Taming The Villainesses

Episode 241.1

In the document Elga handed over, there was information about the ‘unidentified’ item for sale.

The ‘item’ for sale was a slave.

According to Elga, the unidentified slave was me.

Had Elga investigated my background?

I wasn’t surprised by the background check, as I had vaguely expected it already. 

If you were in a relationship with someone who had as much to hide as I did, and if you had the resources and power to investigate them, you might want to request a check at least once.

Rather, what surprised me was the content of the document.

Bandits in the Witch Forest?

Found among loot?

In a log state?

It contained stories I had never heard before, stories that were completely new to me. Was I… No, was this body—originally such a person?

“……”

There was a time when I had tried hard to investigate Theo Gospel’s past. But I always failed because it was too clean, like a ghost.

In hindsight, it seemed I had been looking in the wrong direction from the start.

Because according to Vasago, this body was never originally the Demon Monk Theo.

Searching the name ‘Theo’ in records yielded nothing. Rather, the correct approach was to search for the whereabouts of the ‘unidentified’ slave.

And Elga had done just that.

She was probably able to do it thanks to the influence of the Lioness family, which was spread throughout the Angmar Kingdom.

So, what did the word ‘log’ that appeared several times mean…?

Most of the story was written in an easy-to-understand manner, but the repeated mention of ‘log’ kept bothering me.

It seemed like some sort of slang. Who could I ask to get the simplest answer?

“Sir Theo.”

I snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of someone calling me. Lifting my bowed head, I saw a pair of golden eyes looking at me.

“Deneb-ssi, I apologize. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

At my apology, guild representative Deneb pushed up her thin glasses— flashing the lenses.

“I understand. It’s a decision that requires deep thought. In fact, Sir Theo doesn’t have to give me an answer right now. We can give you two more days to decide.”

“Two days….”

We were in the Great Hall in the church city of Gracia. I turned over the papers on the wide table.

The document contained the details of the contract written by the elders, the board members of the Bellhawk family. 

The legal jargon made it difficult to understand, but to put the five-page document simply─.

It stated that they would ‘lend 750,000 gold, but with certain conditions.’ 

And the conditions were a bit unconventional, to the point that I momentarily lost focus and my mind wandered.

Bzzz-. 

The gazes on me were intense.

Because on the table was a magic crystal.

A cluster of light projected from it into the air, forming the staring faces of the elven board members. 

With technology advanced enough for long distance video conferencing, it made me wonder why they hadn’t thought of creating computers or cars. 

As I was pondering this, a hologram with a graying beard spoke to me.

━It’s not a bad deal for Sir Theo either. If you accept our proposal, the relationship between the Bellhawk’s merchant guild and the royal family will strengthen even more. After all, Sir Theo has the Queen’s trust.

“Um….”

━But it’s not a decision you can make lightly. Human marriage is not that easy.

Marriage.

Yes.

A marriage.

The reason I was lost in thought was, as the holograms mentioned, due to the issue of marriage.

In exchange for lending the large sum of 750,000 gold without interest, the elves had made me a proposal. A marriage with Stella Bellhawk, the lady of the Bellhawk family.

A marriage of convenience.

I knew better than anyone that political marriages among nobility and royalty in this world were as common as pebbles on the ground. But realizing that the arrow was now pointed at me left me quite bewildered.

Me?

So I spoke up to probe the minds of the fairy elders.

“But I don’t know if I’m qualified.”

━Qualification! Yes, qualification is an important matter. The Bellhawk family may have lost its head, bringing a moment of nightfall, but Bellhawk is still one of the Four Great Noble Families. And Stella, despite her eccentricities, is a flawless beauty….

“Oh, no, I meant my qualifications. I know very well how great the guild… no, the Bellhawk family is. But I was asking if someone as insignificant as I am is worthy of crossing such a high threshold.”

After I finished speaking, the holograms looked at each other.

Then, all at once, they burst into laughter, clearly finding my statement amusing.

━You’re more humble than we’ve heard. An archmage of the 5th Rank, and a close aide to the Queen, with keen political senses working in the royal palace. I’d say you’re more than qualified. What do you all think?

━A brilliant mage begets a brilliant mage. The talent for magic runs in one’s blood.

━The Bellhawk family will have an excellent heir. Hmhm. Anyway, we look forward to your swift response, Sir Theo. Time is gold, as they say. Gold is precious in any land.

Jiiiing-. 

The holograms turned off one by one.

After a meeting that lasted over an hour, my body felt a bit stiff. It was nearly lunchtime. Just as I was considering having a meal with Deneb, she said. 

“Ah, someone else will guide Sir Theo.”

* * *

As I stepped outside the Great Temple, a woman was waiting for me.

She wore a hat adorned with colorful peacock feathers and a dress one might see at a social gathering.

For a moment, I thought Mirna was waiting for me, but the fact that she held a long pipe instead of a fan revealed her identity.

“Professor Stella? It’s been a long time.”

Her purple hair was neatly cut short. She had white skin, long ears, and striking, slender eyes. Now that I see it, there was no mistaking her for Mirna.

“How have you been? You look… different.”

“Ehem—”

At my words, Professor Stella gave a slight cough.