Chapter: 586
I realized why the First Prince, who clearly hated me, suddenly turned into a warm man shortly after he left.
“Probably the First Queen ordered him to do that. She must have told him to win your heart like that. It’s obvious. He even suggested a marriage proposal to me.”
Upon hearing the word “marriage proposal,” I panicked and distanced myself.
“What? Marriage!? With that piece of trash!? Are you insane! No way! I’d rather bite my tongue and die than accept such a thing!”
“I’m saying this to avoid misunderstandings, but I rejected that proposal. A kid like you isn’t my type.”
“Ah. So, the Useless Prince is in the same category as the Sympathy Loser? I guess it’s similar. Both are pathetic, useless, and lacking talent. Though you seem even less capable.”
As I shot back at his mocking, Arthur fell silent.
What’s up with him? Normally, he’d be blowing up with anger at this time.
“Oh. Come to think of it, was that why Grandpa got angry in the middle?”
[I think it was foolish. But still. I can't hand you over to that waste!]
Even without Grandpa getting so mad, Benedict would have rejected it first. He’d throw out lines similar to what Grandpa just said.
“But how did the First Prince manage to accept the marriage proposal? I thought he didn’t like me at all.”
[Personal preferences have nothing to do with it. In noble marriages, whether you like each other or not is completely unimportant.]
Grandpa explained that what matters in noble marriages is political intent.
Those born with noble blood are treated with respect just for being aristocrats, but there are things they have to sacrifice in return.
Understanding this made it clear why the First Prince approached me suppressing his feelings. If he were dependent on the First Queen, he’d have no choice but to accept whatever fate lay ahead.
[The part you should be puzzled about is something else.]
“What are you talking about?”
[Lucy, you are the only bloodline of the Allen Family. Therefore, it's impossible for you to marry elsewhere. Without you, the Allen bloodline would disappear.]
“Uh, so does that mean they have to come from that side?”
[Yes. The First Prince would have to abandon the throne he’s already taken and come to Allen. No matter how much the First Queen commands him, it’s strange to accept this willingly.]
“No. For the First Prince, it wouldn’t be that weird. It’s complicated to explain, but it’s not impossible.”
Usually, when a person is stripped of something they should have, there’s rebellion. If something huge is taken away, the intensity of the rebellion should also increase.
To put it differently, if a child grows up in such a miserable environment that they can’t learn to rebel, it means there would be no other choice but to be stripped away.
Grandpa seemed puzzled by my words but didn’t press me further.
[Well. There’s no need to worry too much. As long as you don’t want this marriage proposal to go through, it won’t happen.]
“Is it because of Benedict?”
[Yes. If your father refuses the marriage proposal, who could force it? He wouldn't let his child suffer, even if it meant sacrificing himself. So, this marriage proposal will never be officially mentioned. At least until you change your mind.]
So that’s why the First Prince was wearing that disgusting grin.
Is he trying to seduce me like he does with the other Young Ladies!?
Eww. If this hypothesis is true, it means he’ll keep trying to seduce me in the future.
In my previous life, my wish was to be hit on by a girl even once, but who would have thought it would happen in reverse.
The more I think about it, the more horrifying it is. I’d rather deal with a craving Sloppy Fox or a Perverted Apostle; even they seem cleaner than this.
[The most gentle solution to this would be to wait for time to pass. If enough public pressure builds, he will have no choice but to give up.]
“So you want me to just watch while the First Prince keeps hitting on me until then!?”
[There are other options, but they all lean towards extreme measures. Are you okay with that?]
The moment I heard Grandpa’s words, I instinctively blurted out to wait and see.
His excited tone felt extremely uneasy.
Since it’s advice from Grandpa, who’s mastered politics, the outcome will probably be good, but I feel like everything happening in between will be dramatic!
[I can assure you it will not harm you.]
“That just means it won’t harm me.”
