Chapter 414
As expected, the moment I stepped into the banquet hall, all eyes were on me. Normally, nobles with titles are considered higher in status than regular nobles, and among those with titles, counts and above are deemed high-ranking nobles. So, the entrance of fourteen grand lords at once was enough to pique the interest of the nobility.
And among those fourteen were the newly elevated Marquis and the designated Minister. It was clear to everyone that this wasn’t just a friendly gathering.
Fortunately, those intimidating enough to make others merely stare without approaching us seemed to be more interested in gawking at the spectacle than mingling—
“What’s this? You all gathered together?”
There was, however, someone who was bold enough to ignore the presence of a marquis, a designated minister, and the grand lords.
With the impressive physique of a mountain, the Ironblood Duke cut through the crowd of nobles, causing the lords behind me to flinch. No matter how clever and crafty these nobles were to garner their titles, seeing a warrior of the nomads instantly put them in awe.
“Father-in-law.”
I politely bowed my head to the approaching father-in-law, and his expression softened slightly.
He seemed pleased to be called “father-in-law” in public rather than the stiff title of ‘Your Grace’. After all, he values family above all else.
“What kind of young man lingers around like an old man?”
“Come on, you’re still in great shape. Honestly, I think you’re healthier than my father.”
“Well, you do have a way with words.”
As I returned a light-hearted jab with kind words, the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. It was a small yet definite smile.
A valuable piece of information from Mar revealed that my father-in-law was somewhat touchy about aging. Hence, simple compliments like these hold substantial effect.
“Indeed. If you’re to socialize, you must have the gift of gab.”
“I’ve picked up words from the friends I can share my bond with.”
I casually gestured toward the northern grand lords. Since my father-in-law was acknowledging those from our faction, it was only natural for me, as his son-in-law, to introduce them.
It’s inappropriate for a junior to directly engage a superior without a mediator. No matter how exalted a marquis or count is, they’re still beneath a duke.
“Especially with Barandi becoming a marquis, he has learned the joy of camaraderie with friends.”
At that, my father-in-law’s gaze shifted to Marquis Barandi.
“A friend of my son-in-law cannot be considered an outsider. I hope you’ll continue nurturing this relationship.”
“Absolutely, Your Grace. I will maintain an unchanging friendship with Count Wyridia.”
When my father-in-law extended his hand, Barandi took it with both hands, bowing deeply in perfect form. Understanding the significance of a duke’s stature within the Empire, he executed the gesture flawlessly.
I felt a strange sense of admiration. I mean, as much as I sympathize with Barandi, I doubt he would show such a degree of respect in front of Kagan.
‘Father-in-law carries more weight than Kagan.’
Reflecting on this, I can understand Barandi’s position. Kagan, who hasn’t touched him yet, is at war with the Empire, while my father-in-law, the faction leader, could easily shake him with a mere word. Obviously, the choice to fear lies with the latter.
Even I find that the Emperor, my boss, is the absolute worst right now. Sure beats being compared to a dead Kagan or Dorgon, right?
“This also goes for you all. My insufficient son-in-law will rely on your assistance.”
In the meantime, my father-in-law, having finished greeting Barandi, shifted his gaze to the other grand lords.
This was unusual. Despite counts being high-ranking nobility, dukes can easily treat such counts as mere vassals. Typically, a duke would exchange a few words with a marquis and move on, yet my father-in-law was actively engaging with the count faction members.
“W-Well, it’s an honor, Your Grace.”
Even the grand lords, trained in the Empire’s etiquette, seemed flustered, with only the crafty Count Kaita managing to respond.
But this situation wasn’t the fault of the other grand lords; it’s just Kaita is special. The fact that only one person managed to reply didn’t even earn a reprimand from my father-in-law, who merely nodded.
“Son-in-law.”
“Yes, Father-in-law.”
As I lowered my head, my father-in-law placed his hand on my shoulder and said:
“The courage of the nomads is something that only our Empire can contend with. Today, as these brave warriors have become friends of yours, you must continue this friendship for the Empire’s sake.”
Hearing this, I felt a slight sense of relief. My father-in-law’s warmth in engaging the counts brought up a question, but the direct request at the end clarified everything.
On the surface, it might seem like a noble sentiment of eventually establishing peace after years of conflict with the nomads, but in reality, it was about—
‘Needing to say something.’
My father-in-law just needed to talk. With his words about nomadic bravery and loyalty to the Empire, it was evident.
