True Love's Seventh kiss: Part 2 Dungeon Break

Ch.9 Future of the Game

"On that note," Novak said. "Whitney's father is an old friend of mine as well as Gurrand's, and at her insistence we have begun the process of marriage talks with them. So she will also be staying with us while those finalize."

At that instance Marion realized the real reason for this family dinner, and for why his mother had specifically dressed him up. He had been bamboozled, trapped, and hoodwinked even.

Whitney, who had been openly hostile towards Marion, looked down her nose at him and her lips curled at the edge in the smug grin of a predator who had caught their prey in a corner. Gianna gave him a warm smile and a cute wave of her fingers showing off her weirdly attractive hands and expensively manicured nails that looked like they came straight out of an ASMR video.

Even worse... they were both just so incredibly good looking. He couldn't help imaging getting engaged to them and watching them bloom. Whitney's chest already created a defining shape to her silhouette in her knightly attire. When she blossomed, she'd have a coolness and hostess factor that would shatter reality.

Meanwhile, Gianna was already a bit too stunning and confident as she was. On top of that she was from a successful merchant family. Not only would she rise to supermodel status, he'd be outshined by her contributions to the territory and was in danger of becoming a pampered trophy husband. Or at least this was the turn his imagination took.

But he shook himself from his delusions with one simple fact. He was the main character of a God's game. If he was caught and the other gods won... he could only imagine that his loss meant he wouldn't be left alone or put on a pedestal.

Hell, if this were a halfway normal circumstance and he were just told to legitimately choose his future wife it would be a hard decision.

When he looked at his parents a second time he understood part of the severity on their faces. Regardless of what he wanted, and regardless of the god's game, he was still a noble and there were still rules to that game he hadn't grasped yet. That was probably what his mom meant when she said they would help shoulder some of his responsibilities. Looking at just his noble status it was a long-forgotten fact in his mind that many nobles didn't marry for love; they had arranged marriages for politics or some other gain.

Maybe it was shortsighted of him to think that he would somehow be exempt from marriage talks and a possible arranged marriage? Afterall, he had been too focused on THE GAME and saving his parents, he had forgotten that his parent's job was to set him up for success at the next count.

Something inside of him clicked, he would be the count of Cliffgard, and whether he won or lost at this game there would be consequences. Beyond the scope of just surviving and saving his family was a future where he would be a noble lord. The keeper of the territory, and likely the head of a family.

And that family may very well include one of the ladies in this room. He only had to kiss them and not fall in love, but Corsair was pretty explicit that he should only respond to their advances and only make the calculated attacks he directs.

This game could be a long con where he didn't lose until well into his future and after he had children. There was every realistic possibility that he could have an arranged marriage with someone he just didn't love and still had to fight off advances of these women. Were his parents trying to set him up with an arranged marriage for that purpose? A contract wife to get in the way of the game players? Or where they trying to open his eyes to his responsibilities now that they were healthy enough to act as proper parents? Either way, a heavy air hung over Marion's head as he digested those thoughts and what he should do with this new information.

The rest of dinner was filled with simple pleasantries that didn't end up meaning anything as Irina and Novak talked about the territory and gave a quick introduction to the potential fiancées of Marion. However, one particular detail caught Marion's attention.

"Currently we have about 50 frigates, 36 Galleons, a dozen dreadnaughts and one superdreadnought flagship being refitted. Those are just the ones in active service, with a proper draft for wartime we could field more. And many of our residents live in the skies and those that do already have some combat training due to the dangers of the forest." Novak said.

"But what about the Mages and Wyvern Knights?" asked Whitney who was pressing the question about what Novak thought about how the Cliffgard Sky Navy and the Imperial Sky Navy might match up against each other.

"This may come from a place of Arrogance more than confidence, but we are well equipped to deal with flying enemies. Our Sky mages undergo rigorous training in order to just sortie with just the gargoyles of the Cliffgard forest. And for those that aren't aware, Gargoyles tend to hunt in packs of twenty to fifty. And the men aboard the ships in question during such engagements don't stay idle. For those who can't use magic we have ballista for the monster that are bigger than a gargoyle and spine shot for anything smaller." Novak said. Spine shot was military issue only and was basically a spike shotgun.

"However..." Irina stepped into the conversation. "If there was a proper draft, enough of our citizens wouldn't even need to join a military vessel to join a defensive force. This is the main reason there will never be a successful invasion of the Cliffgard territory, If the residents don't fight and die with their ships, they would have the easiest means to escape with as much property as possible. Any conqueror would find the territory much more costly to restore due to the heavy reliance on airships and the bounty of the forest. Making it a pyrrhic victory at best if they didn't suffer any casualties."

"And what about the other way around what if Cliffgard attacked the imperial city?" Gianna asked.

"There is equally as little merit in that as the reverse. It is only because of our allegiance directly to the Imperial Line that we are even able to field so many warships. The next leader, if not us, would take that away effectively crippling the County. And we don't have the means to rule the empire and maintain that control, plus I don't care for my paperwork now, why would I ask for more. With our forces stretched thin just with the conquest that would leave our land open to any number of retaliations. Thus, even if we are evenly matched there is no true gain for either side in such a conflict." Novak said.

"We are also well aware that the combined might of our two sky navies is enough to threaten even the duchies, so there are always some that wish to sow discontent between the Cliffgard County and the Crown." Novak shook his head. "Especially when any weakness shows itself."

Irina reached out and grabbed his hand. "Which is why it is important to stand as a united front, and openly declare fealty to the crown as often as possible. The party the other day is one such instance. In turn, the emperor also protects us from the grand gestures of the other nobles. In spite of our limited livable territory, we prosper and grow. Although we have stagnated lately, we also have to remind the other lords and ladies that we are a house of Heroes and not to be trifled with."