Chapter 46………………………………………..
Proud of her own growth, Lin suddenly grabbed her benefactor’s hand.
“So, I’m going to believe everything you say!”
Kaidan didn’t know what to do with this trust freely given without any conditions.
Even combining it with his previous experiences, he had never encountered anything like this.
Somehow, his eyes felt warm.
“And I’ll help with anything I can! Just tell me!”
“…You shouldn’t promise so carelessly.”
Kaidan, having finally managed to control his turbulent emotions, could only offer such a blunt warning.
Pressing his brow as if to suppress the surging feelings inside, Kaidan quickly continued.
“From the start, I came here to make a mutual proposal. You want your grandfather to return quickly, right? So I’ll help bring him back, but in return, I need your cooperation to let me stay here a bit longer.”
“Grandpa can come back soon?”
“Yes. Though not immediately. But I know a way. If you agree to help me, I’ll share that information… Anyway, you need to hear all the explanation before deciding.”
Kaidan stole a glance at Lin, who was squealing in delight, and sighed once again.
‘Still just a kid… and the heir is so innocent. …Someone needs to be nearby to filter out troublemakers.’
Of course, the regent of the family should do that, but he would be busy most of the time. Someone close to Lin regularly would need to act as a safeguard.
…And unconsciously, Kaidan found himself thinking of himself as Lin’s protector.
As he recalled the faces of the people around Lin, he continued.
“It’s great if your grandfather can come back sooner!”
“It won’t be immediately, as you think.”
“Still! Even a little faster is good! But… what do you mean by wanting to stay longer here?”
“Literally… I want to stay in Pegasus Castle a bit more. I don’t want to go back to the Tigris territory for personal reasons.”
Most of the banquet guests had already left Pegasus Castle.
Kaidan had originally come to Pegasus Castle to attend the ability manifestation party, so after the banquet, it made sense to return to his own territory.
‘Ah. The hero had a mean uncle in childhood.’
Recalling the hero’s brief past from the original story, Lin’s expression drooped.
‘Mean uncle! Poor benefactor.’
Lin clasped Kaidan’s hand with both of hers, sending comforting energy silently.
“You can stay here as long as you like! Forever, as long as you want!”
“Thanks, but I need your cooperation on that part.”
“What? I’ll help with anything.”
“Well…! You shouldn’t agree before hearing the whole thing.”
Kaidan pressed his forehead again and slowly explained his original proposal.
“Due to various circumstances, it’s postponed, but I am the confirmed head of the Tigris family. I can’t stay in another family’s castle indefinitely without reason. In just a few days, the regents of my family will send someone to bring me back.”
Those outside, unaware of Tigris internal affairs, might have thought of him as merely an heir, but the reality was more complicated.
Kaidan’s parents, the previous head of the family, had passed away.
As their direct descendant, it would be natural for Kaidan to inherit the headship, but his young age and the scandal his parents had suffered were problems.
Due to entanglements between internal Tigris affairs and the external authority of the law king who judged the scandal, Kaidan’s succession was postponed until he reached adulthood.
The vacant headship was held by his uncle as regent. He called himself the regent.
“Unlike my uncle, your regent is eager to keep me alive. He wouldn’t want me somewhere out of his reach.”
“He’d try to kill you?”
“If I weren’t here, he could take the headship immediately.”
“Mean guy!”
Lin, upset on his behalf, shouted as if it were her own matter. Kaidan looked at her with a strange expression.
“Family who bully you are worse!”
“Well, being of the same blood, they can replace me. Anyway, here’s what I want from you.”
Kaidan swallowed nervously before making his request, speaking as if family hostility was trivial.
“Make me your fiancé.”
“Huh?”
Lin’s eyes went wide at the unexpected proposal.
Embarrassed, Kaidan quickly clarified.
“I’m not really asking for marriage. I just need a reason to stay here instead of leaving for my family.”
“Ah.”
“It’s not a bad proposal for you either. There are people eyeing your side for impure purposes, right? If I’m your fiancé, those insignificant guys will naturally be blocked.”
He referred to scoundrels planning to marry into Lin’s family to eventually seize it, dismissing her as a fragile mutant.
Thanks to Theodor’s intervention, Lin hadn’t noticed them.
Kaidan continued to highlight the benefits of his proposal.
“You know, if I safely reach adulthood, I can become head of the Tigris family, so I have no reason to covet Pegasus Castle. I won’t force myself into your side.”
“Oh. So how long do I have to be your fiancée?”
“No need to decide yet…”
Kaidan paused at Lin’s question. He suddenly recalled something, his face darkening before regaining a calm tone.
“What I need is time until I reach adulthood. After that, if you want, we can break the engagement anytime. I don’t mind if it’s my fault.”
“Until adulthood…?”
“Seven years. When you inherit a family headship early, like I have, fifteen is considered adulthood.”
Seven years.
A very long time—longer than Lin had lived so far.
Yet she nodded without hesitation.
“Okay!”
She had never thought of being a fiancée, but if it was for her benefactor!
“Good. Then let’s prepare for Uncle Theodor’s approval too.”
“Regent Theodor? I was planning to persuade him as I proposed to you earlier.”
Kaidan recalled his memory of Theodor. He was a reasonable person.
‘He would understand the necessity of this engagement…’
Recalling a past event, Kaidan lightly spoke.
“If I explain to him why this engagement is necessary for us to cooperate, he’ll understand quickly.”
“Mm.”
Lin’s expression shifted subtly. Shaking her head, she pointed at herself with her thumb and said:
“I know my uncle. I’ll prepare it myself.”
“You… plan to write a proposal?”
“That’s fine too.”
Was it really necessary? Kaidan raised an eyebrow at her, clearly confused, but Lin said cheerfully:
“If it comes to it, just act like you’re too handsome and insist on being my fiancé.”
“What? If I tell such a playful lie, won’t she get mad?”
“But it’s convincing.”
Lin confidently gave a thumbs-up.
“Kaidan is totally my type!”
“What…!”
Lin stated the obvious as if her uncle already knew, and Kaidan’s face turned bright red.
And, of course, Theodor opposed it.
“An engagement is far too early.”
Much firmer than expected.
“Did your little genius come up with all this?”
Theodor’s cold gaze fixed on Kaidan.
Though the eight-year-old had cleverly considered his desperate position as an orphaned heir at risk of losing his family, Theodor’s concern shifted sharply at the idea of involving Lin.
