"I'm afraid my eldest brother will be very sorry to hear that."
I said that as bluntly as I could, and looked at Theo in front of me. But Theo's pupils still didn't budge or flutter.
He just stares down at me with the same cold eyes as before.
"I won't deny that the firstborn has talent. But not as much as you."
In the Inner Lunatic, I knew Theo was quite proud of his firstborn son, Garen, but why would he say this now?
Was something wrong between them?
I was sure there was an ulterior motive behind Theo's words.
He's been gone for a few months, at most.
Theo only saw the change in me when I defeated my two brothers and secured my place at Eldain Academy.
Then there was my assault on Mia's Forest, and more recently my successful return from the mission to destroy the Chasers.
Of course, that's a big deal if you ask me.
But still, it's a family affair.
Just because he's shown promise in this way doesn't mean it's a matter of throwing caution to the wind.
Besides, what if you decide the heir this way?
Would Theo be able to mend the rift between the brothers that would ensue?
'Absolutely not.'
And so, I concluded.
Right now, Theo is looking out for me.
He's worried that I'm a danger to the family.
He suspects that I'm a pariah, that I might hold ill will toward the House.
Why he's so persuasive, even offering me the sword of the First Lord.
I don't know the full story, but it doesn't look good. My brain is whirring, sending up red flags.
"Perhaps it's too early for our youngest master."
Rodwell interjects from beside me. With a relieved sigh, I join him.
"Yes. I have no intention of becoming the Patriarch."
The reason I'm struggling now is not to become the Lord.
I'm sure I would gain quite a few things from that position for a while.
But it's going to be a lot more painful than that.
House Reinhafer, Inner Lunatic.
Surviving in the third generation of the Dark House means living many times harder than others.
A plan to find my memories and enter the main story.
It was likely to be a hindrance to realizing them.
In the long run, it would be a forbidden fruit that I would have to refuse even if offered.
'Besides, first… Garen is too strong for me to even play against at this point. Grine is too weak, and I've managed to roast him somehow, but not him.'
I know.
First, Garen doesn't really appear in Part 1, but when he does it's as a narrative. He has the talent to be almost a third level swordsman.
There's a shady side to him.
In any case, it's best not to get involved.
But Theo doesn't seem to think so.
"You were born my son, and yet you fear this position."
He feigns disappointment. But it doesn't work for me.
I'm trying to nudge him away.
"I'll say it again: I have no intention of doing so. Even if I were to become Lord of the Manor, the people and vassals of the estate would not trust me.... It's too much of a position for a rascal."
"Hagiya, the vassals will also have to be persuaded, so it won't be easy to accept.."
Oh, he gets it?
"But you know what they say about brilliant talent, it can never be fully concealed, even if you try."
"I don't know what you mean."
Damn. He still hadn't given up.
I tried my best to sound smug, but Theo still looked at me.
"How long do you think you can hide what you have? Remember, when that power is used for the good of House Reinhafer. You will have it all. But if the blade of that sword is reversed, and it ends up pointed at your family… you will not die well."
"How dare I think such a thing? I'm only concerned with my own life."
Why don't they believe me?
Theo, you asshole. I didn't see it that way, but are you the kind of person who would eat dirt just because you gave me a sword?
Should I give it back now?
No… I can't give it back, not even out of spite, not after the 90 days of life I lost right before my eyes.
"I think I've said all I need to say."
"Yes. I'll have to think about it some more. But I hope your answer will be different."
Theo seems intent on keeping me on my toes.
But I'm not changing my mind.
For a number of reasons….
Not the least of which is that the seat of the Reinhafer family is a poisoned chalice?
It is the word of House Reinhafer that leads to Talia of the Steiners being disowned by her own family and the rest of her clan.
Downfall ending. How the hell do you expect me to be the owner of that place?
It's not something to be taken lightly.
"My answer doesn't change."
So I added, and then quickly changed the subject.
"Rather, I'd like to ask how long it will take to finalize the annexation and transfer of the Chasers' territory."
"Probably within a month."
Theo said dryly. I tilted my head in disbelief.
"I'll take that as a given, and… I'll pretend I didn't hear about it today."
I bid him farewell.
With that blunt greeting, I walked away, barely able to control my pounding heart.
Thank goodness for acting.
Otherwise, I might have collapsed right there.
"Whew."
I thought as I breathed in the fresh air.
"According to the original Inner Lunatic order, the next head of House Reinhafer is Garen. As the eldest son, he inherited all the power. At first, I thought he was just trying to leave me behind….'
From my conversations with Theo, it seems he hasn't decided on an heir yet.
Plus, Theo already seems convinced that I'm hiding my power.
I don't know what to make of this.
If I have no power, I can't even get into the Academy, so it's an entrance cut.
