30.

{1 year later}

Days have passed by and the residents slowly returned to the territory. Rebuilding was never easy and it costs us a lot of money. Thankfully, we have a lot of money to spend because of our huge pool of resources.

I have been so busy with the matters of the territory that I had to cut down on my training time. Many nobles visited my territory to form good relations with me. As for whether they'll be an ally, only time would tell. The Dukes have also mellowed down and started connecting with me. In the noble circle, there is no such thing as eternal enemies, only benefits.

The Emperor announced a news that surprised the noble circle. Nipheleka family is now promoted joining the rankings of a Duke. Many low-ranking nobles were surprised but those at the top, including me, weren't surprised about it. Their contributions on the Civil War was large as they killed off many revolutionaries but I couldn't help but be disgusted at the fact that the Duke title was given after killing innocents whom they proclaimed as rebels.

I was wondering when Uncle Gilltian would give them the title but it seems like he's busy stabilizing the Royal Capital, Dresden, and only enforced the rewards now. As for the rewards of the other Dukes, it was obviously under the table and the information was tightly sealed.

Because of the war, the title of the most prosperous territory was pushed back. I could only try and claim it after 2 or more years of steady growth.

With the rebuilding on the right path, its time to visit the Capital once again. I promised to give some magic cannons to Uncle Gilltian after all.

I was kinda sad that the mobile magic cannon wasn't finished in time and we weren't able to use it. If we managed to finish it in time, it could open up a lot of new strategies to destroy the enemy army.

I was thinking of going to the capital today and Felicia knocked on my room.

"Big bro." Felicia said softly.

"Come in." She entered after receiving my word.

"Can I go visit the capital?" She asked me.

"Sure. Let's go together. I have some business in the Capital." I said and Felicia looked at me weirdly.

"Aren't you going to the Capital to visit big sis Adjest?" She asked me.

"Huh? I'm going to meet the Emperor as I promised him a few things for his help." I said and she sighed.

"Isn't big sis Adjest your fiancée?" She asked me with a deadpan face.

"How did you know?" I asked her and she had a look on her face that's been saying 'I knew it...'.

"Big sis Adjest and I were sending letters to each other. She told me that she's your fiancée. She would sometimes ask me about the state of the territory but I know that she's asking me about you. I could tell that she's worried about you. Its been so long and you haven't even sent her a single letter, its kind of worrying." She said and I can't help but choke on my saliva.

'That Adjest, worried?' I don't know how to feel about that. I just can't imagine how that ice block being worried.

"Looking at your reactions... it seems like you don't believe me." Felicia sighed. She don't know if I'm playing dumb or I'm just that dense.

"Its not that I don't believe you but I don't like arranged marriage. A person should marry the person they like. My father and the Emperor forced this marriage on me and it would be unfair for Adjest to just accept it because of a promise between the two of them." I said seriously. Although I've accustomed myself with the rules of this world, a part of me don't like forcing a person to be tied with me just because they had an agreement.

"But I think Adjest do like you. Would she ask me about you if she doesn't have an ounce of interest to you? Why don't you two talk about it?" Felicia said with a gentle smile.

"I... I'll think about it. Go pack up and we'll leave before nightfall." I said and Felicia left me pondering about what she just said.

'Am I really dense or am I just denying that fact myself?' I thought as I leaned on my chair.

*

After packing up everything that needs attention, we left on a five day journey to the Capital. On the way, I'm still mulling about Felicia's words to me about Adjest.

She's definitely a beautiful lady after she grew up, she's a terrifying genius as well. Compared to me who's strength came from my past experience and knowledge, Adjest was simply a hardworking genius. When I was at her age, I was hiding in fear and can't even hold a sword properly. It wasn't until I entered the Academy that I was able to push myself forward.

I sighed thinking of the difference between the two of us. I can't imagine myself standing beside Adjest as a husband. It was a ridiculous thought to have. I sighed once more and just do what I'm used to do when I'm faced with this kind of situation.

'F*ck it and just go with it. I'll just deal with whatever comes my way. Logic won't help me that much so just scrap all of ideas and just go through it head-on.' I thought to myself.

"We're here. Big bro." Felicia said as I raised my head and saw the Blackwood manor. Idom opened the carriage for us and we returned to our rooms to rest.

The next day, 2 carriages arrived at the Royal Palace but my mind is still wandering around. Felicia didn't come with us today for a silly reason that she's still sleepy. I don't know if she's doing it on purpose or she can read my mind. Sighing for one last time before I got down, I looked at Uncle Wilhelm and he noticed my gaze.

