A little while later.

“Is everyone here.”

Alon looked at the five people in the reception room, and the one extra person.

Yutia, Rine, Seollang, Ryang-a, Magrina.

And even Historia, sitting there with a somehow sulky expression.

‘Why is Historia here?’

When Alon looked at Evan with a baffled expression—

“...Did something go wrong?”

Evan asked back, looking like he didn’t know why either.

“Historia wasn’t on the list.”

“Huh? The list? ...The partner list?”

“Yeah.”

“...The people you had me gather were people from the partner list?”

Evan lifted his brows like he truly hadn’t known. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

That only made Alon’s question dig deeper.

“You didn’t know?”

“I didn’t know?”

“...Why don’t you know?”

“How would I know?”

Alon was about to speak, recalling what Alexion had said yesterday—

“...I’m pretty sure Alexion said you told—”

“Hmhm, Teacher. That’s not what matters, right?”

—unfortunately, he got cut off in an instant.

“...It doesn’t matter?”

“The result’s already out?”

“I think so too, Brother.”

“Me too, Teacher!”

“Hmhm— same for me, Boss.”

“That’s right, Godfather.”

Starting with Yutia’s words—

the way the others immediately threw in support, as if they were one body—

left Alon speechless for a moment.

‘...I’m pretty sure I heard they didn’t get along that well....’

When he glanced at Evan, Evan looked even more confused than Alon, like Evan couldn’t understand this situation at all.

“...Fine. Let’s move on.”

There was nothing else to do.

How the people in front of him had received letters and even ended up doing interviews—

for now, he could only set that whole process aside.

It wasn’t like his curiosity was gone, or he’d gotten annoyed.

He just got a gut feeling right away that even if he asked, he wouldn’t get any meaningful answer.

‘I should ask Alexion later.’

Alon let out a light sigh and spoke to the gathered group.

“Everyone seems to already know, but the reason I called you here is because of the partner.”

After looking over them as they all nodded at once, Alon asked, just in case.

“Is there anyone who wants to drop out as a partner candidate, even now?”

He’d wondered if someone had only done an interview because they couldn’t refuse an invitation.

But a complete silence, so deep he couldn’t even hear a single breath, answered him instead.

No— rather, it was like a strange resolve was shining in their eyes.

Alon fell silent without realizing it.

“......”

Why were they so obsessed with the partner position?

It was troublesome, but at the same time, it also made him a little happy.

To be this greedy for the partner position.

Among the people here, not many would have done the interview knowing the real ‘meaning’ of becoming a partner—

but he was still happy, so he cleared his throat for no reason.

“First of all, since all of you applied, it’ll be hard for me to personally pick one of you.”

That was the truth.

In one way or another—

whoever didn’t get picked could show disappointment.

And Alon didn’t want to make the people gathered here feel that kind of emotion, at least.

So.

“Therefore, we’ll vote.”

Alon pulled out the secret trick he’d been holding onto.

“Vote?”

“Yeah. Starting now, I’ll give you about an hour here. During that time, the people gathered here will vote among yourselves.”

It was voting.

...Honestly, in a way, it only freed him from the pressure of having to pick someone, and nothing really changed.

But he judged that at least this would be something everyone could accept.

“Voting—”

“Sounds fun.”

“Good!”

Fortunately, the five candidates nodded without much resistance.

“Then, starting now.”

The voting began.

And exactly an hour after that—

---

Voting results

Yutia: 1 vote

Rine: 1 vote

Seollang: 1 vote

Magrina: 1 vote

Ryang-a: 1 vote

Historia: 1 vote

---

“......”

It was supposed to be an anonymous vote, but the results made it obvious who voted for whom.

No, wasn’t Historia not even on the list in the first place?

Alon slightly turned his gaze and looked at Historia.

That characteristic blank expression.

And yet Historia was staring at the ballot with a resolute glare.

“...Since we got a tie. We’ll do it one more time.”

After confirming the tail swaying, Alon suggested it again without specifically pointing out that Historia wasn’t on the candidate list.

Another hour passed.

And.

---

Voting results

Yutia: 1 vote

Rine: 1 vote

Seollang: 1 vote

Magrrina: 1 vote

Ryang-a: 1 vote

Historia: 1 vote

***

...The exact same situation repeated again.

After thinking for a moment, Alon said,

“I’ll give you two hours. This time, how about you share opinions?”

Leaving those words behind—

“I’ll step out and take care of some work.”

He left the room.

####

After Alon left and a little time passed.

Following Alon’s words and calmly watching the situation, Evan—

“...Hoo— at this rate, it feels like it’ll never end.”

could hear Magrina’s voice, who’d been silent until just now.

“Mm— true.”

“I agree.”

“Agreed.”

Everyone else nodded too.

Magrina added,

“Then let’s decide among ourselves who we’ll concentrate the votes on.”

“How exactly do you mean we should concentrate our votes, Magrina?”

“How about a game?”

“...A game?”

“Hooong— a game, huh—”

Starting with Yutia nodding like she was interested—

“Okay. Then tell us what game you want.”

In an instant, the conversation moved forward.

