Chapter 56. < 25. You've Changed a Lot (3) >
The Calad territory had not experienced any significant conflicts for a long time.
The territory was small in scale, and no valuable resources came from it. It wasn't a transportation hub where logistics concentrated either.
As such, there was no reason for neighboring territories to covet it. In other words, military power wasn't greatly needed.
Because of this.
Sweeek!
Sweeeek-!
At the training ground, Rumian Calad swung his sword vigorously, but no one properly grasped his true skill.
"The young master has certainly changed, hasn't he?"
"Indeed. He's incredibly fast."
"He looks strong too. The Knight Academy must be good."
Though a few soldiers managing the training ground exclaimed in admiration, it was beyond their ability to perceive Rumian's true capabilities with their eyes.
They simply passed it off as "our young master has changed a lot."
Of course, if the territory's knights were present, they would have recognized Rumian's skill, but regrettably, no one was there at the moment.
Only Morgan remained by Rumian's side as he trained in solitude.
After a brief time passed.
Morgan, who had been sitting with a bored expression all along, opened his mouth.
"What are you doing, brother?"
"Hm? Why?"
"I'm asking why you're swinging your sword when you're not even doing it properly."
"Hm? No. I am doing it diligently."
"What... It's not like I don't know your skill. Do you have some kind of concern?"
"Hmm..."
Rumian looked at his adopted brother with a troubled expression.
It was true that he wanted to confide in someone about this situation. He needed counseling too.
But Morgan's answer was easily predictable.
'It's not like it's dating. If it's marriage, he'll definitely oppose it.'
He's a guy who declared he'd live single for life, wanting to experience various charms of various women.
He wondered if there was any need to request counsel from such a guy.
"What is it? Let's talk about it at least."
"Ah, I don't know. Actually..."
Eventually, Rumian poured out his story.
Truthfully, there was no one else besides Morgan to tell such things to.
He briefly explained his situation, then finally showed Lily Karayan's portrait.
Immediately, Morgan's answer burst out.
"Let's do it. Marriage."
"Huh?"
"Get married."
"What the. Why are you more enthusiastic than me when it's my marriage? And even if we do it, it's not marriage, it's engagement. I'm only 15 years old."
"Just get married. To hesitate with such a beauty. Have you lost your mind, brother?"
"No, wait a moment."
Rumian frowned.
This guy who had explained dozens of times why he wouldn't marry in his previous life was now easily speaking about his own marriage, which felt somehow fishy.
It felt as if he was trying to quickly dispose of a bothersome older brother.
But Morgan was sincere.
He lowered his voice and spoke.
"Brother."
"Hm?"
"What do you think is the reason I go around meeting this woman and that woman without getting married?"
"Hmm... Last time, you said you wanted to experience all various charms..."
"Yes. Correct. How can a person live eating only one kind of food their whole life? Sometimes roasted duck, sometimes seafood, sometimes bread..."
"This bastard, your metaphor is too cheap."
"I apologize. Anyway, I have a personality that gets bored easily, so I resolved to never marry for life. I thought this was much better than cheating after marriage."
Rumian nodded.
He was a scoundrel-like fellow yet had a strangely moral side. Indeed, if he were completely a bad guy, he wouldn't have taken him in as his adopted brother. But his following words were unexpected.
"As of today, my belief has been broken."
"Thinking that if it's a woman this beautiful, it would be fine to marry."
"...She is pretty."
Rumian nodded.
Until now, the two greatest beauties he had thought of were.
The wife of the Knight King Philip III, Queen Amelia.
And the Academy's greatest beauty, third-year Leyton Wino.
Of course, he hadn't seen the latter in person, but anyway.
He didn't think he'd see a beauty surpassing those two even if he lived for decades more.
But that was no longer the case.
The moment he saw Lily Karayan's portrait, their rankings dropped to second place.
Her appearance was that shocking.
Of course, the appearance mentioned here included her figure as well.
"If brother had a personality like mine that messes with this woman and that woman, I wouldn't have given such a definite answer. But after talking for a few days, I understood. Brother is a personality suited for marriage rather than dating."
"Hmm......."
"Just as you devoted your loyalty to the Knight King for life, you're ready to love only one woman for life."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Honestly, even I right now have my eyes spinning and my belief broken, thinking I could marry if it's this woman, acting like a fool, but I know. That my mind will change someday. But brother is different. Because you're a knight among knights. You're different from a mercenary ne'er-do-well like me."
"......."
