56. Proposal (2)
56. Proposal (2)
"Losers, go away. This is a story between Allen and me."
"Shall I finally get rid of that smart mouth of yours?"
"G-Grand Duchess-nim. Please calm down...."
"Aniel is right about this. Even the Goddess-nim cannot forgive this."
"S-Saintess-nim!?"
One way or another, the situation was getting complicated and giving me a headache.
More importantly, why was Lucia provoking them since earlier?
She kept saying things like "losers" and "third parties should step aside."
I thought about shutting her mouth.
But still, she is an Imperial Princess.
I held back, thinking that if I did something reckless and offended her, it could turn into a big problem.
"Lucia. Stop for now."
"Hmm, if Allen tells me to stop, then fine."
Fortunately, when I stepped in to mediate, she also obediently stopped her provocations.
I didn't know why she was suddenly so obedient, which felt ominous, but I thought that at least she had stopped, so I had everyone sit down.
"Please, everyone calm down. There's no way Lucia would suddenly say something like this for no reason."
Yes, I was also curious why Lucia suddenly brought this up.
Whether my words had an effect or not, the others all turned their gazes to Lucia.
"Go ahead, say it if you have the nerve."
Of course, the problem was that those gazes were anything but kind.
Lucia let out a sigh but then opened her mouth to speak.
She explained the situation where she was to marry Albert Robiesh, same as she had told me.
"What?"
"If it's Albert Robiesh, are you referring to the one who insulted Allen at the banquet?"
"He is the Imperial Princess's nephew, isn't he?"
It seemed none of them had even thought of it, as I could see them panicking just like I had when I first heard it.
"But what does that have to do with proposing marriage to Allen?"
But Aniel remained rational.
She said she didn't know what that had to do with this.
"It's not like I would want to marry that stupid and horrible thing. So I was looking for someone to persuade His Majesty the Emperor."
"Someone to persuade His Majesty?"
I was a bit perplexed. Why would I be needed to persuade the Emperor?
"In any case, the main cause of this incident is Allen. So rather than that, I intend to smooth things over by making it seem as if Allen and I are in a relationship to resolve the conflict between our families."
Only after hearing Lucia's additional explanation did I finally understand.
"So, it's a kind of fake marriage?"
It was a means to convince the Emperor.
In doing so, we could not only smooth over my sister's situation but also disrupt Lucia's marriage.
Once I understood, Lucia's method seemed somehow wise.
"I can't agree."
"Neither can I."
"I will follow Grand Duchess-nim's decision."
But the other three seemed to disagree.
They were glaring at Lucia with sharp eyes.
Even though I felt like my spirit would be crushed if I met that gaze, Lucia didn't care at all.
"What does it matter to you? The important thing is Allen's will, isn't it?"
Ah, you've hit the nail on the head.
Certainly, my will is the most important.
As soon as Lucia finished speaking, the three people's gazes also turned to me, but I looked away for now.
Because I felt that I was also heavily involved.
"I think I need to meet my father about this issue."
Since Mary is involved, I want to accept right away, but the problem is too big for me to decide alone.
So the decision I made was to go meet my father.
"Because the will of my father, the head of the family, seems most important."
Even though she might be disappointed by my answer, a smile appeared on Lucia's lips.
She caressed my lips and then spoke.
"You're checking my mood, aren't you?"
"Well..."
"Do you think I would be disappointed in you over something like this?"
Can mages read the other person's inner thoughts?
Just as I was starting to feel a bit scared, Lucia spoke as if she wanted everyone to hear.
"In other words, Allen isn't refusing, is he?"
Ah, if you say it like that again....
Suddenly, I felt a dark aura around me.
I was afraid to turn my head, but I felt the need to check, so I forced myself to turn.
"I will never acknowledge this."
"I share Aniel's opinion. The Goddess-nim won't approve of your marriage either."
"I will follow Grand Duchess-nim's will."
As expected, an overwhelming opposition came flying.
More than that, Iris really is a fanatic of Aniel. Entrusting all her will to Aniel.
"You have nothing to do with this. Because the one who will choose is not you, but Margrave Wiesent."
"T-That's right."
I felt like a situation would soon arise where I would have to apologize to my father.
"Since tomorrow is a holiday, let's go to the Wiesent territory today."
"L-Lucia?"
"Two days is more than enough to go and come back."
