Chapter 86

"Is there a way to revive a noble who has lost his title and land?"

"Yes."

"It's about Miss Katharina, isn't it?"

"Indeed."

At first, Katharina had suffered due to her words and actions, but she was an exceptionally talented magician, and she wasn't a bad person to be around.

If so, there was no reason not to use her. After all, I am a noble responsible for a vast territory. Also, I tend to think stably as a person. To lead a good life, it was better to have more allies.

Then, the only way to do her a favor was to revive the Waiger family's land and title.

Since it's almost impossible for a woman to become a noble, I had to find a way to make her accept it. The best way would be to have her child inherit the title and land.

"But, why are you asking me?"

After all, it was determined that Roderich, who would become the next head of the Lookner barony, would have a child with Katharina, and there would be no problem in making that child a noble.

However, Roderich didn't want to take on any more burdens. He was trying to pass it on to El.

"El is... a good person, but he learned to play around with women because of Blanterac. Katharina is sensitive about that, and she has kept her distance from El."

El is a good companion, but not a good husband, it seems.

"That stubborn girl, surprisingly innocent..."

Indeed, despite being one of the top performers among the rough adventurers, and having eliminated parasites and gangsters who tried to take his share, he seemed to lack immunity to men.

"Last time, after practicing archery with El in the early morning, I was hot, so I took off my shirt and cooled off in the courtyard, and I got a complaint from Katharina, who was practicing magic."

"Vendelin! A noble should not be naked outside!"

"It's just my upper body."

"Even just the upper body is unacceptable!"

Her words were as usual, but her face was red. In short, she lacked such immunity.

"I think El is difficult."

"Then, how about the lord himself?"

"Me?"

"Yes, it fits the conditions perfectly."

Originally, as a top-tier adventurer, he can keep up with my hunting. From Katharina's perspective, it would be more advantageous to have a child with me and make him the head of the Waiger family for the palace's operations.

Roderich says it's mutually beneficial. It might seem a bit dry to a former Heisei Japanese, but in this world, it's not a wrong judgment criterion.

Marriage is a connection between families, and the compatibility of the individuals is secondary.

In any case, it's difficult to remain single in this world. Roderich was saying that Katharina needed to make up her mind.

"To strengthen the ranks of the Baumaster family, it's necessary to treat the Waiger family as a quasi-clan."

As the chief vassal, Roderich seems eager to stabilize the rapidly expanding Baumaster barony. After my death, the Baumaster barony will continue for future generations.

"But, shouldn't the person's will be considered?"

"Still, it's necessary to have a frank talk. By the way, can't you remove that mark on your cheek?"

"Hmm. For some reason, Elise refused. She said I can't treat it myself."

Actually, this morning, after finishing my usual magic training, I went to the bath to work up a sweat. There, I found Katharina, who had already finished her training and was in the bath.

Moreover, she was standing naked in front of the bathroom mirror, posing.

"Recently, the food at Vendelin's house has been so delicious that I've gained weight..."

"Really? I don't think so."

"Ah?"

Here, my immediate response was foolish. When I met Katharina in the bathroom, where I thought I was alone, we stared at each other for a few seconds, creating an awkward atmosphere.

"Vendelin?"

"Men don't notice a woman's slight weight gain."

"..."

"There's also a difference between the ideal body types of men and women. If a woman is too thin, men might find her less attractive."

"Vendelin?"

"Then, I'll be off."

It seems I had overlooked the 'In Use' sign hanging at the entrance to the bath. I sometimes do this, but it's not a problem with El because he's a man, and it wasn't a problem with the other women either.

"Vel, are you doing this on purpose? I don't mind, though."

"Trouble. If Vel gets excited by my nakedness and attacks me... That's a bad joke."

"Vendelin, it's better to wait until after the official ceremony."

"Vel, let's go in together."

The four of them were engaged, so it wasn't a problem. However, it didn't work with Katharina.

"Vendelin..."

"Sorry, it was a small mistake."

"Seeing a maiden's skin before marriage, and you think it's over!"

Her magic didn't come out, but she slapped me hard. I probably could have avoided it if I had wanted to, but I felt I shouldn't, so I took the hit.

"What can I say... Lord, is your luck good or bad..."

Roderich's impression as a fellow man was something like that. It was unfortunate to be slapped, but he saw something good, so it was a mixed bag.

The noble's slap would be considered disrespectful and punishable, but if I did that, my peeping would be exposed. If it were made public, I would undoubtedly be embarrassed in the world.

"Besides, Katharina was surprisingly..."

