Chapter 79
Chapter 79
It’s been 3 years since I came to the Imperial University.
“Thank you all for gathering here.”
Inside the hotel’s large conference room are aristocrats with menacing appearances.
Among them is someone who has white hair in an all-back hairstyle and is displaying a relaxed attitude despite his young age.
This villain-like individual that can put people on a constant edge is Count [Francis Sera Ganne].
“Iya~ I’m really honored to be summoned by the Capital’s star in the creation of a new faction.”
He’s smiling amicably, but no one knows what he’s thinking inside.
It’s a quality often found in villains.
Next to him, a muscular ossan with an eyepatch, or should I say Count [Jeriko Sera Goal], is laughing vigorously.
There are countless wounds all over his body.
With the current medical technology, they can be easily erased, but he has not done so, meaning that he wants to intimidate others with his wounds.
This person’s face and countenance also scream villain.
“I never thought I’d be called by the young‘un of the Banfield family!”
He throws a sarcastic remark towards me to probe me.
Despite what his large frame might suggest, he seems to be rather meticulous.
He might not be as bullish as he looks.
In the middle of all this, Baron Exner, who is like a middle-aged man, steps forward as a coordinator.
“Rather than that, is Mr. Liam serious about starting a new faction? Even we’ve heard rumors about His Highness Cleo’s situation, you know?”
The prince farthest away from the throne.
It’s no wonder that he’s worried hearing my intention to support Cleo.
However, the odds are in my favor.
“Of course. After all, I’ve promised His Highness Cleo that I’ll guide him to the seat to the throne.”
The nobles begin to whisper.
These aristocrats are mainly lords that have their own territories.
Many of them are detached from the court, and just as many of them are not familiar with the internal situation.
Baron Exner voices his concerns.
“I hear that His Majesty’s memory of him… isn’t so good?”
“And that’s what makes this worthwhile.”
His Majesty is most probably an enemy, so I have to get rid of him.
Count Ganne displays his interest in the topic.
“Not bad~. Ever since my family angered His Majesty from several generations ago, we have been treated indifferently. I would like to take this opportunity to make a comeback.”
What kind of wrongdoings did this guy’s family do?
Well, no matter. It just goes to show how reliable he is as a fellow villainous lord.
Count Goal is eventually convinced when more nobles approve of my plan.
“I wouldn’t want the troubles in the court to affect my territory, so it’s true that I would prefer to have a convenient Emperor. Nonetheless, aren’t His Highness Calvin and His Highness Linus both tough opponents?”
Hearing that, I present the materials I have prepared.
“Please read through these. It is about His Highness Linus’s back-door transactions with foreign countries.”
Count Ganne puts his hand on his chin.
“It’s not enough. It’s isn’t an unbelievable story, so I wouldn’t be too surprised even if this is true. However, he’ll most likely deny it until the end regardless of the evidence.”
It’s fine even if it does not work.
All it matters is that rumor spreads about Linus doing something behind the scenes.
“I can appeal His Highness Cleo’s uprightness by comparing him with Linus, who has dirtied his hands. I also do not think that this is enough to overtake Linus, so we’ll be obtaining the throne with our abilities.”
Baron Exner is sweating cold sweat.
He must be thinking that it’s too much for him.
“There won’t be any problem. It will be His Royal Highness Cleo who bears the brunt, and I will be there to back him. I simply wish for everyone’s implicit cooperation.”
If others learn of how many allies we have, there are bound to be some people that would offer their cooperation.
Power in number!
That said, I gathered as many villains as I could… but aren’t there less of them than I anticipated?
Did they disappear alongside the Berkeley family?
◇
Liam became the representative of the faction and publicized his support of Cleo.
That evening, Linus came to visit Cleo.
The two of them were having a conversation about some unimportant matter in the reception room, but Linus grew impatient and went straight to the main point.
“Cleo, I have misjudged you.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I thought you would live a modest and stable life. For that reason, I have not made a move against you to this day.”
“—Is that so.”
Linus got up from the sofa.
“From today, don’t expect to sleep peacefully.”
This was no different from Linus declaring war on Cleo.
“You came over just to declare war on me? I see that you are quite confident, elder brother.”
“Don’t get cocky, brat.”
Linus stopped bothering about putting up an appearance.
“Don’t get conceited just because the kid from the Banfield family has decided to support you. Did you really think you are equal to equal to me now that there are a hundred aristocrats by your side?”
