Ch.85Chapter 85. Marriage Proposal

I blinked my eyes, looking back and forth between Ginor and Reika.

Reika was no longer just hanging her head—she had buried her face to the floor, her ears bright red as her body trembled.

Ginor, in stark contrast to Reika, maintained a serious expression as if nothing unusual was happening.

“That is my request.”

“You mean for me to marry Lady Reika?”

“Yes. I believe it’s not a bad arrangement for you either.”

No… so suddenly?

Without any prior notice?

Why?

As I stood there completely bewildered, Ginor asked me another question in an exceedingly calm tone.

“Do you dislike it?”

“No, it’s not that I dislike it, but…”

I glanced at Reika.

Has she… already heard everything about this?

Is she prepared to marry me simply because her adoptive father Ginor told her to?

With her head bowed, it wasn’t easy to read her expression.

“Feel free to speak your mind. You can say exactly what you’re thinking.”

At Ginor’s words, I fell into thought for a moment before carefully opening my mouth.

“Since you told me to speak freely, I will. First, although I am currently unmarried, I already have someone I wish to marry.”

“You already have four partners?”

“…No, that’s not it. Just one person.”

“Then what’s the problem? Can’t Reika be your second wife?”

“…”

Of course… I was aware that in this world, a man could have up to four wives.

But coming from a world where monogamy was the absolute norm, and having built up those values throughout my life, there were certainly aspects that couldn’t be easily summarized in a few words.

If asked whether I disliked having multiple wives… honestly, I wasn’t particularly against it.

But how the wives would feel about it was another matter entirely.

“…Ah. If you’re concerned about inheriting the family name, that won’t be necessary. If it’s not advantageous from your perspective, I won’t force it.”

From Ginor’s words, I could tell.

He seemed to think I was worried about family matters.

He apparently judged that the woman I intended to marry came from a family with much more influence than the Nighthart family.

I still wasn’t used to discussing practical matters like these rather than personal feelings when it came to marriage… but anyway.

“…Lady Reika.”

“Ah, y-yes!!”

“What do you think about this?”

“I-I-I… I…”

Reika was sweating profusely before letting out a long sigh.

Her trembling body reminded me of a drowned mouse, which made me feel a bit sorry for her.

“Well, um… I… I mean… Sir Swen is a good person, so…”

“…”

I glanced at Ginor to gauge his reaction.

He had his eyes closed.

It didn’t seem like he was putting any unspoken pressure on her…

But regardless of Ginor’s intentions, Reika appeared to be crushed under the weight of her own assumptions about what Ginor wanted.

“Sir Ginor. Could you possibly leave us alone for a moment?”

“Me? What for?”

“This is about marriage, after all. I’d like to have a serious conversation with Lady Reika in private.”

“…”

Ginor nodded, then silently rose from his seat and left the room, closing the door behind him.

After Ginor left, I addressed Reika, who still kept her head bowed low.

“Lady Reika.”

“Ah, I…”

“You can speak comfortably now.”

At my somewhat gentler tone, Reika finally raised her head.

I could see her pink eyes trembling slightly, her face thoroughly flushed.

“Has this matter already been settled between you and Sir Ginor?”

“Ah, well, settled means, um…”

“I’m asking if he sought your consent about marrying me.”

“…Pardon?”

Reika tilted her head in confusion.

“Well, it’s… it’s my father’s decision, so…?”

“…”

Is it normal in this world for daughters to simply obey their parents?

Then again, even in my original world, the freedom to choose one’s marriage partner hadn’t existed for very long in the grand scheme of history.

“Um…”

Just then, Reika spoke to me in a hesitant voice.

“Do you… dislike me…?”

As she said this, she raised her head and looked up at me with wide, innocent eyes.

…I hadn’t consciously noticed before, but… she looked incredibly cute in that moment.

She definitely had a charm different from Irene’s.

“What? No, that’s not it at all.”

“Phew… that’s a relief.”

With Reika’s words, silence fell between us again.

Feeling oppressed by this silence, I carefully opened my mouth to say something.

“Um… Lady Reika. I’m curious about something, and I’d appreciate an honest answer.”

“Yes? Oh… yes!”

“Would you be okay with becoming a second wife?”

“What? Well, that’s… of course…?”

Hmm.

I felt I might never easily adapt to this world’s sexual norms.

Do women here just accept this as natural?

“Ah, um… I have a question too…”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

“Is your first wife… that red-haired female knight…?”

“…”

Come to think of it.

Reika had seen Irene before.

Irene as my first wife…?

The thought suddenly made my mind go blank, and I couldn’t give any answer.

But.

“I see…”

I clearly hadn’t answered her, yet Reika nodded as if she understood.

“…I didn’t say anything though?”

“But, Sir Swen… your expression.”

“My expression?”

“Your face turned red… you were embarrassed. So… she is your first wife, isn’t she?”

Me?

My face turned red?

I wanted to deny it, but… I couldn’t bring myself to.

I knew better than anyone that my face was burning hot.

She would become my first wife.

The thought filled me with an indescribable emotion… I felt like I was floating in the air.

I suddenly realized.

I really did like Irene quite a lot.

“Or perhaps there’s another woman…?”

