Chapter 201 : Chapter 201

Chapter : 201

“Let ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍us get married.”

Had ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I misheard her? With a faint hope that I had, I raised my head and looked at Princess Maceania, the Duchess of Aquitaine.

But—

“Why? ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Did you not hear me? I said, let us get married.”

“Mm….”

I ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had heard correctly.

“Is that not rather sudden? Marriage, of all things?”

“Hm. Do you not like me? I think I am quite pretty. No, wait. Am I not extremely beautiful?”

As she spoke, Princess Maceania, the Duchess of Aquitaine, stepped in close without warning. A gentle floral scent brushed the tip of my nose.

-GULP.

Before I knew it, I swallowed. It was not because I was imagining anything strange. Truly!

“C-Cough. You are far too close, are you not?”

“Oh, come on. Have you always been this dull as a man?”

What an enchantress. The way she glanced at me coyly—ah.

‘Get a hold of yourself.’

I braced myself internally and looked back at Princess Maceania, the Duchess of Aquitaine.

“This seems unrelated to the matter at hand. Why are you suddenly asking to marry me?”

“Tch.”

“Ahem. Cough.”

As I cleared my throat, she pulled away and sank heavily into a chair.

Then she pondered for a moment and slowly opened her mouth to me.

“You set this whole affair up as well, did you not? Somehow, the way things were unfolding smelled familiar.”

“Mm….”

Why had this woman suddenly become so sharp? I kept silent instead of answering.

“Well, they say silence means yes….”

“That is a misunderstanding. How could I possibly be controlling everything, Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine?”

“Hmmm. Is that so?”

“Yes. That is so.”

“All right. If you say so, I will believe you. I will be-lieve you.”

It felt as though she were oddly emphasizing the words, but it must have been my imagination.

Whether it was or not, the Duchess of Aquitaine continued, staring at me.

“You, ah—no, never mind. In any case, because of that little spark the Duke of Bourgogne and his cronies tossed into the air, everything is a complete mess right now. In the Western region, they have raised a king among themselves and are openly opposing the rest, and my poor little brother, Charles I, is diligently building his power base in the southwest and central regions.”

“Is that not common knowledge? But what does that have to do with marrying me…?”

“Do you truly not know?”

“How could I know if you do not tell me? Haha.”

“Hmph. Since it is not your problem, you are thinking quite comfortably.”

The Duchess of Aquitaine wrinkled her nose.

“Because of you people, my brother has his eyes on me. On me, the most tempting bite—and the least defended.”

“…Pardon?”

“Do you think I have ever fought a war? Do you think I have ever defended my domain from threats like this? And just as the Kingdom of Catalia below us is watching me for an opening, my darling little brother is watching me too. The Duchy of Aquitaine.”

“Ha….”

Once I understood the situation, all I could do was let out a hollow laugh. Even so—he was coveting his own family’s land? Crown Prince Charles I?

But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a plausible calculation.

If he joined hands with the Kingdom of Catalia to attack the Duchy of Aquitaine, it could be taken with alarming ease.

“So that is why you want me at your side—as a card to stop it?”

“Yes. I need an ally who will protect my territory. And among all alliances, what is superior to one bound by blood?”

“Well, that is true, but…”

“What do you mean, ‘that is true, but’? Of course it is the best. You and I are both unmarried, are we not? If we bind ourselves together, who would dare point a finger at us?”

Good heavens, this young lady.

Why was she so confident and bold?

And why, as she spoke, did she keep pressing herself so close to me?

“Hoo-oo-ong. Why? You look as though something does not sit well with you.”

“Hahaha…. Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine? Would you please step back a little…?”

“Am I not attractive? Honestly, I am extraordinarily beautiful. Are you not tempted? Or could it be….”

As she spoke, the Duchess of Aquitaine swept her gaze over me from head to toe.

“Are you a eunuch? Or are you attracted to men?”

“What are you saying! I am still in full vigor. Ah…?”

“Pfft.”

“Grrr….”

I felt as though I was being toyed with. I forced myself to clear my throat and calm the agitation in my chest.

“Enough with the jokes. I understand what you mean. You need an alliance to block outside threats, is that not so?”

“That is right. More precisely, I need a defensive alliance that can serve as an unmistakably powerful sign. Marriage would be the best.”

“I cannot decide something like that immediately. Marriage is a serious matter, is it not?”

“Then what?”

At my words, the Duchess of Aquitaine wrinkled her nose again.

In other words, she did not like what I had said. It seemed she wanted a military alliance with me, no matter what it took.

Of course, that was also true for me.

“Then how about we begin with a defensive alliance between us? Let us take it one step at a time. Slowly. While we adjust to each other.”

“Heeheeheung. Adjust to each other…. You are right. I was too hasty. Just as you say, we should fit ourselves to each other, one by one. You seem to know your way around romance. Hehe.”

“…….”

What on earth was she imagining now? In any case, she really was a difficult woman in every way—that Duchess of Aquitaine.

---

Princess Maceania, the Duchess of Aquitaine, left my quarters looking satisfied.

And for good reason: she had obtained from me a firm promise of a solid military alliance.

I had agreed to support her territory with five thousand troops, and in return, I was permitted to use her trade network without paying taxes.

In a sense, it was a win-win arrangement.

Moreover, although I would be dispatching a sizable force, it meant that the vast region called Aquitaine would fall under my influence. For me, there was no loss in that—especially in a time when expanding one’s power base mattered more than anything.

