Marriage Talks

After Mathilda and Vivienne exchanged information about the events they had tackled today, there's still some things they should discuss.

"I see, you purposely wrecked the ceiling just to see what's going on from the outside. So, you're still losing your temper. That's not befitting for a queen, but I guess I can be lenient with you this time."

Vivienne's voice was strict despite talking to the queen.

"I apologize for my behavior, Vivienne. It's—"

Seeing Mathilda stuttered after a long while, Vivienne sighed.

"Like I said it's fine. I already know that you're a hopeless worrywart when it comes to your children.

"Furthermore, I see that you improve quite a bit. To think that you instructed the people outside properly in this situation despite your temper. You did a good job."

"Right."

Mathilda changed his worrying gaze to Voltaire who's being carried by a knight. Her eyes seems to be watery as if tears would drop.

"So, how about my Voltaire? Is he fine? He didn't got hurt did he?"

"His hand was covered in blood earlier, but it was back to normal now thanks to one of our knight's ability."

While Mathilda wanted to be the one holding her son, she knew there's something else she must do.

She looks among the crowd and after seeing a man who's probably having the same worried look as her while embracing his daughter, she opened her mouth.

"Meagus."

The man heard him loud and clear. Meagus immediately came to Mathilda with his daughter still on his arms.

"Yes, my queen. Forgive my rudeness."

He replied respectfully. He couldn't do a proper bow while he's carrying his daughter, but it's obvious from his gesture that he's paying respect to Mathilda.

"All the nobles here will receive a merit as a reward for taking action, however, I can't grant you the same reward as them because according to Vivienne, you might be a suspect too."

"...But, my queen. I'm innocent."

There's a desperate shake among his pupils while he's speaking.

For a noble who wanted to climb up the social hierarchy like Meagus, gaining merit is the utmost importance.

Because he's just a recently turned into a Baron, he doesn't have much influence and merit yet.

Therefore, he built a connection to the people with the highest influence and authority outside of royals and nobilities; The temple.

He's just started to make a name for himself with the help of the temple, and this unnecessary event happened.

If we're being real, Meagus is the one who had lost the most today. He can't be an enemy.

"Don't you worry. I believe you, I heard you saved my son, after all. That's why, you can tell me what you want. I will personally give you a reward different to them as long as its within my power."

'Within her power? Then... Can I ask for that?'

There's nothing else to think about except for that, if he can't get merits, then he can at least have something similar or maybe even better than that.

"C-can you make my daughter, the prince's fiancee?"

Using his beloved daughter is underhanded method, but Meagus is very desperate right now that he lost his only support.

Meagus recognize his request might not be granted, but it was no use pondering what could happen, so he decided to be honest.

Not only that, after saying those words, Meagus could feel the nobles prickling gaze directly to him.

A Baron asking a Royal for an engagement talk?

Talk about absurd.

What he's trying to achieve as a reward is unacceptable in more ways than one.

Hence, the meaningful and dreadful stare from the nobles.

"You mean Voltaire?"

"Yes..."

"Sure. I suppose I could grant you that at the very least."

Mathilda replied without hesitation.

"Thank you!"

Meagus bowed with full appreciation.

"Are you sure about that, Your Majesty?"

The words came from Vivienne who was listening intently.

"Pardon my rudeness, but Meagus is still a Baron. Not to mention, he's an individual that we need to look upon.

"Lastly, with the prince's age and personality, I don't think this is the appropriate time to involve him on marriage talks."

With her words, Meagus's face became cloudy. Everything Vivienne had said make sense and it would be quite difficult to prove otherwise especially in his current standing.

However, as if she already foreseen it, Mathilda started to speak her mind.

"--I understand what you're trying to say, Vivienne. The only person who could ask royals such as my son to be betrothed to their lineage, are the ones with a rank of Marquess or above, so it's obvious some may think this request is atrocious.

"More importantly, I didn't exactly said that I will make Meagus's daughter to be my Voltaire's fiancee right away. Though I had told Meagus that I will grant his request, that will only happen if he prove his innocence.

"However, for now until the investigation of him is done, Meagus's daughter will be the unofficial fiancee of my Voltaire."

...

A moment of silence envelope the remains of the temple.

