CH 2

“What? who are you?!”

“That engagement, please wait a minute!”

When the unknown man enters the hall, the guests break apart like how Moses broke apart the sea, and form a straight path towards the stage I’m on.

(Ah, this must be one of those setups)

Count Lunan Forseed was yelling at the youth with a bright red face, but there wasn’t too much buzz among the party attendees.

The knight in charge of security did not show movement either.

This event is definitely on schedule and the only ones not knowing are me, and Count Lunan Forseed.

The mystery man slowly proceeds on the completed road towards the stage.

As he got up on the stage, he kneels facing His Majesty who’s at an even higher position than us.

“Your Highness, I apologize for causing a scene in such a place.”

“It is fine. You must be the son of (Duke Disroll Grandheight). You were studying in the same academy as Armilicia.”

“Yes.”

Apparently, the mysterious man was the Duke’s son and princess’s classmate.

After hearing that much, I somewhat understood the scenario of this farce since I’ve read many stories of this kind in my previous life.

“Your Highness, I want to make a request. Please reconsider this engagement again. Getting to become the fiancée just because he was born as an anti-demon aristocrat is simply tyranny! The princess too has a right to choose who she loves!”

“Wha…”

I heard the voice of Count Lunan Forseed from the moderator seat.

This is a false act called fiancée plunder.

Most likely, he and the princess are lovers so they came up with this performance in order to make her love come true.

The reason why only the Count and I weren’t informed of it is probably because we would interfere with it.

I analyzed that this was the case while loosely listening to the various complaints the duke’s son was throwing at His Majesty.

Frankly speaking, this does not concern me.

I mean, to me it doesn’t really matter who I’d be marrying.

It’d be a political marriage in any case.

Besides, as an anti-demon aristocrat, I can hardly leave the frontier.

The people from the Royal Capital wouldn’t be able to live in the frontier in any case so we would meet a few times in a year at most, have kids, and that would be that.

If so, then it hardly matters who my partner is.

Well, it is a bit of a shame since the princess is a beauty, however she’s nowhere near the most beautiful in this country. There are many women possessing beauty of the same level in this world, so if I looked I’m sure to find one.

However there are some who do not share my thought process.

Count Lunan Forseed was finally going to be connected to the royal family via me, but that plan was coming apart in front of him.

He couldn’t possibly bear this all in silence.

Though he won’t share my thoughts on this, he too must be wracking his head to breakthrough this predicament.

“Hm, I have understood what you wanted to say.”

While I was within my thoughts, the “Duke’s Son’s Claim” had come to an end. He basically only spoke about his love for the princess so “Duke’s Son’s Confession” would be fitting.

“Disroll Grandheight’s son has spoken his thoughts. Count Lunan Forseed, let us know yours.”

Asking the Count in this situation is in bad taste, Your Majesty.

As opposed to the Duke’s son who came prepared, the Count is on the deceived side.

There is only so much you could possibly think of in such a short time.

“T-this engagement is an age-old tradition of connecting the royal family with frontier aristocrats by connecting a talented individual of ours to someone from the center. I do not think it should be broken so lightly.”

“Hm, there is reason in the Count’s words as well.”

The king nods then looks towards me.

“Lain Wallfeed, I have a question to ask of you.”

“Yes Your Majesty, whatever you wish.”

An aristocrat like me has no business talking with king.

In case I’m asked a question, the most I am allowed to reply with is a “yes” or a “no”.

I wonder what he wants to ask me.

“You have been hunting monsters as a frontier aristocrat since the age of 10, yes?”

The hall is abuzz with my answer.

It seems that hunting monsters at the age of 10 is abnormal.

His Majesty gives a small smile filled with satisfaction.

I did not get what he meant by it.

“Since then you’ve been hunting monsters using the beginner’s magic [Wind Blade], correct?”

Beginner’s magic?

I only use basic magic [Wind Blade] because I like it.

This is said to be the strongest magic coming from one’s origin, and it can be quite powerful depending on how one uses it.

Now that I think about it, modern magic considers [Wind Blade] as beginner’s magic since it can be released very easily.

While that may be true, there is a large margin to adjust magic power and add additional correction so the difference between “usability” and “mastery” becomes large, making it a high level magic.

Well, if I had to pick between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ then…

“Yes.”

“Hm. Then can you use the intermediate level magic [Wind Blade Flurry] or [Wind Mallet]?”

I cannot use what modern magic calls “intermediate magic”.

That’s because intermediate magic today refers to a combination of magic which activate only upon meeting certain conditions.

Rather than using [Wind Blade Flurry] it is better to use multiple normal wind blades in succession, where you can adjust the track and power of each blade.

Rather than using [Wind Mallet] I’d use a [Wind Blade] on an opponent without cutting them and only blow them away.

I seriously don’t get that one.

I can reproduce the effects of course, but that doesn’t count as performing the actual spell.

So if I had to choose between a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’…

“No.”

“I see. Fine. I shall have you take part.”

The clouds are headed in a suspicious direction.

In any case, my policy from here on is “Living Comes First”.

If I can return home safely, that’s enough for me.

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2nd chapter done. I know there’s a lot of unneeded information in this novel, but keep in mind that this is this author’s first work (mine as well :P), so you can expect it to improve in slow increments (since this is ‘slow life’ after all).