Chapter 27
While Reina was gaining more allies in the royal capital...
Clael, who lived in the remote town of Eggbell, was about to face a major turning point in his life.
"......I never thought the day would come when I'd be having a marriage meeting."
That day, Clael was set to have his very first arranged marriage meeting.
His partner was the daughter of a certain priestly family. The one who made the introduction was the cardinal who had come to pick up Reina.
Clael was twenty-three years old.
In this world, that age was slightly past the prime age for marriage.
Perhaps the cardinal was being considerate of Clael, or maybe he had some other intention... Regardless, he arranged the meeting, and the woman was coming all the way from the royal capital.
"Um... Is this really okay, Priest?"
The one who asked with concern was Oratorio, the owner of a clothing store who was a regular at the shrine.
The location was the clothing store he ran. Clael had come to pick out clothes for the marriage meeting.
"Is there a problem? I admit it doesn't suit me all that well, but..."
"That's not it. It's not about the clothes... I just wonder if it's okay to have a marriage meeting while Reina's away."
"Isn't that exactly why I'm doing it now? I'm at the age where I should be thinking about marriage too."
It had been a month since Reina was welcomed to the Grand Shrine in the royal capital.
For Clael, it meant being freed from child-rearing and education duties, finally allowing him some time for himself.
Living with Reina hadn't been particularly difficult.
Rather, since they could no longer divide up housework and shrine duties, he actually had less free time.
However, there were some things that became restricted when living with a girl of that age.
One major example was marriage hunting.
Because he lived with Reina, he had fewer chances to meet people, and Clael struggled to find a marriage partner.
"I'm sure Reina will find her happiness in the royal capital. It's about time—no, it's long overdue—that I start focusing on my own life too."
"I see... Well, I won't stop you, but I'm still worried. I wonder what Reina would think if she found out about this..."
Oratorio said with a worried tone.
Unusually for him, he furrowed his brows.
"Is there something about Reina? I don't think it's anything to worry about..."
Clael tilted his head.
If a father figure were to get married without her knowing, it might understandably make her feel conflicted as a daughter.
But... Reina was an understanding girl.
She probably knew that Clael had passed the prime age for marriage, and a letter afterward should be enough to inform her.
"I see... Well, fine. Yeah. I'll adjust the hem of this suit then."
"Yes, thank you very much."
"By the way, when is your marriage meeting partner supposed to arrive in town?"
"She's supposed to arrive the day after tomorrow. Please have the hem done by then."
"Alright, I got it... I hope it goes well. Yeah."
"Thank you. Well then..."
Leaving the suit adjustments in the hands of the slightly conflicted Oratorio, Clael exited the shop.
Reina had gone to the royal capital and was starting a new life.
Clael couldn't afford to keep standing still in the same place forever either.
(Well, I can't afford to make the cardinal lose face, so I guess I'll give this meeting my best shot.)
Clael straightened himself up and looked up at the western sky glowing in the sunset.
Clael was fired up for his marriage hunt... but unfortunately, that enthusiasm would be in vain.
Two days later, the woman who was supposed to come to Eggbell for the marriage meeting never showed up.
According to what he heard later... the woman had reunited with her childhood sweetheart, who had just returned from the battlefield the day before the meeting, and they disappeared hand in hand.
Clael didn't even get to see the woman once, and in the end, he was rejected.