I don’t have the habit of sharing my story in detail in front of others, but today I bit the bullet and spoke up.
If I glossed over it, they’d surely keep bringing up this issue...
Besides, after all, it’s also about their daughters (not their biological daughters, but girls like daughters).
“Misha Kalstein and I are simply ordinary comrades right now.”
At my first words, a wrinkle ford on the patriarch’s forehead.
He stared at like I was blocking my daughter’s marriage path by calling it just an ordinary partnership.
On the other hand, the fairy representative’s expression brightened — albeit briefly.
“Oh, then—”
“Elwen Fornaci di Tersia is the sa.”
Upon hearing my next words, the fairy representative’s face imdiately stiffened.
“Ho, so that ans there’s no partner yet?”
Seizing the mont, Uncle Dragon tried to slip in his own angle, but I shut that down sharply.
“That doesn’t an I’ll ever be your son-in-law. Whether Pen or Ravien, I’ve never thought of them as a romantic interest.”
“Ah, understood. Affection between n and won is important. That’s unfortunate.”
Surprisingly, Uncle Dragon accepted my words easily.
Then he asked,
“May I offer you so advice?”
“...I’m listening.”
“For soone like you, a political marriage might not be necessary. You have stood alone and achieved so much.”
“But,”
He sipped his ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ tea, then t my gaze and continued.
“Paradoxically, because of that, whoever you make a vow with, your marriage will be used politically. Please keep that in mind.”
It felt like everything about bringing up marriage so far was just a buildup to this natural advice.
Maybe Uncle Dragon truly wanted to let know this through the patriarch’s and fairy representative’s reactions.
With the Noark invasion and Viphron blockade, the tis are chaotic.
The patriarch and fairy rep, having endured much, probably weren’t really pushing that hard for the sake of their daughters—or so I thought—
“Anyway, if you don’t have a set partner, co visit the temple often. Our youngest daughter wants to see you.”
Hmm... Suddenly, the advice I just heard started to feel a bit suspect, but anyway.
“...Pen is definitely out.”
“Oh? So the elder sister’s side is okay?”
“...”
When I looked at Uncle Dragon with a baffled gaze, he burst into an inappropriate light laugh for his serious face.
“Puhaha! Just kidding, just kidding. So you guys stop bothering this friend here, got it?”
Uncle Dragon laughed heartily, and the stiff atmosphere noticeably softened.
‘Is this what experience looks like...?’
Since the eldest Uncle Dragon acted like this, even the patriarch and fairy rep found it hard to continue speaking...
“More importantly, I want to discuss this situation. What do you all think?”
With a smooth topic change, the talk about my marriage was completely over.
“This situation...”
“You an the Noark invasion.”
I opened my ears to catch information I hadn’t heard before, but unfortunately, there was nothing particularly useful.
Not much different from lves.
“There’s a rumor that Noark has a mage who inherited the Great Sage’s vision.”
“It makes sense such rumors spread since they tampered with the protective magic circle without the royal relic.”
“I’ve heard it’s quite possible that it’s not just nonsense.”
“Yes... Previously, there was magic that teleported tens of thousands of Noark troops at once from the underground fortress.”
Though so things were ntioned that I hadn’t heard in lves, it was just information that beca known over ti.
There didn’t seem to be much difference in intelligence between the two groups.
After all, lves was ford by nobles from various tribes.
It was natural they knew what the tribe leaders knew, and vice versa.
‘Well, Uncle Dragon definitely seems to know sothing.’
Maybe because of the way the conversation leaked such feelings, other representatives tried to test Uncle Dragon, but he coolly avoided the situation with an impassive expression.
“Well, I don’t know much either. If I learn anything, I’ll let you know imdiately.”
Hmm, he definitely knows sothing.
Maybe if I ask him separately later, he might give a hint? Who knows.
After that, the eting continued with unproductive talk and eventually ended.
“It was a useful eting. Let’s et again next ti.”
After the eting was dismissed, everyone stood and left the hall, but approaching the exit, a strange sense of deprivation ca over .
“...Dumocha, thank you for your hard work.”
“Ragsian, the carriage is ready.”
“We will escort you to the sacred place, Patriarch.”
The dwarves, fairies, beastn, and even the viscount had brought their soldiers and servants to see them off. Oh, and the dragonn only had one person accompanying.
“Ahem...!”
As soon as he saw , the white-haired elderly dragonman quickly hid sothing he was fiddling with.
That was the sa person who had once tested my insight with a ring puzzle at the dragon temple.
“Oh, they said you can’t get that again?”
When I tried to peek at the puzzle hidden behind him with interest, the dragonman jumped in shock and turned around.
“Th-this is a different item from that ti...”
Huh? Why is his tone like that again?
Ah... Maybe now that I’m a noble and a tribal chief, it’s harder to speak casually like before?
“Can I take a look?”
At my question, the dragonman shuddered and sent a pleading look to Uncle Dragon nearby.
Hey, no one’s bullying you.
‘Now he can’t say anything.’
