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Let me think for a moment.

What can I gain from fighting Gale, my future father-in-law…?

Honor? Money?

No way that’s happening.

Whether I win or lose, it’s a lose-lose situation. Just a meaningless fight. Avoiding it is the best option.

But Gale, filled with rage, didn’t seem like he’d give me any room to escape.

“Count! I can’t help but be disappointed in you. Is my daughter just that insignificant to you?”

“You’re greatly mistaken, Gale.”

“Right… I’d like to believe it’s a mistake too. But Count, I recently met Duke Fred Izakhel and heard a strange story.”

Duke Fred Izakhel. Bella’s father and another future father-in-law of mine. He’s also one of the few people who knows I’m planning to marry both Bella and Helga.

Fred was quick to send me a marriage proposal. I replied that I intended to marry Helga as well, just like Bella. Of course, I asked him not to tell anyone else about it.

If it gets out early, it’ll be a headache. I’m already busy shuttling between two worlds to prepare. Marriage is something for later. At least after some preparations are in place.

But Duke Fred… this thoughtless father-in-law seems to have blabbed to Gale, my other future father-in-law.

“Not only are you marrying my daughter, but you’re also planning to marry the Princess… Did I hear that wrong?”

“…No, you heard right.”

“What’s lacking in my daughter that you’d do this?!”

“It’s not like that.”

Why does it always come to this?

“Helga is an irreplaceable, unique woman to me. The same goes for Bella.”

“So one daughter isn’t enough for you, is that it?!”

No, that’s not it.

I sighed.

I just can’t get through to Gale.

I knew he was a stubborn man, but since it involves his daughter Helga, it’s even harder to reason with him.

“I can’t listen to this anymore. I can’t accept you, Count.”

“Are you even trying to listen to what I’m saying?”

“Ugh! I don’t want to hear it! Stop talking and overwhelm me with your strength. Then I’ll listen to you slowly!”

What the hell, this crazy father-in-law?

Gale’s greatsword sliced through the wind. A sharp sensation cut through the air.

‘Dangerous.’

I quickly stepped back to create distance. Or at least, I tried to.

As if anticipating my move, Gale gripped his sword hilt wide and swung. The extended reach left no room for surprise. The blade was already flying toward me.

“Don’t dodge, block it!”

“That ridiculously huge greatsword?”

“I said overwhelm me with strength!”

“Brute force isn’t my style.”

“Pathetic! If you’re the son-in-law of the Wolfbert family, you should be able to do it!”

If I could, I would’ve done it already. Sadly, I don’t have that kind of skill.

I don’t have the superhuman physical abilities of the Wolfbert family. Nor have I learned the swordsmanship passed down through generations in the Izakhel family.

But I’ve envied and been ‘jealous’ of those things.

“Fine. You started this, Gale.”

“Huh?!”

The next moment, Gale’s eyes widened.

I slapped the incoming blade with my palm.

*Thunk!*

My hand stung. But I immediately clenched my fist and drove it into Gale’s jaw as he lost his balance.

*Crack!*

I had no intention of going easy on him just because he’s my future father-in-law. And Gale, the former head of the rough-and-tumble Wolfbert family, isn’t the type to complain about getting hit by me.

Besides, in a fight where there’s nothing to gain whether I win or lose, it’s better to win.

Gale looked at me with admiration.

“Was that… parrying?”

“You know your stuff.”

“I thought you were just brute strength. Hmm. I guess you’ve gained battlefield experience in the northern regions.”

“……”

That might actually be true.

The battles in the north helped me grow.

When I faced Aaron, the Winter Knight, I felt a wall for the first time. I wasn’t confident I could defeat him even with all my abilities. So I chose to fight alongside Bella. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome that wall.

“Your movements aren’t bad. That deflection had the scent of a true warrior.”

The Wolfbert family can stimulate their muscles with internal magic power to unleash explosive strength. Being able to maintain that power isn’t just about using it—it’s because they’re born with naturally strong bodies.

