NOVPUB
Chapter 352
TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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Ian explained the current situation earnestly.
Being a wizard, his tone was incredibly logical and persuasive.
...Ian had a nice voice.
Kira savored Ian's voice as he continued speaking, like she was listening to music.
'He's truly sincere.'
Kira smiled slightly.
She knew Ian would genuinely engage in conversation.
But theory and reality are different.
They say you can know ten fathoms of water but not one fathom of the human heart.
No one can perfectly predict how others will react.
People's hearts change from moment to moment.
The person I knew yesterday isn't exactly the same person I meet today.
People can change even in the span of a day.
This is why young couples easily separate.
A husband thinks he knows his wife, and a wife thinks she knows her husband—
But the person I knew yesterday might be completely different from who you are today.
It was the same in Kira's case.
Even if the marriage with Maria was unwanted...
Ian might suddenly desire a count's land, or develop a taste for having multiple wives.
The Ian that Kira 'knew' wasn't that kind of person.
But a person's appearance can change in countless ways depending on time and place.
Ian could have transformed due to the fortune that had accidentally rolled in.
But...
"So Count Francis recommended marriage."
Ian calmly explained the situation with a serious attitude.
He was exactly the Ian that Kira knew.
'Ian is trying to communicate.'
Perhaps it was an occupational habit of wizards.
No matter who they spoke with, wizards attempted conversation first.
Aren't wizards those who communicate with all things?
An excellent wizard like Ian especially despised communication errors.
'I can feel Ian's heart.'
Kira smiled warmly as she looked at Ian.
Ian trusted Kira.
The belief that if he explained the truth, Kira would understand him.
Trust is essential for couples.
And Kira confirmed that Ian trusted her.
'If I'm going to live with someone for the rest of my life... shouldn't it be with someone who trusts me and communicates with me?'
Kira was certain.
She truly loved Ian.
Fervently enough that she would have no regrets spending her life with him.
"Stop. That's enough, Ian."
Kira said.
"How should I put this... I think it's fine even if you really marry Maria."
"...?"
Ian was shocked.
He had wanted to persuade Kira...
But wasn't this too successful?!
He would have been grateful just for success, but this felt like an overwhelming victory!
"Kira. If you're forcing yourself..."
"No, Ian. I'm sincere."
Like a proper wizard, Kira explained her decision logically.
"First, Maria isn't a woman you seduced, right?"
Ian nodded.
He could swear to the sacred heavens—he had never tried to seduce Maria.
Though Maria did like Ian to a suspicious degree!
"Second, this isn't a marriage you intended."
That was true.
From the beginning, Ian had only intended to free Maria, never planning to receive any land.
It was just that things had gotten complicated and ended up like this.
"Third."
Kira gently wrapped her arms around Ian's neck.
He could feel her soft chest and the beating heart beyond it.
"I'm happy that you cherish me, Ian."
"..."
"Not making decisions on your own. Not making absurd excuses. Explaining things as they are and trying to talk with me... it was wonderful."
"Kira."
"Seeing you now... I think you'll never ignore or abandon me in the future."
Kira rose on her tiptoes, bringing her face close to Ian's.
Their breaths mingled, they were so close.
"Can I trust you? Ian Eredith Raven?"
No light explanation was needed.
Ian pressed his lips against Kira's.
After a while, Ian said to Kira:
"Do you remember how Maronius lost his first love?"
"It was because of a misunderstanding. Because they couldn't trust each other and couldn't communicate."
"That won't happen to us. I'll make sure of it."
Communication with people is difficult.
But Ian would succeed.
Because he was a fine wizard.
"...Yes."
Kira burrowed into Ian's arms and said:
"I'll trust you, Ian."
***
Ian had a brief conversation with Maria.
It was brief because the outcome was obvious regardless of how deeply they talked.
"Maria. About the marriage Count Francis mentioned..."
"Oh my, I'd love to!"
"..."
Maria looked at Ian with a shameless smile.
Ian sighed.
Right. He hadn't expected her to refuse...
"Maria. I already have two fiancées..."
"That doesn't matter."
"We might have to live in Talian..."
"That would be wonderful!"
"...Count Francis will give you land, you know? Don't you want to manage your own territory?"
Maria tilted her head and said:
"What? Me?"
"..."
Ian was dumbfounded.
She was truly a medieval Gen Z.
