The Marquis’ Eldest Son’s Lascivious Story

[The signing ceremony ended successfully. Now...]

[...We need to have a heart-to-heart talk about it. About the future.]

It's night.

[Yes...]

The top three members of the Quordenze family, namely Luxus Quordenze, Galfis Quordenze, and Wilk Quordenze, are finally together at the mayor's residence in Nambon an City.

Up until now, we have only communicated through letters, but I still feel nervous when it comes to talking face-to-face like this.

[The surroundings?]

My father asked the Knight Gatoren who was waiting in the corner of the room.

[Secured.]

It seemed that the intelligence measures had been set in place. Tonight, not only the Sylopea family and the Evenapis family, there were also the Galiana family and the Non gite family staying in Nambonan City, so we couldn't exactly carelessly talk to our heart's content.

There was a strange silence in the room, perhaps because the three of us were trying to find a starting point to talk to. As expected, at this hour, the citizens of Nambonan are not making such a fuss like they did during the day. It's a really quiet night.

[I already told you in the letter...]

My grandfather was the first to make a move.

[I am ashamed that I put Quordenze in danger due to my negligence. I am grateful for Wilk's rescue.]

I felt strong anger in that choked voice. No one knows when a magic malfunction will occur, but I don't think anyone would suddenly fall unconscious or anything, but he se ems to be quite concerned about it.

[I was just doing what I was supposed to do as the next generation of Quordenze, grandfather.]

[...Umu. First of all, it was a splendid performance. Let me once again tell you about the soldiers who perished.]

In the end, the battle ended in a landslide victory for the Quordenze army, but the number of allied soldiers killed in the battle was no small amount. In particular, during the sudden retreat from the frontline and the ensuing Battle of Reisleaf, not only many Lord-class soldiers but also regular soldiers were killed in battle.

When I instinctively turned my attention to the middle-aged man waiting in the corner of the room...Knight Gatoren, my father gave a slight nod.

[The cremation was completed successfully. All the soldiers who served their loyalties have become ashes dancing in the wind of Quordenze.]

The Knight Gatoren that I knew well was an old man. That old man served as a military commander during the retreat from the frontline, and although he gained a lot of time with his heroic efforts, he was ultimately felled by the onslaught of Kindlor's army. Therefore, the son who had been designated as the next head of the family inherited the Gatoren family and became the new Knight Gatoren.

I heard this series of stories during the siege of Othelloria, and I became depressed. I learned many things from that old man, and even during Operation Fang, he supporte d me by my side. His simple, sturdy, and loyal attitude has become the image model of a "knight" in my head.

At the same time, I remember feeling strangely convinced that

[Oh yeah, we were at war after all]

. I was always in a state of excitement during operation Jaw, so my senses must have been numb. That old man continued to teach me until the end.

After the surrender of Romilie, we recovered as many of the bodies of those killed in battle as possible, including the previous Knight Gatoren.

I don't find any joy in playing with the corpses of my enemies, but I get angry when they play with the bodies of my allies. I don't think Spierzeig would do anything boring a s long as they make peace, but that's just in case.

No amount of magic can bring back a lost life. Every time I kill an enemy with these hands, I can sense that fact. That is why the people of Quordenze wanted to mourn in th e land of Quordenze.

The bodies of Lord-class and mere serfs didn't seem to have much value, so I was able to quickly come to an agreement on the condition that they be exchanged for the b odies of the Spierzeig knights and military officers that I killed. I was told by those around me that the issue was not worth mentioning in the peace treaty, so I concluded th e agreement based on on-site judgment and asked my subordinates to take action.

In this way, the bodies of the knights and military officers of Quordenze were sent to the city of Newnelly.

The letter only contained a casual description of the funeral, but the details from my father's mouth gave a sense of the atmosphere. Although it was solemn, it was someho w peaceful, and it seemed like it was a good funeral that made one feel a stronger sense of pride than sadness for the deceased.

[Thank you, father. Also, it seems that grandfather has put in a lot of effort.]

[No, don't mention it. I was worried too.]

During this collection, the bodies of serf soldiers were also recovered. There are far more of them compared to knight military officers, so I don't know how many were able to be recovered. In any case, if the body collection location was near Othelloria City, I would pick it up, and if it was near Reisleaf Castle, my grandfather would pick it up an d cremate it.

They say it's been burned into ashes, but since it was cremated by the Highlord's super firepower, there was actually almost nothing left. If you think about it from the Eruo continent's view of life and death, it can be said that it was the best funeral.

[Speaking of returning the body, the previous Duke of Spierzeig...]

My father's words startled me.

Magnis and Kindlor's bodies were returned to Romilie, but were disposed of by the Spierzeig family soon after. Perhaps she was thinking of what her father and grandfathe r would say about her later, so she mourned quickly.

Since everything has already been reduced to ashes, it is physically and politically impossible to say,

[We will humiliate their body in Quordenze, so please return it]

[...Wilk.]

My father stood up and approached me. As I was wondering if I should stand up too, a hand was placed on my head and gently stroked.

[Father was saved because of Wilk's actions. And without Wilk's judgment, we would not have been able to defeat Kindlor and Magnis. It is true that there are many trouble s that come along with it, but this is a great achievement that outweighs that. It's good to be proud of your bravery without shrinking down. As your father, there's nothing more satisfying than that.]

[Me and Luxus understand the magnitude of this victory more than anyone else. We were made to feel like we were losing our minds many times, but...in any case, you did a really good job.]

Even though my father and grandfather gave me a hard time, I was relieved that it wasn't the start of a sermon. I felt like there were some harsh jabs here and there.

[However, I have to confirm Wilk's thoughts once again. In addition to returning the enemy body, I would also like to hear about the circumstances and thoughts that led to t he planning and execution of Operation Jaw, then the peace treaty. I have already confirmed everything in the letters, but please reiterate in detail.]

I've tried to explain it in letters to the point where I'm tired of it, and after the Battle of Othelloria ended, I sent some of the knights and government officials who participated in Operation Jaw to Newnelly City to give oral explanations, but it seems like it's still not enough. As I was wondering what more I could say to satisfy him, my father added something with a slightly troubled look on his face.

[There's something about Wilk's way of thinking that I don't understand. ...No, that's not true. I think I understand this, but if I pay attention carefully, there are often subtle d ifferences. If I don't listen to the entire flow of thought that led to such a conclusion, I may misunderstand the underlying cause. That small difference may widen without us even realizing it, and by the time we realize it, it may become a serious discrepancy. Therefore, I would like to confirm whether this understanding is correct.]

My words and actions, which are the result of what essentially is a hybrid of Earth and Eruo continent values, usually don't cause much of a problem. However, my father in sists that it is scary because I usually look fine. However, during an emergency, no one can predict anything about my actions, and it's scary to be heading in a direction th ey don't understand at all. Up until now, my range of action has been confined within the territory, but recently it has expanded outside the territory as well. After going thro ugh this Operation Jaw, my father seems to have finally become concerned about the magnitude of its effects.

[Is that what it is?]

[That's just the way it is. I was always receiving crazy reports from the frontline, so even though we had the upper hand, I didn't feel like it was real at all.]

When I learned of my grandfather's crisis in the capital and hurriedly preparing for reinforcement, but I somehow entered the Voistra Plains, somehow defeated Magnis and Kindlor, and before everyone knew it, I was besieging Othelloria City. My father said that the people around him were trying desperately not to be left behind in the rapidly e volving war situation.

Maybe it was because of that, but he was more and more confused about me returning Magnis and Kindlor's bodies, and seemed to have lost track of the timing to get angr y. The super-speed invasion of Operation Jaw seems to have robbed not only Spierzeig army's sense of normalcy, but also my father. I'm sorry to say this, but this is an un expected stroke of luck.

[...For me, the Spierzeig family is a hated enemy that I cannot forgive. Considering how I came to be the head of the family, they're also an enemy that should not be tolerat ed. However, I was also the guardian of Quordenze, which had been inherited by successive heads of the family.]

It was more like a monologue than something he was saying to me.

