Chapter 57. < 25. You've Changed a Lot (4) >
Three years ago, Baron Karayan began proposing marriage negotiations here and there.
His eldest daughter was still rather young to be discussing marriage, but in truth, he knew. If he didn't start making efforts early, things would gradually become more difficult.
His daughter's appearance was poor to that degree. Worse still, someone had spread rumors that were now circulating everywhere.
Of course, Baron Karayan's worry wasn't tremendously great.
While it hurt his heart to see his beloved daughter receiving poor treatment, he thought that surely the eldest daughter of a noble family wouldn't be unable to marry. Someday it would work out. Someone would take her.
Half a year passed, then a year, then two years.
When not a single marriage negotiation succeeded during all that time, Baron Karayan and his family suffered a great wound.
"It was from then on. Father…… started looking into magic……"
Eventually, Baron Karayan committed an act he shouldn't have.
He attempted to change Lily Karayan's appearance through magic.
Of course, a method to completely transform a person's appearance did not exist in this world.
Even maintaining such a change for a certain period was extremely difficult. With ordinary magical skill, traces would inevitably show somewhere.
"Nevertheless, Father somehow found a way. He sought out a mage with excellent skills, and I periodically disguised myself……"
Thus Lily Karayan was transformed into a beautiful woman in an instant, deliberately attending various social gatherings to dispel the heartbreaking rumors of the past. However, her heart remained unchanged.
Deceiving herself under her father's coercion, deceiving the world, and even having to lie to her betrothed.
It felt like becoming a criminal.
Lily Karayan, who had a kind heart, could no longer endure this.
A single tear fell from her eye.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry……"
"......."
"Still, whew, confessing like this now…… makes my heart much lighter. I'm glad I gathered my courage. If I hadn't, I would never have been able to live with my head held high for the rest of my life."
"This is not your fault."
"No. It is my fault. But thankfully, I can still make amends……"
Lily Karayan, who had been shedding tears drop by drop, took out a handkerchief.
Wiping her eyes, she assumed a determined expression and spoke to Rumian.
"I will no longer follow my father's words."
"......."
"I should treat the engagement talk as if it never happened. So, would you accompany me to see Baron Callad? Since my father cannot be persuaded by my power alone, I think I should meet Baron Callad with you, Young Master, and tell him the truth……"
"No, it's fine."
Rumian wore a hardened expression.
After pausing briefly, he continued speaking.
"Regarding the annulment…… I will handle it well."
"No, how do you intend to……"
"Do not worry. I will handle it so that no harm comes to you, My Lady……"
"Wait, Young Master, Young Master Rumian!"
Though he heard her calling him from behind, Rumian did not look back.
He didn't want to show his reddened eyes.
Returning quickly to his room, he collapsed onto the sofa and let out a sigh.
"Hah......."
It was heartbreaking.
It was so very heartbreaking.
Lily Karayan's sorrowful appearance overlapped with his past self.
'My past life was the same……'
Ryan Promhart was an outstanding knight.
He possessed swordsmanship skills that no one could match, and held the greatest loyalty in the nation. His personality was not prickly, and his face was not lacking either.
But simply because he lacked that one thing, he had to live his entire life in sorrow.
Lily Karayan was the same.
She had an upright and kind heart, and a wise mind. Her family, while not particularly impressive, was not bad either. Only her appearance. That alone was lacking.
And that determined her life.
It was such a sorrowful reality.
'Of course…… my past life was a bit more pitiful.'
Lily Karayan still had possibilities. There was a chance she could connect with a man of excellent character who cared less about appearance.
But his past self had zero possibility. No woman would approach a man who had neither seed nor stalk.
In truth, even if someone approached, it would be useless. There was nothing he could do.
'No, that's not it.'
Rumian shook his head to dispel his wandering thoughts.
That wasn't what was important right now.
What mattered was easing the burden of Lily Karayan, who had lived carrying such pain.
'Making her bear even this matter would be too harsh.'
Rumian quietly closed his eyes.
He was a shallow person.
Therefore, he had no intention of spending his life with Lily Karayan. This was Rumian's honest feeling.
But at the very least, he felt that he should personally handle this annulment matter.
That was the minimum consideration he could offer.
Opening his eyes, Rumian quickly went to find his father.
***
'What? You say there's a woman you're seeing with good feelings?"
"……Yes."
"Well then. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Well…… she's still far from being someone I'd discuss engagement or marriage with…… we're just getting to know each other."
"......."
"Of course, that doesn't mean I'm seeing her casually. If that were the case, I wouldn't have brought this up now."
"Well. I had no idea……"
Runo Callad sighed.
So the reason his son had continued to express opposition was because he already had a partner.
He had thought he was doing so simply recalling Lily Karayan's childhood appearance, but it was his own misunderstanding.
He looked at Rumian with a hardened expression.
He was both resentful and proud. These two conflicting emotions complicated his thoughts.
'After all, my son isn't lacking in appearance anywhere, and he even won the swordsmanship tournament this time…… so it's not strange for him to have a woman.'
However, he was simply hurt that this fact was only being revealed now.
If he had been informed beforehand via letter, this troublesome situation wouldn't have occurred.
