Chapter 39: Which One?

Theobald looked down at Rodrick—who was still sitting on his chair—with eyes widened in surprise.

“El—No, I mean, Your Excellency, why are you yelling…?”

“Elaborate.”

“It was just a suggestion.”

Theobald let out a sly smile.

Rodrick’s eyes and mouth were hung open as he tried to come up with something to say and failed to do so. The idea his younger brother proposed was just too outlandish. Meanwhile, Theobald continued with a smile,

“I reckoned I should ask for your opinion first, Your Excellency. I haven’t brought this matter to Lord Urien yet.”

“Yet…?”

Rodrick asked as he was about to stand up, but quickly regained himself and sat back down. This was the first time that Theobald had seen him so shaken.

He knew that Theobald wouldn’t joke around about such matters. Well, he probably might if he were talking with others, but he wouldn’t joke around with him.

‘But, is he really being serious?’

As Rodrick asked that in his mind, Theobald stared at him with a gentle smile on his face.

“Yet means… Are you planning to confess your love to him or something?”

“Confess, huh…? Well, you could put it that way.”

As if he heard an unexpected word, Theobald’s eyes widened, but the gentle smile didn’t leave his lips.

Meanwhile, Rodrick,

“But, Urien had signed the contract.”

Was so bewildered that he was unable to think straight and just blurted out what came to his mind at the moment.

He and Urien would only be married for a period of time. As far as he knew, Urien was happy and content with this arrangement as his only wish was to live a peaceful life with Marx in a warm town near the sea.

Even if it was Theobald, his own brother, he wouldn’t let him take Urien’s dream away.

“Of course, I am well aware of Your Excellency’s and Lord Urien’s circumstances, and I am aware that this proposal might come off as unwanted.”

Theobald replied without losing his composure. His hands were clasped behind his back as his back stood straight.

From this alone, it was clear that he wasn’t joking at all.

“This won’t be something that’s going to happen right away. Not until our kingdom and Barca has signed the treaty that Your Excellency and the Royal Army has been working so hard for, at least. Besides, I am aware that the reason why Your Excellency set the two years time limit is so that you could give Lord Urien his freedom as soon as possible.”

“…Mm.”

“I would only step forward with the proposal after Lord Urien has attained his freedom.”

“That’s my consort you’re talking about.”

“By that time, he’d be your former consort.”

Rodrick gulped. Hard.

At that same time, he realized something.

‘…Why do I feel so…upset?’

He found himself getting so worked up hearing about Theobald’s proposal, but he didn’t know why. All he could do was helplessly succumb to his emotion and kept on talking.

“That’ll make him marry us both—brothers.”

“And that isn’t an unusual thing. Especially for a family like ours who produces good soldiers and knights.”

“But I’m not dead yet.”

“Of course, and you will live for a long time, Your Excellency. After all, it is your goal to have a peaceful life by yourself once the ongoing conflicts with the neighboring countries are over.”

A long time ago, he once discussed his plan with Theobald.

Not a plan that concerned military affairs, but rather an overall plan for the future. The setting also wasn’t an official one where they were watched by their retainers, but more like a casual conversation between brothers.

Back then, he really did mention that he wanted to live alone. After the conflicts had been resolved, the Knight Order’s military operations became no longer necessary, and the Order itself was reduced to a symbolic one whose only function was to watch over the border, Rodrick planned to step to the sidelines and dedicate his life to support Theobald.

He’d be letting go of his title and bestow it to Theobald. From there on, the Edel’s bloodline would be carried by Theobald and his children.

As for Rodrick himself, he didn’t have any plan to have children to begin with.

Theobald continued without any hesitation.

“Urien Martritz, the Devilish Urien, that was what they called him in the rumors. But, a year has passed since he lives in the estate. Even the most foolish nobles would’ve realized now those rumors are false. Lord Urien has never stepped foot outside the estate. That fact should be enough to raise their doubts on the identity of the blond-haired man who keeps appearing at their parties.”

It seemed that Urien’s younger brother, Arnault, was still living as lavishly as ever. No one knew if he knew that the Martritz’ finance was currently in dire straits.

“Rumors are spreading that Your Excellency and Lord Urien are on good terms. News of the exilement of the servants that wronged Lord Urien has also spread more widely. Everyone in the estate knows that Lord Urien is gentle, kind, wise, and hardworking. In fact, they’re even doing their best to spread that across the territory and outside. They are even about to build a library for him within the territory. The servants working in the estate will definitely spread more words of this when they go back to their hometowns. Those nasty rumors about him will soon be gone.”

“But, if Urien becomes your wife after the divorce, those rumors will spread again.”

“Even if that’s the case, no problem will arise. By that time, he’d have settled with his life at the estate, and we can just dismiss his marriage with me as the natural result of Your Excellency retiring from your position.”

Theobald cared deeply for Urien. Rodrick didn’t know if there were romantic feelings involved or not, but he knew for sure that he cared for him.

It was apparent from how joyful he looked when he told him that the nasty rumors about Urien had been debunked, and from how much hatred he had towards the Martritz.

“Eventually, the ugliness of the Martritz will become well-known, and people will understand that the marriage was for the sake of protecting Lord Urien from them.”

“Don’t you want children, Theobald?”

“Is he not an Omega? I am an Alpha.”

Rodrick took a deep breath and exhaled lightly before saying,

“He wants to live in the south.”

“And that’s one thing I haven’t solved yet.”

As Theobald said so, his cheerful smile morphed into a distressed frown.

‘…Is he serious?’

‘Is he really planning to marry Urien?’

The frustration that had been sipping into Rodrick’s chest was growing hotter by the second. It spread through his body, making his heart feel heavy.

Eventually, Theobald placed a finger on his lips and lowered his gaze.

“Should I go to the south as well? But, the reason why he wants to go south is because of Marx, no? Marx will pass on eventually, since a lizard’s lifespan isn’t longer than a human’s… Surely after that he’ll be willing to return to our estate, right?”

Theobald muttered to himself for the most part until that final part, where he threw that question at Rodrick.

At that, Rodrick swallowed hard and asked,

“Are you being serious?”

He had a lot of questions regarding his younger brother’s plan, but that question was the one he was concerned about the most.

‘…I don’t want that.’

“Are you seriously going to propose to Urien?”

‘I don’t want that. No. Just no.’

Even he himself didn’t understand why he was feeling this way. He didn’t hate Theobald. After all, he was his beloved younger brother—if anything, he wanted to respect his feelings.

But, he didn’t want him to become that close to Urien.

Facing Rodrick’s deep frown, Theobald kept a calm expression.

But then he blinked, and made a declaration.

“Also, I’m gonna quit smoking.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“That was a joke.”

Rodrick couldn’t tell which one was the truth.

Was Theobald serious about wanting to marry Urien? Or was he just trying to crack a joke in front of him?

Which one it was, he just couldn’t tell.