Since he became the head of the family in place of his brother, he should avenge his brother's death, even if it was against the powerful Spierzeig family. Since he became the head of the family in place of his brother, he should prioritize the preservation of the Quordenze family. My father must have struggled with these two contradictory res ponsibilities.

[The moment I heard that father had withdrawn from the frontline, I thought that was the end. Any further war would only unnecessarily jeopardize Quordenze... I would be unable to avenge my brother.]

The reason Quordenze has been able to continue fighting so well is because of my battle-hardened grandfather and the large number of soldiers left behind by my uncle. If we continue to fight without acknowledging that one wing has been torn off, the other wing will also break. As the Head of the Quordenze family, my father couldn't allow t hat to happen.

[Maybe that's why I gave up. Even when I heard that Wilk had returned the body of the previous Duke, I remained surprisingly calm. I was dissatisfied, but it didn't boil over into hot anger. It's a strange feeling.]

I think that part of his feelings were vented because Magnis and Kindlor, who were the main targets of revenge, were killed at the same time. However, it is also true that th ere was some dissatisfaction. I could almost feel the lingering anger that had no place to go, even from the text of the letter.

[The situation has changed dramatically due to Operation Jaw. As the Head of the Quordenze family, I have to think about the future.]

From here on, we can crush the Spierzeig family like Yokozuna sumo without having to go on any adventures. It is only natural that once that matter is taken care of, my father starts to worry about the future. My father had a strong sen se of being his brother's representative, so I guess he placed more importance on taking care of the family than on avenging his brother's death.

[Yes. Let's think about it together.]

I think the reason why my father revealed his true feelings to this extent means that I should be prepared to speak my mind as well. No problem. I've released waves of goodwill in Othelloria City, so I don't have much to hide my true feelings any longer.

I will once again convey my thoughts to my father and grandfather, although this will be a repeat of the letter.

I charged in because I thought I could make it, I charged further because I was able to go further than I expected, and I charged even further because things were going we II... Just hearing all this makes me feel like a boar. It's strange, Wilk Quordenze is supposed to be an intelligent and smart noble boy.

[You're relying too much on the movements of commoners. It may have worked out well this time, but...]

[It's dangerous to start thinking that "just because you've succeeded before, you'll do well next time".]

During Operation Jaw, I made use of a lot of methods to manipulate the serfs. As a result, there were many comments pointing out that my outlook was too lenient. In partic ular, it seems that my father and grandfather find it disgusting that things like the battle against Kindlor and the assault on Silknoon City were left to commoners too much.

[No, uh...I never thought it would go that well... Next time, even if I were asked to do it again, I would hesitate.]

Although I was aiming for something, it was luck that the Kindlor's soldiers were so destroyed by just one speech, and the fact that Silknoon City fell so quickly was also du e to luck.

I needed to clearly convey that I had prepared a recovery plan in case of failure, that I was acting based on my own odds of success, and that I did not have too much faith in the commoners.

[...It doesn't seem to be different from what I heard beforehand. However, it was good to hear it directly from Wilk's mouth like this. I think I can feel a little relieved.]

My father exhaled. The members participating in Operation Jaw who were sent to Newnelly City must have done their best to explain things in advance, but it seems that n othing beats face-to-face confirmation.

The talk then moved on to the battle to capture Othelloria and the surrender of Romilie.

[...That is why we were not able to satisfactorily eliminate the Spierzeig knights in the Battle of Reisleaf and the follow-up battles that followed. In that situation, if we were t o proceed with the annexation of the entire Spierzeig territory, the governance would not be stable. In that case, I decided that it would be easier to take the next move if I s omehow had Princess, no, Duchess Romilie on our hand. I believe trying to drive the Spierzeig family to extinction in Othelloria City would be more dangerous for the futur e.]

Etoilesa, who is old enough to give birth to many children, is missing, even though she is just a sideline. All I can see is a future where the remnants go on a rampage. My father asked me with a difficult expression.

[Didn't the people around you say something?]

[I was told that if we crushed the Spierzeig family once, it might be easier to annex them later.]

Then, my grandfather nodded deeply.

[I guess so. I agree with you too. The fact that blood is cut off in Othelloria is a serious matter.]

There is also a thing called public opinion on the Eruo continent. That "the legitimate bloodline of the Spierzeig family was destroyed in their home city of Othelloria" has a s trong impact, and is a news that confirms Quordenze's great victory.

Besides, Etoilesa is just a collateral relatives after all. Even if she were to stand up, there is a question as to whether she would be seen as the legitimate successor of the S pierzeig family by those around her. Of course, the remaining knights will do their best to cheer her up, but they won't be seen as a 100% flawless Spierzeig family.

Of course, as long as the Hghlord remains in power, a certain amount of respect is given. Being strong is great in itself. However, the impression of a "strong Spierzeig" tha t had been built up over many years will be severed. For example, it would be like the annihilation of Othelloria pressing a reset button on the family's history.

[The impression you give to those around you will be completely different depending on whether you have a legitimate successor or not. We must not forget that the Voistr a Plains is the garden of Spierzeig. A rule of ten or twenty years can easily be overturned.]

My father said that as long as Romilie existed, Quordenze's control over the Voistra Plains would definitely become unstable.

[Wilk seems to be very concerned about the lack of manpower involved in governance, but you could've done whatever you wanted. As long as you can cut off the bloodst ream, you could have brought in manpower from inland.]

As long as they have the name value of being the original Spierzeig family, which follows a legitimate successor, we cannot let our guard down. This is because the impres sion of "strong Spierzeig" is just barely connected. Since it is not known what kind of counterattack they will plan, the Quordenze family cannot afford to allow any lapses in their governance of the interior side.

On the other hand, if Romilie and her group were exterminated, the human resources allocated to the mainland could be reduced. This is because there will be limits to wha t the Etoilesa's group can do as they have a strong impression of being defeated. Although there may be a gap inland, it seems more efficient to send a large number of per sonnel to the Voistra Plains all at once and focus on suppressing and governing them.

[I also heard that theory during the siege of Othelloria.]

[Then, why?]

[...There are several reasons. First of all, there was a divide in our opinions.]

If all the knights and officials supported the annihilation route, I would choose that without hesitation. I'm not confident enough in my judgment to directly deny a policy that was unanimously approved.

At that place during the siege of Othelloria, there were more people who wanted annihilation, but there were also people who vouched for peaceful surrender. Even if you c onsider the common sense of the Eruo continent, it was not a situation where you could say

“this side is absolutely right'

[In that case, I thought it would be better to follow the path that I thought was right and not regret it.]

Honestly, I don't agree with the idea of [destroying it for now.] .

[If we choose annihilation, there will only be one path forward. I don't want to limit our options.]

They say that they can push forward with the annexation project by allocating inland personnel, but on the other hand, they have to push forward with the annexation project. It takes a long time to devour the entire Voistra Plains and turn it into our flesh and blood. During this time, the Quordenze famil y will not be able to move satisfactorily. This is a snake that has swallowed a large prey and is unable to move.

[You mean you were wary of other houses?]

I nodded at my father's confirmation.

In the Tsuchinoko's state, it would be impossible to quickly respond to the movements of the Levios Kingdom and the Zinkaen Empire. If we hold Romilie by the base of her neck, there is a risk that Spierzeig will remain in good health, but we will be able to maintain a certain level of agility.

It's a difference in awareness of risk. Between the unspecified noble forces and the Spierzeig family, which one carries higher risk?

Basically, knights and military officers put their own territory first, or rather, they have little awareness of distant forces. They are very sensitive to the movements of neighb oring noble houses, but when it comes to distant and large units such as the Kingdom and Empire, their sense of crisis becomes dull. To use a global analogy, it would be li ke deciding on policies for one's own country while neglecting international relations.

Therefore, for them, the Spierzeig family is the most dangerous and conspicuous risk, and they want to destroy it first. It's not that I don't understand that feeling.

[What do you think, father?]

I feel that unspecified noble forces carry a higher risk. I'm sure the same goes for my father, who focuses on diplomacy.

[...I'll leave my thoughts for later. So, what other reasons do you have?]

