Chapter 27
While Reina was gaining more allies in the royal capital...
Clael, who lived in the remote town of Eggbell, was about to face a major turning point in his life.
"......I never thought the day would co when I'd be having a marriage eting."
That day, Clael was set to have his very first arranged marriage eting.
His partner was the daughter of a certain priestly family. The one who made the introduction was the cardinal who had co to pick up Reina.
Clael was twenty-three years old.
In this world, that age was slightly past the pri age for marriage.
Perhaps the cardinal was being considerate of Clael, or maybe he had so other intention... Regardless, he arranged the eting, and the woman was coming all the way from the royal capital.
"Um... Is this really okay, Priest?"
The one who asked with concern was Oratorio, the owner of a clothing store who was a regular at the shrine.
The location was the clothing store he ran. Clael had co to pick out clothes for the marriage eting.
"Is there a problem? I admit it doesn't suit all that well, but..."
"That's not it. It's not about the clothes... I just wonder if it's okay to have a marriage eting while Reina's away."
"Isn't that exactly why I'm doing it now? I'm at the age where I should be thinking about marriage too."
It had been a month since Reina was welcod to the Grand Shrine in the royal capital.
For Clael, it ant being freed from child-rearing and education duties, finally allowing him so ti for himself.
Living with Reina hadn't been particularly difficult.
Rather, since they could no longer divide up housework and shrine duties, he actually had less free ti.
However, there were so things that beca restricted when living with a girl of that age.
One major example was marriage hunting.
Because he lived with Reina, he had fewer chances to et people, and Clael struggled to find a marriage partner.
"I'm sure Reina will find her happiness in the royal capital. It's about ti—no, it's long overdue—that I start focusing on my own life too."
"I see... Well, I won't stop you, but I'm still worried. I wonder what Reina would think if she found out about this..."
Oratorio said with a worried tone.
Unusually for him, he furrowed his brows.
"Is there sothing about Reina? I don't think it's anything to worry about..."
Clael tilted his head.
If a father figure were to get married without her knowing, it might understandably make her feel conflicted as a daughter.
But... Reina was an understanding girl.
She probably knew that Clael had passed the pri age for marriage, and a letter afterward should be enough to inform her.
"I see... Well, fine. Yeah. I'll adjust the hem of this suit then."
"Yes, thank you very much."
"By the way, when is your marriage eting partner supposed to arrive in town?"
"She's supposed to arrive the day after tomorrow. Please have the hem done by then."
"Alright, I got it... I hope it goes well. Yeah."
"Thank you. Well then..."
Leaving the suit adjustnts in the hands of the slightly conflicted Oratorio, Clael exited the shop.
Reina had gone to the royal capital and was starting a new life.
Clael couldn't afford to keep standing still in the sa place forever either.
(Well, I can't afford to make the cardinal lose face, so I guess I'll give this eting my best shot.)
Clael straightened himself up and looked up at the western sky glowing in the sunset.
Clael was fired up for his marriage hunt... but unfortunately, that enthusiasm would be in vain.
Two days later, the woman who was supposed to co to Eggbell for the marriage eting never showed up.
According to what he heard later... the woman had reunited with her childhood sweetheart, who had just returned from the battlefield the day before the eting, and they disappeared hand in hand.
Clael didn't even get to see the woman once, and in the end, he was rejected.
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