“Josette,”
“Kent, good day to you.”
Josette entered the room. She looked at Kent and offered a slight bow as a greeting.
“Duke. What is the meaning of this?”
“I am asking if you would take her as a bride, similar to Elnet.”
“You didn’t permit it when Josette asked before.”
“I apologize for that time. I also thought it would be better to marry her off to another influential noble at the time, but the situation has changed. I apologize for imposing my circumstances on you, but what do you say? Will you take her?”
The Duke spoke to Kent in a businesslike tone. Although it was phrased as a request, it also felt somewhat coercive.
“Understood. Is Elnet alright with this?”
“If it’s what Kent decides, I won’t interfere. Do as you please.”
When asked Elnet, who was standing beside him, she replied so.
“That is how it is. Josette, I know you’ve been through a lot of hardship, but is this acceptable?”
“Yes, Father.”
Josette, who happily replied to the Duke, sat beside Kent.
“Kent. I’m entrusting my two daughters to you, please take care of them.”
“Understood. The pleasure is all mine.”
He didn’t know what change of heart had led to this, but his relationship with Josette was resolved as if a missing piece had been perfectly filled.
“Kent. You will have multiple women you are engaged to. I heard you acquired the status of upper commoner by paying a great deal of tax and are planning to take in multiple wives. How is that progressing?”
“Well…”
“Earning money is not easy. However, there are other ways to take in multiple wives. Please rely on me when that time comes.”
“Thank you.”
Kent thanked the Duke.
“Josette, could you bring that out for me?”
“Yes, Father.”
After some small talk, when a certain amount of time had passed, the Duke said this, and Josette handed the paper bag she had been holding since entering the room to the Duke.
“Returning to our topic, this is the deed to the trading company believed to be behind the recent kidnapping incident. I would like to hear your opinion on what we should do with it.”
“My opinion?”
The Duke took out the contents of the bag and presented multiple documents in front of Kent.
“Why don’t you use the assets of this trading company to start a business?”
“Huh? May I confirm the contents?”
“Of course.”
With the Duke’s permission, he checked the documents.
“Is this the deed to the Jastar Trading Company?”
“That’s right. The Jastar Trading Company has only one store, but its scale is the largest in the country in terms of sales area.”
It seemed that this was the reason the Jastar Trading Company was closed yesterday when he went out with Caro and Rachel. However, as the original goal was the kidnapping of Prim, he thought it would be more appropriate for Prim, the biggest victim, to receive this right rather than Kent.
“Shouldn’t this right belong to Prim, not me?”
“Is that so? Understood. I shall make the necessary arrangements then.”
The Duke accepted Kent’s suggestion and withdrew the transfer of rights to Kent.
“Well then, Lord Kent, that is all for today’s business. After this, you should spend time relaxing with Elnet and Josette. The sisters will likely have much to discuss with you, Lord Kent. Meals and such have been prepared at Josette’s mansion. I apologize, but could you go ahead and wait there?”
“Understood.”
Kent was guided by the butler and moved to Josette’s mansion.
“Now then, I must tell you both something important.”
After Kent left, the Duke turned to Elnet and Josette, who remained.
“It appears a faction opposing the Royal family is emerging within the country. There are many details we don’t know yet, and further investigation is needed. Our Duke’s family is recognized as a force of the Royal family. Depending on the Royal family’s actions going forward, Lord Kent will likely be contacted in some way. In that case, Lord Kent will also be recognized by the opposing faction as someone on the Royal family’s side.”
“Father. Kent is a commoner. Why do you think he would be involved in something like that?”
Elnet asked, regarding the Duke’s words.
“A commoner… Indeed, if he were just a commoner, he wouldn’t be involved in such things. However, the Royal family… especially the Queen’s active contact suggests some benefit to the country. It’s likely related to fairies.”
“‘Fairies…'”
Hearing the word “fairies,” Elnet and Josette thought of the two fairies who called Kent “Master.”
“Actually, this isn’t public knowledge, but you know that before the Queen married into this country, she held the position of Saintess in the neighboring country.”
“Yes.”
“I am aware.”
“Then you also know about the neighboring country being attacked by another nation.”
“‘Yes.'”
Before the current Queen married, there was a war in the country where she resided. The invading nation, aiming for territorial expansion, advanced towards the country where the Queen was with a large number of soldiers. However, the defending forces, outnumbered, kept losing, and enemy forces eventually approached the capital. But for some reason, the enemy forces suddenly disappeared, and negotiations for peace began.
“She requested aid from our country to rebuild the war-torn nation, didn’t she?”
“That’s right. She was part of the delegation that visited our country to discuss that matter. Our current King took a liking to her and brought her in as the Queen.”
This was common knowledge learned in school, so anyone would know it.
“What does that have to do with Kent?”
“There are rumors that the disappearance of the enemy forces was orchestrated by the Saintess, who commanded fairies.”
“Rumors?”
“Yes. No one witnessed it, so it remains a rumor. I’ve heard that the fairies Lord Kent commands are shop-attached fairies, who, despite their power, cannot leave the shop and therefore have no influence outside. They are of a type that cannot affect the outside world.”
“(There’s another one, though.)”
While it was true that Emily, the shop-attached fairy, had her actions limited as the Duke said, Elnet and Josette knew that the other fairy could move freely and possessed formidable power. However, at this point, they couldn’t decide whether it was the right time to tell the Duke about the other fairy, so they remained silent.
“But Father. I hear there are quite a few shop-attached fairies in town. I’ve met a few myself.”
“Is… that so?”
“Yes, there is no mistake about it.”
The Duke looked surprised, as Josette revealed information he hadn’t obtained.
“If that’s the case, then perhaps we should consider that the Royal family might be targeting those who command other shop-attached fairies as well.”
The Duke pondered this with a thoughtful gesture.
“And so. I believe they likely want to incorporate the power to command those fairies. Their fervor is such that they have placed the Queen’s personal head lady-maid by Lord Kent’s side. There must be something going on. I want you two to keep a close watch on that.”
“Father. Are you telling us to monitor Kent?”
“That’s right.”
“‘How could you…'”
Elnet and Josette looked surprised at this.
“However, rest assured. I have no intention of hindering your romantic pursuits. Be strong support for Lord Kent, and defend him if necessary.”
“Understood.”
“I understand.”
“I apologize for the interruption. You may leave now.”
“‘Excuse us, Father.'”
Elnet and Josette bowed and left the drawing room.
