Ch.143143. Want to Make a Bet?

“….What?”

Suddenly asking “Will you marry me?”

I thought she’d apologize for misspoken words, but…

“I’ll be having my coming-of-age ceremony soon. But I don’t have a suitable fiancé.”

This woman….

She’s not just ‘unique,’ she’s completely insane!

I was so dumbfounded that my mouth hung open.

Seeing this, Dennis clutched his head as if something inevitable had finally happened.

“Lady Casia, perhaps we should step outside and discuss this—”

But Casia Spear abruptly cut Dennis off and fixed her gaze directly on me.

“Is it because of my status? It’s fine, I’m confident I can persuade my father.”

With this level of personality and appearance, she should be a character from the original work, but…

The name “Casia Spear” still sounds unfamiliar no matter how many times I hear it.

“What exactly do you want?”

That was my first proper response.

However, Casia Spear continued without batting an eye.

“Marriage.”

“Why are you suddenly talking about marriage…?”

“Are you already married?”

“N-no, I’m not married, but we just met today—”

“Then what’s the problem?”

I can’t exactly describe the feeling, but she seems like someone who has never faced rejection in her life.

There was no malice in her tone.

I considered giving her a harsh reality check, but strangely, I couldn’t bring myself to dislike her.

Regaining my composure slightly, I smiled.

“Are you trying to marry me because of Dennis?”

“Do you think I’m stupid? How could I marry someone I don’t have feelings for?”

“Then what kind of manners is it to suddenly propose to someone you’ve just met?”

Casia Spear flinched in surprise and then asked with a genuinely clueless expression.

“…Do you dislike me?”

“I don’t dislike you.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

I hesitated at her incredibly forward attitude, then leaned forward.

“How can I marry someone I’ve just met?”

“If that’s the problem, we can start seeing each other frequently from now on.”

Sigh…

Her confidence is admirable, but is she always this forceful?

No, how could a woman this assertive not have found someone to marry until now?

“Anyway, you want to bring Dennis into the Spear family, right?”

“Rather than bringing him in, I want us to be together. He’s too valuable to remain a wandering mercenary.”

“So, you came to see what kind of person this ‘lord’ Dennis speaks of is, and finding me acceptable, you want to marry me?”

At that, Casia Spear clapped her hands and exclaimed.

“Wow! That’s close.”

“What do you mean by ‘close’?”

“I heard from Elina. She said you’re someone who practically led the war to victory single-handedly.”

“That’s just a ‘heroic tale’ created by the war.”

“For just a tale, everyone was talking about you, Lord Levan.”

“…So what’s your point?”

Casia Spear smiled brightly at my question.

“I realized marrying you would be beneficial. I could keep Sir Dennis with me, and I need to get married anyway.”

Now I understand why Dennis described her as “persistently clingy.”

I let out a short sigh.

“Haa… Then why not just marry Dennis instead?”

“…What?”

For the first time, Casia Spear looked flustered, then quickly showed a contemptuous expression.

“Sir Dennis already has a wife, doesn’t he?”

“W-what did you say?”

This crazy guy has been married all this time while living as a wandering mercenary?

No wonder he was talking about relationship advice and whatnot…

Why didn’t he tell me something so important?

And on top of that.

Casia Spear was looking at Dennis as if she had made a slip of the tongue.

I blinked in confusion at this bizarre situation, and Dennis finally spoke with resignation.

“I became a wandering mercenary to find my missing wife.”

“D-do you have children?”

“No children.”

“So have you found your wife?”

“Not yet.”

“If you haven’t found your wife, why do you want to stay with me?”

Dennis straightened his clothes and put on a serious expression.

“I have a strong conviction that if I stay with Lord Levan, I’ll eventually be able to find my wife.”

I could somewhat understand Dennis’s feelings.

He must have sensed an inexplicable strength in me.

He probably thought that by swimming in deeper waters, his perspective would broaden, helping him find his wife.

If that’s the case.

I definitely shouldn’t let Dennis go to Casia Spear.

After all, I have the ability and good companions to help find his missing wife.

Casia hung her head, perhaps due to her earlier slip of the tongue.

I also took a more assertive stance to refuse her.

“Lady Casia, I still cannot marry you.”

