Chapter 147: CASE; MELTY

“What on earth did those guys go out to do…?”

While gazing at the door through which the two guys had hurriedly left after uttering cryptic remarks, Melty voiced her curiosity. Since they had left with such meaningful words, it had been bothering her incessantly.

“They’re probably thinking about proposing,” 

Claudia replied so nonchalantly that it startled Melty, who had anticipated and expected something to a certain extent.

“Does that mean Gwen is going to propose to me!?”

“Seeing as you two looked like a good match from the start, Lutz-kun probably wanted to give Gwen a little push. But in reality, what do you think? If Gwen were to propose to you, would you accept?”

“Well, um, I guess. To some extent, I might consider it or not object…?”

Observing Melty’s somewhat bashful demeanor as she fidgeted, Claudia began to find the situation amusing.

…Melty-chan is so adorable. I see, Lutz-kun, I can understand why he would feel compelled to meddle. I guess I’ll offer a helping hand on this end.

Claudia smiled inwardly and leaned forward. Melty was earnest and always prioritized the village’s future. She was contemplating using words like “beneficial for the village” to persuade her.

Melty held feelings for Gwen. So, what does she want now? Perhaps she needs persuasive points for convincing her family. If she were asked why they should accept a groom from outside when there were plenty of young bachelors in the village, she’d need clear benefits as an answer. She had her own position to consider, and just saying she’s in love or infatuated wouldn’t be enough.

The reason Claudia supported Princess Listille was partly due to this, but she didn’t like the idea of strong-willed women ending up unhappy. While it was true that no one could save everyone, she wanted to bring happiness to those she liked, at least.

This sentiment was also akin to how she felt when she was trapped in a dim underground dungeon, waiting for death and humiliation. It might be alright to give something back to fate or destiny, which can be so fickle.

“Melty-san!”

“Uh, um, what is it?”

“The marriage with Gwen would bring significant benefits not only to him but also to the entire Saligari village.”

Claudia’s enthusiasm intrigued Melty, who looked at her questioningly. However, she was still in a state where she couldn’t block her ears. Ignoring it wasn’t an option.

“Gwen-san is the leader of the village for veteran soldiers on the border. Building a connection with him means having two thousand battle-hardened soldiers as allies. Even if this village were to be attacked by other villages, you could repel them instantly. In fact, if you promote this alliance, those fools who would try to invade in the first place might disappear.”

“I see, that’s beneficial.”

She couldn’t remain in a position to say, “If I die on the battlefield, it’s my wish.” The chief had a responsibility to protect the people. From that perspective, having dependable allies was a blessing.

“Also, Gwen-san has various connections. In the kingdom, there are acquaintances like us involved in trade, even connected to the king… well, no, I mean the king of the allied nation. He has deep ties with that king. I’m not sure if he’s liked by King Arsames, though.”

“That’s true…”

Melty let out a deep sigh. From what she observed, her extended family members seemed to have very stubborn minds. Cases like the former chief Vritra were exceptions; they weren’t quite mutations.

“Do you know what Gwen is called in this allied nation?”

“The Knight of Betrayal.”

“Exactly. Who in the tribe would want to welcome a man with such an ignominious name? One question remains, though. I’ve talked to Gwen a bit, albeit briefly, and I feel like I understand his personality. Why is he following the former king’s orders, essentially being his enemy? If anything, he should’ve been the first to go after Arsames’ head.”

“It’s for the sake of the allied nation, apparently.”

“This nation’s?”

“If after Cassander’s death and Arsames the king ends up being killed too, this country’s chaos would become beyond salvageable. Even though it’s coming from a kingdom citizen like me, there’s a high possibility that the kingdom might ignore the ceasefire treaty and start carving up lands. We made agreements with King Cassander, and if he’s deceased, they’d claim the pacts are null and void for whatever flimsy reasons they come up with.”

“Wouldn’t this tarnish the Empire’s reputation for mediation?”

“We could just ask the Empire to join in too. We could say, ‘Why don’t we both just wreak havoc on the allied nation?’ They’d happily participate; they’re quick to seize such opportunities. They’re quite sharp and agile in that aspect.”

Melty made a dubious expression and nodded. Even to uphold agreements, one needed power. If the nation descended into chaos, that power would disappear. Gwen chose a state that, while imperfect, had order rather than anarchy.

“He’s not a disloyal person or a traitor. He’s offered even his honor to the country,” 

“Yes. Despite being criticized as the one who killed the third prince, Weneg, Gwen volunteered to be the executioner because he didn’t want the prince to suffer any more than necessary. It was through this sequence of events that he came to know us when he requested a sharp sword from Lutz’s workshop.”

“He’s quite clumsy, isn’t he?”

“What do you think?”

“I’m falling for him all over again.”

As if accidentally letting it slip, Melty panicked, shaking both her hands and her head simultaneously. She seemed to be truly flustered.

“No, no, no, no! Of course, I mean… you have to hear the details from the person himself. Hey, why are you grinning so much?”

Before she could finish making excuses, the door swung open forcefully, and Gwen entered. He had a serious expression on his face, as if heading into a duel.

Lutz followed him casually from behind. He made eye contact with Claudia, and they exchanged nods. Both of them seemed to be in a pretty good state of mind.

Lutz and Claudia watched with curiosity, wondering what words would come out. Gwen gazed at Melty’s face for a dozen seconds or so and finally opened his mouth.

“Bear my child.”

Gwen’s straightforward words made Lutz recoil slightly.

…Seriously, this guy? Isn’t that a bit too heavy, even for a proposal?

Lutz worried that Melty might throw even a slap at Gwen. He looked at her, but it turned out to be an unfounded concern. Melty blushed slightly, nodded with satisfaction, and gave her answer.

“With you and me, we could have a strong child.”

Whispering a thank-you, Gwen and Melty firmly held each other’s hands.

What the heck is happening with this atmosphere? Lutz shifted his gaze to Claudia, who was making inviting gestures. It seemed to mean “Let’s get out of here.”

They exited while looking at Claudia’s backside. After walking together for a while, Lutz twisted his neck and muttered,

“In the perspective of the allied nation’s values, was that the right move…?”

“It probably was. Raising a strong child seems to be a crucial point, especially for a warrior nation. If, in that moment, Gwen had jokingly said something like, ‘Why don’t we just date?’ with a cheeky smile, it would’ve been a facepalm-worthy move, considering Melty’s temperament.”

Certainly, Lutz agreed.

Those two were probably similar in some ways, and they’d likely get along well.

Lutz and Claudia walked side by side, their hearts warming. Without any particular reason, their hands brushed against each other’s, then they held hands, their fingers intertwining.

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