Ch.101EP.26 – The Girl Gained a Family…? (3)

Ihan’s expression soured, but amusingly, the Marquis laughed as if even that was delightful.

That’s how sincere he was.

Sincerely…

“I’d like to make you my son.”

This wasn’t like with Levi, whom he had taken in as an adopted daughter.

This was a true [Tristan] in every sense.

Surprisingly, he meant giving him the Tristan name with its hundreds of years of history.

In other words, he was offering him the ‘qualification’ to be his successor.

“It’s not just about qualification. I currently have no children, and none of the branch family members are clever enough to fully inherit the Tristan name. Vale might have the highest possibility, but unfortunately, he gave up all succession rights when he joined the Order of Knights. In that sense, the moment you become my son, you’ll immediately become first in the line of succession! You could become the Marquis of Tristan! Where else would you find such an opportunity?”

An opportunity that only existed now.

It was undeniably a sweet offer from the Marquis, and even the most dispassionate person would find it hard to resist.

Anyone with even a slight desire for power and honor couldn’t possibly refuse—

“No, I sincerely decline.”

“…”

“In case you think I’m just playing hard to get, let me declare it again. I really don’t want to.”

“…Aren’t you taking the Tristan name too lightly?”

“I’m not taking it lightly. It’s just that calling you ‘Dad’ would be extremely difficult for me.”

“…That hurts even more. Nobles are people too, you know. Couldn’t you phrase it more tactfully?”

“This is me being tactful. If I weren’t, you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

“…How harsh.”

The Marquis’s expression turned glum.

* * *

Although he had spoken playfully, the Marquis hadn’t made his “son” declaration lightly.

‘…Truly a shame. Well, I didn’t think it would be easy.’

If Ihan had accepted, he genuinely intended to make him his child.

The senior members and elders of the family would have been shocked if they’d heard this.

No matter how personally fond he was of him, how could he give the Tristan name to an intruder who had invaded the Marquis’s residence?

But the Marquis didn’t think his decision was strange at all.

‘A fellow like this would be capable of managing the Marquis’s household…’

The Tristan family bears the name of a great noble house, but they lack [Mystery].

The founder of Tristan was said to have possessed Mystery and magical weapons like the magic bow, but that lineage was cut off long ago.

Perhaps because of this?

Honestly speaking, the Tristan family had faced dozens of crises over the past several hundred years.

Sometimes fools who couldn’t even become master archers became successors, and rebellions by branch families were common, citing the lack of proof of legitimacy such as Mystery or magical weapons.

For instance, when Jeminia herself was young, she once briefly left the family, only to return and find it split in half due to fighting between the senior faction and the elder faction.

Such things wouldn’t have happened with Galahad or Lionel.

They had Mystery to prove their “absolute legitimacy.”

Therefore.

‘What’s important for Tristan is the name itself and military power.’

The potential to carry the Tristan name for hundreds of years into the future, and overwhelming military power to unite the entire family.

As long as someone possesses these two qualifications, it doesn’t matter who inherits the Tristan name.

Some nobles say “blood” is important, but that’s ridiculous.

Except for the royal family, most nobles’ bloodlines have become so diluted—what use is blood now?

But if someone were to make an issue of blood…

‘I’d just have him father a child with a woman from the branch family, and that would be that.’

Fortunately, the Tristan bloodline has excellent characteristics.

Perhaps because the founding head had a child with a fairy, regardless of gender, all children inherit the Tristan blood, evidenced by the red hair they’re born with.

So blood was just a minor issue that could be easily resolved.

…If someone had heard Jeminia’s thoughts, they would have been dumbfounded.

Going to such lengths just to gain a knight?

But she would answer:

‘He’s well worth it.’

‘…This fellow is a gem. One with abundant potential for refinement.’

Right now, she could defeat him.

It might be troublesome, but killing him would also be possible.

But that’s only “now”—later…

No, what about “tomorrow”?

