13: Grandfather
Normally, when a noble goes to another noble’s house, they exchange letters in advance to get permission and set a date and time. This is because it is not always convenient to do so.
Of course, this applies to me as well — but in my case, things are a little different.
After all, I never leave the mansion, and I have nothing to do. There is no such thing as convenience in the first place.
And this is because of something I said in the past, but many times ago, when I was asked, “We have received a letter saying that this person would like to come on this date and time. What would you like to do?” I would give my consent, but I would not remember the promise itself for a long time, and I would only remember it when I was told, “Mr. So-and-so has arrived” in the near future.
So, I have left it to others to confirm the promise, and I have asked them to tell me when someone is coming at the last minute.
This time, it completely backfired.
Surely, a messenger and a message had already arrived from my grandfather. It was just that it had not been conveyed to me.
According to Jarnar, my grandfather will arrive in five days. He is not incognito, but is surrounded by guards with the duchy’s crest on their horses, so there is no doubt about it.
“Hmm…”
I think as I lie down on the bed. The timing is too bad, no matter how you think about it. There is no problem with my grandfather coming in itself. I’ve had it several times before.
However, I was concerned that he would come now that my power had awakened.
My grandfather is a busy man, so he doesn’t have the time to come all the way to this city, which takes more than ten days by carriage one way. So it’s good if he comes once a year, and it used to be about once every two years.
It was not something that could be publicly announced, but a small event was held at the mansion when I came of age. Congratulatory gifts were also sent from various places. And for some reason, my grandfather came all the way to visit me at that time.
But, why? It hasn’t even been a few months since then, and my grandfather is coming again? I can’t help but think that there must be some reason for this.
And the foremost reason for that is the awakening of my power.
It is known that my movements have changed recently. Perhaps he came to investigate that, I thought, and I was filled with anxiety.
There is a magical tool called the True and False Jade. This is something that determines whether or not someone is lying, but if it is brought to me, it will be quite troublesome. Not only because of the performance of the magical tool, but also because it will make it clear that I am being suspected if it is brought to me.
“What should I do?”
Should I do something with magic (color)? Was there such a magic? Or should I make it… As I thought about various things, I suddenly realized that I should tell Zeel, “Show me all the letters that come from now on.”
Speaking of letters, I remembered the letter I sent to Eldred the other day at his request.
When I realized that, I thought of a more plausible reason for my grandfather to come here.
I have been seen to have been in poor health lately. It would not be strange for my grandfather to come here out of concern for me.
My anxiety had gotten the better of me, and I had overlooked such a simple reason.
Affection should come before suspicion. Then it’s okay. It’ll be okay, right? It’s okay, right…?
Five days after I had convinced myself in such a way, as Jarnal had predicted, the carriage carrying my grandfather arrived at my mansion.
*
“This is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. It has been a long time. You are in good spirits today as well.”
“Yes. It is good of you to come from so far away. Make yourself comfortable.”
“hahahaha.”
In the reception room, I greeted my grandfather, who bowed deeply while sitting in a haughty manner.
Normally, even if he were a prince, he would not be able to act arrogantly towards the head of one of the most prominent ducal families in the country. Most ducal families have royal blood, and the Zarud ducal family is no exception.
Moreover, they are the leading candidates for marrying off princesses, and they play a part in supporting the country, so they can never be treated with contempt.
The only exception is the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince is the next in line to become king, so even the ducal families must pay their respects to him as they would to the king. I have been told this over and over again since I was a child, to the point of being sick of it.
I am incompetent, with low abilities that cannot be improved. I cannot use magic or acquire any skills, but after more than ten years of being drilled in etiquette, it has become ingrained in me, even if I don’t like it.
That is why I usually act so arrogantly. As someone who will become the Crown Prince, I must always act like a superior, and with the exception of a few people, I always act arrogantly.
Incidentally, the only exceptions are my father, the king, and my mother, the queen. The only other person might be my father’s younger brother, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke.
After dismissing the servants who had prepared the tea and cakes from the reception room, I let out a big sigh.
“It has been a long time, Grandfather. Thank you for coming all this way today.”
“What? Why would it be a hardship to come to my lovely grandson?”
With no one else around, I dropped my act as Crown Prince for the first time.
For various reasons and circumstances, my grandfather and I are just grandfather and grandson when we are alone.
“So, what brings you here today?”
“hahahahaha, I couldn’t bear to hear that my beloved grandson had collapsed several times. I rushed out as soon as I finished what I had to do.”
“I am sorry to have worried you so much.”
“What? It was worth it just to see your safe face. Are you all right now?”
“Yes, thank you. Thanks to Zeel and the others, I am doing well.”
“Hmm. What about Tanal?”
“He’s been very attentive to me, since he came from Grandfather’s house. Just between us, he’s been more helpful than Zeel.”
“hahahahaha, then he will be rewarded. I will have to give him a reward.”
