The King Arranges a Marriage 6
Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Early in the morning, the sound of hooves echoed along Benny Street, where the Alden mansion was located.
A mounted party came to a halt in front of the Alden mansion.
The guards stationed at the entrance looked on in astonishment.
They were at a loss because the banners carried by the party displayed the insignia of the Aldor royal family.
Every horse in the procession was magnificent, and the knights atop them were clad in splendid armor that gleamed in the morning light.
Once the knights stopped, they surveyed the Alden mansion with scrutinizing gazes.
"Excuse me, are you from the royal palace? What brings you here?"
One of the guards bravely approached to inquire.
"Bring out Paul Grayman!"
A commanding female voice rang out. Though the tone was harsh, every person who heard it speculated that its owner must be a great beauty.
Clop! Clop! Clop!
After a flurry of hooves, the knights parted in the middle to make way.
A girl riding a white horse, dressed in a light green hunting outfit and tall boots, slowly emerged from the passage.
Her face was partially concealed by a veil, obscuring her features, but her large, clear eyes that were visible hinted that the girl beneath the attire was indeed the person the voice suggested.
The white horse beneath her pranced in front of the mansion's entrance, snorting as if it were provoking the guards.
It was clear she was not someone to be trifled with. The guards had no choice but to say, "Please wait a moment; I will go inside and report."
"Be quick!"
The girl snapped, causing the expressions of the knights around her to stiffen as they all turned their gazes toward the guard heading inside to report.
"Yes! I'll be right back!"
The somewhat frightened guard hurriedly ran back.
"Who goes there?"
A shout came from within, and Paul's head guard, Victor, stepped out.
"Someone is looking for Lord Grayman."
The guard reported tremulously.
Victor furrowed his brows upon seeing the royal insignia displayed on the group's banners.
Just yesterday, the royal family had come to seek a marriage alliance with Lord Grayman, and now they were being so rude. Had something happened?
Victor's gaze locked onto the girl in the middle of the group.
She seemed to sense Victor's attention and turned her gaze toward him.
Hmm? Victor was taken aback. That pair of eyes… he felt he had seen them before.
The girl slowly pulled down the veil covering her face, revealing a previously hidden visage.
Victor's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Lady D'Arshi?"
Yes, that face was unmistakably Betty D'Arshi, who had long since left the Northwest Bay.
"Long time no see, Victor."
"Betty" recognized the head guard, having frequented the lord's mansion in Alden Town.
"However, perhaps you should refer to me differently—Eileen Rodney!"
"What?" Victor almost bit his tongue.
Eileen Rodney was one of the former king's two daughters, right?
Noticing he was in a daze, Eileen urged, "Quickly let Paul come out to see me! I have important matters to discuss with him!"
Her tone was filled with unyielding authority.
---
"Lord Grayman!"
A hurried shout from outside interrupted Paul's reading.
He looked up, "What is it, Victor?"
Victor's tone was filled with panic, an emotion seldom seen from the head guard.
"Someone has come to our mansion to… or rather to you to issue a duel challenge!"
"A duel?"
Paul perked up, "Did I hear that right? Someone challenged me to a duel?"
"Yes!" The head guard nodded affirmatively.
"Fine," Paul said helplessly.
He was already aware of how Catherine Rodney was viewed by the kingdom's young noblemen.
He had eagerly prepared for the various harassments that might come his way during this period.
"Oh! Victor, why didn't you drive that jerk away?"
"Sir, I couldn't!"
"How ridiculous!" Paul felt frustrated, "What use is bringing you as my head guard to Crystal Glare?"
Victor looked aggrieved, "Sigh, you'll understand when you see for yourself."
Paul quickly followed Victor to the entrance.
"B-B-Betty?"
Staring at the charming face atop the white horse, Paul was dumbfounded; wasn't that his former education supervisor?
"Ahem!" Victor reminded Paul, "Actually, she's Princess Eileen Rodney."
What? Betty is Princess Eileen Rodney?
Before he could express his excitement at seeing an old acquaintance, Paul fell into shock.
With a clang, a sword was suddenly thrown to the ground between them, having been tossed from Princess Eileen's hand.
"Thud!"
The sword embedded itself firmly in the ground between the two.
Paul examined the sword before looking at Eileen, "What do you mean by this?"
"Paul Grayman!"
Eileen shouted angrily, "You actually intend to marry my sister?"
'Uh… your brother sent someone to…'
Before Paul could explain, Eileen interrupted, "Then accept my challenge to a duel! Let's see if you're worthy of marrying her!"
A duel? With you?
"Hahaha!" Paul laughed heartily, "Betty… oh, I mean Princess Eileen, you can't be serious!"
"I am not joking!" Eileen's face was solemn.
Victor, on the other hand, began to panic.
Could it be? Is the princess serious?
He had thought "Betty" was just going to play a joke on an old acquaintance.
---
Twenty minutes later, in the spacious yard behind the mansion, two individuals dressed in armor and wielding wooden swords stood facing each other.
"Just so you know, Eileen, I won't go easy on you just because you're a woman and a princess!"
"Ha! Then you should use all your strength!"
In the end, they didn't engage in a real duel. Given their respective statuses, even if they agreed, their subordinates wouldn't.
So they replaced their swords with wooden ones.
Paul held his sword with both hands, sizing up Eileen across from him.
Hmph, how utterly foolish.
You might be lively and energetic most of the time, but you're still just a girl.
"Delicate female!"
TLN: He's in for a rude awakening. Dude spends all his time sitting on his ass while she as a princess must have gotten basic fencing training or something, especially considering she idolizes her sister.
Paul described Eileen with a hint of contempt, though he only muttered it softly, ensuring no one heard him.
He slightly gathered strength, pushed off the ground, and charged toward Eileen.
"Crack!"
A sharp collision sound rang out.
Eileen managed to block Paul's attack with her wooden sword.
(End of the Chapter)
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