Chapter 149 - 149 Recruitment Exam
Steve was at the townhouse in the Royal Capital with Christina, checking the application status for composers.
"I expected as much, but there are hardly any applicants."
"Wouldn't it have been fine even if just five people had come?"
In the Kingdom of Cascade, where there were virtually no means of publicity, information about the composer recruitment did not spread easily. The only reason these five people knew the information and could apply without hesitation toward their patrons was that they were specifically invited.
What Steve did not know was that the composers invited by Desmond at Count Cutter's instruction had withdrawn midway, as they could not receive a higher evaluation than Desmond here.
"They brought sheet music with them for the application, but even looking at the sheet music, I don't understand much."
"I can understand it to some extent as part of my education, but it is impossible to reproduce it completely in my head. Shall we have them perform in front of us?"
"That would be best."
Both Steve and Christina could read sheet music as part of their education, but they could not play it in their heads. That is why they decided to have them perform for real.
As for the employment conditions, the workplace was set to be the Archibalt Territory. It was troublesome to come all the way to the Royal Capital to receive and confirm the music, so they decided to have them live in the territory.
Some hesitated under these conditions. After all, the center of art is the Royal Capital. Therefore, those with actual ability did not apply, and those with no patrons and low ability applied instead.
For that reason, Desmond ended up with favorable conditions of having few rivals.
Steve and Christina called in the applicants and had each of them perform. Desmond was last, and by the time they had heard the first four, Steve and Christina were half-giving up due to the low level.
"The low level of the first four is troubling."
"The level of completion is too low to sell as a product."
It was not clear from the sheet music alone, but listening to the performance revealed it was terrible. Although the composers were professionals and their performance was inferior to that of professional performers, the level of incompetence went beyond that. When they heard Desmond's song as the fifth applicant in such a state of resignation, they immediately hired him due to his high level.
They decided to hold a face-to-face interview again later to confirm his personal intent, and the day ended there.
Desmond immediately told Becky about this.
"I passed the recruitment exam for the composer position advertised by Lord Archibalt."
"Congratulations. With this, your name will become known as a full-fledged composer."
Even while saying congratulations, Becky's face was clouded. She had not told Desmond that he thought becoming a composer employed by the Archibalt family would allow him to gain the achievements necessary to marry her.
Therefore, at this moment, Becky thought that even after marrying Bartholomew Doyle, she could only look forward to Desmond's future activities.
Against such Becky, Desmond proposed going to the Archibalt Territory together.
"Becky, let's go to Lord Archibalt's place together."
"What do you mean?"
"If you go to Lord Archibalt's place with me and get married, no noble in the country should be able to object. After all, only His Majesty is above Lord Archibalt."
Desmond explained his plan here. Upon hearing it, Becky wondered if it would go so smoothly.
"But that would only work if Lord Archibalt becomes our ally. If Lord Archibalt agrees with my father's opinion, it won't work, will it?"
"Lord Archibalt has a track record of making marriages happen even when the parents oppose them in the past. If we explain our relationship with all sincerity, he will surely understand. Or are you afraid to go to the Archibalt Territory with me?"
"Yes, I am very afraid. There is nothing sadder than losing happiness once grasped. Shouldn't we at least explain the situation to Lord Archibalt before going?"
Becky wanted to confirm first that Lord Archibalt would be on their side. Desmond's plan was quite convenient for her, and she felt that Lord Archibalt's perspective was overly optimistic.
And she had a premonition that if this failed, the fate awaiting them would be even more severe.
Hearing this from Becky, Desmond also became uneasy. He began to consider the possibility that Steve might not side with them now.
"I'll speak honestly at tomorrow's final interview."
"I will accompany you."
"Do you have the time?"
"I think now is the only time. Probably, if a formal engagement is made in the future, I will no longer be allowed to meet other men."
Becky made a pained expression. From this, Desmond also understood that time was short.
"Let's go together."
"Yes."
Becky nodded without hesitation at Desmond's invitation.
Thus, the next day, the two would undergo an interview with Steve and Christina.
Steve and Christina, who were expecting Desmond to come alone for the interview, were surprised when a young woman came with him.
And they were even more surprised when asked why they came together.
"Um, this lady is Becky McVee, the daughter of Count McVee. And, Count McVee is trying to make her marry Bartholomew Doyle, the eldest son of Baron Doyle, but Miss Becky loves Desmond."
"That sounds like it could cause trouble."
Steve and Christina sighed. However, there was a slight difference in their reactions. Steve felt truly troubled, while Christina felt it was difficult but worth overcoming.
Against such Steve and Christina, Desmond timidly asked.
"We want to go to Lord Archibalt's territory together."
"One correction: it is my father's territory, not mine. I do not hold a territory yet."
