When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 191

Episode 191

“I was planning to visit the Saylor residence another day, but… William, I’m thinking of marrying Erin. May I have your permission?”

Realizing that the atmosphere had shifted from official to private, Jez, who had been held back by William, straightened up and addressed him first. It was only proper to follow the appropriate steps in matters like this. After all, they were going to be family for the rest of their lives, so he wanted to show as much sincerity as possible.

William was caught off guard by Jez’s proactive approach. He first frowned. He then went through a range of conflicted expressions before finally sighing, scratching his head as he spoke.

“…When you’re in this position, it’s surprisingly hard to get your emotions in order.”

He mumbled this in a small voice, shrugging his shoulders.

“Honestly, I’d prefer to say I won’t give my daughter away. But it’s something Erin has decided, right? In that case, I want to support her. Besides, if I act like a fool now, my wife would be furious with me.”

Given William’s personality and history, Jez had considered that there was a slight chance he might resort to physical force. He found himself caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events. Seeing Jez’s surprised expression, William chuckled wryly and teasingly asked, 

“What’s wrong? Were you hoping for a mock battle with me to win Erin’s hand?”

Jez was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. But King Ramses, looking slightly awkward, intervened.

“It’s a joyous occasion, and normally, I’d love to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart, but…”

According to King Ramses, the situation was turning out exactly as Jez’s stepmother, Felicia, had feared. Historically, the Norman family of the North had always been a separate power from the Tashman royal family. They had solidified their base by venturing into uncharted territories before eventually swearing allegiance to the Tashman royal family. In other words, they had no direct connection to the heroes who founded the Tashman Kingdom by crossing the Salal River and the Volodia Mountains.

Because of this background, the Norman family had always had a strong sense of independence. Under the current head, Gerald, they had become a fully independent military power. Given this historical context, the Norman family was particularly viewed with caution by certain nobles from the central, eastern, and western regions. Though the southern region, with its mixed forces, maintained a more neutral stance.

Now, at a time when the Norman family was at its historical peak in terms of military power, they were about to form a marital alliance with the Saylor family, who held the position of Prime Minister. Even among the more sensible nobles, some were anxious about a marriage that would consolidate control over national politics, the navy, and the northern front.

King Ramses explained this situation calmly to Jez. While William continued to listen with a somewhat indescribable expression on his face.

“There’s another problem as well.”

“…Another problem?”

“Yes. Jez Norman, you spent several weeks alone with René, didn’t you? If people see you now quickly getting involved with another woman, it raises some public concerns.”

Jez had somewhat anticipated that his marriage to Erin might be obstructed for political reasons. As a former internal affairs bureaucrat, he was well aware of these subtleties. The country was unusual in that it maintained both a meritocratic system, including commoners, and a hereditary nobility. Some regions were managed in a feudal manner by local lords, while others had appointed governors.

In the North, the Norman family controlled both the military and the administrative functions, but this was not the case in other regions. As such, working in the Ministry of Internal Affairs often meant getting involved in complicated negotiations. Based on this experience, Jez had expected that some factions would oppose the Norman and Saylor families becoming relatives.

While he had predicted these reasons, he hadn’t anticipated that René would also be a factor. Indeed, from an outsider’s perspective, René and Jez had been missing for several weeks and returned safely together. Considering they were both in their twenties, it wasn’t hard to imagine people might speculate about a bond formed through overcoming numerous dangers together.

But Jez wanted to make one thing clear: *He hadn’t done anything*. Yes, he had spent time with Princess René under the same roof, but he was entirely focused on being her butler or caretaker.

How should I put this? It’s like being a working adult in Tokyo, and then your cousin, a college student, comes to visit during summer break and ends up staying for a long time, and you end up taking care of them. Considering Jez is 26 and René is 22, this seems like a fair comparison.

Cooking, cleaning, laundry—I was the one doing all that, while Princess René lounged around happily, watching videos on her smartphone. I really want to know how anything could have possibly happened in that situation.

King Ramses, from René’s behavior and other reports, had also realized that nothing had really happened. Knowing René’s personality, it would’ve been difficult anyway. In fact, if something had happened, it might have made things easier to resolve.

As a father, the thought of someone unwanted getting close to his daughter was unbearable. But as a king, he would be pleased to see his daughter settle down. René’s older sisters, the first and second princesses, were already married off to other countries. Despite everything, King Ramses had become accustomed to his daughters leaving the nest.

Given these various circumstances, King Ramses and Prime Minister William came up with a plan.

“Jez, how about starting a new family and bringing René with you?”

The moment Jez heard these words, he found himself forcing a strained smile. He was surprised that his facial muscles could even move that way.