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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: She's My Wife
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That was three days ago.
"You're telling me... to apply for Proxy Blood Fate on the day of Aira's engagement ceremony?"
"Yes, that's right."
Princess Elcia, who had walked right into my trap and come to the annex to reclaim her "useful" little sisters.
The greatest genius in the history of high elves officially recognized by the elven kingdom in the original story Vengeful Goddesses.
Right now, she was radiating ferocious killing intent without a shred of hesitation, as if she could tear my throat out with her bloodstained hands at any moment.
But I just shrugged lightly.
I hadn't called her here for some obvious hostage drama in the first place.
Facing Elcia, who looked ready to lunge at me any second, I calmly made a proposal that would benefit us both.
It wasn't a deal or a fight—it was literally just a choice.
"In three days, Aira and Walter's engagement will go through anyway."
I tapped the table once with my finger and continued.
"The moment that happens, you—sharing Aira's blood—will nominally become part of the Argent family too."
I took a breath and delivered the clincher.
"That means you'll be eligible to apply for Proxy Blood Fate, which only Argent blood relatives could do before."
"...I don't understand."
Elcia didn't accept my words right away.
She glanced at me, then back at Aira, who was holding her breath and bowing her head behind me.
Then she glared straight at me again and spoke.
"If what you're saying is true, isn't Proxy Blood Fate a ritual only possible between Argent 'blood relatives'?"
"Ah, that?"
I let out a chuckle.
Without hiding it one bit.
"That rule's gotten pretty ambiguous now, thanks to me."
"...Ambiguous how?"
"Just what I said."
I leaned back against the chair and continued nonchalantly.
"Even the bastard son who was the most despised and ignored in the family just went through Proxy Blood Fate recently."
Elcia's eyes flickered faintly.
"But get this. If even those esteemed high elves from your maternal side can't do Proxy Blood Fate when a bastard like him could—"
I paused for a moment and smiled.
"That would mean you're lower in the family hierarchy than a bastard... Can you really stomach being treated like that?"
"!!"
For the first time, Elcia's killing intent lost its direction.
'Exactly...'
In a status-driven society, a bastard's position was crystal clear.
Even as blood kin, they were placed at the absolute bottom of the family just because of their mixed blood.
Unless a servant was outright threatening their life, they weren't even allowed to protest being ignored or belittled.
On the other hand.
The maternal family of a spouse who entered through formal marriage into a noble house was different.
No matter that it was the maternal side, their bloodline was classified as "family-recognized blood."
Just one step below the direct main line—never on the same level as a bastard.
But.
If high elven royalty who had just become "family" couldn't perform Proxy Blood Fate—even though a bastard had done it of their own will?
This wasn't just a procedural issue.
It would be officially acknowledging that elven kingdom royal blood was lower-class than a filthy bastard.
In other words, by this logic, Elcia had the right to apply for Proxy Blood Fate too.
"The rules for Proxy Blood Fate are simple."
I continued.
"We fight with the condition that the winner gets Aira."
"I see..."
Elcia seemed lost in thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Aira's your slave right now. If I challenge you to fight for her on the pretext of 'fairly' taking her back, it does sound plausible."
"Yes."
I agreed curtly.
"Above all, high elves live and die by honor, don't they? With that kind of justification, everyone else will have to accept it, like it or not."
Elcia nodded as if she understood.
But soon, her expression subtly hardened.
It wasn't full acceptance.
"I get what you're trying to say."
Elcia's gaze sharpened.
"Proxy Blood Fate is an Argent tradition, and in noble society that values such traditions, even Family Head Agram can't ignore the rules willy-nilly."
"Plus, one side is Aira's owner, and the other is her blood family."
"However..."
She paused, then spoke a beat later.
"What happens to the original purpose of the engagement ceremony then?"
Elcia's voice lowered.
"Aira is still set to get engaged to that Walter guy no matter what. If both of us demand Aira at the same time—"
A short silence.
"No matter the tradition, Family Head Agram won't just sit still."
That question wasn't mere curiosity.
It was a single line that pierced the only vulnerability in this plan.
...But.
Did I really not think of that?
I grinned.
"Princess Elcia, you're surprisingly innocent~."
"What?"
As I chuckled, Belcia and Selcia flinched and trembled.
Seeing that, Elcia tilted her head.
"Why do you think Family Head Agram tried to pair Walter with Aira?"
"Because he wants to mix high elf blood into the Argent line..."
"Exactly. Just that."
I continued nonchalantly.
"But I'm an Argent too. Half or not."
Elcia's face stiffened for a moment.
"From Family Head Agram's perspective, it's simple. One goal: an Argent heir with high elf blood mixed in."
I raised a hand lightly and added.
"Just add one condition. If I win, the moment Aira comes of age, I'll impregnate her and give Agram the bloodline he wants first."
"What...?"
"L-Lucas?!"
"M-Master?! What are you saying...!"
The three princesses froze at the bombshell declaration, and Piel—who had been watching Elcia warily from the side—stood her fox ears and tail straight up, stammering incoherently.
