“Why is everyone like this?”

At Alton’s question, everyone started eating again with cloudy eyes.

Of course, Riley still couldn’t eat.

“Yes.”

“Child, are you not feeling well? You don’t seem to be eating much.”

“Ah, no, I’m really eating hard.”

“Haha, my daughter has always had a small appetite. She’s also a slow eater.”

At Ryan’s words, Alton’s brow furrowed.

“Is that so? So that’s why she’s so small. She should pay more attention and eat well.”

“…Thank you for your concern.”

“Here, eat this. It’s a precious thing that’s good for your body. These are eggs from creatures found only in the deep sea, and they taste very good. They’re also very nutritious.”

This situation felt completely absurd.

An unimaginable scene unfolded. Duke Alton personally served food onto Riley’s plate. Everyone looked on in bewilderment at this affectionate gesture.

At that moment, Givnen transferred the seafood placed on Riley’s plate to his own dish.

“I’ll take care of it. And elder sister doesn’t like seafood.”

This time, Givnen placed a dumpling with thin skin and a full filling on Riley’s plate.

“Eat a lot, elder sister.”

Alton snorted.

“Hmph, slow fool. You should have taken care of this before me. You’re so slow and tactless, that’s why you get rejected by women.”

“Watch your words, I’ve never been rejected. If anything, I’ve been the one rejecting.”

Why was this childish situation of father and son engaging in a battle of nerves continuing at a meeting between families?

It was an absurd situation in many ways, but ironically, this situation seemed to ease the stiff atmosphere a bit.

“Since this is a meeting between families, why don’t we just have the necessary conversations? There’s no substance to this.”

Rivne reluctantly spoke up, and only then did Alton clear his throat with a fake cough.

“Well, there’s not much to say at length. We all know what we need to know. I’d like the wedding to proceed as quickly as possible, what do you think?”

At Alton’s words, Ryan and the baroness hesitated. Especially Claire, who was sitting next to them, her eyes widened as if they would pop out. She looked angry for some reason. Riley sensed an inexplicable anger in Claire’s suddenly sunken expression.

“As quickly as possible.”

“I’m not asking you, you fool.”

“My father-in-law will have the same thoughts as me.”

At Givnen’s nod, Ryan hastily replied.

“O-Of course. The sooner we proceed, the better for us.”

“Then let’s quickly coordinate possible dates and proceed as soon as possible.”

“Is, is this really okay?”

“I understand that the general discussions about the marriage have already been done with my son, and I’ve also heard about those talks. We’ll proceed with the conditions as discussed with my son. We’ll take care of all the wedding preparations on our side, and if you need anything, tell my son.”

Alton Lianster, who should have been the most important figure at this meeting to discuss the marriage, gave his permission for this marriage too coolly.

As if he didn’t want to talk about unnecessary things, he delivered only the key points, to which Givnen clapped his hands as if satisfied.

“As expected, you’re so straightforward. This is why I like you, father.”

“You stay behind when this is over, we have a lot to talk about.”

“Let’s do that.”

“If possible, with my daughter-in-law too.”

“That depends on elder sister’s wishes. Even if I’m okay with it, elder sister might be uncomfortable with father. After all, the relationship between a father-in-law and daughter-in-law can’t always be comfortable, right?”

At the mention that Riley might be uncomfortable, Alton rolled his eyes for a moment and replied in a somewhat dejected voice.

“Ahem, then maybe later…”

Once again, the topic shifted elsewhere.

Ryan and the baroness now looked relaxed, enjoying their meal as if a weight had been lifted.

However, Claire was in a state like a volcano about to erupt. As if she had lost her appetite, she tried to curl up the corners of her mouth and manage her expression, but her stiff muscles didn’t seem to cooperate as she wished.

Her gaze changed. Riley felt uneasy about this.

She looked like she was about to cause trouble.

And as Riley expected, Claire stepped forward.

“Your Grace, are you really okay with this?”

Ryan and the baroness froze like stones, holding their knives and forks, at Claire’s sudden outburst. Their anxious gazes turned to Claire, but Claire’s eyes were full of a different light than usual.

At this, Ryan and the baroness let out a short sigh.

They were certain that she was not in her right mind.

“What do you mean by asking if it’s okay?”

At Alton’s question, Claire answered in a somewhat tense voice.

