Episode 3. Proposal (3)

“It’s not that I dislike Sir Edward that I’m rejecting the proposal. How could I not be happy when a young, handsome man proposes? But I still have to refuse, for the sake of myself, my daughter Monica, and even Sir Edward.”

Vera, having moistened her lips with the black tea, continued.

“If Sir Edward marries me, he won’t be the Count’s husband, but just the husband of an aging widow. And how long has it been since I lost my husband that I’d already be getting married again? I’d be lucky if I didn’t hear rumors that I’d been hiding a lover and brought him in to marry as soon as my husband died. And what would I tell the Mountberne Family? They sent you to marry the Countess who would become the Head of the Family, but you ended up marrying some strange middle-aged woman.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. The Mountberne Family’s biggest goal was probably to get rid of me. They’re probably treating the blood relationship with the Yulstein Family as secondary.”

“Still, they’re family, how could they…”

“The Head of the Family probably doesn’t expect much from alliances based on blood ties either. Neither he nor I really consider each other family. It’s probably closer to saying it’s a bad relationship rather than a blood relationship.”

The Head of the Family of the main house must be that half-brother bastard. I don’t think that guy expects any familial affection from me. He didn’t even come to the wedding in my previous life. Once I get married, I’m an outsider. That bastard who’s not even like family, tell him to go fuck himself.

“…Anyway, I’ll just think of the proposal you made to me last night as a joke. Please propose again to my young and beautiful daughter, not to a married woman with a child like me.”

“My proposal last night was sincere. I don’t care if you’re a widow or whatever, Vera. And to be honest…”

Her face is to the point where people say she looks like a sister to her daughter, so that says it all. I scan Vera’s body once. A voluptuous figure that isn’t hidden by her clothes, even though she hasn’t been living an outdoor life. She’s wearing comfortable clothes since she hasn’t been up for long, and through the thin dress slit, I can see her elastic thighs and the full hips they support, and her luscious, fruit-like breasts. Connecting them is her slender waist, a figure that goes beyond beautiful and can even be described as sexy and lewd.

“Vera, you’re young too, and you have a much firmer and sexier body than Monica. You still look beautiful to me.”

“Don’t say things like that.”

Unlike her mouth, which is hastily denying it, a smile that can’t be hidden peeks out from Vera’s lips, as if she doesn’t feel too bad. How many years have we lived together that I wouldn’t know? I can tell that she’s happy inside.

“Those are excessive words for a married woman with a grown child like me. But even if you flatter me like that, it won’t work. It’s already rumored throughout the territory that the winner of the tournament will marry Monica, the Young Lady of the Yulstein Family. If the marriage partner suddenly changes in this situation, what will people think of my daughter? Are you trying to make it so my daughter can’t even get married?”

Certainly, having a “returned goods” history is quite damaging to one’s image. But is that important?

“Monica-yang’s marriage proposal has been broken off four times as far as I know… What difference does one more make?”

“That’s because the other families sent idiots as grooms! There’s nothing wrong with our Monica…”

Vera sighs in the middle of her sentence. I guess her conscience pricked her to say there was nothing wrong.

“…To be honest, it’s not that there’s no problem, but the other families had some major flaws. I couldn’t marry my only daughter, who is the heir, to such half-wits. It was clear that they wouldn’t be of any help to our Family.”

That’s not the important thing. Monica has a much more serious personality flaw than a hatred of men, but I couldn’t say that two days after meeting her. A knight who slanders a Lady is just asking to be treated like trash.

Vera, who was thirsty, drank her tea and spoke in a earnest tone.

“My daughter will be twenty next year. Sir Edward, you’re a noble, so you know what kind of treatment a noble Young Lady receives if she can’t get married by the time she’s twenty.”

I know it well, but I don’t feel like tying up my life using this opportunity. A life of growing old alone without getting married. It seems like a fitting life for Monica, though. There’s no way there’s a man who can endure that personality and live with her, so it’s better for them to live alone.

