Chapter 58. I Object to This Marriage! (1)
The Sub-Quest [I Object to This Marriage!].
If ‘Sub’ meant what I understood it to mean, it should refer to a quest that didn’t matter whether I completed it or not.
Knights, adventurers, and mercenaries completed them to fill their free time when they had nothing better to do.
They were literally Sub-Quests.
Therefore, they weren’t compulsory.
It didn’t matter whether one completed them or ignored them.
“What?”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
I vaguely dismissed Edlen’s question and turned my gaze aside. Then I examined the quest information again, one line at a time.
‘....What is this?’
I genuinely couldn’t understand it.
I had to prevent Seraphia’s marriage?
Why?
And the penalty for refusing the quest was—
‘The awakening of the Monarch of Frost...?’
For a moment, I was rendered speechless.
This was supposedly a quest that didn’t matter whether I completed it or not?
How could this possibly be called a ‘Sub’-Quest?
Judging only by the reward, it was certainly worthy of being called a Sub-Quest.
Kai’s Affinity.
To be honest, I had no interest in receiving that madman’s Affinity.
But the penalty for refusal was fatal.
The ‘awakening of the Monarch of Frost’, no less.
I wondered what kind of quest could possibly carry such a penalty.
‘It wants me to prevent Seraphia’s marriage?’
Since when was Seraphia getting married?
She hadn’t even regained consciousness.
Apparently.
‘What the hell are they doing back in the County?’
It seemed I needed to return to the County and investigate immediately.
Establishing the branch or whatever else could wait.
The awakening of the Monarch of Frost was more serious than any other matter.
But before leaving.
I took the last thirty platinum coins in my Inventory—thirty thousand gold—and handed them to Edlen.
“Take it.”
“Gasp! Is there something else you would like me to do?”
“No. It’s compensation for your hard work.”
“What?! I can’t accept this!”
Edlen waved his hands and retreated.
“Just take it. You worked hard running around on my behalf.”
It wouldn’t have been an exaggeration to say that he had attended to practically all my needs.
He had even sacrificed valuable time that he should have spent maximizing his sales.
“But thirty thousand gold is far too much!”
Well, that was true.
….Damn it.
This wasn’t the time to argue about something like this.
“Then I’ll throw it away.”
“What?! Why would you throw it away?”
“Then take it.”
“B-But...!”
“Then I’m throwing it away.”
I actually threw the thirty platinum coins onto the floor.
Only then did Edlen recoil in horror and hurriedly collect the fallen coins.
He then prostrated himself before me.
“For the rest of my life, I will trust and follow only Lord Adrian!”
“Don’t trust and follow me. Trust and follow money. Nothing on this continent has roots deeper than trust founded upon money.”
Just as I turned to leave—
◆Edlen’s Affinity toward you has increased!
A translucent message announcing the increase in his Affinity appeared before my eyes.
Then, as though responding to my concerns regarding Seraphia’s marriage—
◆Edlen’s Affinity toward you has reached the [Friendliness] state!
◆A person in the [Friendliness] state will display a warm and positive attitude toward you.
◆This person will actively provide assistance and cooperation. You may receive their support during combat or certain situations and request their aid in times of crisis.
As expected.
Edlen was someone worth developing into the manager of the Freche branch.
After parting with Edlen, I hurriedly summoned the Merchant Company members and soldiers.
“As expected....”
The Merchant Company members and soldiers nodded as though they had anticipated this.
Their expressions made it seem as though the long-awaited moment had finally arrived.
“What do you mean by ‘as expected’?”
“Uh…. You didn’t know?”
Apparently, they knew something I didn’t.
“Know what? What are you talking about?”
When I questioned them, the Merchant Company members hesitated and refused to speak.
But after I frowned once, they quickly opened their mouths.
“The truth is, House of Viscount Venenon has been seeking a marriage with Lady Seraphia.”
“House of Viscount Venenon?”
Where had I heard that name?
