Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1439: Chapter 17: Basia’s Emerald Rose

Ellie’s big green eyes blinked gently: “I, um… mother, actually really wants to rebuild the relationship between the Stelter Family and the Royal Family. This time the Royal Mage coming to Basia City… has some connection with my grandmother’s family.

They think that Prince Alexis, being around my age… we might get along.”

Joshua was stunned, and then belatedly realized that their young lady has also reached this age where people start to covet her!

He couldn’t help but look at Alitorman… Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall down to her waist, and her delicate oval face was adorned with a pair of beautiful green eyes like the clearest large sea water in March.

A petite yet upright nose, rosy thin lips that seem to always be smiling, and a long and beautiful swan neck, with a forever straight back, and a slender waist yet imbued with strength.

Plus, there is her status as an official mage.

Alitorman of the Count Stelter’s family, indeed has the qualifications to become a Princess Consort.

However, he belatedly said: “But, the Earl, hopes you could stay in Basia!

If he wants to send you away, does he need to bother for so long?

Besides, that chaotic Royal Capital, does the Earl really want to send his daughter into such turmoil?”

“But, mother…” Ellie also realized that some things might not be as she thought.

But… even though her mother Helena Ruiz has been bedridden for many years due to health reasons, it does not mean she does not love her child.

She was entrusted to the steward and his wife for upbringing simply because Lind was the youngest and her father was always out on expeditions in those earlier years, it was only in recent years that he formally took over the major authority of Basia City.

In the years when her father was not in the castle, Helena had to drag her sickly body into participating in various political struggles in Basia City, there really was no extra energy left for her other children.

Even her eldest brother had to follow their father into battle at a young age… which is why Ditte managed to advance to an official Knight before coming of age.

Other nobles, no matter how envious of the outstanding eldest son of the Stelter Family, dared not use the same way to train their own successors.

If anything were to happen, what should they do?

Luckily Count Stelter, regardless of the King’s favor, almost at all costs returned home from the battlefield five years ago… The current King maintains Count Stelter at the western border even without any formal wars, only occasional conflicts with neighboring countries—just to prevent him from having to share the sovereignty of the border army with other nobles!

Thinking about that shameless King just infuriates Ellie… fails to cultivate good generals himself, and then exhausts the loyal generals of the previous King.

Letting a Navy general guard a desert border city for twelve years! During which, he’s barely managed to return home to visit more than five times!

If not, Helena wouldn’t have taken so long to recuperate, she was also a Magical Swordsman!

Wasn’t it because while expecting Lind, her blood and energy were severely exhausted, and then she happened to run into a pirate siege and was seriously injured?

And in these years again there was no chance to recuperate peacefully, even while bedridden she had to take care of the various affairs of the Stelter Family… No matter how capable the steward is, the master can’t do absolutely nothing!

There’s a difference between trusting wholeheartedly and having clear estimation in one’s heart.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to worry about anything these five years, Helena was able to recover to a state where she could live normally… If not for her original constitution, she now resembles a fragile noble young lady.

However, Helena wasn’t willing to settle for this status quo, continuously working hard on training with her youngest son Lind every day.

Ellie could only see her during breakfast time… Therefore, when her mother stormed in like a tornado one day and told her that she found a match for her, not allowing refusal, the young lady thought it was a joint decision by her parents… that the Stelter Family planned to integrate into the Danboro Kingdom’s upper echelons through marriage alliance.

Although a little unwilling, seeing how arduous it has been for the family to reach this precarious stage, Alitorman resigned herself to fate.

But… now it seems, there’s indeed a rare huge disagreement between her parents?

No wonder her mother had been staying at Lind’s West Castle, refusing to return to the main castle.

Probably didn’t want to quarrel with her father in front of the children.

“Your mother…” The Earl sighed, “Doesn’t want you to become a symbol for protecting the family… even for a mage possessing her own Magic Tower.

For a girl, that indeed is too arduous.

You know just as well as anyone how Helena got through those years.

Count Stelter is bound to the battlefield, we are indeed no longer the King’s close subordinates… but that’s just the current King.

Military nobles like us, not closely tied to the noble clans, are rare enough.

No choice, for small nobles climbing up from the bottom tier, wanting a passable life, ultimately needs money.

The Royal Family, even sustaining the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the Royal Capital is challenging enough, how could there be funds available for local nobles.

