svetikya #245 - The Duchess's View on Love
#245 - The Duchess's View on Love
Having accepted Crusch's invitation, Zun Zun, accompanied by Old Man Grimm and Frem, arrived at the Karsten family's mansion.
The dragon carriage bearing the insignia of the Sword Saint family slowly entered the vast ducal courtyard.
Stepping down from the carriage,
he immediately saw the main person who had invited him.
— Crusch.
And standing behind her on either side were Ferris, the cat-eared boy with a mischievous smile, and Wilhelm, the old butler with a tall figure and sharp eyes.
The two of them seemed to be loyal guards.
Standing in front, Crusch was poised and generous, her lustrous hair flowing long, its deep green color almost black, tied back with a white ribbon into a bow. Her pure white off-the-shoulder dress accentuated her rather feminine figure, revealing her shoulders and arms draped with ribbons, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.
Completely different from her imposing masculine appearance at the royal selection ceremony, she now looked more like a woman.
A flash of amazement crossed Zun Zun's eyes.
But it quickly dissipated.
The sensory impact Crusch brought was limited to a momentary surprise, and after adapting, there was no special reaction.
Besides, when it came to moe appeal from contrast, Zun Zun couldn't think of anyone whose contrast was stronger than Aqua's. Oh no, he was already starting to smile.
However, she had indeed dressed up nicely.
Emphasizing her feminine side, instead of a masculine, overbearing military uniform.
It seemed she valued this matchmaking session quite a bit.
Zun Zun's observation only lasted three seconds, and then he made eye contact with Crusch in a non-offensive manner, his lips slightly raised in a gentle and approachable smile as he said softly:
"Duchess Crusch, you are truly radiant today. I'm at a loss for words to praise you."
A little social trick.
If you don't want to praise someone, use this kind of rhetoric to appear appropriate and not abrupt, while also saving yourself the effort of speaking.
"You flatter me. It's not in vain that I dressed up specially. I'm so glad you like it."
She ruined it immediately.
Even though Crusch dressed very femininely, her tone and movements were still so capable and righteous. As Natsuki Subaru had said, even if the clothes change, the essence doesn't.
Although Crusch was forcing herself to do this to avoid being underestimated, some things ingrained in her bones couldn't be changed anymore.
"Hehe, it's all thanks to Little Ferris, nya!"
Saying that, the self-proclaimed cat-eared boy jumped out, and he said cheerfully: "After all, a distinguished guest is visiting, we can't not dress up properly, nya. Zun Zun, you have to thank me, oh. Duchess Crusch was quite unwilling at first, nya."
"But Ferris, I usually wear a military uniform when a distinguished guest comes to discuss serious matters, wouldn't that be more formal?"
"But isn't Duchess Crusch going to have a matchmaking session this time, nya? You have to change your style, or Zun Zun might get scared away, nya."
"Dressing too aggressively isn't good either… I see, is that so?"
Crusch seemed to trust Ferris very much, but it also indirectly reflected her naive side.
Wilhelm took a step forward, bowed slightly and said: "Lord Zun Zun, excuse me, please move to the guest room to discuss matters."
"Old Man Wil, just call me Zun Zun. I never believe that the friendship between us will be estranged because of status." Zun Zun corrected him, smiling kindly, and said: "I respect and appreciate Old Man Wil very much, and I will never be hostile towards you."
"… This old one will remember."
Wilhelm nodded seriously.
Ferris even ran over in front of Crusch, put his arm around Zun Zun's shoulders, who was a little shorter than him, and giggled: "I told Duchess Crusch not to be so distant, we have a life-or-death friendship, nya."
"Although it sounds a bit ambiguous, it is indeed a life-or-death friendship. I'm very grateful to you, Ferris, and Old Man Wil. If you hadn't been willing to help, I probably would have been killed by the Bowel Hunter at that time. Thank you, Ferris, Old Man Wil."
Zun Zun thanked the two of them sincerely.
The Bowel Hunter alone had exhausted him, let alone the Beast Tamer. Of course, he could have escaped at that time, but Old Man Grimm and Frem would not have been able to escape, so Zun Zun was very grateful to them.
"Right?!"
The cat-eared boy raised his chin triumphantly at Crusch, making the duchess shake her head in amusement. However, since Zun Zun didn't mind, she didn't pursue it.
Afterwards, the group moved to the guest room.
Old Man Grimm and Wilhelm probably had topics to discuss, so they didn't follow. Ferris didn't know what he was going to do, but he left anyway, leaving only Zun Zun, Crusch, and Frem to serve the two of them.
Arriving at the guest room,
Crusch casually pushed open the cabinet in the room, which was filled with various exquisite bottles, containing liquids of deep colors.
"Would you like some wine?"
"… Miss Crusch, I'm only 14 years old. I'm not old enough to drink."
"Hmm, is that so?"
She didn't seem to expect such an answer, so she seemed a little dazed, as if a mistake had occurred in the program and it had stalled. You could even hear her muttering.