[What's the problem with that? It’s wrong for him to approach without knowing his place.]
With his oddly irritable tone, I couldn’t help but chuckle and shook my head again.
“It’s fine.”
I don’t like the First Prince.
When I viewed him from the outside, he was just a nuisance with too much pointless dialogue, ruining my speedrun. And now that I know his past, I still find him annoying.
I sympathize with his unfortunate past, but that’s about it. I don’t think of him as someone I must save like Phoebe or Joy, nor do I see him as someone I need to protect like those around me.
Yet strangely enough, I couldn’t be harsh with the First Prince. There’s a weird feeling stopping me that’s hard to explain.
This feeling probably belongs to Lucy, not me.
What on earth happened between Lucy and the First Prince back in time?
“I guess I’ll just hear about it when there’s really no other choice.”
So let’s put off listening to Grandpa’s suggestion for now. I’ll have to return to that island anyway to search for traces of the Hero. It won’t be too late to confront Lucy’s past after that.
*
Even though I somewhat organized my feelings, I couldn’t help but let my expression sour.
How can I maintain a good expression when a guy I have nothing but disgust for declared that he’s out to seduce me? In this situation, only Phoebe could keep a smile.
“The Jushin Church will never allow that marriage proposal!”
That’s what I thought, but Phoebe was also fuming, veins popping in her neck.
It was such an uncharacteristic sight of her that I tilted my head, but then I remembered the connection between the church and purity and unconsciously nodded along.
Don’t worry! Phoebe! That thing you’re worried about will absolutely not happen! Unless that sloppy Lord Jushin does something weird!
“So what brings the Hero here again?”
After a ruckus, the Fairy Queen gathered everyone’s attention.
“The idiot swordsman is up to something dumb again, so I came to find him.”
“If it’s him, he’s swinging his sword with Yuden at the center of the forest. But what’s he doing that’s so stupid?”
“He’s ignoring the Brain Muscle Grandpa’s orders!”
“…Brain Muscle Grandpa?”
The Fairy Queen tilted her head, clearly not understanding my words.
Hmm. Hmm. There’s no way I can explain this, right?
Phoebe. You understand… oh, you don’t get it either. Arthur is also furrowing his brows.
“Sigh. Forget it. No matter what I say, you Shoddy ones wouldn’t get it, so just follow me.”
As we followed the Fairy Queen’s lead, a chilling feeling brushed against the back of my neck the moment we arrived near where Frey was.
This is definitely a warning like a Sense of Crisis. What’s going on here? Is something dangerous inside? The Darkness Dickhead has been smashed to pieces already!
With the Fairy Queen by my side, I shouldn’t face any serious issues. Still, while raising my guard to the extreme, I suddenly heard Yuden’s furious voice from within.
“So! Control yourself a little! If I weren’t here, this forest would have been in shambles by now!”
“Isn’t it fine since you’re here?”
“AAAH! This isn’t going to work! You need to be punished!”
“Wanna duel? Sounds fun!”
“…Why aren’t you scared of this!?”
Listening to a conversation that sounded like one person’s breath was about to leave, the tension gripping my body naturally subsided.
What is that dumbass Frey doing again? What if Yuden really gets mad?
Ah, if it’s Frey, he’d probably find it fun even if he gets beaten up. That girl is definitely not normal.
Filled with curiosity, as I stepped out of the bushes, I caught sight of the sword Frey was wielding slicing through the air.
Her sword, cutting through the void, only struck the tiniest portion of space.
It’s weird even saying it, but that’s exactly how it was.
The sword drawn back there gathered tremendous strength to strike only a tiny fragment of an immense void.
However, strangely enough, her sword strike, which should have been small, produced a phenomenon that was definitely not small.
Just like Yuden’s sword sliced through the darkness, Frey’s sword shot into the sky.
Compared to Yuden’s strike, Frey’s was clearly clumsier.
But somehow, I had a feeling that the gap would narrow in an instant.
