Chapter 182: Return (3)

“Oh, welcome! I’ve been waiting since I heard you were visiting our territory!”

The one who greeted the delegation was a handsome, middle-aged man with light blue hair.

Marquis Propylene.

If Serenia made the greatest contribution on the offensive, Marquis Propylene made the greatest contribution on the defensive. While the Hero’s party and the Continental Allied Forces cleared the path to the Demon Queen’s castle, the Marquis defended the kingdom with his remarkable military talent.

And his swordsmanship.

Having learned a few techniques from the Hero Pedro, he had achieved remarkable skill, ranking among the best in the kingdom.

Thanks to this, the Propylene family, formerly a Count family, was elevated to Marquis status and granted a larger territory.

“Haha, it’s been years since I’ve seen Your Highnesses.”

“That’s because you rarely leave your territory, Marquis.”

“Well, as you get older, there’s no place like home.”

The Marquis smiled, making lighthearted jokes.

However, Mercedes and Marie couldn’t bring themselves to smile.

Their eyes went to the Marquis’s right leg and left eye, respectively.

A leg that looked natural yet somehow felt out of place, and an eye covered by a stylish black eyepatch. These were the price he paid for his achievements that elevated his family to Marquis status. While such injuries wouldn’t completely diminish his exceptional swordsmanship, they were enough to limit his range of activity.

Reading the emotions in the princesses’ eyes, the Marquis smiled gently and turned his head.

“Oh, my daughter! It’s been a while since the martial arts tournament!”

“Marquis! Please, have some decorum…”

“Hahaha!! You must be feeling neglected! Should I give you more vacations?”

Realizing that the Marquis’s exaggerated behavior was for their benefit, the princesses managed small smiles. There was no need to remain somber when he was going to such lengths.

“Oh ho, seeing how well your muscles are toned, you must have been diligent in your training.”

“Ahh! M-Marquis… Ugh! Father! Please stop it!”

“…”

However, Valdes wondered if the Marquis’s actions were entirely exaggerated.

Standing a short distance away, he watched the father-daughter reunion with a strange look.

‘That’s awfully awkward.’

Alberts Propylene, now Marquis Propylene. Naturally, Valdes knew him well. They were close enough for him to have taught the Marquis a few sword techniques, and the Marquis admired and followed the Hero Pedro.

That’s why the current situation felt awkward.

The young man, who had been innocent and lively for a noble, was now a father and the head of a family. Valdes had seen many people change over the past 18 years, but the change in Marquis Propylene was particularly jarring.

‘And he even slept with his daughter…’

Valdes’s gaze focused on Ethylene.

Not the cold and calculating knight, nor the woman deeply in love with him, but Ethylene, the daughter of a seemingly doting father.

A fact Valdes had briefly forgotten resurfaced in his mind.

Ethylene was the daughter of a close comrade and follower. Unlike Mercedes, he had never seen Ethylene as a child. If he had, he might have found it difficult to sleep with her. He would likely have pictured her childlike face whenever he saw her.

‘…Or maybe not?’

Come to think of it, if that were true, he wouldn’t have touched Mercedes either.

In any case, what was certain was that seeing the affectionate father-daughter interaction made him feel a pang of guilt.

After enjoying the reunion with his daughter, Marquis Propylene finished his greetings and looked around the delegation, searching for someone. After a while, he spotted Valdes and a slight smile played on his lips. He had been looking for Valdes from the beginning, but hadn’t expected him to be so close, so he had started his search from afar.

The Marquis strode towards the young man and greeted him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Valdes. So you’re the famed young hero.”

“…It’s an honor to meet you, Marquis Propylene. You flatter me.”

“Haha. You’re quite famous. Even aside from your achievements in Ventorino, you’re Lady Serenia’s disciple.”

The Marquis’s eyes keenly observed Valdes.

A sharp gaze filled with interest scanned him from head to toe.

Although later than Serenia, Marquis Propylene was also a Sword Master. An aura powerful enough to overwhelm ordinary knights with its sheer presence, even without mana suppression. Valdes almost reacted instinctively but managed to restrain himself.

“Indeed… impressive. From your inherent mana to your trained physique… I can’t believe you’re that young.”

“You flatter me.”

“No, it’s not flattery. Lady Serenia has a worthy disciple. I’d be eager to form a connection with you if possible.”

He glanced playfully at his daughter, Ethylene. She blushed deeply, as if caught doing something wrong, and quickly looked away, her lips pursed.

It was the Marquis who was flustered by her reaction.

“Hmm?”

No one could miss such a blatant reaction.

“…Sir Valdes?”

“…Yes.”

“Is there something I should know?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“…”

Once again, a sharp gaze swept over Valdes. He, in turn, remained impassive, deflecting the Marquis’s aura and feigning ignorance.

After a prolonged standoff, Marquis Propylene was the first to give up. He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“Haa, I’ve kept our guests waiting for too long.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the servants guided the delegation to their accommodations.

