Chapter 45: Seeds of Discord

The administrators, who had quietly returned to their seats, pulled out the documents again.

I turned my head toward Kirie upon seeing that.

“Lord Kirie. I would like to know the extent of your authority.”

“As the envoy leader, I possess all necessary authority, including the right to conclude agreements without additional approval.”

Fresh tea was poured, and the documents were placed back on the table.

Our tones also returned to those befitting a negotiation hall.

“Should I consider it the same rank as Sormanzer from last autumn?”

“Yes. I obtained this position in place of the one who was confined.”

He answered bitterly.

After murmuring for a moment, he glared fiercely with his green eyes.

“Was that knight also you? The knight who killed the True Iron Sword and coerced Lord Sormanzer into signing under threat!”

“That is how it is known.”

I prepared myself for a second round.

But Kirie only let out a deep sigh.

“No matter what, attempting to abduct the opposing representative and heir of a great house first leaves no room for excuses. I will bury it in memory. Both personally and as representative.”

“An excellent judgment.”

I released my hand from the egg-sized metal weight at the end of my sword hilt and continued.

“You too would not receive good treatment if you returned empty-handed.”

Kirie smiled bitterly.

“Yes. The direct line is eager to keep the collateral lines and great houses in check.”

Seeing his candid expression, I conveyed the family head’s final message.

“We will return Lobigos’s body and Ventios’s head. Take them back with you.”

Kirie shook his head firmly.

“That would be unworthy. They gave their lives for the family’s territory and glory—if we abandon territory and glory for their corpses, their deaths would become meaningless.”

It was a voice full of sincerity.

“Moreover, if I return with bodies instead of land under orders to bring land, I too would be confined.”

The follow-up words about his own safety, said in a lighter tone, felt more like an excuse.

But I continued calmly.

“If you recover their bodies and return, Lord Kirie, you could become the focal point for the collateral families.”

“!”

A crack appeared on his face.

Had he never considered the words I said?

Or was it because his hidden intention to obtain another outcome while concealing the truth had been exposed?

Either way, it did not matter.

I sank into the chair’s backrest and said.

“Think it over carefully during your stay.”

Feeling the initiative had firmly shifted, I sipped the tea.

It was a fragrance worth remembering for a long time.

If I’ve done this much, it should fulfill what was desired.

***

“It certainly seems there is deep conflict between the imperial family’s collateral and direct lines.”

A few days later, my returning younger sister Ribelia sought me out as soon as she alighted from the carriage and heard the progress of the talks.

The dress with black base and blue lace, along with the jeweled flower hair ornament, suited her well.

While I fought monsters in the Serenus Marsh, she had toured the collateral families in the border regions, strengthening bonds and reconfirming loyalty.

“Yes, Miss. I thought the same. They revealed it even to us, a hostile house. But… conversely, we cannot rule out the possibility that it is a scheme in the form of leaking information.”

Walking one step behind through the long corridor, I reported.

“Please speak comfortably, Brother. It’s just the two of us now.”

Ribelia turned to look at me.

Her gray eyes, having regained much of the vitality befitting blue blood, were truly pleasing to see.

No one would believe she was the same young lady who could barely speak properly until last autumn.

“This is reporting the progress of talks to the rightful heir of the family. I cannot do that.”

“Then what if it is an order as heir? Sir Knight. At least call me by name.”

Ribelia uttered the command in a playful, light tone.

She, who had been one step ahead, spun around to face me.

Just then, a summer breeze blew through the arched windows, elegantly fluttering her long black hair.

I stopped dead in place.

Before the silence became awkward, I politely spoke.

“If the Miss wishes. Ribelia.”

She smiled with satisfaction.

The strange relief that appeared on her face, swirling with ambition and unripe vitality, was impressive.

A soft “Ah” leaked from her slightly parted lips.

“Please continue. You mean the expression of conflict itself could be an imperial scheme?”

“It could be. The imperial family views all great houses as potential rivals. No matter how much they love power, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to fight over one more piece of meat on a board where the grill might break.”

Ribelia mulled over my words in her mouth.

“All the imperials you and I have dealt with so far have been collateral, right?”

“Yes, Ribelia. From Sormanzer to Lobigos, Ventios, and Kirie—all imperial collateral. The only ones met in public were Sormanzer and Kirie.”

“Have you never thought that strange?”

Now that she mentioned it, it certainly was strange.

Sending mixed-blood collateral to places where pureblood direct heirs should go meant no intention to talk.

Even in the meeting between Ribelia and Sormanzer, if officer-mage forces had been sufficient, they would have snapped to bring someone of matching blood to Ribelia.

At that time, since we were the side needing to gain territory, it was somewhat acceptable.

But even sending a collateral mixed-blood as envoy leader visiting Intezeron, where family head Argantius resided, was incomprehensible.

“Is the imperial seed that precious?”

Given the nature of blue blood—purer blood makes succession rarer—it was understandable if direct descendants were lacking.

In our Intezeruto alone, over 400 years, only Ribelia and I were born direct.

