Chapter 149
Brillie had a private meeting with Zair and accepted the glass he handed her.
Zair simply poured the drink, expressionless, holding the bottle.
Since the mood was awkward, neither of them dared to break the silence.
"... It hasn't been long since you got married, yet I've made things uncomfortable for you and your husband. I sincerely apologize."
"No, it's fine. Didn't you think it was necessary, father-in-law? I would have tried to help in some way, even if only like this."
"You two must know nothing. Right now, you've only returned to the castle to clear up a misunderstanding with me."
Zair muttered bitterly and downed his drink.
The taste of the liquor seemed deeper than usual today.
How was he to manage the tangled emotions and return to everyday life?
"Is it all over now?"
"It's finished. The eldest son of our house will become the next head. There was no loss of forces, so sorting things out shouldn't be difficult."
"... May I ask what you plan to do with the second daughter?"
"She won't be executed. She'll be sent away to an outer castle."
Even as Zair doubted his own decision, he reluctantly accepted it.
No matter what rebellion had been staged, he couldn't kill his child with his own hands.
Besides, since he'd been the one to devise the stratagem unilaterally, he ought to make some allowance for that.
"Are you planning to keep her abandoned at the outer castle?"
"She won't be able to command troops going forward. She'll have to remain isolated like that for a few years."
"Shouldn't you at least have family visit her?"
"That can't be allowed. Even the smallest opportunity could plant insubordinate thoughts."
"You're planning for any contingency, aren't you?"
"That's the only way to protect the house. If internal strife breaks out, even the soldiers will be harmed..."
Zair filled his glass to the brim and picked it up again.
As head of the house, he probably made the right choice, but as a father, he had committed a cruel act.
Since forgiveness could not be granted and a fitting punishment had to follow, he could only grow more unsettled.
"Will you really be okay? I'm sure this must be hard for you."
"You must feel it too. We cannot let personal emotions guide us here. If I didn't punish my own child just because she's mine, wouldn't the house's discipline fall apart?"
"......."
"You might think I'm cruel. But I have no other choice. I have to be stricter because I must lead this house."
Hearing those words, Brillie couldn't help being overwhelmed by the pressure.
Perhaps she, too, might have to push her children just as Zair did.
As the next head of the duke's house and Alter's wife, she couldn't escape such a fate.
"Try looking at it from your position. Why do you think you became the successor?"
"Well... I suppose my father thought I was the best among his children."
"Your house's eldest son lost his qualification since he married a commoner. The youngest probably seemed less able than you. Am I wrong?"
"No, you are right."
"I am no different from Duke Illenat. I married my third child off to a marquis' child, and my youngest became your husband. In the end, I had to choose between the eldest and the second daughter."
"So you chose the better of the two, just like my father?"
"My way may differ from Duke Illenat's, but the result is the same. My judgment decides whether the house's honor or the lives of its people are preserved. That's why I tried to pick the more outstanding child."
Justifying his actions with such feeble excuses, Zair sought to rationalize himself to Brillie.
By means of trickery, he had ruined the life of his own child.
The family's line would continue, but his heart would never be at peace.
"If I inherit a title later... will I have no choice but to do the same?"
"You'll know when the time comes. The kinder you are, the more the house will waver... but you're bound by responsibility as well. Isn't that why you fought in wars and earned your feats?"
Zair already had a rough read on Brillie's disposition.
She was certainly not an ordinary noble's daughter—she was making a name for herself as a knight and a swordsman.
On top of that, she had slain three dragons, coming to embody the responsibilities of the powerful.
"For Alter's sake too, it's better for you to remain calm and decisive. Alter is part of your house now, isn't he?"
"Yes, I should put my husband first."
"Alter seemed to respect your wishes. I suppose you try to be considerate toward him as well. With that, it shouldn't be too hard for you two to build a household."
Zair felt at least a little relieved when it came to Alter.
The wife of Alter, and next head of the duke's house, had provided much support for the northern territories.
On the surface, it might have just been for appearances, but there was genuine feeling for Alter, however faint.
The relationship may have started as a political marriage, but wasn't it now turning, little by little, into genuine affection?
'... Wasn't that choice enough? Maybe it wasn't the wrong one after all.'
* * *
Alter was watching the soldiers moving in and out of the inner castle.
Likely, this meant that the incident was being wrapped up, and new troop arrangements would soon be made.
Now that the heir to the grand duke's house had been decided, it was time to fully secure that position.
'My eldest sister might feel a little aggrieved.'
