Chapter 8

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 8

Chapter Title: The Seventh Marriage Candidate

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...She definitely hadn't recovered fully.

Her pain was so evident that even white powder couldn't hide it properly. Though he'd stepped away, she was no doubt preoccupied with something else by now.

For instance, finding her seventh arranged marriage partner.

He hadn't given it a second thought before, but seeing her push herself like that made his instincts drift in that direction despite himself.

Enoch consciously cut off the thought and reached for the proposal document.

"Oh, right. Did you look into what I mentioned?"

"Yes. It was just as you suspected, my lord. Relatives are reaching into the families of the ladies sending introductions these days."

Enoch wasn't surprised by his butler Ben's words—it was something he'd anticipated.

For about ten years, those people had treated everything belonging to House Aratus as if it were their own.

Even though he'd stripped them of all privileges as collateral branches and driven them out beyond the capital, they weren't the type to stay quiet.

Especially now that the family head, who had come of age long ago, had no fiancée.

His marriage was their last chance to worm their way back into the family.

With introductions pouring in, they probably thought he couldn't investigate every single alliance.

Enoch had no intention of letting the situation fester.

If an opportunity for interference had arisen, he just needed to eliminate it.

"We should nip this in the bud before it escalates."

"We're securing the list. But since they're moving with utmost secrecy, it may take some time."

Simply knowing who was scheming and which families to avoid wouldn't be enough.

In the end, this issue could only be resolved once a true mistress of the house appeared.

"Maybe I should get married."

"Pardon? Are you serious?"

"With things as they are, it's not a bad idea."

His butler and aide were aghast, but Enoch meant it.

He'd been uneasy leaving internal affairs to his inexperienced younger sister anyway.

And if having a companion by his side also severed his relatives' schemes, marriage didn't sound half bad.

He'd been prepared for an arranged marriage from the start, after all.

Enoch glanced down at the proposal documents for a moment. His conditions were firm.

A woman who had no need to ally with his relatives.

A noblewoman with the background and resolve to decisively rebuff any temptations that came her way.

It was ironic that the woman who perfectly fit those criteria was the very one he'd just consciously tried to stop thinking about.

"My lord, the retainer meeting has been assembled."

"I'll head there now."

Agatha Noblesse would never choose him.

What she wanted wasn't the unstable head of a marquisate but a husband who could make proposals to the emperor.

Enoch rose, clutching the proposal document, and ordered his butler Ben.

"Once we have the list, compile one for arranged marriages too. Only daughters from families with no ties to my relatives."

"...Understood."

About three days later, Enoch had appropriately adjusted Agatha's proposal through the retainer meeting.

That very night, after sending a letter to the imperial palace, Agatha Noblesse promptly sent back an invitation.

It was an incredibly swift response.

* * *

Agatha had been moving nonstop for days. In that time, the emperor had nearly finished classifying the relatives involved in the raid, with only final verification left.

With their execution just days away.

With Crown Prince Antoni Roxiba's help, Agatha had learned which noble the emperor had in mind and even mapped out a sea route to the eastern continent.

Fortunately, heading north from the new harbor would take them past an island that could serve as a base for Noblesse territory.

The problem was the need for maritime negotiations with the Mainucor Empire.

This was likely why the emperor favored a noble who controlled Sichirville Island, usable via the southern route, as her match.

"What will you do, my lady?"

A retainer who had entered the palace for reports inquired about her intentions.

Separate investigations showed that Duke Sichirville, predictably, wasn't on the list of seventh marriage candidates his retainer had brought.

In fact, his history suggested he belonged on the avoidance list.

「Currently has one official mistress but frequents casual encounters / Records of visiting gambling dens twice a month or more」

No matter who she married, it wouldn't be Duke Sichirville.

Agatha shrugged and set the report down beside the list.

"What choice do we have? We'll have to concede a bit of profit and focus on improving relations with Mainucor."

"I wonder how Prince Fernando will react."

