Chapter 221 : Alforam (5)
Chapter 221: Alforam (5)
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"...I didn't really intend to."
"So you were thinking about it."
The brief pause must have given her away.
Seeing Yuria seemingly read her mind, Carl gave a bitter smile.
"You're getting sharper by the day. It's almost scary."
"You shouldn't lump me in with the people of this world. Do you know how many novels, comics, and games I've consumed? This much is nothing."
Carl nodded at Yuria's scoffing reply.
Indeed, as someone from another world, her thoughts and actions were notably quick.
Of course, the problem was that this only applied to things she found interesting.
Swish.
Having heard the answer she wanted, Yuria let go of Carl’s cheek and began walking slowly.
From the look on her face, she seemed lost in thought for a moment, so Carl quietly followed her from behind.
"Laysis becoming the Queen of the Kingdom of Alforam... it's not like I never thought about it, but it’s not an easy path, you know? That wasn’t part of the original route."
"Was it not?"
"Yeah. At least, as far as I knew. Laysis usually..."
Yuria clamped her mouth shut, glanced at Carl, then continued slowly.
"...met a tragic fate."
"Hmm."
"It's obvious, isn't it? Just look at the situation now. Carl, if you hadn’t intervened, what do you think would’ve happened?"
The royal family tainted by the power of the Demon Realm.
Laysis, pushed around by the engagement issue.
Eventually, she would be forced into a marriage, becoming a puppet, unable to do anything.
In the worst case, she could have been sacrificed as an offering in black magic under the name of royal blood, or joined hands with a devil and become a demon human.
"Of course, I didn’t intend to leave her like that either. So I was figuring out a way to extract Laysis no matter what."
"For example?"
"I-I was prepared for a same-sex marriage."
"..."
It was such an unexpected and sharp response that Carl momentarily froze.
Then, clutching his forehead, he let out a hearty laugh and nodded.
"Indeed. That would be a good way to get her out. The title of Successor of the Gray Magic Tower still holds weight."
Same-sex marriage was rare, but not unheard of.
Even in the Empire, it was legally recognized, albeit by a minority.
Yuria’s same-sex marriage plan was clever enough to shake Carl’s thoughts for a moment.
"And now it’s the same. If Laysis and I get married, that alone would qualify her for defection. The screening process would be strict, but we could immediately halt any current marriage discussions."
"That possibility probably went up today. Plenty of people saw how affectionate you and Laysis looked. The original marriage talk might be canceled, and things could shift toward Leipzig instead."
"Most likely."
Carl nodded.
They could receive backing from the Madeira Trading House right away, and even secure distribution rights beyond the Empire.
For the royal family of Alforam, they wouldn’t find a better match, so they would likely attempt to tie him down with Laysis no matter what.
It was the best way Carl could break off the other marriage arrangements.
"If I had a little more time, it might be different, but unfortunately, I’m tied down in multiple places."
"You’ll have to go back to Bayern once the weekend ends anyway. Why not just ditch the Academy already? Wasn’t it just for networking? Now that you have the Madeira Trading House, you probably don’t need all that extra stuff."
"I won’t say I never thought about it, but I plan to attend until the end."
"Why?"
"Well..."
There were several reasons.
In the long term, graduating from Bayern offered more advantages, and even after graduation, he could run various businesses related to Bayern.
Especially in special fields like the ancient heroes’ ruins, going through Bayern would be far more efficient.
A flurry of thoughts passed through his mind, but Carl soon smiled and replied.
"I ended up liking life at Bayern."
The dull traces of Mu-ak the assassin slowly faded away.
As he lived as Karl Leipzig and encountered new people, he was gradually being colored by their presence.
It was hard to say whether that was good or bad, but at the very least, Carl quite liked this current time.
"..."
Hearing Carl’s answer, Yuria opened her eyes wide.
Wondering why, Carl looked at her, and she replied with a slightly reluctant expression.
"You can make that kind of face too, huh."
"What do you mean?"
"You always had a blank face, or wore that faint smile. Like... something you’d see at a company or in formal settings. But just now, it felt really natural."
"Me?"
Carl touched his lips.
He should have had no gaps in the way he acted out facial expressions.
Even so, did Yuria sense something off in all that?
'She’s not just sharp—she’s perceptive too.'
He figured he would need to act more cautiously in front of her from now on.
"Then let’s call it a day."
Carl escorted Yuria to the room provided by Alforam.
His own room was right next door, so unlike before, he could immediately respond if anything happened.
It was something Carl had directly requested of Alforam to protect Yuria.
"But is it okay to leave Laysis alone like that? Isn’t it dangerous?"
"It’s fine. Someone is watching over her from another location. If anything happens..."
A voice transmission would come.
Before he could even finish the sentence, a voice transmission entered his mind, and Carl gave a bitter smile.
There really was no escaping the unexpected.
Looking down at Yuria as she entered her room, he continued.
"Yuria, if anything urgent comes up or you need help, let me know right away. Someone should be watching over you at all times."
"It’s those NOX folks, right? Got it."
Yuria nodded.
She appreciated Carl telling her that directly.
