A Proposal

The Feymont Empire's annual Martial Magic Tournament was held on the last day of May. Aside from allowing the winners of the provincial tournaments, held at the end of April, enough time to reach the Imperial Capital, the more important reason was that this was the day the Shepherd of God made his yearly inspection of the Feymont Empire.

An "inspection of the empire" was really just a chance to collect the set quota of Magic Crystals and bestow Divine Grace upon the royal family.

At that moment, King Auston was accompanying the Shepherd of God on the viewing platform before the Imperial Square, reviewing the talented young people who had arrived from every corner of the empire.

King Auston's only daughter, Princess Lucia, had also made her first appearance on the viewing platform at the Martial Magic Tournament. She slowly waved to the crowd in the square, dressed in a purple gown that symbolized nobility. Her movements were graceful and charming, and a measured smile never left her beautiful face. Even the textbook-perfect solemnity of royal etiquette could not conceal the girl's youthful energy and liveliness.

Besides them, the viewing platform also held envoys from the Thorn Empire and the Silver Sparrow Federation, as well as Natia Vida, Cynthia Vida, and the dwarf from yesterday.

Once the inspection ceremony was over, the crowd was dismissed. The tournament's competitions would not begin until the next day, and would be held at the Imperial Arena.

Before then, a court official came to the Tris Province delegation and, on behalf of the king, summoned Donald to the palace for an audience.

The people who had just been on the viewing platform were all present in the palace.

Dressed in plain clothes, Donald bowed to King Auston, then smiled in greeting at Natia Vida and Cynthia Vida.

Lucia kept sneaking glances at him, winking and giggling.

"Your Holiness, this young man has rescued my only daughter several times. This year, the royal family will share the Light God's blessing with him."

Donald was startled by the king's words. Although he didn't know what Divine Grace was, it was clearly a substantial reward.

The God Priest gave no response, neither accepting nor refusing. His placid face had been expressionless from beginning to end, yet he didn't seem cold. He reminded Donald of the Buddha statues he'd seen in temples in his previous life.

"Your Majesty, you're sharing God's blessing with a commoner. Aren't you afraid of incurring divine wrath?" Clark, the envoy from the Thorn Empire, said coolly.

"Magician Clark, this is a father's gratitude toward the hero who saved his daughter. The supreme God of Light will understand."

"The love between a father and daughter, and a grateful heart—God will understand." The God Priest, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke slowly, bringing the subject to a close.

"This hero who rescued the princess seems to be no more than an Intermediate Magic Apprentice," Clark continued, refusing to let it go.

This was the first time anyone had publicly pointed out Donald's level of magical ability, and he couldn't help but feel startled. He remembered hearing a professor say in his Spiritual Power class that only a difference of four or more levels in Spiritual Power could reveal another person's rank.

That meant Magician Clark was at least a level-four Mage—in other words, the Bluebird Magician Wesley had mentioned. Since the man had been deliberately targeting him, Donald couldn't help becoming more wary.

"Magician Clark, did you know? It was this young man, Donald Wien, who killed the rebel Eli. Oh, and your country seems to have helped quite a bit with the rebellion in Tris Province. I haven't yet had the chance to thank King Edward." By the end of King Auston's words, his tone had grown colder and colder, each word clipped with barely restrained anger.

Lucia's expression darkened as well. She resented her father for revealing to the envoys that Donald had killed Eli. Now Donald might be dragged into the tense political situation.

Lucia knew Donald wouldn't like that.

King Auston pretended not to notice Lucia's expression and gestured for Donald to take a seat.

"Your Majesty, when the rebellion broke out in Tris Province, King Edward was very concerned that the turmoil in your country might spill over into the Thorn Empire. To ensure peace along the border, he ordered twelve legions to be stationed there."

Clark replied with a smile. Judging by his tone alone, one might have thought King Edward was truly benevolent.

