“Your Grace!” 

Before Anelope could say a word, the knights, having noticed her presence, approached her with their usual cheerful smiles. 

Their familiar, unchanged expressions should have been reassuring, but instead they only deepened the guilt visible on her face. 

She hesitated, glancing nervously at each of them. They had no idea of the weight of the decision she was about to make, and it made her feel even more conflicted. 

Finally, she gathered her courage and spoke in a low, uncertain voice. 

“I… I need to ask you all something.” 

The knights exchanged curious glances, sensing her discomfort. One of them, probably the most outspoken of the group, took a step closer. 

“Of course, Your Grace. Whatever it is, feel free to ask.”

Anelope hesitated again, gripping the edge of her sleeve tightly before meeting their eyes. 

“How… how would you feel if…”

She began, her voice faltering slightly.

If I… proposed to all of you?” 

Her words hung in the air and the training ground fell silent. For a moment, the only sound was the distant chirping of birds as the knights stood stunned, trying to process what she had just said. 

“Do you have a moment?” 

“Of course.”

one of the knights replied without hesitation. 

With their agreement, Anelope led them not to the annex as usual, but to the drawing room in the main building. She knew that the conversation they were about to have wouldn’t be light-hearted. 

As they entered the drawing room, the maids brought in trays of tea as if on cue. Anelope took a sip of the warm tea, hoping it would calm her racing heart. 
“Hoo…” 

She exhaled deeply, trying to calm herself, but her tension was evident. Seeing her uncharacteristic discomfort, the knights exchanged subtle glances, their own curiosity and concern growing. No one dared speak at first, the silence growing uncomfortably long. 

Finally, one of the knights, perhaps the most perceptive of all, broke the silence. 

“Is something wrong, Your Grace?” 

Anelope nodded slightly at his question, her expression serious. 

“A new offer of marriage has come.”

“Ah…” 

“But it’s from a powerful nation, one we can’t just turn down without good reason.” 

At the mention of a powerful nation, the knights frowned. There weren’t many countries the Cresso Empire couldn’t diplomatically refuse. 

“The request came from the Kingdom of Saton.”

Hearing the name, the knights immediately understood. They were already vaguely aware of Saton’s power and the importance of their magic stones. 

“To put it bluntly, I have no desire to marry into the Saton royal family. But even if I manage to avoid this, as an unmarried royal, I’ll be faced with similar diplomatic proposals in the future”. 

“…” 

“I don’t want that kind of life… So, if you’re willing, I’d like to marry you instead. I know it’s a selfish request, and I’m sorry…” 

At her words, the knights abruptly rose from their seats. 

Their expressions were a mixture of shock, concern and determination. One of them, unable to remain silent, finally spoke, his voice firm yet gentle. 

“Your Grace, is this really what you want? Not out of obligation or necessity, but what you really want?” 

“Selfish? Not at all, Your Grace. If anything, we feel… burdened. It’s as if you’re forced to marry people like us because of outside pressure, and that weighs heavily on us.”

If they married her, they would gain titles, live in the splendour of the Grand Duchy and never have to worry about money again. For them, it was a bargain with no strings attached. But for Anelope it was different. She was a royal, celebrated as the sun of the Empire. The idea of her marrying a mere commoner knight seemed tragic to them – though, truth be told, Anelope didn’t see it that way at all. 

“Forced? Not at all. I told you, I like you all. I’d much rather marry you than be sold to some old, balding nobleman.”

She had never been someone who cared much about bloodlines or noble heritage. 

She cared about one thing in particular – looks. 

“I like handsome m*n.”

“And you’re all handsome.” 

The knights blinked in surprise, taken aback by her unexpected, open confession. There was a moment of silence in the room, then one of them chuckled awkwardly and scratched his neck. 

“Your Grace… is that really all it takes?” 

“Of course,” she said, her voice firm. “Why wouldn’t it be?” 

The knights exchanged glances, each taking a moment to study the faces of their comrades. As she said, they were all undeniably handsome. 

“I like you all.”

Her confession and proposal were completely sincere. Of course, she didn’t expect all 15 of them to agree to marry her. If any of them didn’t want to, she was prepared to let them go without a burden, just wishing them to live the life they wanted. 

She fidgeted nervously with her hands, looking up to gauge their reactions. If any of them agreed to marry her, she vowed to devote herself to making them happy. They were breathtakingly handsome, and Anelope truly adored their faces. 

She glanced at the knights and saw them staring at her, wide-eyed and speechless, their mouths agape. 

As I thought, this is too sudden and overwhelming for them,’ she thought, letting out a small, defeated sigh. 

“It’s… a lot to take in, isn’t it? I completely understand if you’re shocked.”

She added, her tone soft and uncertain. Then, trying to lighten the mood and ease the tension, she continued quickly, her voice brightening. 

“But if you marry me, I promise to treat you so well! You can spend all the money you want and live a life of luxury! I love luxury too, so let’s live extravagantly together!” 

Her earnest enthusiasm was almost childish, and it brought a mixture of amusement and confusion to the faces of the knights. Finally, one of them managed a small chuckle, breaking the tense silence.

“…….”

“Ah, or maybe we could go on a trip every month……?”

“…….”

“Or you could buy as many luxury uniforms and expensive brooches as you want……! I’ll give it all to you!”

The knights’ reactions varied. Some rubbed their faces with their hands, while others covered their mouths and sighed. Watching their reactions, Anelope blinked her eyes.

“Is it… not good enough?”