ASDEF 11

Chapter 11

Due to the war with the dark magicians that had lasted a full 20 years, the Royal Order had risen to become a core power of the royal family, but most of them had met their end in that harsh conflict.

In the current situation, where fewer than five hundred mages remained, the mission of the 8th-class mages to protect the kingdom was a heavy one.

Duke Benson, who had devoted his entire life to the country, simply wished for his son to marry a suitable young lady he loved and live a peaceful life.

He didn’t even need a marriage alliance with a great family.

For Duke Benson, whose convictions were so firm, Briana Helle was nothing but an eyesore in many ways.

“It’s fortunate that Lady Helle is a candidate for sainthood. If not, she would have already been dealt with by His Grace’s hands…”

Wally, who had been drawing a line across his throat, quickly changed his bold tone upon seeing Daniel’s expression turn grim.

“Ah, anyway, I had a hard time fabricating the story about Lady Filtz and the young master.”

“So you’re saying you want recognition for your efforts after all.”

“Well, I’m not asking for much, but a generous bonus on top of my salary would be nice.”

“Thanks to you, we’ve ended up in this situation. Why should I be the one to give you a bonus?”

Wally quickly averted his gaze from his master’s cold stare and began to lower his voice even more rapidly than before.

“W-Well, I never imagined His Grace would push for Lady Filtz this hard. My lord’s tastes are always so unpredictable…”

Daniel didn’t reply, turning his gaze forward.

As Wally said, his father’s tastes were indeed something hard to fathom.

Shortly after the introduction meeting.

Duke Benson had unexpectedly visited Daniel’s office in person.

The Duke looked at his son, whom he hadn’t seen face-to-face in a while, and immediately opened his mouth.

“She has a good impression. Quite clever for someone from the countryside, more than I expected. She was a much better child than I anticipated.”

Daniel was momentarily flustered by the unfamiliar sight of the Duke complimenting someone, but he held his breath and waited for his next words.

“My suspicions about you haven’t completely disappeared, but I’ll trust your word that you’re giving up on that saintess candidate.”

“……”

“Instead, marry the young lady you brought that day as soon as possible. Then I will accept the conditions you mentioned last time. The inheritance of the territory you asked for as your share.”

“……This is so sudden, I’m taken aback. Are you serious?”

“Have you forgotten that it’s your father’s principle never to take back what he’s said?”

At the Duke’s firm tone, Daniel had to barely compose his confused mind.

Who would have known it would come to this from the very beginning? If he had, he wouldn’t have chosen her.

The request from the Filtz family, whom he had always to look after, and the Benson family he wanted to break free from.

These two things had become entangled like threads of fate, laid before him.

While pondering how to unravel this, one day, she suddenly appeared before him like destiny.

The starting point of it all was when he was about to return to the city after inspecting the barely restored village.

“Young master, I heard there’s a very famous restaurant around here?”

His dedicated butler, Wally, who had come to pick him up, led him to that restaurant.

After they took their seats at an empty table, a woman approached to take their order.

She wore a brown top, mended in several places, black pants, and worn-out shoes with frayed laces.

She looked like a beggar you’d want to keep your distance from, but there was one thing he liked about her. It was her bright, cheerful face.

With a white, round face and transparently sparkling emerald eyes.

Her appearance was quite similar to the Filtz family, and her bright smile strangely affected people’s moods.

She seemed so out of place in this backwater village that it felt almost alien.

“Young master, this is your first time trying grilled goblin, isn’t it?”

At Wally’s question, Daniel finally tore his gaze away from her. He spoke impassively.

“How did you even find a place like this?”

“Information I got from the Shuton family servants I met at the regular market.”

“You expect me to eat something that smells so foul?”

“Just try one bite, please.”

The woman must have heard his grumbling, but she kept her expression soft and held out her order pad.

While she headed to the kitchen to hand over the order, Daniel’s gaze kept drifting towards her.

“This is the last soup! I told you yesterday to prepare plenty! Ask the next customer for their understanding as much as possible!”

The woman was being scolded as she received the giant turtle soup handed over by the owner. It looked pitiful.

*If she had been born a noble lady, she would have been quite popular. Her face is familiar. If she were properly dressed, you’d believe she was a lady of the Filtz family.*

Daniel was lost in thought for a moment, then quickly snapped out of it. He shook his head slightly.

Just then, a customer at the next table, who had been devouring grilled goblin, suddenly stood up and ran off quickly without even paying.

The woman’s face, which had been cute just moments ago, instantly turned fierce.

“That crazy bastard!”

With a throaty yell, the contents she was holding spilled all over his clothes.

Daniel quickly stood up, brushing off his soup-soaked clothes.

Wally, who was in front of him, hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his clothes.

“S-Sorry!”

The woman also let out a short exclamation and tried to wipe his clothes with her apron, but there was no way the sticky soup would come off properly.

The woman didn’t even seem to realize where she was wiping, only rubbing his chest area repeatedly, her eyes fixed on the person running away in the distance.

Daniel, flustered by the unfamiliar woman’s touch, blushed.

“H-Hey. Where are you…!”

“S-Sorry! It’s not that I’m trying to run away, but I have to catch that bastard! I’ll definitely compensate you!”

Leaving Daniel behind, the woman chased after the escapee.

He stared blankly at the woman’s receding back for a while. Then he muttered.

“She ran away without me…?”

Recalling that day’s events, Daniel let out a small chuckle.

“She’s certainly not an ordinary woman.”

As Wally said, he could have found more plausible and proper young ladies.

But for Daniel, he couldn’t find anyone more perfect for his plan than that woman.

If he gave even a little leeway, most young ladies would strangely become obsessed and cling to him.

That wasn’t the person he was looking for.

What he needed was a woman who would carry out a one-year contract marriage cleanly without any emotional involvement, and leave without looking back.

Since it was a relationship predicated on separation, wouldn’t that be cleaner for both parties?

If he could just endure for one year, he could also relieve himself of the burden of guilt he’d been carrying concerning the Filtz family.

Not only that, he could temporarily escape from his suffocating father’s surveillance.

And after that, he would be free to stand by Briana’s side, who would soon become the official saintess.

Even knowing he wouldn’t win her heart.

But ultimately, all of this depends on the woman named Sophie showing up here.

“Young master, the train is pulling in!”

Daniel’s gaze followed the direction Wally was pointing. Soon, a train emitting black steam pulled into the station.

Daniel fixed his eyes on the people getting off the train.

He thought he wouldn’t take his eyes off the train until she got off.

But nowhere among the passing passengers was she to be seen.

—

*I’ll give you as much money or territory as you want.*

It was certainly an offer that would have tempted the poor woman. Even if she couldn’t accept immediately, he thought there was only one choice she could ultimately make.

Faced with the unexpected situation, Daniel’s pupils shook slightly.

“Do you think she might have been scared at the introduction meeting that day? His Grace did ask some questions, but the overall atmosphere was quite austere…”

Wally asked in a meek, almost creeping voice.