Meredith McGregor, Marquis of the Keibeck Kingdom’s Expeditionary Force. Possessing a height and beauty that rivaled Priscilla, she turned, her long black hair tied back, her large chest visible even through her white dress, swaying as she moved.
“We will return to Keibeck.”
Could she hide the fact that her eyes were drawn to his chest from the very first word? As a man, his gaze was inevitably drawn to the swells of her chest, putting him in a disadvantageous position for negotiation.
“Please wait. The Allied Forces need the Keibeck Kingdom’s support. If you withdraw now, the alliance could collapse.”
The Keibeck Expeditionary Force had not entered within the castle walls. In fact, they had pitched tents outside the walls and were busy with the holy treatment of their fallen knights.
“Our casualties are heavy. Out of five thousand who set out, fewer than a thousand can still stand. We must take our deceased comrades home and strengthen our national defenses.”
She was a person of grand gestures, and her large chest seemed like a place where one could surf. He felt like she was manipulating his gaze. Could it be hypnosis?
“If you wish to protect your country! If you wish to protect your country, you must repel the Demon Army here, or there will be no future. It is regrettable about those who have passed, but the Allied Forces cannot win against the Demon Army without unity!”
If she was going to use her chest to cast a spell, he suppressed the urge to shake his companion and cast a spell back, and insisted emphatically.
“That’s right, Count Shin. The aftermath of that Allied Forces is the problem.”
Hypnosis again?! Or a riddle? Once the war with the Demon Lord is over, I’ll become the King of Harmonia and live happily ever after. The end…
“The aftermath is the problem…”
“While it may seem so, Keibeck is engaged in conflict with Rothfar beneath the surface. If our knight order is this depleted, after the Demon Lord, Rothfar will turn its fangs on our country.”
There was some truth to what Marquis McGregor said. He hadn’t expected Keibeck to suffer such losses either, and even if they hadn’t sent their entire army on this expedition, it was unknown how much they could recover after the war.
“That, that is the same for Rothfar. I’ve heard that Rothfar has also suffered considerable losses. I don’t think they’ll have the leeway to attack Keibeck even after the war.”
“There is. I hear that Queen Harmonia will take a Rothfar prince as her husband after the war. If that happens, Keibeck will have to face both Rothfar and Harmonia.”
Rest assured. I will assassinate him… If only I could say that. Even if he were killed, another prince would likely become the groom, and Keibeck’s safety would remain uncertain.
“I heard that Keibeck has received a princess from the Ashtal Empire. Have you forgotten the strength of the Ashtal Knight Order?”
“I know. However, I hear that this knight order also suffered considerable damage in this war. Even with the princess from Ashtal, that alone is not enough.”
Being told “it’s not enough” made him want to press his head. He’s been losing a lot of hair lately and is worried about the future. If he were to go bald, he wouldn’t want it to be from the top.
“Won’t Ashtal side with Keibeck? Even if Rothfar and Harmonia sided with them, with Ashtal in reserve, I think they would be safe…”
If a war were to break out within the Allied Forces at this very moment, Ashtal would likely win in terms of numbers, and more importantly, it would be impossible to easily defeat a Knight Order equipped with super-vibrational weapons.
“Yes! That Ashtal is the key.”
Meredith McGregor, Marquis, replied with a sly grin. He felt like he had stepped on a landmine, but he had no idea what it was.
“I said that Ashtal alone, the princess of Ashtal, is not enough for Ashtal to side with Keibeck… Keibeck needs a somewhat stronger bond.”
He liked the word “bond.” It was proof of trust, a feeling of doing one’s best for each other, which was admirable as a person. But “bond” was a state of mind, wasn’t it?
“W-what is this bond…”
“Mikael Shin. Count of the Ashtal Empire.”
The question marks started dancing. By the way, he was a Viscount, and his title would expire with him if he didn’t marry and have children. He could never become a noble like this “bond.”
