David was called by the Duke of Ramis and went into his office. Because he entered with a light heart, he didn't have time to avoid the thing that suddenly flew at his face.
"What the hell are you doing!"
As he listened to his father's voice filled with rage, David blankly stared at the pile of documents that hit his face and fell to the floor. The hit to his face didn't hurt much. But he was shocked because it was his first time being scolded in such a way.
"Who asked you to do this!"
David leaned forward and picked up one of the documents scattered on the floor. It was a list of names that he was familiar with. It was a list of the members of the 'New Nation Youth Organization' that David had created.
How did his father know about this group? That was one thing of itself; why was his father so angry? David couldn't understand the current situation.
The ugly face of his father was filled with crumpled wrinkles and it was disgusting. Suppressed revulsion stirred in his stomach. David lowered his head to avoid revealing his humiliation from being struck by the documents and he clenched his teeth.
"I was wrong, father." (David)
He had to apologize unconditionally, no questions asked. David bowed his head with a grave expression, and asked for forgiveness for a mistake that he didn't know about yet.
"Why are you so rash about things." (Duke Ramis)
'Apologizing unconditionally' always worked. The anger in his father's voice lessened. As David slightly lifted his head, his father massaged his temples and let out a long sigh.
David picked up a few more documents from the floor. They contained information about the youth organization that he had made. It had a list of the members in it as well as the rules of the organization.
'What's the problem here?'
David didn't know why his father was angry but if he said he didn't know, he would be scolded more, so he only picked up the documents silently. He gathered them all and placed them on his father's desk, then he stepped back and lowered his head. It was the image of a reflecting son.
"I did not know that the group I made with like-minded friends would cause father so much trouble. It was thoughtless of me." (David)
"Like-minded friends? You mean recruiting people and acting as leader?" (Duke Ramis)
'And what's wrong with that?' (David)
He didn't know why his father was so upset. David had no doubts about his future as successor to his father who would become the future lord of the Duke of Ramis household and rise to rule over many people, standing beside the King and becoming a key figure in discussing important national matters.
David's father always told him to lower his pride and look up from below. But David couldn't understand his father's excessive caution. To David, the people below him were as many as ants. What was the problem in practicing how to lead and manage them in advance?
But David would never let such words come out of his mouth. He wasn't that stupid.
"I tried to make many friends to get along with like you always said."
"David."
The Duke of Ramis sighed. Outwardly, his son apologized but inwardly, he was being disobedient; the Duke was aware of his son being two-faced to some extent. Still, the Duke found solace in the fact that his son was showing an attitude of correction after being scolded.
The Duke wanted his son to see further in the world rather than looking down on the world. His son was only in his middle twenties. He was at a young age where he lacked knowledge and experience.
At the same age, a character like the Duke of Taran lacked nothing as the head of his family and he was the 'happening' individual of the century. An ordinary person shouldn't try to compete with a genius in the same category. Let a genius go on his own way as a genius and just think that 'such people exist, huh' and laugh it off. However, the Duke was worried because his son seemed to keep showing immature rivalry towards the Duke of Taran.
The Duke wanted to give his eldest son a chance if possible. It was the proper way of things for the eldest son to take over the family. It was the precedent and caused the least room for confusion. Which is why even though the Duke kept discovering unreliable sides to his eldest son, he smoothed it over as passable.
"Do you really not know that this group you made could become a great seed of disturbance? 'New nation'? How can you use such an outrageous name?"
David chewed his lips.
'So that's the problem.'
David had also thought that the name wasn't good. However, Sir. Harry, vice president of the youth organization enthusiastically argued:
[Every word in the world can have the opposite meaning depending on the interpretation. 'New nation'. Isn't it a name that conveys our willingness to embrace the accession and new reign of the new King? It is a well-known fact that His Majesty did not have a very good relationship with the late former King. We want to make a completely new nation that covers the shadow of the late King.]
Listening to his explanation, it sounded very reasonable.
"…We only use the name internally. On the outside, we just call it youth organization." (David)
"It's easy to find out with a little research. Didn't you make the rules and refer to it as 'New Nation Youth Organization' in them?"
'What you mean is, you investigated me.'
David felt both shock and a sense of betrayal. His father had looked into his affairs.
"I'm sorry, father. The meaning behind it was just that we would be of aid to His Majesty's new reign."
"No matter how good the intention is, it's better to not provide an excuse. Haven't your sister and I told you, that in politics there are cliffs at all sides so you should be careful and even more careful?"
"Yes, father. I will engrave your words deeply."
"The forces opposing His Majesty are always looking for a gap. His Majesty could misunderstand you."
David thought his father was worrying over nothing. Why would the King misunderstand? If he didn't believe in a loyal family like the Duke Ramis family, who would be there to assist the King?
His father was the King's father-in-law, and his sister was the Queen. His nephew would ascend the throne in the future. The Duke Ramis House was completely on the King's side.*
"Yes, father. I will be more careful about my actions. I'll take responsibility for the group and dismantle it."
"Good. I'm relieved you understood my point. For the time being, go down to the territory."
"Yes? Father!"
"You have to show that you are reflecting. Since I know of this, it is certain that someone else does too. It won't be very long. Think of it as training for a year or two."