‘His aura is more stable than when I met him yesterday. How can someone so young grow so frighteningly fast? Heh.’

So she had expectations.

Perhaps this fellow…

‘He might reach it.’

Like that brave gladiator in her youth.

Like that priest who was once a mere fanatic.

Like that woman who was called slow-witted.

This young knight might also reach it.

‘Aura User—’

That distant, lofty realm that one abandons hope of reaching.

The Marquis, though not his parent, wanted to witness up close this man she acknowledged reaching that realm.

Some might call it vicarious satisfaction, but what of it?

Isn’t it an adult’s privilege to have expectations for the young?

‘I’m truly looking forward to it.’

So for now, it’s enough just to plant the seed.

Well…

‘He’d be quite entertaining to have around…’

Her desire to make him her son wasn’t solely about vicarious satisfaction.

A young man who seemed like he’d never become boring to watch up close.

Jeminia’s proposal to make him her son came without any calculation of gain or loss.

Look at him now, what an entertaining fellow…!

“Tsk, what a shame. Well then, could you at least teach our knights that method of walking on air? We’ll pay you handsomely.”

“Now your true motive comes out! No way. They’re not even my disciples—why should I teach my techniques to another order of knights?”

“Is that so? Hmm… This is just me thinking aloud, but when I added up the cost of the doors, buildings, bricks, marble, and statues that a certain intruder destroyed, it came to about three thousand gold coins. Some of the damaged items were dwarven-made, so the repair costs might be even higher… Well, should I demand that the culprit pay for it all?”

“…”

“What do you think, should I make him pay?”

“…Perhaps you’d be interested in learning how to walk on snow without leaving footprints? It’s called ‘Stepping on Snow Without Traces.'”

“Ho ho ho!”

See? Isn’t he entertaining just to watch?

The Marquis laughed cheerfully.

Wondering if having a playful son would be something like this.

* * *

“…What a nasty old man.”

Ihan looked deflated.

Rather than fistfights and sword fights, dealing with a cunning politician was exhausting and mentally draining.

It was wearing him down in many ways.

Then.

“Aren’t you two attending the closing ceremony?”

As Ihan muttered to himself while rubbing his face tiredly, there was a subtle tremor somewhere.

It was more subtle than the trembling of branches in the wind, a tremor that others might not even notice.

But not for him.

“That’s a bad habit. Always eavesdropping. One day you’ll get caught and seriously hurt.”

It was advice like that of a teacher giving guidance, and as soon as he finished…

“…You might be right. But I don’t think anyone besides you would know we’re hiding here, Instructor.”

Two figures emerged from the shadowy darkness.

Familiar faces, and Ihan looked at the two cadets as he finished rubbing his face.

Roen and Jack.

The master and servant pair faced Ihan with bitter smiles, and Jack scratched his cheek.

“I thought we hid well this time…”

“Yes, you did hide well. How is it that your hiding skills are improving more than your swordsmanship? Are you planning to switch careers from knight to assassin?”

“…No, sir. It seems I just have a natural talent for hiding without needing to practice.”

“That’s quite an annoying statement.”

That guy might be less noticeable than others, but he was just as annoying.

“…Haha.”

As disapproving gazes poured down on him, Jack lowered his head, and Ihan, after glaring at him for a moment, turned his intense gaze to the black-haired youth on the opposite side.

“You look like someone who would sit in a chair and just watch, so why are you out in the field?”

“I suppose I’m not the type to sit still.”

“That’s a sickness too.”

“…Do you think the Marquis noticed I was here?”

“He probably knew first. His senses are better than mine. I suspect he pretended not to notice.”

“…”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…For someone who rejected his offer, you seem to think quite highly of Jeminia Marquis.”

“The person himself isn’t that disagreeable.”

“Then why did you refuse? A Marquis would make a fine patron.”

“You’re awfully curious about other people’s business…”

“I’m your disciple, so this level of meddling should be acceptable.”

