“My daughter was rude. I apologize.”
The Duke of Alway sincerely apologized to his grandfather and Jared, and then left the Daum Barony with Olivier.
Even after seeing the Dukes off, Jared and his grandfather sat powerlessly on the sofa.
“It was different from the rumors, but she was a lively young lady.”
Malt, Jared’s grandmother and the Baroness of Daum, appeared with maids.
“Grandmother, you were listening, weren’t you?”
“Yes, of course. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in what kind of person my cute grandson’s fiancée was. However, you’ve been given quite difficult conditions.”
“What are we going to do? There’s no way I can become a Court Mage. They’re the twelve best mages chosen by the kingdom! Even if there are vacancies—”
“Living with your mother-in-law seems difficult, doesn’t it?”
“—What, you’re worried about that?!”
He inadvertently raised his voice at the difference in their understanding of “difficult.”
His grandfather seemed to be in the same state, looking surprised like Jared.
“I’m more worried about whether you and she can get along.”
“I’m worried about that too. I don’t want to believe the rumors, but I haven’t heard any good things.”
Recalling Olivier, about whom there were only bad rumors, he honestly wanted to refuse, even if their aristocratic titles were different.
However, his grandfather quietly denied it.
“No, you don’t have to worry about the rumors. The Duke is a strict man. There will be no such rumors.”
“The eldest daughter of the Alway Ducal Family is not something a Duke would allow to be wasted on frivolous relationships. While she does seem to have a sharp personality, you can probably ignore the rumors.”
Jared tilted his head at his grandparents’ words. It was as if they had known the Duke for a long time.
Even among nobles, the difference in status between a baron and a duke was too great, and he became curious if there was some kind of connection.
“Grandfather and Grandmother, do you know the Duke of Alway?”
Jared’s grandfather nodded in affirmation.
“I don’t publicize it much, but I’ve known the previous Duke of Alway for a long time. We’ve been on the battlefield together many times, and fought together more than once or twice. I have such a connection with the previous Duke and the current Duke of Alway that we frequently exchange letters.”
“I didn’t know. My father never mentioned it, so this is the first time I’ve heard of it.”
“I never told that idiot son. If he knew he had a connection with the Ducal Family, who knows what he might do.”
“Let me tell you, originally, this engagement wasn’t meant to be with Jared.”
“Huh?”
His grandfather sighed dramatically, moistened his throat with tea brought by a maid, and began to speak.
“It started when the Duke of Alway sought my advice regarding his daughter. Not only the bad rumors, but even when an engagement was decided, his daughter would set unreasonable conditions, and, though I hate to say it, her sharp tongue caused several engagements of well-born young men to be broken off because they couldn’t put up with Olivier. He came to me for help.”
“Recently, many people are marrying late, but among nobles, it’s common to have children in their early twenties. Some even have children in their teens. Even if it’s different in general society, not many families would want to take in Olivier, who is considered to be past her prime among nobles.”
“So, the troubled Duke tried to push her onto me, a Baron, and someone who couldn’t inherit the title?”
If that were the case, it would be a real nuisance, he thought to himself, though he didn’t say it aloud. He was tired of living as a noble. Jared had a small ambition to become an adventurer as a magician and live freely. However, this matter would make that impossible. He didn’t intend to blame anyone, but it was true that he couldn’t quite accept it.
“It’s not like that. The Duke of Alway truly just consulted me about his daughter. Well, I did ask around my family if there was a suitable partner, but, well, you know, please understand.”
Presumably, those who believed Olivier’s rumors rejected the idea.
“It was at that time that I learned of Jared. Without mentioning the matter of the Duke and his daughter, a communication was made, but from somewhere, that idiot son of mine overheard and acted on his own initiative to gain favor with the Duke, resulting in this engagement. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Grandfather.”
“No, it’s not right. My son may be an excellent swordsman as the eldest son of the Daum Barony, known as a family of swordsmen, but he is otherwise useless. He was surprisingly decent when he was with your mother, but it’s obvious after her death. He increased his consorts, neglected his children, and neglected you as well.”
“Perhaps it would have been different if I had talent with the sword.”
