Chapter 76

After Said and Princess Luna left, I discussed the future with my brother and his wife. My brother and his wife did not share my sense of crisis regarding the Kingdom of Marita.

"Indeed, the Kingdom of Marita is falling into a difficult situation, but I don’t think someone like Graysen would waver over something like this."

"Yes, I agree. We have faced such situations many times before, both in our country and in the Kingdom of Marita. The two countries have always helped each other and overcome these challenges."

"But what about that absurd story? Is the Kingdom of Marita so unstable that it can be swayed by a dubious figure like a former saint?"

My brother dismissed my doubts with a laugh.

"There’s no proof that the story about the former saint is a lie. Graysen is taking precautions against her, so she must be the real deal."

How can anyone believe in things like rebuilding lost limbs or repelling monsters with incense? After being deceived by fraudsters so many times over Kanan, why do my brother and his wife believe such fairy tales?

"Do you really intend to send Kanan to the Kingdom of Marita?"

My voice grew harsh, and my brother nodded. His wife, sitting beside him, also nodded firmly.

"Considering the frequent monster attacks, we are aware that the journey to the Kingdom of Marita is dangerous. However, merchants still travel the roads. With a strong guard, there shouldn’t be much of a problem. Besides..."

My brother's eyes moistened, and his voice caught in his throat.

"...if Lute’s arm could be healed, there’s a possibility that Kanan’s leg could be healed too."

"That’s right! The child will surely want to go to the Kingdom of Marita."

My brother and his wife had already made up their minds. I felt a sense of crisis from their determination. If they easily believe such fairy tales, travel to the Kingdom of Marita, and Kanan’s leg isn’t healed, the scrutiny he will face upon return will be even harsher. People might start saying he is not fit to be king. It would be better to send another envoy to get confirmation before taking such a risky step. We should act cautiously.

"Brother, I hope you can make a calm judgment as usual."

"Trust the Kingdom of Marita. We will have skilled guards, and Said’s team will also accompany us. What is there to worry about? Besides, Zinklett’s team will meet us near the border."

Zinklett’s team... Indeed, Zinklett is one of the strongest in the Kingdom of Marita and excels in commanding troops. He is the one person I don’t want to fight. His subordinates are also formidable, and his chief aide, Barry, is skilled in strategy and information manipulation, serving as Zinklett’s right hand and extending his influence far and wide.

"Zinklett..."

"There is no safer journey than this. On the contrary, if we miss this opportunity, we don’t know when it will come again. If the number of monsters continues to increase, travel between our countries will become difficult."

Considering the recent increase in monster attacks on the roads, I can understand my brother’s concerns. But...

"When you return from the Reroute territory, I want you to go to the Kingdom of Marita to bring Kanan back. I know it’s a consecutive mission, but I appreciate your understanding."

With the recent increase in monster attacks, consecutive missions have become the norm, not just for my team but for all teams.

Looking at my brother and his wife, I felt that persuasion was futile. There will be ministers who oppose Kanan’s trip to the Kingdom of Marita, but my brother will force the issue, believing deeply that Kanan’s leg can be healed.

"By the way, Graysen has another proposal. It seems he hasn’t told Said’s team yet, but he asked if you would consider marrying the former saint."

"Huh?"

I couldn’t help but shout. What is he talking about?

"Marry the former saint?!"

"Yes. For the safety of the former saint, Graysen wants you to marry her. He says there is no one else he can trust with this task."

My head ached. His Majesty Graysen knows how much I want to marry a noble lady. He should understand. Why is he doing this?

I felt my head boiling. Has everything changed? The Kingdom of Marita, His Majesty Graysen...

"Brother, isn’t the Kingdom of Marita just trying to get rid of the former saint? Are they trying to push the source of conflict onto our country?"

"Graysen is not that kind of man."

My brother doesn’t doubt His Majesty Graysen at all. My sister-in-law, who usually advises him, seems to be dreaming of Kanan’s leg being healed and isn’t trying to dissuade him.

My brother suggested that I visit the Kingdom of Marita on the way to pick up Kanan and meet the former saint. He said he would respect my decision on whether to marry her or not.

I was about to refuse when I had an idea.

Refusing the marriage proposal to the former saint is simple, but perhaps I can use it to my advantage.

Recently, the Colts family, which has significant influence in the Kingdom of Naris, has been neglecting Kanan and flattering me. The Colts family, which supports the king publicly, is known to be plotting to take the throne. The previous king’s sister married into the Colts family, giving them a claim to the throne. They belittle Kanan for his leg and try to make me a puppet king to control the royal family and eventually put one of their own on the throne.

When the eldest daughter of the Colts family was involved in a scandal, her father, the head of the family, immediately disowned her without hesitation and made his more obedient younger daughter the heir. The current head of the Colts family, who has no sons, plans to make his granddaughter’s son the king and use him as a puppet to hold real power.

The Colts family, being a ducal family, is not an easy opponent for the Naris royal family to handle. For now, my brother and sister-in-law are keeping a close eye on them, so they haven’t directly harmed Kanan, but there’s no guarantee they will remain passive in the future.

I need to find a way to reduce the Colts family’s influence.

Perhaps I can use the eldest daughter of the Colts family for this purpose.

Lana Colts, the eldest daughter of the Colts family, has been abandoned by her family and lost her social standing. Her former followers have all left her, and she is now isolated. At social gatherings, she is the subject of whispered ridicule, and she lashes out at those around her in anger before leaving. Rolf has witnessed this many times.

Recently, for some reason, Lana has been wandering around the military and knight corps. She claims that with her excellent academic record, she can achieve great success in the military and become an indispensable part of national defense. She has been forcing her way into missions and drills under the name of the Colts family. Of course, her academic record is of no use in actual combat. Moreover, her glamorous entourage hires a large number of guards and sets up tents to enjoy tea at the mission sites, becoming more of a disaster than a help. It seems that her difficulty in finding a suitable marriage has led her to pursue this strange path.

Lana even tried to join my team. She wanted to join the recent mission to the Reroute territory, but I politely declined. However, if I take her with me to the Kingdom of Marita...

"Brother... Can I meet the former saint and decide whether to marry her after that?"

"...Yes! Graysen will extend Kanan’s stay and give you time to spend there. Graysen says the former saint is a wonderful person. I think it would be good to talk to her thoroughly."

My brother smiled. He seemed surprised that I didn’t refuse immediately and couldn’t hide his happiness. Perhaps he is pleased that I am showing interest in marriage. He has always been concerned about my remaining single for Kanan’s sake.

"Understood."

I smiled inwardly.

If the fraudulent former saint and the pests of the Kingdom of Naris can destroy each other, it would be for the best.