Chapter 63 – Suzuha’s Older Brother’s Territory Is Now Occupied by the Enemy Country
The day after I became a margrave without knowing what was going on, I was summoned to the Royal Castle by Touko-san.
Sitting next to Touko-san in the Queen’s office are my sister Suzuha and Yuzuriha-san.
The three of them had a girls’ night out yesterday.
On the day of the new queen’s coronation ceremony, having the privilege to privately monopolize the queen and the duchess, it makes me proud as an older brother, so to speak.
My sister is perhaps the best-connected person in the country, isn’t she? Oh, my God.
Well, putting that aside for now…
“What do you think, Suzuha’s older brother? How do you feel after a day as an aristocrat?”
“It’s really tiring…”
“Heh?”
“After that, not only during the ball but even after it ended, I kept getting approached by unfamiliar aristocrats, you know? I couldn’t even enjoy the sushi properly, and when I finally managed to escape and return home, it was already midnight. And then, when I woke up this morning, there was a mountain of letters delivered to the house.”
“Letters, huh? Did you see what was written inside?”
“No, not at all. I mean, if it’s about greetings, I already greeted all the aristocrats who were present at the ball yesterday. I greeted every single one of them. So I have no idea why I received so many letters.”
“That’s probably because almost all of them are arranged marriages or marriage applications.”
“EHHHH!?”
“Well, I can’t imagine there are any idiotic aristocrats in this country who wouldn’t want to bring in Suzuha’s older brother, who is currently rising to great heights. Besides, any low-minded aristocrats would have been purged by Yuzuriha already, right?
Touko-san said something horrible with a smile, and Yuzuriha-san nodded naturally beside her.
“Yes. However, I want you to never forget that it was I who first discovered you, right? And both my father and I have no intention of relinquishing our positions as your guardians. Of course, you already understand that, right—?”
“Y-Yes…?”
“Ah, and of course, I’ve also carefully considered who you’ll marry. Naturally, as a margrave, even as your achievements and peerage rise, I intend to choose a suitable partner who will be compatible with you. So, you can rest assured.”
“No, I don’t need that!”
“B-But, well, if we’re talking about finding someone who is worthy of your status and combat abilities…there is a high chance that we may end up choosing a somewhat rough woman. But I hope you can bear with that…!”
“Why does fighting skill matter as a wife!?”
“W-Well, if she is to become your lifelong partner, it would be necessary for her to be a capable individual who can protect you! Like, someone who can have your back and all!”
“The requirements for a marriage partner are too physical!”
If I put such a condition on my already unattractive personality, I would be without a partner for the rest of my life.
I hope Yuzuriha-san was joking.
“–-But come to think of it, the aristocrats certainly asked a lot of questions yesterday.”
“Hmm. What did they ask you?”
“Like am I married or am I seeing someone, I thought it was just a topic for small talk.”
“Well, gathering information is important. Even if it’s a long shot, it’s crucial to start getting closer now and preparing for potential connections.”
“Hah…”
“No matter how much of a national hero you are, you’re still a newcomer in the aristocratic society. That’s why it’s important for them to start making connections now, so that when you become even more influential, they can have the satisfaction of saying, ‘I raised the margrave,’ while crossing their arms and looking down on others.”
“I don’t have a single millimeter of plans to be any more influential, though?”
“I guess that’s a misunderstanding. But take my advice, as long as you stay in the capital, you’ll be getting more and more offers of marriage. After all, if someone else snatches away your target before you can make your move, it’ll be all over.”
“Holy c**p!”
I now understand that the mysterious expectations placed on you by aristocracy can be difficult to bear.
“What should I do…?”
“That’s easy, Suzuha’s older brother.”
“Touko-san!”
It’s a good thing the Queen knows what to do in a situation like this.
…Aside from the fact that it is almost entirely Touko-san’s fault that I am in this situation now.
“If you’re concerned about being captured by aristocrats while you’re in the capital, one option is to escape to your own territory until the situation calms down. That way, you can wait until the heat dies down.”
“My territory? Is there such a thing?”
“Of course, there is. You’re a margrave, so it makes sense that you have your own territory.”
“Is that so? I thought it was just in name.”
“Well, in reality, you could just leave the actual governance to the butler or someone like that. But since you’ve become the new lord, I think it would be a good idea to take refuge in your own territory, as a way to both introduce yourself and inspect the area, don’t you think?”
“I see.”
I can escape from the aristocrats and give my greetings, killing two birds with one stone.
“You can also take back your territory while you’re at it.”
“…Yes?”
“I forgot to mention it, but…Suzuha’s older brother’s territory is now occupied by the enemy country.”
…W-WHAT!?