Sadly, ‘jealousy’ can mimic movements but not physical abilities. That’s why after deflecting Gale’s sword, I didn’t miss the opening and drove my fist into him.

I thought it was a punch strong enough to knock out an ordinary person. It felt like a direct hit to the jaw.

But my opponent was Gale Wolfbert. Even though he’s stepped down as head of the family, he’s still one of the strongest in the Empire.

“Well… you’d have to at least do this to be worthy of being my son-in-law.”

“Are you satisfied?”

“Yes. For now.”

Gale wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and grinned. My counterattack seemed to have impressed him.

Thinking about it, Gale is a warrior to the core, but he’s not as reckless as Leon. Maybe he picked a fight with me from the start to test me.

“That said, I can’t just let you insult my daughter like that.”

Scratch that.

This guy is as bad as Leon, if not worse. The thought of having him as a father-in-law makes my head throb.

“…I’m going to marry your daughter regardless of all this.”

“Count, do you think I’d just sit back and watch?”

“Wouldn’t you? Helga is your daughter, but she’s not your property.”

“True. But Helga is also a child of the Wolfbert family. If you want to be with her, you must follow and respect the traditions and teachings of the Wolfberts.”

“…Do you have any intention of respecting me?”

“Of course I do. But…”

Gale pulled his greatsword from the ground and pointed it at me.

“To earn my respect, you’ll have to be stronger than me.”

“You’re impossible to reason with.”

“Strength will get through to me.”

“……”

What’s with this obsession with strength…?

‘No choice.’

I guess I’ll have to defeat Gale.

I clenched my fist. I’m not particularly skilled with punches, but this time, I need to show overwhelming strength.

But it’s strange.

For some reason, I don’t feel like I’ll lose. This baseless confidence might be due to ‘pride’… but I really don’t think I’ll lose to Gale right now.

*Crackle!*

“Count. Don’t think about holding back. That would be an insult to me and the Wolfberts.”

Who would’ve thought Helga’s father would enjoy this situation so much?

Whether he’s happy that I’m a worthy opponent or that I’m qualified to be his son-in-law, I can’t tell.

Thinking about it, there is something to gain from defeating Gale.

Earning the recognition of my father-in-law, as well as one of the Empire’s most formidable warriors.

That alone makes this fight not entirely meaningless.

But…

Today doesn’t seem to be the day.

“Let’s stop here.”

“…What?”

“I’m not the kind of person to hit someone who might become my father-in-law. I know my limits.”

At that, Gale frowned.

“What was that just now…?”

“…That was self-defense.”

“Stop talking nonsense and come at me. Count. Or I’ll…”

“I knew this would happen.”

“?!”

At the sharp voice, Gale straightened up. He turned his head stiffly.

“Ma…ible?”

“Come here.”

There stood Helga’s mother, the pirate Maible, arms crossed, looking down at Gale.

Wait, Gale is much taller, but for some reason, it felt like Maible was looking down at him. An optical illusion?

“Should I come to you? Or will you come to me?”

“This is between me and the Count. Maible, you…”

“3.”

“I need to verify the qualities of the man who’ll take my daughter…”

“2.”

“I can’t let a woman handle this. I’ll come as a man.”

Gale sheathed his greatsword and approached Maible. And soon, he had to listen to her.

“Then excuse us, Count.”

“Mm.”

“If Gale acts up again… oh, no. If he does anything unnecessary, be sure to tell me.”

“I’ll do that.”

“By the way, I’m really happy my daughter is marrying someone like you.”

Maible smiled brightly. Though her hand was gripping Gale’s ear as if ready to tear it off.

“I feel the same. There’s no one else like Helga.”

“Haha. She’d be thrilled if I told her what you just said.”

“…Never mind. She’d just get cocky.”

“Understood. I’ll keep it a secret. Hehe… Well then, we’ll be off.”

Gale, with his ear in Maible’s grip, being dragged away, looked utterly miserable.

…I hope my future married life won’t be like this.

 

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