Chapter 7

「If you understand, then get to work at once. Norman, summarize the points I just explained into a document to persuade the residents. Ask me about any unclear points or concerns; don’t leave anything out.」

「I have understood.」

「Jake, divide the adjacent farms so that their management scales are as equal as possible. I’ll specify the area of the fields for cultivation later, so you don't need to worry about that.」

「Understood.」

Once I’d said my piece, I figured those two were capable enough to handle the rest. Just as I leaned back into my chair, thinking that was about all I could do for now, I caught Zen’s eye. He was still lingering in the room.

「……What?」

「What shall I do, Lord Harold?」

Zen’s eyes were sparkling with anticipation.

Unfortunately for him, he wouldn't have any work until we actually headed to the site.

「Stay quiet. Better yet, get back to your actual job.」

To begin with, Kazuki hadn't even called for Zen. Since the man was always loitering in the room anyway, Kazuki had simply been ordering him around on a whim.

「I’m off duty today!」

「Then what the hell are you doing here?」

I kicked Zen in the back as he flashed a thumbs-up and sent him tumbling out of the room.

In the now-empty study, I let out a long, heavy sigh.

That was one stage finished. Now I just had to wait for Norman and Jake to finish their preparations. I didn't know how long that would take, but I figured I could relax for at least a week.

However, just as I was settling into that thought, a new problem came flying in.

It happened during dinner. Harold’s father suddenly dropped a bombshell at the table.

「Harold, your marriage partner has been decided.」

The only reason I didn’t spit out my juice was that Kazuki already knew Harold was supposed to have a fiancée. Even so, I couldn’t hide my shock; I’d been so buried under a mountain of immediate problems that I’d completely forgotten she existed.

「A marriage partner? Who?」

Feeling a twinge of guilt for my own feigned ignorance, I asked back with what I hoped was a fitting reaction.

「The daughter of House Sumeragi. To be precise, it's only an engagement for now, but this will further strengthen the Stokes bloodline.」

「Oh, how lovely!」

My parents were practically giddy. For two pure-blood supremacists, this was undoubtedly the best news they’d heard in years.

The Sumeragi clan was one of the noble families that had been instrumental in the founding of this country. Because of their history, they still maintained deep ties with the Kingdom. By forming a blood connection with such a house, House Stokes would gain the prestige they craved as "pure" aristocrats.

「And so, the other party says they are eager to meet you. We’ll be heading to the Sumeragi Territory soon.」

That’s a load of bull, I thought, barely managing to swallow the insult. Having played the game, Kazuki knew the Sumeragi family wasn't keen on this engagement at all.

Originally, House Stokes and House Sumeragi were in completely different leagues. The only reason the engagement was even happening was due to the plot of the original game.

(Wait, hold on. If it's this period, then maybe……)

As I pieced together the information in my head, a sudden idea occurred to me.

The fact that the engagement talk had surfaced meant the Sumeragi family was undoubtedly already suffering from the "crisis." However, if this was still before the start of the original story, the damage should be minimal. If I intervened now, there was a good chance I could prevent it from getting any worse.

I was reluctant to interfere because it might affect the main storyline, but I decided that when human lives were on the line, I couldn't afford to be picky.

「When you say 'soon,' when exactly do you mean?」

「The plan is to leave within the next two or three days.」

(That’s too fast!)

With that little time, I wouldn't be able to gather the necessary items. Specifically, I needed items that, in the game, could only be obtained as monster drops.

Unlike the game where you could only buy things at specific shops, this was a real world with a functioning economy, so it was possible they were in circulation. But even if I could collect the ingredients, I’d only be able to prove their effectiveness once I was actually in the Sumeragi Territory.

In that case, my best bet was to write down the details in a letter and find a way to hand it to the Sumeragi family when my parents weren't looking.

As soon as dinner finished, I retreated to my room and began racking my brain for the synthesis recipes for a certain powder.

(Anise Hyssop, Gadun Fang, Lyle Grass…… what else? I think there was some kind of herbal medicine in there too……)

Synthesis in Brave Hearts was a complex system where you could create anything from recovery items and weapons to machinery. Even for Kazuki, who had memorized most of the game's data, recalling the exact details was a struggle.

By the time I’d finished writing the letter, having successfully remembered five specific synthesis items, the sun was already beginning to peek through my window.

Three days after that dinner, carrying the letter I’d worked so hard to perfect, I boarded a carriage for the first time in my life and set off for the Sumeragi Territory.

The journey was slated to take nine days. If we had camped out, we could have shaved a few days off the trip, but my father was the current head of the "noble" House Stokes. To him, sleeping outdoors was out of the question.

As a result, we were forced to stay at the finest inn in every town along the way. Fortunately, by strictly avoiding travel at night when monster activity peaked, we didn't encounter any dangerous foes. I also chose to ignore the question of whether our estate’s business would be okay while my father was away for nearly three weeks.

After a journey that was largely uneventful—aside from the agonizing amount of time I had to spend alone with my father—we finally arrived at the Sumeragi mansion.

