Chapter 793

Count Granvelle declared with a determined face that he had done the right thing by Allen, to whom he owed so much, regarding Cecil's marriage arrangement.

Just ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????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the conversation was about to proceed further, Allen called for a pause.

"Eh? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Um, there seems to be a misunderstanding."

"Hm? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Is something wrong?"

"My, ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????my..."

As ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Allen was about to completely deny everything, both Count Granvelle and the Countess widened their eyes and gasped. It was as if Allen's next words had the power to determine the future of the Granvelle family.

The ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????gazes of everyone, including Zenoff and the butler Sebastian, focused on Allen.

"...My apologies. This isn't a matter to discuss without Cecil present, and tomorrow is the battle with the Demon King. Could we perhaps continue this conversation after tomorrow?" Allen said, judging it unwise to say anything more without Cecil here.

"Oh! You are quite right. Let us speak of this leisurely with Cecil present."

*(It felt like if I agreed, things would have just kept moving forward. For now, it's on hold!)*

Allen believed troublesome matters were best postponed and shelved for later.

"Sorry. My family is waiting, so I should probably take my leave..."

He emphasized his desire to return home to avoid being pinned down any further regarding his relationship with Cecil.

"I see. My apologies for keeping you so long. The battle with the Demon King is in your hands!"

"Yes! Mr. Zenoff, I will come to collect you at the Count's mansion around 8 AM tomorrow."

"Make sure you do," Zenoff stated with a firm attitude, determined to fight the Demon King's army.

After informing Zenoff of the next day's plans, Allen teleported to Rodan Village using the Bird A summoned beast's special skill, "Nesting."

He had planned to be enjoying a family gathering in Rodan Village by around noon, but it was now nearly 2 PM. *I took too long*, Allen thought as he arrived at the village square.

*(Phew, it's been a while since I've been back. Rodan Village. Well, I see it often through my summoned beasts, but it's grown so much.)*

It had been about four years since Rodan Village was established.

Looking around from the square, he could see a large gate made of thick logs at the village entrance. Originally carved out near the foothills of the White Dragon Mountains, Rodan Village was at risk of invasion by magical beasts like Great Boars. Using summoned beasts, they had dug a deep moat, channeled river water into it, and built a wall over ten meters tall inside it. From the bottom of the moat, it was over twenty meters, making the defenses perfect, and summoned beasts were basically stationed there.

*(Great Boar hunting. That brings back memories. Maybe after defeating the Demon King's army, I can help out again after so long.)*

Looking up, he could see the peaks of the White Dragon Mountains and imagined the Great Boars swarming down from the foothills toward the village.

Allen tried to shift his mood from the earlier shock by enjoying the scenery of his hometown. He decided to cross the square and head toward his home, the village chief's house.

In the center of the square, preparations for the Harvest Festival on October 1st were underway, with a sacred shelf and a scaffolding-like structure for offering the harvest. Every year for the festival, the men of the village would work together to assemble it using lumber brought from the warehouse.

*Clang Clang*

"Why, if it isn't Allen. Good afternoon."

"Hey, will you be participating in this year's festival?"

Two villagers addressed him in quick succession.

"Maybe next year."

"Is that so? Please do join us next year!"

The villager looked momentarily disappointed but quickly brightened up and urged Allen, the village chief's son, to participate in the festival.

Since it was the afternoon before the festival, the preparations were mostly complete. Everyone in the village knew Allen, with his distinctive black hair, was the village chief's son.

Now that the village was fully operational, Allen had donated about 100 gold coins—more than last year—toward the festival's operating costs. Rodan had told the villagers about Allen's donations, but the man himself wasn't participating this year.

This year, he couldn't participate due to the battle with the Demon King's army, and last year he couldn't because he was infiltrating the Prostia Empire as a fishman.

He truly hoped to participate in the festival next year, after defeating the Demon King. The 100 gold coins were equivalent to about 10 million yen, enough to cover the venue setup and provide plenty of feasting. Having been too poor to participate in festivals during his own childhood, he wished for everyone, even serfs without money, to be able to participate as much as possible.

Exchanging brief greetings as he passed through, he climbed the stairs of the stilt-house village chief's residence near the residential area square. At the top of the stairs, a Spirit A summoned beast was sitting. Through their shared link, he knew it had been deliberately told, "Tell me as soon as Allen returns," and had been kicked outside.

*'Welcome home. Keke, everyone is waiting inside.'*

"Thanks."

One Spirit A summoned beast was stationed to guard Rodan Village. Normally, it might be inside the house, but respecting the family's request, it had waited outside the entrance for Allen's return. Their conversation must have been heard inside, as Allen noticed someone peeking at them from the window.

"He's here! Big brother Allen is back!" came an excited, hushed voice—Myla's.

