Chapter 21 : Chapter 21
Chapter 21. Marriage Alliance (3)
It was not a metaphorical expression. Ciella Neudorf was truly a cursed woman.
However, since that curse was triggered only under very secret and private conditions, even Berger, the head of the Alchemy School, had only realized it after a long time had passed.
The condition for that curse was sexual intercourse between a man and a woman, so it would not have been easy to uncover even for Berger Neudorf, who possessed outstanding intellect.
In his previous life, it was discovered because her eighth husband was a mage; had they been ordinary noblemen or knights, she would likely have remained a woman with a destiny to devour her husbands until she died.
In his previous life, Blanc had heard the rumors and simply passed them off, thinking, 'How fascinating, such things happen in the world.'
'What do I do about this. There is no way out for me.'
In this life, he was in a position where he would have to take on that curse himself.
If Blanc had the ability to lift the curse on Ciella or knew the method, it would not matter, but the problem was that he had no such ability.
"Are there no other families... besides the Neudorf family?"
Blanc, who barely squeezed out his voice, could not help but smile awkwardly as soon as he met Weird's surprised eyes.
"That... I am curious. I mean, about which women discussions are proceeding with."
Weird was surprised by Blanc's question, which dared to ask if there were no other women besides the daughter of a Count family, but upon hearing the words that followed, he nodded as if he understood.
'If you cannot handle it, you must avoid it. Even if it is the Count family of Neudorf, this is a poisoned chalice.'
Even if one became the son-in-law of a powerful Count family, what meaning would it have if one's own life was in danger?
Therefore, there was no choice but to act.
"Right. At that age, it is indeed a time when interest in women naturally arises."
Blanc deliberately enacted the appearance of a pubescent boy who would be very interested in women.
It was to find out if there were any women among the candidates other than Ciella Neudorf.
"Surprisingly, many families seem to want to form a tie with you. However, father does not seem very pleased with them."
Since Blanc possessed the Baron title of the Felix Kingdom and the succession rights to Norington, there were many families who wanted to acquire him. If they could just have Blanc, the above two would naturally follow.
Although they were rights in name only, it was certainly worth investing one daughter to take them.
"...Is that so."
However, no matter how many bridal candidates there were, it was useless if they did not please Bartomyu, who was arranging Blanc's marriage.
Listening to Weird, it seemed there were no families that dared to compare with Neudorf.
'Then it is a fait accompli that I will be marrying Ciella Neudorf.'
Seeing Blanc show signs of disappointment, Weird smiled meaningfully inside.
"True. Even if it is the Neudorf family, there would be a reluctant aspect to welcoming a woman who has already lost two husbands as a wife."
"No, that is not it. Lord Weird. It is not that..."
How could Blanc, who only possessed a nominal Baron title, dare to say that the family of a Meritorious Noble of the kingdom was reluctant?
Blanc waved his hands and denied Weird's remark, but Weird did not mind and continued to speak.
"Besides, she is twenty-one years old, so there is a seven-year difference with you. It cannot help but be a burden."
Although Blanc was sweating profusely and denying it beside him, Weird nodded as if he had already made a decision.
"I fully understand your feelings. Then how about this?"
Blanc had noticed that Weird's eyes were glistening strangely, but there is such a thing as flow in a conversation.
Blanc was already caught in the flow constructed by Weird, a competent and seasoned merchant.
"How about Isellin instead? She is still ten years old, but since there is only a four-year difference with you, it would be appropriate compared to Ciella who is twenty-one, and above all, since Isellin seems to like you very much, as a father, marrying her to a man she likes..."
Marriage between cousins was not nonexistent. It was something that happened often to strengthen the unity within the family.
Moreover, after experiencing the situation where he almost lost Isellin, Weird wanted to keep his only daughter by his side always.
In that sense, for Weird, Blanc was a son-in-law candidate with undeniably good conditions.
He satisfied the minimum conditions, was full of potential for future development, and since he was someone who could be kept within his influence, he would not be able to treat Isellin poorly.
And above all, Isellin seemed to like Blanc.
Weird looked at Blanc with a satisfied smile.
'...Isn't this wrong?'
In front was the Red Widow Spider. Behind was a situation where a damn brat was holding out.
Blanc was truly in a dilemma.
***
"Damn it... Damn it!"
Jonas was sitting at his desk clutching his head, having skipped the training he used to do every day lately.
"What am I supposed to do about this... How am I supposed to handle this matter..."
It had been a week since his servant was called by Vitelli and had not returned. Perhaps he was locked in the dungeon of the Tolome mansion even now, or maybe he was already dead.
"He must have confessed everything already... Knowing what kind of person Uncle Vitelli is..."
Jonas knew very well that although Vitelli smiled like a good person, he had a cold heart inside.
Jonas' servant had probably already confessed to Vitelli that Jonas had instructed him to release poison on Blanc.
"But why!"
But why was there still no word to him?
