Happy Daily Life of a Reincarnated Noble Blessed with Vassals - Chapter 27

“Well then, let’s get straight to it. I’d like to hear your thoughts on my wedding with Lady Amy. If it’s too extravagant, it might provoke some resentment, but if it’s too modest, I’ll feel bad for Canilunya…”

As a father, seeing his daughter in her bridal finery must be one of life’s greatest pleasures, and I definitely want to see Amy dressed up. However, if the ceremony is too extravagant, my already low reputation could take a further hit.

Should we go for something modest but not too flashy? A balanced approach, perhaps?

“May I, my lord? As the head maid of House Hesselink, I would very much like to see a wedding as luxurious as possible.”

Oh? It’s unusual for Alice to express an opinion on something other than clothing. I should value a woman’s opinion on this matter.

“Such an occasion for a noble family’s head can be an opportunity to showcase the power of the house.”

Her perspective is quite aligned with the noble class. I was expecting something more along the lines of “a modest ceremony would be unfair to the bride!” or something like that.

Taking this as his cue, Hameslot raised his hand. “As Miss Alice says, as the head of House Hesselink, which belongs to the Ten Noble Houses and controls the Magical Beast’s Garden, your marriage will surely attract attention both domestically and internationally. I believe the crown prince himself attended your predecessor’s wedding, did he not? Sir Jean-Jacques?”

“Yes, that’s right. The crown prince, now His Majesty the King. I remember it well since I was one of the guards at the event.”

Seriously? No, no, no—absolutely impossible. We’re not talking about a workplace superior here. If the king came, we wouldn’t even have a seat for him!

“Is that even acceptable? Wouldn’t the crown prince have to sit in a lower seat? Nobles are the king’s vassals—surely those who care about rank would have made a fuss?”

“Oh, they certainly did. But the crown prince silenced them with a single rebuke. It was quite exhilarating. The ones causing a fuss weren’t even invited—just some petty nobles envious of our family. It was obvious even to me that they had no real loyalty to the crown.”

“I’ll leave the guest list to everyone else, but I’d prefer not to trouble the royal family too much. It’s not customary to invite the royal family to weddings in our house, is it?”

“Your predecessor was close friends with the current king, so it was an extraordinary exception that he attended.”

So, my father was best friends with the king? I’ve never met him, so it doesn’t really feel real, but he must have been an amazing man.

Wait—could it be that I was also close friends with some royal heir during my school days?

[You did meet the crown prince, but you only exchanged a few words. I don’t believe you two were close.]

Well, that’s a relief.

“To be honest, my personal network is quite limited. Aside from inviting Marquis Artemitos, most of the nobles who will attend will be people I’ve never even met.”

“Aren’t you going to invite your school friends? I hear you’re quite close with Lord Mick from the Southfield Viscount family and Lord Brave from the Ronfriend Baron family.”

New characters incoming. Professor Command! Tell me about Mick from the Southfield family and Brave from the Ronfriend family.

[I’ll explain. Both Lord Mick of the Southfield Viscount family and Lord Brave of the Ronfriend Baron family are among the few close friends you’ve had since your student days. House Southfield is renowned for its martial prowess. Despite numerous military achievements, they have continually refused promotion to higher rank, citing respect for the souls of those they’ve slain. This has made them famous as stubborn nobles.]

Wow, that’s pretty impressive. There’s something noble about refusing promotion for such a principled reason.

And don’t call them my “few friends”!

[Lord Mick, known for his natural leadership and martial skill honed since childhood, reigned as a faction leader during your school days. However, after being defeated by a certain madman, he and his faction were absorbed into that person’s command.]

Who’s the madman?!

…Wait, was that me?

[In contrast, House Ronfriend is a lineage of scholars and is distantly related to House Artemitos.]

Ah, Artemitos. The current head of that family may be an oddball, but originally they leaned more toward civil service.

[Exactly. Though small, House Ronfriend has produced countless civil servants for the royal castle, with some even being specifically requested as stewards for high-ranking noble families. They are an indispensable noble family for the kingdom.]

And yet, they’re still only barons.

You’d think they would’ve risen higher, but is it easier for martial families to get ahead?