The exterior was a wooden structure that evoked the feeling of traditional Japan. Red lanterns hung from the eaves, a shishi-odoshi clacked in the garden, and a massive tree with vivid pink petals towered over the grounds. It was steeped in Japanese aesthetics.

In the game setting, House Sumeragi inherited Eastern traditions, so not just the mansion, but the entire townscape was designed in a traditional Japanese style.

「Welcome. The Master and Mistress are expecting you; please, this way.」

An elderly man with white hair was waiting at the main gate. From his refined bearing, Kazuki could tell he was more than just a common servant. Following his lead, we entered the mansion.

「Taking off one’s shoes inside a house is quite unsettling. And these 'indoor slippers' as well,」 my father grumbled.

「This is the culture of the Sumeragi. We ask for your understanding,」 the servant replied politely.

While my father complained, I took off my boots with practiced ease, aligning the heels and placing them neatly in the lower position of the entryway.

Right after I did it, I realized, Wait, that’s not very Harold-like.

Thankfully, it seemed my father and the others hadn't noticed, so I breathed a sigh of relief.

We followed the servant along the engawa hallway, circling halfway around the mansion until he finally stopped.

「Master, I have brought Master Hayden Stokes and his son, Master Harold.」

「Please, come in.」

A deep, calm voice answered from behind the shoji screens. The elderly servant knelt and slid the screens open with both hands.

The room was a spacious Japanese-style hall of about twenty tatami mats. Three people sat side-by-side at a wooden table in the center.

In the middle was the current head of House Sumeragi, Tasuku Sumeragi. To his right was his wife, Koyomi Sumeragi. They were a couple who radiated kindness and moderation. However, currently, their faces seemed clouded by a subtle shadow.

And the real problem was the girl sitting to Tasuku’s left, her face a mask of total indifference.

She had shoulder-length black hair adorned with a pink hairpin and wore a pale green furisode. This was the eldest daughter of House Sumeragi, Erika Sumeragi.

(The light’s gone from her eyes…… She looks completely lifeless.)

Because her features were so perfectly proportioned, she looked exactly like a doll. She wasn't young enough to be innocently happy about this engagement, but she wasn't mature enough to hide her feelings behind a fake smile. This vacant expression was likely her way of trying to cope with her reality.

But the real Erika was different. As her name suggested, she was a refined, graceful girl who smiled like a flower.

Knowing that only made my heart ache. We were the ones forcing this expression onto a ten-year-old girl. However, Harold was also the only one who could put a stop to it. It would be far too cruel to let her spend the next eight years—until she finally meets the Protagonist—in this state.

「It is a pleasure to meet you. I am the head of House Sumeragi, Tasuku Sumeragi.」

「……I am Harold Stokes. The pleasure is mine.」

I exchanged greetings with Tasuku and sat on the zabuton cushion provided. Surprisingly, Harold's mouth was actually capable of speaking in polite keigo.

With that discovery, the social meeting began.

「Thank you for taking the trouble to travel all this way today.」

「Not at all. It is only natural.」

The heads of both houses spoke amicably, whatever their true feelings might have been. Since this was officially a meeting between prospective fiancés, it didn't look like things would devolve into a hostile staring match.

I watched the situation play out with a sense of relief. For the most part, Hayden and Tasuku handled the small talk and social pleasantries, while Koyomi joined in occasionally with a smile that looked genuinely elegant.

Since this was a political engagement decided by the parents, there was almost nothing for Harold or Erika to do. There was no room for our personal opinions, after all.

「What do you think, Erika? Harold is quite the handsome young man, isn't he?」 Hayden suddenly asked jokingly.

「Yes. Very much so,」 Erika replied instantly, her voice incredibly flat.

「My apologies, Lord Stokes. It seems the girl is simply nervous……」

Tasuku tried to smooth it over, but her tone hadn't sounded nervous at all—it sounded devoid of emotion. Then again, it was harsh to expect a child of her age to handle this with adult grace.

Hayden, however, didn't seem to care. Even if Erika had flatly rejected the idea, he wouldn't have given it a second thought.

「Well, it’s only natural to be bewildered when a marriage partner is decided at this age. Harold is much the same.」

「Indeed. Since it's my first time meeting someone as lovely as Lady Erika, I find myself quite tense.」

Since it was mostly the truth, I wasn't just being a sycophant. However, because I spoke with a level of composure Erika lacked, it ended up sounding like a mere hollow compliment. Even when the tone changed, that "Harold-esque" arrogance didn't vanish. The man was clearly a stranger to humility.

「Dear, since we're all here, why don't we leave the two of them alone so Erika and Harold can get to know one another?」

「Oh, that’s a wonderful idea!」 Hayden agreed immediately to Koyomi’s suggestion.

From here, the serious discussion regarding the engagement would begin. From Koyomi’s perspective, this was likely a mother’s consideration—she couldn't bear to make her daughter listen to the details of a contract she clearly hated.

「Very well. Erika, go and show Master Harold around for a bit. Be back in time for the banquet.」

「……Yes. Lord Harold, please, this way.」

For me, this was a godsend. I no longer had to find a way to bring up the subject myself.

「It’s an honor to be escorted by Lady Erika.」

I stood up and followed her out of the room.

The real challenge was about to begin.