That’s the kind of talent Frey possessed.
“You again! Why aren’t you listening to me…!”
“Lucy? Is that you, Lucy!”
Ignoring Yuden’s rage, Frey happily skipped over to me, asking if her sword skills were impressive.
So, I grabbed her cheeks and told her it might work on the Shoddy ones. She just giggled.
“What brings you here? To duel? Let’s do it! I think I can get past Lucy’s Shield this time!”
“I didn’t come for that. You brainless idiot.”
“Uh? Then why are you here?”
“You ignored the message from the Brain Muscle Grandpa.”
“Brain Muscle? Ah! The… whatever god? I pushed him aside because he was bothering me while I swung my sword.”
“The God of Martial Arts?! You heard that voice, which only those with overwhelming talent can reach!?”
At Frey’s deadpan response, Arthur yelped in shock.
“You ignored the voice that could be considered the aspiration of all martial artists!?”
“Is that wrong?”
“Of course, it is! Which crazy person ignores the voice of a god!”
“Lucy might do it sometimes.”
“…No matter how disrespectful she may be, she wouldn’t!”
“You shouldn’t say such bad things. Lady Kent. She is a noble person.”
Yeah! I sometimes think of ignoring it, but I wouldn’t actually do it!
I wouldn’t know what kind of revenge would come back! Encouraged by Phoebe’s words, I retorted silently to Frey.
“Hmm. If Lucy says so, then I guess so.”
She seems to be genuinely interacting with the God of Martial Arts as she waddled to a corner, tilting her head right then left repeatedly, and at that moment, the Fairy Queen leaned in and whispered.
“Um, Hero. Is it okay if I chime in on that marriage proposal you find distasteful? I’m a huge fan of love stories!”
“Why can’t you just stay quiet like a silly hen? If you get involved, it’ll just give off a weird smell.”
“Don’t worry about the First Prince! You know I have Lord Erginius with me!”
Do I look like I’m worried about that? I glared at the Fairy Queen with genuine annoyance, and she chuckled.
“It’s just a joke. I’ll just prepare a bit. Just in case it turns out to be fun.”
“You’re not planning anything dirty, right, Auntie?”
“Of course not.”
She doesn’t seem like the type to sit still after being told not to do something.
This woman. Why is a human over hundreds of years old so childish?
I sighed dramatically and told her to go do something, and the Fairy Queen perked up, nodding enthusiastically.
“I’ll do my best to make sure the Young Lady’s wishes for that marriage proposal are fulfilled!”
“…Marriage proposal?”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Marriage proposal?”
Did I just hear the Fairy Queen’s voice? Three pairs of eyes around turned to me.
One was Frey. She was looking at me with confusion, having just been talking to the God of Martial Arts.
The second was the Perverted Apostle. He stared at me with a face full of shock, as he dropped everything he was holding, too busy being flabbergasted to pick it up.
And lastly, the Sloppy Fox, who had been forcibly made my pet, was suddenly clinging to me as if the earlier lethargy was a lie.
“NO! I won’t allow it! No matter who it is, Lucy must be mine! If not, it’s better for everyone to share her!”
“I also agree! The beauty of the Young Lady should be shared with everyone in this world! If she’s not embraced by the Goddess, she cannot be given to anyone!”
“I’d rather chop off the other guy’s head than see her in someone else’s hands! Who is it? Whose head should I chop off?”
“It’s the First Prince of Soladin.”
“Thank you! Fairy Queen! I will attack that jerk right now!”
“Please wait a moment, Lady Lina! I’ll use all my connections in the Kingdom of Soladin to create a public opinion! Then you can attack!”
I peeled off the Sloppy Fox that was clinging to my face and kicked the Perverted Apostle’s groin to silence him.
[If you don’t resolve this problem quickly, it won’t just be your life at risk, but the First Prince’s as well.]
‘…That’s true.’
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