[Indeed, House Ronfriend remains barons by choice, considering their skills unnecessary for the battlefield. Both Houses Southfield and Ronfriend have inherited the belief that maintaining their lower status is honorable.]

It is quite admirable, isn’t it? They’ve got principles, and there’s something inspiring about that.

So, what’s Brave like?

[Brave, like the others, has a scholarly disposition, fitting the role of a civil servant. During his school years, he was a lone wolf, not one to run with the crowd. However, a certain madman took an interest in him, and before he knew it, Brave became known as the brains of the ‘madman faction.’]

I feel kind of bad about that.

Did I really form a strong bond with Brave, someone who didn’t seem to want to belong to any group? It would be pretty shocking if, behind his polite smiles, he was secretly bad-mouthing me.

[Brave wasn’t deliberately trying to be a lone wolf; he was just shy. After becoming the No. 3 of the ‘madman faction,’ he gradually overcame his shyness, which eventually led him to meet his current fiancée. He seems to be grateful to you, Your Excellency.]

No. 3? Then that means Mick, who was absorbed into the faction, must’ve been No. 2, right?

I guess that makes sense. It wouldn’t sit well with the others if their leader had to submit to someone else.

[Actually, Mick was No. 4. The madman faction, still remembered by students and teachers alike, had you, Rex Hesselink, as the leader and namesake. Brave Ronfriend was No. 3, the faction’s brains, while Mick Southfield was No. 4, commanding the group’s forces. As for No. 2, that title belonged to none other than Rischard from the Chriswood Duke family.]

A duke’s family?!

Wait a minute. A duke is the highest rank among nobles, right? Isn’t it inappropriate for a duke’s son to be second in command to a count’s son?

Wasn’t there a lot of conflict over that?

[Oh, there certainly was. The teachers and students were constantly arguing over whether it was proper for a duke’s heir to serve under a count’s. Although the rankings weren’t officially declared, the fact that the group was referred to as the ‘madman faction’ indicated that Rex was acknowledged as its leader.]

I know the name ‘madman faction’ sounds hostile, but whatever, let’s continue.

[The conflict reached a boiling point, just before it was about to explode, when Rischard issued a statement through his family. He declared that their group wasn’t about hierarchy but friendship and camaraderie. The name ‘madman faction’ was just an outsider’s label, and it didn’t truly exist. If anyone had complaints, the Chriswood Duke family would handle it. Although the last part was a bit of a veiled threat, it calmed the situation down.]

Rischard sounds so cool.

As expected of the son of a duke, the highest-ranking noble. The way he wielded his power without hesitation is impressive.

I’d love to meet him. Do you think he’d come to my wedding if I invited him?

[I believe he would. Out of Mick, Brave, and Rischard, it’s actually Rischard who admires you the most. Regarding the time you took down the Dark Serpent, the organization Mary was a part of, Rischard was the one who actively gathered information to aid in its destruction. He even said he wouldn’t mind being disowned if it meant helping you, personally joining you in raiding their headquarters.]

Ah, so Rischard is that “irreplaceable friend” Command was talking about.

I’m glad to know I didn’t just imagine our friendship. And sorry for assuming he might be a troublemaker. He sounds like a good guy after all.

[Rischard is handsome, well-built, intelligent, has a great voice, and excels in academics. Truly, the heavens have given him five gifts.]

I’m not sure why someone that perfect ever decided to follow me or why he likes me so much, but I’m not jealous.

…Okay, maybe just a little bit.

Alright, let’s go ahead and invite all three of them to the wedding.

“Send letters to Mick Southfield, Brave Ronfriend, and Rischard Chriswood. They were indispensable friends during my school days. Do you foresee any issues with inviting someone from a duke’s family?”

“There may be some chatter from the Chriswood faction’s underlings, but you needn’t worry, my lord. The matter can be smoothed over with Count Canilunya’s help.”

Hameslot is reliable as ever. As expected of a butler who specializes in delicate negotiations.

Between Hameslot’s strategy and Jean-Jacques’ strength, we’ve got the perfect butler duo.

“Make sure to pass along my thanks to my father-in-law for the extra trouble.”

“As you wish.”