Chapter 151: 151 Marriage Alliance

Chapter 151: A Marriage Alliance

The festive atmosphere of Wushan Castle’s annual celebration, mingled with the jubilation of honoring Lord Rulans’s birthday, had already taken full hold.

Flags and banners adorned the castle’s perimeter, displaying the heraldry and prestige of Wushan Castle.

Gardeners had long since tended to the flowers and plants, tapestries and murals were hung in place, and the invited musicians and dancers had arrived, rehearsing diligently.

Numerous nobles from Rulans’s side had come and gone, but none lingered long—most offered greetings, exchanged pleasantries, and departed swiftly.

When Rounin arrived alone, Rulans sat in a plush chair, draped in his greatwolf cloak. “I had planned to have Most wait until later to fetch you, but you came on your own—perfect. I have something I wish to discuss with you.”

Rounin was taken aback. He had come merely to subtly hint at his desire for the Sain Domain, yet Rulans had something of his own to say.

“Grandfather, speak.”

“By my reckoning, Princess Branqi will arrive at Wushan Castle tomorrow morning. You will lead the reception party.”

Huh…

Rounin froze. He had never imagined it would be this.

Branqi was the youngest daughter of King Auduin V, Emperor Bruno. Rounin recalled—she was eighteen this year?

“I didn’t expect the royal family would send someone to attend your birthday.”

“What, do you look down on your grandfather?”

Rulans chuckled. “I am, after all, one of the highest nobles of the Auduin dynasty. Is it unreasonable for His Majesty to send a princess to offer a few words of blessing?”

Rounin had no doubt of Rulans’s status—only that, in past years, royal members rarely attended his birthday. Hence his surprise.

But what puzzled him more was why Rulans had specifically chosen him for this task.

“Castle reception is usually overseen by Dianei and Breton. Why would a baron from the Forest Town be entrusted to greet a princess? It seems inappropriate.”

“Don’t worry—I’ve already spoken with your father and Dianei. They will support you.”

Rulans smiled mysteriously. “Branqi is eighteen this year. At her age, she should have been married for two years. Alas, both her previous betrothed—Camelo and Oleg—fell ill and died without cure.”

Rounin raised an eyebrow. Good heavens—two successive betrothed dead? In ancient China, such a woman would be branded a widow-maker.

“Who were Camelo and Oleg?”

Rounin was curious about their origins—he had no memory of either name.

But one could assume, given their union with a royal princess, their lineage must have been formidable.

“They were the eldest and second eldest grandsons of Duke Valgiss.”

Of course… formidable indeed.

The Auduin Kingdom possessed only three duchies: the Duchy of Gistana, the Duchy of Ferenburg, and the rare Duchy of Vera, appearing only once every thirty years.

Valgiss was the lord of Gistana, the westernmost duchy.

What Rounin hadn’t anticipated was that the two deceased suitors were brothers—blood kin.

Rulans sighed. “With both betrothals failing due to the groom’s untimely death, Branqi should still have been easily wed to another noble heir. Even His Majesty had prepared to betroth her to Valgiss’s third grandson, Gano. But rumors circulating in court thwarted that arrangement.”

Rounin’s lip twitched.

Good heavens—was the king deliberately clashing with Duke Valgiss? First one grandson, then another, now a third?

If this third marriage succeeded—and Gano also died—wouldn’t Valgiss curse the king to his grave?

“Do you wish to know what these rumors say?” Rulans asked.

Rounin hesitated, then ventured, “They say… Princess Branqi brings death to her husbands?”

“Hah! Not quite those words—but close enough.”

Rulans laughed. “The whispers say: whoever marries Branqi will die.”

Indeed—even in this world, such superstitions persisted.

The sheer absurdity of two successive deaths had made the nobility wary. Valgiss had lost two grandsons—he likely wouldn’t risk a third.

What if the line ended entirely?

To be honest, under monogamous law, the Gistana family having three grandsons was already extraordinary.

