Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

"Really? Then let's continue practicing for a while." Aaron picked up the wooden sword.

At that moment, Aaron caught a glimpse of Syrio silently sheathing his sword and turning to walk south.

"Oh, Syrio, are you leaving?" Aaron asked without turning his head.

When called back, Cilio said, "Um... I'm leaving now. You guys are doing well. I'm going back for a drink."

"Remember to come over often when you have time; Joan of Arc's swordsmanship exam is coming up soon," Aaron said.

"Oh...oh...okay...I'll come over in a few days..."

Chapter 20 You Must Marry Her

"By the way, there's something I'd like to ask."

"What does the teacher want to ask?"

"Is there a student named Carol at your school?"

Joan of Arc stopped and turned to look at Aaron: "Carol?"

"Hmm, do you know him?"

Joan of Arc shook her head: "I know her. Why did you suddenly bring her up, teacher?"

“Isn’t your school going to hold an event? I’ll be attending. You and Carol are both ambassadors, so I think we’ll meet then.”

"It turns out it's an event; I thought it was the Midsummer Festival."

The White Tower Holy Academy occasionally holds events that invite nobles and related individuals to participate in, and Aaron was one of the participants this time.

It's not a big event; it's mainly an invitation for relevant people to socialize. However, there will be a small welcoming ceremony, where outstanding students from the Holy College will greet the guests.

Don't underestimate this small event; the students who were chosen were not randomly selected, and each of them had powerful backers.

Joan of Arc was chosen as the welcoming student not only because she was an outstanding student of the school, but also because she had the support of religious forces and was a saint who had gained some fame in recent years. Being one of the representatives of the Holy College was the perfect choice.

Carol is the daughter of a duke and is generally believed to have noble backing her.

"I only found out today that you would be attending that event, and the first thing you mentioned was another girl," Joan said, feigning surprise.

"I went to the event to see you, of course. Mentioning Carol was just for work purposes."

"Does the teacher's work have anything to do with her?" Joan asked suspiciously.

"It's true, believe me."

Joan of Arc believed her teacher and said, "Carol, two boys, and I were chosen as the students to greet you." Aaron had taught her about politics and military affairs, and he never shied away from discussing the power structure of the kingdom with Joan of Arc.

There are quite a few people in the Kingdom of Lucerne who hold the title of duke. Some merely inherit the surname; they are of noble status but possess neither wealth nor power. The Leclerc family, however, is definitely not among them. Only a family like this could speak on behalf of their teacher.

"I don't care as long as the teacher doesn't accept her as a student."

Aaron laughed and said, "Impossible, you're my only student."

That's impossible, because the Leclerc family wanted her to be their wife.

The second half of the conversation that was left unfinished at the Duke's mansion two years ago.

*

"How old is Lord Aaron?" Duke Augustine asked with a smile.

“Not even 20 years old,” Aaron said.

The Duke and his wife exchanged a glance, their faces showing surprise and delight.

“Our eldest daughter just turned 18 this year, and our youngest daughter is a little younger than Mr. Aaron, she is 12 years old this year,” the Duchess said.

Aaron hummed in agreement, unaware of the meaning behind the sentence.

“Mr. Aaron should know very well that superhumans live longer and maintain better physical condition than ordinary people, so age is not the key factor,” the Duke said gradually.

"Age isn't the key factor? What do you mean by 'adult'?"

"Mr. Aaron is already the third seat of the Obsidian Knights at such a young age. There must be many young girls in the kingdom who are secretly admiring him, right?" the Duchess asked.

“There are some…” Aaron opened his mouth, unsure how to respond.

"Neither of our two daughters is engaged yet. Our eldest daughter has been blessed and is studying at the kingdom's highest institution of learning. Our youngest daughter is not yet of age to be blessed, but we believe that her lineage and talent are no less than that of our eldest daughter. She is studying at the White Tower Holy Academy."

“Wait…you mean…” Aaron finally realized the Duchess’s intention, but his first thought was, “Isn’t the age difference a bit too much?”