Noticing his brother’s irritation, Cleo made a conjecture.
“It looks like you’re very frustrated. Did something happen?”
Linus’s eyes turned bloodshot, but Tia, who was standing behind Cleo, spoke up before he tried to do something.
“There are eyes here, Your Highness Linus.”
Linus paused for a moment, straightened his back, and turned to leave the room.
“—You’ll regret participating in the battle for the throne. You are henceforth my enemy.”
Cleo leaned back on the sofa upon Linus’s departure.
“We were enemies from the very beginning, elder brother.”
Tia prepared tea for such a Cleo.
From her performance, Cleo came to realize how excellent Tia was.
His sister was also a high-ranking knight, but Tia was beyond that.
“Does Your Highness Cleo loathe His Highness Linus?”
He was troubled by Tia’s question.
“It’s not like I hate him in particular. It’s just that we have our positions to uphold. If we had met under a different circumstance, we might have become friends instead.”
If only they were not of royal descent. Even if they were, if only they were not in the position to fight for the throne.
However, it was useless.
There was no point in speculating on what could have been true.
Just as his lips had touched the drink prepared by Tia, Cecilia came into the room.
Her flaxen hair was straight and long unlike Lysithea’s, emphasizing her femininity.
She was someone who was carefree and relaxed.
“Cleo-chan, brother Linus was furious. What happened?”
Cleo became anxious upon seeing Cecilia, his eldest sister.
(If possible, I would like her to escape from the palace.)
A fierce battle was about to commence.
He wanted to do something about Cecilia, who wasn’t suited for this sort of conflict.
“Nothing, sister. Also, Tia?”
“Yes?”
“Can I ask Count Banfield for a favor? I would like to find an appropriate fiancée for my sister.”
Cleo was in a precarious position, and this had influenced Cecilia as well.
Although Cecilia was of royal descent, her inheritance rights were low and she had no fiancée either.
In a sense, she was worse off than Wallace.
Tia contemplated before answering.
“I will speak to Lord Liam.”
On the other hand, Cecilia, who was suddenly subjected to a conversation about finding her a fiancée, was utterly confused.
“Eh? EHHH!? Why are we suddenly talking about my engagement?”
◇
After the supper with the other aristocrats, I am having a drink with Baron Exner.
“Do you understand my feelings, Count!? The feeling of having posters about me sold and placed into the lockers of my subordinate!?”
It appears that he was holding back a lot.
He’s drunk in a bad way.
“Ah, of course I do.”
I don’t.
What’s the fun of putting up a poster about a man?
It’s not like Baron Exner is an idol or anything.
As a man myself, if there’s a poster of me on a wall, I’d assume that it’s so that an assassin can remember his target?
Not that anyone would have a poster of me or anything.
Baron Exner is sobbing.
“I feel pathetic for selling goods about myself for money. Besides, my son’s’ engagement hasn’t been decided either… Oh, our promise of having my daughter receive training at your place still holds, yes?”
I tip my hat to you, sir, for having such a capitalistic spirit and earning money through selling your own goods.
As an evil lord, I should also have such a spirit.
“Please leave it to me. I’m not one to break a promise.”
I see.
So Kurt has not decided on a fiancée yet.
It must be difficult for him because of his position.
While I am drinking with Baron Exner, Tia, who has been entrusted to aid His Highness Cleo, contacts me.
“Excuse me, it’s from a subordinate — What is it?”
I stand up from my seat to talk with Tia.
I think I heard someone say “Ah~ it’s Lord Liam’s voice” softly, but it’s probably just my imagination.
“Lord Liam, it’s an order, no, a request from His Royal Highness Cleo.”
“What is it about? Money?”
Just as I am pondering about how much to send, Tia tells me that it’s something different.
“No, Her Highness Cecilia is High Highness Cleo’s sister. She’s 150 years old and at an age where she could’ve married, but she doesn’t have a partner because of her standing.”
Even if you tell me that…
I certainly remember her from before.
She was a beautiful woman who exuded a fluffy feeling.
“Do you think I can do anything about that? Thing like engagements and marriages are decided by the court.”
“No need to worry about that. This matter will not be touched upon because of the lack of a candidate. Lord Liam, why don’t you take this chance to have her marry a nobleman that you are close with?”
Tia’s proposing to use Her Royal Highness Cecilia to buy the favor of another family.