Aira's face turned beet red as her eyes spun in circles.
But honestly, they didn't need to get this worked up.
Because I planned to get out of this family before that happened, and I had no intention of forcing that future on Aira either.
"Even so..."
Elcia gritted her teeth.
"You're a bastard. Why would Family Head Agram choose you over pureblood Walter?"
"That's where you come in to help, Princess."
"Me?"
That's when I finally laid out the real condition.
"When applying for Proxy Blood Fate, we add one more condition."
I held up one finger.
"If the high elves lose, they completely forfeit their rights to Aira... and give up the Immortal Spring they were supposed to provide entirely."
"What?"
"As the condition for Proxy Blood Fate with Lucas Argent—"
Princess Elcia Silvion's voice echoed through the banquet hall.
"If Lucas's side wins, Aira Princess becomes Lucas's mate. And along with that, we fully withdraw the transfer of the Immortal Spring we were originally set to provide."
The banquet hall buzzed instantly.
"...What?"
"Conversely, if Princess Elcia wins, we call off this whole Aira engagement business. That condition should suffice."
Lucas nodded without the slightest hesitation.
And just like that.
The engagement celebration, which should have been a joyous occasion, had turned into the prelude to Proxy Blood Fate.
As the conditions flew back and forth in the center of the hall, the Argent family members showed varied reactions.
Especially the heirs.
Aside from Walter, the rest honestly couldn't make up their minds.
This blood fate was just too tempting.
"If we win, we get high elf blood into the family, plus eternal monopoly on the Immortal Spring."
"But... mixing that bastard Lucas's blood into the lineage feels kinda gross, doesn't it?"
"And what if he wins? Then we're totally screwed! Ugh... That 'miracle' where my Black Iron Horse barely beat him before won't happen again!"
"Sure, the gains are huge... but the risk is way too high."
"That's the problem."
Whispers multiplied, but no easy conclusion emerged.
In the back, Walter was throwing a tantrum, yelling that it was impossible and absurd, but no one took his voice seriously.
And then.
"Even if Proxy Blood Fate is an Argent tradition."
A low, refined voice cut through the hall.
"This has crossed the line, Princess Elcia."
It was Family Head Agram.
There was no hesitation on his face.
"By the Family Head's authority, I cannot accept this proposal."
The hall fell silent.
"In the thousands of years of continental history, how many times have high elves officially set foot in our Argent territory?"
The answer was set.
This was the first.
"And right now, we have the chance to welcome you as family."
Agram paused briefly, then continued in a low voice.
"Yet you want to put that chance on hold in the name of a bet? If we pass this opportunity, who knows when the next one will come..."
Years later? Centuries? Or.
A short silence.
"Maybe even further in the future."
His voice was firm.
"I think it's far more rational to settle it here and now than risk that uncertainty."
This wasn't mere refusal.
It was the Argent Family Head's political judgment: he wouldn't let slip the chance to definitively cut the high elves out of the territory right now.
And at the same time, a cold declaration that this game wasn't over yet.
But.
"Family Head Agram. It seems there's a misunderstanding."
Elcia continued without a hint of wavering.
"I never said that if I win, I'd take Aira and leave Argent territory."
"What?"
As if she'd anticipated that reaction, Elcia quickly added.
"My goal is singular: cancel this engagement ceremony."
"That means..."
"In other words—"
Murmurs of realization erupted throughout the hall.
"Even if Lucas loses, Aira Princess stays in Argent territory?"
"Yes. Just on the condition that she doesn't get engaged to any Argent."
And she nailed the final point.
"She'll remain here as Lucas Argent's slave. There's nothing for us to gain by taking her back anyway."
In that instant.
Not just the other heirs, but even a faint smile flickered across Agram's lips for a moment.
...Certainly, that was good news.
The engagement gets scrapped.
But the high elf pureblood stays in Argent.
That alone made it more than worth it.
And "not mixing with Argent" didn't mean no children.
"If that's the condition."
Agram nodded.
"I gladly accept."
Lucas Argent.
So this is as far as you go, huh.
From the moment Elcia brought up Proxy Blood Fate, Agram had suspected Lucas was behind it.
But just this.
A shallow trick to protect one slave.
Of course, his other siblings couldn't have even set up a board like this.
If not for the blood issue... Agram clicked his tongue inwardly but judged this little game was worth humoring.
And finally.
"I declare the start of Proxy Blood Fate."
Right after that.
"Then, with the Family Head's permission granted."
Elcia turned and said.
"Lucas Argent. As you said, we'll meet again in a month."
"Of course, Princess Elcia."
"In the meantime, see if you can make that 'Aira' of yours into something worth my time."
A cold sneer followed.
"Not that you could, of course."
"...Huh?"
A brief silence fell over the hall.
Princess Elcia's opponent for Proxy Blood Fate wasn't that beastkin slave who had defeated the Black Iron Horse.
It was Aira Princess herself.
The realization hit everyone belatedly.
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