Chapter 85. Marriage Proposal
Blinking, I looked back and forth between Jinor and Reika.
Reika was no longer just bowing her head; she had practically buried her face in the floor, her ears red and her body trembling.
Jinor, in stark contrast to Reika’s state, wore a serious expression that seemed indifferent to the situation.
“That’s my request.”
“You’re asking me to marry Miss Reika?”
“Yes. I believe it’s a favorable proposal for you as well.”
But… so suddenly?
Without any prior indication?
Why?
To my utterly confused self, Jinor once again posed a question in a remarkably calm tone.
“Is it disagreeable to you?”
“No, it’s not that I find it disagreeable, but…”
I glanced briefly at Reika.
Had she… already been informed about this?
Was she ready to marry me just because her adoptive father, Jinor, had said so?
With her head bowed, it was hard to read her expression.
“Feel free to speak your mind. You can be honest.”
Taking Jinor’s words to heart, I cautiously began to speak.
“Since you’ve said to speak freely, I will. While I am currently unmarried, I do already have someone in mind whom I wish to marry.”
“Do you already have four such individuals?”
“…No, just one person.”
“Then what’s the issue? Can’t Reika simply be your second wife?”
…
Of course… I was aware that in this world, it was not uncommon for a man to have up to four wives.
However, coming from a world where monogamy was the norm, it was difficult for me to articulate a clear response to this, as my entire life had been shaped by different values.
If asked whether I disliked the idea of having multiple wives… honestly, I wasn’t particularly against it.
But what the wives might think was another matter entirely.
“…Ah. If inheriting the surname is a concern for you, it’s not necessary. I won’t insist if it doesn’t benefit you.”
Listening to Jinor, it seemed he believed I had concerns about the family lineage.
He must have assumed the woman I intended to marry belonged to a family of higher status than the Nightart.
Though I was still adjusting to discussing matters of interest rather than personal feelings in marriage…
“…Miss Reika.”
“Oh, yes, yes…!!”
“What are your thoughts on this?”
“I, I, I am… well…”
Reika, sweating profusely, finally let out a long sigh.
Her trembling made her look pitiable, like a drenched mouse.
“Well, that… I mean, since Lord Swen is a good person…”
…
I glanced at Jinor for a moment.
He had his eyes closed.
It didn’t seem like he was pressuring her in any way…
Regardless of Jinor’s intentions, it appeared Reika was overwhelming herself with assumptions about his expectations.
“Lord Jinor. Could you give us a moment alone?”
“Me? And why is that?”
“It’s about marriage. I’d like to have a serious conversation with Miss Reika, just the two of us.”
…
Jinor nodded, stood up without a word, and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Once Jinor had left,
I turned to Reika, who was still bowing her head.
“Miss Reika.”
“Oh, I…”
“You can speak freely now.”
Encouraged by my gentler tone, Reika finally looked up.
Her face was flushed, and her pink eyes trembled slightly, visible to me.
“Is this conversation between you and Miss Reika concluded?”
“Oh, that, concluded means, well…”
“Did you agree to marry me?”
“…Yes…?”
Reika asked, tilting her head.
“Well, since it’s my father’s wish…”
…
Is it normal in this world for daughters to simply comply with their parents’ decisions?
After all, the concept of marital freedom hasn’t been around for that long, even in the history of the world I came from.
“I…”
Then,
Reika spoke hesitantly.
“Do you… dislike me…?”
As she said this, she looked up at me with big, hopeful eyes.
…I hadn’t been conscious of it before… but she appeared incredibly cute at that moment.
She indeed possessed a charm different from Airen’s.
“No? I mean, it’s not that I dislike you.”
“Phew… That’s a relief.”
With Reika’s words, silence fell again.
Feeling pressured by the silence, I carefully broke it.
“There’s something I’m curious about, Miss Reika. You can just answer comfortably.”
“Yes? Oh… Yes…!”
“Do you mind being the second wife?”
“Me? Well… I suppose…?”
Hmm.
I felt an unfamiliar sense of difficulty adapting to the gender norms of this world.
Do women here just naturally accept it?
“Oh, I… I have a question too.”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“Is the first wife… the red-haired knight?”
…
Now that I think about it,
Reika had seen Airen before.
Is Airen my first wife…?
Considering that suddenly made my mind go blank, and I couldn’t respond.
But,
“I see…”
Even though I hadn’t answered, Reika nodded as if she understood.
“…I didn’t say anything?”
“But, Lord Swen… Your expression.”
“My expression?”
“Your face turned red… You looked embarrassed. So, that means… she’s your first wife, right?”
Me?
My face turned red?
I wanted to deny it… but my lips wouldn’t move.
I was all too aware of the heat flushing my face.
Thinking of her as my first wife enveloped me in an indescribable feeling, as if floating in the air…
I realized anew.
How much I actually liked Airen.
“Or is there another woman…?”
“No, no… Miss Reika. Please be careful with your choice of words. Saying ‘another woman’ makes me sound like a philanderer, doesn’t it?”
“Philanderer?”