It must have meant she could rest easy.
They had gone through quite an ordeal traveling from Bayern to Alforam in just one day, and she was already tired.
"Then rest well until morning."
"You too. Good night."
Clack.
As Carl stepped out after closing the door, he let out a short sigh.
Just as Yuria had said, Carl massaged his twitching cheek from wearing a fake expression, then briskly strode not to his own room but toward the palace of Alforam.
‘What’s the situation?’
—A man named Dolores, the second son of Count Doldorof, dragged Lady Laysis into a private room.
‘Did he try anything?’
—He spiked the drink with a drug, but she didn’t drink it.
Carl nodded.
He had warned Laysis in advance that people might try all sorts of tricks upon entering Alforam.
Naturally, there were bound to be those who acted first without thinking, so caution was necessary.
Sure enough, it seemed a moth unable to hold back had charged in on the very first day.
Tap.
Carl’s footsteps grew heavier as he stepped through the corridor of the royal palace.
“To be honest, I think it’s quite impressive. You’re three years younger than me, yet already hold such a key position in the Madeira Trading House. It’s no wonder the princess is so taken with you.”
Night had deepened.
More than half the attendees of the banquet had left, but the rest continued enjoying the lively atmosphere.
Laysis, fulfilling her duty as a princess of Alforam, had tried to hold her place appropriately before leaving.
She had just begun to fend off those clumsily clinging to her under the guise of her title and prepare to take her leave.
Unfortunately, she encountered someone troublesome who didn’t quite take the hint.
‘Of all people.’
It was a man named Dolores, the second son of Count Doldorof.
Count Doldorof held considerable influence among the nobles of Alforam due to his involvement in transportation rights.
As a princess of Alforam, it was difficult for her to treat his second son coldly.
She wanted nothing more than to shout at him to get lost and walk away, but sadly the situation didn’t allow for that.
“You’re not far behind either, Lord Dolores. I heard you’re already deeply involved in your father’s business.”
“Some say I might even inherit the title if I earn enough recognition.”
“That’s quite the dangerous talk from you all. My elder brother, the rightful heir, is still wide-eyed and very much alive—how could I dare speak of inheriting the countship?”
Despite denying their words, Dolores twitched the corner of his mouth.
He likely knew it was flattery, yet it still pleased him.
“……”
Laysis listened to their conversation in silence.
During the banquet, she had been invited by Dolores to join a small gathering of young nobles.
Rather than agree with their strange remarks, staying silent seemed the better choice.
“So, is the rumor true?”
“What rumor are you referring to?”
“The one about Sir Carlos.”
“……”
But no matter how much she wished to stay quiet, it was difficult when the topic was Carl.
Especially since, like any youthful gathering, they were poking at sensitive topics without hesitation.
“It’s just a baseless rumor. There’s nothing like that between me and Sir Carl.”
“For something baseless, you two sure seemed quite close.”
“That’s right. Honestly, if Princess Laysis showed interest in anyone, who wouldn’t fall for her? Even I wouldn’t be able to resist.”
“You too?”
“Me too, hahahaha!”
Such talk unfolded right in front of her.
It was a clear sign that the authority of the royal family of Alforam was not being respected properly.
Under the table, Laysis clenched her fist tightly.
She could easily overpower these men in a direct confrontation, but the background and status they held forced her to endure, which was infuriating.
If it were Carl, he’d probably tell her exactly how to blow off this steam in a satisfying way.
“Now, now, let’s not speak so rudely in front of Princess Laysis.”
As the mood continued to build, Dolores stepped in personally to mediate.
He gave a greasy smile to Laysis as he filled his glass.
“Let’s not just talk—how about wetting our throats a bit?”
“That’s right. We’ve done nothing but talk.”
“Come, everyone raise your glasses.”
Each of them picked up a glass and held it high.
Laysis also held one for formality’s sake, but only filled it with a small amount of alcohol.
She had no intention of eating or drinking anything in front of these people and hadn’t even touched her lips to it thus far.
“Your glass is empty. May I pour you one?”
“...I’m sorry, but I don’t drink because of training.”
“How about just one glass? Among the next generation of nobles who will lead the kingdom, I’d like the royal bloodline to set a good example.”
“……”
All eyes were on her.
Compared to their rowdy chatter, this pressure was far more intense, and Laysis bit her lip.
‘Fine, whatever.’
At worst, it was probably just a mild sedative or something.
Thanks to Carl, her mana had become purified, so she should be able to neutralize trivial poisons with ease.
“Alright. But only this one, and then I’ll be leaving. I have early appointments tomorrow.”
“That’s a relief. Then…”
Dolores grinned broadly and poured into Laysis’s glass.
Just enough that she wouldn’t feel burdened.
As she brought the glass to her lips, Dolores smiled deeply.
‘Yes, drink it.’
He must have thought she believed he simply wanted to get her drunk and take advantage.
But what he desired wasn’t such base lust.
‘It’s about transcending human limitations together.’
If she became a true companion, even Princess Laysis would come to understand them.
Just as Laysis was about to drink—
Crash.
Suddenly, the glass she held shattered in her hand.