Chapter 80

About half a month after General Pujol's dragon extermination team successfully annihilated the main force of the dragon swarm,

The dragon extermination team had completed their mission and returned to the capital unscathed.

They had sent a small dragon messenger from a midway fortress, reporting the success of the extermination and the expected return date to the capital, so the dragon extermination team was greeted with a grand triumphal ceremony upon their return to the capital.

At the forefront of the triumph, standing was the young hero, Xavier Gazier, who had brought down the giant dragon.

Riding a dragon, he waved to the crowd with a tense expression, responding to the cheers. The crowd, seeing the dragon carriage behind him carrying the head of the giant dragon, erupted in cheers and exclamations of surprise.

"Wow, dragons are that big? The head alone is as big as my belly!"

"Idiot, that's the boss of a large swarm, so it's especially big. The one who brought it down is that Xavier, the son of the Gazier Margrave."

"Is he the one at the front? He's smaller than me! And he's not even fully grown, is he?"

"He's supposed to be a great archer. He shot an arrow from a great distance and pierced the eye of the giant dragon, bringing it down."

"Oh, now that you mention it, there's an arrow stuck in the eye of the giant dragon's head. Did he aim for it!?"

As rumors tend to do, the heroic deeds of Xavier became more and more exaggerated as they spread.

In reality, Xavier had only managed to bring down the giant dragon by shooting multiple arrows from the rear while General Pujol was holding it in place. The exaggerated praise made him feel embarrassed.

However, as the next head of a martial noble family, he understood that such heroic deeds, even if they were false, often brought more benefits than not. So, he endured the embarrassment, put on a fake smile, and waved to the crowd in response.

For Xavier Gazier, who was unusually bad at such performances among the upper nobility, this was a more severe ordeal than the dragon extermination itself.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

The day after the dragon extermination team triumphantly returned to the capital,

In a room of the royal palace, Queen Aura was facing two men.

"You have both worked hard, General Pujol and Lord Xavier. I am relieved to hear that you have completed your mission successfully."

In response to the queen's words, the giant general, without changing his composed demeanor, bowed.

"Yes, we managed to accomplish the great task. However, the first-class merit goes to this Lord Xavier. His arrow, which pierced the eye of the giant dragon, the boss of the swarm, was the key to our ultimate victory."

The young next margrave, sitting beside him, could not hide his nervousness and fidgeted.

"No, I am honored. But it was thanks to General Pujol's efforts. I did my best, but the best result was due to luck and the support of those around me!"

"Hmm, Lord Xavier, you are modest for your age. That is quite commendable."

Queen Aura said this, narrowing her eyes slightly and smiling.

From the exchange, she had a vague understanding.

Most likely, General Pujol had set up the situation so that Xavier could take the credit for the 'heroic deed.'

(That is, General Pujol prioritized creating a favor with this young next margrave over establishing a small heroic deed himself in the dragon extermination. This seems to confirm my suspicions.)

Internally, Queen Aura raised her guard a notch and continued to speak with a relaxed smile.

"The Gazier Margravate is a crucial defense for our country. It is truly fortunate that the next generation is a brave young warrior. I look forward to the future."

"Yes, I will do my best!"

In response to the queen's praise, the young noble blushed and bowed.

The general, sitting beside the inexperienced Xavier, also smiled and added his praise.

"Indeed, Lord Xavier's performance was remarkable. His personal bravery in archery and dragon riding was commendable, but what impressed me most was his command."

"No, my vision was limited, and I forced my soldiers to do too much. I have many reflections. Seeing General Pujol's command, I realized how immature I am."

"That is true. Your command is still very immature, and there is much you need to learn. However, considering your age, you have a promising future, provided you continue to improve yourself."

"Hmm, I am surprised. Lord Xavier, you should be pleased. General Pujol is not a man to flatter in matters of war. This means you have met his standards."

While joining the conversation with such light-hearted remarks, Aura gauged the distance between Pujol Gijen and Xavier Gazier.

(They are closer than I thought. This is indeed a sign that he has been taken in.)

"Yes! I will not neglect my efforts and will become a warrior worthy of General Pujol's words!"

"Those are encouraging words. However, I hope you will not neglect your efforts as a ruler along with your efforts as a warrior. You are the next Gazier Margrave, after all."

"Ah, yes! Of course!"

In response to the queen's probing, the young noble blushed and nodded.

"…………"

"…………"

The queen and the general shared a moment of silent, good-natured laughter. This was a rare occurrence. Xavier's pure and positive spirit seemed to have a purifying effect, even on those like Aura and General Pujol, who lived in the world of power struggles.

However, this was only a temporary effect and did not change the general's true nature.

"By the way, Your Majesty. Changing the subject, as you can see, I have formed a strong bond with Lord Xavier in this matter. I wish to cherish this connection in the future."

"Hmm."

At General Pujol's words, Queen Aura's cheek twitched. Keeping her gaze on the general, she confirmed the presence of Lord Xavier beside him with her peripheral vision.

From the way he was clenching his fists on his lap and tightening his lips, it seemed that General Pujol had already informed Lord Xavier of what he was about to say.

This was going as expected.

Queen Aura, maintaining her smile, prompted the conversation.

"So, you wish to cherish the connection between Pujol Gijen and Xavier Gazier?"

At the queen's deliberate confirmation, the giant general, without breaking his broad smile, shook his head.

"No. I, as the head of the Gijen family, wish to strengthen the bond I have formed with Lord Xavier, the next head of the Gazier Margravate."

"Hmm. You wish to strengthen the connection between the families. Do you understand the implications of what you are saying?"

