Chapter Five: To Make the Duke's Daughter Happy…
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In the drawing room, a lively conversation was underway between Francia and the Duke.
"So, who made the first move?"
The Duke asked, glancing nervously at his daughter, clearly hoping that it wasn't Francia who had approached first.
"I approached him first."
"Pfft!"
The Duke, sipping his tea, suddenly spat it out.
"You—you did? Francia, you approached him first?!"
"Yes, that's correct. I made the first move."
"Good heavens."
Although Francia had told Yohan that he approached her first, she wasn't naïve enough to admit that truth here.
…There was, in fact, an unexpected truth hidden here, but no one would ever uncover it.
"Sir Yohan is special."
Francia, pressing her fingertips together, began to speak.
"As you know, Father, Sir Yohan has an exceptional appearance. But on top of that, he has a reliable personality."
Her face had turned bright red at some point, yet her praises for Yohan continued.
"He feels like someone who would protect me no matter what. He's strong, his voice is wonderful, and in my heart, he's the best husband material. Surely you understand, Father?"
Francia gazed at him with earnest eyes. The Duke wasn't thrilled, but in front of his daughter, he had no choice but to smile.
"Fine, I understand. That fox of a man does seem capable."
The Duke continued, however, with a stern tone.
"But talent is a separate matter, Francia. You are not only my beloved daughter but also the sole heiress of the Fervache Duchy. You must be mindful of your position."
He wasn't wrong.
For the only daughter of a duke to spend a night with an outsider and then choose him as her marriage partner was a significant issue for the family.
It was only because the Duke truly loved and respected his daughter that such a situation was even possible. Normally, it would have been unthinkable.
"I understand. But I am confident Sir Yohan is the perfect partner for me. I guarantee it."
"Ahem."
At Francia's firm stance, the Duke simply cleared his throat and looked away.
'She's completely infatuated, isn't she?'
Had she been so sheltered from romance that she was now blinded by love? Francia was practically in a daze.
"So, Father, what do you think of Sir Yohan's abilities?"
"Hmm? You mean that damn fox's talents?"
The Duke, holding his teacup, looked at Francia.
"His affinity for magic is exceptional. He's a promising talent I'd like to nurture in our family. Even at his age, with that level of magic, he'll learn spells quickly. With that talent, he claims he'll become an elite mage."
Hearing the word mage, Francia tilted her head in surprise.
"Oh, a mage?"
"Yes, a mage."
Setting his teacup down, the Duke asked,
"Why? Did he tell you his swordsmanship skills were outstanding instead?"
"Haha, no, not at all."
Francia laughed awkwardly, and the Duke grew suspicious. But he didn't press further. Whatever they had discussed, it wasn't worth prying into.
As much as he doted on his daughter, he wasn't the type to obsessively monitor every little conversation or interaction between them.
While the Duke received another cup of tea from Enrique, Francia half-closed her eyes and gazed out the window.
"He did talk a lot about magic this time, but the choice is different."
'This time, it's magic instead of a sword.'
***
After talking with the mansion's butler, Yohan concluded that it would be better to stay overnight today.
The distance between Yohan's family home and the imperial capital wasn't something to ignore. If he left now, he would inevitably arrive at dawn the next day. So, he accepted the butler Enrique's suggestion to stay.
'When will Francia finish her conversation?'
It had been quite some time since he arrived in the guest room. He hadn't seen Francia in hours.
He'd eaten a simple lunch alone in his room and was now waiting for dinner.
With nothing else to do while waiting for her, his boredom deepened.
'Is the conversation not going well?'
The negotiations were done. All that was left was to prove himself within the given timeframe.
However, it wouldn't be surprising if the Duke, who had been calm and rational, suddenly flew into a rage upon seeing his daughter.
'After all, I did take his daughter's innocence.'
The Duke had likely accepted the conditions knowing this, but emotions could always change when faced with reality.
Parental feelings for one's child weren't easily predictable.
'The longer she's gone, the more uneasy I feel.'
Phew-!
With a sigh, Yohan brushed his bangs back and lay on the guest room bed.
'This is soft.'
The bed was far superior in quality to the one used by the third son of a viscount.
He suddenly felt the weight of whom he had spent the night with.
'I'm worried about the future, but…'
Was there anything in this world that wasn't difficult? All one could do was their best.
But…
'There's a bit of a problem.'
It had been 21 years since Yohan had reincarnated into this world.
Naturally, he didn't remember the detailed storyline of the work upon which this world was based.
How could anyone recall a story in detail after more than 20 years?
That was the problem.
Without remembering the storyline, his career as an imperial official would inevitably face difficulties. Who knew what could happen in the future?
'At least I remember the opening parts and the major events.'
Most of those significant events were about Francia Fervache, the female protagonist, being kidnapped or suffering various misfortunes. Those were easy to remember.
Other than that, though…
Of course, he still recalled the narratives and major developments of key characters in the story. After all, he had deliberately avoided the core figures in the plot up until now.
But now, avoidance was no longer an option. It wasn't just his life anymore—he had to protect Francia, who was now his lover.
'It doesn't matter if I don't remember the storyline. I'll just have to handle it well.'
Lying on the bed, Yohan stroked his chin, pondering how best to proceed.
Becoming a special-class mage as an imperial official would elevate his status enough to resolve the issue of nobility titles, but…
'The real problem is how to get rid of those crazy bastards.'
The trouble began with Fidelian, who met Francia for the first time.
Despite having a fiancée, that jerk turned his attention to other women. His rotten personality led him to do terrible things to Francia after she rejected him.
And then, what do you know? Cassis started targeting Francia, too. That's when the real chaos began.
Caught between the Crown Prince and the heir to the Lenokhonen Ducal House, Francia was relentlessly harassed.