[I don't think a system that reduces people from the mainland over a long period of time is desirable.]

I believe that the key to governance lies in government officials. On the one hand, we will be cutting back on staff, and on the other hand, they are being overworked by go verning unfamiliar territory. In particular, the inland area is the foundation that supports the Quordenze family. I want to ensure that the governance here is always perfect.

I also feel that systems like black companies are unstable. It's like a block tower with a lot of sticks missing. I can't help but feel like it's going to fall apart at the slightest ch ance.

[It is true that knights and government officials are indispensable to maintaining the territory. However, if there is a strong ruler, it will not waver that much.]

[Even though the number of people in the interior will decrease, it will only be temporary. The problem of personnel will improve as time goes on. It would be an effective m ove to solidify the rule while the reputation of defeating Spierzeig continues. Yes, it will be difficult to calm down at first, but it is not impossible.]

I guess this is also an area where our values don't match.

No matter what happens, the humans of the Eruo continent view the Highlords as exceptional beings. They believe that the reputation that "Wilk Quordenze, who defeated t he Spierzeig family, rules over the Voistra Plains" will have a deep influence on governance.

Well, I've lived on the Elo continent for about 13 years, so it's not like I don't understand that feeling. When I hear that the blood relatives of the original Spierzeig family wer e all exterminated in their home base, I feel like all the small issues will be blown away. Besides, no matter what I think, if all the people of the Eruo continent think like that, t he government will probably go well in the end.

However, the idea that the existence of just one person can have such a big impact on the whole system makes me feel uncomfortable at the core. I believe that governanc e is achieved through the power of organizations, not the power of individuals.

This is something that needs to be communicated without any discrepancies. I patiently explained to my father and grandfather the difference in our ways of thinking.

[Does Wilk, who embodies the strength of a Highlord more than anyone else, place such importance on your followers and commoners? I get the impression that they are i nconsistent.]

[It must be pretty creepy if you look at it from other houses.]

Looking at my parents, arms crossed, I said the hardest thing to say.

[One more thing. Princess Romilie is a beautiful woman, so I thought it would be a waste to kill her.]

I don't intend to mislead anyone, I will meet my father's expectations. I thought I was showing my sincerity by daring to say it.

I wanted to quickly settle the matter before reinforcements arrived and take the lead in deciding the future course of action, but my intentions are clear even if I don't tell ev eryone.

My father didn't get angry and just looked at me quietly with his arms crossed. It's a little scary.

[...So, what does Wilk want to do with the Spierzeig family in the future?]

[If they try to put restoration first, I will crush them.]

"Go on, my father urges me to continue talking.

[It depends on the situation, but I would like to request the cession of a portion of the Sanjo territory after the annexation of the Nijo territory is completed. If the handover is refused, it will be war.]

The three-article territory specified in the treaty is to be ceded within 30 years, not after 30 years.

[You'll have to fight Romilie Spierzeig.]

[I can't bear to have her follow in the footsteps of her brother, grandfather, and father, but it can't be helped. For the sake of the peace of Quordenze, I have no choice but t o let her perish this time.]

If you continue to be hostile, I will not show mercy. However, it is doubtful whether such a development will occur.

[However, from the brief conversation we had, I felt that Romilie-dono was intelligent and courageous. I don't think she would show such a blatantly hostile attitude.]

There is probably a lot of desire mixed into this prediction. Personally, I want to be friends with Romilie, in many ways.

[Then, let's assume that the Sanjo territory is presented to you without resistance and all cession has been completed. What do you plan to do after that?]

[At that point, the only way for Spierzeig to survive is to join Quordenze. We can either make them a vassal, or we can treat them as one of the allied noble houses. I think w e should make a decision based on the situation.]

[Quordenze and Spierzeig have been enemies since their creation.]

I dared to smile.

[It's not like the usual father. What is the point of a priest saying this in this day and age?]

A long time ago, the Holy High Council of Zeth Church drew a line on the Eluo continent and established a diocese. The aristocrats who controlled the land were now mana ged by parishes, and the system of control by priests was completed.

Since it has been revised many times depending on the times, it is impossible to say with certainty how many parishes there were. In the early days, there were 144 wards, but by the time the Quordenze family was founded, the number had easily exceeded 1,000. Since the overall area basically remained unchanged, the parishes were divided into smaller parts over time.

A person who assists a high-ranking priest who is appointed as the head of a diocese from a position of nobility. That is a guide. It is obvious when you consider the nature of the role, but the people chosen to be guides are noble families that own territory within the parish.

Since it is strictly a support role, it has almost no authority. It seems like his role is a loss, as he is forced to entertain the high-ranking priests, who change periodically depe nding on the central government's personnel decisions. However, being chosen as a guide proves that "you are the most noble family in this parish". The title of being the h ead of the noble family in the parish was apparently a great honor for the nobles at the time. ...Well, aside from official authority, there were probably some areas where the y were given preferential treatment with tacit consent.

And the first head of the family, Perzeas Quordenze, also known as Priest Quordenze, desired to be appointed a guide when starting his own noble family. Considering Per zeas' origin is from the Holy Pluotista, he must have thought that he could easily steal one or two of the titles of guide.

However, it is said that the appointment was not realized due to the secret maneuvering of the Spierzeig family. This is just a story from our records, so I don't know what t he truth is. All we know for sure is that Perzeas held a grudge against the Spierzeig until his death.

However, at that time, the Quordenze family was a noble family that ruled over the city of Newnelly and its surroundings, and the Spierzeig family ruled over the city of Oth elloria and its surroundings. Regardless of its economic size, both were small territory. The two families did not share borders, nor did they belong to different parishes. Jus t because he held a grudge doesn't mean he took any action after that.

Therefore, even though they have been enemies since the founding of the noble family, it is only after the Spierzeig family unified the Voistra Plains, or after the Quordenze family unified the interior area. It can be said that most of the roots of the current disasters occurred after the country entered the period of war.

[In the first place, even the noble families that are currently on our side didn't always have a good relationship with our family from the beginning. Sylopea is a good exampl e.]

The Quordenze family and Sylopea family have a close relationship these days, but that wasn't always the case. And the cause of this also lies in the position of the guide. The Sylopea family is a priestly noble family that was established a little later than the Quordenze family, but they were appointed as a guide at the same time as their found ing. Even though we were no good at it, the Sylopea family did a good job in the neighboring parish. That must have made him angry, and since Pennybach City is geograp hically closer than Othelloria City, he seems to have made it as his enemy. ...It seems like the Quordenze family is full of grudges.

[Of course, if it is a hindrance to Quordenze, we will not hesitate to destroy it. If we have annexed the Sanjo territory, we should be able to attack and destroy it all at once b efore other families interfere.]

For that reason, the Spierzeig family was left with land that was difficult to protect.

[...By the time that decision must be made, Wilk will probably be the Head of the Quordenze family. Do you understand that?]

[Yes.]

If things change significantly, it will probably happen twenty or thirty years from now. By that time, my grandfather would have also reached the end of his life. That's why my father and grandfather dig deep to confirm my intentions. They are extremely wary of the possibility that the future head of the family will treat the Spierzeig family too I eniently.

The two of them were staring at me as if they were looking at me, so I dared to glare back at them. There's nothing wrong with that. Because this is my true opinion.

[... I see. By the way... earlier, you described Duchess Romilie as beautiful. As a woman, I would like to know how attracted you are to her... for reference...]

My father's voice became weaker towards the end.

Although it is an important topic that will be relevant in the future, the reproductive relationship is probably a topic that is difficult to touch upon. Besides, since the target is the princess of the Spierzeig family, there must be a feeling of lingering fear.

[She looks appealing to me more than ever before. I wanted to sneak into her bedroom right now.]

Both my father and grandfather closed their eyes and were speechless. However, there is no point in being too careful and lying here.

[In the future, Romilie-dono will need a child, right? At that time, I would definitely like you to leave it to me.]

[Does that mean you want her to be your legal wife?]

My father was so expressionless that it's scary.