“Hoooh. All right, then. So what on earth did you talk about?”

“Baa-a-a. Right. My lorrd. What did you talk about? Mehr.”

Of course, my vassals who did not know the details hurried over the moment the Duchess left and demanded answers.

“We simply discussed an alliance. She says the Kingdom of Catalia and Charles I are eyeing the Duchy of Aquitaine.”

I replied as though it were nothing. But Magician Agpiel and Bishop Marco, the troublesome goat beastman, seemed different.

“Hmmm…. Was that truly all?”

“Baa-a-a. There was definitely something more. Mehr. My lorrd. What are you hiding. Meh-heh-heh-heh-heh?”

“…….”

They were looking at me with expressions that were… somehow… somehow… rather lewd.

“What is with those faces? All of you.”

“What else? A perfectly reasonable inference that there was something more.”

“Right. Mehr.”

“…She asked me to marry her.”

“What? So it was as I thought.”

“Meh-heh-heh. Right, right. As expected. Mehr.”

“???”

What did they mean, “as expected”?

What did they take me for? Then Bishop Marco tilted his head and asked,

“Meh-heh? Was that not what you had in mind from the start? My lorrd. Why are you being so lewd. Meh-heh-heh-heh.”

“Is it not said that the quiet cat is the first to climb onto the kitchen stove? Our young lord is such a quiet cat, so he is merely ashamed and wishes to handle this discreetly. Hohoho.”

“Baa-a-a! Now that I think about it, the old magician’s words sound right. Meh-heh-heh-heh. My lorrd is embarrassed too. Mehr.”

“Indeed. Exactly, Bishop Goat.”

“…….”

My head hurt.

In moments like this, they matched each other’s rhythm perfectly. They simply wanted to make fun of me and watch me squirm, did they not?

“Stop it. Magician Agpiel. Bishop Marco. You as well. Ahem.”

“Hmm? Why? I thought you would obviously marry her.”

“Right, Mehr.”

“What marriage? I ended it as an alliance.”

To my surprise, the two of them looked even more shocked.

“Baa-a-a-a-a?!”

“No, why not? Why in the world?”

They stared at me, aghast, as though they had heard something unimaginable, and questioned me again.

I had not expected such a dramatic reaction.

“How could I do otherwise? How could I decide on marriage so abruptly?”

“Uh…. Well, that is true, but….”

As he spoke, Magician Agpiel swept his gaze over me, as though he suspected I was an impostor.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because, judging by your usual behavior, I thought you would have married the princess without hesitation. Is this not an opportunity? If you marry Princess Maceania, the Duchess of Aquitaine, the Duchy of Aquitaine practically falls into your hands.”

“Baa-a-a! Then you become a truly enormous great lord, right? Mehr. My lorrd. What are you thinking! You fool! Baa-a-a.”

To think such words would come out of these two.

Had they really thought that of me all along?

‘Mm….’

And yet, when I considered it, their logic did have merit.

If I married her, I could swallow Aquitaine whole, and she was, after all, a princess of the Elang Kingdom.

Though she was a woman and thus pushed down the line of succession, she would still become a powerful claimant to the throne. If circumstances aligned, it would even become a tremendous opportunity to swallow the Elang Kingdom as well.

‘But still….’

Marriage was… a bit…

Was it because my modern sensibilities still clung to me too strongly? A marriage without romance, without love, did not come easily to my hand.

And besides—

‘If I return to my own home, what then? If I marry, I will not be able to go back so easily.’

That was it. A brutally practical problem.

If I married, would I not be chained down?

I was, undeniably, a foreigner in this world of [Pangea Universalise]. Someday I would have to return to my homeland, Earth.

But I could not say any of that out loud.

“C-Cough. I have my reasons. Would it not be dangerous to marry hastily? Besides, it might provoke others unnecessarily.”

So I had no choice but to skirt the truth and offer a different excuse.

“Ah…. Is that so?”

“Baa-a-a-a…. Is that really true, my lorrd?”

Instead, Magician Agpiel and Bishop Marco looked at me as though they had lost all wind.

It felt as though my excuse had not landed at all.

“Well, if you say so, then so be it. Is that not right, Bishop Marco?”

“Baa-a-a. Right. Sage. Mehr.”

“Of course….”

“Of course? What are you about to say, Magician Agpiel?”

“What am I about to say?”

Magician Agpiel gave a small chuckle and shrugged.

“I only mean that you will soon change your mind. Hohoho.”

“…What?”

What did he mean?

It felt like the same riddle he had tossed at me last time.

But, as always, Magician Agpiel did not give me an answer.

“Heh-heh-heh. You will find out soon enough. When the time comes, your thinking will change. Do your best.”

“No! Magician Agpiel! Tell me before you go!”

“Hush. I told you, you will know when the time comes.”

And with that, he merely laughed and left my quarters.

“Seriously!”

Once again, I was left alone in the room, sighing, filled with questions.

And not long after—

“Y-Your Grace…?”

That “question” was soon answered.

“What is it?”

“Nobles nearby, and envoys from neighboring countries, are requesting an audience.”

“…?”

“We have already received about forty. They are all matchmaking envoys, saying they want to marry… Your Grace. How should we handle this?”

“?????????”

That was right.

The moment one matter ended, marriage proposals came pouring in at a multinational scale.

“…….”