Chapter 226: Rine’s Destiny is Her Own (19)


    The family reception room was filled with silence for a while.


    Ria had already left. She actually wanted to stay with us, but I intentionally gave her a hint to leave.


    In the end, while maintaining a grumpy expression until thest moment, my younger sister left. Judging by the displeased look she gave me, her temperament remained unchanged.


    I wonder which man would dare to take that tomboy.


    I secretly sighed and leaned back on the chair.


    Ria had been famous for her beauty for a long time. Some families, perhaps lured by that charm, had even proposed to her.


    However, Ria dismissed them all in a single strike.


    Well, to endure that feisty personality, the man had to be quite exceptional. At the very least, he needed to be on par in order to maintain peace in the household.


    It was hard to say whether an equal partner to my sister existed, who was endowed with both talent and beauty.But, the immediate concern now was not Ria''s marriage partner. Rather, a solution to address the crisis at hand was needed.


    So, I had no choice but to ask the group abruptly.


    "...What should I do?"


    It was a brief but crucial question.


    Many details were omitted, but the topic I brought up was clear.


    The Rine family''s mage corps was heading this way.


    Skilled knights were already a scarce resource, but even their scarcity couldn''t bepared to mages because only a few families could form mage corps.


    Only the five major noble families of the Empire, or a few called ‘Elite Mage Households'', had the capability to do so.


    The Rine family was one of those few.


    They possessed a mage corps that was even rarer than a knight order.


    The exact strength was unknown, but it was well-known that themanders of each mage corps wereposed of the Rine family’s blood rtives.


    The arrival of the mage corps today was no exception.


    It meant that someone who bore the Rine family name was visiting.


    This was a different level of issue from the time I had shed with the Rine family’s knight. After all, the Rine family was more famous for its mage corps than knights.


    Not only in terms of skill but also because the Rine family’s blood rtives led them, it was not something to be taken lightly.


    The problem was that they had no justification to take Senior Elsie away as they wished, especially when Senior Elsie froze upon hearing the news.


    "Wh-who? To be exact, who ising?"


    After being stiff for a while, the words uttered by Senior Elsie served as a signal that she started to panic. This was because Ria had already left a long time ago.


    Even if she was absent-minded, there was no way Senior Elsie would be unaware of this.


    It seemed like she threw out any questions out of excessive anxiety.


    Celine tilted her head, finding Senior Elsie''s trembling figure in fear, unfamiliar.


    "Pff, what are you scared of that makes you so tense? Even if it''s a mage corps, you''re a direct descendant, Sunbae."


    That, too, was a promising, peerless talent among the top talents of the Rine family.


    Among the current head''s children, the most aplished Senior Elsie. She had nothing to fear, even if her older brother or sister came.


    However, Senior Elsie''s trembling in fear only indicated one thing.


    The Saintess let out a faint sigh.


    "Someone ising too. It is someone who can subdue Sister Elsie among the mage corps."


    Of course, they would have sent that person.


    Right now, after dering a bombshell-like statement, Senior Elsie was in a situation akin to running away with me.


    Personally, I had hoped they would leave Senior Elsie alone, but Count Rine''s thoughts appeared to be different.


    It seemed like they were determined to bring her back to the family no matter what.


    Otherwise, the troublesome process of dispatching a mage corps was not needed.


    Senior Elsie''splexion turned pale. Being in the same boat as her, I, too, became even more uneasy.


    But only the two of us felt the tension.


    The Saintess, on the other hand, showed a benevolent smile as if everything was going well.


    "Then, you can just return to your family."


    "...No way!"


    Senior Elsie shouted like she was having a fit. Even if she was the Rine family''s legitimate daughter, addressing the Saintess politely was necessary, but in her desperate cry, she seemed to have forgotten that.


    "I-If I do that, they will immediately restrict me from going out and secretly taking care of things around me. Because my father is that kind of person!"


    "But there''s no other way, you know?"


    The Saintess''s voice contained a hint of joy while saying so.


    It seemed she had already finished her calctions.


    "Since Sister Elsie is entangled in various rumors, it''s unlikely that any agreement will be reached during the vacation. You don''t have to worry too much, and just go back to your family for now."


    Saying this, the Saintess quietly drew a cross sign. She appeared like a priestess praying for the repose of the departed.


    "I will assist Brother Ian well."


    Seria''s reaction wasn''t much different from the Saintess''.


    "Senior Rine... I understand your situation, but this is unavoidable if you’re a noble, right?"


    Seeing how she still used a polite tone indicated that Seria had significantly improved her social skills. I felt slightly touched by that, despite not being the right time to feel like this.


    ‘You''ve grown up, Seria.’


