"An alliance?!" Silia exclaimed in surprise.
If it was an alliance proposal, her father's sudden departure made sense. Arhan was a family that had never formed an alliance in history, known for being a lone wolf.
However, the problem was...
"Did the head of the Arhan family propose the alliance?"
"No, I did."
"...Does that mean the Seventh Lord acted unilaterally without the lord's permission?"
"That's right."
Silia had a rough idea of what had happened. Her father must have been deceived by Jed's words and gone to Arhan, only to face a humiliating experience. Genevieve was known for being ruthless.
"...My father must have felt humiliated."
Thinking about what her father went through made Silia's heart ache. Her anger naturally turned towards Jed.
"You... deceived my father. How dare you trick the head of the Martin family!"
"I won't deny it. It's all true."
"How can you be so brazen?! Your prank could have cost my father his life!"
Silia suppressed her rising emotions. She wanted to make Jed submit and take responsibility, but her remaining rationality held her back.
"He wouldn't have killed him, absolutely not."
"Do you not know what kind of person your lord is? Showing up uninvited is enough reason for Genevieve to kill someone! She treats human life like an insect!"
"But he returned alive."
"What did you say...?"
Jed took a step closer.
"Silia Martin, what do you know about Arhan, about my lord, that you dare to speak like that?"
"T-that's—"
"Arhan is not as merciless and immoral as it seems to the public. If I didn't have faith in that, I wouldn't have gone to find the head of the Martin family in the first place. At least I don't treat people like insects."
Genevieve was indeed known for that.
Arhan was a family obsessed with power, repaying debts or revenge tenfold. But that was how they needed to appear to others.
That was Arhan's secret, unknown to the public.
"It's not all about appearances. And my proposal for an alliance was sincere."
"Sincere...?"
"If I become the head one day, I'll formally propose an alliance to Martin."
"...."
Silia closed her mouth. The red eyes looking at her were as firm and confident as ever. There was no hint of deception; instead, his words seemed genuinely heartfelt.
Silia bowed her head and struggled to speak.
"…I'm sorry for speaking out of turn. I got excited without realizing it."
"Apologies are in order from me. After all, I did deceive the head of the Martin family. I was planning to visit tomorrow anyway."
"You're coming to Martin?"
If Jed came after deceiving the head, he would be in danger. Her father was a good person, but he wouldn't easily let go of the humiliation he suffered.
In this situation, if Jed visited, his life wouldn't be guaranteed.
"No, don't come. I'll tell you when my father's anger has subsided."
"There's timing to forgiveness. I have to go as soon as the sun rises."
--------
"But...," I said.
"I know what you're worried about. Still, I must take responsibility for my actions. That's what it means to be an adult," Jed replied.
"An adult?"
Silvia looked down at Jed, who was still growing. Despite his short stature, she knew his thoughts were far deeper than hers.
At 16, Jed spoke of being an adult because he considered himself one. It was as if my preconceived notions about the Arhan lineage were shattered.
I had thought that only those who acted recklessly, relying on their family's influence, were part of the Arhan family. But here was someone worthy of respect.
Silvia felt a slight affection for him and said, "In return, please promise me one thing. When you meet with my father privately, I'd like to be there. As the eldest daughter of the Martin family, I must be prepared for any situation."
"Do as you please. It doesn't matter to me," Jed replied.
"Let's go to Martin together tomorrow. It might be better that way."
"Very well. I'll wait for you tomorrow morning, Silvia."
"Thank you for accepting so readily."
"There's no need to thank me. It's just in my best interest," Jed said.
Silvia smiled lightly, understanding Jed's sincerity despite his cold words.
The next morning, after breakfast, Silvia arrived at the perfect moment. Standing outside the lodging, her beauty and presence as the first lady of the Martin family were undeniable.
Nunes was startled and began primping in front of a mirror.
"Did you know she was coming?"
"Yes, we made plans yesterday."
"Aww, man! You should have told me! I haven't even washed my hair yet!"
"You're a zero as an investigator, but I guess you're good at other things," I said.
"What does that have to do with being an investigator? Youth is the most important thing in life, isn't it?" Nunes retorted.
In the bright light, Silvia looked like a celebrity, her silver hair sparkling and accentuating her presence.
Honestly, I wasn't interested, but that was natural for someone who had lived as the strongest in the world.
I left Nunes, who was busy with his hair, and approached Silvia.
"You're early," I said.
"I skipped breakfast to hurry. I'm glad I'm not late," Silvia replied.
"Why skip breakfast?"
"Ah... I sleep in a lot, so don't mind me."