Clark assumed King Auston had hastily invented the story about Donald killing Eli to justify sharing Divine Grace with him. Clark knew Eli's capabilities. If the Magic Apprentice before him could kill Eli, then a rabbit could kill a lion.

"Please tell King Edward that he can station his troops along the border. If a natural disaster strikes and wipes out the entire force, I'll send troops to help your country maintain order," King Auston said with a cold laugh.

"Haha, the Thorn Empire is strong and prosperous. His Majesty needn't concern himself with us. I've also been entrusted with another mission on this visit: to ask for Princess Lucia's hand in marriage on behalf of His Highness Prince Geoffrey, the second prince." Clark pointed to the young man seated quietly beside him. "King Edward said that if the marriage of the prince and princess could stabilize your country, he would no longer need to worry about border security."

A flicker of anger crossed King Auston's face. Ever since Lucia was born, when he was thirty, he had been unable to father another child. If he married her off to a prince of the Thorn Empire, wouldn't he be handing the Feymont Empire over to them? The Thorn Empire had stationed troops at the border and was now proposing a marriage. Their intentions were truly sinister.

At that moment, Grand Duke Hayden Gustav, the representative of the Silver Sparrow Federation seated on the other side, laughed and said, "Magician Clark, are you trying to compete with King Edward for this marriage? Princess Lucia is beautiful and charming, and surely Prince Geoffrey isn't the only one who admires her. My son Harry has long admired her as well, so I'll also propose a marriage on his behalf. As for the situation in the Feymont Empire, I believe the Silver Sparrow Federation will naturally give it our full support once my son marries Princess Lucia. King Edward needn't trouble himself."

The Gustav Dukedom ruled by Grand Duke Hayden was the core nation of the Silver Sparrow Federation, and its influence extended across almost the entire Federation. He wasn't bluffing.

Harry Gustav, dressed as a Magic Apprentice, sat beside Grand Duke Hayden. Clearly, they had come prepared as well.

King Auston's expression eased slightly. If Lucia married Harry, the Gustav Dukedom was powerful enough that he wouldn't have to fear it annexing the Feymont Empire. And should the Thorn Empire provoke them, they would have a strong ally.

If the Thorn Empire annexed the Feymont Empire, it would surely turn its attention to the weaker Silver Sparrow Federation next. Grand Duke Hayden was probably trying to prevent that very outcome.

"Grand Duke Hayden, are you saying you intend to compete with King Edward for this marriage?" Clark asked coldly, the threat in his voice barely veiled.

"Magician Clark, marriage requires the consent of both parties. How can you call that competing? If King Auston finds it hard to decide, why not have my son fight Prince Geoffrey? Let them settle it in a duel." Grand Duke Hayden smiled, evidently confident in Harry's abilities.

"That sounds like a good idea..." Clark had already seen that Harry was a High-level Magic Apprentice, just one step away from becoming a Formal Magician. But Grand Duke Hayden probably didn't realize that Prince Geoffrey had already advanced to Knight. If it came to a duel, Clark was utterly confident.

"I won't marry either of them!" Lucia finally spoke up, unable to stand being passed around between the two families like a piece of property.

"Lucia!" King Auston glared at her. His daughter had become more and more unruly. He hadn't even given his answer yet—how could she presume to speak for herself in a situation like this?

"I said I won't marry either of them." Lucia glared back at her father. Remembering how he had just revealed that Donald killed Eli, she grew even angrier. In a fit of rage, she blurted out, "If I'm going to marry anyone, it'll be Donald. I won't marry anyone else."

After saying this, she turned and ran, whether from embarrassment or fear of her father's fury. On the way out, she didn't forget to steal a glance at Donald.

Donald broke out in a cold sweat. At a time like this, she had actually dumped the problem in his lap. Faced with everyone's eyes, all he could do was lower his head, keep quiet, and play dumb.

The room fell silent at once.

Nobody had expected Princess Lucia to declare, in front of everyone, that she would marry no one but a commoner.

King Auston was furious and regretted summoning Donald.

