I was excommunicated from the Holy Knights

74 – The Princess of Blue Steel 3

A transaction ultimately begins with reaching a mutual agreement.

When the interests of what the other person wants and what I want fit, the transaction can only be established.

Of course, another ulterior motive or inside story contained in it may differ from reality.

However, at least on the surface, there must be mutually acceptable conditions for the transaction to be executed.

In the end, the most fundamental thing in a transaction is figuring out what the other party wants, and it can be concluded depending on how much you can match it with what you want.

And from that point of view…

I had a choice of how I would behave.

*

Countess Andreas and Dust, choosing Santana’s wife.

The two of them looked at the three people who had been culled, and looked full of anticipation.

“Of course, we’ll have to meet a little more to find out, but for now, I think it’s best to choose from among these three.”

“That’s right, among the noble ladies from around Bohemia, we can definitely call them the best.”

At his mother’s words, Dust nodded with a smile on his lips.

The three people selected through direct and indirect encounters and letters.

Looking at their portraits in front of them, they felt fully satisfied.

Selion Atlas, the daughter of Count Atlas, one of the 13 nobles.

Angelica Aren Wilhelm, second daughter of the Wilhelm family, lord of the Northern Duchy of Prussia

And one last person…

She is the person they just met with, and she is the sister of the lord of Rhapsody, located in the east.

Estelle Bertina Fernandez

All three of them had outstanding beauty and culture, and as their families were noble and impeccable, the Countess and Durst thought that one of these three would be suitable as a bride for Santana.

“Honestly, I couldn’t choose more than this. Everyone is so nice, but I can’t decide who to choose.”

The countess with a happy yet troubled smile on her lips

Of course, with the exception of Selion Atlas, who had a close relationship with the family, the other two were considered to be among the most popular brides within the Empire.

Beings that only those who have the qualifications to choose the best things can choose.

The fact that she was preparing to adopt them as companions for her beloved son could not help but make her feel deep joy in many ways as well as prudence in her choice.

And, seeing her mother like that, Dust smiled at the corner of her mouth and spoke in a voice filled with joy unlike her usual.

“If I had to choose one of the three, I think it would be difficult to judge hastily. But personally, if I had to choose one person, I like Estelle the most. An older brother who has achieved great achievements such as winning the war would suit someone who has achieved the same outstanding achievements.”

The story of Estelle overpowering the nobles in the territory and seizing power, and the story of Rhapsody, which was actively growing its power under her actual rule, became quite a topic even within the empire.

Pointing out that fact, Dust subtly pushed Estelle, the person she was hoping for, and the countess nodded her head to this while maintaining a slightly cautious attitude.

“Certainly he is like that too… but it doesn’t seem like it’s an area for us to arbitrarily decide from here on out. No matter what, you should give your older brother a choice.”

Even though it was an arranged marriage, it was necessary to reflect the opinion of the groom, Santana, to some extent, so in the second interview that followed, Santana was also supposed to be present.

However, even putting this fact aside, honestly, it was difficult for the countess to easily distinguish between these three people.

Each of them has their strengths and weaknesses, and those who can guarantee certain gains in the political field.

Since she thinks it doesn’t matter if it’s one of the three, she decided it would be a good idea to give her son a choice from now on as well.

that time

Although the choice was already decided in Santana’s mind.

*

Estelle Bertina Fernandez is looking around Bohemia’s lord’s castle for a while after completing the interview in response to the invitation of the Andreas family.

Looking at the lord’s residence and territory, which had a size and power greater than that of her own territory, Rhapsody, she was able to guess the extent of Bohemia’s power.

‘As expected.. The power of the 13 nobles is strong, but nevertheless, the power of the lord of Bohemia is not normal.’

13 Due to the sub-family of nobility,

She knew very well that Bohemia was a risk to the power sector.

However, even considering that fact, the power and competence possessed by the lord of Bohemia was clearly stronger than that of the neighboring province of Rhapsody.

Basically, the size of the territory was different, and in addition, the fertile land beyond the Rhapsody area, and the regional advantage of being a hub for continental commerce were enough to raise the average level of this place to one level higher than other areas.

In other words, even if the power is dispersed, it means that the average number is high and it is not so obvious.

And with that in mind, Estelle began to ponder for a moment what benefits she could gain if she were to marry here.

‘Anyway, it’s a neighboring area, so there must be a lot of advantages in many ways. Since our predecessors have been in competition with us, we can use this opportunity to dispel those conflicts… and if we do well, we might be able to bring some of the commercial districts dominated by Bohemia to our side.’

Of course, aside from that advantage, Estelle hadn’t made up her mind about marriage yet.

The advantage in the political part is obviously great, but more than that, she had to be wary of stepping into a muddy fight with the 13 nobles, and crucially, she wasn’t in a situation where she had decided on marriage yet.

The biggest reason she came here is to look at the situation in Bohemia, a powerful region located in the neighborhood, where she has no choice but to become a collaborator or competitor.

As there are few people who come here to touch me as a candidate for marriage,

She was able to roam in and out of the castle relatively freely, and thanks to that, she was able to obtain the level of information she wanted to some extent.

‘The overall situation is pretty good right after the war ended in victory. As it is definitely an area with money, it seems that the damage recovery is proceeding quickly…’

Feeling astonished and wary of Bohemia’s potential, Estelle returned to the lord’s castle for a rest after finishing today’s information collection.

Right after that, Estelle walks towards the lodging where she was assigned to stay.

at that time..

In front of her, she saw a woman she had never seen before, blocking the road.

A woman with red hair who is dressed as a maid and has a beauty that is surprising even to her own eyes.

The maid then politely bowed her head towards Estelle and spoke to her in a calm voice.

“Excuse me. Are you Miss Estelle Bertina Fernandez?”

“Yes, I am Estelle, but do you have any business with me?”

Estelle asks questions with little questions and curiosity

Facing her like that, the maid looked at her without losing her politeness and said with a light smile on her lips.

“My master is asking to see Miss Estelle for a while. If you don’t mind, could you please give me a minute?”

“When you say master, can you tell me exactly who you are referring to?”

Estelle asked cautiously, feeling a little strange.

Regarding this, she moved slightly closer to Estelle and spoke in a voice so low that only she could hear.

“My master, Santana Andreas, wants to see you. Will you accept this invitation?”

“!…”

Estelle looks a bit surprised when the maid says that the other person is the main character of this engagement.

Of course, she was a person with a high probability of meeting at the second interview soon, but apart from that, she started to feel a little interest in the fact that she quietly asked for a private meeting like this.

‘Because it’s a request for a personal meeting before the official meeting… It seems like things are going a little fun.’

Since she came here to gather information anyway, Estelle had no reason to reject the request.

So, with a smile on her lips, she spoke to the maid in front of her in a calm voice.

“All right. I will accept that request.”