Since I had no comeback, I decided to take this as an opportunity to reinforce my image as the “poor younger brother bullied by his elder brother.”
It was a bit of a shame that the only one watching was the butler, as Hard had dismissed all the maids. However, considering the authority and influence the position of butler held, the situation wasn’t bad.
Having made that judgment, I slumped my shoulders and cast my gaze downward.
“A Familiar’s ability is the master’s ability. Why do you try to separate them?”
Ragfrid cut into the conversation as she set down her teacup without a sound.
A competitor was doing something stupid, ruining his own character by bullying a brother seven years younger.
Was she planning to take care of her benevolent image by protecting the victim?
“What are you trying to do right now?”
“I want to ask you the same thing. Why are you so desperate to break the youngest’s spirit?”
“Since he seems to have lost his place because of his memory loss, I’m just trying to kindly let him know as his brother.”
“It looks to me like you’re the one who doesn’t know your place, not the youngest. As your sister, I suppose I must personally teach you.”
Seeing how things were going, it seemed only a matter of time before rumors spread throughout the Duke’s Territory that these two were sworn enemies.
And the competition for the succession would likely intensify in earnest.
If possible, it would be more beneficial for me if the eldest, who had no hostility toward the Possession Body, became the Young Duke.
Therefore, I was inwardly cheering for Ragfrid.
“Karbaldr. Is that all you have to report regarding the Familiar?”
Hard asked me, completely ignoring the psychological warfare between the succession candidates.
I could spend twenty-four hours talking about Yor’s greatness, competence, and cuteness and it still wouldn’t be enough.
However, I didn’t want to ramble on about such things to Hard.
So, I decided to only inform him of things that might get me pointed out for omitting information if I didn’t say them.
“Yor was born with a special bead, a Yeouiju. It can make a ringing sound, transform into a bracelet, or store items inside it.”
“Indeed, so that was it.”
Instead of being surprised or questioning my words, Hard reacted as if he understood.
This meant…
“It seems you have already received a report regarding the Yeouiju. Its functions, the fact that its origin is unknown…”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
The Imperial Family and the Four Great Ducal Houses considered the existence of a Familiar to be very important.
Even Ragfrid had let it show that she knew Yor’s eyes were sky-blue the moment she saw him, hadn’t she?
So Hard must have also ordered an investigation into Yor, and in the process, he would have received information about the Yeouiju as well.
That was why I brought up the Yeouiju first.
I had anticipated that I would be asked about it anyway, so I spoke in advance.
“That Yeouiju is like a part of my Familiar’s body. In the first place, it’s impossible for anyone but Yor to use it. So, I hope you won’t take it away to analyze it or use it more valueably.”
“…It is fascinating that a Familiar was born with an artifact, but that is all. It is not something I would covet.”
A wrinkle formed between Hard’s brows as he spoke.
He seemed displeased at being treated like a greedy adult trying to take a young Familiar’s toy.
“Anything else to say?”
“No.”
“Then I shall leave first.”
Hard immediately put his words into action and left the Dining Hall with his Familiar.
I thought he would definitely say something about Yor being born with Sky-Blue Aether.
It was quite surprising that he just let it pass without much word.
Did he let it go because he thought the ability to control the weather was valuable?
Or did he judge that criticizing the natural color and characteristics of Aether was nothing more than a pointless waste of time, since they cannot be changed arbitrarily?
I’m glad Hard is an extreme efficiencyist.
“Then I’ll be going as well…”
There was nothing much to do even if I stayed here, and I had even less to say to the siblings of the Possession Body.
So, after confirming that Yor had finished his dessert, I spoke as above and quietly pushed back my chair.
This was because getting up while making a noise with the chair was against etiquette…
– Screech!
Valtraus stood up abruptly, doing exactly what was against etiquette.
I suspected it was a deliberate action to show his discomfort.
“Valtraus. Sit back down, I have something to say.”
“I have nothing I want to say to you, sister.”
“Even so, you must sit. Didn’t you hear what Father said earlier? I have the responsibility to educate you so that you don’t go around saying foolish things, and you have the duty to receive that education from me.”
As I stood up, the atmosphere created by the two of them was so intense that I found myself cautiously watching them.
I was curious about how Ragfrid would educate Valtraus.
However…
“Youngest, you may go.”
Since I had been told that, I would be treated like a strange person if I said I wanted to stay and watch.
Even if that weren’t the case, I might get caught in the crossfire if I stayed.
Until I left the Dining Hall with Yor and the door closed.
Valtraus just stood there with a dissatisfied expression, glaring at his sister, unable to take even a single step away.
It hit me anew that in this house, Hard’s word was law.
‘By the way, how long are those two staying in the Duke’s Territory? I wish they would hurry back to the Capital…’
While walking with various thoughts, I soon arrived at the hallway connected to the Possession Body’s room.
