Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Engagement - 2
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In just one day, I wrapped up four requests.
If things keep going like this, I'll fill up my points way faster than planned.
"Ah! Welcome! Sage!"
As soon as I reached the palace entrance, the Lily Knight Order members greeted me. I gave them a casual wave and headed inside, where I spotted a massive carriage among those waiting for the VIPs—one I'd never seen before.
It was huge and magnificent, rivaling even the royal carriages, adorned with the emblem of a single thin sword.
I knew exactly whose emblem that was, which left me puzzled.
"Raysi. What are you doing here?"
There she was, leaning against the carriage in her white uniform—a woman from one of the kingdom's great noble houses, and in the game, one of the Seekers of the Eight Stars: Raysi Tralman.
The head of the Tralman Marquis family herself.
"Am I not allowed to be here?"
"That's not it. But it's not exactly a place you'd show up either, is it? Aren't you busy sorting out family affairs?"
The Tralman Marquis family held vast territories at the eastern edge of the kingdom, and even in the game, she rarely left her lands.
Which made sense.
It hadn't been long since she'd outmaneuvered her brother, the former heir, to become family head. With his loyal vassals still lingering in and around the territory, she had her hands full keeping them in check and winning them over. How could she afford to go gallivanting around?
Even in the game, you hardly ever saw her leave her territory unless she joined your party.
"We made a promise to each other."
She shook her black hair and strode toward me. Maybe it was because we were about the same height?
Our eyes met perfectly.
"True enough."
It was from a while back.
Near the end of the main story, I'd done a chain quest in the Tralman Marquis territory to earn an achievement.
That's when Raysi and I became friends-slash-business partners, and we made one promise.
If one of us helped the other once, the other would return the favor personally.
Clearing that territory quest meant Raysi owed me one.
Then, not long after, when I needed help for another achievement and the hero party was tied up, I asked her.
She was swamped managing her territory but honored the promise without hesitation.
Later, when she needed help with a problem in her lands, I pitched in during my own achievement run.
It had been quite some time since we'd built this mutual aid relationship.
"Among the nobles, plenty harbor grudges against you, Sage. I've blocked them all. Now that I've helped you, keep your promise."
"Wow! You can't even do that much for a friend? Man, I'm disappointed."
I activated the clown skill 'Exaggerated Cry,' making my eyes well up with tears, but it didn't faze Raysi one bit.
"Cut the act. You know what my eyes can do."
"Tch."
It was probably our twenty-third transaction.
A doppelganger had appeared in her territory.
The ultimate monster that steals someone's appearance upon meeting them, impersonates them perfectly, and takes their place.
One tried to steal Raysi's form, nearly causing chaos in Tralman lands, so she called on me.
Since I owed her, I went and helped. During that hunt, Raysi soloed the doppelganger and gained a skill—the same one I have: 'Eye of Truth.'
A reward for taking it down alone, it lets you see through all kinds of 'acting.'
With so many enemies, I set the stage, she finished it solo, and got the skill.
Mention that, and I've got nothing to say.
"Fine. So? What do you need help with?"
A promise is a promise—I'd keep it.
I nodded, and Raysi spoke in her usual serious tone.
"Get engaged to me."
The moment we stepped into the huge carriage, Raysi explained the situation.
"As you know, the Tralman Marquis family is short on hands. So they're making an issue of me not even being engaged, let alone married."
This is why you gotta cut loose when you have to.
She tried to nicely absorb the factions that followed her rival, and now look.
"Why not just kill them all?"
"That would've caused an uproar. Plus, some were long-time loyalists to the Tralman family, and others are cousins of various counts and barons. I'm already on thin ice for shoving aside my brother to become marquise—with vultures circling to meddle in the territory. If I did that..."
They'd swarm and tear the marquisate apart?
"Tch. That's why you should've dated someone ages ago."
"You're one to talk... Anyway, if I don't get engaged or married soon, the vassals will keep harping on it. They might even call a family council to oust me and prop up a collateral branch."
"Even if you get engaged, they can still nitpick. Like the heir issue."
"An engagement buys time to settle everything before they bring that up."
I picked up a chocolate from the basket. One of Tralman territory's specialties—a pricey luxury good that brings in big revenue.
The factory owner, Willie, was her brother's man, right?
Now he's the passionate leader opposing her.
I know over ten like him off the top of my head.
Tough to swallow, but a massive gain if you do.
I get why she's trying so hard to embrace them...
"Why not just get married for real this time? Plenty of decent guys out there. You don't even like me, so why me..."
"I'd love to, but no man measures up to my standards."
"So you propose to me? Ha. Being this handsome is a curse."
Why do I have so many sins?
As I wallowed in self-pity, Raysi said it dead seriously.
"I like you as a friend, respect you, trust you... but sorry."
"...What?"
"I like beastly men. So let's stay friends."
I didn't even confess, and she shot me down.
No, wait—beastly men?
I'll respect her tastes, but Perry here's loaded and powerful, yet I'd pass.
"Uh, um... Want me to introduce you? You like beasts, right? I know some beastkin who might fit your type."
"Beastkin? Out of nowhere..."