But Rounin didn’t believe in such nonsense. He suspected someone was secretly sabotaging the alliance.

Or perhaps… Camelo and Oleg had simply died of natural illness.

Wait.

A chilling realization struck Rounin. His gaze toward Rulans grew uneasy.

“Er… Grandfather… Princess Branqi has come to Wushan to honor your birthday… not to marry me, is she?”

It was possible. Otherwise, why would Rulans tell him all this? Why assign him personally to receive her?

“Hahahaha!”

Rulans burst into laughter. “What, are you afraid?”

Hearing the confirmation, Rounin went utterly still.

Arranged marriages were common among nobility—but he had never imagined it would happen to him. Not like this. Not so suddenly. Not without warning.

“This isn’t funny.”

Rounin’s face twisted in distress. “Branqi has already had two failed betrothals. To assign her to me now… wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”

“Rest easy,” Rulans said. “Neither Camelo nor Oleg ever spent more than a handful of meetings with Branqi—let alone courted her.”

“As for this ‘widow-maker’ nonsense, dismiss it. Both men were already frail before their betrothals. Their short lives had nothing to do with her.”

Clearly, Rulans was serious.

Rounin frowned. Was he being forced into a marriage?

Rulans noticed his expression. “You seem reluctant?”

Rounin did not answer directly. “This is too sudden. I’m unprepared.”

Rulans nodded.

“Yes, it is sudden. I only sent word to Emperor Bruno after your last visit to Wushan. The timing was rushed.”

His tone shifted. “But it is necessary. Necessary for the Wushan family. Necessary for your future.”

Rounin fell into thought.

In barely two months, Rulans had dispatched a message to the royal court—and Bruno had almost instantly dispatched Branqi.

Was the king desperate to marry off his daughter?

Rounin’s first instinct was yes—but upon reflection, that seemed unlikely.

And Rulans had said: this marriage was necessary for him, for the Wushan house.

Then the other side was preparing for a future—where Rulans might no longer be alive.

“Though nobles may change heirs, one alteration is tolerated. A second will be fiercely opposed.”

Rulans said, “I cannot repeat such a maneuver within a few years. The Emperor would refuse. The heir would never gain legitimacy.”

Roning suddenly understood—Lu Lan’s words had already revealed that, after Viggins’ death, the title of Marquis might yet pass to Bretton.

“Orson is a man of great ambition; his son’s ambition is even greater.”

Lu Lan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I do not know whether, after my death, he will turn against you. That is why I arranged for you to marry Princess Branqi—it was a calculated move.”

Roning understood. It was a way to draw the royal family into his orbit. As the king’s son-in-law, his status would naturally rise; even those with ill intent would need legitimate grounds to strike at him—and they would have to consider the royal family’s dignity.

For King Brunno, this was an opportunity to strengthen his control over the Wushan fiefdom.

Otherwise, why would a princess marry a baron who had lost his inheritance? Was Roning so devastatingly handsome that he could overturn the world?

Likely, King Brunno had his own designs.

And for Roning himself—if he set aside personal feelings and viewed everything purely through the lens of interest—marrying Branqi offered undeniable advantages.

Moreover, should he one day seek to conquer this continent, it would grant him a crucial opening.

After all, the kingdoms of Auduin and Tricia still publicly claimed descent from the Orland Empire and asserted their legitimate imperial succession rights.

Then—could his own descendants also inherit legitimate royal claims?

This marriage seemed advantageous to all three parties. Roning saw no valid reason to refuse.

“Very well. I understand.”

Though his heart still resisted, he could not yet find a reasonable excuse to decline—he would take it one step at a time.

“Will this matter be announced at the banquet the day after tomorrow?”

Lu Lan exhaled in relief. He had feared Roning would act as he once had—petulant, defiant. It seemed the boy’s character had changed profoundly.

“No, it will not.”

He smiled. “This visit is merely to allow you two to become acquainted. The formal announcement must come from His Majesty the King.”

Roning, too, felt a quiet release of tension.

(End of Chapter)