But before he could even finish speaking, he contradicted himself, saying that it was common practice among nobles to get engaged when their children were young, a practice that was not unusual in ancient or modern times, or in any country.

As for age, it's not a problem at all. The age difference between elementary school and university is only six years. Besides, he's seen engagements with much larger age differences before. Moreover, their age difference isn't that big.

"Since we've come this far, let's be frank. Are you interested in getting engaged to our daughter?" Duke Augustine finally uttered the question he had been planning for so long.

For a moment, Aaron felt a sense of unreality. The other person actually wanted to get engaged to him? Was this real or a joke?

But judging from the other person's tone and the expectant look in their eyes, Aaron knew that this was definitely not a rash or impulsive decision.

For nobles, the continuation of their family line is of paramount importance. The other party must have given it careful consideration, perhaps even going through multiple rounds of selection, before turning their attention to them. This is a decision that carries far more weight than any Asian could have imagined.

Despite the serious atmosphere, when Aaron heard the other party say that he wanted to get engaged to his daughter, his first thought was, "He wants to be my dad."

Political marriages were always unavoidable among nobles, but Aaron never imagined that he would become one of the pawns in a political marriage.

He might not see himself clearly, feeling that marriage is too early for him, that he's still a young man, but that's not how others see him.

In the eyes of others, he was young, becoming an Obsidian Knight before the age of twenty, with unlimited potential for the future. Therefore, some people naturally thought that by winning him over, they would have established a good relationship with the Obsidian Knights.

Although Carol's marriage to him may surprise many, it is a well-matched match.

What chilled Aaron to the bone was that, over the past three years, the Knights had even seriously discussed this matter within the Order. Aaron believed that this was revenge against him by the members, but the conclusion of the discussion was that it could be considered.

This is normal. Aaron is a young man in his twenties, which is the age when he should be looking for a marriage partner. Noble marriages usually don't involve love. According to people's expectations of Aaron, even if he doesn't marry Carol, he will definitely marry some noblewoman in the future. So why not choose Carol?

Carol is an excellent choice as a marriage partner. First of all, she is very young, only fifteen years old. Although Aaron, a modern person, thinks that 15 years old is too young, people in this world do not think so. They believe that 14 years old is enough for engagement, and 15 years old is no problem at all.

As for age difference, it has never been a problem for aristocratic marriages. Even marriages with a 20-year age gap are common in aristocratic marriages, and the age difference between them can be ignored.

Of course, there is also the most important point, which is what the Knights tried to persuade "Aaron".

The Leclerc family is a family with a long history. As the family heir, Carol not only has a huge fortune, but also ensures that you will never have to worry about food and drink again.

Moreover, she is said to be very beautiful, with a charming and alluring face. Such a girl, being the daughter of a duke, will surely become a socialite in the future and become Lusset's calling card.

They also told Aaron that even if he didn't marry her, she might marry into a foreign royal family in the future, and if Aaron missed her, it would be like missing out on a fifteen-year-old princess, which would be a huge loss.

Aaron added, "Even if I personally agree, I should still consider the other person's opinion, right?"

"No, we investigated. She really likes reading chivalric romance novels. Do you know those kinds of novels? They're mainly about princesses marrying knights. Little girls love reading them."

"Of course I know that, but don't all girls like the All-Knowing Sword? That Knight King."

“You’re right, but which girl didn’t like the Omniscient Sword when she was little? Didn’t she want to marry the King of Knights? But the Omniscient Sword is too far away after all. Girls may fantasize, but they also know that it’s unrealistic. In the end, they have to return to reality. Girls are actually very realistic creatures. But you are different. You are the Obsidian Knight who can be seen and touched.”

One of the group members actually started discussing it seriously with Aaron:

"What do you think a girl would think if she got her own knight when she was little? She would think of that knight as the best knight in the world. You are like her beloved doll. Every time someone mentions other knights, she will think of you. That's how feelings deepen."

"You talk like you really know what she's thinking." Aaron was stunned. He hadn't expected that there was such a skilled person in his knightly order who understood the mind of a young girl so well.

