Upon waking from sleep, I thought that spoiled noble girl's voice would be gone. I tried opening the door, hoping to breathe in the fresh morning air. However, my hope was instantly shattered.

  She was still there. Sitting prettily in front of my lodging as if it were her own porch.

  Where in the world were her parents? Why was their daughter allowed to roam around like this?

  "Hi, Coward!" she called out upon seeing my face. "Just say you're afraid your Beastman slaves will submit to my slaves!"

  Hah... How stupid was this child actually? Why was she revealing her own plan? And why would my slaves have to submit to her slaves? What kind of logic was that?

  "I'm not afraid. In fact, your slaves will be utterly defeated by mine," I replied confidently.

  I didn't yet know how strong my other Beastman slaves were, but when it came to tiger or wolf-type beastmen, their level was clearly different from ordinary guard slaves.

  "Pfft, nonsense! Your slaves will lose!" she retorted in that annoying spoiled tone while sticking out her tongue. "Just say you're scared!"

  This... child... was really pushing it. My competitive spirit peaked. Forget maturity.

  "Fine! I'll accept your challenge, Brat! Where and when?" I asked, discarding all politeness. This child didn't deserve it.

  "Let's go to that meadow, right now!" she exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the wide meadow on the village outskirts.

  In that makeshift arena, I chose to field the Wolf Beastman slave. The reason was simple: I was still very uncomfortable with the tiger slave's left eye constantly staring at me strangely.

  The fight began. And as I'd imagined, the princess's Horse Beastman slave was defeated rather miserably. My wolf slave didn't even look sweaty.

  "You! You! I'll report you to my father!" she screamed hysterically, her face flushed red with shame and anger, her eyes looking murderous.

  She ran off stomping her feet. Of course, I didn't miss that opportunity. I taunted her with offensive hand gestures until her back disappeared.

  Finally, that annoying brat left.

  "Finally, peace. I can draw maps," I murmured in relief.

  I returned to my room, preparing pen and parchment. However, no sooner had my bottom touched the chair than my door was knocked—or rather, pounded.

  That child had actually returned with her father like lightning.

  When I opened the door, Earl Nargar was already standing there with his daughter. The Earl's figure was tall, sturdy, with an aura far calmer yet intimidating.

  "Hello, Kid," he greeted with a heavy baritone voice.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  "Yes, Lord Earl," I replied, immediately switching to noble politeness mode.

  "I apologize if my child's behavior has troubled you."

  "Ah, no. It's nothing, Lord Earl. I understand her youthful spirit."

  "Good then. But I'm not here just to apologize," the Earl's gaze sharpened, looking past my shoulder. "If permitted, I'd also like to see your slaves directly."

  My heart pounded. "Um... Please, Earl."

  I led him to the backyard where my slaves were resting. Earl Nargar walked examining them one by one. He paused long before the Half-Elves and the two young Warlords. His eyes narrowed, as if appraising sword quality.

  "Interesting..." the Earl murmured softly, almost inaudibly.

  Without further conversation, he immediately turned around.

  "Thank you. Tomorrow, I'll depart for Aegis City. If you wish, you can ride in my carriage for a safer journey," he offered.

  After that, he truly left. But the problem was... his daughter didn't go home. She still stood there, staring at me with a strange smile.

  "Hey, who do you think is stronger, my father or Tristan?" she suddenly asked, as if we were casually chatting at a coffee shop.

  "Isn't it obvious? Tristan is stronger than your father. He's a Grandmaster," I answered honestly.

  "Did you know, Tristan actually comes from a branch of our family, even though he grew up in another city. But my father is great too! He can conquer dragons! In fact, his nickname is the Dragon Conqueror."

  "But Tristan's nickname is even more impressive. He's the People's Hero," I cut in, deliberately deflating her pride.

  "Ughhh...!" Her face became very annoyed, but her eyes emitted an aura that seemed to say "I could hurt you," though honestly, her expression was a little funny.