David's clenched fists trembled. He couldn't disobey his father. Compared to his father, he was still very weak.
"When will I be leaving?" (David)
"Make preparations to leave by the end of this month."
"Understood."
As David was leaving with his head lowered, he heard his father's mutterings.
"It would be nice if the two of them were mixed half-and-half. Robin is just meek…" (TN: Robin is the Duke's second son)
David's hand on the door handle tightened. He clamped his lips together and his jaw tightened harshly. Sparks flew from his eyes and he felt a sudden surge of rage from inside. He didn't feel like he could control his expression at all and he was afraid his father might call him to a stop so he hurriedly left the office.
***
'Robin…'
As he walked down the hallway, David gnashed his teeth.
'You probably think I don't know, father.'
David knew the secret that his brother, who was despicably guarding his position as the second son of the ducal house as if he was someone of the legal line, was actually a child from outside.
When they were young, David's mother only stood behind David. David thought it was just excessive affection for the eldest son because his mother also didn't show much affection to his elder sister. So David felt a little sorry for his younger brother. It was a momentary feeling that he had when he was young and didn't know anything.
On David's 15-year-old birthday, a huge social debut party was held in the mansion. That night, his mother got very drunk although she had never done that before, and came to David's bedroom. His mother confessed the truth to him while crying.
[David. My son. This mother of yours feels torn inside whenever I see that child.]
Robin was a child from another woman that his father loved. David heard that unlike other families that revealed their love child and raised them as an illegitimate child, his father made a request of his mother in order to raise Robin like a real son of the Duchess.
[That child is said to be two years younger than you but actually, he was born a few months later than you. When I was carrying you, that bitch was also carrying a child. Do you know how miserable I felt when I found about it?]
Because Robin's real mother died after giving birth, the Duke of Ramis brought Robin back with him. And he asked his wife to raise up the boy up as her son. Robin grew up in a foreign country until he was seven years old. The story was that his body was weak but the truth was different.
After that event, two or three times a month, the Duchess would drink and look for David to dwell on her misfortune. David had not known that there was so much sorrow in his mother's heart.
He felt for his mother who was unable to receive the love of his father. And he was heartbroken for his mother who was deeply distressed to be raising the son of another woman as if it were her own child. He hated his father, and he resented his elder sister who treated Robin without reserve, not knowing that he was their half-brother. As for Robin, David felt an unbearable anger.
'It's always been like this. Father's eyes are different when he looks at that bastard.'
His father was only rebuking and strict to him but when he looked at Robin, he laughed heartily. The anger in David's heart gradually grew more and more.
His mother passed away before she could see his sister become Queen. David was also heartbroken about that. Although the relationship between his mother and his sister was cold, his mother was secretly proud of his sister for becoming the Crown princess.
David knew that one day, his father would die and there was something that he wanted to do on the very day that he became Duke.
'Robin. I will definitely offer your neck to my mother's spirit and resolve her grudge.'
* * *
David went to a bar with the vice-chairman, Sir. Harry in order to discuss the dismantling of the youth organization and also drink to soothe his upset heart. It was a high-class bar with a private room made for keeping the confidentiality of their customers.
"It is such a shame to be disbanding this way. I mean, the organization is only just staring to make a place for itself, Sir. Ramis."
"It can't be helped. My father is making a fuss about it. And I have to leave the capital."
"Then, if you leave it to me, I will lead the group without linking it to you, Sir. Ramis. Shouldn't the foundation be strengthened while Sir. Ramis is away from the capital? You have to have a hidden power to use for the future."
David was tempted. Sir. Harry's words had some truth to it. It was a waste to throw away the group that he had managed to build up so far.
"Well then, I'll leave it to you, Sir. Harry. I will give you my support so you can become my strength. You don't know how glad I am to have a talented person like Sir. Harry by my side."
"You overpraise me. Sir. Ramis is going to do great things in the future and I simply want to be of help."
David laughed in good cheer and patted Harry's shoulder.
Harry had a deeply grateful look on his face but inwardly, he was breathing a sigh of relief. Such a backer couldn't be found anywhere else. There was no better condition than hiding behind the big name of the Duke's heir and growing in power.
David wasn't foolish but by default, he hated someone being above him. He liked it when the smart ones lowered their head. If you seized that point and properly humored his feelings, he was easy to handle.
"I've given it some thought and I don't think my father went through the hassle of investigating me. It's definitely someone trying to slander me."
"What you're saying is reasonable. Do you have any guess or suspects?"
"I can only think of the Duke of Taran. That guy has been secretly vigilant against me for a long time."(1)
Had the Duke of Taran gone crazy to take a Duke's heir who was nothing but a greenhorn as an opponent? Harry sneered at David's unfounded pride. But on the surface, he earnestly showed his agreement.
Hearing Harry's comfort and praise, David felt much better. When David was done drinking and was about to get up from his seat, an employee delivered a note to him.
'Why does the bar owner want to see me?'
David sent Harry off and waited for a bit. The door to the room opened and seeing the person coming into the room, David's eyes grew wide. Unexpectedly, it was an enchanting young beauty. The woman's lips curled as she gave David a soft smile.
"It is an honor to meet your distinguished personage. I am called Anita."(2)