Chapter 106
The Krasius family is one of the noble houses directly under the Emperor, holding a prestigious position as a military family with territories near the Capital. If I were to put it a bit crassly, you could say we’re like the Emperor’s hunting dogs or pets. However, a dog raised by a high-ranking official is considered more valuable than an ordinary commoner. After all, when the owner is the Emperor, the dog’s status is quite elevated.
Because of this, the Krasius family, along with other noble houses, is regarded as excellent marriage material in high society. Families like ours are closely tied to the Emperor, thus marrying into us often leads to unexpected perks.
Furthermore, if a noble subtly drops, “My in-law is…” in front of the Emperor, it’s an instant ticket to the top. No matter how paranoid the Emperor might be, he wouldn’t go so far as to kill someone recommended by his beloved pet.
In short, I’m also seen as a prime catch for marriage in the imperial social circles. Oddly enough, since last year, marriage proposals have completely dried up, although before that, I received quite a few, Marghetta included.
“Don’t sweat the small stuff and focus on what needs to be done.”
These were the words of the Patriarch right after the Great War. He treated the matters of noble marriages as trivial and urged me to work harder for the Emperor.
Thanks to him, I haven’t had to worry about marriage until now, but it seems like that luxury is running out. Unlike the Patriarch, who believes things will sort themselves out if left alone, my mother appears to be reaching her limit.
“Did it arrive today?”
“Yes, it came at lunch.”
Nodding at the butler’s words, I checked the contents of the letter. If it was from my mother, then it was probably about marriage, and nothing else came to mind.
‘Well, she held out longer than I expected.’
I’ve been using the Patriarch’s words as a shield, but it looks like my mother’s patience has finally worn thin. After all, soon I would completely surpass the ideal marriageable age. Which mother watches her eldest son become a total bachelor without stepping in?
The letter began with some mundane pleasantries. There were questions about the weather, a note about my health, her pride in my dedication to the Empire and the Imperial Family, and a wish for me to come visit the territory more often. Just standard motherly chit-chat.
Unfortunately, our relationship isn’t as warm as the letter suggests.
“So I’d like you to come to our territory.”
After skimming through, I finally found her main request at the end: she wanted both me and my younger brother to not just stay in the Capital but come visit her territory.
Yeah, I suppose I should show my face. If I go to the mansion, I’ll probably be bombarded with talks about marriage. However, if I don’t visit, rumors might spread that the Krasius family is falling apart.
Just as I was about to fold the letter, I spotted one more line at the bottom.
“I heard you have other guests with you. If they’re okay with it, bring them along, too.”
‘What the…?’
I was momentarily stunned by that abrupt line. Bring those idiots along with me?
‘Oh, hell nah.’
Although there was a clause saying “if they’re okay with it,” they had already been itching for a chance to leave the Capital. Of course, they would agree.
I stared blankly at the letter for a while before the butler’s careful voice pulled me back to reality.
I’m sorry, Marghetta. I’m about to shatter your efforts to keep the club members from seeking an escape.
*
For the first time in a while, I got to enjoy dinner in the mansion instead of the office. I really shouldn’t be pleased over such a mundane occurrence, but here I am feeling oddly happy.
“Now that you’re here, it finally feels like we’re at your mansion, Oppa.”
Louise’s words pierced my heart like a dagger. She probably meant it in a friendly way, but considering how I’ve been neglecting my guests, it sparked a small wave of guilt.
To make matters worse, I would have to leave the mansion the very next day. It wasn’t as simple as just commuting within the Capital; I was going to another region altogether. And I wasn’t going alone—everyone was coming along.
‘Damn it.’
Right after being liberated from work, I found myself tasked with going on an outing with some prestigious folks. What kind of event was this? Golf? Hiking? This is ridiculous!
I could, of course, just head out without telling the members, as Mother suggested.
But the problem is that leaving them in a situation where I couldn’t promptly respond if something went awry is simply irresponsible. If that was the case, I shouldn’t have brought them to my mansion in the first place.
After a long bout of contemplation, I hesitantly decided to speak up. Might as well say it quickly and get it over with.
“Erich.”
“Yeah?”
To start, I had to speak with the family member who really had to go with me.
“Mother asked us to visit her at the territory. We’re going tomorrow.”
Erich’s hands froze, likely dumbfounded. He must be a bit confused, having been summoned out of nowhere while enjoying a comfortably peaceful life in the Capital with Louise.
He probably also felt uneasy about leaving the other competitors behind if he was the only one going elsewhere. But honestly, I didn’t think those four would make any significant progress even if I left them alone.
“Alright, I’ll get ready.”
Even so, his calm acknowledgment of the summons suggested he still felt some familial affection or sense of duty. To think he could feel something in such a frigid household. Alright, good job growing up well, kid.