Alter was painfully aware that he had deceived his siblings.
Had the eldest son been chosen from the start, they might have accepted it.
Of course, that was only a possibility—perhaps things would have ended the same way regardless.
'Had Father been planning this from the beginning?'
Knowing no better, Alter had to leave it at speculation.
Most likely, his father was acting solely in his role as the Northern Grand Duke.
But just what he was plotting, and from where, remained a riddle.
'I understand his intention, but should I really have intervened...?'
"I only meant to greet you, but things seem to have gotten a little complicated, haven't they?"
"Yes. Maybe it's better for us to head back early?"
"Why don't we stay a bit longer? It's wrapped up, and leaving right away looks odd, doesn't it?"
"But it's cold here, and there's nothing in particular to enjoy."
"It's different from the capital, but it still feels refreshing. We probably won't be able to come again for a while, so let's not leave with regrets."
For Alter's sake, Brillie wanted to stay a little longer at Goranmoche Castle.
It was her husband's hometown, and the only place she could meet her family.
Until they returned to the capital, she would quietly bide her time.
"What is there to regret? This place only brings back bad memories."
At times, Alter gazed at the falling snow, reminiscing about the past.
Trapped in the castle, the way others viewed him, his distance from his half-siblings, his longing for his mother's affection—these made the northern territory the cause of his distress.
"This is the place where you were born, Alter. Surely your father and mother's love fills it. No matter how harsh it was, you endured it with strength, didn't you?"
"If I hadn't been in the north, I might have lived a happier life. Being of the grand duke's bloodline brought nothing but misery."
"It's not misery, it's responsibility. You endured that responsibility and met me, didn't you?"
"I know it's more than I deserve. Better than being born a commoner, perhaps. But still..."
Alter couldn't bring himself to admit that he was a descendant of dragons.
Dragons were considered the enemy of mankind, monsters to be eradicated.
He had gained powerful mana thanks to their blood, but the path that led here filled him with nothing but gloom.
"From now on, you can leave it to me. I'll handle things, so can't you just stay as you are, Alter?"
"I understand what you mean, but I can't do that. I am Brillie's husband, after all."
Alter spoke carelessly and began to walk. Whatever happened, his position could not change.
If anything, not loving Brillie would only make that responsibility feel like even more of a burden.
"Hmph... Are you trying to keep your pride now?"
"I only mean that I'm no different. I can't just leave everything to you, Brillie..."
"That's why I can't leave you alone. You're too innocent."
Brillie grabbed Alter and answered coldly. Alter—until their marriage—had never once shown any greed.
He merely fulfilled his duties as a companion, always fitting himself into her life.
"It's not innocence; it's simply what I ought to do..."
"Don't bring that up between husband and wife. Did you think I married you out of self-interest?"
"......."
"From the moment I became the Sword Flower, I could have broken off our engagement anytime. But I didn't. Do you know why? I didn't want to let you go."
"......."
"If you had said you didn't want to get married, I would have given up, too. But what did you say?"
"... I said I would marry you, Brillie."
"This was a marriage we both wanted. So there's no need to think about responsibility for now. Just look at me."
"Could I say things like this if I didn't look only at you, Brillie? I've always thought only of you."
"......"
Brillie, quite flustered, fell silent.
She'd tried to dominate the mood, but instead was pushed back.
And those indigo eyes had deepened, pulling her in against her will.
"Even as husband and wife, love matters, doesn't it? We can't just talk about responsibility, can we?"
"......."
"Perhaps I already love you, Brillie. But I'm not certain—since we had our wedding first."
"......."
"That's why I shouldn't just rely on you. I can't risk insulting any unknown feelings of affection."
Brillie, confronted by the pounding of her heart, stared intently at Alter.
Her heart was beating uncontrollably, and it felt as if her entire face was growing hot.
Could it be that she'd harbored special feelings for Alter this whole time without realizing it?
"So... you mean you shouldn't force sacrifice on the one you love?"
"Yes. If you truly love someone, you must be willing to make sacrifices yourself."
"But still, that's not right. If something's difficult, you should say so."
"Of course. We're married, after all."
Brillie, not arguing further, took Alter's hand. From then, with occasional sidelong glances, they walked in silence.
'Does he really love me?'
With her heart fluttering, Brillie was seized by doubt.
At least in this aspect, both she and Alter tread cautiously.
Now that Alter had finally brought it up, perhaps she should also change a little.
'I... so... Alter... ugh... Why am I so embarrassed?'