"Rather than meeting a so-so woman and getting led by the nose due to brother's characteristic tremendous sense of responsibility, and somehow ending up married... I think it's much better to be with such a beauty from the start. Well, the decision is yours to make in the end."
Rumian quietly closed his eyes.
Listening to Morgan's story made his head even more complicated.
He still didn't know himself well.
Sometimes he wanted to spend his life with one woman as Morgan said, and other times he wanted to mess with this woman and that woman.
He admired Philip III who loved only one woman for life without even taking a concubine, but also envied Theo who had been fooling around with all sorts of women from a young age.
'What should I do?'
For Rumian who had never experienced even a single meeting or parting, engagement was an extremely difficult problem.
He sighed, opened his eyes, and spoke.
"Huu. First, I should at least see her face."
"That's right. Meeting in person is most important."
"Why? Ah, well. The personality might not match..."
"No. Did you not see the portrait? As long as the personality isn't that of a murderer, it's fine."
"Then why?"
"The portrait could be a fraud."
"......."
"Of course, I hope not. Really."
With those final words, Morgan returned to his quarters.
Anxiety began to sprout in Rumian's heart.
***
"Have you been well during this time, Baron Calad?"
"Haha. Of course. Has Baron Karayan also been without issues?"
"I'm always the same. Good to see you, hahaha!"
A week later. As scheduled, Baron Nak Karayan, who visited the Calad family, laughed heartily.
Though his features weren't particularly good, he was tall and large-boned, giving a manly and magnanimous impression.
His wife was completely the opposite. With a slender physique like a frail flower and beautiful appearance that left an impression, in a way, that made them suit each other even more.
Of course, such things were not at all important to Rumian.
His interest was entirely on Baron Karayan's daughter, Lily Karayan.
And truly fortunately.
"......!"
Baron Karayan's eldest daughter preserved the beauty of the portrait exactly as it was.
'No, rather the portrait is lacking?'
It was breathtaking.
He felt he wouldn't be able to properly utter even single word even if someone spoke to him.
It wasn't simply that her face was outstanding.
Rumian was the type to look at figure rather than face, and if it were only the face, he could maintain his composure even before Tania who rivaled Queen Amelia of Zenas. Simply because her chest was scanty.
Lily Karayan boasted such outstanding curves that even Rumian couldn't take his eyes off her.
Even Rumian's father, Baron Calad, briefly swept his gaze over Lily Karayan's figure.
Of course, he was caught immediately.
Thud.
"Kugh."
"Don't make a spectacle."
While the gazes from the Karayan side were away, Baroness Calad secretly elbowed Baron Calad.
With an embarrassed expression, he scratched the back of his head.
Then, grinning broadly, he looked at his son.
'Not bad, right?'
'...Yes.'
Seeing the two father and son conversing with their lip movements, Baroness Calad burst into a chuckle.
Men, the sound spontaneously emerged.
Of course, she too had no complaints.
If the daughter-in-law's appearance was outstanding, the grandchildren would also be influenced.
"Then, shall we go have a meal?"
"Haha, let's do that. This is something to look forward to?"
"You may look forward to it. Our chef's skill is quite decent."
People entering inside with a warm atmosphere.
Within that, Rumian kept glancing at Lily Karayan.
Then their eyes suddenly met. He quickly averted his gaze.
But his already reddened face was beyond help.
Morgan's words suddenly came to mind.
'Let's do it. Marriage.'
Should he really do it.
Rumian muttered inwardly as he followed behind his father.
***
"Huu."
After finishing all scheduled matters with the Karayan baron family, Rumian walked through the garden to organize his thoughts.
Of course, doing so didn't clear his head. Rather, Lily Karayan's appearance kept coming to mind, driving him crazy.
'How could she change that much in 6 years?'
He couldn't understand.
And what about her figure.
Her age was 16, one year older than himself. Not a significant age difference.
Despite that, the seductive charm of someone in their late twenties wafted from her.
Yet she wasn't lacking in innocence either, to the point that he doubted whether it was even possible to express this in words.
Thanks to that, Rumian spent time not even knowing whether the meal was entering his mouth or his nose.
Even when his father raised him up talking about the swordsmanship tournament and his grades, he couldn't respond properly. He just stared blankly at Lily Karayan then showed a startled appearance.
It was only because Baron and Baroness Karayan viewed it favorably that it was fine; otherwise, it could have been called a great discourtesy.
"Haa."
Rumian sighed once more.