  Despite her annoyance, her mouth didn't stop chattering. And her next chatter made my blood run cold.

  "Do you know? In Aegis, there's an ancient tradition," she said with a know-it-all tone. "If you have an official duel with a member of the opposite sex, it's considered a proposal. Whether you initiate the duel or the opposite sex does. And slave representatives count as their master's representatives."

  I fell silent. "You mean?"

  "It means... you can refuse to duel. But you cannot refuse the outcome of that duel." She pointed at my chest, then at herself. "That means, because you accepted my challenge and won... according to Aegis custom, we are now engaged."

  "AHHHHHHHHHH?!" I screamed in frustration.

  Why didn't that Earl earlier refuse or get angry?! That made my position even stranger. Could it be that he agreed?!

  "And why are you still here?!" I asked desperately. "Go home!"

  "No way. I have to protect my fiancé." She said while preening, her eyes radiating confidence.

  This situation was getting more difficult. Help... Anyone, please help me...

  "Master, are you ready to eat?" asked Isvana, arriving at the most inopportune time. She carried a tray of fruit.

  That noble girl looked Isvana up and down. "Who is she?"

  "She's... Umm..." I was confused how to answer. "Your fiancée?" the child answered first, puffing out her chest.

  Isvana tilted her head innocently. "Fiancée? Do I have to become a wife, Master?"

  THWACK!

  I slapped my forehead hard. Ahhh... Why was no one sane here? Isvana stared at me with a confused face as if asking: What's going on here?

  "Anyway, I don't want to marry a child!" I asserted.

  "Wait five more years! I'll definitely have reached the kingdom's legal age!" she retorted, unwilling to back down, her eyes somehow feeling strange for a child her age, and her confidence was very odd for a spoiled earl's daughter.

  "But I don't have that much time to wait for you in this city."

  "Whatever! Anyway, if you're not in this city, I'll come find you!" she said, pointing at my nose in a bossy manner. "And remember, don't ever forget me. You can go anywhere, but your woman remains here, in Aegis city."

  She kept rambling about our absurd future plans. Exhausted, Isvana and I just agreed to make her stop talking quickly.

  Until finally, she truly tired herself out from talking and fell asleep on the wooden chair in front of the cottage.

  After she was fast asleep, her guards, who had been waiting outside all this time, finally entered. With apologetic faces, they carried the little princess home to her residence.

  Finally. Silence.

  I could draw maps in peace. Isvana, who had been confused by the whole "second wife" drama, chose to stop thinking about it and went to help the villagers tend vegetables.

  THE NEXT MORNING

  We were inside Earl Nargar's luxurious carriage, heading toward Aegis City. I sat facing the Earl and his daughter.

  Actually, that child really wanted to sit beside me, but the Earl strictly forbade it.

  "Seems your relationship has grown quite well, hasn't it," the Earl said, breaking the silence, his tone flat but meaningful.

  "Umm... How to explain it..." I scratched my non-itchy cheek.

  "Are you thinking about our tradition?"

  "Actually, yes, Earl. It's... somewhat surprising."

  "Hahaha... Just accept it."

  "Why, Earl?" I asked, my tone turning serious. "You need to know who I am. Me and my group..."

  "Yes, I know," Earl Nargar interrupted calmly, his eyes staring sharply into mine.

  "You're the Lesser Vow Knight experiment, aren't you? I know from the slaves you brought."

  My heart stopped for a moment. He knew.

  "You also know that my life is like walking on a thin thread over a chasm, right?" I asked quietly, making sure he understood the risk. "Why would you still allow this engagement tradition to happen to your daughter?"

  Earl Nargar smiled thinly. A smile hard to read—whether friendly or cunning.

  "Because tradition is tradition, Kid. In Aegis, tradition is stronger than Palace politics."

  We spent the rest of that long journey in awkward, suffocating tension.