else could they have caused such a miracle for the Medal of Honor recipient? Ah, no. We should consider it two miracles. Sorry, Karl."
"No. I also believe that the gods have been good to me, causing such miracles. The light must have guided me."
A non-devout believer in the light suddenly converts 180 degrees in an instant.
"So, it's truly a happy occasion. A young man like you becoming a granddaughter's husband."
Kek—
The tea I was drinking almost went down the wrong pipe, but with superhuman patience, I held it in.
With both parents and grandfather present, I couldn't spit out the tea.
"Kuh! Cough, cough!!"
Selena, who had been quietly drinking tea next to me, coughed as if she had a cold.
"Why are you all so surprised? Weren't all these stories already told?"
"Ah, that... we did talk about it, but, um..."
So, it means we haven't officially announced it yet, Grandfather.
The Ifreet family and the Adelheit family both expect that they might become in-laws, but since they haven't made a definite conclusion from both sides, they've been holding back on the words.
More importantly, we're not even getting married yet, and both Selena and I have three years left.
People say you can't predict the future, so if we discuss it too quickly and something happens, it could be too painful, so we had no choice but to be cautious.
Of course, that's just our young people's thoughts, and the adults' thoughts might be different.
"Or are you dissatisfied that your daughter brought a young man as a son-in-law?"
"Of course not, Father. He's a young man who received the Medal of Honor twice. Just that Lena is deeply into him is enough reason to be a son-in-law. That's ridiculous. What do you think, wife?"
"He's the benefactor who pulled my son out of hell. What else could there be?"
I did push Selena into the hell of grad school, but fortunately, that part seems to have been excused. Since she went of her own accord, my sin is light, right? That's fortunate.
"If I had my way, I'd say let's start the engagement next spring..."
"You must endure that, Father. You can't be disrespectful."
"Yes. At least until next spring, endure it. Understood."
That's right. You all. You really must endure at least until next spring. If you say 'We're getting married in spring!' the Emperor will say 'Ahem' and 'Sorry, but at least until next spring, we want our son and daughter-in-law to receive all the spotlight.'
And if you really have your head on straight, even if I say so, you shouldn't. No matter what, it would be buried in the Crown Prince's wedding, so why would you want to marry then.
"Th-then... father-in-law. Mother-in-law."
Since it had come to this, I called them that to score some points, but I don't know why Selena and grandfather, who were sitting next to me, liked them more than the two of them.
*
Annoying. Annoying. Really, what the hell are you doing because of these guys, wasting time. That's why the Empire keeps wanting to call us 'Gganf' instead of elves, right?
Muttering to myself. Still, I held back. Muttering 'But I have to endure.'
Elise was in the room, focusing on the conversation of the elves who were sitting with their legs crossed.
"You all are the ones who have newly arrived. As the highest-ranking elves, of course it's you."
"Thank you. Actually, the home country has been very chaotic lately."
"Ah, we heard about that part too. The lower warriors are claiming that there must be a major social change now, right? Anyway."
"After fighting for so long, it seems everyone's gone crazy."
Heigens lined up well. Luzens was wrong, and the Empire was right. But you can't misunderstand.
It wasn't because Heigens was better or wiser, but because the Empire was that powerful. Never should 'Heigens is better' be inserted there.
The lower warriors who fought with their own kind who didn't agree with the front and witnessed the Empire's power clearly recognized that point.
This was never because elves were wiser or better. It was simply that lining up was everything. In this situation, doing something unnecessary could bring a backlash.
The problem is that people who do nothing and know nothing obsess over the results.
As if they had done something themselves. With the air of having taken on some great role.
Yes. The ones who, despite climbing the Empire's student path just because they were nobles, still thought they were special, were exactly like that.
'Do I have to listen to all this? I'm going crazy.'
The Empire secretly entrusted me with the task. To check if there were any Luzens spies among the students and if they were injecting any unnecessary ideologies.
Elise accepted it coolly. She doesn't have much affection for her own kind. But not none. So she took it on. If another problem arises where students in the academy are involved, who knows how the diplomatic relations might twist.
"Frankly, bestowing the Legion of Honor on that man doesn't sit well with me at all."
Huh? Ah, is he talking about Karl now? But why suddenly about that man—
"Frankly, there's nothing better than us elves, so why give such an honor."
"Isn't that obvious? It's something high-ranking people in the Empire who are crawling all over themselves chose."
"Boarding on the Empire's order. Okay. I can understand that. But what I can't understand is giving the highest honor, the Legion of Honor, to an individual human—"
Ahahaha. Ahahah? What are these ear-twitching guys saying now?
I can't let this slide. If I cut off their pretty ears, they'll come to their senses. Yeah, definitely.