It hadn’t been during my time in the Coalition Forces.... Ah, right.
Guests from House of Viscount Venenon had visited the County after the Gelu-Drake was subjugated.
They had also visited again before I departed for Freche.
“Their territory borders our County.”
“It is situated within the Timberline Tundra Region....”
“They have been visiting our County regularly for some time.”
As expected, my recollection had been correct.
I had heard that they made some kind of ‘proposal’ each time they visited.
“Don’t tell me that proposal was a marriage proposal.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
I finally understood what the Sub-Quest meant by ‘Seraphia’s marriage’.
However.
‘I’ve never heard anything about the Monarch of Frost being married.’
I still didn’t understand what was happening.
“House of Viscount Venenon has repeatedly proposed a marriage involving Lady Seraphia.”
Put simply, it was a proposal for a political marriage.
Political marriages between noble families were common. In fact, nearly every marriage between nobles could be called a political marriage.
For a noble family’s daughter, a political marriage could practically be considered a predetermined destiny.
“....Hmm?”
Even so, something felt strange.
After all, House White Wolf was a count’s household.
House Venenon, on the other hand, was a viscount’s household.
The noble ranks of the Kingdom of Vatenberg were divided into five levels.
Duke > Marquis > Count > Viscount > Baron.
One might therefore assume there was only a single rank of difference between House White Wolf and House of Viscount Venenon.
However, that wasn’t remotely true.
A count was indisputably a high-ranking noble.
Therefore, the one-rank difference between a count and a viscount was more like a difference in ‘level’.
Duke >>> Marquis > Count >>>>>>>> Viscount > Baron.
In practical terms, the disparity was closer to this.
In that sense, Viscount and Baron weren’t originally formal noble titles.
More precisely, they weren’t titles bestowed by the Monarch.
They had originally been ‘administrative positions’ assigned by high-ranking nobles of Count or higher to handle territorial affairs.
Bernard, the Head Butler of House White Wolf, fulfilled precisely that kind of role.
However, my father hadn’t granted Bernard the title of Viscount or even Baron.
It would have been understandable if Bernard had immediately declared that he couldn’t tolerate the position any longer and resigned as Head Butler.
In any case, a viscount wasn’t an ultimate authority but a middle manager.
The territories called viscounties had originally been regions arbitrarily designated by counts.
A count would divide part of their County and make an offer along the lines of, ‘I’ll give you this territory, so why don’t you work under me?’
Then, for some reason, the count might suddenly die.
Or they might fail to leave an heir.
For one reason or another, the County might be left without a count, allowing the viscount to swallow the territory that had been assigned to them.
That was how the territories currently known as ‘viscounties’ and ‘baronies’ had originated.
After centuries of that history accumulating, even royal families eventually began including viscounts and barons among the nobility.
Strictly speaking, however, they had never received direct investiture from the Monarch.
“Is there any reason for House White Wolf to accept the marriage proposal?”
As a count’s household, House White Wolf had no particular reason to accept it.
After all, Seraphia was the ‘lord’ of White Wolf County.
In other words, she was the next Countess.
There was no reason for her to enter a political marriage with a mere viscount’s household.
“Well....”
“As Lord Adrian knows, our County is somewhat....”
The Merchant Company members trailed off, but I understood what they meant.
White Wolf County possessed practically nothing.
The Venenon Viscounty possessed considerable wealth.
Nobles of Viscount and lower carried a complex about not having received direct recognition from the royal family.
That was why they were desperate to accumulate achievements.
Through those achievements, many had earned the Monarch’s recognition and been elevated to the rank of Count.
However, the easiest method was naturally—
“Viscount Venenon offered an enormous quantity of gold in exchange for a political marriage with Lady Seraphia....”
A political marriage.
It followed the same principle by which younger sons of noble families entered the households of other nobles as butlers and pursued success.
Younger daughters of noble families supported their families through marriages with other noble houses.
