It was Roni who was preoccupied and angry. Her long ears swayed slowly to the side. This is a sign of anger. Incidentally, every movement of her mind is reflected in her ears. When her ears twirl, it means she is thinking about something, and when she is hungry, her ears become squishy. There are many other things, but I won't go into them here. Anyway, now she is angry.
"Roni ......"
It is Zhuang who is sounding exasperated. He is glaring at Roni with his arms crossed.
"I'm not asking you to marry me right now. I'm just saying that there's someone who wants to meet you, and I think you should meet him.
"I don't want to. I just don't want to.
"He is a researcher from the kingdom of Labadee. He's a very good man, you know? And he's the second son. He doesn't have to go home. He doesn't have to take over the family. He's even willing to bury his bones in Agartha if this goes forward. How rare. A man like this."
"It doesn't matter if he is the first son or the eighth son. I repeat, I have no intention of marrying you!
"You know, you should put yourself in my shoes and say no."
No wonder Chi-wan was saddened. A brilliant researcher, Roni had received several offers of marriage. Not only fellow researchers, but also aristocrats, royalty, and even King Sandanji had formally approached him to take her as his wife. However, she had turned down all offers without ever meeting them.
"Anyway, I don't want to."
"I don't know how you feel, Roni, but you should at least meet her once before you decide. Or do you have someone in mind?"
"No. ....... It's ...... no, no, no, no."
"...... Roni, just not Mr. Linos, okay?"
No way.
Not Mr. Linos?
"Of course not. I know what I'm talking about. I would rather not make waves in your family. If that family is destroyed, I will starve to death.
"You ....... Are you sure you're not mistaking the Rinos' mansion for a restaurant or something?"
"Of course I don't think that......hahaha!"
"...... anyway, see him once."
"It's a pain in the ass. ......"
"I told you long ago not to speak your mind! Roni, this is a chieftain's order. This is a friend of mine who owes me a favor. I want you to meet with him once in a week to save face.
"You have summoned someone and now you want to make another appointment. I've had enough of this. ......"
Why should I let someone else dictate my marriage? Roni walks down the long corridor of the institute, preening and angry. He opens the door to a room where May and Glarina are compiling the data of their experiments.
"Sorry, I'm late."
She bows with a jerk. May smiles back and greets Roni. Glarina is still looking at Roni with her usual smile. May, sensing Roni's presence, calls out to her.
"Mr. Zhuang, are you all right?"
"It was a marriage proposal, after all. When I turned him down, he got angry.
"Oh, my God, that's terrible."
It is Gralina who is calling out to him in a hawkish manner. She stands up comfortably and offers a chair to Roni.
"After all, I'm going to meet them."
"I'm glad to hear it."
Gralina's nonchalant tone annoyed Loni. She opened her mouth, trying as much as possible not to let him know it.
What do you want? They are trying to get close to Mei and Linos through me anyway. I don't want to marry someone with such ambitions.
"Of course it is. If you really love me, why don't you tell me directly? I don't like ...... asking through Mr. Zhuang."
"But why don't you meet him once? You might be a surprisingly good fit for Mr. Roni, don't you think?"
"Mr. Mei, he's my second son. The second son cannot take over the family, so he has to set up the family by himself. I know his intentions. He is going to marry me, enter the Agartha Institute, and set up a house here."
"Is that so? I don't think so. ......"
May nods her head.
"He seems, somehow, to be a very nice man, doesn't he?"
It is Gralina who is saying that. Before she knows it, she is standing there with the tea and sweets she has prepared on a tray and leisurely places them on the table.
"Since you are here, why don't you come and meet her? If you don't like it, just say no."
May nodded at Glarina's words.
"Yes, Mr. Roni. I don't think Mr. Zhuang will try to force you to marry Loni who doesn't want to. If that happens, I and Mr. Rinos will be there to help you, don't worry.
"Hi ......."
Roni nodded reluctantly. After confirming the results of the experiment for a while, Roni and Mei moved to the Imperial Palace to examine the pregnant Rico.
"...... I think Mei is right, too."
After the examination, Rico opens his mouth to Roni while changing his clothes.
"I guess you're right. ......"
"You can't always tell what a person is like until you meet him or her. Even if it was an unwanted meeting, since you have asked to see Loni like this, there might be a chance for a connection, you know?
"Yes. ......"
"Well, it's Roni's decision. If you really don't like it, you can refuse. I will support Roni either way. Don't worry. Don't worry. Now let's end this conversation and have dinner. Linos said he's making dumplings today. Would you like to join us?
"I'll take your word for it."
When I went down to the dining room, Linos was cooking fried rice in a large pot. He puts the fried rice on a platter and sets it on the dining room table. A delicious smell wafts through the air.
"Oh Ronnie, how was Rico? You're okay. That's good to hear. We're going to eat, aren't we? I made more today because I knew you would say that. Fried rice, dumplings, fried chicken, salad, and tofu. We're going to have a buffet style today, so eat as much as you like and go home.
Even as Linos is speaking, platters of dumplings, fried chicken, and fried rice are being brought out. Ferris and Peris are carrying the platters, and both of them are lifting the platters with one hand, which are too much for a woman to carry by herself. Watching them, Loni's stomach naturally rumbles.
And with the words, "Itadakimasu", Roni eats up all the food. Delicious. Everything is delicious. This is why it is so hard to stop visiting the Linos. The wine, a gift from the country of Sandanzi, was also served that day, and Roni drank it as recommended.
So, Roni, I hear you're going on a blind date?
While we were eating dessert of steamed buns, Llinos asked me a question out of the blue. How many times has he asked me this? Frankly speaking, I was tired of answering. She answered with the minimum necessary answer, aided by her drunkenness.
I will meet him. And then I will make a decision.
"What? Is that so?"
"Yes, I think I will make a decision soon."
"Well, that's good to hear. But you're dealing with a human, right? If a Posehai and a human marry, what happens to your ability to transition?"
"No problem. Basically, if a Poseidonian gives birth to a child, that child will be born a Poseidonian, no matter who the partner is. In the case of males, there is a 50-50 chance that the child will be born a Posehay.
"Wow. What a mysterious species. So, even if a Roni marries a human, she will be born a Poseidon?
Yes, that's right.
"So, how old is Roni?"
"I'm 25 years old."
"Oh, I didn't know you were that old already. I thought you were younger. ....... At that age, you can decide for yourself.
"Yes, I have decided, and I will come back to you."
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it."
After leaving the mansion, Roni went straight to her room. She gets into bed and falls into a deep sleep, feeling content for the first time in a long time.