82 – 17. …… Engaged?
Kite Blackwood. The person who became engaged to Lane this time.
When I first heard the name, I immediately remembered who it was, but I had no idea that we were staying at the same hotel.
One of the three people who came to the fortune teller last time pretending to be a gangster, he was a quiet student with a scary face and a large body…… I thought so.
This guy is more talkative than I thought.
“Ah, Lily-senior…No, Lily-senior…!”
“Hmm.”
“How can I express this endless feeling? Although I lived in shame, my heart for you is still burning…!”
No, that.
Aren’t you a very quiet person? I heard that from Jinwoo Hwang and Kaede Sasaki too?
Even when you came to visit the fortune teller sometimes, you were quiet and didn’t say a word, right?
“……Aren’t you the type of person who talks little?”
“Ah, that’s the Blackwood family’s tradition. We must live in silence and abstinence until we become adults of the family.”
“But why now…?”
“If I keep my mouth shut in this situation, things that can be resolved won’t be resolved. This engagement… I want to avoid it at all costs.”
Tradition is tradition, and this is something else.
Besides, it’s a bit awkward for a guy who looks like he’s already put a person under fire to talk about it all the time.
“Actually, the last time I read your fortune, I was so worried that you would reveal this secret… I think Jinwoo and Sasaki are real friends. I felt uneasy because I was actually deceiving them.”
“…Ah.”
“You probably didn’t say that on purpose out of consideration for me at that time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“No, of course.”
I’m sorry, I had no idea……
He never came out of the game, so I only gave him a nice compliment, but there was that kind of story.
Kite took a sip of black tea, expressing sincere gratitude with her dark-skinned face.
‘After all, a noble is a noble.’
Although she doesn’t have much significance in modern times, Kite is also from a noble family called the Blackwood family, so she is imbued with courtesy and dignity.
…… If you think about it that way, there is something strange.
“Mr. Kite, this may be a slightly rude question.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Due to my limited knowledge, I have never heard of a family called Blackwood. It’s only due to my lack of common sense, but the Arthur family, one of the most prestigious families in Europe…”
“You’re asking how I got engaged. There’s nothing rude about that. There’s no need to be overly polite.”
Kite put down the teacup and smiled.
It was a tone that seemed oddly familiar.
“Artur is from the oldest family in Europe. He is in the same class as Lucas and Lane, and I heard they hang out together, so you probably know him well.”
“Yes.”
“On the other hand, although we, Blackwood, have some history, we are a small noble family in Denmark. Our rank is barely a baron… And we do not have much land or property.”
“Hmm…”
“Luckily, I was born with a job, but Blackwood’s fortunes had already declined. My parents also encouraged me to become their son-in-law.”
“……………….”
Deril son-in-law, so does that mean the Blackwood family itself will disappear without anyone continuing?
That’s definitely…… It must have been a big decision.
“But, Daryl’s son-in-law? Although I am young, I am proud of myself as a member of the Blackwood family. That is why I went out of my way to enroll in the Romance Academy in order to follow the Blackwood tradition and continue and revive the family.”
“…Your parents must be proud.”
“It’s a shame, but yes.”
Parents who worry about their children, and children who care for their parents.
I felt a little depressed, but I quickly shook it off and focused on what Kite said.
“But if you’re engaged to the Arthur family… Isn’t you actually Daryl’s son-in-law?”
“……That’s right. Although it is a formality for Raine to join the Blackwood family, the family’s prestige is as high as heaven and earth. Even just a few years after marriage, the Blackwood family will be reduced to one of Arthur’s collateral branches.”
“……….”
“And that’s why Arthur was able to become a great family member.”
Is it expansion of power through marriage?
It is similar to the Habsburg family.
In Europe, there is a custom called noble marriage, which regards marriage between people of different social statuses as a kind of disadvantage.
In other words, royals should marry royals, and nobles should marry nobles. Also, it was taboo to marry a noble of lower rank, even if you were of the same noble rank.
However, Arthur does not care about marrying a noble family, but rather marries a low-ranking nobleman, effectively making that noble family a subsidiary or subordinate family of Arthur.
“The Arthur family itself is small. It’s just that all the families with Arthur’s blood in them, although they have different names, are actually subordinate to Arthur, all combined to become a great family.”