“Even if you say that, Madam, Monica-yang hates me so much.”

“My daughter is a bit wary of men… Among men, she likes Sir Edward the most. She hates even seeing other men. I think I’ve reduced the number of male servants by half because of Monica.”

Even in my memories, all the male servants couldn’t even go near the Lord’s office.

“I admit that I spoiled my only daughter too much. But aside from that, she’s beautiful and capable. She’s never experienced another man either. Isn’t that good enough?”

It was almost like she was bargaining now. Monica Yulstein. Beautiful face, good skills. Never used. Personality slightly problematic.

Certainly, she has a beautiful appearance like Vera. Her figure isn’t as good as Vera’s, but she has enough femininity, and in my previous life, she managed this vast County without any major problems. She hated men, so of course she had no interest in them. But still no buy. Am I crazy?

When I didn’t say anything, Vera grabbed my hand.

“I know Sir Edward is a good person. He’s the best son-in-law I’ve heard of so far. But you’re in the same boat if this marriage falls through, aren’t you? You can’t go back to the main house because you’re not on good terms with your Family. It’s okay even if it’s just a marriage on paper, so marry Monica and live comfortably here.”

That’s right. If I lose my foothold in the Yulstein Family, I might have to live among commoners or work as a mercenary. I’ve already lived as a noble for 40 years, and suddenly become a commoner overnight? Maybe marrying Monica would be better… No, it seems similar.

“I still like you, Vera…”

As I trailed off, the smile on Vera’s face faded. If she, who always has a gentle smile, is like that, it means she doesn’t like it very much. Pushing it any further here will only make the atmosphere worse.

“If you say that much, I guess there’s nothing I can do.”

“Just marry Monica. If you do that, I’ll grant you anything else you want.”

“Really, anything?”

“…As long as it’s within my power to grant.”

I’m just grateful that she left me this leeway.

In the Yulstein County, there is the Melbourne Barony, which has been loyal to the County for a long time. The Melbourne Barony was unique in that all the Baron titles were inherited by the eldest daughter. The current Head of the Melbourne Barony, who has been assisting the Count of Yulstein and acting as a strategist for the County, was having a private meeting with the young Lord (to be) who would ascend to the Count of Yulstein.

“So Winnie! That guy is so annoying!”

Winnie Melbourne, the Baroness who also serves as a strategist and lives in a relatively small detached house next to the County’s main castle, was having her breakfast disturbed by her Lord and childhood friend.

“Why is he proposing to my mom out of the blue! He’s just a common noble who can’t even inherit the Count title, is he ignoring me!”

She lived in a mansion smaller than a typical Baron’s, but she had no major complaints. Barons were originally titles that couldn’t be granted land, and she found it annoying to use servants, so she inherited the Baron title and kicked them all out. Commoners were just a nuisance to her.

“This is why men are unnecessary!”

“Monica Yulstein, Countess-to-be. You must maintain your dignity during meals.”

The only complaint she had was that Monica would occasionally come and bother her like this.

“Ugh, don’t use that weird semi-honorific. I can’t get used to it when you do that.”

“I’m trying to maintain the proper etiquette for someone who will become a Count. That’s too much.”

“I’m already annoyed because of that guy, don’t you do that too.”

Monica slumped on the table, complaining. Winnie, who was tearing off a piece of bread, asked.

“Do you hate that guy that much?”

“I hate all men. If it weren’t for what my mom asked me, I would have kicked him out a long time ago.”

“Should I kill him? Or put a curse on him?”

“…It’s not that bad. It seems like I have to get married anyway because of my mom’s personality, and it’s better to have someone who’s at least decent-looking. If that guy disappears, I might have to marry a really weird guy.”

“…I’m kidding.”

“I know. There’s no way you’d go to the trouble of doing that with your personality.”

Monica thought that her lazy friend wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters.

“I’m going to get married anyway, can you give me a prediction about my married life?”