NOVEL WEB Chapter 29.2
Stage 1-29. Congratulations On Your Engagement
As I desperately searched for her, two people came down from the audience seats and told me where Karen was.
Thanking them, I immediately dashed toward the headmaster’s office.
The headmaster was likely handling the “post-duel cleanup”. Most likely, he was helping convince Karen’s father.
It’s possible that the conversation was already progressing without me.
No one told me that.
Knowing her personality, I thought she’d stay by my side, cheering me on from the scene……
“Huff… huff…!”
I raced up the stairs, reaching the headmaster’s office.
Breathing heavily, I didn’t even bother to catch my breath as I stepped forward to burst in, but the door opened first.
“Oh, Ouga!”
Karen, beaming with a full smile, leaped at me as soon as she saw my face.
I instinctively caught her to keep us from falling, and that’s when I heard a sharp tongue click.
Of course, it wasn’t from Karen.
Tracing the source of the sound, there stood her father, his veins bulging with anger.
Stepping past her dad, out of the room came Milfonty’s mentor-disciple duo.
“My, my, how passionate. Just as I thought, you two are a perfect match. Right, Reina?”
“Yes, just as you said, sensei.”
The headmaster had a friendly, good-natured smile, while Reina wore her usual stiff and formal expression.
They were an odd pair, but that wasn’t the issue right now.
“Headmaster? I’m not following what’s going on here……”
“Fufufu. Your wish has come true.”
“My wish?”
So, does that mean Karen decided to get back with Arnia――
“――Your formal engagement to Miss Revetzenka has been approved.”
“I did it! …Wait, what?”
Huh? That wasn’t the line I was expecting to hear… no, no, maybe I misheard.
I mean, there’s no way that jerk of a father would approve of an engagement between me, a guy with zero magical aptitude, and Karen……
“Yes, here are the documents. Both family representatives have signed.”
“L-Let me see that!!”
I hastily snatched the papers, and sure enough, they outlined several contractual terms regarding my engagement to Karen, with the signatures of both her father and mine at the bottom.
The family crests were stamped next to them.
But that wasn’t even the most surprising part.
Somehow, as a witness, Arnia’s father—meaning the king—had also signed and sealed the document.
“…Wait, what… huh?”
S-so that means… my engagement to Karen is officially recognized by the king……
…Wait, there’s no way to break this off now.
On top of that, from now on, I’ll be expected to act as a fiancé of a duke’s daughter, approved by the king himself.
Why did the king so easily approve of his son’s engagement being called off?
I don’t get it… I have no idea what’s happening……
As I stood there in a daze, struggling to understand, Karen tightened her grip around my waist.
The unexpected softness pressing against me, despite her silhouette, made me glance down at her.
“Um… I know I’m not much, but… I’ll change from now on. I’ll work hard to become a good wife… so, take care of me, Ouga.”
Seeing the cutest smile Karen had ever shown me since we met—no, since we reunited—
“…Aaaargh.”
Overwhelmed by the stress of my dream of a carefree harem life slipping away, I collapsed right then and there.