Chapter 35

Due to the author being on a trip, they cannot reply.

I will read through all the comments.

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A little south of the Adelnia Peninsula lies an island called Trisicera.

A little further south from that island is a country called Pheonia. It is a republic where the government is run by a senate composed of nobles.

Pheonia is a major maritime nation, and there is a significant economic disparity between the nobles, who engage in maritime trade, and the commoners, who are involved in agriculture and livestock. The nobles and commoners are clearly distinguished and separated.

For example, commoners are not allowed to participate in politics. Only nobles can become senators, and commoners cannot vote or run for office.

There are also differences in the number of lands and slaves that nobles and commoners are allowed to own.

Furthermore, nobles and commoners cannot marry. This is an important point, so I will say it twice: Nobles and commoners cannot marry.

---

Alexios Valka is a noble of Pheonia. He was born into a family that has produced many soldiers, and he himself is a soldier.

He first went to war at the age of twelve. Since then, he has achieved many military accomplishments and began commanding a unit at fifteen. He has participated in numerous naval and land battles, leading to many victories, and at the age of twenty-three, he is one of Pheonia's most prominent generals.

When people first meet him, they always notice his right eye. He wears an eye patch over his right eye.

He has worn an eye patch since he was old enough to remember. His nickname is "The One-Eyed Knight."

He is handsome, skilled in combat, and has a promising future, and he is also one-eyed. There is no woman who would ignore such a man.

Many children of Pheonian nobles have tried to win his affection, but he has rejected them all.

He has also turned down arranged marriages set up by his family, saying, "I'm not interested."

When asked why he doesn't get married, he said:

"I'm not interested in women. I prefer beautiful young men."

---

There is a sorceress named Meria in Pheonia. She has no last name because she is a commoner.

Her companions are three in number:

A wolf-dog, a crossbreed between a wolf and a dog.

An owl about fifty serica (fifty centimeters) tall.

A massive eagle with a wingspan of one hundred and twenty serica (one hundred and twenty centimeters).

Her eagle is unmatched in aerial combat and is highly valued for its keen eyesight.

Although she is only twenty-two, Meria has made significant contributions to the Pheonian army and is known as "The Eagle Handler."

She receives marriage proposals almost every day. It's only natural, as there is no man who would ignore a promising sorceress, especially one who is also a beauty.

Sorcerous talent is said to be hereditary, which is why she is so popular.

However, she has rejected all the marriage proposals, even those from wealthy commoner families that might be considered noble.

Someone once asked her why she doesn't get married:

"I'm not interested in men. I love animals."

---

Late at night, the crescent moon, a symbol of Pheonia, shines in the sky. Most Pheonians are asleep, but two figures are moving stealthily.

They are Alexios and Meria.

"I've missed you, Meria!!"

"I've missed you too, Alexios!!"

The two embrace with such passion that it seems as if a sound effect could be heard, and they kiss. The crescent moon kindly illuminates the area around them.

After about five minutes of affection, they get to the main topic.

"A ship bound for Trisicera will dock at the port tomorrow morning. Once we arrive in Trisicera, we'll travel on foot to the Kirisian colony city there, and then take another ship to the Adelnia Peninsula. Got it?"

"I understand. That's why I've been labeled as a beast lover."

"I've been labeled as a man-lover, too."

The two laugh.

They met during a war when Meria was assigned as a dedicated sorceress to Alexios's unit.

They quickly fell in love, but...

They are a noble and a commoner, and marriage is impossible.

They truly want to marry, but even as a concubine, marriage is impossible. Pheonia legally prohibits bigamy. Moreover, marriage to a commoner is fundamentally not allowed, so even if it were recognized, it would still be impossible.

If their relationship were discovered, they would be separated. So they lied.

But recently, even that deception has become ineffective. So they have planned to elope.

First, they considered where to elope. Pheonia itself was out of the question. They considered the colonial cities abroad, but their appearances are too distinctive, so they were ruled out.

The second option was the Persis Empire, a superpower to the east that had destroyed Pheonia's former suzerain. However, Pheonia and Persis are not enemies.

Persis protects Pheonian overseas trade, and the two countries have a good relationship. There are many ships to Persis, so the success rate is high.

But it is too far away. Emigrating to a place with a different language and culture requires courage.

So the third option was Kirisia.

Pheonia and the Kirisian states have a poor relationship because they are rivals in maritime trade.

However, Alexios has fought against the Kirisian army, so fleeing to the Kirisian mainland was considered too dangerous.

Therefore, they decided to emigrate to a Kirisian colony city on the Adelnia Peninsula. The Adelnia Peninsula is a rural area, and few people would recognize their names.

---

"But is it really okay? I don't really like my family, but you have a proper family, right?"

"What are you saying now... I'm labeled as a beast lover. Who else would marry me besides you?"

"Haha, that's true. You're the only one who would marry me, the man-lover."

The two made their decision.

---

The next day, the news that a noble and a commoner had disappeared spread throughout Pheonia. A large-scale search was conducted by the Pheonian army, and wanted posters were circulated to every city in Pheonia, but they were not found.

Pheonia is a country close to the Adelnia Peninsula, so it is quite important.

The appearance of the lovebirds is planned for chapter three and beyond.