Ch.154Chapter 154 – Repaying Kindness Is Only Natural

Margrave Dorian Beventus of the Gelebrio Empire, a Sword Master, had several children.

While most nobles took second wives or concubines, Margrave Dorian Beventus had no interest in anyone but his primary wife.

Therefore, all of Dorian Beventus’s children were legitimate direct descendants born from his primary wife, eliminating any potential bloodline controversies from the start.

Among his children, Aisen Beventus inherited the strongest genes from the Margrave’s wife.

Her deep blue hair, like a calm lakeside, was inherited from her mother.

Her brilliantly shining golden eyes indicated her potential to excel as a mage.

However, since she had been particularly sickly from childhood, Dorian Beventus naturally paid more attention to Aisen.

Fortunately, there was quite an age gap between Aisen and her older siblings.

So rather than being jealous of their father’s attention toward Aisen, her siblings hoped for the youngest to regain her health as soon as possible.

For the Margrave’s family, tasked with defending the border from countless monsters, having an extra hand was always beneficial.

However, Aisen Beventus contracted the Prezmerine disease as a consequence of the curse that followed Dorian Beventus’s victory in battle against a witch who had invaded the Margraviate.

When his already frail youngest child contracted the incurable Prezmerine disease, Dorian Beventus fell into despair.

Yet, unable to abandon his duty as the Margrave protecting the border, he secretly instructed his children to search for a treatment or cure for the Prezmerine disease.

Aisen Beventus was isolated in a separate space for the safety of those around her, a situation that continued until Pathos arrived at the Beventus Margraviate.

Thanks to Pathos’s arrival at the Beventus Margraviate, the Prezmerine disease that had been tormenting Aisen Beventus and the Beventus family completely disappeared.

After being cured of the Prezmerine disease, Aisen Beventus was spending time in a quiet place to recover her health.

“I think I should visit Father. Could you prepare a carriage for me?”

“Of course, Lady Aisen. I will have a carriage prepared immediately.”

Having recovered her health to some extent, Aisen left the Beventus family villa where she had been recuperating.

While the ostensible reason was to inform her father of her complete recovery, she actually had another purpose.

‘Did they say the person who saved my life was Count Pathos Severio?’

Pathos Severio.

Aisen kept repeating the name of the man who had saved her.

Even while recuperating, she had been collecting information about Pathos Severio through the family’s servants.

If someone had seen her gathering information about what kind of person he was, what he liked, what he did, whom he met, and what his relationships were like, they might have thought Pathos was her enemy.

But to Aisen Beventus, Pathos was not an enemy of the family, but a benefactor who had saved her life.

Naturally, the family servants were well aware of this and provided her with the information she requested.

In particular, most of the information she obtained was thanks to Justin, a branch member of the Beventus family.

Justin, who had dealt with information and met many people over a long period, noticed that Aisen Beventus had developed feelings for Pathos Severio.

This information naturally reached Dorian Beventus as well. Normally, the doting father would have thrown a fit, exclaiming, “I cannot allow my youngest to be with such a man!” But this time, his reaction was different.

“A man of Count Pathos Severio’s caliber would certainly be qualified to be our Aisen’s partner.”

Justin doubted his ears, but Dorian Beventus was sincere.

After all, if the Prezmerine disease hadn’t been cured, he would have had to say goodbye to his child.

Dorian Beventus intended to fully support Aisen, now free from illness, in whatever she wanted to do.

Additionally, he had a positive assessment of this man named Pathos, who had received the title of Count through his own abilities.

While ability users receive treatment comparable to nobility, they only truly become nobles after graduating from Glesius Academy without any incidents.

Moreover, most ability users never receive titles and live their entire lives with only noble status.

There’s a difference between being granted noble status and receiving a title.

The difficulty of receiving noble status is like graduating with a bachelor’s degree, while receiving a title is like completing a doctoral program, defending a dissertation, and receiving a PhD.

With ability, one could easily pass through the doctoral program and earn the degree; without it, one might never earn a doctoral degree despite lifelong efforts.

In that respect, Pathos, who entered the Academy through special admission and achieved nobility within just a few months by accomplishing great feats, was an exceptionally talented individual.

Aisen Beventus was aware of this.

‘Given Father’s personality, he will certainly think highly of Count Pathos Severio, who received his title by fully utilizing his abilities.’

Besides, if there were any shortcomings in him, couldn’t she complement those parts herself?

‘For a noble family to be recognized as worthy of continuing for generations, it must have at least one connection with a prestigious family.’

And in her opinion, if Pathos lacked anything, it was that he hadn’t formed strong ties with any prestigious family.

After all, in a person’s life, aren’t academic, regional, and blood ties the strongest connections?

‘Though I am frail, at least the Beventus family I belong to is a prestigious house recognized even among nobles.’

This was Aisen’s conclusion.

‘If the Count and I were to be connected by blood through marriage, no noble would dare refuse to recognize the Severio family.’

Making the Severio family recognized for generations through marriage with Pathos.

‘For that, I must meet Count Severio and capture his heart.’

Having made her plan, Aisen was able to head to Glesius Academy with Dorian Beventus’s help.

“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Count Severio.”

And there, she was able to meet Pathos.

“I am Aisen Beventus.”

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

The blue-haired beauty sitting in front of me.

Her golden eyes watching me is somewhat burdensome.

I thought I had become somewhat comfortable dealing with the opposite sex after conversing with many women since coming to this world.

Apparently, that was my mistake.

“I have a question for you, Count Severio.”

Aisen, who had been looking at me, opened her mouth.

A question, huh? What could she be curious about?

“What is your question?”

“By any chance, have you taken a partner yet?”

W-what, what, what?

A p-partner?

My mind went blank at Aisen’s question.

By partner, does she mean a wife?

In noble terms, it would be something like the mistress of the house.

“…I have not yet taken a partner.”

“Is that so? That’s fortunate.”

When I said I hadn’t taken a partner yet, Aisen visibly brightened.

What’s this? Why is she so happy about the fact that I don’t have a partner?

“Then that means this girl still has a chance, doesn’t it?”

“…?”

Wait, hold on.

What did she just say?

“A chance?”

“Yes, a chance. You saved my life, and since I have nothing to offer…”

I gulped.

I had a pretty good idea of what Aisen was about to say next.

“I would like to offer everything I am to you, Count. Though I am inadequate, would you accept me as your partner?”

I froze at Aisen’s request to accept her as my partner.

“N-no! I absolutely cannot allow it!”

At that moment, Etherna suddenly burst in, turning the situation around.

“And who might you be?”

“Me? I am a servant of the Sun God. Etherna, the Chief Inquisitor of the Solar Order.”

“Chief Inquisitor, I see. But why are you trying to stop my decision?”

“…”

Etherna’s face reddened as if she was at a loss for words at Aisen’s question.

Um… is she angry?

Lady Etherna! No matter how angry you are, the other person is…

“T-that’s because… because I liked the Count before you did!”

Eh?