He muttered to himself with self-deprecation. Although Jared was born into the Daum Barony, known as a family of swordsmen, he lacked talent in swordsmanship. He wasn’t useless, but he was too ordinary as a swordsman. Instead, he was gifted with magic talent, but he couldn’t judge now which was better. He still remembered his father’s disappointed face when he tried to teach him swordsmanship from childhood. His father was granted the barony for his military achievements on the battlefield and his marriage to his mother, who was a Court Mage, but he had no intention of passing the family headship to Jared, who lacked swordsmanship talent. Presumably, the aristocratic title would be given to one of the children of his consorts, but Jared wasn’t interested in that. Fortunately, his grandparents, who were estranged from his father, showered him with affection, so he grew up without becoming twisted. Therefore, he had no complaints.
“Don’t worry about it. Although we are called a family of swordsmen, it’s only useful in battle. In the first place, few people are exceptionally skilled in magic. Humans with magic power are rare, so be proud of being a magician.”
“That’s right. Magic power is called a gift from the gods, and it’s not something you can have by desire. Even if you’re born with magic power, only a handful become magicians. It’s a precious talent inherited from your mother, who was a Court Mage, so you should have more confidence.”
On this continent of Frisia, few possess magic power. Only a handful can call themselves magicians, and those who can aim to be Court Mages are very few, no matter how vast the continent is. Therefore, even in this Wethered Kingdom, there are vacancies for Court Mages. Although humans with magic power are not overtly favored, it is not uncommon for nobles to take in magicians. Having a magician by one’s side has become a kind of status for nobles. He suspected that the engagement was also partly due to the Ducal Family’s desire to acquire a magician.
“I told you in front of the Duke, but I would have gladly passed on my aristocratic title to you and made you the Baron of Daum. In that case, you would have married my granddaughter, Yeny, but she was eager, so I was waiting for the right time to talk about it…”
“I never imagined he would become Olivier’s fiancé.”
“Um… I’m surprised about that too. Were you seriously thinking of making me the head of the Daum family?”
For Jared, this was as surprising as his engagement to Olivier. Although he had a blood connection, Jared was not a member of the Daum Barony because his father was independent. Furthermore, Jared used his mother’s surname, Murphy, and his mother, though a Court Mage, came from a commoner background. He had never once considered becoming the head of a historical family, even a barony.
“Although he was the eldest son, I had no intention of passing the family headship to your father, so I was prepared for conflict, but he obtained his aristocratic title himself. Another son I intended to pass it to was physically weak and had no interest in the title. Wouldn’t it be natural to think of a talented grandchild then?”
“That’s true, but…”
His grandfather’s words were not wrong. However, he didn’t want to become the head of the family and remain a noble, even if it meant marrying Yeny, whom he cherished like a younger sister. His grandmother asked, as if seeing through Jared’s thoughts.
“Are you unhappy with Yeny?”
“N-no, it’s not that, but she’s like a sister to me, so I’m a bit hesitant.”
“She’s liked you since she was little, so I thought it would be a good opportunity. If you wish, I can even give you her older sister.”
“I’ll have to decline that.”
Yeny Daum was a good child, but her relationship with her older sister was complicated, so he answered immediately. They probably knew the answer without asking, as his grandparents both gave him a wry smile.
“Well, if the engagement with Olivier works out, Yeny will unfortunately miss out.”
“Oh, if Olivier approves, I think a consort would be fine.”
“That’s also true.”
His grandfather laughed heartily as if struck with a great idea, and his grandmother smiled, thinking of her granddaughter. Jared sighed, thinking that things had become truly troublesome.
“Let’s put Yeny aside for now. The problem is the Court Mage position.”
“Um, I really can’t become a Court Mage. Of course, it’s true that I want to reach the same heights as my mother did as a magician, but becoming a Court Mage in just two years is not easy. You both know that, don’t you?”
“Actually—”
“Could it be that there’s something else?”
He was getting tired of the feeling that more hidden stories were about to surface. And his guess was correct.
“It’s not official, but it’s decided that you will become a Court Mage Candidate.”
“Whaaat!?”
Jared was struck by a shock, the number of which he had lost count of that day.
