Chapter 145
Alter sat on Brillie's bed, still wearing his pajamas.
Even though the honeymoon had ended, they still had to maintain their relationship as a married couple.
Above all, to avoid suspicion from Duke Illenat and the servants, they needed to present a convincing situation.
'The end of the world... I never even considered something like that.'
Alter took Alraune's words seriously.
An great mage would not casually mention the end of the world.
On top of that, there was the fortune-teller's prophecy—maybe he should regard it as fact.
'It's not impossible. Both are dangerous, after all.'
Alter became even more conscious of Lailnetia the Devouring and the Knight of True Flame.
Lailnetia the Devouring only ever cried out for destruction, and the Knight of True Flame obsessively pursued the power of dragons.
So, in some way or another, those two monsters would try to upset the balance of the world.
'But there's nothing I can do right now. I can't predict when or where they'll attack.'
From the start, he couldn't understand their psychology.
Of course they must have some goal, but even the outline of it had yet to show itself.
With nothing to grasp at, he found himself with nothing to do but worry needlessly.
'If Ru the Luminescent would help, things might be a little more favorable, but will he really...?'
"You said you'd ask about the fortune-teller, right? What happened?"
Brillie asked.
"Alraune said he considered him a friend. He was a mage who devoted himself to astrology, but one day he suddenly vanished."
"Hmm... Did he go into hiding to train somewhere?"
"I think he regretted it. That's why he wished for his foresight abilities to disappear."
"So there was a reason he read our fortunes?"
"Yes. He said that if he preached the future to the ones who would decide the end of the world, he would be freed from the binds of foresight."
"... So we're the ones who will decide the end of the world?"
"If we go by what the fortune-teller said, that would be the case."
Brillie narrowed her eyes, silence enveloping her.
After hearing something like that, her trust in the fortune-teller couldn't help but be shaken.
But since Alter seemed to take it rather deeply, she thought she should approach the topic carefully.
"Do you think we can believe him?"
"He said we shouldn't blindly believe. He also once lost his mind from trying to divine the future."
"But you're not saying he was wrong?"
"I suppose he believes it a little. Apparently, it's not so rare for his prophecies to come true."
"Isn't it just a lucky guess?"
"He said that since the present keeps changing, it can never be perfectly predicted—but that's how I interpreted it."
"Honestly, isn't that just fitting things after the fact?"
"It does feel that way, but... to an extent, we should see it as true."
"Hmmm..."
Brillie pondered for a while and then sat down beside Alter.
With so much still unclear, it was hard to just accept it.
However, the fortune-teller had only pulled out the important points, so it was hard to wholly doubt him, too.
"We'll only find out once it happens anyway, right?"
"Yes. It just means we need to be cautious."
"Then let's think about it later. We've got a lot to do right now, don't we?"
Brillie erased those thoughts from her mind and focused back on reality.
As the next head of the house, there were many things she needed to prepare, and she couldn't entrust the knight order to just anyone.
On top of that, she needed to visit the Northern Grand Duke and give her greetings, so things seemed likely to get even busier for her.
"When should we leave for the northern territory?"
"Even if we're a bit late, I'm sure they'll understand. You're the next head, after all."
"Still, it wouldn't feel right not to pay our respects after getting married, would it?"
"How about wrapping things up briefly before we go?"
"Hmm... That does sound good. I need to prepare a gift too, after all..."
Alter still felt uncomfortable around his half-siblings.
They could compete for the Grand Duke's title, but it should never devolve into slaughter.
Yet if the eldest son or the second daughter mobilized their forces, a conflict could break out at any moment.
'Father knows that, too. If one side rebels, there's no avoiding a fight.'
Of course, there was a worse scenario than that.
He could be named as the successor to the Grand Duke's seat.
If someone had devoted their life to the house, they would never accept such an outcome.
'I'd have to kill my own siblings with my own hands... Wouldn't that make me no different from the current Emperor?'
It's not as if he meant to deny the legitimacy of the current Emperor.
It was just that the reality of having to kill someone for status and fame felt so cruel.
He had already secured the great mage title—was it really necessary to be so greedy?
'I think this is something I'll need to ask my father about directly...'
* * *
Alter built up his position by moving between the society and social gatherings.
As the next great mage, he had to network closely with the society heads and look to the future.
Plus, with the next head of the duke's house as his wife, he was forced to keep up appearances at social events.
'It's a little troublesome. There are so many people I have to meet...'
Of course, Alter tried not to let it show and acted calmly.
His reputation was now entwined with Brillie due to their marriage.
In other words, any small mistake he made could drag Brillie down, too.
'It's the same for Brillie. That's why I need to be even more careful.'
Naturally, since Brillie would inherit the title of Duke, she had to be even more cautious.
