The meal was somewhat over.
At first, Li and Yuni continued to fight and the food got stuck in their throats, but after a while, they got used to it and were able to finish the meal normally.
After I finished eating, I put down the dishes and looked at Rie.
“What are you doing these days?”
“It’s me, should I study cesarean studies, or study magic? Other than that, there are other things I do.”
“What are you doing?”
Then Rie pointed at me with her finger.
“About the heirs of the Astrian family.”
He widened his eyes when he heard that Rie was concerned about the Astrian family.
“Your father is trying to end the race for succession quickly. That way your chances of losing are much higher. I haven’t gotten a proper support group yet, and I’m not familiar with space magic.”
“… … Yes, though.”
“don’t worry. It’s not just to help you, it’s to think and act in the overall situation. If the Astrian family is easily handed over to Ian, my position as an emperor will be in trouble.”
“obfuscation?”
Obviously, if I inherit the Astrian family, the emperor’s position will rise to the sky.
However, there was no part where I would be embarrassed if I didn’t become the head of the household.
After all, it was always the case that the nobles and the emperors of the Astrian family were fighting.
It didn’t change anything, but it didn’t cause any problems.
“Soon, there will be only one duke of the Empire left.”
I tilted my head at Rie’s words.
“why? Isn’t Ophilus Jae-sang here?”
He didn’t know the details of Prime Minister Ophilus, but he knew that he was a duke who was the center of the imperial faction.
“Ophilus-sama is retiring soon. Without a successor.”
heir.
There is no heir to the duke’s family.
“Who is Ophilus Jae-sang’s son?”
“Ophilus-sama has no children. even the stepchildren. There are relatives, but in fact, even if they inherit the family, they will not be able to use the power they have now.”
It was the first time I had heard of this fact.
“It’s probably a fact that most people don’t know. Ophilus-sama doesn’t even mention that part, and since he is a deeply thoughtful person, I thought there would be a different way.”
“Then why… … .”
“I had a separate talk with my father this time, and he said he was going to hand it over to one of my relatives. In a way, I think it was a decision he made because he didn’t want to have a strange person as his successor… … .”
Expectations are high for the Ophilus family.
As a family in charge of the imperial sect and the only two dukes in the empire, it was quite natural.
Under such circumstances, Chancellor Ophilus was not married, so he had to raise an adopted son who lived up to his expectations.
However, there was no talent that caught his eye.
It seemed to me that I had reached the present situation.
“Then what will happen now?”
“If you look around your relatives and there are no talents, then Chancellor Ophilus will be the last of the Ophilus family.”
“… … .”
“In some ways, it could be better. Imagine a strange guy sitting there and being tyrannical. It just hurts my head.”
Lee shrugged and said.
“Anyway, it looks like you must inherit the Astrian family.”
“I’m going to inherit it because I’m a senior anyway.”
Yuni interrupted the story from the side.
I’m trying my best to be able to inherit it, but… … .
It felt like a huge burden was placed on my shoulders.
“Isn’t there anything more strange about your father’s trend than that? It’s about necromantic magic.”
“For now, we are figuring it out, but I think it will be difficult to find out.”
Here, even if a strange force is exerted, a war can occur inside as it is.
Perian knows we don’t know about necromantic magic.
When we realize what we know here, war begins within us.
“Hmm… … .”
Lee sighed and rubbed his chin.
“Anyway, what did you talk about at yesterday’s meeting?”
“Ah, there it was.”
Then Lee clapped her hands.
“We talked about time magic at a meeting yesterday.”
“Time magic?”
“From whom did Aryandor learn time magic and swordsmanship? Where is the source?”
time magic?
“… … By any chance, who took it out?”
“Your brother. Ian Astria said.”
I narrowed my brow.
The twist of space that happened here yesterday.
There, Ian brought up such a topic as an eyewitness.
I pondered.
Yesterday, there was a meeting in the Imperial Palace, so the personnel would not have been able to wander around the Imperial Palace.
There’s no way someone secretly broke in.
It was a place where all the powerful people of the Empire had gathered, so it was clear that even if they broke into it, they would not be able to pick out the bones.
then.
“Lee, Yuni.”
I opened my mouth carefully.
“Can you tell me how many people attended yesterday’s meeting?”
One of the people who used time magic was in yesterday’s meeting.
***
“You did a great job today.”
“Heh heh, didn’t you guys work harder? come a long way.”
“no. Ophilus-sama is not old now.”
taken from noblemtl.com
McDowell and Cromwell were chatting in the mansion of Prime Minister Ophilus.
“right… … . That’s why, these days, even if I had a meeting, my body hurts. chuckle.”
Prime Minister Ophilus smiled and said to McDowell.
Although he was already well over 70, he remained in politics.
The 2nd Dukes of the Empire were the Astrian and Ophilus families.
If Prime Minister Ophilus resigns from politics without a successor there, the balance of the empire will collapse.
So he was sitting in the prime minister’s seat until he found a successor.
However, it is now too late to find and appoint a successor.
Unlike the Astrian family, the Ophilus family did not inherit anything.
From the past, the Astrian family was in charge of the imperial force, while the Ophilus family was in charge of the spirit of the empire.
The Astria family passed on space magic to their children, but the Ophilus family only had spiritual succession.
Under the current circumstances, whoever becomes the heir does not recognize that person as Duke of Ophilus.
Even if he suddenly inherited the family, it was difficult to say that he inherited the spirit of Ophilus.
The spirit of Ophilus is the endless loyalty to the imperial family, the charisma that can lead the nobles of the empire, and the wisdom that seems to know everything.
It was not easy to find such a capable person now.
So the people around me were very sorry.
If Prime Minister Ophilus resigns from politics, the spirit of Ophilus no longer exists.
The spirit of Ophilus, who honestly supported the emperor and respected even the nobility.
“I will have to step back now.”
“Even if you say that, aren’t you still correcting it?”
“Correct. I’m just an old man who sands tomorrow.”
Chancellor Ophilus replied with a smile.
“I’m going to get tired of all night meetings, so I’m leaving. McDowell You will show Cromwell a place to rest.”
The Ophilus Mansion was a mansion of the duke family, but it was a frugal mansion with only one maid.
So McDowell had to guide me.
“All right. Come in.”
Ophilus entered his room, greeted by McDowell and Cromwell.
Ophilus entered the room and took out a letter from his pocket.
“Hmm… … .”
The letter was from Aryandor.
Ophilus stared at the letter and threw it at the furnace next to it.
‘Aryandor.’
Ophilus’s face was wrinkled as he repeated his name.
‘The future is irreplaceable.’
Ophilus thought so, and started walking towards the bed.
tock tock-
There was a knock on the window.
When Ophilus turned his head and looked in the direction, there was a man.
Ophilus walked slowly and opened the window.
“What is this, Robert?”
At the window stood Robert.
It was two stories tall, but Robert had no problem with this height.
“If you had just entered the mansion, you would have opened the door, so why did you come here?”
Robert walked in through the window and bowed his head.
“sorry. I’m here because there are people down there who don’t want to know that I’m here.”
“You mean Cromwell and McDowell?”
“Yes, both of them.”
Ophilus made a puzzled expression.
Robert was famous for being good friends with the two.
But, it’s something you shouldn’t be aware of.
“Then, what did you come here for?”
At Ophilus’ question, Robert opened his mouth.
“I have come to know the truth.”
“… … truth?”
“Exactly, I have known the past.”
Robert said with a straight eye.
“Aryandor, isn’t that the guy Ophilus-sama raised?”
At Robert’s words, Ophilus hardened his expression.