Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 38: Noble Children
The atmosphere at our table had begun to resemble a romantic battlefield, but the tension at the other table was even worse.
“Lady Hilda, you arrived in the Heine Margraviate rather early. I thought your visit was scheduled for much later in the summer vacation,” Daniela said.
“Our plans changed. Father’s work was taking longer than expected, so I decided to come ahead of him.”
“I hope that didn’t inconvenience Lord Alex.”
“There’s no need to worry, Daniela. Alex welcomed us warmly. Isn’t that right, Alex?” Hilda replied.
“Hmm? Ah… yes. Of course.”
The two girls smiled at one another, but everyone present could tell that neither smile was genuine.
Daniela normally seemed gentle, yet she was clearly angry that Hilda had gained an early advantage.
Perhaps they had agreed before summer vacation not to get a head start in pursuing Alex. Hilda had broken that agreement, and Daniela had come to confront her. That explanation seemed plausible.
Caught between them, Alex was growing visibly tense.
If he learned anything from this, perhaps he would finally abandon his playboy habits. Unfortunately, I suspected more girls might join the competition before long.
“Big brother Julius, which one is Brother Alex going to marry?” Rosalia asked quietly.
To her, it was probably an innocent question. Children were terrifying. I would never have dared ask it aloud.
Everyone at our sofa turned toward me.
Did I really have to answer?
“Well, nobles generally can’t marry solely for love. Alex will probably marry whoever creates the greatest benefit for both families.”
“Julius has no dreams,” Chloe complained.
“Then what do you think, Brother Cain?” I asked, passing the problem to him.
Too late, Cain made a face that said he wanted no part of it. Everyone was already watching him.
“Well… Alex likes girls with a fuller figure.”
His answer was easy to understand—and extremely dangerous.
Chloe, Caro, and even Rosalia immediately glanced down at their own still-flat chests.
When I looked toward Daniela and Hilda, Daniela appeared to have the advantage in that particular contest.
“I don’t think choosing a wife on that basis alone would be wise, Brother Cain.”
“Yes. You’re right.”
He must have sensed the danger, because his voice fell noticeably. Perhaps Cain shared Alex’s preference. I would remember that.
“What do you think, Julius?” Chloe asked.
Oh no. Passing the question to Cain had only caused it to return to me.
“House Mulan controls trade and distribution in the east. The Heine Margraviate lies far to the north, so an alliance between our houses offers relatively little strategic benefit. If House Mulan needed military support, there are eastern margraves who are closer and easier to rely upon.”
“That’s true,” Caro said. “Our family has long-standing ties with the Draken Margraviate in the east, and our households visit one another. There are no major monster territories nearby, so we don’t particularly need additional military protection.”
Her explanation confirmed that she also believed Hilda had romantic feelings for Alex.
“Daniela’s marriage to Alex would be more useful politically. A closer bond between the royal family and House Heine, which guards the northern frontier, would strengthen the kingdom’s defences. It could also deter anyone considering rebellion or invasion.”
“Big brother, what do you mean?” Rosalia asked.
“A coup or a war.”
Rosalia’s expression hardened, but nobles couldn’t afford to pretend such possibilities didn’t exist. She needed to understand reality eventually.
“Can that really happen?” Chloe asked, her face paling.
“I’m speaking hypothetically. There’s no immediate reason to fear it, but no one can promise it’ll never happen. That’s why noble houses prepare for such possibilities.”
Chloe had probably never considered matters from that perspective. As a princess, she would eventually need to look beyond her personal feelings and understand the kingdom as a whole.
“So does Daniela have the advantage?”
“Not necessarily. If another marriage would benefit the royal family more, Daniela may be sent there instead.”
“I wish I had been born a commoner,” Chloe muttered.
Caro nodded in agreement.
But commoners didn’t have easy lives either.
“Common people have more freedom to choose whom they marry, but they can’t live as comfortably as we do. Many struggle simply to survive from one day to the next.”
Dreaming was fine, but reality still mattered.
At the other table, Daniela and Hilda continued their polite battle. Hilda couldn’t openly disrespect a princess, even one travelling incognito, so she appeared to be at a disadvantage. Alex, trapped between them, was doing his best to keep the situation under control.
I promised myself not to end up like him.
As the third son, I would normally lose most privileges of the house once I left home and would live much like a commoner. The situation would change if I earned a title or knighthood through some great achievement, but the chances of that were supposedly small.
The same applied to Brother Cain. He would probably join the Heine knight order, which was why he trained so diligently in martial arts.
I had no predetermined place at all. In a sense, that made me the freest of us.
My current goal was to leave home and become a high-ranking magic pharmacist. With that qualification, I would never lack money and could live freely.
The thought made me look forward to the future.
Good luck with that MC.
Nah, he actually has a point. Becoming a top ranked potion master would put him in a completely different dimension compared to nobility. While he wouldn’t have any authoritative power, he’d have political power comparable to the king or the dukes if he played his cards right.