Vol. 3 - Chapter 109.2 - A Quiet Story: Leon's Decision
It was reassuring to know that he was not a foolish king.
Come to think of it, he was not only the Crown Prince kid\'s but also Chris\'s parent, too.
I wondered what would happen, but Rio firmly objected.
When Rio\'s vision regained its luster after nearly losing consciousness and becoming unfocused, I realized once again.
I want to stand next to this girl and walk side by side with her this time.....
So I decided
A wish,......, no. In order to have the request fulfilled, I went to the Prime Minister\'s residence.
It is easy for us gods to locate a human being.
The Prime Minister was relaxing on the balcony. He was all alone, now was a perfect time.
I shall appear before the Prime Minister and ask to be admitted to the Magic Academy.
Although the king has the final say in state affairs, it is his subjects who truly run the government.
The Prime Minister is at the center of this. Naturally, he would have connections with the upper echelons of the Magic Academy.
He said it would be difficult for a cat to enter the academy, so I changed my appearance to that of a human.
At first, he was defensive when I revealed that I was a god, but his attitude soon softened.
Then he made an unexpected proposal.
"The world of the nobles is more complicated than the gods think. If you don\'t mind, I\'ll do it this way."
It is true that the world of nobles is troublesome.
"I\'ll give you a human identity, Leon-sama."
"What kind of status?"
"You will be adopted by my family, the Dukes of Paulford."
"But you already have two sons, right? Why adopt a boy if you already have two sons, when you can adopt a girl?"
The Prime Minister stepped into the room and brought out a bottle of wine and two glasses.
"Would you like some? This is a thirty-year-old brandy."
I love alcohol.
"I\'ll have some."
Mmm. The aroma is rich and mellow, and the taste is intense. It\'s delicious. I\'ll take some home as a souvenir.
"I plan to hand over the inheritance to my eldest son, while my second son will be given to an influential nobleman as a son-in-law. I would like to give Leon one of my titles, the rank of Count of Lanchester."
"I don\'t need a title. A title is nothing but a bother."
"...The territory of the Count of Lanchester is adjacent to the Marquis de Grandeur. The lands are unclaimed in name only, and there is little income from the estate."
And thanks to the generous assets of the Dukes of Paulford, the tax revenue from the land has been covered.
"What do you want me to do, give the land a blessing?"
"When Rio comes of age, would you be willing to be her fiancé?"
I nearly spewed out the wine in my mouth.
" Wha! What!?"
"Of course, you only have to pretend. The Crown Prince probably has not given up on the idea of getting engaged to Rio. But if Rio has a fiancé, his highness will have no choice but to give up and look for a potential consort."
"I see. The Crown Prince kid has a succession problem. Even if he refuses, the people around him will not leave him alone. Being a member of the royal family is not an easy life."
"Once the Crown Prince\'s engagement is officially decided, you may break off your engagement with Rio. I will assume the responsibility of finding Rio a suitable husband. I will find her a good match who will make her happy."
"That won\'t be necessary."
"What?"
"I will marry Rio."
The Prime Minister looked like a pigeon that had just been hit by a shotgun.
"The bride of a god? But Rio is a human being."
"Don\'t worry. If she becomes the bride of a god, the differences between the different races will no longer be a problem. Besides, ......"
"...and?"
"Rio likes me, too. That shouldn\'t be a problem."
Muuu. For some reason, my face felt hot. Did I drink too much alcohol?
"Ellie told me that Rio had a crush on someone, was she talking about you?"
Ellie, Rio\'s mother. She\'s a very perceptive mother.
"In that case, I\'ll help you. I am sad that my lovely niece is getting married. But if I adopt Leon-sama and Rio marries off, she will become my daughter. Mmm-hmm."
Oi. You\'re smiling in an evil manner, you know.
"I\'m sure Ellie will agree. The problem is ......."
"Alexis. ......"
The Prime Minister and I let out a collective sigh.