“Mikael Shin, Count of the Ashtal Empire. Captain of the mercenary White Lily Corps. Commander of Harmonia’s Annihilation Brigade. The Hero, Mikael Shin, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces, who defeated giants and sand dragons, saved Runbergzach, annihilated the main force of the Demon Army, and recaptured Klinshberbach.”
Come to think of it, he was amazing. He wanted to tell everyone in the White Lily Corps. If he said, “Aren’t I amazing?”, he’d probably get knives thrown at him rather than cheers.
“Wh-what does that have to do with…”
He was close. Very close. When someone stood right in front of him and said that, he felt like his eyes would get tired trying not to look at her wide décolletage.
“After this war is over, I want you, Count Shin, to come to Keibeck and pledge yourself to me.”
He suppressed the urge to dive into Meredith’s chest at this shocking declaration of love and pulled away. He felt like he was going to get eye strain if this continued.
“You mean…”
“If Count Shin comes to Keibeck, Rothfar and Harmonia will not be able to easily interfere. We will also take in the White Lily Corps and the Annihilation Brigade. Our bond with Ashtal will also be strengthened.”
This was truly a political marriage. If Keibeck could be saved by his destination, he would gladly dive into Meredith’s chest… but that was impossible.
“I-I am already betrothed to Viscountess Melissa Fiona Mallory of the Empire after this war is over…”
“Refuse it!”
An immediate answer! He couldn’t possibly refuse. She was a Viscountess! He was of a lower rank than that! He couldn’t defy her!
Besides, even if he refused, he was going to be the King of Harmonia, and a married life with Anneliese awaited him. He wanted a stable life!
“B-but… matters like these…”
“If you refuse, Keibeck will withdraw!”
Close! Although he was used to threats, he wasn’t accustomed to the unprecedented size of her chest. He felt like hugging her right now. Burying his face in her…
“H-how about Keibeck hiring the White Lily Corps as mercenaries after the war? We can also spare personnel from the Annihilation Brigade, and since they were originally mercenaries of Hasuhanto, there’s a connection with the Hasuhanto Trading Company…”
“That’s too naive… Rothfar wouldn’t just stand by and watch. Most of the supplies brought by Hasuhanto come from Rothfar. The connection between Hasuhanto and Rothfar is stronger.”
The Annihilation Brigade, which had fully absorbed the mercenaries of the Hasuhanto Trading Company. Even though he had absorbed them, their affiliation was as mercenaries, belonging to Hasuhanto. It was a secret that they were under Christine’s support power, you see. If the trick was revealed, the magic trick wouldn’t work.
“T-to change the subject, don’t you have an heir, Marquis McGregor? I don’t think you can marry someone who has a master, can you?”
“Rest assured, I have no master. To be precise, I am a Viscountess. I am ready to take a husband at any time.”
Well, she wouldn’t say “my title is for one generation only” by adding “Viscountess.” He also wanted to say, “I am a Count.”
He felt bad for her, but he judged that she was of a certain age, so was Marquis McGregor single? Even so, to make marriage the condition for avoiding withdrawal…
“Perhaps your position in Keibeck isn’t very good?”
Viscountess McGregor. Even as a Viscountess, he couldn’t imagine someone of Marquis rank would try to sell herself. Moreover, it was too forceful to demand he break his engagement with Melissa. It would likely worsen their relationship with Ashtal.
“You see it…”
Suddenly, her eyes met his, appearing to lose some of their strength. He raised his gaze and looked at Marquis McGregor. Their eyes met, and love… not blooming from there.
“It’s a bit forceful… While I understand your reasoning, Marquis McGregor, wouldn’t a marriage with someone of a long-established noble family, rather than a Count like myself who rose from the mercenary ranks, create a stronger bond for Ashtal?”
Was he right? Meredith’s gaze shifted away. Her melancholic face, which seemed to be deep in thought, was at a striking height, capable of hitting a home run. …But he shouldn’t hit it!
He listened to Meredith’s voice as she calmly spoke about herself, his gaze drifting down to her chest.