"Is there something wrong, Aegis? You seem tense?" He asked me.

"Uncle, why don't you go and present this to Uncle Gilltian. You can also negotiate with him so that we could go ahead with our plans. I have other business... you see." I said and Wilhelm looked at me with an understanding gaze.

"Alright. Leave it to me." He said as I went inside the palace. The guards was about to stop me but Wilhelm was faster and told them our business. The guards let us in but we didn't move forward together, instead, I went straight at the garden where she usually stays.

When I entered the garden, I could hear the faint sound of a violin playing. I saw her sitting in the gazebo, her back was facing me as she become engrossed in playing the violin. I watched her play the instrument and thought of dissecting the piece she was playing but decided against it and just enjoyed it.

Usually, only the female nobles were into playing the instruments but in my case, it was different. In the past run, I asked Wilhelm to find someone who could teach me on how to play different kinds of instrument. I used to play a lot of instruments to pass time and I would usually play songs that I once used to hear back in Earth to remind me that I once lived in that place. Other nobles would look at me weirdly because in their minds, only female nobles do that kind of thing.

After Adjest played the last note, I softly clapped on her performance. She was surprised to see me.

"Why are you here? Isn't your business with my father?" She asked me with a straight face.

I can't help but feel a little embarrassed by her direct words. 3 years have passed by without me visiting her nor sending a letter. This is the first time in 3 years that we've spoke to each other once more. 3 years changed Adjest and made her more aware of the things happening in the world.

'Probably the teachings of the Royal Family that made her change like that.' I thought to myself.

"Indeed. But its not important so I let Uncle Wilhelm do it for me. I came here to see you." I said and I could feel her gaze drill into me.

"So? Why is the almighty Duke, the <Lancer of Red> have to say to me?" She asked me with a cold tone.

I looked at her and started working my way towards her and sat down in front of her.

"Listen, I... I know that your father and my father forced the two of us in marriage because of their promise to each other. I don't like to force a marriage you didn't want to be a part of. What I'm saying is if you want to dissolve this engagement, I'll talk to your father about it..." I said as I looked at her.

She stood up and got closer to me. Her face close to mine before she gave me a light slap which I didn't avoid.

"Are you being stupid or are you playing dumb right now? It isn't funny Duke Blackwood." Adjest said with a serious face.

'Ah. This girl.' I realized many things after she went that far to say it to my face.

"Do you think that I..." I pinched her nose lightly to stop her from talking. I know that she is a little embarrassed right now so I stopped it before her embarrassment grows.

"I know. You don't have to tell me." I said with a smile. She turned around with a slight blush as she returned to her seat and I could hear her mumbling about something.

"I would've caused a tantrum to my father if I didn't like you..." She muttered before sitting back down.

'This girl has already wrapped her father in her fingers.' I thought as a light chuckle came out from my mouth.

"What's so funny?" She asked me.

"Its nothing. Care to go for a walk?" I said as I reached my hand out to her. Seeing my hand, she slightly hesitated before she grasped my hand with her own.

Others might feel weird seeing romantic interactions between children but in this world or more specifically, the noble circle, such a thing is normal. Only adults can marry another person and the adult age in this world is 14. Such an age for marriage isn't frowned upon in this world. Those who haven't have a partner by the age of 21 in the noble circle is even looked down upon.

The reason for allowing such kind of romantic interactions between children is because they want to keep their bloodline and their power going only to their family, especially the Royal Family, by having a future heir to the throne. Even if the Emperor and the Empress died in an accident, as long as they have an heir, their power will still go around the family and won't be handed to outsiders because the heir has a legitimate claim on the throne.

Holding her hand, I dragged her outside of the Royal Palace without using a carriage and we continued roaming around the Royal Capital. I'm not worried about safety since I'm sure that the people protecting Adjest in the dark aren't slackers and even if they did, I can still protect her for quite a while, enough for the protectors in the dark to take action.

I enjoyed my time with her as I started buying different snacks and I had Adjest try it for herself. We sat down on a wooden bench near the fountain to eat and take a break.

"Its not as good as the one I usually have back in my territory but I guess, its okay." I murmured to myself and Adjest looked at the crepe in my hand curiously.

She sneakily took a bite at my crepe while I was deep in thoughts and her sneaky bite brought me back to reality.

"What are you saying? Its good though?" Adjest said while chewing.

"You like that? Then you'll like the snacks made by my citizens in my territory." I said to her.

"Really? Then I'd like to visit your territory someday." She said with a curious and expectant look.

"Then I'll bring you after my capital opens up to everyone once again." I said which made her smile sweetly.

