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Chapter 3-8 : The Fourth Daughter, Jasmine – Ⅲ
The next day, Will, the knight of Baronet Darelias, came to the living room of the Atwood’s mansion to hear Aaron’s answer. He was no longer tired after having a good sleep all night and his face looked more ruddy than last night.
In the living room, there were Aaron, Ella, and Robin waiting for him.
「Lord Aaron, have you decided? Baronet Darelias is hoping for a good reply from you.」(Will)
A political marriage with the Atwood Family was important for the Darelias Family.
The Darelias Family thought that if they could become a relative of Mylia, a Dragon Slayer, they could ask her for financial assistance and subjugate monsters in their territory. They thought that Mylia would be easy to control because she was still twelve years old.
For that reason, they sent Will and his men as soon as Mylia became a Dragon Slayer so as not to be preceded by other aristocratic families.
They planned to marry their second son to the fourth daughter of the Atwood Family, Jasmine.
Jasmine wasn’t a talented person and she couldn’t do most of the things by herself, and because of that, not many men wanted to marry her. Therefore, the Darelias Family thought that they gave her a great opportunity to marry their second son and become a part of a rich aristocratic family like them.
They were sure that the lord of the Atwood Family, Aaron, would agree right away. However…
「Ah, about this engagement… I haven’t decided yet.」(Aaron)
「…I see. It’s not something you can decide in a day or two after all. However, the Darelias Family is an honorable family that has a big mansion in the royal capital. I think Miss Jasmine will be happy if she can be a part of the Darelias Family.」(Will)
「Even if you say that, I don’t know what kind of house the Darelias Family is. I can’t just give up my daughter.」(Aaron)
For some reason, Aaron behaved completely differently from last night. He was now acting like a father who didn’t want to give up his daughter to a stranger.
Will was confused and frustrated at the same time. He frowned a little.
「Are you going to decline? This is a big opportunity for Miss Jasmine and for you as well. Lord Dite Darelias has been interested in the Atwood Family since a long time ago. He said that he liked the lavender jam produced here. Please think about it more carefully before you decline.」(Will)
Will tried to tell Aaron that the lord of the Darelias Family had an interest in the Atwood Family.
However, Aaron looked away from Will and stared at Robin.
Robin then turned her gaze to Will and talked to him.
「Will-sama, before my father decides, can I go to the royal capital first?」(Robin)
「Excuse me, but you are…」(Will)
「I’m the second daughter, Robin de la Atwood.」(Robin)
Will squinted as soon as he realized that he was talking with the rumored divorced woman from the Atwood Family who cheated on her husband.
「Will-sama, first, I will go to the royal capital with you to find out about the Darelias Family. If I think that they are good people, then we won’t mind marrying Jasmine to their second son. Right, Father?」(Robin)
「That’s right.」(Aaron)
The reason why Aaron changed his mind was that last night Robin told him, “Father, I don’t think we can just trust them. I’ll go to the royal capital and find out about them. If they’re not as great as they said, we can decline the offer and I’ll find a better aristocratic family. Just think about it, if you can marry Jasmine to the best family in the royal capital, you will get the best hunting ground around the royal capital.”
Aaron was only interested in hunting.
The forest around the Atwood Territory was mostly inhabited by monsters, so the area where Aaron could hunt wild animals was very limited. Therefore, the hunting area around the royal capital, which was safe from monsters, was very attractive to him. He blindly trusted Robin and nodded to her in agreement.
The other reason why Aaron agreed with Robin was Mylia.
Now that they had found out that Mylia had become a Dragon Slayer, they were after Mylia’s money.
Robin once heard from the caravan leader who came twice a year that someone could get at least a thousand gold coins from subjugating a dragon.
Aaron and Robin didn’t know how the absent-minded Mylia defeated a dragon but they thought that as long as Mylia was a magician, she should make a contribution to her family.
They selfishly thought that Mylia’s money was also their money.
「Will-sama, the Dragon Slayer, Mylia, is my cute little sister. We get along very well, so I can introduce her to the Darelias Family.」(Robin)
「Is that really so…?」(Will)
「Yes, she is an obedient girl who will do whatever I say.」(Robin)
Robin was truly a shameless woman.
If Mylia heard what Robin said, she would stick wasabi into Robin’s nostrils for sure.
「Hmm…」(Will)
Will thought that Robin’s idea was brilliant.
