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[color=#736AFF][b][h1]Ranbu no Izayoi[/h1][/b][/color]
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This...was not what Izayoi had expected. To her dismay, it seemed their little group's record of unpleasant formal dinners was going unbroken still. She fixed Esben with a hard, unamused stare upon realizing exactly how she'd been seated and why, especially with Galahad. They'd somehow been roped into the southerner equivalent of an [i]omiai[/i], of all the damned things. 

At the very least, she wasn't unused to such proceedings. One didn't bodyguard a daimyo for nigh-on a decade without understanding matters of heirs and betrothal. Excluding every other factor, namely their journey and quest taking far more precedence, this was more of a boon than a hindrance to a second, unfavored son such as Rudolf. Perhaps not right now, but should the option remain open, Rudolf would be a fool to simply throw away likely one of his only chances for a decent noble marriage. Esben not opposing the proceedings going on at this moment told her enough.

As such, when she saw Rudolf grin and begin to say something that she knew was going to be idiotic and likely detrimental to the match, Izayoi took it upon herself to drive one of the teeth of her geta into his foot, fixing the boy with a warning stare afterward just to get her point across further. And again, when he started to challenge the insinuation that Istvan Shilage, of all people, would delegate something such as this. Even should it be true, [i]this was not the time[/i]. 

Regardless, now that Rudolf had said his (least idiotic) piece, Izayoi shared a brief look with Galahad before speaking. 

[color=#736AFF][b]"Lord Halvor, Lady Lene, before we proceed, I will keep this brief. There are extenuating circumstances at play that limit us to only agreeing to a betrothal before anything more binding. Suffice to say, the boy is a skilled and valued man-at-arms in our party, and we would be loathe to agree to a wedding to leave Lady Lene with an empty marriage before departing once more, to say nothing of the fact that we do not have the time for such a thing. Should my words not suffice, know that we have the backing of SEED and the Edrenian royal crown in this matter."[/b][/color]

She paused, before speaking once more. This time, a glint could be seen in her eyes to the most observant.

[color=#736AFF][b]"Regardless, when our quest is finished, rest assured that should we agree upon a betrothal, I will [i]personally[/i] ensure that Istvan Shilage gives his full approval to the match."[/b][/color]

Istvan Shilage was owed much, after all. The least he could do for [i]throwing his own child out[/i] was to account for it.