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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Your Highness? What do you mean…?”
A princess of the Empire, kneeling on the ground with her head bowed.
My mother instinctively panicked, unsure whether to help her up or if touching her would be considered sacrilegious.
Watching the scene unfold, I realized.
Aha, Elena had a plan.
To put it negatively, Elena was cunning. To put it positively, she was clever.
Cunning had negative connotations, so perhaps clever was the more appropriate word.
In any case, Elena had made the first move. I didn’t know what ulterior motives she had, but I could interpret her actions.
By assuming a humble posture and subtly leveraging her status as a princess, she’d positioned herself as a representative for the group.
Genius.
I understood her intentions, and I had to admire her quick thinking.
“That woman never changes.”
Lassiel muttered beside me, shaking her head in disbelief as our eyes met.
Everyone had caught on to Elena’s scheme.
Unfazed, Elena continued,
“As I said, Mother, if you give me Rudrick, I’ll make him happy for the rest of his life.”
“So… Your Highness is proposing a marriage contract with my son…?”
“Yes.”
“Oh dear…”
My mother let out a deep sigh, her face etched with bewilderment.
“If Your Highness desires my unworthy son, it is my duty as a subject to offer him, but there are matters of propriety…”
“Rudrick is already the Court Mage, a man of standing. What does propriety matter?”
Even in her confusion, my mother maintained her composure.
Elena responded calmly.
She had a point.
A marriage between a princess and the son of a minor noble family, tucked away in a remote corner of the Empire.
Royalty had to consider political factors in their marriages. Even if it wasn’t a political marriage, it was still a union between families.
However, as Elena pointed out, I was now the Court Mage, treated as the equivalent of a Marquis.
There was no issue of marrying below her station.
Elena’s logic was sound, and my mother fell silent.
It was my turn to speak.
I’d been hesitant to drop this bombshell, but it was better to face the music sooner rather than later.
I couldn’t hide this forever.
“Mother, there’s something…”
“Rudrick, step aside. This isn’t your place.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I was interrupted before I could even begin. I obediently stepped back.
The word “marriage” had clearly shocked my mother.
“Let’s not keep Her Highness standing here. Please, come inside.”
“We can’t very well discuss this out here,” Elena agreed, nodding.
The other four, now relegated to bystanders thanks to Elena’s maneuver, exchanged subtle glances.
They’d realized what had happened. They couldn’t say anything outright, so they were forced to stew in silence.
What was I supposed to do now?
I couldn’t predict what would happen next.
The outcome was… unexpected.
Five women, my mother, and myself, all gathered in the Weiss manor’s drawing-room.
We were all present, but the atmosphere was far from cozy.
“I apologize for the lack of proper refreshments. I’ve sent for tea.”
“There’s no need. We’re not here for refreshments.”
There was a stark contrast between her current polite tone and the condescending way she’d addressed my mother as “Countess” during her previous visit after the regression.
My mother’s expression shifted slightly, and she looked around the room.
Why is the Grand Duchess of Nord here?
She didn’t recognize Sylphia or Arwen, but she knew Eileen, having attended my appointment ceremony.
Her face often appeared in the newspapers, so it wasn’t surprising that she recognized her.
Especially now, with her rising fame as the Empire’s Black Lion and one of its few Master Swordsmen.
And that’s Admiral Repert… why is she here?
She glanced at Lassiel, her face puzzled.
She understood Elena’s presence, given her declaration of intent to marry me. But why were Eileen and Lassiel here?
Surely, they hadn’t come simply to observe.
As for the other two, Arwen and Sylphia, their bearing suggested they were of noble birth, but she couldn’t place them.
Why were five such prominent figures gathered here? She had no idea.
The real reason, of course, was that the other four were also my prospective brides. But that was a concept so outlandish, no ordinary person would ever conceive of it.
A heavy silence fell over the room as everyone looked at my mother.
“So, you wish to marry my… inadequate son?”
The main topic of the day.
My mother was still in a state of shock.
Elena’s sudden proposal, delivered immediately upon arrival, had thrown her off balance. Marriage was a serious matter between families.
While it was a joyous occasion, being connected to the Imperial family in this way wasn’t entirely welcome.
My mother was content to manage her inherited territory. Shee had no desire to enter the political arena or wield power as a member of the Imperial family.
This proposal was a bolt from the blue.
“Yes.”
“Oh dear…”
My mother’s face was a mixture of emotions.
Despite her unassuming nature, she was politically astute. She mentally calculated the ramifications of this marriage, then looked at me.
“Rudrick, is this your wish as well?”
“Yes.”
My mother sighed again as I readily agreed.
She’d always thought I was underachieving, but I’d managed to snag a princess of the Empire.
Even putting aside parental bias, I was reasonably good-looking.
Looks were a man’s greatest weapon, and while I wasn’t aware of it myself, objectively, I was considered quite handsome.
She could guess how I’d charmed the princess, but since I’d agreed, she had no choice but to give her blessing.
Having already made her decision, she was now calculating the consequences of this marriage.
Suddenly, she remembered something.
“And the rest of you… what brings you here?”
The same question she’d had earlier.
Elena and I were here for her blessing, but why were the others present? They couldn’t possibly be here simply as spectators.
It made no sense for them to accompany us on such a serious occasion just to watch.
Her expression was filled with curiosity.
“Mother.”
“This isn’t your place, Rudrick. We’ll talk later.”
“There’s no one else to explain.”
“Hmm?”
My mother tried to stop me, but her curiosity deepened after hearing my words.
At the same time…
A strange, inexplicable sense of unease washed over her.
I was her son.
She’d raised me for twenty years.
And in those twenty years, she’d learned that my eyes shifted like this when I was about to do something outrageous.
It was one of two things.
Either I knew it was outrageous and was doing it anyway, or I was unaware of the absurdity of my actions.
She instinctively knew it was the former.
And sure enough…
“Well, I am marrying Elena, but… not just Elena.”
Silence.
My mother pondered my words.
I was marrying Elena, the Second Princess.
But not just Elena.
That meant there were others. It was no coincidence that her gaze shifted to the other four women, who were sitting silently.
“Am I… understanding this correctly?”
“Probably.”
I confirmed her suspicions.
Her eyes widened, as if an earthquake had just struck.
Then, she fainted.
“Mother! It’s not that serious! Mother! Wake up!”
I frantically shook my mother, who was now unconscious.
As her vision faded to black, her last thought was,
‘I wish I could stay unconscious forever.’
The truth was too much for her to bear.
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[Your Text Here]
Lmao
Thanks for the chapter!