“But you said you’re not married…”

“Regardless, I don’t want a marriage without love.”

“…Do you think I want to marry you because of Sir Dennis?”

“Even if that’s not the case, I don’t think it changes anything.”

I spoke firmly, not wanting to give her any opening by being indirect.

Hearing this, Casia let out a long sigh.

“Haa…! Once I complete my coming-of-age ceremony, my family will try to match me with a man I don’t care for. For the sake of the Spear family.”

“…I see.”

“So I wanted to proceed with a marriage to a man of my own choosing. I apologize if I’ve been rude.”

Perhaps her sincerity had reached me?

The woman who had bulldozed her way in was apologizing for the first time.

I smiled gently.

“Lady Casia, I’m sure you’ll be able to marry a man who suits you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Even in our brief meeting, I can tell you’re someone who expresses her feelings clearly.”

Casia Spear stared at me intently, then blushed and stood up.

“I should go. I promised to spend the night drinking and talking with Elina.”

I also rose from my chair and bowed to Casia.

“It was a pleasant conversation.”

“…Yes, see you next time.”

After this formal farewell, Casia Spear headed out of the inn.

Once the door closed, I sat back down and narrowed my eyes at Dennis.

“Hey, shall we have a serious talk too?”

*

“I-I think I’ve fallen for him.”

At Elina Parseche’s sudden confession, Casia Spear’s eyes widened and she fidgeted.

“Y-you’ve really fallen for that ruffian from the eastern continent?”

“The rumors about him being a ruffian are false. They’re just stories made up by people who don’t know Lord Selden Alphonse.”

Casia Spear made an expression of complete incomprehension.

“What could you possibly see in a man with such rumors surrounding him?”

“…He’s the man I’ve chosen. I’d appreciate if you didn’t speak of him so carelessly.”

When Elina’s expression hardened, Casia cleared her throat awkwardly.

“Ahem! Stopping the monster wave was impressive, but… I’m just concerned for my friend!!”

“If you actually met Lord Selden Alphonse, you wouldn’t speak that way.”

“Well, I’m not particularly interested in weak-looking men who resemble gigolos…”

“Yet he stopped the monster wave with his intellect alone. Isn’t that even more impressive?”

At Elina’s words, Casia shook her head as if she couldn’t understand.

“Are you saying he’s different from other men?”

“Yes, he’s definitely different from men who just throw around sweet words.”

“I think he’s exactly the same. He didn’t help you at all during this war either.”

When Casia pouted, Elina smiled broadly.

“It was only days after he had stopped the monster wave. He probably didn’t have time to worry about me.”

“…You’re completely smitten, aren’t you? Though I must admit, anyone who can remain unmoved after seeing your face must be quite remarkable.”

As Elina lowered her head with a reddened face, Casia brought a wine glass to her lips, then suddenly brightened as if remembering something.

“I think I’ve found a man I like too!”

“Y-you’ve found someone you like?!”

Since childhood, Casia Spear had attracted attention from men of neighboring families with her exceptional beauty.

However, this had become a burden for her.

The same behaviors and tones from all the men who approached her.

She felt that all men were essentially the same.

Knowing all this, Elina’s surprise was understandable.

“Yes! I had a brief conversation with him, and he felt completely different from any man I’ve met before.”

“Do I know him?”

“Yes!! Lord Levan!”

“You mean the mercenary who participated in our war?”

“Yes, that’s right! Don’t you think he’s good?”

Elina nodded slowly.

Particularly, his unwavering gaze that didn’t falter even when looking at her face.

Though his appearance was completely different from ‘Selden Alphonse,’ the aura he exuded was similar.

“He seems like a good person.”

At Elina’s words, Casia Spear furrowed her brow.

“‘Seems like a good person’?”

“…Huh?”

“Your tone suggests you’re not certain.”

What was meant to be a careful statement had instead triggered the misunderstanding of the proud Casia.

Elina hurriedly opened her palms.

“That’s not it. I haven’t known Lord Levan for very long either.”

Something had clearly upset Casia Spear.

Perhaps due to the alcohol, she leaned forward toward Elina.

“Want to make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

Then, with a flushed face from the alcohol and a faint smile, Casia Spear said:

“On which man is better—Lord Selden Alphonse or Lord Levan!”