Raysi fell silent, then shook her head.
"Anyway, right now, the vassals want a partner who can think of the territory's stability and future. In other words."
Her gloved finger pointed at me.
"You're perfect right now. In about a year, I can absorb Willie's faction and his chocolate factory, purge the irredeemables, and fully seize the family. But for now, I need your help."
"Hmm..."
I checked my achievement window.
I haven't done the 'Marriage' one yet, but it's neither timely nor with her.
Business partner—and a furry, no less? Marriage is a stretch.
"I was gonna suggest a sham marriage with divorce in a year... but that felt too far."
"Yeah..."
"Political engagements can be broken anytime anyway. Less pressure."
"Not a bad deal..."
If she'd said marriage, I'd have told her to shove off.
We're not a thing at all.
And as Raysi said, political engagements are common among nobles and just as easily dissolved.
I hear some break in as little as a day.
"So? You in? No rush—take time to think."
She pulled out her notebook, checked her schedule, and calmly showed me a date.
"Decide by then."
The date she picked was the day after Lucille's birthday.
"...Pardon? What?"
The next day after Raysi left.
It was Lucille's lesson day, so after checking her magic, I told her about yesterday.
Lucille listened quietly, tilted her head, then asked again, clearly confused.
"Engaged to Marquis Raysi Tralman? Why?"
"Want the real reason or the fake one?"
The truth: a purely political engagement to placate vassals, buy time, and absorb holdouts into her faction.
But you can't say that outright.
So we prepped a surface story with Raysi.
"...B-both, please."
"We've worked together a lot. Sparks flew, we fell for each other."
Questing together deepened our feelings, leading to engagement.
I'm no noble, but as a former hero party member who helped slay the Demon King, my continental rep is huge.
So they'd convince the vassals with a marriage where I join as son-in-law.
"...And the real reason?"
"Raysi hasn't fully seized the family yet. She hasn't turned her brother's old vassals and subordinate nobles into her people."
"Hmm... Political reasons?"
"Yeah. Engaging me bolsters her position and lures in the holdouts. Some of her enemies have gotten my help before, so she can pull them too."
"Purely political, huh."
"Yeah. I owe her, so I'm paying up. Like with the Sasdin thing?"
"We could've handled that in the royal family!! The marquis jumped in mid-prep!"
"Calm down. And engagements break easily anyway."
"...Some don't."
Lucille pouted—sulking for real—and grumbled.
I stroked her hair. Her thick red locks felt nice and soft.
"True, but ours is straight business."
"...Not even friends?"
"Broadly speaking, sure."
I count anyone I've shared a drink with as a friend.
Lucille stared, then sighed deeply.
"So you have zero feelings for Marquis Raysi? She's stunning, capable too..."
"I care more about inner beauty. Plus, she doesn't like me. Not her type."
"Her eyes must be bad."
"Uh, hey... Respect tastes."
She likes beastly guys—what can I say?
"What if the marquis won't cancel? What if she pushes the engagement?"
"Won't happen, and if it does, breach of contract."
If it were real, she'd have said so upfront.
I'd have refused, sure.
Turning a fake one real? Contract violation—means war.
Raysi's not that dumb.
But Lucille still wasn't thrilled.
Her protruding lips wouldn't recede, so I pinched them with my fingers.
"Ow ow!!"
"Not a duck—don't pout like that. You're gonna be queen."
"Mmph! Mmph! Pwah. Can you just grab a future queen's lips like that?"
"Nice comeback, but I'm fine. I'm a wild man—polite only to those I respect. Anyway, keep practicing magic."
"Okay..."
Slumped, Lucille cast a few more spells. Power's a bit low, but she'll master her ultimate soon.
Things are going smoothly—feels good.
Hope it stays hassle-free.
"Magic's good for now. Dance practice starts tomorrow."
"Okay. But Master... you sure? Like with Cardinal Veronica... the hero... and others."
"Nothing's decided yet."
"You're leaning yes, right?"
"Yeah, but I'll tell Veronica first. Plenty of time."
"When?"
"She's busy cracking demon worshipper skulls... Soon?"
Hero party ain't my employer.
A few annoying folks aside, no big deal.
Should be fine.
***
"...What?"
-CRUNCH!!
A mace slams into the head of a demon worshipper begging for mercy after ripping out a child's heart for sacrifice.
His head explodes like a melon, splattering blood as he crumples. The black-robed nun who one-shotted him doesn't wipe the blood from her face and repeats herself.
"Who."
"..."
"Who."
"With."
"What."
The palace spy, pale as a ghost, stammers his report.
The beauty listens calmly.
Veronica, the church's heresy inquisitor and cardinal, glances around.
All the demon worshippers here are dead—only their main base left.
"...In two days, wipe out these filthy demon worshippers."
Holy power surges behind her, intensifying.
As she gears for full throttle, the nun order sisters bow deeply.
"I'm heading to the capital."
"Two days is... too tight, isn't it...? Eek! Y-yes, ma'am!"
Even for Veronica, two days? A nun with sharp combat tongs speaks up, then freaks at her expression and bows.
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Author's Note
See you tomorrow at 2 PM~! Bye~