Chapter 90 - Situation Report at the Fortress
My brother’s furious voice echoed through my office. He had jumped up from the sofa, glaring down at me as he launched into a barrage of accusations. I hadn’t even had the chance to explain what had happened. Still, I was certain that had he been in my position, he would have made the same decision. And yet, I understood his anger. It stemmed from worry—worry for me and the soldiers of the guerilla unit. For that, I was genuinely grateful.
“A H-Hydra?! You never said a word about this!”
“We only confirmed it after you’d departed, Brother. We had some suspicions beforehand, but nothing definitive. Spreading vague information would’ve only caused unnecessary confusion, so I ask for your understanding.”
“You... You always do this—why must you bear everything alone?!”
“Because the situation demanded swift action, and any delay would have only worsened things. Fortunately, we had a plan—a remarkably good one. That’s why I opted to handle the matter myself and executed the operation once I was confident in our odds of success.”
“You...!”
“And yet here I am, back in one piece, safe and sound. That’s what matters, doesn’t it, Brother?”
I brushed aside his anger with a calm smile. Truly, I appreciated his concern. It made me feel loved. But as a man of the knightly house, as the commander of a unit capable of battle, I couldn’t sit idly by and watch the damage spread just because the situation was dangerous. Perhaps that resolve showed in my expression. With a heavy sigh, my brother slumped back onto the sofa, shaking his head in exasperation. Then, in a quieter voice, he spoke.
“Tch... Damn it. You’re right, I suppose. Still, my heart can’t take this. You're impossible. But... you did well.”
“Your words honor me. I already sent the magic stone as proof of the subjugation, but...”
“Yes, I saw it. I can’t believe you managed to retrieve such a massive magic stone. It’s astounding. Being able to offer that to the High Countess, our liege, is a great honor for our house. It’ll add a flourish to your brother’s marriage alliance as well. ...I wonder—will he be pleased, or will he regret not being there to help? What do you think?”
“He’ll regret it, no doubt. That’s the kind of person he is. Ah, and thanks to My Friend’s guidance, we managed to collect a large number of materials as well. I’d like to request Mother to oversee their sale in stages.”
“Understood. I’ll speak to her myself.”
“Thank you. Also, about some of those materials—My Friend was promised a portion as a reward for his outstanding contributions during the subjugation.”
“The heir—or should I say, heiress—of the High Count’s house, hmm? If it’s their wish, we have no reason to refuse.”
“Much appreciated. For now, we refer to him as 'he' here in the fortress, but afford him the treatment of a lady.”
“What an odd situation... Well, if it’s within the fortress walls, the outside world needn’t know. Just keep an eye on that one, too.”
“Of course. He’s a once-in-a-generation mage, and he’s been extremely helpful.”
“You and your friend both—so infatuated with magitech tools. Still... maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Thanks to that, the combat strength of our knightly house has reached unprecedented levels. I’m counting on you.”
“As you command. By the way, how was the wedding in the High Count’s domain?”
If I said too much about what My Friend was researching, it would only add to my brother’s worries. So I steered the conversation elsewhere. Truth be told, I’d been quite curious about my second brother’s wedding. He was a stern, rugged man, like a boulder given human form. With so many nobles from the royal capital in attendance, I’d worried whether he could handle such a grand ceremony without trouble.
“Ah, yes—the wedding. I should tell you about that. It was... truly splendid. Even nobles of the highest rank came from the capital.”
My brother began to speak about the ceremony. As the head of a high count’s house, it was only natural that the wedding would be conducted on a grand scale. Held in the High Countess's domain church, it was presided over by senior clergy summoned from the Great Cathedral of the capital. The couple received their blessings and solemn vows under the gaze of many.
It had been an event of state-level importance, a marriage officially recognized as a pledge for continued peace and stability within the kingdom. It was said that the banquet which followed was as opulent as any royal feast. My second brother had transferred his noble affiliation through the marriage and came under the patronage of a marquess house—specifically, the family of the Minister of War. Yes, that’s right. That guy from the Royal Guard Staff—his family.