Although she was adopted, Seraphia was the eldest daughter of House White Wolf.
She wasn’t merely its eldest daughter.
She was the next Countess.
On top of that, she was exceptionally beautiful.
It was only natural that House of Viscount Venenon would eagerly covet her.
“They didn’t dare make such an offer while the previous Count was alive....”
But my father had died several months ago.
Moreover, he had left his entire inheritance to Seraphia.
House of Viscount Venenon apparently believed that obtaining Seraphia would allow them to swallow the entire County.
“We were absolutely opposed to it, but....”
White Wolf County possessed practically nothing.
Its residents had to struggle against hunger and cold every day.
Seraphia seemed to believe that accepting House of Viscount Venenon’s marriage proposal would resolve all those problems.
‘Is that why Seraphia said she would return the lordship to me?’
Seraphia had attempted to renounce the entire inheritance she had received.
At the time, I hadn’t understood why she was doing it.
Now, however, I thought I understood.
It appeared she had intended to prevent the County from being surrendered, even if she herself was sold through a political marriage.
Hmm.
In my previous life, I hadn’t known anything about these circumstances.
After all, I had run away from the family.
But that was that.
‘It isn’t really my concern.’
Honestly, I didn’t care who Seraphia married.
I examined the quest before me once again.
==< I Object to This Marriage! >==
[Objective] - Prevent Seraphia’s marriage.
[Reward] - Kai’s Affinity increases.
[Upon Failure] - <Monarch of Frost> awakens.
The reward was certainly appropriate for a Sub-Quest.
Kai’s Affinity.
Considering that he lived and died for Seraphia, it was understandable, but I had no interest in receiving that madman’s Affinity.
In other words, it wasn’t a Sub-Quest I particularly wanted to complete.
However, the penalty for failure was fatal.
That meant I couldn’t bear the consequences of choosing not to complete it. And the fact that this quest had suddenly appeared before me meant—
‘Why did they accept the marriage proposal?’
It meant someone in the County had accepted the proposal involving Seraphia.
In other words, Kai had also accepted it.
That madman who lived and died for Seraphia had accepted her marriage proposal.
‘It can’t be merely because the quest appeared....’
The quest hadn’t appeared when House of Viscount Venenon visited the County.
It hadn’t appeared when they merely submitted their proposal.
Therefore, it was reasonable to conclude that the quest had been triggered because the marriage proposal had been accepted.
‘So suddenly?’
No matter how much I considered it, I couldn’t understand.
In the past, when the County possessed practically nothing, accepting the marriage proposal might have made sense.
But that wasn’t the situation now.
The supplies I was currently providing to the residents were enough for them to survive the season of bitter cold.
‘Does Seraphia want to get married?’
If that were the case, I could understand.
If Seraphia loved Viscount Venenon, it would make sense.
It would also explain why Kai had accepted the marriage proposal.
Then it truly wouldn’t be my concern.
I could simply return immediately, forget about the marriage, kill Seraphia, and be done with it.
Ian’s regret or anything else no longer mattered.
I could never allow the Monarch of Frost to awaken.
However.
‘How can they marry someone who isn’t even conscious?’
I couldn’t begin to imagine what kind of madness they were attempting.
More importantly, according to my memories, Seraphia had never possessed a husband.
There had been no information whatsoever suggesting that the Monarch of Frost had ever married.
First, I doubted whether any man on the continent was capable of enduring Seraphia.
He would freeze to death merely by holding her hand.
Considering that even Ian had lost his left arm, he couldn’t endure her either.
Therefore, it was safe to assume that no man on the continent could endure Seraphia.
Apparently.
‘I’ll have to go there.’
I needed to investigate what was happening.
And I needed to do it quickly.
“You will remain in Freche and continue conducting business.”
“Pardon? J-Just us?”
“Yes. If anything happens, visit the Merchant Guild and request their assistance.”
They were efficient workers, so even without me, they should be able to continue operating the business, albeit somewhat clumsily.
