Lyle was surprised by what he heard from his father.
"My... engagement? I'm going to get engaged?"
Walt continued explaining the situation.
"Nothing is finalized because the other party wanted to make sure you were the right man. But there is a chance it could happen."
He took some documents from the table beside him and read them aloud.
"She is the only daughter of Count Fraser, and her younger brother has a sickly body, so she is the heiress."
"Count Fraser? I think I've heard that name," commented Rudel, his curiosity piqued. His father answered him while continuing to read the papers in his hands.
"He is from one of the oldest families in the kingdom. You must have seen him during the ministers' meeting on the day of the war."
"...If this were to be officialized, it would mean Lyle becomes the next head of their family, and our family would be left without an heir. Therefore, the next in the line of succession would be Bram, who would become the next baron."
"I will be the heir of a count?!"
"I will be the next head of the family?!"
(My older brothers were more surprised than I was; it was unexpected for everyone, but even more so for them.)
"How did this happen? That's the only thing I don't understand."
Rudel asked his father for answers. His father turned his face away; his wife was looking at him with a complicated expression, and it was she who answered.
"A couple of weeks ago, your father went to the palace as usual to deliver the tax report and, as is his habit, went to drink at a bar since he's forbidden from doing it here. Then, this lucky man ran into Count Fraser, whom he invited for a drink."
Their children's expressions indicated they understood what happened next, but they still wanted to hear it from his mouth.
"While they were drinking, the conversation somehow turned to you, and he wanted to engage her to you. But your father said he couldn't because you love your fiancées too much and a third woman would be impossible."
Now his mother shot him a look, and Rudel averted his face, just like his father.
"Since the Count couldn't engage his daughter to you, he went for the sure thing and said to this fool, 'How about your eldest son with my daughter?' And he accepted because his son still didn't have a wife, despite being almost 22 years old."
"And a week ago, a letter stated you were returning home, and somehow the Count found out and decided to send his daughter so that a meeting between Lyle and her could take place."
Everyone thought the same thing: "He seeks to associate with the family to get closer to Rudel." But even if that were the case, an engagement isn't strange in this world, so they ignored it.
Rudel sighed and said:
"It's obvious this was planned, but to fall into such an obvious trap…"
His father tried to wriggle out of it by claiming:
"At that moment, I thought he was some noble interested in us, and I accepted before asking his name."
"Although I didn't expect him to be a count, and one with influence within the palace, no less."
Everyone sighed in unison, and once again Rudel asked a question:
"Can't we just turn a blind eye?"
Ixion, anticipating he would say something like that, prepared a response.
"I'm afraid not. Despite the strange way it came about, the fact that both families agreed is the problem. If your family were to reject it, your reputation would plummet, and you would be hated."
"I doubt a family of rural barons has a reputation to maintain. Rather, it's mine that should fall."
"That will never happen. The palace finds it more beneficial to have you tied to them than to have your family tied."
"For a while now, Rudel had been looking at his pale older brother. He asked him, 'What's wrong?' but his question was ignored by the question Lyle asked his father.
"Father, what is the name of the Count's daughter?"
His father checked the information, and there was a photo of the girl in question.
"Her name is Elaine Von Fraser. Here is a photo of her. It's a bit old, but the note says she isn't very photogenic."
Everyone looked at the photo and were surprised to see the beauty depicted there.
"It's her," murmured Lyle before making a revelation to his family. "She's a classmate, but I never spoke to her."
"The problem here is that she has a reputation for being unattainable, and I doubt a girl who looks like a princess would be content with someone from the countryside."
After hearing that information, his father expressed the following:
"It's a kind of marriage interview. If it all goes badly, she'll simply leave, and that's that."
But Bram commented:
"If what Rudel said is true, she won't leave. Instead, she will bind Lyle as her husband, since what would interest her father most is being linked to our family through Rudel."
Those words made everyone tense.
Ixion said, upon seeing the family's panicked expressions:
"It's funny to see you worried about trivialities. You even make the same worried expression."
