Chapter 2: Seven Marriage Candidates

"Who is this old man? He dares claim his granddaughter is Erin Nesom?" "I bet he's just a mad old fool, talking nonsense." "Exactly. The Jauncy family was wiped out. How could General Nesom ever marry into the Jauncys?" As his words spread, the onlookers broke into murmurs, their skepticism plain. Erin was born into the Nesom family of the Central Army, the granddaughter of Harley Nesom, Marquis of Fenton. She took the field at fifteen, cut down enemies, and at eighteen, earned her general's rank. The Feather Legion she commanded had grown to one hundred and fifty thousand strong. On Valia's Hundred Generals list, she ranked in the top five, a battle-hardened heroine in her own right. The Jauncy family held noble rank, too, but their house had fallen. Taylor was crippled. How could he ever be worthy of Erin? Alyssa shook her head and smiled. "Sir, I know you want to save the Jauncys' reputation, but Erin is Valia's war heroine. You can't make up stories like that." Harley ignored Alyssa and looked past the crowd. "Erin, I've already arranged it. Come out here." At that, everyone looked around, curious. People craned their necks. "This... can't be real, can it?" "No way. At most, it's someone with the same name." "But the old man doesn't sound like he's joking..." Seeing the mood shift, Kayden was at a loss. He looked down at Taylor in the wheelchair. "Taylor, this..." Just then, the crowd split, opening several paths. A young woman strode in, dressed in combat gear, her hair in a high ponytail. The rank insignia on her shoulder gleamed. Her exquisite face was cool and composed, and her gait carried the authority only a seasoned commander could project. A squad of female guards in full gear followed, their steps perfectly in sync. Everyone took a step back, as if an invisible pressure rolled over them. Silence fell like a curtain. Kayden's eyes went wide. He'd never met her, but Erin was everywhere on military sites and in newspapers. Who didn't know that face? Alyssa blanched. How could this be? Erin, the War Goddess, had really come! Was she here to marry that cripple? Why him? How was he worthy? The moment he saw her, Kayden stepped forward and offered a crisp salute. "Deputy Commander of the Dragon Legion, Kayden Yare, salutes General Nesom!" At his words, the hundred-odd remnants of the Dragon Legion snapped into formation and saluted as one. "Salutes General Nesom!" Erin halted, her whole presence radiating command. She returned the salute to the Dragon Legion, then walked toward Taylor. "Taylor, it's been three years!" She stuck her tongue out in a teasing gesture, shedding her battlefield frost and becoming the girl next door. "You've grown up. You even wear makeup." Taylor looked up at her and gave a slight nod. Three years earlier, Taylor had led a small Dragon Legion unit to the Western Frontier, rescuing the Feather Legion as ten thousand men closed in.  Back then, Erin had still been green, radiant with a natural, unadorned beauty, but not the breathtaking vision she was now. Erin's cheeks warmed. She edged close and whispered in his ear, shy and bold at once. "Taylor, I can marry you right now, but the Feather Legion has strict rules. I probably can't give you a baby just yet." Pfft! Taylor sputtered, lost for a response. How had this girl grown so frank over the years? "Is that really Erin the War Goddess?" "Ahem... a general of the country, what kind of conduct is that?" "What spell does Taylor have, to make the War Goddess fall so hard?" Watching Valia's war heroine turn into a girl madly in love, the crowd could only gape. Then several voices rang out, one after another. "The Lamecraft family of the Southwest offers their daughter's hand to Commander Jauncy!" "The Wimple family of Zabley offers their daughter's hand to Commander Jauncy!" "Tucker Goodison of Alchemist's Haven offers his daughter's hand to Commander Jauncy!" "The Zogg family of ancient martial lineage offers their daughter's hand to Commander Jauncy!" In an instant, the crowd split, opening several paths. Everyone stared in shock. Each of those names carried enough weight to shake the land of Nettle. People stared at the seven stunning young women, then at Taylor in his wheelchair, seething with envy and jealousy. Even Kayden couldn't help swallowing. "Elders, I'm... just a cripple," Taylor said awkwardly. "You worry too much, Mr. Jauncy," one elder replied, "We stand where we do today because we owe Commander Jauncy great debts. How could we hold your condition against you?" "That's right." Harley smiled, his voice ringing. "Even if Taylor's paralyzed below the waist, even if he's impotent, I wouldn't care. Technology is advanced. Worst case, we use IVF." "Impotent? So what? Even if he were brain-damaged, I'd still want him." "Heh, the Lamecraft family isn't picky. If he's breathing, that's enough." The heads of several elite houses threw their pride out the window to win Taylor over. Tucker frowned. "Damn it, these people were too quick; they even stole his lines..." With a grand sweep of his arm, he declared, "Enough talk! The Goodison family is settling this match!" Taylor was completely at a loss. How had choosing a bride fallen on him out of nowhere? He knew these families meant it, but his house was in deep mourning. How could he think of marriage now? More than that, he had to find the mastermind behind the Jauncy family's destruction. Alyssa stared, unable to believe her eyes. Taylor was crippled, and the Jauncy family annihilated. Why would such titans compete to marry their daughters to him? "Are you all blind? Fighting over a cripple? You're insane!" Alyssa couldn't help shouting. Erin's eyes widened. She strode over and swung her hand. Smack! "Bitch, what did you just say?" Alyssa clutched her cheek. A perfect red handprint bloomed. "You hit me?" "Is that supposed to be surprising?" Erin's hand flashed again. Smack! "This one is for the Casson family's ingratitude!" Smack! "This one is for kicking him when he's down!" Smack! "This one is for flouting rank and respect!" Smack! "This one is for..." Erin alternated left and right, landing dozens of slaps before she stopped. Alyssa's nose and mouth bled; her face swelled. Erin wiped her fingers, looked down her nose at Alyssa, and said, "On Taylor's behalf, I'm calling off your engagement. Get out." Alyssa flushed crimson. She didn't dare utter a word. She shot Taylor a vicious look and fled in disgrace. Watching, the crowd all but cheered. Given the Casson family's ingratitude, a few slaps were letting her off easy. Then Harley spoke, speaking slowly and steadily. "The farce is finished. Since several family heads have come to propose, fighting will only sour relations. Why not let them all marry him?" "Taylor has family matters to deal with now. Let's withdraw. After three days of mourning, we'll come one by one." At his words, the girls' faces turned rosy, and they glanced at Taylor in shy unison. "Agreed. We'll heed Mr. Nesom. We'll return first and let the girls discuss how they'll look after their husband." The families nodded, then departed with their entourages, one after another. Erin had meant to leave with her guards but turned back. "Taylor, what happened to the Jauncy family wasn't an accident." She leaned in and whispered, "We intercepted an enemy military call. It was placed to the Wokey family." "The Wokey family!" Taylor's heart lurched. As commander of the Feather Legion, Erin's information would be reliable. He had no reason to doubt it. In Nettle, the Jauncy family was a regional lord, and in the civilian sphere, there were eight top families, collectively known as the Nettle Tiger Legion. Over more than a decade, the Wokey family had clawed their way to the top by bowing to the Jauncy family and sending tribute year after year.  Who would have thought that, while bowing and scraping on the surface, they'd colluded with forces beyond the border to pull off something like this? Seeing Taylor tense up, Erin whispered urgently, "Taylor, don't worry. I'll gather the evidence and deal with them." "Evidence?" Taylor's gaze turned cold. Erin served in the military. She needed evidence. He did not.