Request to marry

(AN: Really long chapter, with a lot to take in, lots of talk, and some info here and there that I plan to further elaborate in the upcoming few chapters)

The moment Isabelle closed both doors after leaving, Alexander impatiently continued what he's been doing before her arrival.

"Ron, open my status window again."

Obeying his words, a bluish light screen revealed itself right in front of his eyes. On it, various types of information and data about Alexander were noted.

[Name: Alexander Cloud]

[Age: 18]

[Sex: Male]

[Main-Class: -]

[Level: 0]

He carefully examinated his status window, looking closely whether any changes appeared but sadly there were none. It stayed like this since he first activated his system, except for the age counter of course.

'*Tsk!* Damn, every time I check this panel, my hopes get up only to be let down shortly after. What a disappointment.'

Next up to check were skills, which might have levelled up, or were recently learned.

"Open my skill-panel next."

[Skills: Mana-Meditation (lv. 9), Stahl-CQC (lv. 9)]

[Mana-Meditation (lv. 9):

Calms the mind and helps to relax the body by moving mana within oneself. User cannot move while meditating. While meditating the mana recovery is increased. Meditating regularly over long periods of time may increase user's mind-related capabilities and mana-pool.]

[Stahl-CQC (lv. 9):

A CQC-style, developed by host's uncle from planet Earth, Arman Stahl. For certain reasons, Arman Stahl was obsessed with lethality in one's every move which drove him to study various martial arts and self defence styles for over a decade. His creation is efficient, practical and lethal enough for modern governments to legally forbid him from practising, teaching or further developing it, if they were to learn about it.]

Alexander inspected his skill-panel and confirmed that no new skills magically appeared on their own. Still, at least there was a small change.

'Both my skill's levels went up! Today's morning exercise must have pushed them. Nice!'

The [Mana-Mediation] skill, is something Alexander learned accidentally while trying out ways to cope with the inner workings of his new family's household affairs. A few years ago, his younger self sat in this very room trying to learn to keep a cool head at all times, when he suddenly started sensing something moving within his body. He sensed his own mana flow as a child, without any help and learned [Mana-Meditation] shortly after by artificially moving it around at an increased speed.

As for [Stahl-CQC], he secretly studied it from watching his uncle, before being reborn in this world. Long story short, Alexander had a real talent for this and trained hardly till his early 20, when reality hit him. After that he decided to go to college and worked for a small start up gaming company.

"Last one. Open my quest-panel"

[Quests: -]

'Still nothing. One would think that at least a single quest should appear in 13 years of time.'

Alexander couldn't help but be disappointed. While his skill's level rose, both skills aren't super strong or anything like that. [Mana-Mediation] was a very basic skill almost all mages would learn at some point in time while [Stahl-CQC] totally lacks any integration of mana. Having tried to improve it by himself failed grandly, teaching him the hard way to not recklessly experiment with mana.

'Still, my biggest disappointment is this damn zero representing my own level! If only I could freely go in and out of this place and somehow make use of my system! Like hunting to level up, or receive quests from people which could trigger system quests and so on… Forget it. It's about time I go and meet that old man.'

While grumbling to himself, Alexander went ahead and changed his clothes to a more formal attire. A necessary nuisance of course, given that he would have to go and meet the head of this household next.

The outfit he chose was nothing special. It consisted of simple black pants, paired with black leather shoes, a formal white shirt beneath a grey vest with decorative silver lines and a silvery necktie.

While his clothes were nothing special, they were still good enough to not be an embarrassment to his household, just in case if he were to be accidentally seen by guests.

Lastly, Alexander pulled his shoulder length, pale blond hair together into a high ponytail, leaving bangs to cover his forehead like a typical anime ikemen.

"Well, high time to go."

The way to his father's office was stupidly long but a huge building with grand and long hallways was something all von Stahl's palaces and manors shared. On his way many maids and butlers crossed his way, yet most of them treated Alexander like air, since the later was only an illegitimate bastard.

'Clowns.'

Was all they amounted to be in his eyes. Now, standing in front of his father's office, Alexander was reaching out to knock on the doors but stopped mid-motion. Reason for that was a sudden system message that popped up.

[New Quest: Find a fiancé, who will marry you within 30 days!]

[Reward: Changing Class to Primordial Necromaster, level up]

"What the fu-"

He almost cursed out loud. Normally such slip-ups wouldn't happen to him anymore, but this was just too shocking! For 13 years there were no quests at all and now one just pops up out of nowhere? Not to mention it's contents.

'Marriage? Within 30 days? What the actual fuck is going on?! And why do I get a quest like this so suddenly? No wait! That class… Wasn't this my last project back on earth?!'

Within seconds a wave of questions and thoughts flooded his mind but-

*Click*

He wasn't given any time to ponder. With a very noticeable sound, the heavy, solid dark-wood double doors in front of him opened, revealing his father's large office.

"What are you waiting for? Just get in already."

His deep and powerful voice resounded. Mana all around flared up and grew in density and intensity, so much so, that it almost forced Alexander to kneel. It wasn't his first time experiencing this, but it was still as uncomfortable as it could get.