Otherwise… the Stelter Family wouldn’t have risked building a city in the Basia Mountains, which… was truly an adventure.

Successfully pulling it off certainly leaves nothing to be said, but who doesn’t know the high odds of failure?

But… enduring until the end amidst constant pirate raids and natural disasters, the Stelter Family was already at the end of their tether.”

Count Stelter shook his head: “However, once the city was built, wolves and tigers followed.

If it weren’t for Helena and me being persistent enough, Basia City would likely only belong to Stelter in name.

Ellie, as my child, your path is indeed much tougher than that of other noble girls.

They will always try to suppress the Stelter Family in every way until we lower our heads and admit defeat.

Your mother… probably doesn’t want your future to be as difficult, no, possibly even tougher.

We all understand that maybe with Ditte and me around it’s alright… but, on the battlefield, who can say for sure they’ll come back alive?”

He paused before continuing, “Lind… if Ditte has no children, he could stay in Basia City.

But, how could that be? He must eventually tread his own path.

So, it’s only you.”

Ellie furrowed her brows tightly: “The Danboro Kingdom has been without a major war for 20 years, why are father and mother so pessimistic?”

The Count smiled: “If our King is still around, I suppose there could be twenty more years of peace.

At that time, the chaos in the Royal Capital naturally doesn’t interest the Stelter Family, but… once there’s a weakness, do you think Scaret, who waged a hundred years of war against us, and the ever-strengthening Desert Kingdom Stodom would remain silent?

The foundation of Stelter Family is always the tenacious and brave Guardians.

Dying on the battlefield to protect the country is our honor.”

He quietly gazed at his beloved eldest daughter: “To hang a portrait in the castle’s gallery, that is our eternal glory.

No member of the Stelter Family has ever had their portrait placed in the basement!”

Ellie gave a bitter smile.

“So, Ellie, you should think carefully!” Count Stelter gently closed his eyes, “My thoughts always begin with a soldier’s perspective, the methods I think of may be overly rational, which might not be fair to you.

Your mother… although a bit impulsive, did it indeed for your sake.

The maternal side of Prince Alexis’s family is the weakest, he has almost no chance of ascending the throne… and he’s smart enough never to show his presence before the King.

But he’s not weak enough to be easily crushed, after all, his own abilities are excellent, and his maternal family is weak, but not nonexistent.

Indeed, marrying him would be the most stable future for you.

Besides, a King’s child never lacks in appearance.

Luckily, none of his children look like him.”

Ignoring her father’s attempt to lighten the mood, Ellie stood up directly, and with an exceptionally determined tone said, “My future doesn’t need to be anchored on a man!

I won’t say something stupid like I won’t marry, but if I have a choice, I would of course marry a man I love!

The Prince counts…”

“Hmm? My Miss Ellie, our Green Rose of Basia, finally wants to get married?” Butler Ted smiled at the doorway, interrupting Ellie before her harsh words could leave her mouth, and then gently knocked on the open study door: “I’m back, my lord Count, mission accomplished, Mr. Belfran has happily accepted the invitation.

Moreover, he’s willing to accept our family guards temporarily watch over… He seems to have no intention of meeting people from other families, isn’t that good news?”

After saying this, Ted glanced at Joshua: “Joshua, where is your brain?

Although before I left, I activated the isolation array here.

But… talking with the door open, are you afraid those people can’t hear us?”

He quickly finished speaking, closed the door, and then came in.

“Sorry, Uncle Ted.” Ellie embarrassingly patted her flushed cheek, “It was me who didn’t close the door when I came in.”

Joshua laughed: “It’s okay, for Miss Ellie, I’m willing to endure this trifling complaint.”

The mature men exchanged glances, all knowing why Ted would abruptly speak without greeting… This butler, managing the various affairs of the Stelter Family for decades, only a handful of times violated his rigid etiquette were for Alitorman, whom he personally raised.

And Joshua, cooperating positively, like Ted, didn’t want Ellie to make a decision so easily out of impulse.

Girls always think love is everything… but men are a bit more rational.

What if that Prince is actually presentable?

After all, in Basia City, they can’t find any boy worthy of their young lady.

Of course they understood the Count’s intentions, but… watching Ellie grow up, once knowing there’s a smoother path, they couldn’t bear to see Ellie not even glance before abandoning it.

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