It’s Convenient That Danna-Sama Isn’t Interested in Me. I’ll Make a Name for Myself as an Adventurer! – Chapter 47

Chapter 47: The ‘Provisional’ Heir’s Arrival
ㅤ”Tempest～～～! Did you come to see me!?”
ㅤ
ㅤDanna-sama, your positive thinking is as expected. It’s like a preordained harmony.
ㅤ
ㅤ”No. It’s a request.”
ㅤ”Ah…… I, I see…… That’s right……”
ㅤ
ㅤAnd as expected, you’re disappointed. But when I said I wanted to stay the night, your face brightened up again and you immediately instructed the servants to prepare the bedroom.
ㅤ
ㅤ”This is one of your residences too! Don’t be so reserved.”
ㅤ”No. I can hardly say I’m fulfilling my duties as a Duchess. I will be somewhat reserved.”
ㅤ
ㅤSomewhat, yes.
ㅤBut even though I thought this statement would cloud Danna-sama’s expression, it didn’t.
ㅤ
ㅤ”You’re concerned about such things?”
ㅤ
ㅤSuch a gentle and kind expression is unexpected.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I really don’t intend to interfere with Tempest’s life as an adventurer. I’d just be very happy if you lived as yourself while remaining my wife…… After all, I’m also in love with Tempest the adventurer.”
ㅤ
ㅤDid you just say something cool? Were you impressed? Did you fall in love? If only you hadn’t made that smug face……
ㅤ
ㅤ”Madam, the tea is ready.”
ㅤ”Wow! Thank you～!”
ㅤ
ㅤAnd so, I’ll take a break. After enjoying the delicious tea, I plan to look around Neville town. Since I’m here, right?
ㅤ
ㅤThe table prepared on the terrace of the mansion I was led to is quite impressive considering it was prepared in such a short time. It’s so dazzling that I feel a little hesitant to sit in my adventurer’s clothes.
ㅤ
ㅤ’Well, I’ll sit anyway!’
ㅤ
ㅤDanna-sama also sat across from me as if it were natural. I’m a little concerned about how cheerful he looks, even more than usual.
ㅤWhat!? Is something up!!?
ㅤ
ㅤ”……Are you alright with your work?”
ㅤ”I was just thinking of taking a break!”
ㅤ
ㅤ’Are you being all relaxed because you think you’re going to win our bet!?’
ㅤ
ㅤNo, no, I can’t think negatively. The game isn’t over yet.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Is there something good happening?”
ㅤ
ㅤI don’t want him to know I’m not feeling confident, so I maintain my usual expression and attitude.
ㅤ
ㅤ”C, can you tell!?”
ㅤ
ㅤOf course I can! Even the mansion’s servants are acting a little restless.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well, you see…… there’s someone I want you to meet who will be arriving soon! I can’t believe the timing worked out so well!”
ㅤ”Eh……”
ㅤ
ㅤNo way. The only people who would come to see Danna-sama are nobles, officials, or wealthy merchants.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s not the kind of person you’re imagining, Tempest, the kind that would make you feel uncomfortable!”
ㅤ
ㅤIt seems he immediately noticed my displeasure. He’s considerate in these matters.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Then who is it?”
ㅤ”Fufu! Who do you think it is? You’ll be surprised!”
ㅤ”Just tell me. Who is it?”
ㅤ
ㅤWhy are you being so cryptic? Just say it! Quickly! Quickly!
ㅤIt annoys me that he definitely thinks I’ll be surprised, so I’m not that interested, okay? I turn my gaze to the beautiful ivy-patterned teacup.
ㅤ
ㅤ’This lady has been ambushed by royalty twice, you know!’
ㅤ
ㅤRight now, there’s only one person who would truly surprise me if I met them. Danna-sama’s mother. My mother-in-law. But Danna-sama and his mother don’t get along. So that reaction is impossible.
ㅤ
ㅤ’There’s also the possibility of the King, but even then, he wouldn’t be grinning like that.’
ㅤ
ㅤ”Fufufu! Do you remember? I have a nephew. He’s my half-brother’s son…… and he’s coming to see me! Today! Is that alright!?”
ㅤ”Bweh! Cough! Cough!! N, name……”
ㅤ
ㅤYes. I choked on my tea.
ㅤ
ㅤ’He mentioned it…… He talked about it……’
ㅤ
ㅤAnd with this flow…… I know what’s going to happen next.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Name? Did I not tell you? His name is Daniel!”
