Engagement With the Duke's Niece

 After hearing him tell them what happened during the war, the others looked at him with a gaping mouth. The children, aside from the four, thankfully are sleeping, tired from the long journey.

 Because of his service to the Duchy, the Duke had allowed him to let his family stay inside the mansion for the time being, one he accepted graciously. So, for now, they were living inside the mansion for the rest of their time inside the Duchy.

 The only reason why he did not go to the nation they stayed and left the Duchy to continue his journey is because he wanted to talk to the Duke regarding Hylla, preferably when the young woman was present.

 As of now, Hylla had gone straight to her uncle, catching up to the man and likely hugging each other. The Duke is rather protective of the woman.

 Looking out the window, he could see the moon almost reached its zenith, surrounded by stars.

 "Let us go to sleep for now. We can continue our talk tomorrow," the women sighed but agreed to it nonetheless, the travel from one capital to another taking their tool on them.

-x-

 After waking up, they talked some more before he was summoned by the Duke. He could have guessed what this was all about so he complied with it.

 As he reached the office, he opened the door to see the sight of the Duke smiling broadly, while Hylla blushed, looking more like a tomato than a human at this point.

 "Ryker, you have arrived," the Duke greeted him boisterously, Hylla merely looked at him before blushing even more, which he believed to be impossible.

 "Before I ask what you call me here, just because I have some idea in that regard, I like to ask what happened that made her look like a tomato?" Ryker asked, the questions only made the Duke laugh louder while Hylla looked like she was hoping to be buried.

 "Let's just say, I explained something regarding the copulation between male and female, and she did not take it lightly," the Duke said.

 Ryker immediately understood what he was saying, "So, you have a sex talk with Hylla before I come here if I get you right," if possible, the Duke's smile got even wider as the only woman in the room tried to make her look as small as possible.

 "Yep, but I think we should stop teasing my cute and a bit naive niece for now, let us talk about the reason why I called you, to talk about your relationship with my niece," hearing this, Hylla looked at her uncle in shock, the redness on her face disappearing quickly.

 The Duke looked at his niece, "I have raised you, even if most of it was done by my subordinates so I knew your sign. Do not worry, I already approved of him. The only thing left is what you want to do?" he explained.

 Hylla looked at her uncle in confusion, "What do I want to do?" she parroted her uncle.

 "Yes. I already asked Ryker and he would be leaving the Duchy in a week or two," Hylla looked at him, Ryker giving a nod, confirming the legibility of the Duke's words.

 "I knew you wanted to explore the world and I agreed on the account you become a Genesis Spring expert first. But, considering the man you love is as powerful as a Genesis Sea expert and he is going to leave soon, I decided to allow you to leave with him.

 But, as I said, the choice is yours," Hylla did not take long to decide.

 "I wish to go with him," she said. The Duke nodded, looking at Ryker and sending him a Soul Message.

 Ryker turned his head towards Hylla before nodding to her, "I glad to have you join us," he said to the grey-haired woman, who once again, blushed.

 The Duke merely shook his head, saying something about "young love," and "he would do that,". Ryker ignored the man to look at the woman's face, despite the heavy blushing, her joy could be seen.

 The two heard coughing noises, turning their head to the source, and saw the Duke giving them an unamused look.

 "Please show your love somewhere else. And while we talking about it," he continued, ignoring the two blushing from embarrassment. 

 "Let's talk about another choice of yours," he looked at his niece with a serious look. 

 "Do you want to have intercourse with him before or after you leave?" the punch Hylla gave her uncle is well deserved in his opinion.

-x-

 As the Duke rubbed his face at the spot Hylla punched, Ryker rolled his eyes. The man is already a Noble expert. The punch likely did not do anything to the man but he still looked like he was hurting from it, that drama king.

 After a while, the Duke looked at them both before continuing to say, "While the question earlier is a joke, I am serious regarding your relationship. With I'm being a Noble expert, I am confident in allowing the relationship between the two of us revealed.

 This is also so I could allow you to engage with Ryker, hence the reason I want our relation to be revealed and his status in the Duchy will be changed to the son-in-law, or nephew-in-law, in this case.

 Of course, this is entirely your choice, on whether you want to reveal our relationship or not," the Duke said, looking at her pleadingly. Ryker could understand the man's plight. If it was a better world, he would not have to hide their relationship.

 But this is not a better world and some of the more powerful families might try to take advantage of the two relations. He definitely could name one family that would resort to it. 

 Being forced to treat her as a stranger must feel wrong for the Duke who clearly cared for her. By revealing her relationship, he would no longer act like that to her in public.

 Hylla must have guessed the reasoning too as she nodded, "Alright, I would not mind for our relation to be revealed, just do not let the families talk about arranged marriage, please?"

 The Duke laughed at his niece pleading, "As if I let anyone except for Ryker have your hand in marriage. Though it is better if I reveal your engagement with it too. And you can seal the deal by finally having intercourse," this time, both Ryker and Hylla punched the man, one at the face and another on his gut.