“I must excuse myself due to pressing matters. I’ll see you all… at the banquet.”

“Understood, Marquis.”

After Mercedes replied to the Marquis, he looked pointedly at Valdes, as if urging him to respond as well. While his words were directed at the princesses and the delegation, his gaze was fixed on Valdes.

Finally, Valdes spoke.

“U-Understood, Marquis.”

With a dissatisfied expression, Marquis Propylene turned and returned to his office.

As the delegation dispersed, following the servants, Ethylene rushed to Valdes.

“Ah, M-Master. About that…”

“It’s fine. It’s something I have to deal with.”

“Ah…”

Valdes brushed off Ethylene’s apologetic look.

She hadn’t intentionally reacted that way. She was simply flustered by her father’s sudden teasing. The Marquis probably hadn’t expected such a reaction to his lighthearted joke either. It would be strange for him not to be interested in his daughter’s relationships at her age.

“And be careful what you say. This is your family home. You never know who might be listening.”

“Yes, I understand!”

Her reaction, especially with so many servants around, would have made it obvious to anyone that she had feelings for Valdes. With their watchful eyes, it was best to avoid revealing their relationship.

“It feels like I’ve just met my father-in-law. …Wait, it’s not just a feeling, is it?”

Valdes muttered to himself as he followed another servant to his assigned bedroom.

It wasn’t entirely wrong. He intended to make Ethylene one of his wives. While he hadn’t decided whether she would be a wife or a concubine, he didn’t plan to treat them differently, except perhaps in terms of authority.

‘Father-in-law… Father-in-law, huh.’

He chuckled.

It was a novel feeling.

Of the women he had been with, especially those he intended to marry, few had parents to speak of.

Neither the Demon Queen, who could be considered his principal wife, nor Irena had parents. Most demons had indifferent relationships with their parents and often didn’t raise their children themselves. Due to the significant age differences, it was common for the firstborn to take care of younger siblings.

And since all three members of the Ulstro royal family were his women, he didn’t really see Beatrice as a mother-in-law. He only called her “Mother-in-law” during certain… activities, usually addressing her by name.

The same applied to the others.

“…Interesting.”

Lost in thought, Valdes headed to his room.

Ethylene gazed at the back of her master and lover. The knight, who had looked apologetic and indifferent to any situation, now wore a satisfied smile.

Noticing the sly upturn of her lips, Marie, who was standing a short distance away, nudged her sister with her elbow.

“Wow, Elder Sister. Look at her. She’s something else.”

“Indeed… She’s quite the expert.”

Valdes hadn’t noticed, but the princesses were certain.

Ethylene’s earlier display was an act. At least in matters like this, they knew Ethylene better than Valdes did. They had spent more time with her than he had.

They had sensed a hidden agenda beneath Ethylene’s outwardly obedient and seemingly indifferent facade. And it seemed her true intentions were finally surfacing now that they were on her home turf.

“What do you think, Elder Sister?”

“Me? I think…”

Mercedes fell into thought.

Ethylene seemed to be plotting something, although they didn’t know what it was. Should they leave her be? Her contemplation was brief.

“Well, I think it’ll be fine.”

“Really? If you say so, Elder Sister, I don’t mind either.”

They both decided not to worry about Ethylene.

They had witnessed and understood her loyalty thus far. As long as she wasn’t trying to usurp their positions, they could give her more freedom. There were only a few rivals in the competition for Valdes’s affection now, but countless women would appear as he continued his revenge and conquered the continent.

There was no guarantee that none of them would capture Valdes’s heart or be closer to his ideal type. Therefore, it was necessary to cooperate and strengthen their bonds. Ethylene’s favor with Valdes would undoubtedly be beneficial.

“Yes. Ethylene deserves to be loved and happy.”

“Indeed.”

After their brief conversation, the sisters headed to their assigned quarters.

After the delegation unpacked and rested in their respective rooms, time quickly passed, and evening arrived.

The person seated at the head of the long table in the dining hall was, naturally, Marquis Propylene, the lord of the manor. To uphold the authority of a noble, specifically a landowner, the seat of honor was always reserved for the head of the household, even if a king or queen were visiting.

The next two seats were occupied by the royal sisters.

And surprisingly, the next two seats were assigned to Ethylene and Valdes.

In other words, the two were seated facing each other.

“…”

Valdes found the seating arrangement strangely awkward but decided to let it go. He assumed it was because of the earlier incident and that they had seated him, still not officially a knight, near the front.

Ethylene was clearly displaying a very apologetic look towards Valdes, who was eating quietly without saying a word. It was so obvious that Valdes realized something was up. Of course, he didn’t flip the table or anything, but he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

Amidst the mix of amicable conversation and awkward tension, the Marquis suddenly spoke.

“So, which one of you is Sir Valdes’s partner?”

“?!”