"I'm curious, why are you so different from other nobles Father has introduced to me?" She asked me, she has a curious look on her face.

"I don't know what you mean by that?" I asked her back in confusion.

"Nevermind." She stopped herself from getting too much curious about me.

"What kind of difference are you asking about?" I asked her since I'm also curious in what she's saying.

"I've met other nobles because of father and the nobles would always try their best to get on my good side and they would have their child play with me and their child would do their best to get close to me. As for you, you're always visiting when you have some business with my father. Am I just an afterthought after you visited my father?" She asked me. I chuckled after hearing her question.

'So that's what she's upset about.' I thought as I thought about it. While its true that I only visited her after my business with her father, I was kind of curious as to how Adjest grew up to became the person she is in the future.

"Because you're the one who'll take over after your father abdicated. If that noble gained your favor, they will become a noble with you as their backing, who wouldn't want that? If their son manage to become your partner in the future then they've hit the jackpot. As for what you're saying about me, I just needed to talk to your father because its an important matter. I could only relax after I've addressed my worries to your father." I said to her as I took another bite of my crepe.

"So am I not important to you...?" She murmured before eating her own crepe.

"Then you should treat me better or I will tell father to break my engagement with you." She said with a smug smile.

"Alright. Lady Adjest. If you say so." I said and rolled my eyes at her antics.

"Then I have a question for you too." I said to her and she perked up, preparing to answer my question.

"Since when did you like me?" My question caught her off guard and she blushed at my direct question.

"I...I... I d-don't know what y-you're talking about." Adjest said, clearly flustered about my question.

"My little sister said that you're asking about me in the letters. I don't understand, we've only met for a few times. How can you say that you like me?" I asked her about it.

"Since when did I ask about you from Felicia?! I'm merely asking about the state of your territory." She said, clearly upset about it.

'You didn't answer my question though.' I thought and just let it go. Females in general are too mysterious, a male brain won't be able to understand their thought process.

Seeing me not pushing it further, Adjest sighed in relief.

'How could I say that... I... like him because I can be myself when I'm around him. Whenever we go and stroll around with the others, I'm enjoying it and I feel safe even if I don't bring any Royal Guards that father assigned to me.' Adjest thought as her face slightly became red after thinking about it.

"All right. If you say so, Lady Adjest." I said to her to stop her before she blows her patience and blame me for it.

"Hmph." Adjest merely displayed her dissatisfaction.

"Its time to return. Your father would beat me up if he found out that I sneaked you out." I merely said it without a care since I know that Uncle Gilltian already knew about it ever since we got out of the Royal Palace.

I brought Adjest back and returned to the garden. I saw Uncle Wilhelm and Uncle Gilltian waiting for us.

'Alright Uncle Gilltian, your vein is going to pop, calm down.' I thought as I glanced at the calm Gilltian. He's acting calm but the vein in his forehead is going to pop any time soon.

"You're back." Uncle Gilltian said with a smile.

"We're back, father." Adjest lightly bowed to her father as a sign of respect.

"Looks like you two had fun on your own." Uncle Wilhelm said nonchalantly.

"Yes, we tried out new stuff in Dresden and I must say that it was fun." I replied nonchalantly.

Gilltian sighed in defeat.

"Brat, you've only visited me after a long time and you're already causing trouble?" Gilltian said to me.

"HOLD UP. What do you mean causing trouble? We only went around buying snacks here and there, how is that causing trouble?" I looked at him in suspicion. Adjest who's beside me was intrigued as well. They didn't do anything outrageous and how did they cause trouble.

"Rumors of you and Adjest going out and being intimate with each other are spreading." Gilltian said to me.

"WTF bruh." I cursed loudly and Adjest felt her cheeks burning.

"I don't know what 'WTF' means but I feel like you're cursing me." Gilltian said with an annoyed tone.

"No, I didn't it was just an exaggerated expression. So what if they saw us acting intimate with each other, she's my fiancée. Besides, what kind of intimate actions? I don't have any idea they were talking about." I said helplessly. Adjest was too stumped to even argue about it.

Gilltian sighed as he looked at the two of us.

"Its fine. I'll just announce your engagement publicly." Gilltian said as he didn't believe the rumors going around as well. He trusts me that I won't do such a thing until we've tied our vows officially.

"We're innocent in this matter. They're just blowing it up to gain people's interest." I said my piece and I don't have to defend myself since I've done nothing wrong.

"Alright, alright, I believe you." Gilltian said making Wilhelm chuckle after seeing my surprise and confusion.

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This chapter is 2 chapters in one so that I could fix the number of chapters.