The envoys from the two countries, who had been at each other's throats moments earlier, were both stunned.

Cynthia Vida, however, glanced at Natia Vida with a smile. If Donald really married Lucia, perhaps he would have ties keeping him there and wouldn't go to the Magic Continent after all.

"Princess Lucia wants to marry this commoner? King Auston, is that your decision as well?" Clark asked with a cold laugh.

Donald glanced secretly at Clark, wondering whether he should take the man by surprise and shoot him too. But it was only a passing thought. Even aside from the consequences of killing a foreign envoy in the palace, with Clark's unfathomable strength, Donald might not succeed even if he tried.

King Auston's expression was grave. "I've spoiled this daughter of mine. She's talking nonsense. Don't take her seriously."

"That's what I thought. How could the noble Princess Lucia marry a lowly commoner?" Clark said, casting Donald a cold glance. Donald felt a chill under that look, probably because of the vast difference in their Spiritual Power.

At that moment, Cynthia Vida, who had kept silent until now, spoke slowly. "If Donald is willing to marry Lucia, I can help him put together a respectable dowry."

Donald frowned, thinking of the kilogram of Mithril the gnome sisters had casually given him. Those petite women were far too generous.

Cynthia's words startled Clark. He couldn't make sense of the situation. A respectable dowry from a gnome envoy was bound to invite speculation. But how had this commoner boy gotten involved with the gnomes?

Those short folk controlled the allocation quotas of every country, and no one dared offend them lightly. Still, remembering that the God Priest was present, Clark summoned the courage to say, "Your Excellency, you seem to be interfering in politics. Doesn't that violate the treaty?"

"I'm only providing a dowry for a friend. What does that have to do with politics?" Cynthia Vida replied in her usual gentle, unhurried tone.

A friend? Clark had trouble digesting the word Cynthia Vida had used. This gnome woman held a status that seemed even more exalted than that of the other ambassador, Natia. How could she possibly be friends with a commoner boy?

The God Priest, who had been resting with his eyes closed, finally opened them and spoke slowly. "A princess's marriage is political."

"We have no intention of interfering in Princess Lucia's marriage. In fact, whoever Donald chooses to marry, we'll give him a respectable wedding gift." As Cynthia Vida spoke, she smiled at Donald.

Donald pretended not to notice. He had already guessed what she was thinking, and instinctively resented this attempt to interfere with his freedom.

The God Priest said nothing more, but his clothes began to stir without a breeze. A tremendous surge of Spiritual Power pressed down on nearly everyone in the room.

Cynthia Vida showed no sign of nervousness, paying no attention to the God Priest's actions.

A low, explosive rumble began to echo through the air, as if some terrifying force were silently gathering.

No one noticed the dwarf who had been following Cynthia. He edged the tip of one foot forward, and suddenly the rumbling stopped.

The God Priest's expression shifted slightly as his thoughts raced. "Such immense power. His Battle Qi remains contained, yet it's already this strong..."

"Gernada," Cynthia Vida called softly. The dwarf drew back the tip of his foot and returned to looking like an ordinary attendant, just as he had all along.

"Gernada! Gernada, who was said to have advanced to a level-ten Dwarf Warrior at the age of one hundred!" The God Priest was horrified. At last, he understood who the woman who had spoken was. She was not someone he could afford to provoke. But hadn't she been active in the Knight Federation lately? Why had she suddenly appeared in the tiny Feymont Empire?

After secretly swallowing the blood that had risen in his mouth and slowly steadying his breathing, the God Priest finally spoke, his tone calm and natural. "Since it's only a wedding gift, it doesn't count as interfering in politics."

Everyone wore uncertain expressions. Why had the God Priest, who had clearly been about to act, suddenly changed his mind?

But since even the God Priest, the representative of Heaven's will, said it wasn't political interference, Clark finally had nothing more to say. He merely stared coldly at King Auston.

"Let's leave the matter of marriage for another time," the king said with a sigh.

Donald breathed a sigh of relief.