“Hmm…”
Yes, I understand how Arthur is expanding his power and why Lane is getting engaged.
But in the end, why Blackwood?
“hahahaha, Namgoong Min. I know what you’re thinking. I guess you’re wondering why it’s Blackwood among the many families in Europe.”
“That’s right. Do you know why?”
“…No, I have no idea.”
…… You don’t know?
Does that make sense?
“Arthur’s marriage alliances are always sudden and unexpected. Sometimes he marries royalty or a great family, and sometimes he marries a minor noble like me, or someone who is not a noble at all.”
“……….”
“Because of that…Blackwood was actually just notified of the engagement.”
“No family would refuse anyway.”
“That’s right. What nobleman in Europe would miss the opportunity to be incorporated into Arthur? And that’s because she is a direct descendant, not a collateral, and the one and only legitimate daughter. In layman’s terms…It’s like winning the lottery.”
“…….”
“My parents were happy too. They said that if they belong to Arthur, Blackwood will also rise up. I also agree emotionally, but…”
…… Something is strange.
Kite says she is trying to revive the crumbling Blackwood family.
She is, however, turning down the best opportunity to revive Blackwood, referring to Lily.
There are some parts where it is not right to say it is simply due to personal love.
‘Have you the desire to build a family on your own without outside help? If not, do you not want your family to be swayed by Arthur?’
I was somewhat confident in my ability to penetrate people’s psychology while working as a fortune teller, but…… Oh, of course, excluding things like love and friendship.
Currently, there is very little information about the person named Kait.
‘I’m sure there’s something up there.’
Contradictory behavior, and the speaking style and manners that hide it.
It smells.
The smell of my own people.
“In other words, in the current situation where we don’t know why Arthur wants to be engaged to Blackwood, we have to break off the engagement with Arthur.”
“That’s right. So, help through divination….”
“In the East, there is a fortune-telling technique called I Ching (周易) that predicts the flow of fate according to the movements of celestial bodies, dates, and the 12 zodiac signs. And according to that, today is a bad day. Even if you do fortune-telling, the results are not that good. I don’t think it’s going to come out.”
“…Uh, yes?”
“When is the engagement ceremony?”
“Well, it’s in ten days.”
“Then, I’ll see you in a few days. As I said, according to the ley lines, the Chinese calendar, and the hexagrams, today is not a good day, so I will set an auspicious day and tell you.”
“Ah, I understand.”
“Have a good night.”
First, I blurt out a technical topic to gloss over the conversation, and send the confused Kite out of the room.
As soon as he got out, he narrowed his eyes.
“Bitter, it smells like something bad…”
A sudden engagement, a partner who doesn’t fit the bill, and even that partner is reluctant to get engaged.
According to the information I heard from Kite, this engagement seems unnatural no matter where you look.
Even if he expands his power through a marriage alliance, if he becomes a direct daughter, it will be a very valuable handgun for Arthur.
Getting Lane engaged to Blackwood? Just for the purpose of incorporating a small family called Blackwood into Arthur?
‘The values are not right.’
I would understand it if she were to become engaged to another country’s royal family or great noble, but that’s not the case.
Kite and other European nobles seem to think so because their marriage partners were originally chosen semi-randomly, but from an outsider’s perspective, there are many strange places.
But I can’t be sure of anything.
“I need information.”
In addition to Kite, we need an informant who knows European aristocratic society well.
Especially if you know Arthur well.
“……….”
Beep, beep.
Take out your cell phone and dial a number.
It’s late, but given the circumstances, it’ll be okay.
Did they also know that there would be a phone call?
The receiving tone did not last long.
[…] … I knew how to contact you.]
“In times like this, who else would I look for other than you? Lucas.”
[That’s a bold statement, but I like it.]
“Do you know why I’m calling you?”
[If I say it twice, it’s nagging.]
The person on the phone is Lucas Arthur.
He is the legitimate son, successor, and head of a small family of the Arthur family.
He was the only friend I could feel comfortable with.
“What happened? Was the engagement decided so quickly?”
[That can’t be possible. Arthur’s marriage is an expansion of power, and as such, marriage is an important event for the family. Even if it is a collateral marriage, it is normal for the elders and retainers of the family to gather and hold a meeting when getting married. Of course, I also told the person concerned.]