[If you can give it to me, I would like to have it. I have been asking my father for a long time that I would like a beautiful wife, and Duchess Romilie would fully meet my requi rements. However, in that case, I am not sure how to deal with the Spierzeig family. That's a problem.]

[You don't necessarily want her as your wife...?]

[Yes. Sometimes keeping it in the shadows is best.]

It's the same relationship as Viscount Galliana and Princess Tochi until a while ago. The

[I don't really know how, but it seems that Romilie was pregnant with a child. It's strange. I don't know much about it, but she gave birth and it turned out to be a Highlord. I t's strange. But, if it's Romilie's child and a Highlord, then he's the heir to the Spierzeig family. There's nothing wrong with that. It's a good thing]

-type of thing.

I'll be satisfied if you just let me be the stud. Even though I told him this, my father's expression did not change.

[...However, as a noble woman, that's not bad, but it's not the best thing either. The nobility she showed in Othelloria may be lost to some extent...]

Not being able to become an official couple is not very desirable for a noble princess. Their mental image will change, to varying degrees, for the worse.

However, one of the most dishonorable things for a noble woman is not being able to give birth to a Highlord child. Mysterious child isn't the best version, but it's still better.

[I think it would be quite exciting to see a princess who surrenders herself to mysterious things in order to keep her family line alive. There's something intriguing about her accepting everything while suppressing her reluctance, and on the other hand, if she seems to be flattering, I think I'll enjoy it...]

My father and grandfather rolled their eyes. Did I show my true feelings a little too much?

The two of them should have been informed that I released my very pure feelings in Othelloria City. I'm sure they would be surprised to hear such a blatant remark come ou t. Maybe they thought I was going to say things like,

[I'm going to find true love with Romilie!]

The noble and elegant Romilie Spierzeig is very attractive, but I made sure to tell them that even if that were to be compromised, she would still be just an object of erectio n.

[I... I see. I can't say anything at this point, but Wilk's thoughts are... well, let's keep that in mind.]

[Thank you.]

Then, there was a strange silence. I couldn't stand it, so I decided to change the topic.

[On the other hand, may I ask you this? Which one do you, father and grandfather, think is more appropriate; annihilation or a ceasefire?]

[That will be annihilation.]

It was my grandfather who answered immediately. The basis for this is, as mentioned earlier, the importance of cutting off the original bloodline of the family. My grandfath er said that if you have a chance to eliminate the enemy, you shouldn't miss it. I guess this is the kind of thinking that would be typical of a grandfather who lived through w ars.

[What about father?]

[...I'm having trouble deciding if I should describe it as appropriate.]

Probably because of his reluctance, my father didn't continue to answer.

[...A ceasefire is the safe path.]

Safe means that it's not a bad choice. Hearing these words come out of my father's mouth made me feel a little relieved.

[Does diplomacy have anything to do with it?]

My father nodded silently.

A few decades ago, anyone would have probably been proud to say that the annihilation policy was the right one. In the age of war, there was no time to worry about distan t conflicts, and as long as you controlled the neighboring noble families, you didn't have to worry about anything else.

However, in the current Eluo continent, the war has come to an end, and the existence of huge groups such as the Levios Kingdom and the Zinkaen Empire is becoming co mmonplace. We are stepping into an era where we need to constantly think about the development of noble diplomacy that transcends geographical distance.

[The result of the destruction of the Spierzeig family in Othelloria City will be too large and heavy. It will be extremely difficult to predict the impact if we choose an annihilat ion path.]

If you think about it simply, the Quordenze family will destroy the Spierzeig family and annex all of Voistra Plains, and this is the explosion of creation Great Quordenze, the ultimate perfection noble family. I don't think there are any nobles who won't think anything like this.

They may be wary of Quordenze's expansion and form an alliance to oppose us, or they may wish to submit to us one by one in order to survive. Since this is a problem tha t involves the human heart, it is impossible to predict this completely.

[...If you only think about the Kingdom, a ceasefire is not a bad decision. The fact that Romilie Spierzeig remains cannot be ignored.]

If you hear that the rightful heir to the Spierzeig family is still alive, the shock will be a little less severe. No matter what happens, the level of vigilance will inevitably increas e once we occupy Othelloria City.

[The Empire...]

As if in response to my grandfather's grumbling, my father continued speaking.

[Regardless of what we chose, the Empire will be the biggest trouble. In particular, if we had carried out the annihilation of Spierzeig without any preparation, there is a high possibility that public opinion would have gone in an extremely undesirable direction.]

At the time of carrying out Operation Jaws, we had no idea that there would be a battle to capture Othelloria in the first place. There's no way we'd have any support from o ther families.

[What do you mean by undesirable direction?]

[Does Wilk know the underlying reason why the noble houses in the western and southern parts of the Empire were hostile to the Spierzeig family?]

I know it's a conflict, but I thought it was a combination of factors. I can give several reasons, but I have no idea what the root cause is that my father is talking about.

[This is a story that took place before the founding of the Empire.]

Is this a story related to my grandmother?

There are parts of the story about the Empire that are sensitive and difficult to listen to. Even though the Quordenze family was involved in a very deep way, I think the kno wledge that I have about the Empire is only limited to the most common noble-level information. There are many things I suspect, but I haven't really confirmed anything.

[When your mother was still young, she left Newnelly and traveled to the western part of the continent. At that time, the first place she was heading to was the Friaelles fam iiy...]

There is no specific reason given for the grandmother's journey, as it is a play that is occasionally performed in Newnelly. She was so angry at the powerful enemy of Quor denze that she suddenly ran away from home.

The grandmother in the play is just a reckless princess, but in real life, it seems like she had a purpose. The original plan for "Runaway Daughter" was an alliance between t he Quordenze family and the Friaelles family against Spierzeig. Regardless of whether or not she succeeded, it is clear that she was painting a big picture.

[But, the alliance didn't happen.]

Perhaps they were unable to come to terms on adjusting their interests, or perhaps runaway daughters were never treated kindly in the first place. Considering the historica I fact that the Friaelles family was destroyed, they failed in building an alliance.

[I heard that the Friaelles family at that time was busy uniting the Principality of Arpeo. Cassia, who actually visited the land of Arpeo, seems to have thought that they could not hope to suppress the Kingdom of Voistra.]

According to my grandfather, it seems that my grandmother managed to get a meeting with the Head of the Friaelles family. However, she apparently felt that the Principalit y of Arpeo itself was not very reliable, so she left the Arpeo region immediately after that.

[So, your grandmother wandered around the western and southern parts of the present-day Empire, and met your grandfather and...Emperor Zinkaen.]

[Hmm. From there, we started to advocate the cause of ending the turbulent times.]

My grandmother gave a single goal to what was originally just a band of brigands, who lived hand-to-mouth and ran rampant.

A group of strong people fighting for the cause of ending the turbulent times attracts the attention of many people. The Highlord of a weak noble family who was impressed by their ambition, the smoldering Highlord who was born in the sidelines of a noble family, the Blessed Child who wandered in search of a place to live, and those who chos e path to life after the destruction of both the master's family and his enemies. The remnants of the knightly families who had lost sight of themselves, and the mercenary v assals who wanted a strong leader, gradually gathered together.

Before they knew it, the group came to be called the Zinkaen Party

, and became a force that invaded noble territories and controlled the land.

[Many of the current nobles in the western part of the Empire and in the southern part of the Empire were attracted to this cause and came together.]

[Nobles who dreamed of the former Zinkaen Party were also known as the partisan nobles.]

If we were to divide the Empire into five parts: east, west, north, south, and center, the Zinkaen Party would subjugate the west, south, center, north, and east in that order. Many of the party's early members became nobles in the western and southern regions that they conquered early on. It was only natural that there were many partisan nobl es in the western and southern parts of the Empire.

[The partisan nobles were people who admired Emperor Zinkaen and were passionate about ending the turbulent times. They not only wanted to bring peace to the wester n part of the continent, but also to end the turbulent times from all over the continent.]

Whether it was a sense of omnipotence due to their youth, or a plan to improve their position as former vassals, the so-called partisan nobles seemed to desire the Empir e's conquest of the continent.

