Chapter 321: Chapter 321 - [Side Story] A Typical Political Marriage (1)
Chapter 321 – [Side Story] A Typical Political Marriage (1)
As usual, one could find Derek brushing up on his sword fighting in the training hall . He practiced constantly to keep his vow to protect Empress Elena . He would never let anything as dangerous as Paveluc happen again, and if it did, he would take care of it with his own hands .
Hwiig hwiig .
Derek’s sword cut fiercely through the air, when one of his knights approached him .
“The commander is waiting for you outside . ”
At those words, Derek’s swordplay halted . It had to . The one that he called commander was his father, Alphord .
“…What brings him here?”
“I don’t know . I told him that you were training . What will you do?”
Alphord was the commander of the Fourth Order of the Imperial Knights, and Derek was a leader of a group within it . No matter that they belonged to the same Order; there were not many occasions when the commander and a group leader interacted in the same space . Derek and Alphord did not run into each other unless it was a special occasion, and they both accepted this as normal . It was the first time Alphord visited Derek since the latter joined the Fourth Order .
‘What brings him here all of a sudden?’
What’s more, Alphord did not directly come into the hall to see Derek . Given that a message was given through a subordinate, Alphord likely wanted a private visit . The suddenness of it was a mystery from Derek’s point-of-view, but he would soon find out what it was anyway . He lowered the sword in his hand and replied .
“I’ll be ready soon, so please bring him to my office . ”
“Yes, sir . ”
The knight bowed and quickly left to carry out the order . Meanwhile, Derek strode in another direction . He had to change his sweat-soaked clothes before meeting Alphord .
Derek arrived at his office with fresh clothes, and Alphord was already sitting and waiting for him . Derek spoke politely to the commander .
“What brings you here?”
Derek was just as straightforwardly blunt as his father .
“I’m here to talk about your marriage . ”
“Marriage?”
“Yes . You need to get married soon . How long are you going to stay single?”
“I…”
Derek’s words caught in his throat . He knew something important might be brought up, but he didn’t expect it to be about this .
“It’s already quite late for you . Considering the rest of the family, you should start your own family soon . You are the oldest son, so don’t think about getting married later than Mirabelle . ”
Derek hadn’t the heart to contradict his father . After Elena and Mirabelle found their partners, he vaguely considered that he had to get married as well . Elena was married and now the Empress of the Ruford Empire, and Mirabelle was currently dating Kuhn . Among them, Derek was the only one left .
“Are there any prospects?”
“Yes . The Morris family daughter is good . ”
“If it’s the Morris family…”
“Before Her Majesty married, the Morris family previously proposed to her . ”
Derek nodded . The family name was familiar to him .
“I’ve met them a few times, and the Morris family are suitable in-laws . Their daughter is old enough to marry, so please see her . ”
The fact that Alphord, who rarely gave praise, complimented the Morris family meant that he was quite impressed with them . Derek wasn’t inclined to get married immediately, but he had no reason to refuse . Meanwhile, Elena and Mirabelle found their own respective loves before a family match .
Derek was different . He had never met a woman that thrilled his heart, nor did he have a hidden lover . Perhaps it was because of his responsibility to lead the family, but he thought of simply marrying the woman that Alphord chose . Now that time had come .
But as Derek hesitated to answer, Alphord, watching him, responded in a quiet voice .
“I already almost died once saving the Empress . And that was not the only time . I’ve risked my life several times when living as a knight . Derek, you are no different from me . Start a family before it’s too late . ”
It was sincerely given advice, from one reticent knight to another .
“…I understand . I will meet the young lady of the Morris family according to your wishes . ”
Meetings arranged by families were not always simple, but as long as there were no major problems, it was safe to say that the marriage would happen . Derek wasn’t worried about that anymore . He had already made up his mind, and he was determined to get married . Alphord looked satisfied at the resolution in Derek’s face .
“Yes, that is a good decision . ”
“If you make an appointment…”
“There is already one . The date is tomorrow, and you can have lunch together . ”
Derek couldn’t speak for a moment . He realized that Alphord would have pushed for the meeting, regardless of his answer . Derek let out an embarrassed chuckle . It didn’t matter anyway . It was something he had to live with as a noble .
Alphord, having accomplished his task, checked his pocket watch and stood up from his seat .
“The meeting place was already decided, so make sure you’re prepared and not late . I must go now . ”
“You’re going already?”
“I promised to teach Prince Crow swordplay today . ”
As gruff as Alphord was, he broke everyone’s expectations and completely doted on his grandson, to the point that he would die for Crow . Derek was already accustomed to this, and he replied with a nod .
“Very well . If you see Her Majesty, please give her my regards . ”
“I will . ”
After Alphord left the office, Derek sat down at his spacious desk . He already made a decision, but it didn’t completely register to him yet .
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“Marriage…”
The word was still unfamiliar to him .
