"It is rather strange. Why did you not receive the royal name?"
The king muttered, but it was audible in the pin-drop silent room. The marriage contract was defective but that would be the only reason Théoden had not taken Helen's family name.
Théoden made eye contact with the king and just shrugged. Selbach Severa was openly pushing for answers from the main suspect. Théoden on the other hand didn't quite want to explain. It was not something he could say either.
During the ritual as soon as he signed the paper he got a system notification.
[Alert! Alert!]
Théoden was so surprised but he didn't have time to get distracted. He ignored it.
[External influence detected]
This was when the contract automatically made switched to names and Helen had taken his name.
[Registered name cannot be altered by external factors]
[External influence nullified]
The result was…His name remained the same.
Théoden could not tell the king that.
'What do you expect me to say?'
The king frowned.
That was when Marrianne who had been quiet the entire time stood up.
"Your Majesty if I may, I would like to give my son his last name."
Her voice rang out catching all the attention. The tension between the Selbach Severa disappeared as well.
"Why now?" The king asked a question everyone wanted to ask, but couldn't.
"Since it is The Astalles tradition, one gets their name on a special day. "
Marrianne's statement left many confused. She was never the occasional type but the king asked anyway.
"His marriage is the special day?"
"Fufu~ No, your majesty. Of course, it isn't."
Her soft laughter rang out. It was quick and pleasing to the ear. Her full bosom shook with the motion. She was strangely seductive. Her mature body was sinful, especially with her smile to top it off.
"Whatever the case, Go ahead Marrianne. Make it quick." Selbach Severa said with a tired voice motioning Marrianne to do whatever she wanted. He knew better than to pressure Marrianne who had no intention of explaining herself.
"Now then." She stood up and walked over to Théoden. "I think it is time you got your surname, Dear."
She stood behind him out of his line of sight. Her eyes gleamed dangerously as she looked at those in attendance. One, in particular, felt the most of her glare. Her golden eyes shimmered more radiantly completely devoid of empathy.
'How could I forget who this woman is?'
'That monster.'
Marrianne touched Théoden's cheeks with her soft hands. It was not a lie that Théoden felt highly aware of her as she was pressing her bosom on his head.
'Doesn't she find this inappropriate?'
Marrianne smiled and closed her eyes.
"By the authority of the spirits vested in me, I shall give Théoden Andras the surname Casimir… Now you will be Théoden Andras Casimir."
Marrianne said a bit softly while observing Théoden, the main focus of the subject. She kissed his head and let go of him. Her eyes scanned his expression and paused a while.
'I am sorry to give you such a name but…This is your destiny, my child. The peace destroyer.'
Théoden felt a sharp pain like a small poke with a needle in his heart. He didn't have the luxury to think further about it since the contract that had been finalized seemed to have an effect. This was simultaneous to the system messages he had gotten accustomed to.
[System update.]
[Host had been blessed with a name from a higher authority.]
[Name's compatibility is fully successful.]
[Name: Théoden Andras Casimir]
'What is this?'
The former marriage contract that had already been established appeared once again. It was erased and rewritten once again. The contents remained the same except for the names.
Helen Priscila Casimir
Théoden Andras Casimir
The contract that was previously to have glowed the brightest due to a defect was glowing more intensely. The golden names seemed to have a new brighter shade of gold.
'Is this even possible? Well…I don't know much about magic yet. So…maybe?'
Théoden looked at the others' reactions and just cast that thought aside. There is no way something like influence was just…possible. She had done the impossible.
'Just how powerful is this woman? ' The thought was in everyone's mind as they still could not believe the thing they witnessed. To give a name by the authority of the spirits was shocking.
To completely overrule and overwrite a magical contract that had been established was unheard of.
She simply gave her son a name, dammit?
So how is it that the chain reaction happened from that one action? Maybe it wasn't the mother's fault but the son's as well. The contract was previously defective as well. She just made it more so.
'Such monsters. Both son and mother.'
Marrianne smiled at the results. She couldn't contain her joy.
"..."
'I should thank her, I know but…I feel complicated. Just how…'
Théoden thoughts were cut off when Marrianne went ahead with her speech.
"Son," Marrianne once more got the attention of everyone. "You have fulfilled the conditions require to succeed me. It is a tradition that the heir gets the position once they receive a last name and vice-versa. You have also got married so from now on you are the Duke of the Astalles Duchy. Helen, you are his Duchess. Marrianne said in the most gentle soft but clear audible voice.
Marrianne looked at everyone and continued. She returned to her seat at the same time.
"I need some rest now. I will step down from my position and I am passing it down to my dearest son." Marrianne made an exhausted face and let it at that. She didn't even ask for permission. Why? She got it long ago. The king clearly said she could all she wanted and this is what Marrianne want most.
Did she want to rest? No! To pass on her position? Exactly. She would undoubtedly be busier after today. A little acting was needed to convince the majority.
"WHAT!!!!"
It reverberated in the room. No one could believe their ears, but the expression on everyone's faces was undeniable. It was such shocking news. Not shocking since Théoden was her heir thus undeniably the next successor. It but unbelievable because he succeeded her so early.
None of the Dukes would pass on their position so early on. Marrianne was youthful but it could not be denied that she was in that position for a few decades. So her stepping down was a foreseen event, but not so early. Théoden was simply too young. He was not even an adult. It was too absurd for him to assume the position of Duke. Helen was also young but she assumed the Duchess position.
It could not be assumed it was a joke since Marrianne was not a person of humor.
However, that was not the only shocking thing. Those not interested in the political aspects of the group found something else even more shocking. Marrianne was speaking so sweetly that her words seem to drip of honey. She had such a tender and caring voice making her sound like an entirely different person. It was a first to see her like that.
The most shocked in this situation was Théoden. He was just her adopted son and he had not even done anything extraordinary. He was first discovered as a dirty beggar on the streets. He could not believe his ears for some time but didn't show it on his face.
He had experienced a shock that made his soul tremble. The Duke's succession could be pushed aside but the name he got was not something he could ignore. The perfect calm unreadable face Théoden had worked so much to learn and even had it as a passive skill was threatened to be broken. Maybe it broke a little. Under the table, his hand trembled. He was no longer in his cool.
'Mother…What are you hiding?'
"You can't be serious, Duchess."
"Please rethink it. Your grace."
"He is not even responsible to handle it."
"What is the meaning of this"
There was an uproar with disagreement on her decree in the room. Marrainne's eyes turned menacing as she glared at the loud crowd.
"Are you questioning my decision? I am one to make it." A cold voice rang in the room.
Her pressure was emitting from her, while she had a calm smile waiting for more opposition. After all, it was not a decision they could influence. The pressure helped Théoden cast things aside and focus on what Marrianne was saying.
"Anyways, what do you think, son?" Marrianne finished with a calm voice.
Marrianne turned to Théoden. Théoden looked into Marrianne's eyes for any conspiracy but there was none. He had decided to follow Marrianne in her offer the first day so it was not out of mind that he would take over the Astalles Duchy.
'A bit earlier would not hurt. I mean she said she would guide us through it. I should trust her.'
Théoden got up from his seat, "Yes, Mother. I hope to maintain the name of the Duchy. I will not let you down, Mother," he proclaimed. "Helen?"
Théoden held Helen's hand. Helen had been silent the whole time. She thought it was not her place to interfere, not until Théoden called for her opinion.
"I as well mother-in-law. We will do our best."
"Your majesty. It is decided. Let the nobles know. After this, My family will stay back at the Duchy until he can fully overtake the role."