"It's not the same as what Ferris said. It seems getting drunk and acting recklessly won't work."
Hey…!
What was that cat-eared boy up to? What was with the getting drunk and acting recklessly?
Wait a minute.
With Zun Zun's understanding of Ferris, that guy definitely knew that Zun Zun couldn't drink, but he still told Crusch that, he must be wanting to tease her. Just like when he told Crusch that the royal selection ceremony was a party to build relationships.
Soon, Frem brought fragrant black tea.
The two tasted a sip.
"Speaking of which, Miss Crusch, Subaru is currently staying at your mansion, right? How is he now…"
"Very well. Because the gate was destroyed, Ferris has been healing him during this time."
This was also Emilia's kindness.
Making a deal with Crusch's camp, asking Ferris to heal Natsuki Subaru.
"Actually, Lord Subaru and Miss Rem went out shopping this morning. If Zun Zun wants to see him, you'll probably have to wait until evening."
"No, I didn't come to see him."
Zun Zun waved his hand casually.
Although he didn't have any ill feelings towards Natsuki Subaru, he also didn't have any good feelings towards a walking collection of troubles, especially the kind that exploded at the slightest disagreement.
Besides, this time he came for a matchmaking session.
Speaking of matchmaking.
"Miss Crusch, I thought you were someone who wouldn't succumb to matchmaking."
"Hmm? … Ah, is that so?"
Zun Zun's sudden opening made Crusch pause.
"It's more like acknowledging it than succumbing to it. Actually, after the matter of the royal selection became widely known, the number of people proposing marriage has increased dramatically. After all, I am a duchess, so it's natural for people to propose."
She didn't have the shyness of a young girl, but spoke generously.
"I'm already twenty years old. In terms of age, it's not strange to enter into marriage. But my gender and position are more complicated, so I've always casually dismissed such things before."
"Ah, ah, I understand. Being both a duchess and a woman does make men retreat."
"That's exactly the case. However, this is one thing and that is another. The people who came directly to the door before, all gave up after seeing my character… But this time the situation is different."
As a candidate for the royal selection, Crusch's position had jumped from duchess to the center of the kingdom. Even the guys who weren't interested in proposing marriage until now were all circling around Crusch because of this.
Zun Zun asked curiously: "Miss Crusch, are you quite enthusiastic about marriage? It's as if even if I weren't here, you would still intend to get married."
"How should I put it."
Crusch paused for a moment, she sighed slightly and said: "That's also part of my calculations. Depending on the object of the marriage contract, it can become an advantage to increase my advantage in the royal selection. On this point, all the candidates are single, the conditions are the same. Only the situation of the widow Priscilla Barielle is a little different."
"Hmm, I see."
Marriage—combining with powerful people to absorb them into one's own camp is also an effective method. Whether in his previous life or the life before that, Zun Zun had the same experience.
"To be honest, I'm quite grateful to you, Zun Zun."
"Grateful to me?"
"Your appearance, Zun Zun, has forced those nobles to dispel the idea of marriage. Originally, under everyone's decision, it was clearly stipulated that candidates were prohibited from marrying during the royal selection period before the dragon-calling ceremony. To put it nicely, it's to contribute to the kingdom before finding a man. To put it bluntly, it's to prevent each of them from strengthening their own factions."
"… Oh, is that so?"
Zun Zun understood after a brief thought.
The Sage Council declared that the shortcut to becoming king was to marry Zun Zun, and if other nobles married the royal selection candidates, it would mean giving up the throne. If they gave up the throne, why bother marrying?
In the end, it could only end without a result.
"Although Miss Crusch is grateful, it sounds more like you're complaining to me. After all, you rejected so many excellent young talents, aren't you just guarding one person?"
"That's indeed the case, but I don't mind."
"Hmm?"
"Unfortunately, being born into the Karsten family means that it's impossible to freely fall in love and decide on marriage. As a woman, I'm even less attached to it."
— I'm going to throw up!
I'm really about to throw up.
Zun Zun wasn't targeting Crusch or anything, but this kind of marriage based on interests made him think of things from his previous life.
It was purely a conditioned reflex.
The fiancée who was engaged to him in his previous life was a woman who was as exquisite as a doll. Like a lily, she had no vitality at all, as if she had lost the motivation and hope to live.
Of course, Crusch wouldn't be like that.
But in Zun Zun's opinion, there was no difference between the two of them. They were both living for their families, one as a worker and one as a breeding tool.
Crusch had given up the path of free love early on.
Not deciding on a partner based on self-awareness, but relying on status and family background to choose. This was the duchess's view on marriage.
"What's wrong, Zun Zun? Your expression is very strange."
"… It's nothing, I just thought of some past events."
"Is that so?"
Discovering the calm determination and unwavering belief in her eyes, those were formed by long-term cultivation, and even Zun Zun didn't have the right to criticize and correct them.