Rudel explained to him so he would stop making fun of it:
"My family are poor rural barons, and the other party is the opposite. Now imagine what would happen to our family if we were to indirectly become part of the palace."
Hearing that, Ixion responded, a bit irritated:
"Are you serious? You, who are affiliated with the palace as a minister? You, who hold the title of marquis? You, who are a national hero? It must be a surprise that your family also wants to become part of the palace."
"If you put it that way… I'd better shut up."
"The only thing I understand is that the idea of becoming part of the palace gives your family anxiety, and I get that. But if she rejects him, there's no problem, since, as you said, the idea of a city girl wanting to come to the countryside is unimaginable."
Everyone was happy to hear that and then said that there was no problem, thus ending the meeting and returning to make preparations for dinner.
◇◇◇
After the meeting ended, Rudel went to tell Alisa what had happened.
They were gathered in her room, with the exception of Lucy.
Alisa, sitting in a chair, rubbed her chin after hearing what he said:
"I understand your family's concern about breaking their role as a family of rural barons. But there's something suspicious here."
"Really? I think they just want to associate with my family, which would be normal given my status."
"I can't deny it, since, technically, you are affiliated with the Duke, like Airi."
Sara raised her hand to express her opinion.
"In that case, the same could be said about us, who came from abroad."
But Alisa said no:
"Your situation is about forming a bond with Rudel, not with the kingdom. My engagement to Rudel is purely political, but we love him, so interests simply got mixed together."
"The problem is that the other party has no bond or connection with the Baron's family, so their intentions should be investigated. My father must know the Count, but I don't. Especially since not all nobles are fond of Rudel."
Rudel sighed and said:
"This conversation is very annoying; let's change the subject."
He now turned to Sara and asked her:
"Are you feeling comfortable here? And how is the treatment?"
"Yes, everyone is kind. I still remember home and Romeo a little…"
Suddenly, she began to shed tears.
"I'm sorry, excuse me for a moment."
She left, tears streaming down her face. Seeing her, Ixion commented:
"She's still thinking about him, but it will pass soon. Human beings overcome their losses as they establish new bonds. She will be fine if you let her heal her heart alone."
"The way you say that is very wrong, Ix-kun!"
Airi scolded Ixion, who didn't understand why he was being reproached when he only told the truth.
"Humans are strange. I'll go check on Bell; she's been missing since yesterday."
Then he flew away. Rudel prepared to leave as well, but suddenly Airi and Alisa took him by the hands and threw him onto the bed.
"Rudel, remember we came here to rest."
"Especially you, who needs to rest more than anyone."
"That's why we…"
They looked at each other and, with a giggle, began to unbutton their blouses, revealing their large bras with lustful expressions on their faces.
"We will give you all the rest in the world…"
"While we enjoy our vacation."
Rudel, upon seeing them, said:
"Isn't it a bit early? It's still daytime, and lunch will be ready soon."
"Exactly, we will take advantage of every minute we have to rest. Especially our bodies."
"Until the food is ready, we'll exercise. I'll go put the sign Bell-chan gave me for these moments on the door."
Rudel sighed and said, as both women pounced on him to remove his clothes:
"Well, whatever. Let's rest our bodies."
◇◇◇
Right next to his room was Lucy, who had won that room using a sleight of hand game.
She was resting in bed, and the expression in her eyes was gloomy.
"I can hear you clearly!"
Lucy believed they were doing it on purpose, even though she was right next door and couldn't move.
Lucy had to listen to them until they finished, an hour after lunch was ready.
◇◇◇
A ship accompanied by a group of boats was approaching the territory of the barony.
On the deck was a beautiful woman with drill-shaped curly hair who was smiling.
"Finally, I have returned to claim what is mine. Fufufu."
___________________
The fanservice this time is for Lucy because she was cuckolded and couldn't do anything XD: https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/10423323?q=miyashita_ai+
Here is the Mega link where you can see the chapters with illustrations in PDF format, as well as the characteristics of the characters and armor: https://mega.nz/folder/75wTzA4b#W-_qGvlSP9miCm1jpk54IQ