Ribelia nodded.

“Yes. The imperial family also has precious seed like us. But that doesn’t explain everything.”

A faint smile hung on her lips.

It was a smile as if daring me to guess.

“You learned much on this tour.”

Caught in her thoughts, she narrowed her eyes and smiled.

“Yes. I met a sky-blue officer-mage who once served with Father long ago. He told me that the imperial family has no pureblood collateral.”

“What? Then who raises the elite troops, gathers intelligence, manages the mines?”

I widened my eyes and expressed fierce doubt.

It was incomprehensible and unacceptable.

“Do not misunderstand. They entrust all such tasks to mixed-blood collateral. I was shocked when I first heard it too.”

“For what purpose? They know pureblood lives longer and is stronger.”

It was a genuine question.

With financial leeway now, the will to study more about this world quickly welled up.

“Absolute power.”

Ribelia turned to me and said.

“The imperial family does not permit rivals. Even if they are their own kin.”

Hearing that, I suddenly thought of Temeratia.

Even while she tormented me so, I had never doubted the loyalty of the elite troops raised by the Temeratisia branch.

“Then the imperial direct line must be tired. They cannot even trust kin with mixed blood.”

Ribelia paused briefly, then nodded.

“Indeed. Different from us.”

I nodded back at her.

“Yes. Different from us.”

The fork at the end of the corridor approached.

Left end was my room, right end was Ribelia’s.

She opened her mouth in a voice tinged with regret.

“Lord Kirie’s attitude you mentioned doesn’t seem intentionally fabricated.”

“I think so too.”

“But expecting their cooperation would be difficult. Inducing internal strife is probably the best. I thought that far—is that correct?”

“I am merely a knight who learned nothing of diplomacy or psychology. Solving problems with a hundred sword strikes is more familiar than one word.”

“With Brother, one sword strike seems sufficient?”

I smiled faintly.

“Thank you. Ribelia.”

“When can we talk again?”

She looked up at me and asked.

Neither the heir’s life nor the knight’s allowed easy time for frank conversations.

I answered without erasing the faint smile.

“If you wish, I will come anytime.”

Returning to my room, I noticed one fact.

Come to think of it, we had almost circled the entire mansion.

Even if Ribelia had been away long, she wouldn’t get lost inside.

She must have deliberately chosen the longer path leading to this fork while walking ahead.

She seemed to prolong the conversation by interjecting questions or changing topics midway, even for briefly reportable content.

“I should make time to visit often.”

Of course, only to the extent that her position remains unshaken.

***

“Good thing. Deep sibling affection is always good.”

Sirina said while wrapping my hair with a dry towel.

“Is it good? Showing a defeated one pushed from the heir position clinging to the new heir isn’t good.”

“Young Master is not a defeated one. And this is a thousand times better than the two fighting to the death.”

“Won’t some think I’m using or assassinating Ribelia?”

Sirina hesitated briefly.

“Well… no. If such a thing happened, you would be the first suspected, of course. There may be a few foolish nobles who believe only appearances, but not enough to lead opinion.”

Hearing it, that seemed right.

“Wise. Much better than me. Read more books from now on.”

She let out a small sigh.

“Is it okay for a mere maid like me to read and know such things?”

The rewards I was promised for the marsh mission were private tutoring, increased dignity maintenance allowance, new sword, etc.

I received the allowance and new sword, but due to the unexpectedly enlarged marsh mission and envoy visit, tutoring was postponed.

Whether meaning to self-study or to tide over with this, I received books first.

Of course, not cheap books roughly printed on poor paper from presses.

Proper books with precious knowledge inscribed in millennium-lasting ink on fine parchment, bound firmly with leather, lacquered wood boards, and metal edges.

“As a merchant family origin, haven’t you handled such precious books?”

“Paper books, yes. They rot quickly, so such precious content isn’t put in them.”

“True.”

I once again realized I had reincarnated.

Well-managed paper books last decades to a century, but for purebloods, needing to reacquire all books every mere century was quite troublesome.

Information needed by those living centuries must be written in books lasting centuries.

“This book might be older than me. And after I return to dust, it will remain in Young Master’s library.”

“Ah. You shouldn’t feel burdened already? You’ll read many more such books ahead.”

“Yes?”

“You must also serve as my adjutant. I felt it while hosting the envoy leader. I lack too much knowledge in administration, law, diplomacy.”

Sirina shook her head, but this time I did not accept.

“I’ll study more too, but you must advise from the side. Your duties are no longer just attending my body. Your salary rose too.”

Hearing me, she made a strange expression.

“Not just attending Young Master’s body…”

Seeing her face, I realized she had made a new resolution.

Around this time last year, I had worn a similar face.

“Young Master.”

After a short silence, she spoke.

“Yes?”

“Then I will presumptuously say one thing.”

“Yes. I will gladly listen.”

“A thought just now. Through the talks with Lord Kirie, you gained certainty that the imperial direct and collateral are in opposition.”

“Indeed.”

“Then what did Lord Kirie gain from visiting Intezeruto this time?”