Chapter 260

The Marriage Interview Discussion (Yudence’s Point of View): End

I had Kehma-dono act as Mai’s guard for the morning of the following day .
And they did return—but it looks like he found out about the spies I sent to trail them? Once again, it looks like he truly is a skilled adventurer .
Kehma-dono once again refused being her fiance . Hmm, does he has a woman already? Perhaps Kuroinu-dono’s mother?
I can’t do anything about that, but maybe there’s still another way we could tie ourselves together—

—just as I was beginning to think that, unexpectedly, Kehma-dono tested out the idea of Kuroinu-dono being Mai’s fiance .

What a great opportunity!
I trembled from such good news .
Moreover, it appears that Kehma-dono’s achievements are also considered Kuroinu-dono’s .
… I want to accept it . I seriously want to accept it right away, but I have to endure it and keep up my appearance here . I’ll see if he has some other motive first, I can accept it later .

As I thought that, Kehma-dono took out Kuroinu-dono’s Guild Card .
… It looks like he wants me to decide right away, showing me Kuroinu-dono’s own peerage like that . Should I allow myself to compromise and accept it so quickly? I wouldn’t be able to probe for more information first, though .

With that, Kehma-dono also showed me his Guild Card . It listed him as D-Rank .
When I asked him about it, it appeared as though he’d never heard of the peerage listings .
And he continued to insist that he was an ordinary D-Rank adventurer .
… In other words, him receiving White Goddess-sama’s favor is for no reason other than because of being a key person with special circumstances to him .

Furthermore, although it’s not well known to commoners, the Raverio Empire does indeed allow same-sex marriage . The law book has a single sentence on the matter: [In the case of same-sex marriages, even sisters may marry] .
Therefore, same-sex marriage is allowed even within the same family to reinforce intrafamilial bonds . While heretical, it’s even possible to continue a bloodline through [Futanal], a potion made by the Chaos God that throws one’s sex into chaos .  [1]
Such expensive potions are rather rare amongst the lower class aristocracy, but it should be acquirable with my family’s power .

Or perhaps Kehma-dono’s plan is to change Kuroinu-dono’s sex…? For him to do something like registering her name as [Meat] on the aristocratic record, there must be some impossibly complex circumstances surrounding him .


If Mai were registered on the record as [Meat] and I was unable to have her name changed… even I might think about at least changing her sex . That is what we call parental love .

Kukuku, I get it, I get it, Kehma-dono! Our daughters are just too cute!

“Let’s go with your proposal and have Kuroinu-dono be the fiance . ”

After that, I gave Kehma-dono information on the [Godly Pillow] as a reward for borrowing his name as a fiance .
I couldn’t give him all of the information about it, so I told him all I could with full sincerity .

“… Mai-sama… is the manager of the [Godly Pillow]…?”
“Mai’s fiance would fit the management criteria as well . ”

I couldn’t say exactly who the manager of it was, but anyone should be able to figure it out with that .
I’m not sure what sort of circumstance is making him want the [Godly Pillow] so badly, but as a fellow father of cute daughters, I want to get along with Kehma-dono .

After Kehma-dono returned to his room, Mai entered the room .

“I should marry Kehma-sama, Otou-sama!”
“What’s this, now?”
“If I want to truly save the orphans, I need to hire merchants, educate the kids, and give them work . Just feeding them is no different than admiring pets!”
“H-huh? I think I get the gist of what you’re saying, but could you explain it to me just in case?

It sounds like Mai was overwhelmed by Kehma-dono’s wisdom .
Kehma-dono had given her a plan on how to help the orphanage by giving them an education, hiring them on as workers and helping them become independent .


But she said that she also said something about how it not being necessary if she was just doing it for the publicity .

Mai seems to have taken it as sarcasm, but I don’t believe that what Kehma-dono said was sarcasm, but simply something resulting from abiding to political measures .
People feel relieved when they can see that there are some more unfortunate than themselves . Although there’s also a slum outside the south gate, having an orphanage within the town would certainly fall in line that that intention .