Maybe even now?
"Commander-nim, we have finished training the soldiers."
"There must be many new recruits this time."
"Yes, so we are increasing the intensity of the training."
"Make sure there are no mistakes. If we slip up, we could be annihilated."
"I will keep that in mind."
Mary, as people evaluated, was perfection itself.
"With Commander-nim, we have more than enough to win."
"Right, last time too, when we were struggling against the Demons, she turned the tide."
When a decision was needed, she made quick judgments.
Moreover, when facing enemies, she showed no sign of fear at all.
Most importantly, she valued her subordinates more than anyone and never sacrificed them carelessly.
Perhaps that's why many in the Wiesent family followed Mary.
"Why doesn't she try to become the Young Master?"
Among them, there were those who questioned whether it would be better for her to become the Young Master.
"You bastard!"
"Ow! What's wrong?!"
"Don't you know that's a forbidden word?!"
"Huh? Why, what's the forbidden... Wait, stop!"
But that part was a forbidden word that must never be spoken in front of Mary.
"Don't you know that everyone who spoke that word died by Commander-nim's hand?!"
Because the moment that word was spoken, Mary went and cut off their heads cleanly.
Mary Wiesent, the one who showed the greatest support for Allen becoming the Young Master, and the one who eventually put him in the position of Young Master.
In recognition of her great contribution (?), she was serving as the family's Knight Commander.
"And what Commander-nim desires is not the position of Young Master."
Most people knew. What Mary aimed for was not the Young Master position or the Margrave position.
'Well, everything depends on the Young Master-nim.'
As soon as that remark ended, a courier arrived suddenly.
"Where is Commander-nim?!"
The courier who arrived immediately went looking for Mary.
"I am here."
Mary, who was guarding the front lines, approached the courier, suspecting that something might have happened in the rear.
The courier, upon confirming it was Mary, hurriedly dismounted, offered a greeting, and delivered the news.
"I came after receiving news that the Young Master-nim is returning!"
"... Oppa?"
He's back.
The person she had so desperately wanted to see.
Upon hearing the news, Mary's heart pounded as if it would burst.
After reading the letter, she wondered if he had come to see her.
Just as she held a faint hope.
"B-But he came with guests."
The courier's following words stopped her from heading back to the mansion.
"Guests?"
"C-Commander-nim!"
"Are they women?"
Faced with a murderous glare that seemed ready to tear him apart, the courier shivered as if feeling the bitter cold of winter and hesitated.
Whether to tell the truth or hide it.
"Y-Yes. The Young Master-nim is with about three women... Commander-nim?!"
Knowing that hiding it would only result in the truth coming out anyway, he confessed honestly, and Mary stole the horse the courier had ridden.
"Oppa, I warned you in my letter."
It must be someone I approve of, or not at all.
But there was another reason Mary wrote that.
"I will never... Oppa...."
She grabbed the reins and hurried off. To find out who dared to target her Oppa.
"So this is the Wiesent Territory."
Originally, I planned to bring only Lucia to the Wiesent Territory, but unfortunately, Aniel, Iris, and Lily all insisted on coming along, so the carriage was crowded.
"It's more developed than I thought."
"Right. The supplies also seem plentiful."
"Not to mention, the people look happier than those in the capital."
Just a while ago inside the carriage, they were engaged in a war of nerves, but after arriving at the Wiesent Territory, they were all busy looking out the window.
"Isn't this the same as the Grand Duchy or the capital?"
The Wiesent Territory did have fertile land, iron mines, and various resources.
It was sufficient for self-sufficiency and could continue to develop even in this situation.
But even so, it couldn't compare to the Grand Duchy or the capital, right?
"Hmm, but you never know. Maybe we'll end up living here instead of the capital."
.... What do you mean by that, Lily?
The Saintess saying she'll live in the Wiesent Territory instead of the Order?
Flustered, I looked at the others.
"Well, it's not completely impossible."
Excuse me, next Grand Duke?
"Even if I can't be the Knight Commander of Wiesent, aiming for Vice-Commander seems plausible..."
Iris, you said you were going to the Imperial Palace Knights.
I looked at Lucia in disbelief. At least she, who is destined to become Emperor, wouldn't agree with such jokes...
"It might be nice to move the Imperial Palace here. The view is good and the air is clean."
I thought she wouldn't, but that wasn't the case.