Chapter 24 - Half of My Beloved Brother
"Stay as you are. ...Brother. I have returned from the royal capital’s Magic Academy and heard about the situation. May I have a moment of your time to share a few words?"
"...So, you’re back."
"Yes, just now. I would like to formally report my return to the family. Moreover, I plan to greet Father and the others appropriately. They are all waiting in Father’s study. Given the current circumstances, I came personally to escort you."
"I... I can’t..."
"Brother, you are the heir of the knightly family. I earnestly request the presence of the warrior of compassion, who is to carry on the next generation of our house. At the academy in the capital, I learned much about etiquette toward one’s respected elders. It has been deeply, deeply engraved in my heart. Please allow me to show you the results of that learning."
With his eyes now lit, Eldest Brother stared at me. Something in my words seemed to stir something within him. Slowly, he pulled his half-bare upper body away from the black-haired woman and sat on the bed. The title warrior of compassion, chosen to deliver a straightforward message, seemed to reach him. The black-haired woman, still unable to grasp the situation, struggled to cover her exposed chest with her disheveled clothing.
"Please prepare yourself. ...By the way, you there. Are you Brother's personal attendant?"
".........Y-Yes."
A delicate voice responded in kind, belonging to a woman in the prime of youth. Her disheveled attire marked her as a personal attendant. Her long, unbound black hair fell across her beautiful face as she tried desperately to avoid my gaze. I understood her feelings, but it wasn’t necessary. It was because of her presence that Brother had held himself together. The time they shared might not have been sufficient, but as the first step toward restoring Brother’s fractured heart, perhaps this was the only way.
A soldier whose heart had been broken, without a place to anchor himself, could only fall into darkness. The kind of devastating situation he would fall into had been etched in many war histories. Therefore, I had to offer my gratitude. Moreover, this woman had been my brother's personal attendant. In other words, she had been appointed by Mother to stay by my brother's side.
Her qualities should have been thoroughly scrutinized. Although this situation had become somewhat perplexing, if I were to look at the circumstances, calling this woman my sister-in-law would not... well, it would probably be allowed without issue. ...Though, it would likely be under the control of our mother.
"Your devotion has soothed Brother’s heart and prevented him from losing his sanity. You have my thanks."
"I-It’s nothing... I... I don’t deserve such praise... N-Not at all."
"Those who study war history are well aware: those with broken hearts need someone to heal them. We, as his family, will not take you away from him. As the place where Brother’s heart resides, your presence has become indispensable. You have become, so to speak, half of Brother himself. That is why I ask you this—please help him prepare. With your own hands."
".........I-I understand."
"Brother, the time has come. Your body has healed; now is the time to act."
"You...... What kind of education did you receive in the capital? It seems both harsh and filled with pride. I can see glimpses of it."
"I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to learn many things. Now then, I will wait for you in your study. Please make your preparations."
"A-Alright... C-can-Can I take her with me...? There shouldn’t be any issue, should there?"
"Oh, so you’ve made up your mind. That should be fine, don’t you think? If you wish to spend your life together with her."
"......I see."
"Yes. As a man, if you fail to take responsibility for your actions, it would be an act of dishonor."
The shadows in his dull eyes began to fade rapidly, replaced by a glimmer of light. So that’s it... I see now. Brother had been tormented over how to carry himself, how to take responsibility. He doubted his worth as the heir, derided as weak and spineless, and had begun to question his own ability to fulfill his own role as the heir to the knightly family.
He had lost his status, and with it, his confidence had crumbled. He might have felt unable to fulfill his responsibilities to the woman he had made a commitment to, and so he worried... ran away... Unable to consult anyone, he had confined himself inside, feeling completely helpless and unable to move forward.
-- So that’s what it was.
If so, my presence here today was indeed the right decision. Turning on my heel, I headed for Brother’s study. I left the broken lock as it was and waited for him in the study. In the stagnant, disordered atmosphere of the room, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of "forlornness."
I placed my hand on the wall of the study.
I concentrated my internal mana, weaving in various commands, and released the mana into the wall. Anything in contact with the wall could be shaped by my will. The heavy, blackout curtains were drawn open, and the window was unlocked and thrown wide. The scattered objects in the room flew to their rightful places and were stacked neatly.
Dust was drawn out through the window, and the fresh air from outside spread throughout the room. The chaotic scene transformed into one of order. In the midst of this, I found myself drawn to the map of the territory attached to the study's wall.
It was certainly a representation of the situation at that time. Pins were placed here and there, arranged in such a way that one could instantly understand the situation. I couldn't help but admire this as the work of Eldest Brother. Making the spoken word visible in this way was, after all, the best way to understand a situation.
--- I decided to reconsider this matter purely from the perspective of military action.
Several issues became clear. The most pressing was the accuracy of the information transmission. Events reported subjectively by people lacked precision. In peacetime, even small occurrences felt significant, while in critical matters, they might be downplayed due to the emotional distance people maintain from the day-to-day.
A unified standard was necessary to address this issue. The discrepancies in recognizing the level of danger in each region were a major problem. Hmm... This was an interesting matter. Even from a military standpoint, it was something that offered a great deal of research potential: the method of transmitting information, defining reports, and the issue of immediacy.
A series of difficult problems...
I was almost caught in a deep thought as I looked at the map on the wall. No, no, this wasn’t the time for that.
--- Now that I think about it, that woman...
My brother had desired her to accompany him. But what was her position? As a personal attendant? No, that was too weak. My brother had expressed a desire to spend his life with her. In that case, she would become my sister-in-law. My brother had asked her to accompany him, but could she understand that she now held that position?
It wouldn’t be easy. She would probably refuse.
Then, I had to make sure she understood that. If she were simply a personal attendant, she wouldn't be allowed to enter Father’s study. Father had ordered complete exclusion from his study. Taking that woman away from Brother would be a huge mistake. Brother’s heart was still broken, and half of it was kept by her. If she wasn’t allowed to accompany him, it would be like tearing Brother’s heart in two.
To get her into Father’s study...
I see. If I made her effectively his partner, that would solve the issue. Then she would be part of the family. As a member of the knightly family, she would fall outside my father’s exclusionary order. And, if someone in the family recognized her as such, even if just "nominally," she would be seen as a member of the feudal lord's household.
--- Then I would have to arrange things that way.
I would need to create proof of that. My gaze shifted to the corner of the room, where some tea utensils were gathered. Several pieces of pure silver cutlery caught my eye. Yes, I could use this.
Additionally, the study contained some decorations kept for unexpected visitors. From these, I picked a pair of cufflinks with peridot stones that matched my brother's eye color. Then, I took my brother's spare cravat from a small clothing shelf.
I held the silver knife and fork in my hand, kneading them together. Silver, being compatible with mana, could be molded like clay, and I could incorporate the mana I had shaped into it. Sitting at Brother's desk, I began kneading the silver, letting my eyes wander around the room.
Suddenly, my gaze landed on the crest seal used by the heir to the knightly family, my brother.
It was a rather special seal, and only my brother could use it due to a special spell cast upon it. Or was it only for the heir? In any case, the seal had been enchanted with a special incantation, meaning that if anyone else tried to use it, the imprint wouldn't transfer.
Hmm... I hadn't realized such a technique existed.
A mischievous thought arose in my mind.
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