"I'd rather leave it to Count Francis, if possible?"
The Count would absolutely love that.
Ian couldn't understand Maria's decision.
Even if Ian was a reincarnator.
Maria was a genuine medieval person, wasn't she?
A chance for social advancement was right in front of her!
It was an opportunity to go from a country girl to a countess with her own land!
But Maria didn't care about managing land—she just wanted to stay by Ian's side.
As a countess, she could eat good food and live a life commanding servants.
With land, she could live without working for the rest of her life.
Why do women like Cinderella marriages?
Isn't it because they can live in splendid houses spending money freely?
And yet...
Maria chose Ian without a moment's hesitation.
She preferred Ian over living leisurely in a county for the rest of her life...
It was almost frightening.
"I've always dreamed of a life with you."
Maria said, holding Ian's hand.
"Now that the opportunity has come... I want to fulfill my dream."
"...A dream, is it."
Maria approaching him while mentioning dreams.
Ian felt slightly dizzy.
What on earth did she want, to be so obsessed with Ian?
Ian had only saved her life, nothing more!
'Do I really have to live with her?'
Ian had thought of Maria as a cute yet eerie(...) little sister.
...But that sister wasn't going home!
Soon, Ian's home would become Maria's home!
'Count Francis must be getting a headache too.'
The Count would be assuming Maria would settle down in the county.
Of course he would.
He had gifted her a title and land as a set—he wouldn't expect her to kick it away and leave!
But Maria wasn't going to live in Silverwind.
Ian planned to live in Talian—
And naturally, Maria would end up living in Talian too.
Since her dream was to live by Ian's side.
'I'll think about that later.'
The future could be considered after everything was resolved.
"Caw! Master!"
"Back already?"
Oberon landed lightly on Ian's staff.
Ian tossed a few peanuts to Oberon.
"Caw! Caw!"
[There are many people! So many!]
Ian looked up at the sky.
What Oberon had gone to see was Duke Fargar's army.
'The inevitable has arrived.'
Everything would end once Duke Fargar retreated.
"Lord Ian."
A servant came looking for Ian.
"Count Francis is looking for you."
"I'll be right there."
Duke Roxlan's conference room was gloomy.
There had been a lot of talk about Duke Fargar coming.
But...
That madman actually came...
Some nobles had thought that maybe the Rashin Kingdom's army would stop the Duke's forces.
But Duke Fargar had easily devoured the Rashin Kingdom's army and marched toward Roxlan.
As everyone had expected, the Rashin Kingdom wasn't even worth a single meal.
"Damn scarecrows."
"Don't insult scarecrows. At least they can defeat sparrows."
If Duke Fargar's army had been defeated by the Rashin Kingdom forces, they could have just laughed, "Hahaha~ what losers~" and been done with it.
But no such miracle occurred.
In truth, the reason Rashin Kingdom forces had been able to occupy Silverwind's land was because Duke Roxlan had been backing them.
Since the Duke did nothing, no one else moved!
But Duke Fargar, armed with a powerful justification, swept away the Rashin Kingdom forces like cutting through straw.
And that blade had now reached Roxlan's doorstep.
"Don't worry too much. Duke Fargar will stop here."
"I wish that were true."
Roxlan's vassals had responded to the call to arms to protect their lord.
But... honestly, the nobles didn't want to fight Duke Fargar.
Why had the Duke invaded?
Wasn't it to return the Margrave of Silverwind title to its rightful heir?
And why had the margraviate disappeared in the first place?
Answering "Because the Rashin Kingdom invaded!" was just wordplay.
The answer was obvious.
It disappeared because Duke Roxlan played his sinister games!
But the vassals were obligated by feudal contract to protect Duke Roxlan.
Duke Roxlan had destroyed Silverwind entirely through [scheming]—
Without clear evidence, the Duke's wrongdoing couldn't be disputed.
If Duke Roxlan had been well, who knows what other tricks he might have played.
But the situation was different now.
"We have the moral high ground."
The leader of the pro-Roxlan faction(?) was Count Francis.
More precisely, Count Francis serving as Duke Roxlan's proxy.
"We have Silverwind's rightful heir."
In Duke Roxlan's camp were Maria and Ian.
Moreover, the Emperor and imperial forces were also staying in Roxlan.
"Duke Fargar will return empty-handed."
Count Francis said, his eyes gleaming.
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