Chapter 38: The Noble Child

As the atmosphere at this table was starting to turn into shambles, the table on the other side of the room seemed to even more tense.

“Hilda-sama, I see that you came to the Margrave Heine territory quite early.  I thought your schedule before the summer vacation was much later?”

“The schedule has changed. Father’s work was going to take a little longer, so I thought I would come first.”

“Oh, I hope that didn’t inconvenience you too much, Alex-sama.”

“No need to worry, Daniela. Alex-sama has welcomed us with open arms. Isn’t that right,  Alex-sama?”

“huh? Ummm, yes, I guess so. ……”

The two are smiling at each other, but everyone present knows that their smiles are fake.

Miss Daniela, who appeared to be a gentle girl, seemed to be angry at her rival miss Hilda’s deceitful behavior.

Maybe they had an agreement before the summer vacation?　Like a strict no-running policy. But Miss Hilda has violated it. That’s why she is angry. It seems likely. Alex is caught in the middle of it, and he’s getting a little tense.

If he learns from this, he’d better change his playboy nature. My guess is that the second and third Miss Daniela and Miss Hilda will appear in the near future.

“Brother Julius. Which one is brother Alex going to marry?”

Rosalia asked in a small voice, perhaps thinking it was a simple question. Children are scary. I would have been too afraid to ask such a question. The gazes of the members of the sofa group focused on me.

Oh, do you feel like you have to say this?

“Yes. Basically, aristocrats cannot marry for love. I guess we’re supposed to have a marriage that benefits both of our houses, right?”

“Julius has no dreams.”

“Then, What do you think, brother Cain?”

Alright, I’ve managed to put the blame on Brother Cain. It’s too late to make a face and say, “Oh, no.” He is already looking at you. All eyes are already on you.

“That’s right, older brother likes those with big breasts ……”

The answer was easy to understand. But that is dangerous. Not only Chloe and Caro, but also our sister Rosalia, are putting their hands on their own breasts like chopping boards.

Glancing at Miss Daniela and Miss Hilda, it seems that Miss Daniela has the upper hand.

“I think it’s dangerous to make a decision based on that alone, Brother Cain. ……”

“Yes, that’s right.”

He must have sensed the discomfort. The tone of Cain’s voice had clearly dropped. Perhaps it is Brother Cain’s preference for larger breasts. You boob maniac.

“What do you think then, Julius?”

Chloe now asked me. Oh shit. I just followed Brother Cain and this happened.

“Well, …… Miss Hilda’s family, the Marquis Mullan family, controls distribution in the east. We are located in the north, far from the Marquis Mullan, so there is little merit in joining forces with the Margrave Heine family. Even if you were to rely on the strength of the Margrave Heine, there are Margraves in the east as well. It would be closer and more dependable to rely on them.”

“That is certainly true. We’re on good terms with the Margrave Draken Frontier in the east, and we go back and forth between each other’s homes. There are no demon-infested areas nearby, so I don’t think we need the helping force.”

Caro adds an additional supplement. It seems that Caro also thinks that her sister Hilda has romantic feelings for brother Alex.

“I think Miss Daniela’s would be effective in strengthening the power of the royal family. If she strengthens her ties with the Margrave Heine family, who are in charge of national defense, we will be a powerful force if something goes wrong. And it would also serve as a deterrent.”

“Brother, what is that?”

“A coup or a war.”

Rosalia’s face hardened, but it could go either way. We should not deceive, we should not turn away, we should teach them well.

“Can such a thing really happen?”

“I’m just talking about a hypothetical situation. For now, we don’t have to worry about that, but we can’t say that it won’t happen in the future. That is why we have to be prepared.”

Chloe’s complexion was clearly pale. She probably hadn’t thought about such things much. Chloe is also a member of the royal family, so I think she needs to look at the big picture a little more before acting in the future.

“So, does that mean that Daniela has the upper hand?”

“Not necessarily. If there is a more advantageous place for her to marry than our house, there is a great possibility that she will go there.”

“I wish I had been born a commoner instead of an aristocrat.”

Chloe pouts. Caro is nodding her head in agreement. But you know what? It’s not easy being a commoner.

“Common people can marry relatively freely, but they can’t live the way we do now. Many of them are just trying to make it through the day.”

Dreaming is fine. But you should look at reality as well.

At the next table, Miss Daniela and Miss Hilda were still going at it. As one would expect, you couldn’t behave disrespectfully toward  royalty, so Miss Hilda’s side seemed to have the worst of it. Alex, who was caught in between the two, was trying his best to contain the situation.

I think I should be careful not to be like that, but in my case, I am the third son. In that case, I am usually treated as a commoner when I leave home. It would be a different story if I were to receive a knighthood in recognition of my achievements. The odds of that happening are extremely low.

It is the same for brother Cain. Perhaps Brother Cain will join the Knights of Margrave Heine. Knowing that, Cain trained especially in martial arts.

And I had no particular place to fit in. Therefore, in a sense, I am the most free.

For now, my goal is to leave home and become a high-ranking potions master. If I become a potion master, I will have no trouble making money. I will be able to live a life of freedom. Thinking about that, I am looking forward to it.

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