Still, left without a choice, Alexander acted calm and walked in, while thinking of various ways to secretly curse at him. His father was as tall as him, had short dark hair and similar crimson eyes like Alexander's.

"I greet your highness, archduke Friedrich von Stahl."

A small bow, short greeting line and a presentable attire. Those were all things one had to keep in mind when meeting Friedrich von Stahl, Archmage and the emperor's most trusted friend and ally.

"Sit down. There are a few things we have to discuss."

Usually on should answer a formal greeting such as this but Friedrich simply dismissed it, eager to get down to business.

'Gosh, if I was a normal child without any past life memories, I might be suffering from mental family issues. They act as if I secretly manipulated him into cheating on his beloved 2nd wife and be born as a bastard child.'

Of course, Alexander chose to keep such thoughts to himself and instead sat down as ordered. Experience thought him multiple times how unwise it is to unnecessarily provoke his father but the archduke's next word almost made him forget all those painful lessons.

"There is a marriage proposal which I want you to accept. Get engaged and married within a month."

*Awkward silence*

"… Your highness, it seems that something is wrong with my hearing could you perhaps-"

An envelope was thrown right in front of him. Reluctantly taking and opening it only pushed the nail deeper into the coffin.

[Fiona Drover. 16 years old. Only daughter of count Drover. Height: 167cm. Curly red hair. Emerald green eyes. Has a speech disorder. Considered to be count Drover's shame and weakness for a lack of social skills.]

'Fuck, I didn't mishear shit! He really wants me to get married within a month- wait a minute… Didn't my system give me a quest just like this?'

Once again, Alexander managed to sink into his own thoughts. Marrying someone you never met could quickly turn unpleasant, even more so when it's a social outcast but on top of it all, his soon to be bride is only 16?! He was 28 before reincarnating and that was 18 years ago.

On the other hand, wouldn't agreeing to this, fulfil his newest quest and unlock an overpowered class he himself created while working as a programmer back on Earth?

"What if I refuse to marry her?"

Alexander asked before he could think it through.

"I'll have you thrown into a dungeon until you change your mind or your existence becomes an urban legend in this palace.

'YOU DEVIL!!!'

There was basically no choice at all. Acting hot headed wouldn't get him anywhere but a cell, not to mention the reward his system would give him. He was just about to accept an arranged and possibly affectionless marriage due to his love for freedom and Ron's (his system) generosity but Friedrich wasn't done speaking just yet.

"This marriage is quite important for many reasons, so you will have to comply one way or another. Though what is most important is that you will do so as a von Stahl-"

"I accept!"

Instant answer!

'Not rotting away in a mouldy dungeon cell would be reason enough to accept, but not only can I finally gain a player class by agreeing, it would even be an overpowered self created necromancer class from when I worked as a programmer on Earth. To top it all off, my rotten old man will grand me his family name?!'

Doing something as a von Stahl aren't words to be spoken lightly in this empire. It means that his status as an illegitimate bastard will change into that of a proud son from this household. Alexander Cloud will become Alexander von Stahl, legally obtaining all privileges and high-nobles exclusive rights as well as a status only second to his family members and of course imperial family.

'I could finally go in and out of this damn place and make use of Ron (my system)! Levels and skill and classes! I might become one of those stupidly overpowered protagonists of fantasy novels- no! I would be even greater since as a von Stahl, my backing would be this continent's best to have! … Except for having to marry a stranger there are no downsides for me… which is suspicious… why would this matter be so important?'

Those newly emerging questions quickly cooled of his excitement. No one would buy a piece of hard bread with diamonds, so why accept him into their main family? From what he knew, neither count Drover nor his daughter were special and even if they were, why not marry her to one of his brothers?

'Count Drover is part of archduke's imperial faction, which he leads in his majesty's place. Also according to what I read about his daughter a little while ago he probably wouldn't want to force her onto one of his legitimate sons who might succeed him one day. But why insist on this marriage in the first place?'

Meanwhile archduke Friedrich glared at his bastard son for rudely interrupting him, yet didn't say anything because he wants Alexander to leave as soon as possible.

'Why is he still sitting there. After agreeing to the marriage, he should bid me farewell and get lost already!'

As if sensing his hostile glare Alexander suddenly looked at him with a hint of suspicion, which Friedrich, who deals with all kinds of people all day every day, naturally didn't miss.

"What's with that dirty look of yours? You couldn't possibly be doubting my noble words now, could you?"

"Of course not, your highness. It's just that earlier, you mentioned how important this marriage was and I couldn't help but become curious. If I knew the severity and importance of 'our' situation, I could act accordingly, don't you think so?"

"No. After your agreement, everything else will be handled by me personally.

'So instead of needing me personally, they need a son carrying the von Stahl name. Since it is rather sudden as well as urgent, it might be caused by a recent event or discovery. I should later ask Isabelle to look into it.'

Alexander mentally noted. He would have liked to investigate further but since Friedrich practically told him to get lost in a roundabout way he left after bidding him a formal farewell. Back in his room a sigh of relief escaped his mouth. Feeling strangely stressed he just wanted to lay down and relax, at least until another system notice appeared that magically blew away all his tiredness.

[A Quest was fulfilled!]