[But, the dream is over.]

I also know the reason why the Empire's advancement stopped after conquering the western part of the continent.

[That's because they couldn't destroy the Kingdom of Voistra, right? By offering Princess Asliza, the Spierzeig family survived without much damage. Meanwhile, they can't move east with a potential threat inside them.]

The Spierzeig family remained almost as powerful as it was in its heyday by offering just one blood relative. If the Empire continued to push east to conquer the continent, t hey would have been stabbed from behind sooner or later. The fact that they couldn't defeat Voistra head-on weighed heavily on the Empire.

[Yes, Wilk is correct.]

My father then continued.

[From the point of view of the partisan nobles, the Spierzeig family is nothing more than a nuisance who obstructed their dream of ending the turbulent times. If the Voistra Kingdom had fought head-on without any strange tricks and had been destroyed, the Empire would have conquered the continent by now. It might have unified the entire c ontinent and brought an end to the war...many people dream of that.]

This is quite an arbitrary story. However, dreams that have been thwarted midway through, if allowed to mature over time, will take on a unique brilliance. Delusions about what could have been, shine brighter the more regrets you have about the past.

[Besides, the Spierzeig family is definitely a prestigious family of nobility. From the point of view of the emerging partisan nobles, the mere existence of such a prestigious f amily is irritating.]

I can kind of understand that feeling, but at the same time I have doubts.

[If that's the case, wouldn't Quordenze be viewed as an enemy as well?]

The Quordenze family was also one of the noble families that is treated as prestigious. It's no wonder that people from the same prestigious family are hated by the others. Then, my father let out a snort.

[Between Spierzeig and Quordenze, I guess they thought the former was a higher-class noble family. It's a worldly tradition that things that stand out more attract attentio n.]

Although their origins are similar, the Spierzeig family has a longer history as a noble family. The Quordenze family split up after unifying the interior, but the Spierzeig famil y continued to make strides, including the founding of the Voistra Kingdom, even after unifying the Voistra Plains.

I can never say this out loud, but the Spierzeig family is superior to the Quordenze family. Maybe that's why I was able to stay away from such boring troubles, but to be ho nest, I'm not happy about it.

[Interestingly, the upstarts hate the so-called prestigious noble families, but deep down they also want to be recognized for their existence.]

My father said that although their jealousy of authority may seem strong and firm at first glance, it also has the tendency to easily reverse itself and turn into favor. If someone who has always said,

[I'm not interested in celebrities!]

, but when they actually meet them on the street and are treated politely, would they immediately change their minds and say,

[I can trust that celebrity!]

, that kind of feeling I guess?

[Mother is deeply involved in the formation of the party and the founding of the country. Therefore, the partisan nobles probably recognized Quordenze as a like-minded c omrade, so they let us be.]

The Princess of the Quordenze family has the same aspirations as them, is standing on the same battlefield, and is trying to advance on the same path... I see, this may cert ainly tickle their pride. From the perspective of people with questionable backgrounds, even though she was a runaway girl, it would feel like she is the form of recognition from a prestigious noble.

Moreover, if you use this empathy well, you can easily make enemies. Like

[Even though they are also a prestigious noble, we know the Quordenze family very well! They are our friends! What is the Spierzeig family in comparison!? You old-fash ion ed noble family who can't keep up with the times! The Spierzeig is our enemy!!]

or something along that line.

It's possible that such an atmosphere could be created naturally without doing anything, but as my father said, it's entirely possible that my grandmother instigated it.

[When we defected from the Empire and declared war on Spierzeig, the partisan nobles supported Quordenze. It is true that they had an advantage as a noble house, but w hat drove them was one emotion. Why is that? You know what they were expecting?]

If the Quordenze family attacks and destroys the Spierzeig family, they may be able to dream of conquering the continent again. After the war, by bringing the Quordenze f amily back into the Empire, it will be possible to advance eastward. Is that what it's like? Yeah?

[I understand. I think I understand, but...um, if I had wiped out the Spierzeig family in Othelloria, I feel like things would have turned into a pretty troublesome situation...but t hings would have gone in a direction that I didn't want at all....]

If you think about it in a very simple way, it would be,

[Congratulations on defeating Spierzeig! Next, let’s work together to persuade the Third Emperor and conquer the continent to end the turbulent times! The Quordenze fami ly and us partisan nobles are... friends!]

or something along that line.

[Indeed. I think that's what would happen too.]

[Eh... Are they such an idiot...?]

I couldn't help but put my hand on my head. I can understand why my father said,

[This is going in an undesirable direction]

. Why do we have to continue this war that has no benefit for Quordenze?

[Of course, there may be some reasons for this as a noble family, but at the root of it all are the remnants of dreams they had in the past. The day when they hear about the fall of the Spierzeig, they'll start to speak loudly about conquering the continent. They may end up advertising the reopening of that past dream...]

It would be the worst if such public opinion were created. No matter what kind of excuse the Quordenze family, which was an Imperial Noble until recently, makes, the Levi os kingdom nobles will not believe it. It is inevitable that we will be forced to ally with the partisan nobles. Tensions between the Kingdom and the Empire will be at an all-ti me high.

[Actually, that won't happen because we chose a ceasefire. But...]

[Ah, it's still a difficult problem to deal with.]

It wouldn't be interesting for the partisan nobles to have the Quordenze family and the Spierzeig family come to terms with each other. As long as these two families remain immovable, the Empire will not be able to advance into the eastern or southern parts of the continent. In addition, the appearance of the Quordenze family choosing a cease fire is reminiscent of the surrender of the former Kingdom of Voistra. It is not at all unlikely that the hostility that had been directed towards the Spierzeig family will be direc ted towards us instead.

It is natural for the nobles in the western and southern parts of the Empire to be wary of the Quordenze family becoming huge. I thought it would be necessary to placate th em by showing some kind of diplomatic advantage, but it would be troublesome if emotions got involved. This may not be a problem that can be solved by simple logic alon e.

Well, in any case, since the Quordenze family had no intention of conquering the continent, it could be said that it was only a matter of time before we were wary of these p artisan nobles.

...Even so, when I hear things like,

[We are moving from an era where we only had to consider the interests of our own territory and neighbors, to an era where interests are adjusted through noble diplomacy in large units such as large forces and factions]

, it sounds progressive. However, isn't it such a poor story that even though we feel like we are at the dawn of a new era, in the end we are being swayed by the hopeless d reams and selfish sentiments of some individuals? I think it's fair to say that people's growth hasn't kept up with the evolution of the times, but I suppose it's a very distorte d era.

[...Most of the nobles who were infatuated with Emperor Zinkaen's ambitions are now old, so is this a wait-and-see option?]

Fortunately, the route to destroy Spierzeig still exists, so if you can say something like

[I'm going to destroy it soon, just wait a little longer]

and dodge it, you'll be able to get around 30 years, which is the deadline for ceding the Sanjo territory. It might buy us some time. If that many years pass, the most dense g eneration of partisan nobles should all be reduced to ashes already.

[Unfortunately, in the partisan noble families, the children and grandchildren of these people have similar ideas.]

[Eh...]

As a member of the Quordenze side who has used them up until now, I can say this, but what a troublesome faction they are.

[The partisan nobles were able to establish themselves as Imperial Nobles because of the wars and battlefields. If they tell their descendants about their past success stori es, this will inevitably happen.]

Is that so? For the elderly members of the partisan nobles, the turbulent times were also a place for them to advance in life.

Moreover, the Highlords who voluntarily joined the Zinkaen Party were the children of noble families who were in no position to inherit the family head and had too much po wer, and the collateral relatives and shadow families who were dissatisfied with the situation and were just waiting to be crushed by the war. There must have been many B lessed Children who had nowhere else to go. In a sense, all of the members are almost unconventional. Their way of thinking may be different from that of the nobles who were desperately trying to protect their homes.

[Also, this is not limited to partisan nobles, but the younger generation of the Empire these days tend to admire the heroic tales of the past while carefreely enjoy the elegan t noble culture.]

[...That's deplorable.]

