I’m The Man Who Keeps Losing Marriage Meetings, You Know?

“Just as expected of a young lady educated to become a crown princess. That bearing, and that perfectly calm attitude. I am deeply impressed.”

Mother narrowed her eyes and looked toward the moving white cocoon.

The white cocoon became a little shorter. Apparently, she had bent her knees in a bow.

However, behind her, Mail, enclosed in Crown Prince Arios’s arm, clearly did not find this amusing.

She was glaring fiercely at the white cocoon, her brows drawn together.

She must have hated that someone else was being praised instead of her.

Her heavily painted lips moved.

I’m cuter, though.

That was what she said.

“Forgive me, my lady, but do you speak Tidrosian?”

Mother changed languages. She switched to Tidrosian.

Until now, she had been using the Karaban common tongue to match the host nation.

“I am still quite unskilled, but I can manage well enough not to have trouble in daily life.”

The white cocoon answered.

That was modesty. Her pronunciation was quite good. Just what one would expect from someone raised to become a crown princess.

Behind her, a blank-faced Mail asked Crown Prince Arios, “What are you two saying?” and when he replied, “You do not need to know, Mail,” he gave her a little kiss on the forehead.

Ah, now that I thought about it, that was what I had come here to see.

Still… that girl called Mail.

Was she poor with foreign languages?

I twisted my mouth in displeasure at the thought that this did not bode well. There are several royal houses on this continent, each ruling independently or vying for supremacy. Language is absolutely essential in negotiations.

My eldest brother’s wife, the crown princess, is younger than I am, but she is fluent in languages. She looks as innocent and cheerful as Mail, but she is a brilliant woman.

Even my second brother, who married into another country, can speak several languages, and write them as well.

My second brother’s wife is the eldest daughter, but over there the firstborn inherits the throne, so he is sure to make a fine prince consort.

Well.

“You are the third son.”

That was what I was told from the moment I was born, and I was thrown into the knightly order and spent my life polishing nothing but martial skill. Even so, I can speak the languages of the major nations well enough not to have trouble in daily life. Otherwise, I would not be able to interrogate prisoners.

Of course, you can use an interpreter, but then the question becomes just how trustworthy that interpreter really is.

“Forgive the bluntness, but would it be possible to welcome this young lady as my foolish son’s bride, Lord Balimore?”

As Mother asked Lord Balimore that question, the entire hall burst into murmurs.

Well, of course it did. I understood how they felt.

The moment one engagement was broken off, there was talk of the next one.

“To offer your daughter, raised to become a crown princess… though he is a prince, being the third son would lower her standing.”

“No, Your Highness. Your words honor us beyond measure.”

Lord Balimore answered without hesitation.

“Lord Balimore!”

“Please wait! Just a moment, please!”

The senior retainers of the House of Luminous tried to stop him, but he did not even look at them. Oh dear… Was this really going to be all right?

“However, I am a vassal of the King of Tania. My daughter’s marriage into the House of Luminous was also done in accordance with the will of the King of Tania. Might I first inquire after His Majesty’s wishes and then give the House of Tidros a formal reply at a later date?”

Lord Balimore answered calmly.

“Of course, Lord Balimore.”

Mother smiled magnanimously.

“I shall look forward to a favorable reply.”

After bowing deeply, Lord Balimore let out a single quiet breath.

“As a father, I do feel that I would sooner entrust my daughter to the prince who stood first for her honor than to the House of Luminous.”

Ah.

He meant me.

Everyone’s gaze concentrated on me. I shrank my shoulders a little from discomfort, and Mother shot me a glare. She was probably telling me to stand straight. But the fact that I had acted out of righteous anger still felt embarrassingly youthful to me, no different from Crown Prince Arios in that regard.

“I understand how you feel.”

Mother nodded again and again.

“What kind of treatment was that toward a young lady? Had my son said nothing here, I would have struck him myself, even though he is my own child.”

Yikes, I nearly got hit there.

“So then, please do tell the King of Tania to give the matter favorable consideration.”

Mother smiled sweetly.

After saying, “I understand,” Lord Balimore bowed once more, then pushed past King Noie’s senior retainers and stepped onto the red carpet.

The white cocoon moved and took the elbow Lord Balimore offered.

As I watched the two of them walk toward the doors, I suddenly felt I had to say something.

“Um, if I may, Lord Balimore.”

When I called out, Lord Balimore halted and slowly turned around.

The white cocoon also seemed to tilt her head as she looked this way.

“I am, well… as you can see, this is what I look like. I do not resemble my elder brother, who is crown prince, nor my second brother, who will become prince consort in another country. So…”

I straightened my back. This was one thing I had to make absolutely clear.

“Please do not force your daughter in any way. Even if I receive a reply refusing me, I, Saryu El Tidros, will not feel so much as a sting.”

Mother let out a small laugh beside me.

“Honestly, you. Are you planning to set a new record for consecutive failed marriage meetings?”

“Well, as you can see.”

When I shrugged and tried to make light of it, something like a smile finally appeared at the corner of Lord Balimore’s mouth, and I felt relieved.

“Please, do prioritize your daughter’s wishes.”

“Your Highness’s fame has reached our country as well.”

“As the man who keeps losing marriage meetings?”

I stared at him in shock, and this time Lord Balimore let out a clear laugh.

“Certainly not. Such top-secret information is news to me. No, I mean this—‘The Winter Bear of Tidros.’”

That one, huh.

I was sinking in disappointment when I heard a woman’s laughter, which only made me sink further.

I had assumed the white cocoon was the one laughing at me.

But it was Mail.

“That prince is called a winter bear? He really does look like one.”

I am glad I could amuse you.

When I glanced sideways, even Crown Prince Arios was putting up an index finger and saying, “Shh.” Well, yes. I am a prince, you know?

“I had been hoping to speak with you once. Thank you for what you did for my daughter today.”

After bowing deeply once again, Lord Balimore left the cathedral, taking with him the white cocoon, who apparently bowed as well, becoming briefly shorter for an instant.

That was my first meeting with Shitoen Balimore.

After that, the next time I met the young lady in the white cocoon was inside the royal palace of the Kingdom of Tidros.

As each other’s fiancés.