Of course, with the northern region now firmly in the Empire’s embrace, the only borders remaining were with the east. And my father-in-law is a duke in charge of the east. It makes sense that he’d be keen about securing critical military resources, namely horses.
‘This is basically an open auction.’
Thus, my father-in-law was showing off in front of all the nobles. My son-in-law, leading the faction of northern grand lords, would value each of their members, so they should be mindful. He’s ready to stomp anyone trying to bid before him.
The proclamation was bold, but hey, it’s for the border defense, so who could complain? He’s not even suggesting they sell cheaply; he’s just seeking first dibs.
‘Honestly, I’m all for it.’
Besides, my father-in-law’s territory is a hub of military supplies. This means they can modify the workings of a smithy to produce not just military goods but also everyday commodities in bulk.
At the very least, we could swap northern horses not for money but for goods. From the nomads’ perspective, it wouldn’t be a bad deal.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
With my agreement to his terms, my father-in-law nodded in satisfaction. I too felt exhilarated thinking about the horses from the north rampaging through the eastern kingdoms.
Screw those idiots. They thrived while we tanked the nomads’ attacks.
Now it’s their turn to roll.
After exchanging greetings with my father-in-law, all I received were hungry gazes once again. Even if someone wanted to come up and approach, now that my father-in-law had already declared, ‘I’ll crush anyone trying to bid before me,’ they’d probably be too afraid to get near.
Though an elven duke was boldly striding over, he clearly wasn’t phased by my father-in-law. His status as the mage duke meant he wasn’t worried about any words from anyone else.
“Once this banquet ends, it’s back to the Academy, huh? I can’t even tell you how much I missed it.”
As I separated from my faction members and wandered towards the corner, Beatrix whispered after reciting a small incantation, likely to ward off prying ears.
“I missed you too. If I could teleport, I would have visited the Academy every day.”
Pulling Beatrix close for an embrace, she flapped her ears in satisfaction.
That reaction—yup, that’s the Beatrix I know. So comfortably stable.
“Whew—!”
“Oh, sorry!”
In my moment of blissful distraction, I absentmindedly started fiddling with sensitive spots. I knew full well where I shouldn’t be!
As I yanked my hand away in embarrassment, Beatrix’s hand latched onto my wrist. Though an easy thing to shake off with strength, her urgency made me pause.
“You can… keep going.”
With a voice that sounded like it was crawling along, I went back to caressing her ears and decided simply to roll with it. Something about the situation seemed off, but since I was the one who took initiative, I let it slide.
Right, this is some form of skinship. Isn’t the point to share affection commensurate with the level of skinship desired?
“Um, baby?”
Just as I was beginning to indulge in some odd self-rationalization, Beatrix’s voice snapped me back to reality.
“I’ve got a question. Can I ask?”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
It was surprisingly casual, but I nodded readily. Beatrix wanting to ask me something felt unexpectedly nice, especially given our recent entry with the northern faction.
“Word on the street is, when do you plan to get cozy with Mar?”
“Huh?”
What a surprising and rather shocking inquiry!
‘Cozy?’
My mind couldn’t wrap around the question. When was I going to get comfortable with her? I mean, aren’t we already doing that?
I casually call her by her nickname, I often pull her onto my lap, and I lay down on top of her while kissing her forehead or cheek. Isn’t that as cozy as it gets?
As I blinked in naivety, Beatrix let out a small sigh.
“I’m asking when you’ll drop the formalities with her, silly.”
“…”
Oh.
It felt like I had been hit hard on the back of the head. Why had I not realized such an obvious thing until now?
‘I’ve only used formal speech with Mar.’
It’s definitely strange. It’s not like I address all my lovers with formal titles, nor do I always use polite speech with older partners.
No, even if I treated older partners with formalities, Mar is younger than me. It feels more appropriate to speak formally to Beatrix.
‘Have I just gotten too accustomed to this?’
I first met Mar around two years ago through introductions by my father-in-law the duke. Although we initially spoke with strict formalities, that habit has carried over until today.
I’d taken those formalities for granted, not daring to change them.
Ugh.
I nearly sighed out loud in self-doubt. Sure, there are couples who respect each other and use formal titles, but if that’s the case, I should do it with all six of them. Treating only Mar differently feels quite discriminatory.
I’ll need to apologize to her after the banquet.
“Ah, babe…!”
“Ah.”
Before I could even work up a proper apology to Beatrix in front of me, I felt like I needed to say sorry to her first for awkwardly touching her so carelessly.
At that very moment, I noticed her shivering body, flushed cheeks, and eyes that were almost misting up.
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