It seemed that he had attended the ceremony alongside the Minister of War. Though mostly symbolic, my second brother had officially become the adopted son of the marquess—making them both his adoptive father and adoptive younger. The marquess and his wife had attended as a couple, it was said. As for the High Countess—her parents had passed away long ago. Standing in as her guardians were none other than the Grand Duke and Duchess themselves. That revelation had apparently left the entire guest list stunned, or so my brother told me.
Well, when I thought about it, it made sense. The High Countess had once been the soon-to-be crown princess’s closest confidante—her shadow, her attendant, her sister in all but blood. To the Grand Duke and Duchess, who were the grand ducal lady’s own parents, she must have seemed like a daughter, too. Given the trust placed in her both publicly and privately, it was only natural for them to take that role at her wedding. Or perhaps... it was the grand ducal lady’s own request. That kind, gentle soul might very well have wanted to honor someone she had called “sister” in this way.
A grand wedding with such unexpected guests from the highest tiers of nobility—it had been nothing short of spectacular. Apparently, our father, mother, and sister-in-law were still staying in the High Countess’ territory, along with my two nephews. Only my brother had returned ahead of the others.
Supposedly, he had made up reasons like “wanting to check on the state of the town” or “worrying that someone as young as I might not be able to handle things on my own.” But the truth was probably that my brother just found it easier to move alone. If he intended to handle matters quietly and efficiently, it made sense.
Still... I couldn’t help but sulk a little.
My expression turned sour, and my brother gave me an amused look. It annoyed me even more that his reasons were so perfectly reasonable. But I was still young. Even among the neighboring knightly families, I was considered very young to be a field commander. So yes, I was aware that I was being underestimated. The truth was different, of course—but I had no doubt people saw me as someone merely leeching off my family of birth. That’s why my brother’s reason carried a certain credibility. And that made it all the more irritating.
Perhaps sensing my frustration, my brother let out a dry chuckle and spoke.
“Aren’t rumors that deviate from the truth actually convenient for you? Isn’t it better to be underestimated if it keeps the real facts hidden? There are sharp minds even among the nobility—some might eventually suspect the truth behind the ‘special subjugation’ in the Demonic Forest. But none of them would imagine you were the true hero. And even if they did, doubt would outweigh certainty. Isn’t that for the best?”
“...I do appreciate the sentiment. Considering my promise to the Prime Minister, I can’t exactly go attracting attention.”
“Exactly. I thought it through—what would let you move most freely. Let those who know the truth keep it. That’s the best strategy.”
“Yes... my ‘covert assignment’ demands that as well.”
“It’s a troublesome task, but one you’ll have to see through. …And that brings me to the next topic—your marriage.”
“Why must we go there? This mission is dangerous. I have no intention of taking a wife.”
“But the mission given to you by His Majesty the King... it can’t be completed in just one generation, can it? In that case, you’ll have to think about who comes after you.”
“You have two wonderful children, Brother. One to inherit the house, and the other could carry on the mission. Isn’t that enough?”
“And saddle my beloved children with such a burden? Absolutely not!”
“Brother!”
In a way, I thought we had a good relationship. In my previous life, not a single person had ever shown me such genuine concern or taken the time to think things through for my sake. We clashed, we argued, we shouted at each other—yet even then, I still held deep respect and affection for my brother. I truly felt grateful to have been born his sibling. Even as irritation simmered inside me, a smile still found its way to my lips.
Well, it wasn’t as if my brother was truly angry—he was probably just giving serious thought to my future marriage in his own way. That said, the biggest obstacle, I believed, was my own conviction that things were fine just the way they were.
When it came down to it, I simply didn’t possess the kind of sensitivity needed to understand the subtle workings of a woman’s heart. I honestly didn’t get it—at all. And me, take a wife? No way. It would be far too disrespectful to the woman.
...And so, I figured I was better off alone.
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