To protect her from those two…
'Overwhelming power.'
He needed enough strength that even the Emperor couldn't ignore him—like the Transcendence Mage, considered the strongest in this world's lore.
'The road ahead is long.'
Becoming a Transcendence Mage wasn't easy. That level was known as the "master of masters" for a reason.
It was an almost impossible goal, but what choice did he have? He had to do it. There was no other way to protect Francia.
Besides, as the male protagonist's husband, wasn't he obligated to have that level of ability?
'The goal is set. All that's left is to act on it.'
As Yohan stared at the patterns on the ceiling, lost in thought, 'click.' The guest room door opened.
"Oh, you were here? I knocked, but since there was no answer, I thought you might have gone out."
It was Francia. She entered with a servant, smiled warmly, and approached Yohan.
"Oh, I apologize. I was lost in thought and didn't hear."
Yohan quickly sat up from the bed. Francia smiled softly and turned to the servant.
"Merry? I need to speak with Sir Yohan, so could you leave us?"
"Yes, my lady."
The servant, called Merry, left the tea and teacups on a tray and exited the room.
Francia spoke.
"The conversation went well. Father has agreed to observe without interfering for a month."
"That's a relief."
Yohan exhaled a sigh of relief, unable to fully suppress his earlier worries.
"Then there won't be any interruptions for the next month, so you don't need to worry. All I need to do is reach the level of an special-class Mage, which is the requirement for a top-tier official mage, within the month."
An Special-Class Mage.
A level that surpassed regular mages and even grand mages—a superhuman realm.
While Yohan made it sound simple, all he really needed was to wield advanced-level magic, so it wasn't impossible.
Of course, from the perspective of a regular person, it was absurdly difficult.
"S-Special-Class Mage within a month…?"
Francia blinked at Yohan in disbelief.
He smiled lightly and continued.
"My magic power is already at the level of an Special-Class Mage. It's completely possible."
"Even so, becoming an Special-Clas Mage…"
"I will make it happen."
Yohan took Francia's hand, and her face flushed red as she flinched at the sudden touch.
"What kind of environment would you like to see?"
"E-Environment?"
"Yes."
"Well… I'm not really sure."
Faced with the stunned Francia, Yohan chuckled lightly and snapped his fingers. Snap! At the sound, frost began to spread in the air.
"Then, let me add my opinion. As the Lady of House Fervache, I believe this would suit you."
Frost expanded, heralding a pure white world. In the tranquil void, snowflakes began to appear.
Delicately fluttering, they resembled butterflies in the sky.
One flake, then two, then three…
The number of snowflakes steadily increased until they filled the air, each one displaying its unique pattern as they twirled and floated, as though suspended by invisible threads, creating a mysterious spectacle.
In that ethereal space, Yohan waved his hand, and a sky-blue rose made entirely of snowflakes formed before them.
"This is both a reason to trust me and my gift to you."
As he handed the sky-blue rose to her with a warm smile, Francia's eyes widened in disbelief.
"H-How is this even possible…?"
Not only had he manipulated the mana in the air to alter the environment, but he had also demonstrated exceptional mastery of free-flowing magic. It was hard to believe this level of magic was self-taught.
"Please, trust me and wait. I will prove that I can be with you."
Her face turned bright red, as she covered her mouth with her hand and averted her gaze.
"Ugh, Yohan, that's cheating."
"Cheating? In what way?"
"Pretending not to know is just as mischievous."
Suddenly, Francia buried her face into Yohan's chest.
"That's why I like you."
"…."
"Really."
Caught off guard by the sudden confession, Yohan hesitated but then gently wrapped his arms around Francia and patted her back.
"Everything will turn out okay, won't it?"
"It will."
"This time, it'll be different, right?"
"This time…?"
When Yohan tilted his head, Francia looked up to meet his gaze and then awkwardly smiled.
"It's nothing. More importantly, since it's just the two of us now, should we…? We won't get many chances like this once you return to your family."
"…What do you mean?"
"Do you not want to…?"
"It's not that I don't…"
Yohan understood her meaning instantly. Refusing her suggestion felt like something a man shouldn't do. However…
'This is my father-in-law's house.'
And the man himself was still present in this very mansion. It was an undeniably uncomfortable situation.
"Wouldn't it be better to wait for a more romantic setting?"
"You're saying that because my father's upstairs, right?"
"Ahem…"
When Yohan avoided answering, Francia puffed out her cheeks. But soon, she smiled and leaned in to give him a light kiss.
"Even your attentiveness to your surroundings is something I love."
What could possibly make her so happy?
Truthfully, Yohan couldn't fully understand Francia's feelings. Was this what people meant by love at first sight? He didn't know, having never been in a relationship before.
'It feels strange, though…'
Why was Francia so deeply infatuated with him after only two days? And why was he feeling such a strong affection toward her in return?
He didn't know the answer, but he didn't dislike it. Having someone love him this much was undeniably a source of happiness.
"…."
His heart fluttered. Feeling his face heating up, Yohan quickly changed the subject.
"Francia, does the Fervache estate in the capital have a library?"
"Yes, it does. There are plenty of books I studied during my academy days."
"Would it be okay if I visited it? I imagine it would have many books useful for my studies."
"No problem at all. I'll guide you and help explain things along the way."
Francia covered her mouth with her hand, giggling softly.
"A library date, then."
"Our first proper date while I'm still in my right mind."
Yohan grinned as he held her hand.
"Shall we head to the library?"
There was much to prepare for the future, but all paths led to a single goal.
Reaching the level of the Transcendence Mage, a figure praised as the greatest in history and likened to a mythical being.
To ensure that no one could dare to touch him or Francia.