And just like that, I decided to dangle a little enticing tidbit for him. Hey, it’s not just you going; everyone is invited, so no need to fret.
“Also, Mother invited the entire pastry club.”
Erich’s expression perked right back up, and the other four displayed positive reactions too. It’s almost as if they were perfectly in sync with my expectations.
If I didn’t keep my guard up, I might end up looking down on them with pity, so I diverted my gaze. Unlike the members, I noticed someone else wearing a starkly somber expression.
“Of course, that includes Mar and Irina.”
Only then did the color return to her face. I had no idea there were more people out there who wore their feelings so openly. Compared to them, she seemed relatively cute, so I decided to let that slip.
“I’m planning to depart tomorrow if everyone’s okay with it.”
“Of course, that’s fine.”
Rutis responded on behalf of the group. Great, that’s a relief.
Even though it’s good news, I found myself inexplicably annoyed. I think I might have developed anger management issues lately.
‘Is this how the Minister felt?’
This was a feeling I never wanted to experience for the rest of my life.
If everything had ended with everyone agreeing to attend, that would have been fantastic, but I still had to relay the decision to the territory. Not responding in a timely manner might as well be ghosting them.
So, as soon as dinner ended, I bolted to my room and contacted the territory.
“Is tomorrow at noon alright?”
— Yes, that works perfectly. We were already in the process of preparing.
Seeing the fatigue in the head butler’s face over the crystal communicator struck a chord in me. Is that what I look like to others? The head butler is a competent noble, second-in-command of the territory—and yet, how has he looked so worn out every day for the last five years?
And it seems that I’m not the only one who feels that way.
— Young Master, are you alright?
“I’m fine, really.”
— You don’t look well. Are you sure you’re not overworking yourself?
“……”
If the head butler is concerned, I must look like a classic victim of overwork to everyone else. But when I looked in the mirror, I saw the same face I always do.
‘Being overworked must be my default now.’
Before I knew it, my tired expression has become my everyday face. Four years flew by, and it’s terrifying.
As I sat there lost in bitter thoughts, the butler shifted topics, perhaps trying to lighten the mood.
— The lady has been quite eager to see you. While Erich stayed in the territory until he enrolled in the Academy, you’ve only been in the Capital, haven’t you?
“I’ve been too busy to visit. Thankfully, the Patriarch seemed to understand that.”
However, I wasn’t particularly keen on this topic, so I responded rather listlessly. My mother wants to see me? I’m skeptical about that.
She’s neither wicked nor abusive, but she’s far from affectionate either. In some ways, she’s similar to the Patriarch in her neglectful approach to nurturing.
It wouldn’t matter if it was just directed at me, who happens to be a reincarnated spirit in this body. But when it comes to Erich, who is her biological son in body and soul? That’s another story altogether.
Realizing how my mood was shifting, the butler cautiously smiled and spoke up.
— Once you converse with her, you’ll understand her true feelings, Young Master.
“I hope that’s the case.”
Of course, it wasn’t as if I ran away from home out of hatred for my parents; being busy in the Capital was the reason. Even if I discern their true feelings now, I doubt anything would change.
Strangely enough, the butler didn’t mention that the Patriarch wanted to see me. It seemed he felt it was unlikely himself. How refreshingly honest.
After I notified the butler about my travel plans…
— Are you traveling to Count Tailglehen’s territory?
I still had one last person to report to.
— Oh dear, I hear that you’ve completed all your delayed tasks today. What a shame.
‘You little jerk.’
The Crown Prince, who provoked me as nonchalantly as breathing, was the final person I had to report to. A bunch of royals were set to leave the Capital, so it was only fair that I let him know where they were headed.
— Well, at least you have some time off now. Isn’t that fortunate?
= Right? It’s a shame you don’t have to come into work every day, yet you still use that grace to go elsewhere?
“Thanks to that, I could prepare for unexpected events.”
= Spare me; I don’t want to hear your whining.
To the Crown Prince, this must seem absurdly amusing. He granted me the unusual privilege of not needing to show up every day and to stay in the mansion. And now, here I was, dropping everything to head out with the royal family.
He must be wondering what’s wrong with me. If I’m knowingly heading out with ticking time bombs, he probably won’t bother trying to stop me.
— If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to reach out, even if you’re outside the Capital. You’re still guests of the Empire, after all.
= I can’t miss your face when you’re floundering, so report back regularly, okay?
The Crown Prince concluded our conversation with one last jab before the line went dead.
What a bastard. Is this truly the guy destined to be our next Emperor?
Admittedly, even the second prince is a lesser evil, but is he truly the best option?
It was a day that left me feeling heavy about the Empire’s grim future.
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