“No, no… Lady Reika. Please be a bit more careful with your word choice. Saying ‘another woman’ makes me sound like some kind of playboy.”

“What? Playboy…?”

Reika tilted her head again, not understanding.

“Isn’t it normal to share your love equally among your wives…?”

“…”

Enough.

There was no need to insist on my own perspective on this matter.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?

“Anyway, are you really okay with this?”

“Yes. Even as a second wife, I’m fine with—”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

I asked in the most serious tone I could muster, removing any hint of playfulness.

“Marrying me.”

“You, Sir Swen…?”

“Yes. Setting aside reasons like ‘because Sir Ginor said so.’ Just as a woman to a man.”

“Um… well, that…”

Reika seemed flustered and couldn’t answer immediately, pondering for a while.

I nodded and said:

“You don’t need to answer right now. Please think about it seriously. How you feel about me. I’ll give you my answer when you give me yours.”

“What? B-but.”

“What is it?”

“Well, um…”

Reika was clearly at a loss for words.

In truth, her personality was what concerned me most.

Always like this, unable to properly express her own opinions…

I wondered if this marriage was just flowing along as Ginor directed.

Her becoming my second wife? From my perspective, there was certainly nothing bad about it.

She was destined to become an exceptionally talented magician, and forming a connection with her would only benefit the Lunarian army, not harm it.

And it wasn’t as if she lacked feminine charm.

It was just that Irene’s… overwhelmingly impressive chest that no woman could surpass was always in my sight, making others less noticeable. But Reika was quite busty herself, with an adorably pretty face.

However.

That didn’t mean I wanted her opinion to be steamrolled like this.

Especially for a decision about choosing a life partner.

It might be a way of thinking that didn’t fit this world… but marrying someone who didn’t want to marry me would be hurtful to me as well.

“I’m… I’m sorry. I can’t… organize my thoughts well… um… ugh.”

“It’s alright. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“…Don’t you find it frustrating…?”

“No. Not at all. Having trouble speaking means you’re someone who puts weight behind your words.”

“…”

Reika bowed her head again after hearing my words.

“Just take your time to think about it… and let me know when you’re ready. Whether you truly want to marry me or not.”

She slowly nodded at my words.

It would be best to leave it at this for now.

“Well then.”

I stood up and said:

“Shall we begin today’s training?”

“Ah? Oh… y-yes!”

Reika rose from her seat and followed behind me like a little shadow.

The way she trailed after me reminded me of a hamster, and I found her quite adorable.

*

That evening.

“Lady Irene.”

“What is it?”

I asked her as she was relaxing in comfortable clothes, drinking tea.

“Hypothetically. If you were married.”

“Pfft!”

Irene spat out the tea she was drinking and began coughing.

“Are you alright?”

After covering her mouth with the handkerchief I handed her:

“…S-sorry. For showing such an unsightly display…”

“No, I should be the one apologizing. I didn’t expect you to be so surprised.”

“A-anyway… if that were the case?”

“How would you feel if your husband brought home a second wife?”

“A second wife?”

“Yes.”

Irene fell into thought for a moment, then looked at me and said nonchalantly:

“Well… she might have trouble adjusting to our home at first, so I’d probably help her.”

“You’d be okay with a second wife?”

“Hmm? Of course. It’s just family growing larger, isn’t it?”

At Irene’s words, I was freshly reminded that I had indeed come to a different world.

“I see…”

“B-but… w-why are you suddenly asking about marriage…?”

Irene asked with a reddened face.

“I was just curious about what you thought.”

“Is… that so?”

“Well, that’s not the only reason.”

“…Oh? T-then…?”

I smiled at her surprised expression.

“That’s a secret.”

“…”

After hearing my words, she lowered her head.

Then let out a short sigh.

“…Anyway… you’re truly an enigma. In all my life, Swen, I’ve never met someone whose thoughts are so difficult to read.”

“Do you dislike that?”

“Well, not particularly.”

She said with a smile directed at me.

In any case.

If Irene had no particular objection to me having multiple wives…

I would need to consider what to do based on Reika’s answer.

With such thoughts, I spent a leisurely evening with her.

* * *

After conquering Raclain Castle, the Aeshus army marched their soldiers into Charam’s territory, which they had temporarily left alone.

The invasion force, led by Erinandorf, easily conquered Charam’s territory.

Charam, who had been the ruler, disappeared into the mists of history after being executed.

With four castles including Raclain Castle, the Aeshus army was no longer a small nation.

It wouldn’t be wrong to call them a mid-sized country at this point.

And soon after.

News arrived that the Serpina army had captured Hispil Castle, which had belonged to the Brans army and was located northwest of Raclain Castle.

Indeed.

It was finally the moment when the borders of the Serpina army and the Aeshus army met.

And not long after their borders touched—

“An envoy from the Serpina army?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Upon hearing the messenger’s words, Yurie nodded and fell into thought.

‘What could this be? I can’t think of anything diplomatic we need to discuss with the Serpina army.’

“Ginor. What do you think?”

“I don’t have any clear ideas. Shouldn’t you meet with them first?”

Though it was concerning, Ginor was right—she would find out once she granted them an audience.

Yurie prepared herself mentally, then addressed the messenger in a gentle tone.

“Very well. Bring them to the audience chamber.”