“It seemed like Mr. Lane had no idea.”
[…] … Okay. In this case, my father…… Because the head of the family made an arbitrary decision.]
“……What?”
[Originally, no matter how much you are the head of the family, you cannot arbitrarily decide on a betrothal partner for your direct lineage, let alone a collateral lineage. But… ….]
“…What’s inside the family?”
[Of course it’s chaos. On the outside, everyone seemed to understand, but behind the scenes, heated words were being exchanged. Most of them are complaining about my father, but there is no answer.]
So, did they decide on their own the important matters that should be discussed in the first place?
It seemed like Arthur was also confused because he was stubborn for some reason.
“…What do you think? I don’t know much about the matriarch, but you do.”
[…] …… Well, I don’t know either. Right now, my father is not meeting with me or any of the elders and retainers. However, it’s a problem because you can’t just enter your father’s room.]
“It’s frustrating. If the engagement day just happens like this…”
[There are loud voices of opposition, but…… Perhaps the engagement will go ahead as is. Because of this incident, my father may step down from his position as the head of the family, but for now, Lane’s engagement will go ahead.]
“Can’t we do something?”
[Now, I am also in a situation where I am being held prisoner by my family. Artur is as big as he is, and the factional strife is fierce. My limit is to calm them down.]
From Noble mtl dot com
“…I see.”
Due to Hector’s arbitrary actions, a factional fight is in full swing within the family, and it is best for Lucas, the successor, to calm it down, while Lane, the party involved, is still at a loss.
In the end, are only outsiders like me able to move?
“Lucas, can you invite me to your home?”
[Rather, it is the sea I had hoped for. It was like that during the Great Lakes episode, but it’s amazing how one head spins like a ghost. So, what’s your plan?]
“The point is that this happened because the head of the family didn’t answer, right?”
[…] … ? Yes?]
“Then just let them come out.”
[What?]
“Ah, this may be a little disrespectful to the family, but it’s okay? It’s for my one and only sister and friend. It’s no problem, right?”
[…] ……….]
“Answer.”
[…] … Okay, just give it a try.]
“Yay!”
*
“What on earth are you doing?…”
It’s been three days since the phone call with my friend, Namgoong Min.
Lucas sighed as the situation was still frustrating.
‘Father doesn’t come out the door, and neither does Lane. The elders and seniors are split into two and fighting…….’
If this continues, not only will the authority of the family head decline, but it will also be necessary to hand over some of the interests held only by the immediate family to appease the angry vassals.
Marriage is the most important thing for Arthur.
I don’t think Artur itself will split in two, but it’s sure to be noisy inside for a while.
‘…… Is this family called Blackwood worth that much?’
Lucas focused on the Blackwood family itself, not on Kite Blackwood, the person involved in the engagement.
In the end, for Arthur, marriage expands his power.
In other words, is Blackwood worth enough for your father to bring this kind of confusion upon himself?
‘There are no mines, special crops, or gates. The territory is not a city, but rather a few rural villages, and the property is at the lowest level, and the location is in a mountain valley in Denmark.’
Arthur is not worth reaching out to, much less giving up a direct descendant.
It’s just a small rural family that you wouldn’t normally pay attention to.
Why on earth did my father…? ……
Knock. Knock.
“Excuse me, Lord Soga. This is urgent news.”
“Come in.”
As I answered somewhat nervously, a butler with a stylish mustache approached me and handed me some documents.
The butler, who maintained a restrained posture, bowed his head politely to Lucas, who received the documents.
“This?”
“…This is a rumor that has been circulating recently.”
“Rumors?”
At best, you brought rumors because it was urgent news?
Artur is subject to all kinds of conspiracy theories and rumors as he is big, so of course this is normal.
As soon as he decided that the butler in front of him was incompetent, Lucas glared at him.
For him, who is a meritocratic person, incompetent associates are just people who should be thrown away.
“That’s all──”
“There have been many rumors going around about Hector Arthur for the past three days. Although there have been rumors about the family itself, this is the first time that the head of the family has been slandered so specifically…”
“…A slander?”
“Yes, please read it.”
No way.
I guess not?
“……Ha.”
Namgoong Min, you bastard.
What are you doing? …