Chapter 529
As graduation day approached, there was a certain guy whose complexion grew darker.
“Isn’t there something like a graduation postponement at the Academy?”
“Why would there be?”
That was Erich, spouting nonsense.
It was a rather surprising reaction. Sure, he had built some bonds of friendship transcending status with the pastry club members, but he wasn’t the type to get gloomy to the point of despair over partings. He’d probably be the one to say something cool like, “Let’s meet again when we get the chance!” Besides, with the communication channels available, they could chat anytime.
But lately, I’d seen Erich strolling around with Sara, arms linked, often sighing or staring blankly at the sky. It was evident he was deep in thought, and as a brother, I felt a bit worried about him.
Right until I knew what was bothering him.
“Why don’t I have a younger sibling?”
Ignoring Erich’s serious mumble, I quietly shifted my gaze.
The reason he was reduced to this state after gleefully chuckling at Rutis and Lather was straightforward. He was just sulking because he was going to have to take up the position of a deputy in the Imperial Council once he graduated. I felt almost pathetic for worrying about him over such trivial matters.
‘Becoming a civil servant is Krasius’s destiny.’
It was just sad to see Erich, who still couldn’t come to terms with that fate. Did he really think he could be an exception when his brother was on the path to becoming a Minister in his twenties and their father had served for decades in the Imperial Council?
If he truly believed that, he was a fool; though Erich may lack awareness, he’s not empty-headed. My guess is he’s reluctant to accept the reality, even if he recognizes it.
I can understand that. Sometimes I also feel a surge of anger at the very thought of being a Minister.
‘He thinks he’s the only one suffering.’
But what can mere slaves do when they’re irked? Even if they resign, the master wouldn’t accept it.
Really, to revert to a life of a savage, you’d have to commit a colossal blunder that would land you in hot water, but if it were a mistake serious enough to get you fired from high office, you’d be risking more than just your job. If you can’t control the severity of that mistake, then you might as well just buckle up and work.
‘Isn’t there some competent guy out there?’
Or if a new slave to replace the current high-ranking officers emerges, then the old ones can step down.
If that happens, I’d gladly take my leave with a smile. If any sprout aiming for my position appears, I’d gladly give them a shove all the way to the top. It could happen within a year at a pace of a promotion every month.
‘But no one’s showing up.’
I popped a cookie into my mouth with a bitter feeling. I heard there were plenty of hungry zealots in other departments blinded by ambition, yet here we are in the Information Department, looking like this. Usually, people jump at the opportunity to munch down on a boss just a little younger or of a lower social rank—
‘Oh.’
Right, I personally took care of those types of people.
‘My karma.’
Historically, excessive purges led to karmic retribution. That was my blunder for forgetting it.
“Brother.”
“Yes?”
As I confronted my past sins, Erich spoke up.
“When Feddy becomes an adult… he’ll take my place in the council, right?”
At that, my hand stopped reaching for the cookie.
“…That’s right.”
I reluctantly responded with a heavy heart, unwilling to admit the reality.
From the moment Feddy was born, my closest blood relative became him. That is, the legitimate heir to my rights and responsibilities isn’t Erich but Feddy.
So, as Erich said, when Feddy comes of age, he will have to bear the burdens that Erich has been shouldering. This is an unavoidable destiny unless I hand over the title of Count of Tailglehen to someone else entirely.
‘Damned Imperial Count.’
A father’s hope that his child would live as a wealthy slacker was shattered by the chains known as an Imperial Count.
Being an Imperial Count automatically means being a member of the Empire’s Council. Isn’t that a cruel punishment?
“So, there are 17 years left, huh?”
In the meantime, here’s Erich calculating the day his nephew becomes an adult. Is he even a proper uncle?
…
‘Wait a minute.’
17 years?
“Hey, you!”
“Yikes!”
I couldn’t contain my rage, instinctively grabbing Erich by the neck and choking him.
Seventeen years old means an adult under Imperial law, but if he steps into a deputy position as soon as he turns 17, he can’t enter the Academy. Feddy would have to walk the same path I did—being uneducated.
“Who do you think you are, trying to keep someone else’s kid from attending school?”
“B-but you didn’t attend the Academy either and still succeeded!”
Ignoring Erich, who was desperately flailing, I tightened my grip on his neck. Judging by how he can still open his mouth, I must not be squeezing hard enough.
‘We can’t have a third generation of uneducated folks.’
Besides, if Feddy doesn’t enter the Academy, it would proudly showcase a miraculous lineup of three consecutive heads of the Krasius family without a formal education. After all, my father didn’t even attend the Academy but jumped straight into civil service.
“O-Okay, brother! Erich’s eyes are rolling back!”