"My apologies."
Desmond panicked at making a mistake. He checked Steve's expression, but seeing no anger, he was relieved.
"Well, I have no intention of separating lovers to make them work, so coming together is fine, but convincing Count McVee is another matter. Also, in some cases, Viscount Rice might oppose it too? Could they be a rival faction?"
Steve, unfamiliar with the factions of nobles in the Royal Capital, did not know the factions of these three nobles. So he asked Desmond and Becky.
"All three belong to the same faction, the Carter Faction, which supports Prince Carter as the next king."
"If so, the matter should be quick."
Christina pulled Steve's sleeve.
"No. Rather, regarding an engagement that could cause a rift in the faction, wouldn't the parents crush it with all their strength?"
"Oh, I see."
Receiving Christina's point, Steve realized his misunderstanding.
"If this causes a rift in Prince Carter's faction, it would be a favorable situation for Prince Alex. Even so, it is not a complete reversal of the situation, but Lord Steve would be hated by Prince Carter."
"Would it be disadvantageous for House Archibalt?"
"If Prince Carter can make normal judgments, he probably won't try to do anything to us. We have witnessed Lord Steve's activities in the Holy Nation, so it might just be hatred in their hearts. As for the other three houses, they probably won't make a big issue of it. Fighting House Archibalt means facing the four regions outside the Royal Capital and the Fries Holy Church. There is no reason to make such a resolve just because one engagement fell through. After all, noble marriages are tools of politics. If they are to become enemies, they would likely move to the side of gaining a favor."
Christina analyzed it this way.
Assuming the opponent is calculable, if marriage is a tool of politics, it should draw the best conditions. There is no meaning to the marriage of Becky and Bartholomew other than strengthening the faction. Then, it is better to give up on that and yield to House Archibalt.
If Prince Carter and Prince Alex were still evenly matched, there might be a choice to leave the faction and join Prince Alex's faction, but in the current situation, that is not possible either.
It is just a matter of Steve presenting conditions that are more beneficial to the three houses than giving up on the marriage.
"In that case, I must prepare negotiation materials sufficient to convince those three houses."
"There is plenty."
Stainless steel statues created by Steve's magic and glass products are still extremely popular among the nobles. If they make them for the three houses, ignoring the order, they will surely be overjoyed. There are also pasta machines, presses, suspensions, and many other items of high rarity. There is enough value to convince them to give up on the marriage.
In exchange, Becky is the fifth daughter of a Count's house. Christina could not say it to her face, but her value as a political marriage partner is low.
It is clear from the treatment of being married off to a Baron's house. If this were an important event for Becky's marriage, at least a Count's house of equal standing would be the counterpart.
Considering this, Steve and Christina decided to take Desmond and Becky to the territory.
"For that reason, we will not return to the McVee mansion anymore."
Becky declared so. Since the circumstances were what they were, both Steve and Christina accepted that there was no other way. They decided to send envoys to Count McVee's house and Viscount Rice's house to explain the situation. Steve could have visited directly, but they judged that there is a procedure for everything and it is better to have a advance notice.
The heads of both houses, upon receiving this news, held their heads in their hands.
Count McVee pressed his head against his wife's.
"That Becky. She has done something terrible."
"Husband, I am sorry. It is only because my education was not thorough enough."
"I also made a mistake in thinking I would let her be free until marriage. I had been reported by my subordinates that she was meeting the second son of Viscount Rice, but I never thought she would run away to Lord Archibalt and seek protection. I don't think Becky could come up with that plan alone. If the second son of Viscount Rice could devise such a strategy, he wouldn't be a struggling composer who is nowhere to be seen."
This was the extent of Count McVee's evaluation of Desmond. The nobles within the faction and in the Royal Capital generally held the same evaluation, viewing him as someone incapable of devising plans on his own.
"Then, is it someone's scheme? Lord Archibalt? Or Viscount Rice?"
The wife asked Count McVee.
"Based on the information we have now, Lord Archibalt has no merit in protecting Becky. Lord Archibalt might just be riding on a script written by someone. I intend to make the person who wrote that script take responsibility, but first, I must apologize to Baron Doyle. From the content of the apology received from Lord Archibalt, it seems he is asking not only for us but also for Baron Doyle."
Count McVee decided to choose items from the list Steve had presented to decide what to give when apologizing to Baron Doyle together with his wife. The wife was a little excited about the items the McVee family would receive, but Count McVee had not noticed that.
At the same time, Viscount Rice, who had also received information from the envoy, was holding his head in his hands.
He also knew about the engagement and marriage talk between Bartholomew and Becky. However, he did not know that his son was in love with Miss Becky. Just thinking about what would be said at the gathering of the same faction made his stomach hurt.
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