"Are you doubting the Obsidian Knights' intelligence-gathering capabilities?" This time, it was the member's turn to get angry.

"I think you're more like a Casanova than an intelligence officer."

“As intelligence officers, of course we need to understand psychological analysis. If I can’t even analyze a little girl, I might as well quit.” The intelligence officer was very angry.

Aaron tried to argue that the Leclerc family must have ulterior motives in marrying him, and that we couldn't just give in to their wishes. However, his reasoning was too far-fetched and he was booed by the audience. Aaron had no choice but to back down and pretend to agree.

Aaron attempted a final rebuttal: "How is this any different from the ancient practice of sending princesses to barbarians in exchange for an army? As knights, this is hardly a glorious thing."

“If we were the ‘princess’ they wanted, we would be happy to go and feed the tigers ourselves, but unfortunately we are not,” one member of the group said enviously.

“Besides, one of the virtues of a knight is dedication. Just consider yourself as ‘dedicating’ to the Order. If you really manage to get an army in the future, we can name it after you,” another member said sincerely.

“Or you could name it after you and her child,” another person said, patting Aaron on the shoulder.

Aaron: "..."

Chapter 21 Flowers

He said, "Okay, okay, you're all right, but I'll have to wait until she's a little older before I can marry her." Aaron successfully used this excuse for two years, but it stopped working when the old issue was brought up again.

So he changed his excuse and said, "Okay, okay, if you want me to marry you, you should at least let me meet you."

So, as if they were waiting for him to say that, everyone immediately agreed, saying, "Okay, there's a perfect opportunity right now, you should participate."

So Aaron fell right into the trap he had dug three years ago, and thus Aaron was naturally chosen as the representative of the Obsidian Knights.

*

White Pagoda Holy Church, Reception Room.

This is the first stop for foreign guests arriving at the White Tower Holy Church, where the people of the White Tower Holy Church will greet them. When Aaron arrived, he saw the long banner of the Obsidian Knights hanging outside the reception room, together with the banner of the White Tower Holy Church, signifying the friendship between the two sides.

Although they were called guests, they were actually all old acquaintances; it was a small get-together.

As Aaron walked into the school, looking at the decorations all around, he realized that it was already late June, the annual summer solstice.

The summer solstice is a special moment for many civilizations. For the Lussetians and many New World peoples, the summer solstice represents Midsummer's Day, which means bonfires, laurel wreaths, and Midsummer's Eve parties.

For the young and spirited students of the White Tower Holy College, this was an exciting day. Midsummer Night was also a night for confessions, after all, on this night you had the opportunity to confess to the girl you liked, and passionate hormones would be released to their fullest extent.

However, this has nothing to do with Aaron anymore. Even if he attends a party now, he will definitely go to the residences and palaces of various nobles, and his female companions will be arranged in advance. He attends the party with a clear purpose, and he no longer has the passion and purity of his student days.

Back when he was still studying at the Holy College, he attended a party with two pretty girls, but nothing came of it. Now, the two girls he danced with are probably married with kids old enough to sell bread. It's a sad reminder that youth is fleeting.

Aaron arrived relatively late and was quickly pulled into the crowd. He held a wine glass, mostly smiling as he listened to people talk, occasionally responding with a few words.

Such get-togethers are held once or twice a year. They're not particularly big events; rather than formal gatherings, they're more like get-togethers of old friends, so the atmosphere isn't too serious. After meeting, there's just a brief exchange of pleasantries.

They were all acquaintances, and the vice principal was going to lead other guests on a tour of the school, so he asked them to make themselves at home in the reception room.

After everyone left, Aaron said to the person who had slumped into a chair as soon as the guest left, "You said I could come alone, why did you come too?"

The man put his legs on the stool, hugged them, and shrank back into the chair, saying weakly, "No, I always feel like you're after my position as deputy regimental commander."

Aaron felt helpless upon hearing his words.

Enzo Laland, the vice-commander of the Obsidian Knights, is a powerful figure second only to the king in the order. However, this man has never displayed the demeanor of a great man. For example, he is surprisingly narrow-minded and often suspects that Aaron covets his position.