She needed to enhance the family's fame, manage factions and connections, and devise ways to create profit.
If she wanted to protect her private life in the midst of all that, she would have to seek a thorough and smooth way.
'It's the duke's house, after all, so there must be a lot to deal with. She can't disregard the imperial household, and managing servants isn't easy either.'
Because he recognized these circumstances, Alter tried to act as reservedly as possible.
Even if he couldn't help Brillie, he had to be sure not to create problems for her.
Simply by standing at her side, he could fulfill his role.
'As the next great mage, I only need to let Brillie shine. Anything more is just interference.'
As always, Alter found himself in a position where he was being carried along by others.
In the northern territory, he had never left the castle to protect his weak body.
Now, he stayed in the duke's house, performing curses, and eventually tied the knot with Brillie.
That's why he tried to measure his words and actions and not step forward rashly.
'Originally, these were things I should have done... But with things as they are, I have no choice but to accept it.'
He didn't want to get into lecturing about the duties of the head of the house now.
Just as he had, Brillie also tried to shoulder the responsibilities of married life.
They were both simply trying to adapt to the circumstances and work to accommodate each other.
'We need to have a child, too. That's still a daunting thought.'
Separate from the subjugation of monsters or the end of the world, he was taking this into consideration.
He had learned about marital relations in theory, but had little practical experience.
Furthermore, since childbirth would be something Brillie had to endure alone, it was all the more a delicate matter.
'Still, she's trained her body, so maybe it'll be a little easier?'
If her body was weak, it would affect pregnancy and childbirth, too.
In severe cases, there could be a miscarriage, or the mother could die.
But since Brillie had reached a considerable realm as a swordsman, her body would be at its best.
'Maybe I should be more worried about myself instead.'
Alter was honestly troubled about this aspect.
There was a vast difference in stamina between himself and Brillie.
It stemmed basically from the difference between a mage and a swordsman.
But seen from a marital perspective, it could lead to some unfortunate incidents.
'I really have no confidence here. It's a bit late to try to build stamina now...'
"Lord Alter, that must have been exhausting, wasn't it? I think we can go now,"
Brillie said.
"No, not at all. I was just standing around, that's all."
"That's what makes it harder. You had to just wait until it was all over, right?"
Brillie moved with Alter as they left the social gathering.
Alter, as her husband, was barely able to maintain his dignity.
Even though he didn't show it, he must have been buried in fatigue, so it was necessary to let him rest now.
"... Are you sure you're alright? Maybe it would be better not to become the head of the house."
"Should I be thinking about things like that? I'll get used to it soon enough."
"It'll take a long time to get used to it. Even if you do, won't you keep getting pulled into things?"
"That's what being the head is. The more you take on, the more money and fame you get, right? If I'm to take responsibility for you, Lord Alter, I need at least this much."
Brillie answered calmly and boarded the carriage.
Of course, they could build a family even without any foundation at all.
If they were Sword Flower and the next great mage, they could surely establish a family somehow.
But she didn't want to show her husband a poor appearance, and she couldn't lower her pride.
"I don't want to make you suffer, lady Brillie. Shouldn't we share these burdens together?"
"We just started from different points. Eventually, we'll become similar. If things were the other way around, do you think I'd just stand by?"
"......."
"I know what you're thinking. But you don't need to worry. I have a grasp on the overall flow now."
Though Brillie endured difficulties as the next head of house, she had never once thought of giving up.
Maybe, left alone, she would have collapsed and despaired time and again.
But because there was someone she needed to protect, and because it was her duty, she simply endured without complaint.
'I can do this. That's better than pushing it onto Alter. Just a little more, and it'll be fine.'
* * *
Zair slowly set the letter down on the desk after reading its contents.
The youngest son and daughter-in-law would be visiting Goranmoche's castle, according to the letter.
Even if belatedly, after putting things in order inside and outside the duke's house, the couple now meant to face him together as husband and wife.
'Did the honeymoon go well? Maybe it'll still take a bit more time.'
Zair thought of his grandchild, then consciously wiped the thought from his mind.
He couldn't expect too much from newlyweds.
Rather, he should hope that they would deepen their trust in each other.
'I can't put this off any longer. It's time to make a decision.'
Zair was aware he had hesitated for far too long.
He should have chosen an heir much earlier than now.
But because of Alter, he'd found himself wavering and had delayed judgment.
'Alter is set to become the great mage. The daughter-in-law will inherit the Duke's title. Hmm...'
Almost unconsciously, Zair sorted the advantages and drawbacks for the family.
If he selected Alter as the next head, by tradition, one of the two titles would have to be relinquished.
If he chose another child instead, Alter would accept the title of great mage and live as Duke Illenat's husband.
'If I pick what's best for the family... isn't the answer already clear?'