He thought that Baronet Darelias would be happy if he brought someone who could introduce him to the Dragon Slayer.
He was a bit worried because Robin was the rumored divorced woman at first but then he thought that it wasn’t that important since it had been four years since the rumor about Robin spread.
After thinking for a while, Will nodded at Robin in agreement.
「Alright. I will take you to the royal capital.」(Will)
「Thank you. There’s a lot I need to prepare today, so we will leave tomorrow.」(Robin)
「Understood.」(Will)
Will bowed once and left the living room.
If Mylia saw what happened, she would have shouted to Will, “Don’t listen to that woman!”, but at that time, Mylia was busy solving the mystery of Daemon’s Map with Aria in the school.
In that way, Robin was able to get the opportunity to leave the Atwood Territory and went to the royal capital.
When no one was paying attention to her, Robin smirked. She was happy that her plan was going well.
〇〇〇
That night, Jasmine, who didn’t know the circumstances, was trying to sleep in the bedroom.
She was now the only one who slept in the big room with four beds because all her little sisters no longer lived in the mansion.
Moonlight leaking from the cloudy glass window made the atmosphere of the room even more lonely.
When Jasmine was about to close her eyes, suddenly the sound of the door opening was heard.
As soon as she looked at the entrance, she knew who just opened the door even though she couldn’t see that person clearly with her poor eyesight.
It was the person she hated the most in this mansion.
「Jasmine, I come to say goodbye~」(Robin)
From Robin’s voice, Jasmine could tell that she was in a good mood for some reason.
「It’s all thanks to you~ Thank you! You’re not as useless as I thought~」(Robin)
「………..」(Jasmine)
Jasmine didn’t know what happened but she knew that something bad was going on when Robin was in a good mood.
「Do you know why those knights came here~? They came because their lord, Baronet Darelias, wanted to marry his second son to you. Yup, that letter was addressed to you, you know~」(Robin)
「…Eh?」(Jasmine)
Jasmine raised her face when she heard that the letter from last night was addressed to her.
Robin didn’t read it aloud last night, so Jasmine didn’t know the content except for the fact that Mylia became a Dragon Slayer because Robin shouted it out in shock.
「Oh? You rarely respond like that. Are you happy that someone wants to marry a useless girl like you? Hm~?」(Robin)
While saying that, Robin approached Jasmine’s bed, put her fingers on Jasmine’s cheeks and raised her face.
「But too bad! You? Marrying a rich aristocratic man and living luxuriously in the royal capital while I’m trapped in this shitty house? There’s no way I will let that happen! Gyahahaha!」(Robin)
「Wh, What do you mean…?」(Jasmine)
「The Darelias Family was aiming to become Mylia’s relative by marrying one of her sisters, but they chose a useless woman like you instead of a beautiful and smart woman like me! Do you think I can accept that? Hell no!」(Robin)
「………」(Jasmine)
「I’m going to the royal capital on your behalf, so you better be grateful to me! Aahh~ I’m feeling good right now~ I can finally leave this filthy house and live in the royal capital~」(Robin)
While saying that, Robin approached the window and stretched her arms toward the moon like a poor character in a story who was finally able to escape her hellish life.
（Living in the royal capital…? But the one they want to marry is me, right…?）(Jasmine)
Jasmine was very confused. She didn’t know what Robin was up to.
「Ahh~ I really can’t wait to leave this place.」(Robin)
Saying that, Robin lowered her arms and returned her gaze to Jasmine.
She was a little irritated looking at Jasmine who had been looking down all the time. She approached Jasmine, clenched a fist and rubbed it against Jasmine’s head real hard.
「Don’t worry, I will take care of all the engagement proposal letters addressed to you~ Fufu! Aaahaha!」(Robin)
〇〇〇
Back to the present, Mylia, Chloe, and Aria, who were wearing brand new dresses they bought from the dress shop, were now in the venue of the special party for unmarried aristocrats that was held in the royal capital.
The venue was a big, fancy building that was suitable for young people to find their soulmates.
That building, which was designed by a famous architect in the royal capital, was made with good construction technology mixed with various magic techniques.
（Whoaa… What a fancy place… I feel out of place somehow…）
Mylia, who looked at the building through the window of the carriage she was on, was overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
However, she had to go to the venue to stop Robin.
She clenched her fist to motivate herself and got out of the carriage.
（Robin, I swear I’ll find you!）