Once the Freche branch was established, they would have to lead trading expeditions without me anyway.
“Well....”
“We’re not sure whether we can do it properly....”
They looked uncertain, but this was something they would eventually need to confront.
Experience was also a valuable asset.
I couldn’t remain beside them and guide them forever.
“Continue doing what you’ve done until now. It’s fine if you make mistakes, so approach it as an opportunity to gain experience.”
“U-Understood!”
“We’ll do our best not to disgrace Lord Adrian!”
The Merchant Company members shouted courageously, but I was still concerned.
However, as I had said, this was something they would need to confront eventually.
Even if something happened, the Merchant Guild and City Congress would intervene, so it shouldn’t become a serious problem.
“Then I’ll return to the County immediately.”
“Whaaat—?”
Before the Merchant Company members could finish expressing their confusion—
My stats surged explosively.
“Wh-What?”
The Merchant Company member’s dumbfounded voice was already coming from behind me as I became a faint dot in the distance.
◆Activating the Combination Skill ‘Metabolic Overdrive[U]’!
◆Calories consumed - 100,000 kcal.
◆All the Player’s stats increase by [+100%]!
◆The Player’s increased stats will be maintained for [1,000 seconds]!
* * *
Scorching heat filled the room.
The superheated air created a suffocating pressure.
The air touching the skin felt hot enough to burn flesh, and every inhalation made it seem as though one’s lungs were being cooked.
It was like being trapped inside an inferno.
The heat was impossible to endure for even a few seconds, let alone several minutes.
Yet Seraphia lay limply upon the bed as though she existed in a different world entirely.
Kai carefully examined Seraphia’s condition.
Still unconscious, Seraphia lay collapsed upon the bed without the slightest strength.
Even within the scorching heat, frost covered Seraphia’s eyelashes.
No trace of warmth remained upon her blue lips.
Her skin was pale, and her fingertips were frozen so thoroughly that she couldn’t move a single finger.
Her faint breathing was nearly impossible to hear.
Only the slight rise and fall of her chest revealed that she was still breathing.
Leaving Seraphia behind, Kai quietly exited the room.
When he opened the door, Bernard, who had been waiting outside, questioned him.
“How is she?”
Bernard’s face was filled with worry and concern.
He desperately sought an answer, but Kai couldn’t provide one. He couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Seraphia was dying.
She didn’t have much time remaining.
Kai couldn’t force those words from his mouth.
But perhaps some things could be understood without being spoken.
Bernard slowly closed his eyes.
“We must accept House of Viscount Venenon’s proposal.”
“We cannot!”
Kai unintentionally shouted.
“He is a greedy man! We cannot give Lady Seraphia to someone like him—!”
“But we have no other choice.”
Bernard’s following words forced Kai into silence. His heart felt crushed by pain, leaving him unable to breathe.
He knew there was no alternative.
“For now….we must save Lady Seraphia.”
But accepting that fact was unbearably difficult.
Ironically, at that moment, one person appeared within Kai’s thoughts.
Adrian, who had departed on a trading expedition to Freche.
Perhaps Adrian could discover a way to treat Seraphia. He possessed the power to make the impossible possible.
Perhaps Adrian could make the impossible possible once again.
Just as Kai struggled with his decision—
“Indeed. Shouldn’t you save your mistress first?”
A voice came from one side.
When Kai turned toward it, he saw a man approaching him.
Even the man’s gait overflowed with arrogance.
His exaggeratedly slow steps conveyed an unpleasant disregard for everyone around him.
His face gleamed with oil.
His excessively elaborate clothing and the expensive jewelry adorning every finger displayed vanity rather than dignity.
His appearance, attitude, and clothing all openly revealed his greed and despicable nature.
The man’s name was—
Alteron de Venenon.
He was the eldest son of House of Viscount Venenon and the prospective groom in the marriage negotiations involving Seraphia.
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