But I’d rather not teach her about filthy things like that . I’d prefer for the people to trust in the beautiful existence that is Mai .
Well, there shouldn’t be too much of an impact even if the orphanage is improved, so maybe I should let Mai do what she wants for the experience?

“That’s a wonderful idea, it would certainly help the economy, too . You could implement it by recycling your current budget, would you like to give it a shot?”
“Yes, absolutely!”

Mai’s eyes sparkled in motivation .

“And that’s why I absolutely definitely really really have to marry Kehma-sama . Kuro-chaaa… . Kuroinu-sama carried me in her arms, so…? K-Kehma-sama has to take responsibility as her master . ”
“Oh, about that… Kuroinu-dono will be taking his place as your fiance . ”
“… Eh?”

Mai inclined her head to the side .

“During my conversation with Kehma-dono a moment ago, we decided that Kuroinu-dono will be your fiance . ”
“… I-isn’t she a girl though!?”

Oh, I haven’t taught Mai about the same-sex marriage thing yet, have I? Maybe I postponed her education a bit too much .

“It was Kehma-dono’s recommendation . Also, you shouldn’t treat Kuroinu-dono as a woman . ”
“Eh, K-Kuro-chan is a cross dresser!?”
“Huh? … W-well, yeah, something like that . ”

Kehma-dono did speak as though to insist she were male, so I understand that it’s probably better to treat her as such .

“… I’ll go talk to Kehma-sama! I won’t agree to this without hearing about it directly from him!”

Saying that, Mai ran out of the room .
She’s still a child, isn’t she… I think that Kehma-dono should be able to persuade her, but let’s hope that this doesn’t cause him to get angry and break this off . It should be fine though, I’ve already given him his reward .

Later on, Kuroinu-dono escorted her to dinner . It must have gone well .
That said, my second son, Jitter, raised his voice .

“Hold up, that one’s a slave! And a girl at that! There’s no reason for someone with such an idiotic name as Meat to be Mai’s fiance!”

Crap, Jitter hasn’t been taught about same-sax marriage either? Rondeau seemed to understand it, though . Waltz just smiled wryly .
There’s no other choice than to have Kuroinu-dono show her skill, forcing him to consent .

I thought that Jitter would be able to win against Kuroinu-dono… but even as someone strong enough to toy around with Rondeau, I couldn’t see through her at all with my eyes .

*

The following day, having told the maid that he wouldn’t be having breakfast, Kehma-dono didn’t come for breakfast .
It was only during my work after the meal that we discovered what had occurred .

“Lord-sama . Last night, a soldier contacted me saying that a ventulier passed through the gate . ”
“Hmm… wait, was it Kuroinu-dono!?”

We receive reports from the gate when aristocrats come and go through it . We would receive notifications right away for aristocrats passing through the gate outside of normal hours, but it’s not like that for when an ventulier does so .
After all, they often need to use the gate at night for adventurer purposes .

“Crap…”

Kehma-dono’s room was vacant with just a single note placed atop the beddings they’d used .
The note had on it as follows:

[It’s hard to sleep under surveillance, so I’ll be returning to my village . You may freely use the name of Meat Kuroinu for one month . If she herself absolutely has to, contact me at Golen Village . ]  

Geh! … So he realized he was being watched from the start… as expected, he’s an amazing man .
Still though, to head back without saying anything—wait, I think I heard him say something like that last night? In a sense, him using his authority as a ventulier could be his way of telling us he’s off .

At any rate, I’m allowed to use Kuroinu-dono’s name as Mai’s fiance for a month, signed in writing .
… In other words, what he was really saying…

[If you can complete the preparations within a month, I’ll allow my daughter to marry yours] …!
Phew… what wonderful love for his daughter! I can already imagine drinking alcohol next to Kehma-dono as we watch the two of them marry .

“… I’ll have to get the [Futanal] . ”

But this’ll probably cause a dispute over where the two live .
… Would the normal thing to do be suggesting each of them to live away from us parents?
Hmm, well, that’ll be up to Mai and Kuroinu-dono to decide .