“Oh really?”

The dark-skinned fellow seemed to think his choice was strange.

If he had just accepted the Marquis’s offer, he could have instantly become a representative noble of the royalist faction in this country, so why refuse?

Was it really just because he didn’t want to call Jeminia Marquis “father”?

To such a question…

“Yeah, that’s really it.”

“…”

Ihan answered lightly, and Roen was speechless.

…Was that really all there was to it?

“You overthink things.”

Ihan, who was only a returnee in name but had lived many years, gave advice to his disciple.

“At my age, should I be asking my parents for allowance? Or acting cute? At an age when I should be married with children, what’s the point of having parents now?”

“Becoming a child of the Marquis’s family seems like more than just receiving an allowance…”

“To me, it’s all the same. And you shouldn’t need family for such materialistic reasons. Money and power aren’t what’s important in family.”

“Then what is needed?”

“Loyalty and responsibility.”

“…”

It was an answer without hesitation, and Roen’s eyes widened.

Regardless, he continued.

“That’s what’s important in family. Husbands and wives maintain loyalty to each other. Children must fulfill their filial duties, and everyone must have the responsibility to maintain these relationships. People who become family for calculated reasons usually end up the same way—bringing only unhappiness to each other. …Though that’s not always the case.”

“…”

“Anyway, in that sense, the Marquis and I aren’t in a relationship that could become family. I don’t need parents, and conversely, the Marquis doesn’t want a child—he’s just interested in me as an object he wants to raise. Like a puppy or kitten.”

Ihan already knew that the Marquis hadn’t made the offer simply because he liked him.

He must be interested in his power or something else.

But he wasn’t offended by it.

It meant the man recognized his abilities.

As the saying goes, “A true man would die for someone who truly understands him.”

…It’s just that he wasn’t desperate enough for someone’s approval.

So, if he had been worn down by the world or hungry for recognition, he might have immediately jumped at such an offer.

‘Still, living under that man and acting cute would be a bit much.’

He stuck out his tongue, saying the mere thought made his skin crawl, and in response…

“…I don’t think that’s accurate.”

“What?”

“Looking at you, Instructor, you’re not a dog or cat—more like a lion or bear.”

“…”

“One that might tear people apart when it grows up.”

The black-haired fellow was running his impertinent mouth, and Ihan, faster than words…

“…Want to taste my Arahan Divine Fist?”

“…I don’t know what that is, but I’ll pass.”

“No, I’ll pass.”

…held out his fist.

* * *

“-It’s hard work eavesdropping secretly.”

The Marquis expressed regret, as if there was something she hadn’t been able to ask because of the secretly listening wildcats.

There was something she absolutely wanted to ask.

So, chewing on her regret, she boarded her carriage…

“Hmm?”

The Marquis paused momentarily as she noticed a note wedged in the door crack.

“Your Excellency, is there a problem?”

“…No problem. But did anyone approach the carriage?”

“How could they? With so many soldiers guarding it.”

“I see.”

“Why do you ask…?”

“It’s nothing, heh heh.”

“??”

The Marquis boarded the carriage with a hearty laugh, and the butler-like figure tilted his head in confusion.

But the Marquis didn’t satisfy the butler’s curiosity.

Instead, she was simply delighted thinking about the person who had so easily penetrated her forces to deliver the message.

The Marquis had wondered why yesterday’s commotion at her residence had been buried so quietly.

Now that question was clearly answered.

The knight she wanted to make her son was apparently…

“Heh heh, that fellow. You’ve earned the favor of a dangerous person. Heh.”

Though no name was written, there was a dragon seal impressed on red wax that revealed the sender’s identity.

And written on the note:

[He is mine. Do not covet him.]

…such a strong warning.

The Marquis shook her head.

And then.

“Your Majesty. Only a king with great power can command me, or rather, Tristan. …You don’t yet have that qualification.”

Riiip.

With a merciless smile, she simply tore up the note.