Newnelly silk is used in this elegant noble culture. Priests and nobles have long favored silk fabrics, and high-quality silk clothing is a staple of noble culture.

[Even in a family where there is a sensible person like Count Nongite, the next generation will be like that. It's a problem.]

[Certainly, Canan-dono seemed to have some strange illusions about the battlefield.]

[It seems that even the cloistered noble families are becoming relaxed, which makes me worry about the future of diplomacy. Unlike the west and south, older people in the north generally have strong anti-war sentiments. We need to use this to suppress the Empire's movements ]

Now that the Spierzeig family has fallen all at once, the northern part of the Empire could suddenly become the frontline of war, depending on how the Quordenze flag is w aved. There should be some areas where they can cooperate with the cloistered noble families that own the area to avoid war.

Up until now, we have mainly worked with the partisan nobles, but my father said that from now on, we need to gradually deepen our relationship with cloister nobles.

[Can't we do something about the warlike ideas of the partisan nobles?]

[It's impossible. I can't expect them to come to terms with their feelings that have been smoldering for many years since Princess Asliza's marriage.]

Besides, my father added.

[These partisan nobles are no fools. Their desire for continental domination is based on a selfish dream, but it also includes their own calculations as Imperial Nobles. Extort ion is the most likely option. Quordenze will definitely be viewed as an enemy by the Levios Kingdom. There is also a high possibility that it will lead to war.]

It would be unforgivable for Quordenze to continue to be used by the partisan nobles. We should also be cautious.

[Even if they fail to advance eastward, there is no problem. The ones who will suffer the most are not the partisan nobility, but the Quordenze, who are forced to stand on t he frontlines. What will remain after the war will be the weakened Spierzeig and Quordenze territories, which are not a bad thing for the southern and the western part of th e Empire. Besides, if the eastward expansion is successful, then all is well. The status of the Imperial nobility will improve, and what's more, the dream of their youth, which was destroyed by Princess Asliza, will come true.]

[Wow...they really are troublesome people. Why did the Emperor take a Princess of the Spierzeig family as his wife in the first place? That's probably the root of this proble m.]

It was so annoying that I couldn't help but say it. Normally, it would be difficult for me to bring up naive topics related to the Empire, but I couldn't help but ask. However, thi s is a good result.

My father seemed reluctant to answer for a while, but then he began to speak quietly.

[...The Second Emperor, Emperor Arginis, had two wives.]

[One of them is Princess Asliza of the Spierzeig family.]

This is the woman who is well known around the world as the wife of Emperor Arginis.

The other wife is not very famous, and I didn't even know her name or even her origins. I had overheard stories about how she was a survivor of a small noble family that o nee existed in the Arpeo region.

[The other one is called Princess Fair of the Lucarcea family.]

It was my grandfather who supplemented my words.

This is the first time I've heard the name Fair, but I've heard the family name before.

[...Lucarcea, the Guardian of the West?]

[Oh, so you did know?]

[I don't know much about it, but I know the family name.]

My father told me to tell him everything I knew, so I turned my head around and tried to pick up my memories.

[This is a noble house founded to monitor the Arpeo Field, the largest field in the Arpeo region.]

Arpeo Field is probably the most famous Field on the Eruo continent. In a bad way.

[It all began with the birth of the Great Demon Beast Measles, the number one threat-class.]

Until then, the number one threat-class had been considered a

“theoretical threat'

. The real threat to priests and nobles is a mature demon beast equivalent to the second-rank, and they never expected the first-rank could appear. The name of this Field, which caused an unprecedented disaster, will be deeply engraved in the history of the Eruo continent.

[The Holy City was shaken by its overwhelming power.]

The Demon Beast Measles, which was born in the Arpeo region in the western part of the continent, slaughtered priests and nobles in the surrounding area at random, and eventually began to advance towards the Bermana region. It was probably a demonic beast with a temperament that was obsessed with killing Lords and Highlords. At that time, the Holy City of Maguaose was the unparalleled number one city on the continent, and a large number of Highlords lived there.

The Zeth's Holy High Council expressed reluctance to confront this enormous threat in the Holy City. Considering that the land would be devastated in the aftermath of the battle, they may have decided that it would be more convenient to fight a subjugation battle in a faraway place. In any case, the Holy Army's expedition to subjugate Measle s has been decided.

However, the result was disastrous.

A total of three expeditions have been carried out, but all three have resulted in crushing defeats. The continent's strongest army at the time was easily defeated. The shoe k must have been considerable.

However, although the Holy Army was defeated, it did not mean that the expedition was completely in vain. After repeated battles, the Demon Beast Measles depleted its m agic power, and ran out of energy before reaching the Bermana region. Although the price paid by the Holy High Society of Zeth was too great, the initial goal of protecting the Holy City has been achieved to some extent.

[...After the Great Calamity, the Calamity of Measles, many noble families with their origins as priests were founded in the western part of the continent]

If you think about it logically, there will not be a threat on the same level as the Demon Beast Measles for hundreds or thousands of years. It is said that the higher the threat-level of a magic beast, the longer it takes to grow.

However, humans cannot judge things based on logic alone. It is only natural to be afraid of what will happen if a threa t like the Demon Beast Measles approaches the Holy City again in the future.

From the perspective of the Zeth Holy High Society, the noble families that did not have their origins in priesthood coul d not be trusted. I think there was a part of them that looked down on these nobles as barbaric Highlords with a low-le vel of culture. When great demon beasts are born again in Arpeo Field, will they work as a bulwark to protect the Holy City? The conclusion reached by the Zeth Holy High Council is a no.

Thus, began a project to reorganize the territory in the western part of the continent, centering on the Arpeo region. T he territories of noble families whose families were wiped out by Measles, and those who fled before the enemy in fea r of Measles, were confiscated and placed under the control of the Zeth Holy High Council. It is said that other noble f amilies that were in the way of reorganization were also subjugated, or forcibly transferred to another region.

In the end, the son of a high-ranking priest moved into the land that had become empty due to the absence of nobles. The precedent of children of priests becoming nobles in the western continent continued into later eras, and over man y years, the number of priest-like noble families increased in the western continent.

That's why, after the Great Calamity, many noble families of former priests were founded mainly in the Arpeo region.

[The Lucarcea family was the leader. It was created to coordinate the many newly established noble houses in the Arp eo region. It is said that the founder, Priest Lucarcea, was a man of a venerable lineage, descended from a Holy famil y, and was deeply trusted by the Holy City. The position of Western Guardian was created to monitor the Arpeo Field, and was personally awarded by the Holy Maiden of that time.]

By the way, they didn't do the same with the eastern, northern, or southern continent. This is a part that clearly shows how traumatic the disaster of Measles was for the Zeth Holy High Society.

The Lucarcea family was a noble family that received special treatment. Even in the era of priests, it can be said that it is an extreme rarity.

[You're studying really well.]

[That's all I know. I know how the Lucarcea family came to be, but I have no idea what happened after that.]

I was able to learn this as an extra because it is related to an important event in the history of the Eruo continent, the a ppearance of the Demon Beast Measles. Even if you scour the Quordenze family's warehouse, you won't find any hist ory about other families.

[The Sacred Bloodline, which was the origin of the Lucarcea family, has been in decline since a certain period of time. I heard that many of the privileges that had been given to them up until then were taken away as a result of this. They I ost their job of protecting the west, and they lost most of their territory. After that, they were only known as a small no ble family. It's no wonder Wilk doesn't know about it.]

Surprisingly, my grandfather knew what happened next.

In the era of priests, political power was more important than military power for noble families, and the power struggle in the Holy City had a great impact on the countryside. Even if they reigns as the leader of the Arpeo region, it is still b ased on the authority of the priest, so if the boss that they rely on falls down, there is nothing they can do. Like many o ther families, the Lucarcea family was one of the noble families that was swayed by the political strife in the central go vernment.

[Grandfather seems to know it well.]

[Because I heard it from the person in question. By the time we conquered Arpeo, the Lucarcea family only owned one small city. If it wasn't for the protection of the Friaelles family, they would have perished in that turbulent world.]