Derek donned a well-cut suit and waited for the appointed time as given to him by Alphord . A servant informed him that the Morris family carriage had arrived in front of the Imperial Knights residence where he stayed . He thought that the Morris’ would simply inform him where to go, and was surprised by the carriage . But that didn’t matter . The important thing now was to see the woman he would potentially marry .
Kkiig—
Derek was about to enter the presumably empty carriage, when he saw a maid sitting inside first . She was an impressive beauty with soft brown hair and large, clear eyes like a cat . When their eyes met, the maid bowed to him first and introduced herself .
“Hello . My name is Jeanne . Lady Morris has sent me in her stead . ”
“Lady Morris?”
“Yes . The lady is so shy that she sent me to ask you questions instead . ”
Derek’s expression stiffened a little . He wondered how shy Lady Morris must be to ask a maid to do this for her .
Jeanne seemed to notice his reaction, and responded .
“I will only accompany you on your way to the meeting place . If you wish for me to leave because of my low status, I’ll move to horseback . ”
“No, please stay . ”
Derek answered briefly and boarded the carriage without hesitation . He didn’t understand Lady Morris’ behavior, but he would have to go along with it . She was probably wondering about him just as much as he was .
As Derek settled himself in the seat across from Jeanne, he felt her studying him with close eyes . He looked back with a curt expression .
“Didn’t you say you were going to ask me questions?”
“Ah, yes… So, when did you start learning how to use a sword?”
“I don’t remember . The nanny said I learned to use a sword before I learned to use a spoon . ”
“You must have been very young . ”
The carriage began to move forward slowly, and there was a clattering sound as the wheels started to roll . Lady Morris must be really curious about Derek, as the questions Jeanne asked him in the carriage were endless .
“How tall are you?”
“187 centimeters . ”
“And your birthday?”
“July 10th . ”
“If you had a child, which would you prefer, a son or a daughter?”
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“It doesn’t matter, but I want them to be the best they can be . ”
“What if the lady says it’s difficult to raise children?”
“Then I suppose it can’t be helped . ”
“What do you mean…?”
“I’ll help out as best I can, but if it’s too difficult, then we should stop having children . That’s what I meant . ”
Jeanne’s expression shifted as if she were weighing his response .
“I heard that you are popular with women…”
“That’s incorrect information . I don’t recall anything like that . ”
“…Is that so?”
At the same time, Jeanne gave a faint smile . Derek glanced at her because she was so pretty, but that was all . The maid resumed her questions again .
“What kind of person do you want?”
“I’m not sure, but someone who I can start a family with . ”
“What is your greatest concern?”
“The Blaise family and the Imperial Household . ”
“What is your greatest goal?”
“To protect Her Majesty the Empress . I want to be a strong support for my sister . ”
“…I see . ”
Jeanne nodded, then posed another question .
“Do you have any questions about Lady Morris?”
“No . ”
“None?”
“No . I will see her and judge who she is for myself . ”
At the end of his sentence, Jeanne’s expression changed subtly . It was a complicated mix of emotions that was impossible to identify as a single one . Derek peered out of the carriage window .
“Can I ask you another question?”
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“…What is it?”
“Where are we going now?”
“A restaurant . The lady said she wished to have her first meal with you outdoors . The elders of the Morris family wanted to invite your family directly, but seating would be difficult . We should arrive any minute now . ”
Derek nodded his head and gazed out of the window again . Meanwhile, Jeanne studied his profile and asked no further questions . The quiet atmosphere was a completely different mood from earlier . The sudden silence made Derek a little curious, but perhaps the time for speaking was over . He had already answered so many questions that it would be a good idea to think up questions of his own for Lady Morris .
The carriage finally halted in front of a famous restaurant . When Derek arrived at the promised location, he opened the carriage door and stepped out . At the restaurant entrance stood a woman in a fancy dress . Her plain, freckled face seemed out of place against her beautiful garments . She seemed to be waiting for someone, and when she realized that Derek was here, she blinked and approached him .
“Ah, I-I’m from the Morris family . We’re supposed to meet today…”
Derek realized that this was the woman he had been in conversation about . He walked straight to her and gave a polite bow .
“It’s a pleasure to meet you . I’m Derek Blaise . ”
He took her hand and was about to kiss it when—
Tak!
A touch stopped him . Derek looked around and saw Jeanne, the maid he had been riding in the carriage with .
“What—”
Before he could finish talking, Lady Morris opened her mouth in a startled voice .
“Ah, My Lady!”
Derek’s head began to spin at the strange turn of events . Jeanne explained in a soft voice .
“I’m your real partner today . Let me give you a formal greeting . My name is Jeanne Morris . ”
Derek looked at the woman before him, and the woman he thought was Lady Morris .
“What on earth is this?”
“As you said a little while ago, I too wanted to judge for myself who my husband would be . I was planning to hide my identity until the end, but I changed my mind . ”
“I like you . ”
Derek’s eyebrows lifted at her words . Out of all the things that happened so far, this was the one he least understood .
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