Volume 4 Chapter 20: Adults Are Black-hearted?

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Author: 夜州 (Yashu)

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Alec became speechless at Cain’s words.

He had indeed been made a baron, and, after starting work as Drintor’s deputy governor, he had also received a veritable mountain of matchmaking letters.

However, as he had to watch over Drintor’s rapid change, he couldn’t just go to the royal capital that easily to meet the people in person, so most of the letters had been neglected.

Also, Leline had been his junior in the academy, so she was not an unknown person at all.

They had had countless chances to talk to each other, and she was also Alec’s type. Her personality was also perfect, but as Alec had been expecting to work as deputy governor as Jin would be taking over as Margrave in the near future, he had not thought he would marry a noblewoman.

Not to mention Leline being the daughter of a count, a higher-ranking noble, a position where one usually married the oldest son of an equally high-ranking noble.

Furthermore, Leline’s home territory was the town of Misinga, which was one of the southernmost places in the kingdom, right next to the sea.

To get from there to Drintor, it would take at least ten days by carriage.

Alec had not been expecting her to come this far.

Cain began explaining to the dazedly sitting Alec next to him.

“I received a request from Eden-san in the royal capital, and escorted her all the way here from there. Then, she said she wanted to see you, Alec-nii-sama… I already have fiancées, but you don’t have even a single one yet, do you? I was thinking it was about time…”

Cain grinned as he explained.

Talking about someone else’s love life tasted really sweet. Cain himself had been so hemmed in and pressured from every side, he had to get engaged.

Thus, he enjoyed seeing Alec, who had also become a noble, going through the same thing.

“Alec-sama, long time no see. I sent a letter but never received a reply, so…”

Alec told Leline, who had bowed her head in apology, to raise her head, panicking.

“Miss Leline, please raise your head. You took the trouble to come to this town, so please just take it easy. I’ll do my best to help out as well.”

At Alec’s words, Leline raised her head and smiled.

“Ah, I have letters from my father here with me. One for Cain-sama, and one for Alec-sama.”

When Leline glanced at him, one of the knights took out two letters from a Magic Bag and handed them over to her.

Leline then put said letters on the table.

The two of them took a quick look at the stamp on the sealing wax before cutting them in half and taking out the letters inside.

As they read the contents, Cain smiled more and more while Alec became paler by the second.

“–––– Understood. But… please think about it just a little more. Having it decided so suddenly, even for me it’s…”

Said Alec, laying the now read letter on the table.

“Yes. I know. I think I’ll be staying here for around two weeks. Just please give me an answer by then.”

Leline bowed deeply.

“Well then, as you must be tired from the trip and finally arriving in town, let’s have the welcoming party tomorrow.”

As Cain said that, he glanced at Darmeshia.

Darmeshia, seemingly having understood what he wanted, bowed.

They continued chatting for a little while, but all Alec did was nod at Leline’s words.

They started talking about their student days, and moved on to talking about goings-on in Misinga.

Leline happily talked away about Misinga and other topics.

Then, it was time for her to go back to the inn she was staying at.

“Alec-sama, Cain-sama, really, thank you so much. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Leline went back to the inn she was staying at with a huge smile on her face, and Alec and Cain, who had seen her off, went to the office to have a discussion.

“Alec-nii-sama, I escorted Leline-san here from the royal capital, and she’s a very nice person indeed. Now you might be able to settle down too.”

Alec sighed at the grinning Cain.

“On the contrary, it seems she’s already talked to father. Count Sanz has also already given his approval, so I have –– no way to escape… Anyway, I’ve got to think about this for a bit.”

Alec left the office letter in hand, his shoulders dropped in defeat.

Having seen Alec off, Cain opened the letter addressed to him again.

“But to think… it would be something like this…”

The letter went so:

[Dear Sir Cain

Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on your promotion to count. Then, it has been a long time since we last saw each other, has it not. I’ll never forget that Gouda¹ we defeated by the sea together. You really saved me back then.

Then, the main topic: My daughter, whom I said you couldn’t marry back then, has always fancied Alec.

She had all sorts of marriage proposals, but she stubbornly turned them all down. Then, I heard about this from my wife, and that’s how all this happened.

As the member of a count’s family, my daughter can’t very well marry a second son with no inheritance, even if he is a margrave’s son.

However, thanks to your recommendation, Sir Alec has now also been made a baron.

Which is why she can now marry him. I have already spoken to your father, Sir Garm, and he has given his permission.

While he may have had his own plans, he seemed to be on board for the most part, I think.

You too, should, if things went well, have accepted a request from Eden-dono to escort my daughter. She is way too nice of a person, don’t you think?

I’m counting on you to persuade Sir Alec as well.

We’ll welcome you with open arms when you come over here to hang out again.

Then, until we meet next,

-Sanz von Legant Misinga]

“So we were all just dancing around on the palms of the adult’s hands, huh…”

Cain heaved a huge sigh.

Let’s turn time back to when Cain was still a viscount.

Wanting to eat some seafood, he flew south, making full use of the weekend.

There, he encountered a monster on the beach. He hit it off with the man he defeated it with, so he went to stay at the man’s home for the night, but it turned out the man was the lord of the territory, Count Sanz von Legant Misinga, Leline’s father.

Moreover, as he had been in the same class as Cain’s father, Garm, at school, the marriage talks for Alec had been decided soon after he became a baron. Count Sanz had one son and two daughters, with the other daughter, who, when watching Cain’s greeting at the academy’s opening ceremony, had thought Cain was just an adventurer, but had found out the truth not long after, and was also in the same year as Cain at school.

Cain, knowing Leline was the daughter of that count Sanz, was also supportive of her marriage to Alec.

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¹never heard of such a monster, and searching with the kana in Japanese (ゴーダ) also just gave me the cheese

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