And the game they decided on was rock-paper-scissors.

Yes, rock-paper-scissors.

...But then.

“Magrina, come here for a second.”

“Why?”

“So—”

“Seollang?”

“Why, Yutia?”

“Could you come over for a moment?”

“Hm?”

“......”

Evan witnessed it.

The sight of them forming little clusters here and there and openly starting secret talks.

‘...No, isn’t rock-paper-scissors a game where the winner and loser are clearly decided?’

What rule of rock-paper-scissors would require a situation where they had to gather up and plot like that?

...He only had that thought for a moment.

Without a single person missing, with grim expressions—

“...Ugh—”

Because of the overwhelming mana they were releasing—so great that Evan, who had about the strength of an average knight, couldn’t endure it—

Evan felt an enormous pressure and took a step back.

As a result—

---

Voting results

Yutia: 1 vote

Rine: 1 vote

Seollang: 1 vote

Magrina: 1 vote

Ryang-a: 1 vote

Historia: 1 vote

***

...Once again, it was invalid.

“...Evan.”

“...Yes, Marquis.”

“Didn’t you say the match had a winner?”

When Alon returned, he asked Evan with a dumbfounded expression.

The match really had ended.

With Yutia’s victory.

“......”

Evan slightly averted his gaze and stared straight ahead.

A moment ago, even though it was rock-paper-scissors—

the winner of that game, which had played out with meticulous schemes and strategy, Yutia, was smiling.

...Only with the mouth.

“Hahaha... to think you won’t keep your promise, everyone. You’re being a little too much.”

Yutia spoke with a smile.

But Magrina replied calmly.

“It’s not that we didn’t keep our promise. You cheated.”

“Cheated? What do you mean?”

“From the very start, you moved your divine power. And when we threw our hands, didn’t you examine what we were going to throw down to the muscle level?”

“That goes for you too—”

“And you threw a little late, too—”

“Didn’t you say nothing a moment ago?”

“That’s because we knew you wouldn’t acknowledge it like this.”

...So that was why they’d been spewing out mana and divine power like the house might get smashed apart.

Evan realized that belatedly—and then,

Alon, who’d been quietly looking at the tied ballots again, said,

“At this rate, it doesn’t look like we’ll get a winner, so we’ll change the method.”

He decided calmly.

All eyes focused at once.

And Alon, receiving all that attention—

“Exactly one month from now, I’ll hold a vote among the territory residents.”

declared a territory-wide vote.

####

Of course everyone was shocked at Alon’s statement, but—

“...I’ll follow what you said, Teacher.”

“Me too. That really does seem fair.”

“...If Boss says so—”

“My victory, then!”

“There’s a lot to think about.”

“......”

Starting with Historia leaving while nodding—

as if each of them had something they trusted in, all of them showed subtle confidence and disappeared.

Evan, thinking quietly, spoke.

“...If we do this, the result will definitely come out.”

“Right?”

“Yes, well— the scale got a little bigger. But when you pick a partner, people do it like this sometimes.”

“...Really?”

The truth was, he’d blurted it out because he didn’t want to pick directly and wanted to avoid it.

Even so, Alon had been worried inside that maybe he’d made things too big.

But if there was already ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) precedent—

Alon felt relieved.

Because it meant it wasn’t that strange.

As Alon nodded, Evan, thinking about something, added,

“It’s not like there are zero examples.”

“Good.”

“Well, most of them are royals, though.”

“...What?”

“Royals have done it like this quite a few times, finding brides or grooms.”

“...Royals?”

“Yes. Well— but what about it. Just because royals did it a lot doesn’t mean only royals have to do it.”

“That’s true.”

“If royals see it, they might think you’re copying them, but... that’s all it would be.”

Watching Evan shrug, Alon felt reassured one more time.

A few days later.

Alon—

“Marquis.”

“What is it?”

“A pilgrimage group is coming from Rosario.”

“A pilgrimage group...?”

“Yes. They say they’re coming to match the completion of the church being built this time.”

“Noted.”

“That’s not all.”

“What else?”

“Many fighters from Colony are coming to the Palatio marquis’s estate.”

“...From Colony? All of a sudden?”

“Yes. From what I hear, it’s for some kind of training... and besides that, you know the merchant group we signed a contract with last time? The one run by that elf queen. They’re also coming for the festival in a month. And also—”

He realized it instinctively.

Something was happening.

And then.

“Is that the end?”

“No, no. Actually, this part is the most important.”

“What is it?”

“That— you remember what you said last time, right? About sending invitations to the kings.”

“...Did something go wrong?”

“Mm, rather than that, should I say it went too smoothly.”

“...That means—”

“All the kings accepted your invitation, Marquis. Their representatives will probably arrive soon.”

“I see... No, what did you say?”

“I said all the kings accepted your invitation.”

“...Why?”

“Huh? Well, even if you ask me....”

The moment Evan trailed off awkwardly,

Alon, while hesitating at an incomprehensible situation, realized it instinctively.

“Evan, if they accepted the invitation, when will they all arrive in Divine Land?”

“...About two weeks from now.”

“......”

Something was going wrong.

Badly.