“Ahh, right. There’s actually a real reason I came.”
“What is it?”
“My dad is probably talking to Uncle Drevan about it right now. I’ll tell you on the way.”
&
Soon after.
By the time I arrived at the office, I had already heard the whole situation.
“So you’re saying the House of Trevio Greg has presented a justification for a territorial war?”
Trevio Greg.
They were the house ruling the Bedveriu territory and our iron ore trading partner.
But why would they move against House Rin?
“Yes. It’s absurd.”
“What justification?”
The Bedveriu territory and House Rin’s Geurimwol territory were close in distance, and above all, they shared the same mountain range region.
Which meant.
It was easy to create a justification.
“They’re saying we stole their iron ore!”
It was definitely a stretch.
But in the world of nobles, things didn’t end with merely being called a stretch.
As long as Geurimwol territory was selling stone, that level of pretext was sufficient to declare a territorial war.
However, the reason I was surprised
was that this was not originally a situation where those two territories would clash head-on.
“Hmm.”
I slowly opened my mouth.
“The justification is sufficient. If it’s that much of a stretch, it’s actually perfect for declaring a territorial war.”
“That’s just how noble excuses work.”
Father also spoke in a low voice.
“They make the absurd plausible. As Layon said, it is certainly enough to warrant concern.”
Throughout listening to Father and me, the expressions of House Rin’s people gradually hardened.
Eventually, Roderick cleared his throat first.
“Ahem.”
Then, after hesitating briefly, he spoke.
“Please… help us.”
Roderick Rin, who had been so overbearing, had now completely set aside his pride.
At those words, his wife Filter Rin and Cedric’s expressions twisted in very subtle ways.
Faces that said it was humiliating but unavoidable.
From their perspective, they had always been the ones looking down on us, so their pride must have been greatly wounded.
But at the same time,
it also meant they were that desperate.
Right.
You must think you look terribly pitiful right about now.
But not in our eyes.
To be honest, Marsha’s actions toward me hadn’t truly made me feel bad or anything.
As I had told her, part of it was that I had liked her at the time so it didn’t matter,
and above all, too much time had passed for me, so the memory had faded.
Besides, memories have a way of being beautified.
So even now, when Marsha was trying to make amends, I didn’t hate her.
It just felt like looking at a cute younger sister.
But these people were different.
Roderick, Filter, and Cedric.
What they had done was aimed not at me, but at Father and Mother.
Then it wouldn’t easily fade just because time had passed.
Moreover, what they needed to show now wasn’t something like an awkward semblance of shame.
In my eyes, they still looked like they were merely protecting their pride.
However, this wasn’t something for me to settle with my own judgment.
The choice was Father’s to make.
I said nothing more and looked at Father.
And Father slowly opened his mouth.
“Absolutely shameless.”
Oh.
He’s coming out stronger than I expected.
At those words, Roderick’s face visibly hardened.
From his perspective, it must have been a completely unexpected reaction.
“Do you remember how you’ve treated us until now?”
“Th-that is…”
“Very arrogantly.”
Father’s voice was low but firm.
“I harbored feelings of friendship toward you. But you didn’t see me as a friend—rather as someone you could place beneath you. Isn’t that so?”
Roderick’s mouth moved slightly, but this time excuses didn’t come easily.
Father didn’t stop there.
“And yet now, even as you face the crisis of a territorial war, that is all the expression you can manage. A face suggesting that asking me for help is humiliating. Is that what you should be feeling right now?”
As each word piled up, Roderick’s expression began to change.
First, confusion.
Then, displeasure.
And soon, shame spread across his entire face.
Roderick’s lips trembled.
“Listening to you…”
“Roderick!!!”
Whoa, that startled me.
That single word burst out so loudly that I flinched too.
Everyone in the office held their breath for a moment, and the most surprised was undoubtedly Roderick himself.
The fury that had been surging moments ago was completely snuffed out by that voice.
Wow.
Look at Father’s expression.
Was he always someone capable of making such a fierce face and emitting such an aura?
Honestly, it was rather impressive.
All this time, I had thought of Father merely as a gentle person.
But the Drevan Signal before my eyes now was properly showing what kind of face the head of a house could make.
“Do you intend to endanger your son and daughter, and above all your wife, for the sake of such wretched pride?”
Father’s gaze didn’t waver in the slightest.
“Is pride that important?”
That was the crux.
Roderick’s gaze naturally turned toward his family.
Filter Rin.
Cedric Rin.
And Marsha Rin.
They too were now looking at Roderick with expressions where earnestness had grown deeper than shame.
Father didn’t miss that opening.
“Do you want to put your wife in danger?”
Father’s gaze slowly shifted to Marsha.
“Do you want to see that pretty daughter of yours—no, sold—to a man she doesn’t want?”
Hearing those words, Roderick unconsciously looked at Marsha.
Marsha too was looking at Father.
She wasn’t crying, but
perhaps having imagined it, her frightened eyes were trembling.
The moment he saw that, Roderick’s expression completely changed.
His forced pride, his remaining dignity—all seemed to crumble at once.
He eventually bowed his head even deeper.
“I’m sorry.”
His voice was much lower than before.
“I’ve been so sorry all this time. I too know very well what my faults are. From your position, my current appearance must be truly abhorrent.”
Yet strangely, Roderick’s voice was more manly than before.
“So I shall show you going forward. If you help me today, I will repay it. I swear on my house’s name.”
When he raised his head, his gaze had changed.
“So I beg you. Please help us.”