“Even though this is a meeting between families. I’m asking if it’s okay to decide and proceed with the marriage so simply, without any in-depth discussion about the marriage. Of course, it’s good for us, but aren’t you in a position where you have many more aspects to consider, Your Grace?”

“Claire!”

The baroness hurriedly tried to stop Claire, but Claire didn’t back down.

“Mother, marriage is the most important among the major affairs of a family. It seems like a matter that should be decided more carefully than ever, but if we just gloss over it like this, it might be good for us, but what if the Lianster family changes their mind later and treats our elder sister like an old shoe and abandons her?”

“Can’t you keep your mouth shut!”

“No, let her continue.”

Alton restrained Ryan and nodded at Claire to continue speaking.

“Honestly, that’s how it is, right? While those two might be playing at the love of the century, the standpoint of the family elders is different, isn’t it? The marriage of nobles has the unity and prosperity of the family as the primary and ultimate goal, and for this, people of matching rank, people of similar status, gather to marry and strengthen their bonds, right? In the end, the marriage itself is an external event to raise the status of the ‘family’, but I’m expressing concern that someone in a position who should be more mindful of others’ eyes than anyone else has made a decision on a family matter too hastily.”

Claire’s brazen remarks were so outrageous that one might wonder if she had really lost her mind.

Ryan’s face turned bright red as if it was about to burst, and he staggered, grabbing the back of his neck, while the baroness fidgeted restlessly, only watching the situation. And Riley was genuinely impressed by Claire.

To Riley, Claire’s behavior was truly reckless but at the same time courageous. Even if it stemmed from a malicious desire to ruin this meeting between families, the courage to put it into action was truly admirable.

Riley was certain that she would never understand Claire in her lifetime, no matter how much time passed… How upset must she be to engage in such reckless behavior?

“I’m very worried about my elder sister. The more I consider the various practical issues, the more I can’t understand this situation. Isn’t that so? You say you’ll take care of all the necessary preparations and costs for the wedding, and just come with your body, but while there might not be problems right away, what about later? You’re entering into a relationship that’s already out of balance… Also, when you get married, there will be extensive media coverage, and it will be exposed to people as it is… Our family doesn’t have the capacity to handle that aftermath…”

To hear words of concern for her elder sister coming from that mouth.

Riley was at a loss for words at this top-tier acting. No one could match Claire in terms of shamelessness.

There was a moment of silence.

Ryan and the baroness already looked like they had given up. They seemed half out of their minds. On the other hand, Alton and Givnen were very calm, and Rivne, whatever she was thinking, stared at her intently but remained silent without intervening.

“And also… our elder sister lacks education, honestly, I don’t think she has the capacity to handle the position of the mistress of the Lianster family. So without proper basic education… and she also has a history of being engaged to another man and then breaking off the engagement, and when she gets married, this will resurface again, so will you protect our elder sister’s honor then? I don’t understand, I can’t comprehend this marriage from start to finish, and also…”

Claire was increasingly rambling.

In fact, it was a laughable situation in itself that the younger sister was bringing up practical issues and intervening when even the parents were staying quiet. Moreover, while what she was grasping at as issues seemed plausible at first, it increasingly felt like she was squeezing out reasons why they shouldn’t get married.

Claire seemed desperate, as if possessed by an author writing a novel titled “100 Reasons Why Givnen and Riley Shouldn’t Get Married.”

Alton, who had been silently listening to Claire’s words, slowly shifted his gaze.

“Do you feel the same way?”

“No, absolutely not!”

“I see.”

Alton stroked his chin and smiled at Claire.

“I understand what you’re worried about. But your argument is flawed from the premise.”

“…”

“This marriage is not particularly disadvantageous from our perspective. So the expression ‘just coming with your body’ is not appropriate.”

“…Why is that?”

“Indeed, it has been the custom for nobles to marry between families of similar status. That’s how it’s been even in our family. But now, that’s not really important anymore.”

“…”

“Our family has been deeply intertwined with the empire since its inception and has now achieved prosperity. From now on, our family’s prosperity means continuing the noble bloodline, that is, the pure magician bloodline. Of course, in the future marriage market, the focus will shift from family background to whether one is a magician or not. That’s how much value a magician as a talent has. We’re investing in that future. The family of origin is not important to us.”

Claire was dumbfounded. Regardless, Alton continued his explanation very kindly to resolve her doubts.