The reason I describe it from the point I arrived at the hallway instead of the room is…
“Young Master…!”
It was because Yon had been standing in front of the Possession Body’s door with a tearful expression and called out to me desperately as soon as he saw me.
Had he already heard the news that Valtraus hadn’t hesitated to say harsh things to his younger brother?
Or was there another reason?
“Let’s go in first.”
As soon as I entered the room, I sat on a chair at the table and offered a seat to Yon.
Then the young attendant sat down without a moment’s hesitation and opened his mouth.
“I heard the eldest Young Master said some horrible things to you. Are you okay?!”
“Has that already become a rumor?”
“It’s not exactly a rumor. I’m your exclusive attendant, right? So one of the maids gave me a tip, saying it would be better if I knew.”
“I see, so that’s how it was.”
There must have been someone meddlesome among the maids who served the meal today.
Perhaps she was worried that the prickly youngest Young Master might take out his anger on the young attendant for no reason?
“So, are you okay?”
“Thanks to the warning you gave me beforehand, I’m more or less alright.”
“Ah! That’s a relief!”
“Yes, it really is a relief. I know in my head how absurd the claim that I killed Mother is. But hearing my brother say that with such sincere anger… my feelings were a bit, well, like that. If I had heard those words without being prepared, I might have blamed myself, wondering if it really was my fault…”
As I spoke in a low, somber voice with a bitter smile.
Yor wrapped his long body around me and let out a weak “Nyaaaaan…” sound.
Then Yon, not even suspecting that we were acting, stomped his feet and reacted as if he were so sorry for me that he didn’t know what to do.
“Young Masttteeeerrr……….”
He hadn’t called me because he had something to say; he had just uttered the title because he didn’t know what words to use to comfort me.
So I didn’t say anything and pretended to try to compose my heart.
After silently stroking Yor’s back with a dark expression, I threw out a question tentatively when I felt it was enough.
“Come to think of it, my brother’s atmosphere is very different from Father or my sister.”
“People who have worked in the castle for a long time say that the Young Masters resemble the personality of the deceased Madam.”
“I thought so. My personality and my brother’s personality seemed too different from Father’s even to me.”
“If only the eldest Young Master didn’t hate our Young Master, since the two of you have similar personalities, I think you would have relied on each other and gotten along well…”
I agree.
Seeing how he is still hung up on the Duchess even though she died eighteen years ago, it seems Valtraus is as starved for affection as Karbaldr was.
Could it be that this tendency was also inherited from the Duchess?
If so, I think she must have had a very lonely time in this Duke’s Territory while she was alive.
“I don’t… want to think about such a hypothesis. It only makes me sad for no reason…”
“Ah… I was being thoughtless. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Didn’t you say that out of a feeling of regret? So there’s no need to be so apologetic.”
After soothing Yon with words, I asked the thing I was curious about.
“But it’s a bit of a question. Even though there is my sister, who inherited Father’s cold and rational side perfectly, are there vassals who support my brother as the successor?”
“The faction following the Young Lady is more dominant, but I know there are quite a few who follow the eldest Young Master.”
“Do you know the reason?”
“There are some who support him just because he’s a man, but usually, it seems they support him because they are drawn to his human side.”
It means that those who felt uncomfortable with Hard’s emotionless appearance flocked to Valtraus.
I don’t know if that discomfort was just a physiological emotion.
Or if it stemmed from a desire to build a personal friendship with Valtraus and gain benefits based on a bond.
‘The more you put forward your human side as an advantage, the more you should avoid emotional behavior as much as possible… He really did something foolish.’
Instead of speaking such thoughts aloud, I just muttered “I see” and nodded lightly.
There was nothing to be gained from letting out words that seemed to mock Valtraus.
“Um, but… did His Excellency the Duke say anything?”
“About what?”
“About the Familiar.”
“He didn’t. Since the Familiar was born with Aether that doesn’t belong to the family, I thought he would naturally take issue with it.”
It was a stroke of luck.
If Hard had shown his disapproval or displeasure with that point, Valtraus would have criticized me and Yor as much as he wanted and poured out all kinds of slander.
“That’s really unexpected!”
“Indeed. Father doesn’t have interest in me, but he seems to have a lot of interest in Familiars, so I was secretly worried…”
“Anyway, it turned out well. So shouldn’t we just think it’s for the best and move on?”
It wasn’t so much that we could move on, but rather that we had no choice.
It wasn’t as if I could go to Hard and demand to know why he didn’t say anything about Yor’s Aether.
“Anyway, since His Excellency has permitted it, I’m asking with a light heart, but what is the Familiar’s Aether ability?”
Yon asked, unable to hide his curiosity even while gauging my reaction.
He must have been wanting to ask all along, but held back for fear that I would react sensitively, and only now brought it up.
I answered him readily and then sent Yon out, giving the reason that I should rest now.
However, not long after that, a guest visited the room, so rest was pushed back until later.