Chapter 77

Zair felt a slight sense of relief after receiving reports that the monsters had ceased their advance.

With even the wild weather calming down, it seemed that virtually all problems had been resolved.

However, he still had to station support troops for a while, in case of unforeseen circumstances.

'If it weren't for Alter, we would have suffered considerable losses.'

Zair no longer doubted Alter's capability.

Alter himself had already proven his own strength, and even the soldiers were praising the youngest son of the grand duke's household.

As the Grand Duke of the North, Zair had encountered an outstanding mage, and as a father, he had witnessed a gratifying achievement.

'Uriel... did you already know all this?'

Zair lingered briefly in his nostalgia, then buried it deeply within his heart.

He could not remain forever entangled in regret and phantoms.

A person who lives in the present must, of course, look toward the future.

'Alter has the qualities required to become the Grand Duke of the North. Hasn't he already won over public sentiment?'

Because the Grand Duke of the North served as the Supreme Commander of the Northern Army, he had to earn the loyalty of its soldiers.

Alter had ascended to the first outer wall and fought the enemy himself, so not only the soldiers but also the residents would look up to him.

Moreover, with his fiancé also joining the battle, admiration was inevitable.

'He might be somewhat inexperienced in managing forces... but he can learn that from now on.'

If Zair were to hand over the grand duke's title to Alter as things stood, some controversy would surely arise.

The eldest son and daughter would oppose it first, and even his closest knights and staff would inevitably harbor doubts.

In the worst-case scenario, internal strife might break out, threatening members of the same bloodline.

"Deputy-Commander."

"Yes, sir."

"Are you going to keep maintaining neutrality?"

"I'm just a knight, am I not? Thus, it is only right for me to calmly obey the Grand Duke of the North."

The Deputy-Commander of the Northern Army, Roden Hiberat, calmly expressed his position.

If he showed support for one side, perhaps the Grand Duke of the North would acknowledge him just a little.

However, since he didn't wish to trouble the Grand Duke, he simply performed his assigned duties diligently.

"Wouldn't it be easier to retire if you put yourself in a good light ahead of time?"

"Ha ha! How could a deputy-commander care only for his own interests? I'd rather die on the battlefield than waste away in old age."

"Are you saying you won't bow your head to my children?"

"I serve the orders of the Grand Duke of the North, not as a nanny looking after the kids. Should I be running after greenhorns one by one?"

Zair did not take offense at those words. Roden was an old comrade who had defended the northern lands his entire life.

Thus, no one could look down on Roden, regarding him as a commander worthy of standing alongside the Grand Duke of the North.

"To your eyes, are they all the same?"

"They couldn't possibly be the same. The eldest son is quite courageous. The eldest daughter is clever and skilled in military strategy. The youngest... hmm... resembles your wife too much."

"... You once said Uriel was utterly fearless. Is that what you mean?"

"Why did you send the youngest to the first outer wall in the first place? If things had gone badly, he could've been seriously hurt."

Roden had always disliked Uriel.

She was headstrong and often acted disrespectfully toward the current Grand Duke of the North.

Even so, her abilities were so formidable that it was almost infuriating.

"I trusted Uriel and sent the youngest because there must have been a reason."

"Good heavens... Was that enough to cast the youngest into danger? Even if your wife foresaw this situation! It's not something that should have been done."

"Does this world always run on reason alone? Sometimes, there are exceptions."

"I have nothing to say on that front. Who would've guessed it would be such an exception?"

Even Roden was forced to acknowledge Alter's combat prowess.

Though his fiancé had helped him, he displayed overwhelming strength against both golems and yetis.

Perhaps, among all the grand duke's children, he belonged to the strongest group.

"If it were you, to whom would you pass on the title?"

"My answer is set. Naturally, I would pass it to the eldest son. Only that would avoid gossip."

Roden presented a thoroughly orthodox answer. If there were no special issues, bestowing the title and assets to the firstborn was correct.

However, the title of heir could not be justified by birth order alone, and later the succession structure could change drastically.

"If you're thinking of command of the Northern Army, wouldn't the eldest daughter be a better choice?"

"Hmm... It's a bit troublesome that she's the second child, but it wouldn't be a bad choice. The close aides and strategists would be easier to persuade."

"If I chose the youngest, would you try to talk me out of it?"

"Would I only try to dissuade you? If you insist, I would counsel you to oust the entire upper echelon."

"......"

Zair swallowed his silence and looked out the window.

The snowy white tundra was being swallowed up by pitch-black darkness, and the soldiers immediately lit their torches.

Though Roden's advice left him somewhat troubled, as the head of the household, he could not ignore reality.

"There's no way to end this without bloodshed. Do you really think the two will sit quietly? They already have their own troops. What is there to hesitate about?"

"......"

"If you hand it over to the eldest daughter instead, the eldest son wouldn't be able to do much. The close aides and staff would naturally align with her, and the eldest son would become isolated. But not the youngest. What could he possibly do on his own?"

