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.
Moreover, letters of marriage proposals for the chevalier arrive one after another after this day.
Eventually, there are three daughters of earls, around 30 daughters of nobles that are higher than baronet, and more than 100 daughters of chevalier, honorary noble, and wealthy merchants.
And then, the extreme one--
"Marquis' daughter?!"
Furthermore, there's even the handwriting of the marquis that says he doesn't mind if the person himself declines. It's not normal for a marriage proposal in itself, but it's really not like that marquis with his high pride. The marquis that she knows should be someone who is more high-handed. It's as if he has his weakness grasped.
"Good grief, even if we want to refuse or forward the marriage proposals, the talk can't continue if we can't contact the person himself. As for the letters of excuse that Yuyurina has written, let's offset it from our debt to that man."
She was probably not serious, but the sourness on her stomach seemed like it subsided when she muttered so.
The letters that have arrived afterwards are not about marriage proposals, but applications for learning etiquette through apprenticeship. It's not rare for noble daughters to become lady attendants for their training, but it's unthinkable for noble daughters of the duchy capital to come to such backwater noble place like this.
"They intend to bury the moat from outside huh. Quite the tactic."
Moreover, there is also a request to have a joint development for making orchards in the suburb of Muno city that's hard to refuse. Apparently it seems to be an unique fruit that's immune to harmful insects and animals, and has become popular in the duchy capital. It looks somewhat suspicious, but since the other party will cover the specialists and seedlings costs for it, it's a bit wasteful to decline it.
"Kuh, Karina-sama. You have a lot of powerful rivals."
Consul Nina unintentionally muttered so. However, even she couldn't imagine that the next head miko who's also the former grand daughter of the duke had fallen in love with the chevalier in question.
The story about how consul Nina snaps from the yells of lady Karina's battle training, and goes to thoroughly lectures her is for a bit later.