VDK
Chapter 16 About the time when I decided to take a wife but didn't know how to so I asked the hero
Now then, I have succeeded in world domination and became the ruler of the world. It wouldn't be wrong even if I were to change my title to 'the most important being in the world'. With this, I have accomplished my number one dream of becoming an 'important person'.
And so, I was thinking of starting to act towards 'getting a pretty wife' as my second dream.
But I have suddenly hit a wall right away.
How exactly do you get a wife?
I had entered the monastery when I was 10 years old. The monastery is a place where you cut off all ties with the earthly world and pray to God. And naturally, females were forbidden there and marriage was out of the question. As such, I wasn't informed on how to actually go and get a wife. They probably hold marriage ceremonies and stuff like that at a church and have knowledge about it but I have no connection to that either. After leaving the monastery, I secluded myself into the mountains and practiced magic all the time. And so, naturally, I did not have the time to study about how to marry. Well, to begin with, a ten year old wouldn't normally have the knowledge about marrying and there probably isn't anyone who would seriously talk about it with a ten year old either. In short, I have no knowledge about it whatsoever.
And so, I decided to ask the hero of another world who proved to be a very prominent advisor when I was taking over the world.
"More like, you're the ruler of the world, aren't you? Isn't it fine to just tell all the countries to hand over their beautiful ladies?"
The other world's hero, Suzuna, gave an advice unlike that of a young girl. Mmm, but it is true, that would be only normal for the great demon king. However, in case I do take that option, there's one point I am concerned about.
"Will I be able to build up a family with love if I do that?"
"Weh?"
Suzuna made a very odd sound along with an odd expression. I don't think I said something that weird……
"a family with love? Well, it's not like I don't understand what you mean…… that means, it isn't that you're okay with just a pretty wife, then?"
Seeing Suzuna ask for an explanation, I realized that I hadn't explained my desire in detail and so I started to tell her properly.
"Hmm, 'getting a pretty wife' is my second dream and objective. However, it isn't that I am fine if she's just pretty. If she doesn't love me and if I can't properly love her back, I can't create a family with love."
"Well, that is true but…… is there any particular reason you are fixated over a 'family with love'?"
"Hmm, there is. I was born into a poor knight's household and my father didn't really have a love marriage. His mission was to make a child, since without a child, he wouldn't have a successor. As such, he made children till me and two of my elder brothers were born but, by then, their relationship had gotten cold and I had to grow up seeing my parents quarrel a lot. There aren't many things as tragic as a child being born into a family without love."
The reason I entered the monastery at just 10 years old was to leave that cold and dark household. I did respect both my father and mother but it isn't like I didn't feel like keeping them at a distance. Although the monastery was also kinda gloomy, as it was a place where fellow monks go to pray, there wasn't really a quarreling atmosphere (of course, there were people who were in discord) and as such, I was able to gain knowledge about many things and learn magic, so the monastery wasn't unlivable for me.
"….I see. So you want to avoid ordering someone one-sidedly to marry you, eh? Rather, you are not the type of person who would do something like that to begin with."
"Hmm, I do not want to force someone to be my wife against their will."
"Be that as it may, chances or opportunities of you meeting any females… isn't much in your case, is it?"
I thought for a while after Suzuna asked but the answer was pretty clear.
"….Not much."
The only opportunities I have of meeting someone is the army leaders or political people from countries. And in this world, it is extremely rare for women to be in politics or to lead armies. There are very few women leaders of noble families and although there is a tribe full of women on the south side of the new continent and their leader is a woman as well but I can't possibly welcome any of them as my wife as that would mean for them to leave their responsibilities behind.
The only other time I meet females is when I listen to the people's opinion from different land about construction work. And the women who are present in those meetings are mostly married.
"Then, as I thought, you have no other choice but to have formal marriage interviews, do you? My parents also got married by a marriage interview and they get along well and I feel like there's a lot of love in the family. In short, I think it's important to figure out if the person's personality, work and thought process regarding families matches yours."
"I see!"
As I thought, listening to Suzuna's opinion was the right choice.
And so, I put up a request to the countries to introduce woman to me who are willing to marry me but contrary to what I thought and exactly as Suzuna thought, the requests were flooding in.
"Why is this?"
"I mean, it's pretty obvious. You're the ruler of the world so it's only normal for them to think that if they become your wife, they can exercise some of that power. Besides, if you have a child, that child will be the inheritor of the whole world. All the country's kings would definitely want to send their daughters or sisters. They are probably people of the 'political marriage is superior' faction."
"But, I don't have the time to meet all these people."
Even now, I am working for the world, for the people and by their requests. Even if Suzuna were to make fun of me for it, I don't plan on stopping.
"That's true. One method would be to screen the documents. Image…… doesn't seem to exist in this world so after looking at portrait and family tree, you could decline the people who you think won't match you."
"Mmm, I feel as if it lacks sincerity a bit though…"
"…..What a soft-hearted demon king you are, huh? Well then… ah, how about a combined interview or a marriage hunting party?"
"Marriage hunting parting?! What kind of a party is that?"
"It's a party where you have all the candidates come and have a stand-up meal…… in short, a banquet… I guess. Normally one would have a lot of males too but the situation is different here so maybe we will just have you as the only male? No, then everyone would flood onto you, so that's bad…"
It seems like Suzuna found a flaw in her plan but inversely, I saw an advantage in it.
"Hmm, I see! That might be good. Not just me but with unmarried princes and sons of powerful nobles. If we do it like that, even if a girl is not chosen by me, they can look to tie a bond with a powerful noble of another country. There are no wars in this world because of me so if we can forge some ties between countries like this, then their relationship will deepen and trades will start, ultimately leading to the world's development."
"…..I somewhat feel like we're derailing off the real objective here but if the demon king himself is okay with it, I guess it's fine…"
"Well then, Suzuna, will you help me host the party? After all, you're the most knowledgeable about this kind of parties.
"Ah, got it. Mid terms and the cultural fest is over so I have some free time before finals."
Seems like Suzuna is also free. I am grateful.
And thus, I had decided to host a big party to find my wife and to tie bonds between different countries and their nobles.