Among them, Vivienne smile unknowingly.

Why is she smiling?

The only one who can answer that is herself.

Meanwhile, Mathilda had finally catches her breath and continued.

"As for my Voltaire's personality, even though he's somewhat wild, he's also the most mature among my children. I'm sure, he will understand if I explain all this marriage talk later on.

"So, Vivienne, does my answer satisfy you?"

Her question was a rhetorical one, but only Vivienne knew it was.

"If Her Majesty is going to go that far, then I'm in no position to object."

Vivienne replied with a respectful bow, stepping back slightly at the same time to show that she's not going to interfere anymore.

"I know it's not enough to compensate for saving my child, but I hope it suits as your reward."

"Of course! It's more than enough. For that, I am forever grateful to Her Majesty."

"That's good. Now then..."

Mathilda changed her intention and looks at the crowd of the nobles who were quietly listening.

"If anyone here who have something to say about my reward to Baron Meagus, please speak your mind."

...

While there are some obvious face who aren't supportive of the reward was given to Meagus, no one actually dared to raise their hand.

Even though Vivienne is commonly known as the headmaid of the palace, she also holds the title of Duchess and very close to their Queen.

If someone like that can't say anything to disagree with the Queen, so they are.

"Good."

Mathilda stated with a cheerful smile, oblivious to the fact that the nobles weren't in cahoots with her.

***

After giving instructions to everyone what to do from now on, Mathilda left the temple with her son and the people who accompanied them such as Vivienne and the knights.

Right now, she's on the carriage on the way home to the royal palace.

"You've really grown a lot. I'm so proud of you."

Vivienne mused in a sarcastic manner. She's discussing the reward Mathilda had given to Meagus.

It's a very important matter to discuss as it would affect the political structures of the kingdom.

"Of course."

Mathilda replied caressing her sleeping son on her lap.

"The nobles can't say a word regarding your reward to Meagus despite their disapproving face."

"Come now, you old but shrewd lady. You're the one who immediately saw the disapproval on their face when I said I agree to make Meagus's daughter to be Voltaire's fiancee."

"... .. ..."

"You saw their face and purposely ask those specific questions as a representative of the nobles. Am I wrong?"

"No you are not. Bravo. I'm really proud of you."

"In return, I had followed your lead. Making a certain promise to a Baron would definitely make the nobles who heard my words mad.

"However, everything would be different if I don't give uncertainty to the promise. For example, saying things like 'If the Baron is proven guilty'.

"From now on, those nobles who have a higher social status than Baron Meagus will confidently move to overturn the favor I'd given to the Baron for their own good until the investigation is over."

"Haha. Indeed they would! However, it wouldn't be easy to defeat the Baron when it comes to politics, now that you've given him an indirect support."

"Right. The Baron can use my promise to him as an authority. By simply making his daughter my son's unofficial fiancee, the Baron is sure to have a huge influence now.

"It's quite a pain to have the nobles acting like a child fighting for a single candy, but at least they wouldn't harm each other."

"Well, the cause of all this was you for giving an oh-so-grand reward to the Baron."

"... That's... That can't be helped. I heard that Baron Meagus lost his one and only political support today, so I simply gave him a helping hand in exchange. He saved my son after all."

"Yeah, he saved the young master, but you're repaying him with the expense of the young master himself. Isn't that hilarious?"

"It is. Haha. However, think about it, most nobles lady nowadays wants a prince charming as their partner. Although I hate to say it myself as his mother, but my son is the polar opposite of that description.

"Therefore, I have a hunch that Meagus's daughter herself will ask to break the engagement between them."

Vivienne shaked her head.

"I don't think so. Even though the third prince's personality is as wild as a monkey who escaped the cage for the first time in its life most of the time, he's still a person with a high status and good look.

"You experienced it yourself that some lady can fall in love with such beast."

"Hey! Don't call Benedict a beast."

Mathilda pouted and Vivienne just shrugged in return.

While the two were leisurely joking to each other, Mathilda's worries resurfaced.

"Speaking of my child, why is he not waking up? When we left the temple, I've seen a few kids waking up. Are you sure my Voltaire's fine?"

"You don't need to worry. Young master is the last to fell asleep too. So, it would make sense if he also the last one to wake up."