Apparently, my grandfather was acquainted with Princess Fair. Is it natural to say that it is a given?

[Emperor Arginis took Princess Fair of the Lucarcea family, who had fallen so far, as his wife. Do you know why?]

I wondered why, and felt like my father was asking me that question. After thinking about it for a while, I opened my mouth.

[...Considering that the current Imperial Capital is in the Arpeo region, was it for political reasons? By welcoming the bl ood of the former leader of the Arpeo region, he could keep the remnants of the Friaelles family in check and stabilize the Empire's reign. Am I correct?]

Lucarcea's blood has a history. It would be natural to think of taking advantage of that authority.

[No, Lucarcea's blood doesn't have that kind of power.]

However, that idea came from Earthlings.

On the Eruo continent, current power is more important than anything like being great in the past or being born in a go od place.

Of course, it's not like they're completely ignored because they're considered prestigious. The first value is the curren t power, the second value is the history and lineage of the family, and I feel like multiplying the two values will calculat e a similar prestigious level. My mistake is that it is actually multiplication, not addition.

In short, there is no authority in Lucarcea's name. Since the first value is close to zero, no matter how long the history i s, the final prestigious level will be low.

I thought I understood this equation, but when I heard about a traditional noble family, it sounded dignified, perhaps be cause I have Earthling roots.

However, with the way of thinking on the Eruo continent, I don't understand the meaning of marrying princess Fair at a

[Then, are you implying that Princess Fair was extremely beautiful?]

Judging from my father's expression, it seems like my answer is wrong.

I don't know if it means that she was ugly or that looks didn't matter.

[...The history of the Lucarcea family is quite old.]

[That's right. It was founded after the disaster of Measles, so it must have been quite a long time ago.]

I couldn't remember exactly when the Lucarcea family was founded, but if I think about it simply, I think it would be 600 to 700 years ago. Perhaps.

There is hardly any other noble family with such a long history. When it comes to existing houses that are bigger than Lucarcea, I can only think of the Holy Maiden Rona's parents' house, Cattlearc, or the priest house of the Holy City.

[Although not as strong as the Spierzeig family, the Lucarcea family is still a noble family with a long history.]

The history of the Spierzeig family is approximately 350 years. This one is long enough, just because the comparison i s unusual.

The Lucarcea family, which fell into decline, and the Spierzeig family, which was at its peak, are contrasting, but they have one thing in common: they have a long history engraved in their blood I see.

[Emperor Arginis had a strong preference for the lineage of women?]

.that's it]

The Second Emperor had a bloodline fetish.

[It seems that he had a strong attraction to long-lasting blood.]

According to my grandfather, when Emperor Arginis met Princess Fair, he didn't show any particular interest at first, b ut when he heard about the Lucarcea family's history, he became excited. By the way, it seems like he was even more excited about Princess Asliza and was already buzzing before he even saw her face.

[Using Lucarcea and Spierzeig for comparison, wouldn't he get an erection more with the former?]

I thought it was an outrageous line, but apparently my father thought the same way. He had a half-smile.

[If there are multiple historical bloodlines lining up before him, he may have been more excited for the prosperous one than the one that was in decline. Also, I heard that the Lucarcea family was proactive in taking-in and taking-out adopt ed children. Without it, they might not have been able to keep the house, but it cannot be denied that the family name was the only thing that continued. When taking that into account, anyone would feel that Spierzeig's blood is stronge r... Well, you won't know the subtleties of that unless you ask the person in question.]

What is important is the result.

Emperor Arginis' cock throbbed for Princess Fair, but even more so for Princess Asliza. Since a Highlord's sexual desi re and child-making are considered important in all matters, it is thought that marriage was an unavoidable outcome. Who would've thought that on the Eruo continent, history could be so affected by just one erection.

[...Even if there was no marriage incident, conquering the continent would have ended up being a pipedream. ...I'm sur e Cassia didn't want it either.]

[Mother's purpose was simply to unify the five areas.]

In fact, after the unification of the Five Territories, my grandmother worked hard to reform the domestic administratio n. There is no point in reunifying the country if it is divided again. A fundamental overhaul of the Quordenze family's s ystem was urgently needed. I'm sure she never had even the slightest thought of advancing into the eastern part of th e continent with the aim of ending the turbulent times.

If you think about it that way, the project to conquer the continent was put on hold by placing the blame on the Spierze ig family, so it doesn't seem like a bad ending for the Quordenze family, who want to focus on reforming their territory. Furthermore, although Emperor Arginis took Princess Asliza as his wife, he is basically following in the footsteps of his father, Emperor Zinkaen, and continuing the policy of weakening Spierzeig. In fact, it might be the best ending.

[...So, what will the current Emperor, who is the child of Princess Asliza, do about this matter?]

[It depends on the movements of the partisan nobles.]

According to my father, as long as we control the movements of those around us, there won't be any problems with th e current Emperor, Emperor Ferolt. Therefore, the issue at hand is the reaction and response of the partisan nobles. T hey are the ones most likely to be active within the Empire.

As far as I can judge from the past events and the rumors that I've heard, Emperor Ferolt is indecisive, or rather, I do n't feel like he has the will to do anything voluntarily. I feel like I can kind of understand why my grandfather hates his guys. Well, I'd be in trouble if someone suddenly got motivated and said they'd kill Quordenze.

[In any case, diplomacy is important going forward. We need to put more effort into searching for the Fiction tribe tha n ever before.]

He's referring to the tribe Eve and Raeve, who mastered purification magic, belonged to. Most of the members of the t ribe were sold to slave traders and we had little way to find their whereabouts.

[Currently, it's difficult to act even if other families ask us to share the magic. It would be troublesome if it was perceiv ed as a reluctance.]

In a situation where Eve and Raeve are the only casters, it is impossible to teach purification magic to other families.

"I don't want to" and "I can't" have completely different meanings.

In order to use it as a diplomatic card, a member of the Quordenze family needed to learn purification magic. And in or der to learn it, the more spellcasters there are, the better.

[Have the rumors about purification magic spread?]

[Not so much at the moment]

[Is that so? That's surprising.]

[Even if it's true, purification magic is ridiculous. Everyone won't believe it right away.]

The word "purification magic" has been flying around as a rumor, but it seems to be so suspicious that it apparently m akes it difficult to believe. It is believed that the Quordenze family have spread a far-fetched rumor about purification magic in order to keep the details of Operation Jaw a secret.

[...But, it's also impossible to hide it. The truth will be revealed before long.]

A purification highway has been created in the current Arknoa Contaminated Area that looks like a single line drawn wi th a giant brush. Anyone who sees it should be able to tell.

[At this point, I think Viscount Galliana is the only one who is convinced. I was surprised at how quick he is.]

Viscount Galiana has many eyes and ears not only in the commoner community but also in Nambonan City. It wouldn't have been that difficult to learn the outline of Operation Jaw.

[He had almost guessed who the purification magic user was. Perhaps informed by the merchant he works with.]

Ever since learning of Eve's purification magic, the Quordenze family has been focusing on searching for the Slade tri be, also known as the Fiction tribe. Specifically, they were interviewing slave traders in various places, but this move was probably caught up in Viscount Galliana's merchant network.

Putting aside the fact that I personally want to buy Eve and Raeve's friends, it's a little strange that the Quordenze fami ly is making such a purchase. And since a military operation using purification magic was carried out at such a time, i t's not surprising that something caught on.

It seems that Viscount Galiana has shown an attitude of cooperating with the search for the Fiction tribe. My father de cided that the rest of the Fiction tribe should be retrieved as soon as possible, and accepted the proposal. My father s aid that search operations have already begun, making full use of Viscount Galliana's merchant network, so to speak.

[Now that you mention it, Viscount Galliana made a proposal after today's signing ceremony...]

I explained to my father and grandfather about the food export ban and economic sanctions.

My father understood it fairly quickly and started thinking about how to use it as a diplomatic tactic. On the other han d, my grandfather had a difficult expression on his face.

[Grandfather, what's wrong?]

[...Oh nothing, Galiana was originally a child of blessing. That's what I'm a little worried about.]