    However, feeling cornered, Senior Elsie looked up at me with teary eyes.


    She was pleading for help with her eyes.


    I cleared my throat, subtly signaling Leto.


    Leto wore an expression of reluctance, looking incredibly annoyed. But he couldn''t outright refuse my request and let out a deep sigh before speaking.


    "...Isn''t it possible that nothing bad will happen?"


    As if asking what the hell he meant, the group''s attention shifted to Leto.


    Leto then began to exin quietly.


    "Everyone seems to misunderstand something here... as for the Rine family, there may not be a need to separate Ian and Senior Elsie. In fact, there might even be a possibility that they want to make it an officially recognized romantic rtionship."


    Celine and Seria''s eyes widened at Leto''s words. Only the Saintess slightly frowned.


    Her face hinted that she had a hunch.


    Yuren was watching with keen interest while folding his arms in front of his chest, like he just wanted to y the role of azy spectator.


    "Think about it. While there may be differences in status between the families, Ian is a prominent figure, especially since he currently gained great fame. Moreover, Senior Elsie... honestly speaking, her previous ''master'' deration could be seen as a fatal scandal."


    "...So, you are saying it would be better to keep Brother Ian for Sister Elsie?"


    "Moreover, Senior Elsie is a cherished talent for the family. It''s a shame to let such a valuable individual go, and since Ian is the second son, there''s no reason for him to stay with his family."


    A live-in son-inw.


    Leto even mentioned such a possibility.


    While it was still moremon for a wife to follow her husband, such cases were not unusual.


    Whether Leto''s hypothesis made sense or not, a mixed reaction crossed everyone''s faces.


    Celine, Seria, and the Saintess''s expressions became serious while Senior Elsie''s face brightened.


    I, however, knew.


    Leto was just throwing out an idea. While it might be possible, as he suggested, there was also a big chance that Count Rine would choose the opposite path.


    After all, noble marriages were primarily aimed at forming blood ties between families.


    From that perspective, the marriage between me and Senior Elsie was still considered the worst n.


    In the end, it was the Saintess who ended the tough discussion.


    She sighed as if it couldn''t be helped.


    "...Talking about it now is useless."


    "Are you saying there’s nothing we can do about this?"


    "No, we still have plenty of time remaining."


    The Saintess showed no hesitation even to my question.


    She was the one here with the most knowledge about politics. Perhaps she had organized her thoughts from the beginning.


    "A mage corps is essentially a military force. Even in an era of peace, there must be a justification to send such a force to someone else''s territory."


    "How about finding their runaway daughter?"


    "If that were the case, Sister Ria would not have shown such a reaction just now. Besides, considering Ian as a member of the Percus family, using their escape as a pretext would be disrespectful."


    After all, there was no need to discuss it with force because there was another power behind me.


    It was the Yurdina family and the Imperial Family of the Empire.


    There was no way Count Rine didn''t know about my special rtionship with Senior Delphine and the Imperial Princess.


    Therefore, tantly disrespecting the Percus family would put them in a predicament.


    "So, the justification itself could be different from what we thought. They need to create a reason to send an envoy. For now, we have no choice but to follow along with them first."


    "You’re saying that the real answeres after that?"


    "After all, we don''t even know their intentions for now.”


    Upon hearing the Saintess''s words, we could only remain silent.


    It was true. Perhaps we still couldn’t grasp the true intentions of the Rine family at this moment.


    Talking further would onlyplicate the situation.


    I had only one answer to offer.


    "...Then, let''s wait for now."


    There was still time, so we could afford to wait for the Rine family’s opinion.


    I patted Senior Elsie’s trembling shoulders.


    Nothing would happen.


    If something did happen, I wouldn''t be able to resist it anyway. So, thefort I could provide to myself was only that.


    And a few hourster.


    I had to face the mage corps dispatched by the Rine family.


    At first nce, they emitted a strong mana. Among them, there was a particrly robust-looking man.


    It felt like looking at charcoal that had burned into white remains.


    He looked like someone who had been burnt over and over again, only leaving thest remaining part.


    His brown hair,bined with his blue eyes, made him appear weary.


    Even at a brief nce, the tall man seemed to be over 190cm. He slightly bowed his head and extended a handshake to me.


    "...Greetings. The ''candidate'' for a nephew-inw."


    Elsie’s eyes wavered violently upon hearing those words.


    Looking at those intensely blue eyes, I was convinced.


    This person was the one Senior Elsie feared.


    Senior Elsie''s voice echoed as my eyes met the middle-aged man''s gaze.


    "U-Uncle!"


    Senior Elsie eximed, calling out the /genesisforsaken