Before, when I had no power or status, I never felt guilty about anything, but now it just feels like I’m bossing people around.
“Enough. I won’t look, so just go quickly.”
“...Thank you.”
Thank? Who really said thank you?
Did anyone threaten to take it away?
“Well then, we’ll go ahead. Co visit the temple whenever you have ti. You’re always welco.”
“I understand.”
Realizing he wasn’t just being polite but suggesting a private eting later, I nodded, and Uncle Dragon coolly disappeared from sight.
“Well then.”
Ah, this guy’s dragon magic is spatial teleportation.
Is there really any race as overpowered as dragonn?
‘Then I should start preparing too...’
Just as I was about to leave through the sowhat hectic entrance, I suddenly felt an overwhelmingly persistent gaze from sowhere.
‘Who is that?’
The one staring was one of the people brought by the fairy tribe...
‘...Huh?’
The fairy man who caught my eyes strode toward and revealed his identity.
“Nice to et you, Baron Yandel. I am Beleg Shusia di Tersia.”
A famous yet familiar na.
“Ah, you’re the one...”
Beleg Shusia di Tersia.
A top-tier explorer with high status among the fairies...
“Elwen’s maternal uncle.”
One of the few ‘family’ Elwen still has.
Although this was my first eting with him, I’d heard a lot about this man from Elwen, so I had so goodwill toward him.
That was because when the dragon slayer attacked the fairy sanctuary, this man saved the Fornaci sisters.
He also helped Elwen in many ways afterward.
“Glad to et you. I’ve wanted to see you soday.”
“Likewise.”
“...Huh?”
I reached out happily to shake hands, but for so reason, I felt quite a strong grip.
At first, I wondered what that was about.
After all, it had been ages since anyone squeezed my hand like that.
‘Hmm...’
Not knowing what to do, I just waited without tightening my grip.
He was soone Elwen was grateful to.
What would I gain by overpowering him anyway?
‘Yeah, that’s adult behavior...’
With that thought, I smiled softly and relaxed, and the other side loosened their grip and ended the handshake.
And then...
“As expected, rumors are never to be trusted.”
...Huh?
What’s that? Did he beco confident because he thought I was weak?
I was tilting my head in confusion.
“Your conduct is far from impatient, and you don’t give value to aningless fights, making you a difficult opponent.”
Suddenly, he praised with a serious face and bowed.
“Thanks to that, my worries are lessened. Please take good care of that girl.”
I felt a little dazed.
If I had squeezed his hand and won, this evaluation wouldn’t have co.
But the ambiguous feeling lasted only briefly.
“Well then...”
After a glance from the fairy representative, he joined his group, and I was struck by another strange sensation.
‘Beleg Shusia di Tersia...’
Why do I keep feeling like I’ve seen him sowhere before?
The tribal council was less fruitful than expected.
Also, it was full of an unexpected kind of discomfort.
‘...Phew, I didn’t really do anything but I’m so tired.’
The only schedule left until the next labyrinth opening was the royal eting in two days.
Well, having just finished a long expedition, I planned to skip this one...
‘Even if I don’t go in, I’m curious...’
How will the situation change?
From my experience, bad things always happen when entering the labyrinth at tis like this.
“Sigh...”
While thinking on the street for a mont, I stopped by Karnon’s administration office and sent a ssage to the sacred place.
I said I’d stay a few more days and even attend the royal eting before returning...
Thud!
Soon after leaving the office, I rode a carriage straight to Gno Tree.
Maybe Uncle Dragon knows sothing.
He had even silently signaled to co anyti.
Feeling it would be more productive to et Uncle Dragon once than rest.
‘...If I’d known, I should have asked to be taken along earlier...’
As usual, I soon fell asleep snoring, and the carriage reached its destination without incident.
Entering the dragon sacred place was uneventful.
“Welco, Baron Yandel.”
The dragonman guard, apparently tipped off by Uncle Dragon, opened the gate without properly checking my identity.
And...
‘Walking here is really tough.’
After a long climb, I finally arrived at the dragon sanctuary, right at the dragon god temple in the center.
“Hmm, I didn’t expect you’d co straight here.”
“Why? You said co anyti. Was that just talk?”
“To be honest... I thought you’d co after the royal eting.”
“We don’t live as long as you do. We must live each day aningfully.”
“Living each day aningfully... That’s a really good saying.”
“Anyway.”
We weren’t close enough for a long introduction, and we’d already covered the preliminaries in the earlier eting, so I got straight to the point as soon as we t.
“So... do you have sothing to tell ? I got the feeling you might.”
“As I said earlier, I expected you’d co after the royal eting. I was going to give advice after hearing your thoughts then.”
“...Is sothing happening at the eting?”
“Not exactly happening... but you’ll soon hear anyway, so I’ll tell you in advance.”
Uncle Dragon first revealed there were two things he knew, then went on.
“First is about your marriage.”
“Marriage...?”
“The royal family wants to promote a marriage between you and a human noblewoman.”
Why is everyone so interested in my love life?
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