Akuyaku Tensei

Chapter 209 – Kaldia’s Budding Spring 5

He asked a odd question which I didn’t quite understand but it seems like Oscar doesn’t really object to this marriage either.

Well, they live in one of the area under the territory lord’s mansion and don’t really go out into the high society, so n.o.ble, lady-like skills will probably not be demanded from Claudia. In fact, if you just think about it in terms of income, she might just be an amazing wife…… Probably.

For now, I guess it is alright to think that there will not be any impediments to the marriage as long as no problems arise from Oscar’s side — the Terejia house.

If that is the case, then as I thought, the problem is…

“….And that’s what she said..”

“Ah…. I see…”

When I told him about the condition Claudia spoke about, Oscar wore an indescribable expression.

I was probably making a similar face, as well. If someone were to look at us, they wouldn’t think we are talking about marriage at all.

“A duel… eh. That too against Natarnael-dono who is renowned for his strength among the Imperial Knights.”

It seems like Claudia’s brother had been promoted to the Imperial Knights before I knew it. He was supposed to be in the military police squad maintaining public order so that is quite the promotion. He might have also joined the king’s army.

“Do you think you have a chance at winning?”

“Impossible. The Imperial Guards are the best among the elites. If it was a death fight, it would’ve been different but when it comes to royal court sword skills, I do not hold a candle against him.”

Oscar flatly declared. Remembering the blunder at the school last year, I couldn’t help but wear a bitter smile.

But still, this is bad. Who would have thought the biggest obstacle to this marriage would be one of Claudia’s relative, when the one asking her to get married is her father.

“However, the situations have changed since that promise. How about discussing the matter with Natarnael-dono?”

That is true. Her brother wouldn’t want his sister to be unmarried, now would he?

I nodded and decided to advance this marriage talk seriously.

First, I decided to send a letter to Earl Terejia.

When I handed over the letter to Paulo, who had now become a veteran messenger soldier, and told him to go deliver it to the capital, he looked crestfallen and hung his head.

“Hm? What happened? Did you request for a vacation or something?”

When I was about to go and check whether the request papers were checked or not, Paulo panickedly shook his head left and right.

“Ah, no… it’s not like that. Just that there is a girl I am getting along with recently… Ah! No! It’s not like I am neglecting this job for that or anything!”

…..Looks like there is a person who is enjoying the post-war peace here too. (?)

I should better think about the marriage rush and the surge in birthrate which would accompany that. Well, since the quality of life now is very different from the previous world, I probably don’t need to think about it that deeply…. Probably.

“But… it’s just that.. the girl is from the Shil tribe and it is pretty difficult to earn their trust….”

“Paulo, that b.a.s.t.a.r.d, recently it seems like he is being doubted for cheating! I am jealous that he is popular among the girls but now I am starting to feel pity towards him.”

Said a soldier, who just happened to pa.s.s by.

Paulo, who has now grown into a fine man, with his gentle and amiable personality and the t.i.tle of a messenger soldier being that young, has earned himself quite the popularity among the girls of the village.

Of course, now that the new mansion is closer to the village and the soldiers need to go there quite often, the girls of the village have got their guards up. Among them, the Shil tribe’s guard seems to be quite hard.

Due to the tribe’s tradition, it is hard for someone who is not from their tribe to marry one of their girls.

“A round trip from the capital will take at least three days, won’t it? Three days…. They were finally starting to open their hearts to me.. what will I do if it goes back to square one….”

Paulo said, looking all gloomy with his shoulders down. I decided to give up on entrusting him with the job and told him with a sigh, ‘Okay, okay, I understand. I will leave it to someone else’. Because I have known him for quite a while now, I end up making him run more errands unintentionally quite a lot even when I could ask other soldiers to do it.

“S-sorry, ma’am.”

“It’s fine. A lot of the soldiers being single was starting to become a small problem, after all. If you too have someone you like, I won’t bother you unnecessarily.”

As the Kaldia army was in the frontline of the war, a lot of the soldiers were lost. Now the number of male and female in the territory are close so if most of the guys stay single, a lot of the girls would have to remain unmarried too, which I would like to prevent.

“M-ma’am! Thank you very much! I will do my best to make her like me! ….Hm? What do you mean by ‘you too’?”

He bowed overcome with emotion but then slightly raised his head with a question.

“Gunther’s marriage application was delivered… To be honest, it didn’t seem like that at all from his behavior to me but surely you have heard about it, right?”

“Eeeh?! What is with that?! I didn’t know!!”

Hmm? Even Paulo who is well known among the territory army is unaware, eh?

Well, it"s Gunther we are talking about here, after all. There is the possibility that he is hiding it because he will get ridiculed.

…..But even still, there is one point which bothers me.

Recalling the paper which I had left in the drawer, I decided to confirm the matter.

Bothersome as it may be, there are no laws to accept divorce in Arkshia. If there’s something bothering you, the key is to investigate beforehand to avoid trouble.