Soltis Nistonia was a powerful lord who helped me expand my power on the sea side.


    They have always had a strong navy, but they became even more powerful during the unification of the province of Shara.


    A lord with a seaport has much more economic power than an inland lord with the same area of land. Although they were not allowed to control the entire Shahrah province because of the risk of treachery and so on, they still had a considerable territory if enclaves were included. Still, if we include the enclaves, the Nistonian family was in its heyday.


    I have actually met Yucca, the daughter of Soltis, once.


    When I formed an alliance with Soltys, I invited her family to the castle of Maust. Soltys left his son in the castle and came with his family in case they were killed in the castle of Maust. Among them was his daughter Yucca.


    Many years have passed since then, and Yucca must be in her mid-teens. With my power so strong around me, I guess I didn''t have to think about alliances with other lords, and I''m sure she hasn''t decided on a husband yet.


    In the next battle, I want to carry a large army from the sea. For this reason, I would like to strengthen my ties with the Nistonians. The Nistonians in particular were originally the rulers of the land, and they are my foreign vassals. The more insurance we have against betrayal, the better.


    I invited Solstice to King''s Landing to discuss this first.


    The title was that Soltys was still a viscount, so he was to be given the title of count. The king immediately gave his permission for the anointment.


    After the investiture banquet, I called Solstice into the open room and told her the story.


    I called Serafina, Fleur, and Kerala for hospitality. Raviara came of her own accord, though I did not invite her this time. Rumi is playing with my children.


    "So, I wonder if I might take your princess as my wife. I don''t know how many wives you''re planning to take, but I don''t know what to say. ....... I would like you to consider it for the sake of the bond between our two families. My daughter and son are still too young."


    "The Master is a man of many colors, so I don''t mind how many he has, do you?"


    Serafina said something that was hard to tell if she was joking or not. Half of what she said was probably true.


    Fleur, on the other hand, was pouring more tea into Solstice''s reduced cup with a calm expression on her face.


    "I hate to say it this way, but it does not make much difference in the current cooperative relationship whether you marry into one of the surrounding lords'' houses or not. If that is the case, I think it would be a bad choice to let the princess marry into the regent''s house.


    Fleur has always been a man of reason. Perhaps it is because she has been so devoted to the preservation of her small and medium-sized family, the Houges. Without thinking ahead, the small and medium lords will be destroyed in no time. One failure can lead to their immediate destruction.


    "Well, ...... I''m honored to talk to you, but ...... I''m a bit distracted on a completely different level. ......"


    Soltis is still the head of the Nistonian family, although his hair is beginning to turn gray. His son is not yet old enough to delegate all authority.


    "Well, what is it exactly?


    Fleur asks without laughing. I brought Fleur here because when it comes to closing a conversation, there is no one better than Fleur. She is much more useful than a bad bureaucrat.


    Incidentally, Raviara was sitting there purely as an observer. It seems that Raviara has always been a bit naive or provincial. From the perspective of the capital, everyone is a countryman except Kerala.


    "I''m ashamed to say it,...... but looking at the looks of the regent''s wives, I''m not sure my daughter is quite strong enough... ..."


    Apparently, Solstice was not kidding around, judging by the look on his face.


    "My son has not yet taken over the reigns of the family, but he has already taken a wife and I have a grandson. So I am not worried about the continuation of the family, but for the sake of my daughter''s happiness, I want her to marry in a way that will make her husband love her.


    "I see. Even if she becomes the Regent''s concubine, it would be a pity for the princess if she is really only a concubine for form''s sake.


    Solstice replied to Fleur''s words with a dreaded, "I guess so.


    I found this a bit surprising.


    It was clear that Solstice genuinely wished for the happiness of her family.


    That in itself is not a strange feeling. In fact, I would say that it is quite natural. But I had long since forgotten such feelings. Maybe it''s not that I forgot them, but I never really thought about them.


    I wonder if I will have such feelings when my children come of age. Or, thanks to my occupation as Oda Nobunaga, will I always feel the way I do now that aging does not come easily to me?


    I was not sure how to answer. It is true that I was blessed in my marriage.


    Raviara, Serafina, and Fleur, who had always been like a sister to me, were all so beautiful. Rumi grew up to look like an angel, and my mistresses Kerala, Jahnhahn, and Mistletoe each had their own charms that were different from those of my wives.


    Nowadays, I was not sure if I could love an insignificant daughter in the family.


    If Solstice heard that he was treating his daughter roughly, and it would make a bad impression on her, it would be a bad thing.


    "I understand. I understand your concern. Then may I see your daughter at least once?　I will show you the royal city as I showed you the castle of Maust."


    Soltis agreed to this.


    After he left the room, Kerala asked me, "Does this mean that the invasion of the north has been postponed?


    "We will do that in the not-too-distant future.