“Advisor! While I want to stay in the Empire, I wouldn’t want to linger due to a funeral.”
Thus, the family honor levied upon me came to an end, thanks to the desperate pleas of Sara and the other club members.
*
In life, a bad turn can lead to a good one.
– I plan to declare the official launch of the Information Department during the New Year’s Ball.
But my life seems far removed from such equitable exchanges.
I felt dizzy. Just moments ago, my younger brother hurled the absurd provocation of “Your son is uneducated,” and now I was facing the Emperor saying something like “You’re no longer a nominee.”
– Of course, in my heart, you’ve always been a Minister, but whether you’re a Minister in public is another matter. Congratulations.
“It’s truly an honor… Your Majesty.”
The urge to dismiss such ridiculous comments came rushing to my throat. Ever since I became a nominee, every person I met kept calling me Minister, but how it’s a different matter?
The only changes I’d witness would probably be my salary bumped up from Executive Manager to Minister level, plus an official rank in the ceremonies. But neither would greatly impact my life.
‘Ceremonial rank, huh.’
Speaking of which, how is my ranking going to work out?
Right now, I’m just a notch above Executive Managers and the bottom of Ministers, but once the Information Department is officially launched, I should break free from that indecisive position. No matter how new the department is, it wouldn’t likely be the lowest ranking for a department responsible for oversight.
‘Just don’t make it too high.’
Higher Minister ranks mean a higher chance of being responsible for the administration in emergencies. Just take the second in command, the Finance Minister, who’s acting in the role of the Palace Minister because that position was vacant. Occasionally, if the Finance Minister is busy, a subordinate could take over.
As you go down the ladder like that, hitting the fifth rank will happen pretty fast. Just imagining it brings tears to my eyes.
‘Just hoping to land around rank 11 or 12 would be splendid.’
With a heart full of sincerity, I prayed to the sun, sky, and trees.
I’m not asking for an extravagant rank that goes beyond my worth, merely a plain and modest rank fitting my level.
So, someone, please hear my prayer. Don’t just spout hollow words of blessings or serve as some dispenser of good fortune.
Please.
*
As the graduation ceremony drew near, my heart raced.
More precisely, I was eagerly awaiting the New Year that would follow the graduation ceremony, unable to calm my beating heart.
‘Now it’s my turn.’
I continued taking deep breaths while gently smoothing my clothes.
Now, now it is my turn. Since my sister Mar and my teacher are getting married, I’m next in line.
“…Hehehe.”
A strange chuckle escaped me before I even realized it, causing me to glance around. Even though I was alone in my dorm room.
“Hehehee.”
Then, confirming again that nobody was around, I couldn’t stop laughing.
The wedding that once felt so distant was now right around the corner. In just a few weeks, I’d go from being a future bride to a legitimate bride.
And I would be marrying in my beloved hometown.
“There’s no rule that says the wedding must be extravagant. Inviting just the nearby folks can also be quite enjoyable.”
When I asked if we could hold our wedding in the Aitini Baronage, my brother had hesitated for a moment but then said this.
“But it’ll be a once in a lifetime wedding for Rizie. If you change your mind, do let me know.”
If I wanted an extravagant wedding, he told me I could say so anytime.
As thoughtful as always, I declined the offer. My sister Mar was blessed at St. Paronas Cathedral, and my teacher witnessed the resurrection of the World Tree in the Elf Residential Area. With the preceding weddings showcasing miracles back-to-back, no matter how I planned my wedding, I couldn’t help but feel compared.
So, I chose to hold it simply and quietly, without burdensome expectations. No, that was probably the right thing.
‘If I take the lead, everyone will feel the pressure.’
I’m the third in line, not the last. There are still three weddings left behind me.
While the chance is slim, if I were to have something unusual happen at my wedding like the two previous ones? Having three abnormal weddings in a row? How stressful would it be for the next bride?
That’s why I picked the Aitini Baronage. I chose that place, even turning down my teacher’s generous offer to lavishly prepare for my wedding.
‘It’s a place we can pass down to our children.’
One day, I will inherit the Aitini Baronage. And that same place will be passed down to the child my brother and I will have.
If I hold my wedding there, wouldn’t it remain forever as a cherished memory?
‘It’ll be good for both of you as well.’
And for my parents’ sake, it’s a good choice.
While the Aitini Baronage is our hometown and base, it’s also the place where Hilda left us. It’s a location suffused with scars that can never be erased.
I want to cradle that wound, if only a little. I want to cover Aitini with new happiness.
‘Now you can smile again.’
I want to see my parents smile instead of shedding tears when they gaze upon the hills and rivers where Hilda played.
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