ㅤ”Ha…… Haha…… Cough! Cough……!”
ㅤ
ㅤI knew it!!!
ㅤ
ㅤ”Speaking of which, what request brought you all the way to Neville, Tempest?”
ㅤ
ㅤHe handed me a clean handkerchief without hesitation as I choked.
ㅤ
ㅤ’Your nephew’s escort!’
ㅤ
ㅤIt’s frustrating that I can’t tell him because I’m coughing. Why do I attract all these things!?
ㅤ
ㅤAnd then he arrived. With a slightly awkward smile. I know that smile is directed at me.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Master Daniel has arrived.”
ㅤ
ㅤHe’s still short enough to hide behind the servant. Though he’s mature for his age. It’s the appearance of Master Daniel, the next head of the Blood territory. Even though I was with him just an hour ago.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s been a while, Lord Wendel.”
ㅤ”Daniel! It’s been a year and a half…… You’ve grown!”
ㅤ”Yes. All thanks to your support, Lord Wendel.”
ㅤ
ㅤHe’s quite distant for someone who’s been supported as the heir. Or rather, I can see the distance between them. He’s clearly more nervous than when we were chatting in the carriage.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Let me introduce you! This is my wife, Tempest! As I wrote in the letter, she’s an adventurer, and in just less than a year, she’s risen to B-rank! She’s incredibly skilled!”
ㅤ
ㅤDanna-sama, you’re introducing me so happily. You’re really supporting me, huh～ Well, we already know each other! He has a good face, but he’s a bit of a dork, that’s Danna-sama.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s been a while, Master Daniel.”
ㅤ”…… I apologize for deceiving you.”
ㅤ
ㅤDaniel bows deeply, but I quickly stopped him. I don’t want a ten-year-old boy to apologize to me. Rather, I’m worried that he’s thinking, “The Duchess didn’t even know the heir’s face or name!?”
ㅤ
ㅤ’I’m grateful to him for freeing me from the succession problem!’
ㅤ
ㅤBut right now, a bad feeling is filling my head. In the carriage on the way here, he talked about his dreams and hopes for the future. None of them seemed directly related to managing the territory.
ㅤ
ㅤDanna-sama is looking back and forth between me and his nephew with sparkling eyes, as if he’s thinking, “Eh!? You know each other!?” He seems pleasantly surprised.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I requested Lady Tempest…… Lady Tempest to be his escort up to this point. I apologize for acting on my own.”
ㅤ”Oh, Daniel! What a fun idea you came up with!”
ㅤ
ㅤIt’s the best! Danna-sama is laughing, raising his voice in a way that’s rare for him. Or rather, he’s so high-tensioned that I’m worried. Are you okay? Isn’t your character different than usual!?
ㅤ
ㅤ”What a wonderful day! To have both members of my family together……!”
ㅤ
ㅤHe’s gazing dreamily with shining eyes. No, really, who are you!? Where is the man who was called the Cold-Blooded Duke!? Even the servants are bewildered!
ㅤMeanwhile, Daniel has had a troubled smile on his face the whole time. There’s clearly a temperature difference between his and Danna-sama’s joy, but I don’t have the courage to point that out to him now, as he clearly cherishes his ‘family’.
ㅤ
ㅤ’No, no…… I have to be the mediator here.’
ㅤ
ㅤThis is the role of an adult. Not as a wife, but as a sensible adult.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Danna-sama, Master Daniel has been in the carriage the whole time. He must be tired.”
ㅤ”N, no! I’m fine! Th, that……”
ㅤ
ㅤSee, there’s something you want to say, right? But it seems you’re not ready to talk about it yet.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ah…… Sorry! I got carried away…… Let’s talk slowly again later at dinner!”
ㅤ
ㅤWith a gentle smile, he instructed the servants to guide his cute nephew to the guest room.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Thank you. I got a little too excited. He came all the way here to see me, even though he’s only ten years old.”
ㅤ
ㅤHe told me that he had originally intended to go see him, but the incident in Neville prevented him from making time.
ㅤ
ㅤ”…… Danna-sama, this might not be the right time to ask, but……”
ㅤ”Hm? What is it? I welcome any question from you, anytime!”
ㅤ
ㅤWell, thank you. I have a lot of questions I want to ask.
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ㅤ”You told Master Daniel about me, didn’t you?”
