◇Muno City - In front of the Gate◇
"What is this?"
"That's, when we open the gate in the morning, it's become like this."
There are more than 100 men who look like thieves tied on several stone pillars before the eyes of Zotor who has come to the gate as he's called for. There is a writing on the stone pillar that politely says they've been captured since they're thieves.
"Hmm? Aren't you Gouhan?"
"Eh? Zotor-sama? Didn't you escape?"
"That one is Orto huh?"
"Zotor sire!"
There are some familiar faces among the thieves. They're former knights and soldiers of the territory army who had left the army due to the clash with the consul at the time. There are also former craftsmen and priests. Zotor has decided to ask the opinion of consul Nina in expectation of securing human resources for the lacking baron territory. After confirming their Reward and Punishment with the Yamato stone, the shortage of human resources in the baron territory has improved for a tiny bit.
◇Baron Castle - The Consul Office◇
"Nina-sama, it's terrible."
"What is it, Yuyurina?"
"That's, um, it's about Chevalier-sama again..."
"Him again! What has he done now!"
Yuyurina who's bearing the crest of the government service--despite her childish body, she's the second brain after Nina in the castle--rushes into consul Nina's office while her braid is swinging.
"We've received written letters asking for us to intermediate marriage proposals from nobles in the duchy capital."
The truth is the letters have originally come for the baron, but since he's troubled as to how to handle them, he pushes it to consul Nina by way of Yuyurina. The reason why the baron didn't directly give it to consul Nina can be easily guessed.
"He went together with Karina-sama right, when did he gain that kind of philanderer reputation."
Consul Nina's expression looks disgusted, but that's understandable. For her, for the sake of the baron territory's stability, it's her wish for lady Karina, the baron daughter, and him to be tied together. That plan doesn't seem to have any hope for success since, even though lady Karina doesn't seem to be wholly to it, she's putting her effort on the wrong way, on top of the aforementioned man having only interest in little girls. Although, the story that the chevalier likes little girls is consul Nina's assumption, however, the person that can deny that is not present here.
Yuyurina opens a box with beautiful ornaments among the ones that are pilled up on top of the desk. There is a picture of the other party drawn, surrounded by the golden picture frame that seems to be made by a master craftsman. The drawings are all of young maidens. When they scan at other letters, the other parties are all of 12-14 years old girls. They're a bit too young for marriage, but it's normal for noble engagements to be that way.
The problem is the other parties pedigrees.
"Earl's daughter? Just what and how did such marriage proposal come to be?!"
Normally, the one that proposes to a honorary noble is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, or of an influential townspeople, or of the same honorary noble, that's the normal. Starting with the proposal from someone that greatly surpasses the honorary chevalier himself, proposals from the daughter of higher-ranked nobles, and baronet turn up. There is no proposals that come from the daughters of high-ranking nobles that are higher than earl particularly.