Even after walking, walking, and walking again, his chest wouldn't calm down. He shook his head and stopped his footsteps.
He turned direction to return to his room. He thought he needed to do aura cultivation at least to settle these emotions that felt ready to burst.
But at that moment, he sensed someone approaching from afar.
Rumian turned his head.
And his eyes widened.
'Lily Karayan!'
A sudden encounter!
Rumian's heart raced rapidly.
Like becoming a fool, he couldn't think of anything. He stood vacantly, watching her, and her maid, approach.
Is she coming toward me?
To meet me?
Why? Does she have something to say to me?
Dozens of thoughts brushed through his head.
But the moment he saw Lily Karayan's eyes as she drew closer, all other miscellaneous thoughts disappeared, and only the emotion of worry filled him.
Because her gaze was so sorrowful.
'Come to think of it, it was like that during the meal too.'
Rumian, whose senses were acute, could feel it.
From the moment she arrived at Calad territory until now, she had continuously been in a bad mood.
Like someone who would shed tears immediately if poked, tears were pooled right beneath those large eyes.
He didn't know the reason.
Rumian just earnestly hoped that the reason didn't stem from himself.
While having such thoughts, before he knew it, the baron's daughter had approached near him.
The maid was waiting from afar. It seemed she didn't want to interfere with the conversation.
"Hello?"
"Ah... Hello. Lady Karayan. The weather is nice."
It wasn't.
Though the moon was bright and the air was clear, it was an evening with quite many clouds, giving a gloomy feeling.
However, Lily Karayan didn't nitpick this. She just smiled sweetly.
Yet that smile looked so sad. To the point of tearing Rumian's chest apart.
'......Just why?'
What could it be. Did he perhaps make a mistake?
Rumian quickly turned his head to find any possible probability.
And he could come up with one hypothesis.
'Perhaps, an unwanted engagement?'
That could fully be the case.
If even he as a man found it hard to defy his father's words, how much harder would it be for a woman?
Perhaps she didn't want to get engaged.
'Or, she has someone else she loves.'
Thinking that, his strength drained away.
Rumian's expression darkened.
If he were Morgan, if he were a mercenary who knew no honor, he might have harbored evil intentions. Regardless of who the other party was, he would have tried to steal Lily Karayan with all his might.
But Rumian couldn't do that. As a knight, he couldn't do that.
Therefore, he had the thought that he would readily nod his head if Lady Karayan said she didn't want marriage.
And his prediction wasn't off.
Lily Karayan's beautiful lips moved.
"Actually, I came here secretly... to say something really sorry."
"......."
"I'm sorry, but this engagement must not happen."
"I see. I had expected it, but..."
Rumian smiled bitterly, and lonely.
It was on a different level from the heartbreak during blind dates. If the pain back then was like being stabbed in the chest with a needle, now it felt like a large stake was being driven in.
But it was fine.
He could understand. He could endure it too.
For the happy future of a beautiful lady...
However, the situation flowed a bit differently.
Lily Karayan said with a surprised expression.
"Huh? You expected it?"
"That's right. You..."
"I see. You already figured it out."
"......."
"That I... no, that my father used magic to manipulate my appearance... I'm sorry. But I had no intention of hiding it. That's why I came out to tell the truth like this..."
"...What?"
Rumian let out a flustered voice.
His eyes enlarged like a full moon represented his surprise.
Seeing his expression, Lily Karayan made an equally surprised face.
"...Huh?"
"Huh?"
"Huhuh?"
"......."
Rumian drew up his aura with full power.
His sharpened senses swept over Lily Karayan's face.
Then he could feel the flow of magic power being subtly distorted.
Moreover, the places where the flow was distorted weren't only the face. Certain parts of the body were also under physical and magical illusion processing.
It was amazing craftsmanship that ordinary knights wouldn't even notice, something only a great mage could perform.
'How can this be!'
Shocked, he put strength in his eyes. And closely examined the chest area and pelvic region.
Soon he could realize it.
That her face and her figure. Were all false.
A single word powerlessly spilled from Rumian's mouth.
"Fraud..."
"I, I'm sorry! But this really wasn't my intention... that, I! Let's first go somewhere we can sit and talk? I'll tell you everything!"
Hearing Lily Karayan's words, Rumian nodded with a dazed expression.
And slowly moved his feet.
Separate from being shocked, he was extremely curious about Lily Karayan's story.
After a while, having found a suitable bench, the two sat side by side and shared their story, and.
"......So that's how it happened."
Rumian's face was filled with pity.