Seeing that, Father first looked at Mother.
Mother smiled calmly as if to say it was obvious, and nodded.
Then Father’s gaze turned to me.
I had intended to leave it to Father’s choice from the start, so I lightly shrugged my shoulders and sent a glance telling him to do as he wished.
Father finally looked at Roderick again.
“We shall help.”
At those words, just as House Rin’s people’s expressions began to brighten.
“However.”
Father continued.
“The unfortunate fact is that we are not in a position to send troops or put up money directly for you. You know that well, don’t you?”
“…I do.”
Roderick couldn’t deny that much, at least.
Father slowly leaned back and spoke.
“It’s true that a good opportunity has come our way and we are able to earn money. But that doesn’t mean we have money right now. We too are just beginning.”
From House Rin’s perspective, it could only sound like any help they offered would be minor at best.
“However.”
At that brief word, House Rin’s people’s gazes came alive again.
“It’s not that there is no way.”
This time their expressions changed completely,
and Father calmly continued his explanation, as if rewarding their expectations.
“As you know, the surrounding nobles likely believe we have a connection with Belmardian. They probably think we have something going with Deharmont as well.”
“Th-that’s right.”
“And isn’t that why you came to us too? Because you thought that even if we couldn’t help directly, you could receive some help from that side?”
Roderick hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.
“Indeed… that is so.”
It was true.
Since we appeared to be connected to Belmardian, and even Deharmont, it was only natural that House Rin had come expecting that.
Father intended to exploit that very point.
“The Trevio side is probably thinking similarly.”
Father’s voice lowered.
“If so, if word spreads that we are helping you, they won’t be able to declare a territorial war immediately.”
In noble society, power was not only what was visible.
There was a stronger power.
Connections.
It wasn’t for nothing that nobles were so obsessed with parties.
From Roderick’s position, this was inevitably help far more valuable than troops or money.
Because it created the possibility of stopping the territorial war altogether.
“Oh… I beg of you.”
Roderick spoke as if clinging to him.
Then Father smiled a very benevolent smile.
The typical smile of a good man, as if to say: even after all you had done, was he not still your friend?
And he spoke very quietly.
“In that case.”
In an instant, all attention focused on Father again.
“Shouldn’t we take another look at those transactions of ours from the past?”
Oh…
I inwardly exclaimed in admiration at that moment.
I had thought of Father merely as a good person.
As expected.
He hadn’t led a count’s house for nothing.
He saved face, established justification, and even got what he wanted.
Perfect.
***
That night.
I was walking slowly outside the mansion with Father, just the two of us.
The night air was chilly, and from afar, the faint laughter of House Rin’s people could still be heard.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
“Will it be alright?”
Father slowed his steps and looked at me.
“What?”
“House Rin. Even if you’ve known them for a long time, it was a relationship that was actually difficult to call friends.”
Father looked ahead for a moment and then let out a low laugh.
“It will be fine.”
That single word was surprisingly firm.
“I didn’t save them. I protected us.”
“What do you mean?”
“The moment we boldly stepped forward declaring we would help House Rin, the surroundings would naturally think.”
Father’s voice was calm but clear.
“That House Signal being able to move like that means the connection with Belmardian and Deharmont is far more certain than they thought.”
Wow.
I hadn’t thought that far.
I turned to look at Father.
“So my father truly is the lord of a count’s house.”
“Hah!”
Father laughed as if dumbfounded.
“What have you been taking your father for?”
“A romantic who loves Mother?”
“Hahaha!”
After laughing for a while, Father tapped my shoulder.
“That’s right. That too is correct.”
After the laughter subsided, Father spoke again in a voice slightly lower than usual.
“Don’t worry only about the territory so much. This father is still in active service.”
Those words strangely set my mind at ease.
“I will work hard to help.”
I nodded.
“But what about Count Trevio Greg? We are currently trading iron ore with them, but with the situation like this, they might start pressuring us for no reason.”
“They can’t cancel.”
Father was almost certain.
“The conditions are good for them too. However, since they know we need iron ore, they will certainly apply pressure.”
“Then?”
“You move first.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Father looked at me.
“You were the one who made the contract with him directly, weren’t you? If you visit before they make a move, you can at least give them face. Once their pride has recovered somewhat, the ensuing discussion will be much easier.”
The moment I heard those words, I felt a pang inside.
Perhaps I had grown somewhat arrogant.
After seeing Eileen’s greatness, to be honest, I had thought there was nothing more to learn from Father.
But it was Eileen who was great;
just because I watched her didn’t mean I became great.
And someone being outstanding didn’t diminish the value of others.
When I soon went to the Bedveriu territory,
I thought I ought to remain vigilant.
In fact, they were currently holding a small party for House Rin to pass the time.
On the surface, it looked peaceful and harmonious.
And such news spread uncontrollably.
To the surrounding territories, the story that House Rin and House Signal had joined hands.
That intention alone made today more than worthwhile.
While walking slowly with Father,
I saw Marsha standing alone on one side of the mansion.
Anyone could see she was waiting for me, so Father too saw it and chuckled.
“I suppose Father wants to feel vicarious satisfaction through his son.”
“Huh?”
Father spoke very calmly.
“There needn’t be only one, need there?”
“Wh-what are you talking about?”
“Hahaha!”
I wondered if he was telling me to see Eileen and Seraphilie, and of course Marsha as well.
Being drained day after day, my lifespan would dwindle in real time.
It might be a fantasy in others’ eyes,
but from my standpoint, it was a punishment.