Fernando Mainumconti was the second prince of the Mainucor Empire.

Caught off guard by the sudden mention of her second ex-husband's name, Agatha arched one eyebrow.

"Administrative Officer. I'd prefer you never speak that man's name again."

"Ah, my apologies."

It was a famous anecdote that Agatha had been deeply hurt back then by her second husband's infidelity and the illegitimate child who erupted into their lives like a volcano.

Now that she knew the ways of the world, she avoided such types entirely.

"In any case, dragging up the past would disadvantage Mainucor, so they'll cooperate moderately in negotiations. His Majesty probably had that in mind when he hinted at his intentions to me."

The sly old fox of an emperor.

He knew either way it would fall to Agatha and had gracefully stepped back.

The island base would be hers, and she'd be the envoy Mainucor would yield to—so handle it herself.

It was good that she could change the marriage partner without harsh measures, but she couldn't shake the feeling of having been outmaneuvered by the emperor.

"Discuss negotiation terms with them."

"Yes, my lady."

After dismissing the administrative officer with a sigh of relief, Agatha reached for her lukewarm teacup.

Her gaze was fixed on today's list of seventh marriage candidates.

「Marquis Enoch Aratus」

"...As expected."

The name of the man about to visit was prominently at the top of the list.

Complete with a report that suited her tastes perfectly.

「No records of gambling den visits / No close courtesans / No mistresses / No involvement in violent incidents」

All that remained was how he felt about her.

"He just returned to the capital—would he even consider an arranged marriage...?"

She'd always had suitors overflowing and selected those who met her conditions, so nothing had ever gone awry.

But there was always an 'if.'

As Agatha pondered her counterpart for the first time, uncharacteristically fretting—

Knock knock—

"My lady. Marquis Aratus has arrived."

"Bring him here."

Agatha immediately stood and moved to prepare tea herself. She'd tossed the rest of the list aside without even checking it.

A fragrant aroma began filling the reception room.

Knock knock—

"My lady. The guest is here."

"...Come in."

The door opened with a neat knock.

Behind the maid appeared polished shoe tips, long legs, short cobalt-blue hair, and a solid upper body, one after another.

The moment her eyes met his deep gray ones—

Agatha unwittingly averted her gaze.

Even then, the thought that crossed her mind was how well his tailored suit fit him today, as always.

"Welcome, Marquis. Please have a seat on the sofa."

With a gesture dismissing the maid, Agatha bustled about—clink, clink.

Fetching boiling water. Scooping tea leaves. Preparing bite-sized snacks.

...Why wasn't he saying anything?

Her tense upper body stiffened unwittingly when—

Step—

Slow footsteps echoed. The man approached leisurely, as if to say not to be startled, casting his shadow behind her.

"Preparing refreshments yourself?"

His pleasant voice from right beside her tickled her ear.

Agatha let out a shallow breath, turned with a social smile.

"I just finished some other business and wanted to move a bit. Rose tea is fine, yes?"

"I don't mind tea."

One step.

From that distance, his broad shoulders and rugged neckline were fully visible.

He lightly extended his hand, pressing lips to the back of hers, then glanced at the dessert tray she'd prepared.

"Shall I set this on the table?"

It was just a greeting.

Yet the slight narrowing of distance forced Agatha to work not to show her tremor.

"Please do."

As Agatha composed herself and prepared the tea—

Enoch, moving to the table first, spotted an unexpected document.

A half-read report lay beside a list presumed to be noblemen, casually discarded.

Normally, he'd tidy it aside discreetly.

But—

「Marquis Enoch Aratus」

"......"

Spotting his own name unexpectedly at the top, Enoch frowned instead of reaching out.

The brief record below entered his view intact.

"What's wrong? Oh, something... ah......"

Agatha, arriving with the tea, panicked and swept the report and list aside.

Only then did Enoch set the dessert tray on the table. He crossed his legs opposite her, thought for a moment, then spoke.

"Was that just now the list of candidates for your seventh marriage, my lady?"