Lord: I have a Mount & Blade panel.

Richard's lips twitched slightly; he no longer had the mood to enjoy food while listening to songs.

Miss Lilia, sitting in the fourth seat next to Prince Anduin, blushed deeply. She glanced at the prince with gentle eyes, then fled like a startled fawn.

As the saying goes, dragons beget dragons, behemoths beget behemoths, and goblins beget sons who know how to dig holes.

This eldest daughter of Prince Anduin inherited her father's dazzling blond hair. Although she is only sixteen years old, you can tell from her already beautiful face that she will definitely be a stunning beauty in the future.

But Richard genuinely didn't have that idea, not because of the censorship authority above him, nor because he was a palace eunuch.

This is entirely based on practical considerations.

As a successor to socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, Richard did not want to make such a hasty decision about his life's most important matter.

And it is obvious to everyone that since Prince Rek died in battle, as the last male heir of the Augustus family, he is likely to ascend the throne in the future, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Of course, this is all on the premise that the Augustan family can hold onto the throne.

Even if he fails to defend it, he will face an extremely cruel fate, but regardless of bloodline, sacred texts, or law, he will become the person most entitled to inherit this vast land.

Even if it's based on considerations of marriage, it's not right to place a bet so early.

The Rommel family was indeed powerful; otherwise, their rebellion wouldn't have resulted in them merely being forbidden from entering the royal domain by the Augustan royal family.

However, Prince Anduin, who now only controls half of the Eastern Province, is far from being the best choice.

Those around him eagerly awaited the prince's answer, their faces showing little surprise, as if they had known about it all along.

So Richard, with a forced smile, said, "Uncle Anduin, I will follow your arrangements. You are one of my few remaining relatives now. If I don't listen to you, who else can I listen to?"

Upon hearing this, Lilia's face immediately turned bright red.

"Richard, I'm happy for your choice!" A hint of surprise flashed in Prince Anduin's eyes, but he quickly smiled sincerely.

"You can stay here for a while and go with Lilia to see the banks of the Cello River and ride horses through the maple forest. I'm sure your gentlemanly manners will allow you to take good care of Lilia."

"Then you've really misjudged him." Richard couldn't help but think to himself—beautiful girls are best kept away from him, otherwise he'll never refuse them!

Richard agreed to the marriage alliance for a very simple reason.

The last prince who refused the marriage proposal at the banquet was killed by a dragon knight that very night.

Richard is neither a political novice nor a naive kid.

Lilia was unimportant to either Prince Anduin or to him; what mattered was the prestige of the marriage alliance between Augustus and the Rommel family.

The atmosphere then became even more lively and harmonious, and the Rommel family's vassals began to toast with the prince repeatedly.

Richard's demeanor was very elegant and aristocratic, especially since he had specially worn a unique and very dignified royal suit tonight for the banquet.

His handsome face attracted the attention of the girls in the hall, who frequently turned to look at him.

There were several noble young men in the hall who were known for their handsome looks, but compared to him, they immediately looked like the children of lowly peasants from the countryside.

Richard thus spent the banquet under the envious gazes of the men.

……

late at night.

The nun told Lilia that Prince Richard had been summoned by the Prince after the banquet.

"I think it's going to be about politics."

"Could it be about my marriage to Prince Richard?" Lilia stood in front of the mirror, elegantly combing her proud long golden hair over and over again.

However, when she thought of the prince's deep black hair, as dark as the starry sky, she couldn't help but feel a little envious.

Noble black hair was something only Augustus possessed, while she was merely a girl from the fox family.

As the elder in charge of teaching Lilia, the nun sighed: "Lilia, you are a good girl, and I hope you will be like a lady."

"But I just can't help it," Lilia said, clinging to the nun's arm. "Sister Jasmine, I've realized I've fallen in love with Prince Richard."

This was, in fact, the first time Lilia had ever met the fourth prince.

However, the other party possessed all the virtues of her ideal prince charming: a face more handsome than an elf, a tall and dashing figure, elegance and grace, and a head of beautiful black hair.

Today, in order to make a good impression on the other party, she specially combed her long golden hair so that it shone like gold in the sunlight, and also wore her best velvet dress.

"Lilia, this is a beautiful mistake. You are too young to understand what love is. You just appreciate beautiful things, which is an innate ability of everyone."

The nun recalled Prince Richard from earlier that day.

She could be described as having "skin as white as ice and snow, a beauty that is rarely seen in a century," no wonder Lilia was so captivated after only one meeting with her.

If she were thirty years younger, no, twenty years younger, she probably wouldn't be much better off.

Many years ago, she had the privilege of seeing the fourth prince when he was a child. Although he was handsome, he was nowhere near as breathtakingly handsome as he is now.

Indeed, time is the best beauty master, but also the most detestable thief, Sister Jasmine could only sigh in the end.

……

"Your Highness, the Prince is waiting for you inside."

Richard walked down the corridor with the waiter, who finally stopped beside a particularly exquisite cherry wood carved door and leaned out to open it for him.

The room was decorated in an extremely elegant style, with a large mahogany desk on which was displayed a lifelike wood carving of a fire fox, and two high-backed sofas placed opposite each other.

The wall is adorned with exquisite oil paintings that lean towards a narrative style; the ink appears to be still wet, suggesting they were just put up.

Unexpectedly, this prince is also an artist.

"Richard, you've arrived." Prince Anduin rose from the red velvet sofa, smiling and waving. "Make yourself at home."

It seems that the prince's smile has become even more genuine since His Highness agreed to the marriage.

Two knights with golden branches and leaves, like statues, saw the guests and hosts inside taking their seats to discuss important matters. They slowly closed the door and stood guard outside.

"Richard, to be honest with you, the war in the royal territory is in a terrible state right now. Even if I were to rashly intervene in this war, I wouldn't gain anything," Prince Anduin said, rubbing his temples as if he were somewhat helpless.

"Forgive me, but I may not be able to provide you with military assistance for the time being. As for your father, my king, I am personally unable to help him in his current situation."