Reika again looked puzzled.
“Sharing love equally among wives isn’t strange, is it…?”
…
That’s it.
There was no need to insist on my perspective on this matter.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
“Anyway, are you okay with it, Miss Reika?”
“Yes. Even as a second wife, I’m fine-”
“No, I don’t mean that.”
I asked seriously, without any jest.
“About marrying me.”
“Lord Swen…?”
“Yes. Without considering Lord Jinor’s command or any other reason. Just as a man and a woman.”
“Um… that, well…”
Reika, flustered, couldn’t immediately respond and pondered for a while.
I nodded and said,
“You don’t have to answer now. Please think seriously about how you feel about me. I’ll wait to hear your thoughts.”
“But, but…”
“Why?”
“Well, that…”
Reika seemed at a loss for words.
Truthfully, what concerned me most was her personality.
Always struggling to articulate her own opinions…
Could this marriage proposal have simply flowed from Jinor’s directive?
If she became my second wife? From my perspective, there was nothing wrong with that.
She was destined to become an exceptionally talented magician, and establishing a connection with her would undoubtedly benefit Lunarien.
Furthermore, it wasn’t that she lacked feminine
charm.
Compared to Airen’s… overwhelming presence, which no other woman could surpass, Reika’s appeal didn’t stand out to me only because I was accustomed to Airen’s beauty. Reika was quite busty herself and her face was both cute and pretty.
However,
I didn’t want her opinions to be dismissed like this.
Especially not when it came to choosing a life partner.
It might be an unconventional mindset for this world, but marrying someone who didn’t want to marry me would be hurtful to me as well.
“Um… I, I’m sorry. I can’t seem to organize my thoughts… So, um, ah.”
“It’s okay. There’s no need to apologize.”
“…Aren’t you frustrated…?”
“No. Not at all. Struggling to speak means you weigh your words carefully.”
…
Reika heard my words and bowed her head again.
“Take your time to think… Let me know what you really think about marrying me.”
She nodded slowly to my words.
It seemed best to leave it at that for now.
“Let’s.”
As I stood up, I said,
“Shall we practice your magic today?”
“Oh? Ah… Yes, yes…!”
Reika stood up and followed me, her steps tentative.
Her demeanor reminded me of a hamster, which made her seem incredibly cute.
*
That evening.
“Lady Airen.”
“What’s the matter?”
While she was relaxing in comfortable clothes and sipping tea, I asked her.
“Suppose you were married.”
“Pfft!”
Airen spat out her tea in surprise, then started coughing.
“Are you okay?”
After wiping her mouth with the handkerchief I offered,
“…Sorry. That was a sight you shouldn’t see…”
“No, I’m sorry for surprising you like that.”
“Anyway… if that’s the case?”
“If your husband brought home a second wife, what would you think?”
“A second wife?”
“Yes.”
Airen pondered for a moment before answering nonchalantly.
“Well… she might struggle to adapt at first, so I’d probably help her out.”
“You’d be okay with a second wife?”
“Eh? Yes, why not? It’s just the family growing, isn’t it?”
Hearing Airen’s response, I was reminded once again that I was indeed in a different world.
“I see…”
“But… why are you asking about marriage all of a sudden…?”
Airen, her face flushed, questioned me.
“I was just curious about what you thought.”
“Is… that so?”
“Not just that.”
“…Oh? Then…”
I smiled at her slightly startled reaction.
“That’s a secret.”
…
After hearing my words, she lowered her head and sighed softly.
“…Anyway… you’re a truly inscrutable person. In all my life, I’ve never met anyone as difficult to understand as you, Swen.”
“Do you dislike it?”
“Not exactly.”
She smiled at me as she said that.
Anyway.
If Airen has no particular objections to me having multiple wives…
Depending on Reika’s response, I’ll need to think about what to do next.
With that thought, I spent a leisurely evening with her.
* * *
After capturing Racline Castle, Aeshers Army, having briefly paused, launched an attack on the territories of Charam Army.
The invasion force, led by Ernandorf, easily conquered Charam Army’s lands.
Charam, the lord, vanished into the mists of the executioner, disappearing from history.
With four castles, including Racline Castle, under its control, Aeshers Army was no longer a minor nation.
It could rightly be considered a mid-tier country.
And not long after,
News arrived that Serpina Army had captured Histphil Castle, which belonged to Brans Army and was located northwest of Racline Castle.
Indeed.
The moment had finally come when the borders of Serpina Army and Aeshers Army touched.
Soon after the borders met,
“A messenger from Serpina Army?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Hearing the messenger’s words, Yuri nodded, lost in thought.
“What is it? I can’t think of anything that would require diplomatic engagement with Serpina Army.”
“Jinor. What do you think?”
“Indeed, there’s nothing specific that comes to mind. Perhaps you should meet with them?”
Though curious, Yuri decided to follow Jinor’s advice, believing that meeting the envoy would clarify matters.
With her mind somewhat prepared, she spoke in a gentle tone to the messenger.
“Understood. Bring them to the audience chamber.”
