The Shepherd Alone on the Hill is a Genius Wizard

Marriage is a sacred ritual where a man and woman form a bond as husband and wife.

While this has been the custom of human society since the ancient imperial era, things were somewhat different for nobles.

Unlike common humans, as descendants of gods, they needed to spread their magical bloodline as much as possible.

Noble marriages came in two main forms.

The first was companion marriage, similar to commoners' marriages, between magical users of relatively equal standing.

The second was subordinate marriage, where multiple inferior magic users were bound to a superior one.

What the seven houses proposed was the latter - they would offer women born with some potential, daughters of knights, as concubines to Turan.

Naturally, as mere concubines, they wouldn't dare interfere with Kalamaf's governance.

"Of course, they're young ladies well-educated to become concubines of noble ones, lacking neither in appearance nor refinement."

Young ladies thoroughly managed and raised from childhood to become noble concubines...

He had read about this in books about managing magical houses in the library.

They selected those with outstanding beauty among children of knights who hadn't inherited magical power, or those born with ambiguous power between knights and commoners.

Of course, since carnal desire wasn't exclusive to men, and not all men desired women, there were also males who served similar roles.

Though demand was much lower due to pregnancy and various other issues.

"More than anything else, I'd like to know why this proposal has come up. It's too sudden."

Turan asked this with an expressionless face.

It had been a month since he became Kalamaf's protector.

Despite the considerable time passed, while some unknown youth took control of the city, the surrounding houses had remained silent instead of trying to stop him or establish relations.

Then they suddenly visit, not to get to know each other, but to make such a proposal right away?

Hearing the question, a noble who said he was from Labana City confidently exclaimed.

"We know that Lord Kalamaf has difficulties in city management without establishing a house! Even now, you can't even use the central mansion! With seven concubines bearing your children, quite a few useful knights should be born among them, which would be very useful for future governance! Since half their bloodline would originate from us, it would also greatly help strengthen our mutual friendship!"

What he spoke of was the fundamental reason nobles formed houses.

Even a wizard as powerful as a god still had only one body.

No matter how large a territory they ruled, they couldn't simultaneously stop magical beasts appearing from all directions, nor give orders to commoners scattered in all directions.

In contrast, a noble commanding four ordinary knights could govern a wide territory without lifting a finger by stationing them here and there.

The more nobles and knights one secured, the easier it became to govern large territories.

Turan sat quietly and pondered.

Why had such a proposal suddenly come up, and why now?

Thinking about recent events, it wasn't hard to guess.

'It's because they heard the news that the western threat would disappear. They're trying to gain future control of Kalamaf.'

Recently, after contacting Arabion's army and discovering the nature of the western threat, Turan had made it public.

Just knowing that the threat to the city was clear and would soon disappear would help reassure people.

There was no need to keep it secret, since dark elves or dwarves surely wouldn't have planted spies among humans.

The lords of the Grey Zone had clearly heard this news and were trying to stake their claim on Kalamaf before its value rose.

'The distance between cities is usually three days to a week by normal walking... For knights, depending on individual differences, it would take hours to a day to travel. Did they quickly consult with each other using knights as messengers? No, they might have discussed this beforehand.'

Either way, the fact that the lords of seven nearby cities acted together was significant in many ways.

They had clearly agreed to incorporate Turan into their bloodlines and coexist with him, rather than trying to drive him out.

After listening quietly, Turan shook his head.

"I appreciate the proposal but I must decline. Rather, I'd like to make a counter-proposal since everyone is gathered here."

"A counter-proposal...?"

"It's about the governance rights of this city, Kalamaf."

Seeing all the nobles' eyes light up, he softly stated his conditions.

Namely, to find traces of a young woman who traveled through the Grey Zone some twenty years ago.

The condition was that whoever requested this investigation would not be revealed publicly, and the house that brought the most useful information would receive Kalamaf's governance rights.

Hearing this, all the nobles showed bewildered expressions.

"No, this is absurd..."

"You'd hand over the city for just such conditions!?"

For any noble house, a city held both prestigious and practical value.

The tributes diligently offered by commoners formed the foundation for maintaining all sorts of luxurious lifestyles.

Yet he would hand over such a city just for finding traces of one woman?

It was as absurd as offering a battleship in return for picking up a coin on the street.

'Could he really be Arabion's secret weapon?'

Having heard that he had recently contacted House Arabion, that seemed most credible.

Otherwise, how could someone claiming to be a fallen noble so easily give up a city?

One of the things wanderers most desired was obtaining their own city to settle down and establish a house.

"If that's all that concerns you, I'll add one more condition. Whoever takes this city must promise in the name of the Prea god-folk to faithfully protect the city's citizens as its ruler. The condition is that governance rights will not be maintained the moment this is violated."

Turan recalled the scene from Murei City, the first city he had visited.

How they had pushed responsibility onto beast hunters out of laziness, even while magical beasts were eating several children outside...

It would be extremely unpleasant if the city fell into such a state after being handed over to just anyone.

Even the house that originally ruled this place had perished fighting for such protection.

The nobles' faces changed strangely at Turan's words.

Faithfully protect the city's citizens?

Wasn't that an outdated phrase that belonged in the Prea scriptures?

One noble asked, as if unable to understand.

"Why... go to such lengths?"

Though they didn't add more, other nobles seemed to share similar doubts.

Why open the central mansion to vagrants and stay in humble city hall lodgings himself, and why make conditions about protecting citizens in exchange for handing over a city?

To nobles, commoners were beings that needed protection for religious and practical reasons, but not to such an extent.

Even if a shepherd values his sheep, isn't he ultimately raising them to slaughter for their meat and wool?

In their eyes, Turan was a strange shepherd who not only didn't slaughter sheep at the proper time but would let them sleep on his own bed until they died of old age and even give them proper burials.