*(Honestly, just because it's my birthday... I guess this is a surprise. Playing along with the surprise is probably the eldest son's duty too.)*

It was Allen's first visit home in a long time, and he would turn seventeen tomorrow. His family had apparently prepared a surprise, even going so far as to kick the Spirit A summoned beast out of the house.

Suppressing a grin and feigning calmness, he entered the house. The entrance was empty. Walking briskly down the hallway, he heard whispers from the direction of the dining room. Sensing a gathering of people, it seemed the whole family was in the dining room.

"I'm home. Sorry I'm late. Just got back..." he said, pretending not to notice anything, and opened the dining room door to find his entire family waiting.

*(Mash is here too. He came back from the academy. And on the wall... eh? Cecil?)*

In the room were over ten people: his parents, his brother Mash, his sister Myla, his grandparents, and villagers who helped around the house.

His eyes were drawn not to the lavish feast on the table nor to the fact that Mash had returned from the academy city for him, but to the banner hung above the window. He tried to read the congratulatory words written on it.

"Congratulations on your marriage to Lady Cecil!!""Congratulations on your marriage to Lady Cecil!!""Congratulations on your marriage to Lady Cecil!!"

"Bwuh!?"

The voices of over ten people showered down on Allen simultaneously, causing him to recoil in shock.

"Big brother is surprised! Yay!! Operation huge success!! Marriage! Marriage!!" Myla jumped up and down, delighted by his shocked expression.

"Honestly, I thought you might never get married, but with the Count's daughter, no less! Well, I did think you two were awfully close. But I'm the head of the household, you know. You should've given me a heads-up; you gave me quite a shock!"

*Ruffle ruffle*

Allen's father, Rodan, ruffled his hair. Perhaps because his intellect wasn't working, Allen's mind went blank, unable to think of anything.

"Come on, big brother Allen, take a seat. It's late, I'm getting hungry too," Mash said.

Though it was late, the family had waited without touching the food.

"That's right. And the Count did say it was still before the official engagement, didn't he? We've made such a fuss. Everyone, please keep it quiet for now," his mother, Theresia, said, calming an excited Rodan but also asking everyone, including the helpers, to keep it secret.

Pulled by the hand by Myla, Allen was led to his seat, which had more food laid out than even the head of the household's. On it sat a pie made from Mormo fruit, a sweet treat using precious sugar, a rarity in the village and one of Allen's favorites.

"That's right! I want to tell Gerda soon and surprise her too. I thought you might end up marrying Krena, but never this! Well then, let's eat, even if it's a bit late. Everyone, please take your seats," Rodan said.

"Thank you. Even after becoming a Knight, you haven't become proud; you're a good man," said one of the helper villagers. Seats were set up for them next to Allen's grandparents, and everyone began to eat.

*(Right. This is a critical moment. I need to sort out this situation. Sugar. I need sugar. My brain, work, please!)*

"Did... did you hear about the Cecil matter from the Count himself?" Allen asked.

"Yeah, that's right. The Count came to the village chief's house himself and asked if it would be alright to proceed with the marriage arrangement with Cecil. When was that... about a month ago, I think."

*(I see. So after the royal castle uproar, the Count started moving.)*

"And then?"

"And then? I said, 'Please, by all means.' It's only natural, isn't it?"

*(So the marriage talks progressed in my absence. It's a bit late now, but I really feel the cultural difference from my previous life. Now that I think about it, Pelomus also asked Fiona's father, Chester, for permission before proposing to her.)*

In the feudal Ratash Kingdom, it was standard for the head of the household, Rodan, to be asked for permission for his eldest son's marriage, and for the head to respond without the son's prior agreement.

The next step in the process would likely not be for Allen to confess to Cecil, but for him to formally request permission from Lord Granvelle to proceed with the marriage.

His family looked at his face curiously, wondering what was wrong.

"Bro, you cleared that A-rank dungeon in the academy city, right? What was it like?" Mash asked.

*(Mash, member of the 'Hundred Flowers Blossom' party. Now is not the time for that!)*

"Ehh~ Myla wants to hear about the Prostia Empire~ Was the mermaid princess really pretty?" Myla asked.

*(Hm? So the tales of the Prostia Empire have reached even our home? More importantly, won't anyone give me a chance to explain myself?)*

"Allen can't do everything at once. So..." Theresia said, also joining the conversation, happy to have her eldest son home after so long.

The matter of Cecil, which had been put on hold with the Count, was swept away in the torrent of conversation with his family. He simply couldn't bring himself to tell his family, who had even made a banner for him.

*(How am I going to explain this to Cecil?)*

He felt the warmth of his family, glad he could enjoy this reunion before tomorrow's battle against the Demon King's army.*For now, I'll think about tomorrow, tomorrow*, Allen thought, as he began to eat the meal his family had prepared for him.

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