Having observed the grand duke's eldest son and daughter for so long, Roden was certain.

Both desperately desired the grand duke's title and threw themselves into earning it.

In such a case, if it were suddenly passed to the youngest, they would certainly rebel.

"... The youngest has Illenat. You can't be unaware of that."

"That's why it's even more of a problem. If Duke Illenat gets involved, the body count will only rise. But would the other two ever back down?"

"Are you saying it's a loss no matter which side wins?"

"That's why I'm advising you to give it to the eldest son. Surely you don't want to witness your children dying, do you?"

Though Zair agreed with those words, he still gave no answer. He was still holding off judgment, considering only Alter's potential.

However, if it would drench the family in blood, he would have to choose the safer outcome.

'I'll need a little more time to think.'

* * *

Thankfully, there was no snow this morning. However, there was no sunlight, and snow and ice lingered as always in place.

Even though it was a constantly repeating landscape, as long as daily life continued, perhaps it could be called the peace of the northern lands.

'I should be able to leave quietly.'

Before leaving Goranmoche Fortress, Alter visited his mother's gravestone.

Brillie quietly followed, simply looking at Alter.

Since he didn't know when he would be able to return to the North again, he needed to say his final goodbyes so no regrets would remain.

'Mother, is this the result you wanted?'

Alter looked at the gravestone and carefully asked. But no answer came; the gravestone remained quietly in place.

Knowing that he could never meet his mother again, he could only accept it with humility.

'I still don't understand. Wasn't there a better way?'

Alter still couldn't come to terms with his mother's death. Whether it was premeditated or accidental, she had failed to protect her life.

She could have left it to someone else, so why did it have to be his mother who bore the burden?

'Even if I become a great mage, I still won't be able to bring you back to life, will I?'

Unconsciously, Alter recalled forbidden magic, but knew it was meaningless.

All it would do was turn the body into an undead thing, controlled by the caster.

In the end, it would become nothing, simply called a monster.

'No one knows the truth. They don't even think Mother sacrificed herself. Isn't it such a fleeting existence?'

Alter became entangled in countless thoughts before emptying his mind. She had chosen this end, accepting the consequences and casting herself forward.

That's why, perhaps, she had not looked only at him and his father.

'Nothing will change even if I keep talking. I should get going now.'

Alter looked forlornly at the gravestone, then turned his back on it.

Perhaps it was the ending his mother had hoped for, but it felt far too disconnected from himself.

With grief and sorrowful emotion welling within, he could not face the gravestone any longer.

"... You're not going to stay a little longer?"

"I think she'd want me to leave quickly. That would be best."

Brillie hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly followed after Alter.

The more he missed her mother, the greater his resentment grew.

She, too, had lost her mother as a child and could understand a little bit of his feelings.

'Could I ever fill that void? What am I supposed to do?'

* * *

Upon hearing that the two were returning, Cadeon hurriedly tried to prepare for the wedding.

However, an unexpected situation arose, and in the end, the ceremony had to be delayed.

If only the wedding had been held even sooner, perhaps he would have felt a bit more relieved.

"Did you return safely after settling matters?"

"Yes. Thanks to Lady Brillie's help, we were able to finish quickly."

"Hmm... I have much to ask, but I should inform you of the situation in the capital first."

"... Has something happened?"

"The emperor is in critical condition. If he doesn't recover, they say he could pass away."

Alter and Brillie's faces stiffened in surprise. They had only just returned from the North, and now suddenly the emperor's life was in question.

For Alter especially, it was a completely unpredictable event, and he couldn't help but feel tense.

"So we can't hold the wedding right now. Commoners may be unaware, but as nobles, we ought to show proper decorum, don't you agree?"

"If the emperor passes, does the crown prince inherit the throne?"

"That's what would happen. But I have my concerns. Brillie, did you tell your fiancé about the situation?"

"... No. I haven't, yet."

Brillie glanced at Alter awkwardly. Cadeon looked back and forth between them before reluctantly speaking.

"I kept it a secret for your sake, but now I think I'd better explain."

"What's this about?"

"The crown prince has expressed his desire to marry Brillie. In other words... he wanted to break your engagement and take her for himself."

"...."

Alter was so astonished that he couldn't even blink. At the same time, his mother's prediction about the future came to mind.

Brillie would become empress, be cast aside, and then be poisoned, ending up known as a villainess.

On top of that, given her foreknowledge of the downfall of House Illenat, Brillie's ruin was practically set in stone.

"If the crown prince ascends the throne as things stand, what do you think will happen? It would be nice if he let things be, but he might do something disgraceful."

"Are you saying the crown prince will marry Lady Brillie?"

"I don't want that either...but if things go wrong, it all gets tangled. If we hold the wedding now, they could say we insulted the emperor. What would you like to do?"

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Talk about bad timing.

【(⩌_⩌ )】