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ㅤThat I’m an adventurer.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yes. Daniel knows that I wanted to be an adventurer, so I wrote him a letter saying that my beloved wife is an adventurer…… Ah! Was that bad!?”
ㅤ”No. That’s fine.”
ㅤ”Don’t worry. Daniel isn’t the type of child to spread rumors!”
ㅤ
ㅤWhere does that confidence come from!? Well, I’m not hiding it, so it’s fine. Daniel, you must have been surprised to suddenly hear such an unbelievable story…… something unheard of in noble society, right!?
ㅤ”Is it alright that he’s the heir to the Blood Dukedom?”
ㅤ”Oh, he’s a very intelligent nephew. He absorbs everything quickly. I’d actually like him to live with me in the mansion, but then my mother would barge in…… So I’ve entrusted him to an old friend of my father’s who lives near the royal capital.”
ㅤ
ㅤI understood his intelligence well enough in this half-day. And that he’s as proactive as Danna-sama.
ㅤAnd now, I ask Danna-sama the important question I’ve been avoiding.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Danna-sama, His Majesty has also approved of Master Daniel being the heir, correct?”
ㅤ
ㅤRight!? That’s right, isn’t it!? On our wedding day, you confidently told us that we didn’t need children because you already had an heir!
ㅤ
ㅤ’That’s one of the reasons I accepted this marriage……’
ㅤ
ㅤThis country has somewhat strict rules regarding the inheritance of peerage. You can’t relinquish your title while you’re alive, and the heir must be of legitimate bloodline. In other words, illegitimate children are not allowed. And Daniel, the child of an illegitimate child, would be even less eligible.
ㅤ
ㅤ’Well, there have been exceptions throughout history……’
ㅤ
ㅤPerhaps due to confirmation bias, where people only believe what they want to believe, I readily accepted the story that ‘there’s already an heir’. And now I’m getting anxious.
ㅤ
ㅤ”…… I’m currently in discussions with His Majesty……”
ㅤ”I knew it～～～！”
ㅤ
ㅤDanna-sama’s face became a little awkward. It seems he hasn’t forgotten the confident declaration he made at our wedding. That we didn’t need children!
ㅤPerhaps that’s why Daniel kept his distance. Danna-sama called him the heir, but the reality was different. So he never acted like the heir. How reserved! Even though he’s Danna-sama’s nephew!
ㅤ
ㅤ”But I have all the necessary materials to persuade him.”
ㅤ”The magic stone mine?”
ㅤ
ㅤThe royal family would want it desperately. It was said that magic stones had been depleted all over the world. And yet, there’s one within the country.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yes. I was originally thinking of using the dungeon’s revenue, but it seems they’re more interested in this.”
ㅤ
ㅤThere are dungeons all over the world, but the magic stone mine is only here. Of course they would prefer this. Even I can understand that there’s a reasonable chance of success. Then I have to confirm one last thing. The thing I least want to hear and know…… but I can’t run away.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Does Master Daniel wish to become the heir?”
ㅤ”…… I wonder.”
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ㅤAn ambiguous smile.
ㅤ
ㅤ’This guy! He knows, doesn’t he!?’
ㅤ
ㅤThat Daniel isn’t enthusiastic about that future.
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ㅤ’He talked about his dreams in the carriage, but managing the territory wasn’t one of them.’
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ㅤHowever, some of those dreams could be achieved while also being the lord. Rather, having a budget would allow him to do more, so aside from being busy, it would be convenient.
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ㅤ”Daniel probably heard that I married the person I love…… and came to formally decline the offer to become the heir to the Blood Dukedom.”
ㅤ”Hee～……”
ㅤ
ㅤ’The person he loves, huh……’
ㅤ
ㅤThe owner of the nickname Cold-Blooded Duke, who shamelessly says such things, is glancing at me with a smug face again. If it weren’t for that, I might be able to immerse myself in his words a little more……
ㅤ
ㅤ”I received a letter from Daniel’s adoptive father saying that he was troubled. I became the lord at the age of ten, so he probably had some thoughts about it.”
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ㅤIn other words, he doesn’t want to be the lord if he can avoid it.
ㅤ
ㅤ”He’s responsible, just like Danna-sama.”
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ㅤNeither Danna-sama nor I mention it, but if Daniel refuses to become the heir, the already precarious succession problem of the Blood Dukedom will face an even greater crisis.
ㅤ
ㅤNow, the tense dinner party begins.