"Hmm......."
"......."
An uncomfortable silence followed.
Rumian waited with a contrite expression for his father's next words.
Of course, having a woman was a lie.
He had simply made it up because he thought he needed to play this card to deflect the marriage proposal.
So when an additional question came from Baron Callad, he couldn't help but wear a flustered expression.
"So, what is that child's name?"
"Pardon?"
"The child you're seeing. Is she perhaps a commoner? Is that why you can't say?"
"No. Um…… Tanya, Tanya Eloi is her name."
"Hmm! The Eloi family…… I've heard of them."
Baron Callad stroked his chin and fell into thought. Watching him, Rumian broke into a cold sweat.
Perhaps because Tanya was the last woman he had seen, her name had slipped out unconsciously. If she found out, she would surely laugh in disbelief.
'No, would it end at just that?'
Of course, nothing would happen.
He would never need to tell her this fact, and he could simply tell his father that they separated during the next vacation, and everything would be resolved.
Right now, he just needed an excuse to decline the marriage proposal.
And after a short while.
Having finished his deliberation, Baron Callad nodded.
"Whew. It can't be helped."
"......."
"I will respect your wishes and treat the marriage proposal as if it never happened. It's truly unfortunate. Such a lovely, wise, and kind-hearted child……"
'……Wise and kind-hearted is true, but lovely is not.'
Rumian retorted internally.
Of course, Baron Callad didn't know this. He continued speaking.
"However, when I bring up this matter to Baron Nak Karayan…… no, it's not an annulment. We were never formally engaged. In any case, when I raise this matter, you will also be present. As a man, you must face this situation head-on, not avoid it."
"I understand."
"The Baron is a good man, but he will not be without anger. You must bear that."
"Of course."
Rumian nodded.
That had been his intention from the start. To ease Lily Karayan's burden, he could certainly endure this much.
Thus the conversation between father and son concluded.
Since it was too late, they waited for the next day. In the morning, the Callad father and son visited Baron Karayan to explain the circumstances and convey their apologies. However, Baron Nak Karayan's reaction was completely unexpected.
"What! What is this nonsense! I will never accept this!"
"......."
"This is unbearable. A duel! Tomorrow at noon, come to the territory's plaza with your champion! I must somehow avenge the insult I have received!"
"W-wait! This is…… we haven't even formally engaged……"
"I won't hear it! If you don't accept the duel, be prepared to wage a territorial war!"
Baron Callad's expression hardened. The same was true for Rumian.
However, the reason for his hardened expression was different from his father's.
He sensed something strange from Baron Nak Karayan.
'What on earth is this. This feeling……'
***
That afternoon, Baron Callad urgently summoned his vassals.
It was to establish countermeasures for the duel.
The five knights and other vassals each voiced their opinions.
"No, what kind of situation is this exactly. A duel…… I can't believe it."
"Exactly. It's not as if we demanded an annulment after a marriage was confirmed. We merely had a single meal together, yet this is how they respond……"
"That's not what's important right now. Who will participate in the duel, that's the most important……"
Various discussions followed, but none of it was productive.
This was only natural.
Regardless of the reason, the duel was an unavoidable situation. That being the case, they had to win unconditionally.
However, the knights under Baron Callad's command were not particularly skilled. Not a single one had reached the rank of Sword Expert.
Meanwhile, Baron Karayan had Knight Jack Stewart, known as the best in the vicinity, so the atmosphere couldn't help but be grim.
Yet Rumian Callad had little interest in this situation.
Right now, the only thing strongly occupying his mind was the strange attitude Nak Karayan had displayed that morning.
'It's strange. To simply see it as a father's anger over his daughter…… it's too excessive.'
If Nak Karayan's personality was rotten, that would be one thing.
But Rumian knew he was a decent person. Having lived hearing his reputation until age 13, this was only natural.
Yet the current Baron Karayan was completely different from what he knew. Like someone possessed by something.
The subtle sense of wrongness briefly felt from the Baron's body also stimulated Rumian's wariness.
'And it's strange that they specifically proposed marriage to our family.'
Regardless of Lily Karayan's actual beauty, her current reputation was that of a beauty.
In that case, it would have been fully possible to propose marriage to families far better than Baron Callad's. Yet Baron Karayan didn't do so.
Additionally, how they managed to find a mage skilled enough to deceive his eyes…….
"Young Lord."
"......."
"Young Lord!"
"Ah!"
Rumian, who had been lost in thought, suddenly came to his senses.
When he raised his head, everyone including his father was looking at him.
"I apologize. I was thinking about something else……"
"Does the Young Lord think this situation is a joke? Do you realize that this situation has arisen because of you?"
"Sir Henry! That is too harsh!"
Baron Callad spoke sternly.
However, the elderly knight Sir Henry showed no sign of backing down.
He had merely closed his mouth out of respect for the lord's face, but he appeared equally full of dissatisfaction toward the Young Lord.
Rumian gazed at him steadily.
And slowly, with a composed demeanor, he surveyed the vassals present.
Though they weren't openly complaining, they too seemed to have much they wanted to say.
'True, to be recognized as a proper Young Lord……'
One couldn't just do well only in front of one's parents.