Olivier Alway was weary.
Her room’s table was covered with arranged marriage photos.
“I can’t take this anymore…”
She couldn’t even place the tea Trane had prepared on the table, and resented the situation of having someone stand next to her. Half of the photos had already been looked through, but a dreadful number remained. While just looking at the photos could be done mechanically, having to read their profiles, brief comments, and introduction texts made it a real struggle. In some terrible cases, they even included past relationships she didn’t want to know about, making her utterly fed up.
“I was prepared for this, but I never imagined there would be so many… It truly makes me realize how prestigious the position of Court Mage is.”
“It’s fortunate that Jared is only interested in Olivier and Yeny. I’ve heard that men his age would usually be overjoyed or act out, but I’m glad he’s such a serious person.”
“Rather than serious, perhaps he’s just indifferent.”
With a joint sigh, they continued to look through new photos and profiles.
All the arranged marriage photos spread before her were applications to become Jared Murphy’s consort. Nobles who wanted to tie their families to Jared, who was set to become a Court Mage, and families of mages who wished to curry his favor were rushing to send in photos of their daughters of marriageable age.
Yeny Daum, who had been helping Olivier, needed a break due to mental exhaustion. Olivier was concerned by Yeny’s muttering about “Older Brother being taken… then perhaps…” but decided to leave her be for now.
The position of Court Mage, granted to only twelve people in the Wethered Kingdom, carried significant influence. A Court Mage held a status equivalent to or higher than an Earl, and was also granted an aristocratic title.
Jared, who was estranged from his father and unable to inherit the family, would rank higher than his father once he officially became a Court Mage. Although he was a newly rising noble, the title of Earl was still substantial. If it were a historic barony like his grandfather’s, it might be different, but most people judge solely by the title.
Even if Jared couldn’t inherit the family, his grandfather might have intended for him to be his successor, preventing him from becoming a commoner. However, Jared showed no concern for being a noble or a commoner. It was rather amusing that he was now poised to attain a position equivalent to an Earl.
“There are more than just these here, so would you like to take your time?”
“No, I feel bad for Jared, but unless it’s something truly extraordinary, I’ll be refusing.”
She admitted to herself that it was selfish, but she had no intention of acquiring more consorts than necessary. As a noble, she understood the need for consorts in addition to a main wife to bear heirs. She had accepted Yeny, who was straightforward and had sincerely admired Jared for a long time. However, accepting consorts from other families was difficult.
Olivier, who had been targeted for assassination along with her mother, Hannelore Alway, found it difficult to trust anyone other than a select few. While she now lived with people who had once tried to kill her, like Pfeil, as well as Jared’s master, Almeida, and Rio, a royal from the Dragon Kingdom, at her mansion, her acceptance was solely because Jared had accepted them. If it were up to Olivier alone, her caution would have prevented her from building good relationships.
However, she doubted whether she could establish a good relationship with the girls who wished to become consorts through such arrangements. Olivier, and indeed Jared, had no connection with them. While some were known to Yeny, that was not enough reason to accept them as consorts.
“Should we inform Jared about the consort applications?”
“I did mention it. Mother, Father, and even Baron Daum and his wife told me that I, as the main wife, should be the one to decide.”
“I heard that Duke and Baron Daum are also receiving many applications?”
Duke Alway and Baron Daum had social connections as nobles. Therefore, as soon as it was known that Jared would become a Court Mage, proposals arrived. Even before that, while his candidacy for Court Mage was not public, there had been many proposals from families who somehow found out. The Duke kindly refused most of them, but it seemed Baron Daum couldn’t easily do the same.
“Still—they’re all so much younger than me.”
“That’s understandable. Olivier is a late bloomer.”
“Trane, don’t say that! I’m aware of it myself!”
“My mouth slipped.”
Despite her annoyance at her maid, who was like a sister, saying such things with an unchanging expression, Trane was also younger than Olivier. Among the women around Jared, excluding Almeida, whose age was unknown, and Rio, who lived for a different span of years than humans, Olivier was the oldest after her mother. Adelina Bischof, a Court Mage she had met recently, was also twenty-five, meaning she was younger. Yeny, of course, was only fourteen.
Given that Jared himself was sixteen, ten years younger than Olivier, it was only natural that his marriage prospects would be younger. Most of them were girls aged fifteen to eighteen. Some were even as young as twelve, still retaining their childishness. Only a handful were over twenty, but perhaps by becoming Olivier’s fiancé, he was perceived as having a preference for older women.
“What do you mean, ‘my mouth slipped.’ Honestly. Anyway, although there are those who wish to meet the candidates because Baron Daum finds it difficult to refuse based on his position, I’ll manage that with my father’s help—But I never expected an engagement proposal from Duke Rüdiger’s family.”
“They are clearly trying to win Jared over. Unlike the Alway Ducal Family, the Duke Rüdiger’s Family produces mages. Although they may not have individuals with talent enough to become Court Mage, I hear they understand the value of mages all the more because of that.”
“That’s right. Given that Jared’s mother was a former Court Mage, it’s not strange to assume that talent could be hereditary. Even if their children don’t have the talent to become Court Mages, they would want to incorporate the rich mage bloodline into their family. That’s what they’re thinking, isn’t it?”
The Duke Rüdiger’s Family is one of the ducal families, including the Alway Ducal Family. They hold territory in the northern part of the Wethered Kingdom and are responsible for battles against monsters, primarily in the north. A characteristic of the Duke Rüdiger’s Family is their tendency to actively recruit talent. They generously support anyone with excellent skills, or even a single outstanding talent, and then draw them into their faction. There’s even a saying: “If you’re supported by the Duke Rüdiger’s Family, you’re on the winning side.”
In contrast, the Alway Ducal Family holds territory close to the capital and is responsible for its defense. The loyal retainers like the competent Baron Daum’s family exist because they bear the crucial role of capital defense. While the Knights belong to the Kingdom and the Mage Association is a semi-independent organization, the head of the Alway Ducal Family has the authority to independently command these two organizations for the capital’s defense.
The Alway Ducal Family and the Duke Rüdiger’s Family are the sword and shield that protect the kingdom, but they do not have a particularly cooperative relationship. They are not on bad terms, but their rivalry sometimes leads them to compete. Perhaps the fact that the current heads of both families are childhood friends and former Knights further fuels their mutual awareness. The Duke Rüdiger’s Family must find it displeasing that the Alway Ducal Family, whom they consider rivals, has connections with a Court Mage. While the Duke Rüdiger’s Family has historically been supporters of Court Mages, the Alway Ducal Family has not specifically supported anyone. However, now that their daughter’s fiancé has been decided to become a Court Mage, it’s self-evident which tie is stronger: the connection as a supporter or the connection as a daughter’s fiancé.
“They want to send Lily Rüdiger as a consort? The Duke Rüdiger’s Family is seriously trying to bring Jared into their fold.”
The photo showed a cheerful-looking girl with short, neatly cut flaxen hair. She should be eighteen. Unconcerned by the label “tomboy,” the girl who wields a sword surprisingly participates in monster subjugation. The fact that Duke Rüdiger sent Lily, who is said to be the most doted-upon of his children, to Jared showed the seriousness of their intent.
It was Olivier herself who had told Jared to become a Court Mage, but she never imagined he would actually achieve it. Even more so, she never dreamed that the young boy she had fallen for would receive so many marriage proposals. Acknowledging that this was her own doing, Olivier couldn’t help but let out a monumental sigh.