I chuckled at the thought that even in this world, beautiful people were sleepyheads. Silvia tilted her head, puzzled.
"Am I being seen as lazy? I may sleep in, but I work diligently all day and handle my duties."
"As the first lady, you must do so. I was just amused by him," I said, nodding towards Nunes.
As soon as my name was mentioned, Nunes rushed over.
"Ahah! I'm Nunes Colt, the eldest son of the Colt family and destined to become the 42nd investigator of the empire!"
"It's an honor to meet you. I'm always grateful to the empire's investigators. Their efforts have made the empire what it is today," Silvia replied.
"Ahahah! You're as kind as you are beautiful. When you have time, I'd love to treat you to tea," Nunes said, trying to charm her.
Silvia looked uncomfortable, either because she couldn't refuse or because Nunes's gaze was overwhelming.
The silence continued, with Nunes staring intently.
"Does he have the money to treat you?"
"Shut up, Jed... please."
"Stop bothering us. We need to go to Martin now."
"Martin?! Are you going to meet your father-in-law...?"
Nunes was being ridiculous.
I felt annoyed, and my face twisted in frustration. I pushed Nunes aside and said to Silvia, "Let's go."
"Yes... okay."
"Wait a minute!" Nunes exclaimed, stepping forward.
Where did he get this energy from?
"It's fate that we met like this. Please show me around the city! I've heard Vidente is full of beautiful places, just like you," Nunes said, not giving up.
----------
"Haha... is that so?" someone said.
"Isn't it an honor that the Martin clan rules over Biandte? If the First Lord introduces us, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
This guy is more persistent than a leech.
As I frowned, Silia glanced at me and smiled softly.
"It's still early, so there's plenty of time before your father needs to cough," she said.
"Y-yes?! We have time, so show me around, okay? Please?"
Silia asked, "How about Lord Jed?"
Everyone's eyes turned to me.
This is ridiculous. I'm not here to sightsee.
"I decline," I said.
"Aww..."
"Are you really not going? Then Silia and I will go. Don't complain later," someone teased.
"Have a good time and don't be late," I replied.
"Hahaha! You're a true friend, Jed!"
Friend? Don't make me laugh.
If I had married early, I would have had two sons like him by now.
Rumad is still asleep, which isn't surprising given the Martin family's history. Even Jenendy wakes up at 6 AM to have breakfast and tea.
"Let's go, Silia! I'm so excited!" someone exclaimed.
As Silia tried to return to the lodging, she grabbed my sleeve. When I turned around, her ears were bright red.
"Maybe Lord Jed could join us?" she suggested.
"We're not here for sightseeing. If we have time to waste, we should exercise instead," I replied.
"But rumors about Arahant and Martin are spreading in the city. If Lord Jed and I are seen together, it might dispel some of the speculation," Silia said.
"Rumors?" I asked.
"Honestly, it's partly Lord Jed's responsibility. Yesterday, you said taking responsibility is an adult's duty," Silia reminded me.
This is tricky. While I didn't want to agree, she wasn't wrong. The clan leader using the gate is already a big issue, and visiting Arahant's city has naturally led to all sorts of rumors.
I sighed deeply.
"Alright, I'll do it. Though I'm not sure it will help," I said.
Silia beamed with joy, unlike Nunes, who glared at me.
What can I do? I don't want to go either.
"You're no friend of mine. From now on, you're my arch-nemesis," I joked.
"You're my greatest tormentor," Nunes retorted.
Silia ignored Nunes's grumbling and led the way.
Biandte is a relatively large city, so we would need a carriage to see everything. However, to show that there are no issues between Martin and Arahant, walking would be better.
"You said you wanted to see this last night, didn't you?" Silia asked, her steps light with excitement.
The first place she took us was a massive dragon statue.
It was truly enormous when seen in person.
"Wow! This is the statue where wishes come true? It's really huge!"
"Ha ha, not just tourists, but even citizens of Biandte make wishes here. Nunes, you should try too," Silia said.
"Of course! I'll make a hundred wishes if I can!" Nunes exclaimed, clasping his hands and closing his eyes in front of the statue.
It's obvious what his wish is. Being so transparent is almost a skill.
"What about Lord Jed?" Silia asked.
"I'm fine. This statue has a peculiar energy, though," I replied.
"Ah! You noticed right away. People are drawn to it because of that energy. It's not just superstition or faith," Silia explained.
"What kind of dragon is this statue?" I asked.
In the empire, there used to be 12 dragons. Now, they're all gone, and only their souls can be summoned through magic.
"It's the Black Dragon," Silia replied with a smile.