After giving me a big slap, she clung to Elise and cried, which was unlike her.

"I can't get married now!"

"That's not your character... I'm sorry, it's nothing..."

If a woman couldn't get married just because she was seen naked, there would be almost no women who could get married in Japan. I was surprised that such a woman existed outside of light novels and anime, but Elise was on Katharina's side.

In this world, the higher the status of a woman, the higher her chastity. So, I was a bad man for seeing Katharina, who was neither a lover nor a wife, naked.

"Vendelin, please keep your face as it is for the rest of the day."

"Surely, I can't keep it like this..."

"Vendelin, you need to reflect."

I was unusually strongly told by Elise, who is usually a traditional woman, while comforting the crying Katharina and calmly punishing me.

This might be one of the reasons she was chosen as my main wife.

"We can handle it, but Katharina can't."

"Should we add a name column to the 'In Use' sign?"

"Does that mean you can enter if it's not Katharina?"

"No comment."

In this country, it's difficult for nobles to engage in premarital relations due to the church's interference. So, I think it's a cute prank to pretend and peek a little at a woman's nakedness.

After all, the ones I peek at are my fiancées.

"Vel, are you doing this on purpose..."

"Well, how about it?"

"Actually, it's quite a problem."

Indeed, in such a situation, I end up being lectured by the serious Elise and Iena.

"Hey, Vel, how was Katharina's figure?"

Louise is usually like this. She reports to me about the figures of the other women she bathes with, and it's said that she has a bit of a perverted old man's mentality.

"About the same as Elise, and bouncy."

"Sure enough. Dominique is pretty impressive, but she can't match Katharina."

"Really, Dominique is quite good?"

"Pretty impressive. Maybe it's because she grew up with Elise as a childhood friend?"

According to the self-proclaimed female body critic, Louise, the maid Dominique, who works in this mansion, has a figure that looks slimmer than it is. She reported to me that she has a really good figure.

"Really, you're looking at us so closely!"

"Louise! Vendelin!"

Still, because of this old man-like conversation, Katharina cried again, and Louise and I were scolded by Elise.

"In any case, you need to reflect today."

So, it was decided that I would spend the day with the maple leaf on my cheek.

"Vendelin."

"What is it? Wilma."

"The maple leaf on Vendelin's cheek looks like the sea urchin grilled in the capital."

"...... That's true..."

And it seems Wilma didn't understand why this was such a big fuss. She was happy that the maple leaf on my cheek looked like the sea urchin grilled in the capital, which is called 'sea urchin grilled'.

By the way, the reason it's called sea urchin grilled is that the maple leaf only exists in a small part of the northern region of the Helmut Kingdom. It's a matter of recognition.

"Immediately, you're being dominated."

"Elise doesn't usually say such strong things."

"Right. Katharina is aiming to revive her family, so she is treated like a noble's daughter."

That's why she scolded me for seeing her naked carelessly.

"No matter how hard Katharina tries, she can't become the head of a noble family."

Since negotiations with the royal family and other nobles are necessary, it's impossible to revive her family without having a son-in-law and making her child the heir.

Conversely, if that condition is accepted, it's not that difficult.

Therefore, it's necessary to have a good talk with Katharina, including these points. She is such a talented magician, it would be a loss not to use her.

"You're gradually becoming more like a noble's vassal."

"I'll take it as a compliment."

In any case, I will have to have a talk with Katharina, including these points.

"Anyway, that's the situation..."

"We'll decide after consulting with everyone."

"Everyone?"

"The representatives of the former Waiger territory and the former vassals."

When I told Katharina about the plan Roderich had thought of, she said she would decide after consulting with everyone. The "everyone" she referred to were the former vassals and the people of the territory.

However, despite losing their land and title in her grandfather's time, they showed an incredible loyalty.

"In the old Baumaster territory, the new lord and steward would get used to it in a year."

"That's the case in other territories... Can you come with us to consult with them?"

"Alright."

We had a talk with Katharina, and then we spent two more days sweating on construction work before flying to the former Waiger territory with our usual team. However, I don't know the exact location of the former Waiger territory, so I can't teleport there.

The Waiger family was originally a knightly family like us, and their territory was about a full day's walk from the capital. It was a relatively wealthy knightly family with a population of about a thousand people.

They cultivated vast farmlands to supply food to the capital, and they were located along the road connecting the capital and the west, so there was a lot of traffic, and they had inns and a commercial district, making it a very good location.

Indeed, it seemed to be a good location, as we arrived after teleporting to the capital and traveling by carriage for half a day.

"