Chapter 39

A few days after Ignatz's visit, the old man came. He brought several long weapons from the armory of the Fulftball Castle and told me to use the one that felt right in my hand.

"Isn't this the family treasure of the Marcosias family?"

"Weapons are meant to be used. There's no point in letting them gather dust."

That's true, but...

"What if they break?"

"Deliberately breaking them is out of the question, but no matter how carefully you handle them, things will eventually break. Especially when using them against magical beasts, it's quite common. Of course, since it will be your partner, you should take good care of it and not treat it roughly. If it breaks unintentionally, then that's the end of its lifespan. Anyway, this is just a temporary weapon until you have your own made."

Ah, that's how you see it.

Then, I'll gratefully use it.

"Albert"

While I was looking at the weapons, trying to decide which shape would be best, the old man called out to me.

"Yes?"

"The Duke of Einhorn has something to say."

Huh? To the Queen, not to the Marcosias? Why?

"He wants to apologize."

"To whom?"

"To Albert."

"For what?"

"He wasn't very clear about it."

I'm even more confused.

"The Duke of Einhorn says that the princess has been acting in a way that tarnishes Albert's reputation."

"Even though she's never met me, she's been saying bad things about me?"

"It seems that the story is not quite clear. The princess has never spoken ill of Albert."

What is this? It sounds like a complicated situation is about to arise.

"If she hasn't said anything bad..."

I thought there would be no reason for her to apologize, but what did the old man say at first?

"But, how has my reputation been tarnished?"

"The princess avoids talking about you or even listening to others talk about you."

"I see. So, because of the princess's influence and people speculating about the reasons she avoids you, it has spread that I must have done something to offend the princess, and since she is a model of a young lady, I must have a terrible personality, right?"

"Indeed, that's probably the case."

"In that case, we should accept the apology from Einhorn, shouldn't we?"

"Yes."

Even though their title is higher, in terms of economic and military power, the Marcosias family is not inferior.

This is also a matter of noble pride. It's troublesome.

"Grandfather, if my reputation has been tarnished by the princess's actions, will it affect my marriage? For example, if my marriage is politically motivated."

Most noble marriages are tied to alliances and benefits, so my marriage might be the same. If the princess's attitude causes a politically necessary marriage to fall through, it would be a big problem, and the apology from Einhorn should also include the impact on my marriage.

However, the old man firmly denied it.

"No. Fulftball's resources and food are not in such dire straits that we need to form an alliance with anyone. We don't need alliances from other places."

What we need is the strength to slay magical beasts and the base where experts in hunting magical beasts are trained. We don't need to form alliances to get support from other places.

"Does that mean my bride can be anyone?"

"The bloodline of the Marcosias family accepts any blood. However, we don't let it out. Lise's case was an exception."

Eh? Is that so?

"Then, if the king hadn't messed up and I had become the king, what would have happened to the succession? And the succession issue of the Marcosias family?"

"There is another who carries the blood of the king."

Ignatz. Wow! So, I would have been a burden to Ignatz anyway.

"The Marcosias family didn't just sit back and follow the royal family's orders. If Lise was to be the fiancée or a concubine, we naturally set conditions. First, if Lise gave birth to the king's first child, that child would be the provisional king, and the next king would be a child with the blood of the royal family. The king was also to have a child with Lise who would inherit the Marcosias family."

The old man muttered with disgust that the king didn't even keep those conditions.

"If those conditions had been met, you would have been put in a difficult position."

The succession rights in the Kingdom of Rave are held by the king's first child, so under those conditions, I wouldn't have been able to have children even if I got married.

I must have set some crazy conditions for the engagement at that time, especially regarding the succession rights. Normally, such conditions would affect my children and grandchildren, but the old man didn't stop me.

"Then, was my engagement the right decision for the Marcosias family and, by extension, Fulftball?"

"Didn't you know and still declare such conditions? 'Do not introduce the direct bloodline of the royal family into the Marcosias family.' This is a family rule passed down from the founding of the kingdom. Didn't you ask the Attentita twins anything?"

"I was told that those who carry the blood of the Marcosias family should spend their lives in Fulftball."

"Hmm... Well, as you start attending the academy, you'll learn more about these things."

It seems there's a reason behind it.

Could it be related to the fact that the Marcosias family manages the Forest of No Return in Fulftball?

I am very sorry, but I will not respond to comments, so please refrain from leaving questions.

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