It was an unexpected result for Jonas as well that Isellin, not Blanc, was poisoned. He just intended to give Blanc pain and give him a firm warning.
To stay quiet in the Tolome family, to do nothing and stay crushed.
However, thanks to a stupid whore, that poison entered Isellin, and as a result, it became a big issue that turned the family upside down.
"Blanc, you bastard..."
Isellin, the young granddaughter of the Tolome family, being poisoned was a hot topic in the capital Baltimere, but an even bigger topic was Blanc himself.
The fact that Blanc, a young boy of fourteen, risked danger and found the Moonlit Grass to save his cousin Isellin was already spreading beyond Baltimere to the entire Felix Kingdom.
Since Blanc, who was already famous due to the tragedy of the Cadmus family, had found the Moonlit Grass that appeared only in legends, it was inevitable that it became a topic of discussion.
Blanc was especially popular among young girls.
Because he perfectly realized a typical prince story that would appear in fairy tales in reality.
Perhaps that was why, although Blanc had not yet received a knighthood, some people were already calling Blanc the Knight of the Moonlit Grass and praising his achievements.
"Kuaaaaaaaah!"
His action, attempted to trap Blanc, ironically resulted in elevating Blanc's honor.
Jonas suffered, clutching his head due to anxiety about his future treatment and inferiority toward Blanc.
"Lord Jonas, Lord Jonas!"
"What am I supposed to do now... If this matter becomes known to father..."
"Lord Jonas! Please pull yourself together! Right now, Lord Schumacher is..."
"Schumacher? Father?"
At the news that his father was coming, Jonas convulsed and jumped up from his desk.
However, before Jonas could even gather his wits, his door opened roughly.
BANG!
The door opened noisily, and behind it, Schumacher Tolome was glaring at him with cold eyes.
"F, Father..."
Jonas tried to greet Schumacher by somehow piecing together a greeting.
"I just came from speaking to your mother."
What returned was a cold and dry answer.
"W, What did you say..."
Jonas stood with the feelings of a condemned prisoner waiting for the falling blade, unable to even dare lift his head.
Schumacher showed no emotional agitation even while looking at such a shabby appearance of Jonas.
"Your mother will leave for St. Sorey Monastery today. She decided to pray for your safety and success there."
"Father!"
"Your mother will focus on prayer there until I call for her."
"Father. Please! I was wrong. Please, at least mother..."
Bartomyu, the head of the Tolome family, entrusted the punishment of Jonas to Schumacher.
Bartomyu the family head, Schumacher the eldest son, Vitelli who knew all the facts, and even Weird, Isellin's father and the biggest victim of this incident, had agreed to bury this incident as quietly as possible.
Because everyone knew that if it became known to the outside world that the eldest grandson of the family had committed such an absurd act, the prestige of the Tolome family would fall to the ground.
Although Weird could not swallow his resentment, he was barely able to turn his heart around with the persuasion of the family head Bartomyu and Schumacher's apology.
Since the Tolome family had publicly announced externally that Isellin was poisoned by an unidentified assassin group and disposed of the conspirators, it was now time to decide on the punishment for Jonas as quietly as possible internally.
"I made the mistake! Please punish me, not mother!"
Jonas wailed like a child while holding onto Schumacher's ankle.
Although his son was holding his ankle and crying at his feet, Schumacher continued to speak without blinking an eye.
"If people in the world know that a punitive measure was taken against you in a situation like the present, what would they think? At this point when rumors about Isellin's incident are full in the air."
"Father!"
There were a few witnesses who saw Jonas' servant buying the poison of the Yellow-striped Mushroom at the Alchemist Guild.
Since the rumors created by those people were rising along with various rumors about the Isellin incident, punishing Jonas strongly and publicly at this time would be no different from indirectly admitting those rumors.
Jonas looked at his father while wailing, but he could not find any emotion in Schumacher's eyes that met his.
"And it is true that your mother also did wrong. Since she also admitted her fault, she accepted leaving for Sorey Monastery without saying much."
"What wrong did mother do?"
Jonas could only be puzzled. Because she was a mother who silently performed her support for Schumacher and himself usually, she could not have done anything wrong to offend Schumacher.
"Of course she did wrong. A very big wrong."
Schumacher looked at Jonas with gray, inorganic eyes.
Jonas could feel that there was nothing inside those eyes.
Affection for his son, disappointment about this situation, anger. That there was not a single fragment of any emotion.
"For she possessed the blood of a lion but failed to produce a lion to continue the next generation. This is a very great sin."
Schumacher's words pierced deep into Jonas' heart.
He does not acknowledge him as a lion of Tolome.
It meant he did not acknowledge him as a son.
"F, Father..."
"This is the last time. Do not forget that this is the last chance your mother gave by sacrificing herself."
Schumacher turned away coldly as soon as he finished speaking and left the room.
Jonas could only stare blankly, unable to even grab the leaving Schumacher.
And a short time after Schumacher returned. A beast-like wail echoed from Jonas' room.