I wondered what was bothering him, but my father seemed to understand what he meant.

[It is known that Wilk and Viscount Galliana have a good relationship.]

Viscount Galliana, who received help after conquering Nambonan, wants to emphasize his relationship with the Quord enze family, and is appealing in many other ways. It is a well-known fact that Viscount Galliana and I are on good term s.

[If that's all, then there's nothing special. But this time, Wilk used the Blessed Child twins in the war. Some of the partis an nobles may have something to think about.]

Wilk Quordenze handled the two Blessed Children, Oz and Ard, well and won a big victory. There may be some old no bles who remember Emperor Zinkaen from those days. From their perspective, the fact that I am on good terms with G aliana Milord, a Blessed Child who turned into a noble, can be seen as a positive factor.

It's my grandfather's concern, not anyone else's. I couldn't laugh it off as he was just overthinking it.

Father.]

[...Don't look so pitiful. If that's the case, we can still fix it somehow.]

He is a reliable father.

[I will now enter Othelloria as planned, and there I will incorporate the twins into my command. By disguising that they are not directly under Wilk, but as the elite soldiers of the Quordenze army, I will try to confuse the rumors a little.]

After the signing ceremony, my father was scheduled to go to Othelloria and I was scheduled to go to Newnelly. The a im is to publicize victory by having the Head of the Quordenze family enter Othelloria City, the home base of the Spier zeig family, and to speed up the cession of the Nijo territory.

By the way, Oz and Ard did not attend the signing ceremony this time, and were waiting in Othelloria City. This is a che ck on the Spierzeig family.

[What does Wilk want to do with the twins?]

Those twins did a much better job than I expected. It may be that the military officers assigned to these two were simp ly competent, but there is no doubt that they were of great help to Quordenze.

[I hope that they're given a reward commensurate with their military exploits.]

[Yeah, we can't ignore the fact that they stopped Spierzeig's army, even if it was only temporarily. Also, there is an ad vantage to having strong forces like them on hand who can take to the battlefield. Of course, the danger is greater tha n that... We are also considering looking at the appropriate land and establishing them as new noble houses.]

From the point of view of a genuine noble, it seems unsettling to have a Blessed Child roaming around their territory. A Ithough it can't be helped because it's like a walking nuclear weapon.

At the moment, it seems that my father is thinking of giving away the land that we don't need and making the twins ind ependent.

[Let's decide how to handle the twins in the future after seeing their personalities in Othelloria.]

[Thank you very much. It seems that the two of them admire the Gatoren family's Raylight, so if possible, please allow him to be present at the meeting.]

In particular, the male Ard seems to have gotten along fairly well with Raylight. Perhaps it was the influence of being o n the same frontline. During my stay in Othelloria City, I saw Ard, Raylight, Melgin, and other Nambonan soldiers toget her several times.

For Knight Gatoren, who was waiting in the corner of the room, this is a story about his son. I praised Raylight's perfor mance, but he didn't look happy and just quietly responded.

[I'm honored to be praised by Young Master, but that son is still immature. I'm worried about how far he can control Ar d-dono and Oz-dono.]

There are two Blessed Children who have experience on the battlefield, albeit only once. That must have been nothing but a threat to Knight Gatoren, and I felt a strong sense of caution from within his calm words.

[There are also reports that a small unit of the Highlord forces has escaped from Spierzeig territory and entered Eudio n territory. It is unknown what the Spierzeig family is secretly planning. Master, please never let your guard down...]

In the middle of Operation Jaw... or rather, it seems that Spierzeig's Highlord forces had invaded the outer territory of Quordenze territory immediately after my grandfather withdrew from the frontline. According to my father, this is a se cret special unit called "Sickles" run by the Spierzeig family.

It seemed that the purpose of the Sickles Corps was to assassinate Wilk Quordenze, who was heading to Reisleaf Cas tie to rescue Galfis. I guess the plan was for me to come to the rescue at lightning speed and reap the consequences, like in the Nambonan defense battle at the beginning of the year. I didn't intend to be killed that easily, but when I hear d this story, I was a little scared.

[Did the Sickles Corps meet up with Etoilesa in Eudion territory?]

[Possibly.]

During the siege of Othelloria City, Spierzeig's side made a gon-gon-gon-gon sound to convey something, but that ma y have included instructions to transfer the Sickles to Etoilesa's command.

[Father... Please be really careful, alright? In the current complicated situation, I don't have the confidence to carry Qu ordenze on my back yet, you know?]

It's my true feelings, no lies. I've always worked hard to become the head of the family, but right now I don't want to b e the head of the family.

I'm starting to think that it would be better if I accepted the invitation of the partisan nobles and set out to conquer the continent, since discerning the enemy and ally would be simpler and the victory conditions would be easier to underst and. The situation on the continent is complex and strange.

[Hahaha, don't worry. I'm not planning on dying yet. I can't leave Wilk and Fanny behind and turn into ashes just yet...e specially a new child is about to be born.]

I was so surprised by the line that sounded like a death flag that I couldn't even make a sound.

[Are you surprised?]

[Ah... well, yes.]

That's not what I meant, but it's certainly surprising.

Since it is a top secret of the noble family about Highlord children, nothing about it was mentioned in the letters.

[...Mother will give birth to a child?]

My father grinned and nodded slightly. Although my father seemed busy, he seemed to be doing what he had to do. T hat's something I'm jealous of.

Now that I have solidified my position as the next head of the family, it doesn't matter how many younger brothers or s isters I have. If possible, I would like to have a cute younger sister like Fanny.

[It would be a good idea to hear more details about the child from Merly herself. During Operation Jaw, your mother w as worried about your safety. Show her that you are well and give her some peace of mind.]

I see, that must have had something to do with why I was told to go to Newnelly. If it's to promote our victory to the ou tside world, it should've been alright for me and my father to enter Othelloria City.

My mother is pregnant, huh

. When Fanny was born, I pretended to be a baby and sucked her breasts. I vaguely remember being isolated by Oddy in a separate room because I was sucking so much milk. I'm sure I can't do it this time. If I do it again now, it would be no less than an uproar that would lead to quarantine.

[Grandfather, why don't you return to Newnelly as well? You must be tired.]

[Luxus will be entering Othelloria. There's no way I can leave him alone.]

My grandfather was scheduled to stay in Reisleaf Castle from now on.

The purpose is to check the movements of other families by suppressing Newnelly, Reisleaf, and Othelloria, and to pre vent the Spierzeig family from revolting.

Considering my father's safety, I want my grandfather to work hard, but I couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety.

[...Are you sure you're alright?]

[I'm just putting my name on Reisleaf. I'm not going to overdo it.]

I think the correct expression is that you can't force yourself, but I won't say that.

If he had just developed a magic power malfunction, it would be possible for him to continue working, but there is not hing that can be done about the residual magic power. It seems that my grandfather had accumulated considerable da mage to his body during the siege battle at Reisleaf.

My father assured me in a letter that he had no intention of letting my grandfather fight anymore. He must have notice d it himself.

However, since his name alone is enough of a weight, he won't be enjoying a happy retirement in Newnelly City anyti me soon. I feel sorry for taking advantage of a sick person.

[I intend to protect Quordenze, which Cassia left behind, Luxus rules, and Wilk will inherit, until the day I die.]

Those were the words of Cassia Quordenze's husband, rather than the words of the previous Head of the Quordenze family. For my grandfather, protecting Quordenze probably means protecting something that my grandmother cherish ed.

[Quordenze left behind by grandmother...]

My grandmother fought a mature demonic beast that appeared in Evermill City, and died afterwards. This is a very pai nful memory not only for my father and grandfather but also for the Quordenze family, so I have never listened to the story in depth until now. I couldn't hear it.

That's why I only know the general outline and the name of the demon beast.

Suddenly, Magnis Spierzeig's last words came to mind. These are the words that I heard when I stabbed a spear into h is heart.

If I want to become the head of a noble family, I have to know.

[...Father, grandfather.]

The two men turned their eyes towards me.

[I have something to ask you about the Demon Beast Nostetta.]

I felt the night deepen.

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