“The seed of magicians is drying up more and more. Our people are living enjoying the convenience provided by ‘magic’, but the talent to provide the ‘magic’ service has dried up. The problem of magician population depletion will become more serious in the future. An era will come where we fight to secure magicians. An era where the value of a magician surpasses family and wealth. In fact, magic towers are already spending large sums to recruit magical talent.”

“…No matter how scarce magicians have become, aren’t there still quite a few magicians belonging to respectable noble families? For a family like the Liansters, wouldn’t finding a suitable marriage partner be as easy as eating cold porridge?”

“Why should we bother with such troublesome things?”

“…”

“She’s a woman my son likes, and she’s a magician. There’s no particular reason to object to that.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if she belonged to a powerful family?”

At Claire’s words, Alton burst into laughter.

“The Lianster family has entered an unprecedented period of maximum prosperity with the acquisition of the Horizon magic tower. If we were to consider the level of families, there wouldn’t be a single family that meets our standards. At best, maybe the three grand ducal families? Besides, is Givnen the only member of the Lianster family? Our family has already solidified its foundation through marriages with substantial families from long ago. It means we have no lack. It’s troublesome if you ignore the lineage of our family that has continued since the empire’s founding era.”

“…”

“Moreover, it’s an era where merchants buy noble titles with money. Now, even titles are losing their legitimacy, and an era is approaching where the noble status is gradually collapsing. This will accelerate further. So I don’t think ‘powerful family’ is such a valuable asset.”

Claire rolled her eyes in bewilderment. It looked as if she was trying to squeeze out reasons why this marriage shouldn’t happen.

“…Can we really call elder sister a magician?”

“What do you mean?”

“Elder sister isn’t even registered as a magician! She lived without knowing she was a magician, and she doesn’t know how to use magic. Even if you say it’s to continue the pure magician bloodline… elder sister is neither a proper magician nor an outstanding one. She only recently found out she was a magician because of the reception attendance issue. Doesn’t the fact that she’s not registered as a magician indicate that there’s a problem with her as a magician from the start?”

At Claire’s words, Alton smiled meaningfully and said,

“I guarantee that she is an outstanding magical talent. I think there must have been some circumstances.”

“…Pardon?”

“Besides, my son may not be good at other things, but he has an excellent eye for recognizing value. I trust my son’s judgment.”

“…”

“Any more questions?”

Claire turned pale.

It seemed that she had come to her senses belatedly, realizing the situation she had created. Moreover, she had pretended to be crazy and done crazy things, but she hadn’t even gained anything from it, so how distressed she must be.

“…No.”

“I’m glad you’ve come to understand this marriage.”

Claire bowed her head deeply, and Givnen made the final conclusion to the conversation.

“I’ll set the wedding date and let you know.”

As the meal ended and it was time to disperse, Ingcynia staff approached Ryan.

Givnen gave a brief order.

“Escort them safely.”

“Understood.”

“Then, take care on your way.”

As Ryan’s family disappeared following the guidance, Alton approached Riley.

“…You must have had a hard time.”

“…”

“Don’t worry now, our family will protect you safely.”

Faced with an attitude that felt not just friendly but affectionate, Riley bowed her head deeply, unsure how to react. Seeing this, Alton burst into laughter as if he found Riley cute.

“You resemble Emily more than Ryston.”

“…Emily?”

“Didn’t that rascal tell you about your mother?”

“…He only told me that she passed away right after giving birth to me.”

“Well, I understand. After Emily died, Ryston probably wasn’t in his right mind for a while. Still… it seems he lived quite diligently. Looking at how he raised that newborn into such a fine young lady.”

“…”

“There’s a lot I want to say, but it’s getting late. We can talk more in the future, so be careful on your way home. When you get the chance, let me know how your father has been living all this time.”

Contrary to her worries, Alton was very warm and caring.

Just like his son Givnen.

Riley bowed to him with relief.

“Please take care on your way back.”

Alton went ahead first, and Rivne, who was following behind, glanced at Riley and said briefly,

“I’ll be going now.”

“Yes. Please take care on your way back.”

Rivne followed Alton, and only after they were out of sight did Riley let out a sigh of relief. Givnen gently patted Riley’s back.

“You did well.”

“Yeah.”

Although there was an incident in the middle, thankfully, the meeting between the families concluded well.