The queen's expression became neutral, and her voice even. Although she was not truly angry, as a queen, she had to show some displeasure in this situation.

In politics, the emotions conveyed through facial expressions and tone of voice are tools for conveying information, not something to be changed at will.

Lord Xavier, inexperienced in such situations, began to speak anxiously, but General Pujol, sensing this, preempted him with a slightly louder voice.

"Yes, I understand. I am fully aware of the implications. Fortunately, I am still unmarried, so marriage is an option."

Marriage.

The decisive word, spoken by General Pujol, confirmed Aura's suspicions.

She should be pleased that her preparations were not in vain, but she felt a sense of regret. Nevertheless, this was within her expectations.

Internally grinding her teeth, Aura maintained a stern expression.

"Marriage, indeed. It is certainly a problem that the head of the Gijen family, General Pujol, is still unmarried."

"I am grateful for your understanding. There are various reasons why I have remained unmarried until now, but I wish to take this opportunity to resolve the issue."

The general's words were a bit too sarcastic.

By using vague terms like "various reasons," he was referring to the single reason why he had remained unmarried until now: he had been a candidate for Queen Aura's marriage.

In essence, he was saying, "Since you kept me single until this age for your convenience, you should grant me this small favor."

Given the significant burden she felt regarding this matter, Aura had no choice but to yield.

"The connection between the Gijen family and the Gazier Margravate, two of our country's most prominent families, is a matter that cannot be approved according to precedent."

"I ask you to make an exception. I humbly request your permission."

In response to the queen's use of formalities, the general took a direct approach, bowing deeply, almost folding his massive body in half.

"I also humbly request your permission!"

Beside him, Lord Xavier bowed in the same manner. Unlike the general's intimidating posture, this was a sincere plea.

"…………"

Queen Aura closed her eyes for a moment, maintaining a dramatic silence. When she opened her eyes, she let out a deliberate sigh.

"However, the reason General Pujol, the head of the Gijen family, is still unmarried is solely due to me. Considering this, I have a responsibility in your marriage. Very well, I will make an exception."

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty!"

General Pujol smiled, and Lord Xavier's face lit up with joy.

Internally, Aura was not surprised. As she had said earlier, the burden she felt regarding Pujol Gijen's marriage was too great to prevent it. However, this was the perfect opportunity to drive home a point.

The preparations for this were already in place.

Aura smiled wryly and spoke in a casual tone, as if making small talk.

"Very well. This is a whim of General Pujol. I will indulge you this once."

Whim. Once. Aura made sure to drive home the point, and General Pujol, still smiling, bowed again.

"Of course, Your Majesty. Thank you."

"Indeed. Ah, but this will cause some changes in my plans. Lord Xavier, may I ask if you have met with the Gazier Margrave since your return to the capital?"

Caught off guard, Lord Xavier answered honestly, though hesitantly.

"Um, my father? No, not yet. I am still under General Pujol's command."

The mission is still ongoing. Personal matters, such as meeting with family, come after the mission. This attitude symbolizes the serious and honest nature of the Gazier Margrave and his son, which is rare among nobles.

"I see, as I expected. In fact, while you were on the dragon extermination mission, the Gazier Margrave requested an audience with me. It seems he was very concerned about your situation, Lord Xavier."

At the queen's words, Lord Xavier's ears turned red.

"That, that is, I am sorry to have taken up Your Majesty's time with such personal matters. I apologize on behalf of my father!"

The young next margrave bowed so deeply that it seemed to make a sound. The queen smiled kindly and waved her hand.

"No, there is no need to apologize. Strictly speaking, your father's actions were a mix of public and private matters, but it is not something to be overly critical about. If I were to reprimand the Gazier Margrave for such matters, I would have to reprimand all the nobles in the kingdom. Isn't that right, General Pujol?"

"Well, I would ask for your leniency, but it is a painful truth, indeed."

In response to the queen's words, General Pujol smiled wryly and shrugged.

"Very well. I digress. The Gazier Margrave's audience was handled by my husband, as I was busy."

"Zenshiro-sama?"

"Yes. My husband shares most of the information with me, so he was capable of reporting on your situation, Lord Xavier. The Gazier Margrave met with my husband, and they had a good conversation.

Of course, most of the conversation was about you, Lord Xavier, but there was a brief mention of Lady Lucinda as well."

"Lucinda, my sister!?"

Lord Xavier's exclamation of surprise was not the only one. Though he did not voice it, General Pujol, sitting beside him, also raised his thick eyebrows in surprise. Clearly, this was not a development he had anticipated.

"Yes. My husband was impressed by Lady Lucinda's story of defending her territory during the Great War, despite being a woman and with the head of the family away. He said he would like to meet her if the opportunity arose."

"Zenshiro-sama, my sister!?"

"Hmm, Zenshiro-sama showing interest in someone other than Your Majesty..."

Lord Xavier, eyes wide with surprise, and General Pujol, who had already regained his composure and narrowed his eyes, presented contrasting expressions.

Before the two men, Queen Aura continued with the explanation she had prepared in advance.

"Yes, Lord Xavier. I apologize for raising your hopes, but there is no deeper meaning. He simply said he would like to meet her during a casual conversation. However, as you know, my husband is rather indifferent to women and shows little interest in them.

As a result, the issue of his concubines has made no progress."

"Zenshiro-sama's unwavering love for Your Majesty is well-known throughout the palace. Perhaps, having obtained the best woman, he has no time to look at others."

"Enough, General Pujol. You have no talent for flattery."

Though she dismissed General Pujol's insincere fl