NABC Chapter 49 The Undead King's Problem (1)
Chapter 49 The Undead King's Problem (1)
Marriage is a sacred ritual where a man and woman form a bond as husband and wife.
While this has been the custom of human society since the ancient imperial era, things were somewhat different for nobles.
Unlike common humans, as descendants of gods, they needed to spread their magical bloodline as much as possible.
Noble marriages came in two main forms.
The first was companion marriage, similar to commoners' marriages, between magical users of relatively equal standing.
The second was subordinate marriage, where multiple inferior magic users were bound to a superior one.
What the seven houses proposed was the latter - they would offer women born with some potential, daughters of knights, as concubines to Turan.
Naturally, as mere concubines, they wouldn't dare interfere with Kalamaf's governance.
"Of course, they're young ladies well-educated to become concubines of noble ones, lacking neither in appearance nor refinement."
Young ladies thoroughly managed and raised from childhood to become noble concubines...
He had read about this in books about managing magical houses in the library.
They selected those with outstanding beauty among children of knights who hadn't inherited magical power, or those born with ambiguous power between knights and commoners.
Of course, since carnal desire wasn't exclusive to men, and not all men desired women, there were also males who served similar roles.
Though demand was much lower due to pregnancy and various other issues.
"More than anything else, I'd like to know why this proposal has come up. It's too sudden."
Turan asked this with an expressionless face.
It had been a month since he became Kalamaf's protector.
Despite the considerable time passed, while some unknown youth took control of the city, the surrounding houses had remained silent instead of trying to stop him or establish relations.
Then they suddenly visit, not to get to know each other, but to make such a proposal right away?
Hearing the question, a noble who said he was from Labana City confidently exclaimed.
"We know that Lord Kalamaf has difficulties in city management without establishing a house! Even now, you can't even use the central mansion! With seven concubines bearing your children, quite a few useful knights should be born among them, which would be very useful for future governance! Since half their bloodline would originate from us, it would also greatly help strengthen our mutual friendship!"
What he spoke of was the fundamental reason nobles formed houses.
Even a wizard as powerful as a god still had only one body.
For any noble house, a city held both prestigious and practical value.
The tributes diligently offered by commoners formed the foundation for maintaining all sorts of luxurious lifestyles.
Yet he would hand over such a city just for finding traces of one woman?
It was as absurd as offering a battleship in return for picking up a coin on the street.
'Could he really be Arabion's secret weapon?'
Having heard that he had recently contacted House Arabion, that seemed most credible.
Otherwise, how could someone claiming to be a fallen noble so easily give up a city?
One of the things wanderers most desired was obtaining their own city to settle down and establish a house.
"If that's all that concerns you, I'll add one more condition. Whoever takes this city must promise in the name of the Prea god-folk to faithfully protect the city's citizens as its ruler. The condition is that governance rights will not be maintained the moment this is violated."
Turan recalled the scene from Murei City, the first city he had visited.
How they had pushed responsibility onto beast hunters out of laziness, even while magical beasts were eating several children outside...
It would be extremely unpleasant if the city fell into such a state after being handed over to just anyone.
Even the house that originally ruled this place had perished fighting for such protection.
The nobles' faces changed strangely at Turan's words.
Faithfully protect the city's citizens?
Wasn't that an outdated phrase that belonged in the Prea scriptures?
One noble asked, as if unable to understand.
"Why... go to such lengths?"
Though they didn't add more, other nobles seemed to share similar doubts.
Why open the central mansion to vagrants and stay in humble city hall lodgings himself, and why make conditions about protecting citizens in exchange for handing over a city?
To nobles, commoners were beings that needed protection for religious and practical reasons, but not to such an extent.
Even if a shepherd values his sheep, isn't he ultimately raising them to slaughter for their meat and wool?
In their eyes, Turan was a strange shepherd who not only didn't slaughter sheep at the proper time but would let them sleep on his own bed until they died of old age and even give them proper burials.