Her Royal Highness Cecilia is a royalty, and there isn’t any bloodline nobler than hers in the empire.
It could develop into a huge problem if someone raises the issue of bloodline.
Her father is His Majesty the Emperor and her mother’s family is a great aristocrat.
However, none of the aristocrats are asking for her hand in marriage because she is the sister of His Highness Cleo.
In other words, unlike Wallace, she can marry whenever she wants to if the problem of His Highness Cleo is resolved.
“Marriage?”
“Yes, there’s no issue with her bloodline, and she is an upstanding person. I hope she is blessed with a good relationship.”
I glance at the figure of Baron Exner who is drunk and sleeping.
“An upstart family would want superior bloodline, yes?”
“Do you have someone in mind?”
I wake up Baron Exner to have a discussion.
Although his consciousness is blurry, Baron Exner seems to be able to still talk.
“Baron Exner, I have something to speak with you regarding Kurt’s marriage.”
“Kurt? Ah~~ yes, we need to quickly find him a partner.”
“There’s an acquaintance of mine who is a woman with a powerful bloodline. It’s just that she’s considerably older.”
“Older? No, if we do that … I’ll feel sorry for Kurt.”
“True, a difference of 70 years is a bit much.”
“70!? Isn’t that within the permissible range?”
Eh? It is?
However, if I think about it, this is a world where people have much longer lives.
Does 70 years’ difference not matter that much?
—I hesitate for a second.
“Will this be fine?”
“Having an older woman isn’t bad. It would be nice for Kurt to have a wife he can rely on — I think.”
Things are getting a bit messy.
“Will Kurt agree to this?”
“He’ll be bothered if the age gap is over 100 years, but he said it’s fine otherwise — I think.”
Then we should introduce them to each other immediately.
“In that case, let’s have a miai straight away. Oh, and it’ll be a miai with the premise of marriage.”
“Fantastic! With this, Kurt can finally be considered full-fledge! Wait, huh? Do you think it’s better to marry after he graduates from the Military Academy?”
“Then the marriage will be after he graduates from the Military Academy.”
“Umu! No objection!”
I tell this to Tia who is listening to our conversation.
“Is it possible to meet with Kurt?”
“Yes. Do you want me to call for him?”
“Of course.”
Huu~ With this, I’ve taken care of my friend’s marriage.
Not only is her bloodline solid, she’s also a rare beauty, so I’m sure Kurt will be overjoyed.
I turn towards Baron Exner who has fallen asleep in joy.
“Please look forward to the celebration, Baron.”
◇
It became chaotic when Baron Exner returned to his territory.
“What do you mean a royalty will be marrying in?”
Baron Exner’s wife was raising a fuss.
The entire mansion was in a state of uproar.
“No idea! I have no clue! I was drunk and asleep. During the meantime, Kurt’s marriage was decided!”
“We’re just upstart Barons! How can we possibly afford to welcome a woman from the Royal Family?”
“I-I said it’s impossible, but Liam-kun kept telling me, ‘It’ll work out. It’ll work out.’!”
“It won’t! To begin with, we’re poor!”
This was said by Kurt’s younger sister, [Ciel Sera Exner], who was also listening to the story.
She was someone with a long, loose silver hair and purple eyes.
She was a beautiful girl with clear eyes and an erect nose, just like Kurt.
Her body was small and slender.
While listening to her parent’s conversation, Ciel was also communicating with her brother Kurt.
“I feel sorry for brother.”
“Really? But it’s a marriage that Liam put together, so I can’t refuse it.”
Seeing how delighted her brother was, Ciel felt like crying inside her heart.
(Ever since brother returned from his training, he’s been saying Liam that and Liam this — Liam, I won’t forgive you.)
Before she knew it, her brother, who was the subject of her adoration, was constantly talking about Liam.
To Ciel, his younger sibling, this was not forgivable.
(And he’s definitely not as nice a person as my brother thinks. I’m sure he’s black in the inside.)
Kurt was happy.
“Marriage, huh? It feels so surreal. What should I wear next time when I meet Liam? Is uniform a good choice?”
Ciel cried when she saw her brother more concerned about Liam than his omiai partner.
“What souvenir should I bring? Something Liam would be pleased with—”
Witnessing how happy Kurt was, Ciel cut off their connection.
“Brother, just you wait. I’ll definitely wake you up.”
Ciel was intent on taking off Liam’s mask.
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[1] Miai -> Matchmaking