Chapter 269

Chapter 269

Startled by the loud sound, as if hitting the table, I looked around. Although all my friends were staring at me with wide eyes, having stopped eating dessert, I couldn’t see anyone who had actually hit the table.

“W-what did you just say… marriage…?”

Celian’s voice was heard a beat later. Come to think of it, all my other friends were seated, but Celian, who was next to me, was nowhere to be seen. Her voice was so quiet that it could have been easily overlooked.

As I was looking around to see where it came from, I felt a presence from below along with a rustling sound. At the same time, Celian crawled out from under the table, with a single tear in her eye, rubbing her head with one hand.

Come to think of it, I heard a metallic sound earlier. She must have gone under the table to pick up the dropped fork. The sound I heard earlier must have been Celian bumping her head as she suddenly stood up from under the table.

But didn’t she go under the table a long time ago? Anyway, there was no need to pick up the dropped fork, and the cleaning staff would take care of it, so there was no need for her to do that.

Still, I have to acknowledge Celian’s meticulous personality, which is perfect everywhere.

“W-what are you talking about? Marriage?”

“No. I’m not saying I’m getting married, but they sent a proposal. It’s not even confirmed, just a suggestion.”

I quickly corrected Celian, who was asking in a flustered manner. However, even though the misunderstanding was cleared up, Celian’s face still showed haste and confusion.

“I don’t know if you know, but the rumors about Count Wesley’s second son are quite good. He wasn’t the eldest son, so he couldn’t become the successor, but people say he’s better than the eldest son.”

“No, no. Wait a minute!”

I held up my palm and stopped Gilbert, who was continuing his explanation.

“Did they… perhaps use the help they gave our territory as leverage to make demands?”

“Count Wesley is not that kind of person. They genuinely asked for my opinion.”

Well, the Wesley family helped our territory even before they heard that I was alive. Besides, the Wesley family didn’t help our territory out of greed, so they genuinely offered pure goodwill based on past connections.

“Of course, you must be surprised by this sudden news, but Miss is also at an age where marriage talks can begin.”

Of course, I heard that among high-ranking nobles, there are many arranged marriages, and some even get married in their teens. Moreover, there were students who were already married or engaged when they were at the academy, and students who attended with their fiancés.

But even so, hearing about marriage out of the blue, I couldn’t help but be flustered.

“The Wesley family says they will adjust all schedules and situations to match Miss’s destiny as a hero.”

“Based on what? To be frank, it was my father who was close to the Wesley family, not me. I had no contact with them at all.”

Of course, I plan to maintain a close relationship with the Wesley family, just like my father did, as I will be leading the territory in the future. But that’s for the future, and I wonder what the Wesley family sees in me to want me?

“Didn’t you know? The second son of the Wesley family, for whom this marriage proposal has been made, is also a graduate of Griffin Academy, just like you. They’ve been watching you with interest since then.”

This is completely new information to me. At that time, I didn’t even realize I was Zeno Frentz, so there was no reason for me to pay more attention to the neighboring Wesley family.

Moreover, if we had been in the same knight faculty, I would have heard his name at least in passing, but since I don’t remember him at all, he must have been in a different faculty.

On the other hand, although it’s hard to say it myself, I was quite famous within the academy, so it’s not strange that they already knew me.

At the beginning of the semester, I was just one of the students with excellent grades, but after the vacation, I was chosen as the hero and became one of the two representative faces of the academy, along with Mariel, the saintess.

“Don’t tell me… you’re going to accept it?”

“Th-that’s right! And more importantly, El has to go with us to defeat the Demon King!”

“A oracle just came down, and Goddess Serena also said to hurry and defeat the Demon King?”

I was silent for a moment, reminiscing about my academy days, when my friends interjected with panicked voices.

They are probably wary that I might abandon my duty as a hero and settle down in the territory now.

“The Wesley family has also made a proposal regarding that matter. As you will see if you read the letter to the end, they are quite serious about this marriage proposal, suggesting that we get engaged before going to defeat the Demon King.”

Grind.

At the sound I suddenly heard, I turned my head and met Celian’s smiling eyes. Did I hear a grinding sound? Was it a hallucination due to the shock of the marriage talk….

“This marriage proposal will be of great help to you, Miss, in many ways. Although the territory has regained some of its former appearance, the internal affairs are still lacking in many aspects. With the more active support of the Wesley family, we can quickly regain our former glory.”

Of course, as Gilbert said, if I accept this proposal, there will be no loss, only benefits. If I marry the second son of the Wesley family, I will receive support that is significantly different from what I have received so far. It’s not just an alliance, but a blood pact formed through marriage.

Gilbert also seemed quite enthusiastic about this marriage proposal, perhaps because he had gone through a lot of hardship managing the territory without much authority and with poor financial conditions.

Or perhaps he was worried about me, who had lost my entire family and was left alone, and wanted me to start a family and settle down as soon as possible.

However, there is one thing Gilbert doesn’t know. That I don’t need the support of the Wesley family at all.

If I defeat the Demon King, I will receive support from the imperial family, which is on a completely different level than what the Count Wesley family can offer. Although it is a verbal agreement without any written document, considering Emperor Cecilia’s personality, she will likely provide more active support than expected, rather than nullifying it.

However, I cannot tell Gilbert this fact. Of course, it’s not that I don’t trust Gilbert. It’s just that it’s a promise made between the Emperor and myself alone, and it’s not something I can speak out loud yet, so I’ll just keep quiet.

“Don’t worry about that! As the head of the Deretia family, I promise that the Deretia family will help you so much that you won’t need the Wesley family!”

“Me too, me too!”

“After the adventure is over, I’m thinking of creating a new information guild. Is it okay to create it in this city?”

“Don’t you need… a mage?”

My friends, also unaware of my deal with the Emperor, misunderstood my silence as worry about the territory, so starting with Celian, they all spoke up, eager to help me.

“Guys…”

I had never doubted our friendship, but I never imagined they would care about me to this extent. Once again, I was moved by the friendship my friends showed. If it weren’t for my friends, I might have shed tears in secret.

“Uncle Gil. Please pretend this conversation never happened. And politely send a refusal to the Wesley family so there are no misunderstandings.”

And regardless of the support for the territory, I had no intention of accepting this proposal from the beginning.

Perhaps I will live alone my entire life. I have no face to show my deceased parents for ending the Frentz family line. But it can’t be helped.

Even though I am currently in a female form, my inner self is a full-fledged man. How could I, a man, marry a man?

Of course, marriage between women is now legal, so it’s not impossible, but how many people like men who suddenly change their gender like me? There’s Lindy’s case, but Lindy is an exception.

“Understood. I apologize, Miss. I seem to have overstepped my bounds.”

“Overstepped? Uncle Gil, you did it thinking of me, the family, and the territory. Don’t take it too seriously.”

“Hoo…”

“So, this story is over, right? You’re not getting married?”

I should be the one sighing in relief, but my friends, who seemed more invested in my situation, sighed in my place and asked.

“Hey, where would I go leaving you guys?”

That’s right. What if I live alone my whole life? I have so many friends who are more than I deserve, friends who will be with me for a lifetime.