Chapter 26 - The Lord Knight's Inner Thoughts
I was heading to Father’s office with the two of them, who looked so happy together.
Along the way, I saw the butler’s eyes widen in surprise, and the head housekeeper wiped away a tear with a handkerchief she had pulled out. I see... I understand now. So, this atmosphere had been present all along. The household had been worried about the difference in status between my older brother and my sister-in-law, thinking that this was the main issue.
The root of the problem, however, was far deeper.
The family may have forgotten, but the wife of a Lord Knight is not judged by status. It is a light... truly light status, but because of that, genuine affection and longing exist there. Even Father and Mother, despite being from the good offices of the previous generation, would not have progressed to marriage unless they both were in agreement.
Even now, their relationship is harmonious. "I," who had never known love, looked at them with a feeling akin to longing, wondering if this is what love truly is.
If that’s the case, then this is enough. This is all that matters.
---
When we arrived at Father’s study, I, who had been leading the way, opened the door and entered. The slight surprise in their expressions was probably due to the fact that I was wearing official attire—a rather expensive set, which Mother, with her business acumen, would recognize immediately.
I entered the room with my usual expressionless face, and I could see the disappointment on Father and Mother's faces, as if they were thinking, "So he has failed in persuading the eldest to leave the room..." However, when they noticed Eldest Brother entering behind me, accompanied by a woman standing at his side, their expressions turned to ones of shock.
"...I apologize for the long period of worry. My health... is now restored to the point where I can live normally. I’ve come to report my younger brother’s return. May I have your permission to enter?”
"What are you saying? You are my heir. You don’t need permission to enter this study."
"...But I no longer have the ability to fight."
"......I know. Still, you are the heir of the knightly family.”
Hmm. Seeing Eldest Brother, who had regained his composure, Father seemed to have made up his mind. My second older brother, "Second Brother," seemed to agree with this as well. Mother, though still wearing a sorrowful expression, appeared to have something on her mind. In that case, I would need to assert the "noble manner" of the knightly family here.
I spoke in a calm tone, preparing to offer my greeting upon my return.
“First, please take a seat, Brother. And Sister-in-law, please, sit as well. Everyone, I’ve safely returned from the capital. While there, I learned the ways of nobility, practiced controlling my internal mana, and honed my skills in the Knight Department. I am now ready to be of help to everyone. Once again, to my dear family, I’ve returned."
At my words, everyone nodded in agreement. The return greeting was a formal phrase, a customary way to briefly mention what had been accomplished and report it to the family. It was a proper greeting according to etiquette. There, I kept my words simple and to the point. In truth, this was only the beginning. After my brief greeting, I shifted to the next matter. Indeed, it was time to address how we would handle the matter with my granduncle, as a knightly family.
"Father, with my return from the capital, the situation has changed. I have closely observed the way of nobility in the capital, and for me, the current state of our household can be considered abnormal for a family of nobility."
"Abnormal, you say? What do you mean by that?"
I understood all too well the source of our current predicament. Yet Father, knowingly, tried to obscure it. It seemed clear that he was attempting to keep the situation ambiguous, hoping to maintain the status quo. I could almost sympathize. Losing soldiers with combat prowess, especially in such a harsh frontier, would indeed cause a severe security flaw. But that, in itself, was a separate issue. If maintaining the dignity of nobility was important, then there were times when decisive actions had to be taken. That was why I had to point this out.
"I’m referring to Granduncle. If we consider the situation, the monster and magical beast attacks were the origin of this current turmoil. However, I cannot say that Granduncle is fulfilling the duty entrusted to him. What he did could easily be seen as a betrayal of our homeland. If he had done something like this in the capital, his head would have surely rolled. Moreover, his crimes are clear. Despite the efforts of the heir of the knightly family, he offered no assistance, didn’t even try to understand the situation, and arrogantly insulted my older brother. He’s been loudly spreading the word in the streets that our bloodline is unworthy of the knightly family, hasn’t he? That is nothing less than an act of rebellion against our house. It is nothing short of high treason to secure his own seat of power. And, given Granduncle's nature, I’m certain he has made no attempts to lay the groundwork for those around him, and in fact, he has openly declared that strength is the most important trait for those who rule this land."
"......That’s true. Continue."
"Yes. In the capital, actions like Granduncle’s would have been immediately suppressed. In His Majesty the King’s domain, such deeds would never be permitted. He would be promptly detained by the guards, tried briefly, and executed without delay. However, here in the kingdom’s frontier, near the Demonic Forest, the combat strength of individuals is still highly valued. The fact that the old retainers and our extended family and followers risked their lives to protect this land cannot be overlooked. Granduncle and his faction certainly deserve some recognition for their achievements. But that doesn’t change the matter at hand. From my time in the capital, I’ve come up with one possible solution."
"'Solution'... you say... Do you actually have one?"
"If we leave this unresolved and do not take clear action, it will turn into a deep and lasting root of evil that will eventually become a seed of disaster upon our knightly family. If we do not punish the crime, the principle of rewarding merit and punishing fault will be lost. Our family, though low-ranking, still holds noble status. Nobles are people who value their dignity above all. If we lose face, we may very well lose the pride that comes with being nobility. If we cannot live with the noble pride in our hearts, we will not be able to protect the common folk. And from the perspective of unifying force, no one will follow someone who shows no firm resolve."
"You speak arrogantly. Then, tell me this so-called solution of yours."
The words from Father, laced with anger, seemed to have been held back with great effort. He must have struggled to suppress the intense rage within him. After all, Father had placed great trust in his beloved family member, Granduncle.
I took a deep breath.
What I was about to say would lay bare the current circumstances and the true nature of our knightly family. The advantage lay in fulfilling both our sense of honor and dignity, while also paving the way for a brighter future. This plan would ensure that we could adequately deal with potential threats, all while considering the generational shift in our military forces. The downside, however... would be that for the time being, military actions to protect the people would become more difficult. Many of the soldiers in our family’s service, who had pledged their loyalty to Granduncle, were seasoned warriors, skilled in combat.
However, this could be a great opportunity to implement the things I had honed at the Alchemy Tower into actual practice. I gathered strength and spoke with resolve.
--- With a voice born from the depths of my being, I offered my father a plan to grasp the future.
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