If I have too much power, I'll have to hold a poisoned chalice and die.
Haha… I don't know for now.
Right now, I'm really missing my bed.
* * *
After Nox disappeared.
There is an unexplained silence in the Patriarch's Chambers.
"It's not easy, talking to your own children."
"It was too soon, and that's probably why he was so embarrassed. There's a big age gap between him and the First Young Master, and he may have been overwhelmed by the idea of his own opportunity."
"Yes. That's true… but no matter how I looked at him, Nox didn't look afraid, just… unwilling to be bothered."
Nox wasn't like his brothers.
He hadn't even wanted the job from the start.
I wonder why.
Maybe there was a part of him that believed in it.
Or is it that he's still carrying the scars of his past.
"I must have hurt Nox more than I realized."
"It's in the past. But… you couldn't have shaken it off easily, it was your mother's work, and you were so young."
Theo remembers the past.
When he was out there, fighting demons.
The youngest. Nox had lost the mother he loved most.
It was raining unusually hard. The sound of pounding against the window and the sickening smell of blood. There are few in his family who know what he's become after this.
Because Nox didn't want them to.
And because he was afraid of it himself.
Theo let out a rare sigh and returned to his misguided gaze.
"Let's put this behind us for now. We'll have to reward Nox and Grine."
"Oh, that reminds me, there's something I need to tell you. It's about Master Nox."
Rodwell said, looking suddenly troubled, and Theo furrowed his brow.
Something about Knox?
But Rodwell's reaction didn't look good, to say the least.
"It's just that… Master Nox has been out and about with women again, two of them this time. Perhaps he hasn't gotten rid of that temperament yet...."
"...."
Theo couldn't say anything. It was like he was seeing his old self.
Everything else was fine, but he wished he could do something about that weakness for women. Maybe after he became the head of the family….
It was not a good idea to have a mistress like that already, when you are barely an adult. Social circles probably wouldn't like it either.
'Well, if that's how you look at it, I'm already past the point of looking at it favorably.'
Theo closed his eyes with that thought. He sat back and thought for a while.
How could he convince Nox?
'How can I get him to take this job?' He wondered.
In the short time he was asleep, he dreamed of his first son.
His last meeting with Garen.
I heard his words to himself clearly.
-Father, it's time to give up and accept it.
-The power of the Grand Duke.
* * *
Damn it.
To be honest, the visit wasn't as comfortable as he'd hoped.
"So… I'm going to be Master Nox's bride!"
"…Well, what does that mean...."
"Oooh, Elena, tell me more, so what is it about Master Nox that makes you fall in love with him?"
"Now, now, now! Everybody calm down…! And Elena, you're a commoner, how the hell do you get to be a noble master's bride! Unless you're a spy...!"
Inside, I'm hearing a mix of things I don't want to hear.
First it was Elena's declaration that she would be my bride. Next, Zitri throws up her hands in a rare show of embarrassment, and Rona is having fun adding firewood to the fire.
Mei looks stunned and unsure of where to begin.
…Shouldn't I just go in?
Maybe I should go back to the guest room.
At least I can play chess with Theo for an hour or two.
I think so, but no thanks.
The door bursts open, revealing the interior.
I kick it open with my heel and it swings open on its own.
The four men's eyes focused on me for an instant.
In that moment, I realized.
I had dug my own grave.
I shouldn't have brought these crazy units together!
"Young Maaaster!!"
Elena rushes at me with her arms outstretched, and in that moment of embarrassment, my gamer brain continues to spin.
Why has she suddenly gone crazy?
Fortunately, my 27th game strategy quickly yielded an answer.
The answer lay in her characteristic.
[Love at First Sight].{1}
Damn right she was.
She falls in love with the first guy she meets.
It was a trait that made her incredibly favoritistic.
I don't know.
It's probably a pretty good trait for a male fanbase, but when it became a reality.
If you ask me if I'm okay with this trait in my own situation, where I'm desperate to survive, I can only shake my head.
"Zitri, stop her!"
"Ouch! Yep!"
Zitri put up a physical defense. But Rona had managed to sneak up beside her and began tickling her side.
"Hic…!"
At that moment, a gasp escaped Zitri's mouth as she struggled against her opponent's hands, and her body collapsed.
Sadly, I realized then that I was a little excited to learn the nature of the new unit. Zitri has a weakness for tickling.
Noted....
"Keoheog!"(Cuck?)
Elena was suddenly hugging me. Mei watches the whole thing, barely covering her eyes with her fingers. Jitri is on the floor, clutching her side, and….
One of the main culprits in the incident...
Rona is laughing.
She is.
Rona is laughing.
Feeling the pressure tighten on my breath, I made a fist to show her. Her face stiffens for a moment from her giggles.
I say in a low voice.
You're done.
And then.