“I wish I could give it to him myself. It is my incompetence.”
I smiled a little self-deprecatingly. I quickly regained my composure, but my grandfather was looking at me with a strong gaze.
I wonder what it is.
“I don’t want to dwell on the past, but is there a reason why you collapsed?”
“No. I guess I got a little too ambitious as an adult. I tried to challenge myself to do all sorts of things, but it seems that I was overreaching myself… My body couldn’t handle it.”
This time, I just smiled wryly, and my grandfather’s face broke into a smile.
“Those who do nothing because they can do nothing, those who give up. Compared to them, how precious it is to try to achieve something. It is foolish to be reckless and fail, but that is not the case with you. You understand your position, your status, and your circumstances, and you do not give up on the present, but keep the important things in mind and try to raise yourself to a higher level. That is not a foolish thing to do.”
“…Thank you.”
He has always been like this. As a duke, a superior in a country that values strength, he has always encouraged me. That’s why I can’t hate him, and I feel indebted to him.
“Keep doing your best without overdoing it. No matter what anyone says, I will respect your will.”
“Yes. I will do my best.”
“Hmm.”
My grandfather groaned with satisfaction, took a bite of a cake, and sipped his tea. I did the same, taking a break.
I have a bad feeling about this. I’m sure he came to see me out of concern, but my intelligence tells me that this is just a prelude.
“So, then.”
Oh, my bad feeling has come true.
“Cain, do you remember your brothers?”
“It depends on how far back you go, but of course. At least I remember all the brothers who were born before I left the palace.”
“Hmm. I’m talking about your younger brother, Prince Croitz, and your half-brother, Prince Daine.”
I wonder why. The story I heard from Jarnard the other day comes to mind.
No, it can’t be. That was something that should have been kept secret, and it was only Jarnard’s guess. At least not something that the head of the ducal family would tell the incompetent crown prince.
It shouldn’t have been.
“It’s a promise to my grandfather. Keep this to yourself.”
“Grandfather” is what I used to call my grandfather when I was a child.
“Actually, Prince Daine has been ordered to lead troops to hunt down a special type of magical beast with an estimated danger level of 4.”
Oh, I don’t want to hear it anymore.
I tried to suppress my feelings and widened my eyes as if I had heard it for the first time.
“That’s amazing.”
“Hmm. Prince Daine is seventeen years old. It’s a bit late for his first battle, but that’s not a problem in itself.”
“Yes.”
“The problem is that he will show his power even though his right to succession is lower than that of his younger brother, Prince Croitz.”
“Yes.”
From here on, it was the same story I heard from Jarnard. This confirmed it, but I was amazed at Jarnard’s ability to gather information and his ability to speculate.
However, there was one thing that was different in the story.
“Just the other day, we received a declaration of war from the Kingdom of Naaz, and our country has decided to send troops.”
“What?”
That’s too soon!
I heard about this five days ago. Did the war get decided between then and now?
No, that’s not right. My grandfather came here from the Zalood territory, which is east of the royal capital. Jarnard told me about the skirmish five days ago, but my grandfather, who was still in Zalood at that time, couldn’t have known about it.
Does that mean that the declaration of war was already over in the background? Is this just coming out now? Or maybe he got the news from the royal castle on his way here? I don’t know.
“Is that… okay?”
“Hmm. There is no way that our country will lose. You don’t have to worry. If anything happens, I’ll go there myself and wipe everything out.”
I look at my grandfather’s hands, which are laughing out loud in an unaristocratic manner. They are hands that have been honed like rocks.
My grandfather is not yet fifty years old. He is a knight and a warrior who is still active, a true warrior.
“So, the supreme command of the army that will go to war has been decided to be your younger brother, Prince Croitz.”
“Wha-!”
I stare at my grandfather without acting. I didn’t expect him to be in command of a full-scale war, not a skirmish.
“This is the king’s decision to let him achieve greater results than his older brother, Prince Daine.”
“…Does that mean that the one who will inherit the throne is my mother’s child?”
“Hmm. I have my own feelings, but I agree with that decision. This has nothing to do with my grandchildren, my blood, or the interests of the ducal family.”
“What do you mean?”
“The child of the daughter of the Duke of Nicola becoming king? That would mean that the Duke of Nicola would wield authority as an outsider. I, Cain, do not think that Prince Daine, who is at the mercy of the Nicola family, is fit to be king. He may be capable. He may be handsome. He may be good in terms of being an excellent person. But a person who is at the mercy of his mother and his family should not become king.”
“….”
My grandfather’s eyes and spirit as he spoke were certainly befitting of the head of the ducal family. If my abilities hadn’t increased, I would have been trembling now.
I didn’t know, but is that what you mean, Brother Daine? Are you a prince who does what he’s told?
As I watched my grandfather in silence, he exhaled and took a sip of his tea. I followed suit.
“It’s gotten a bit hot. So, to be frank, I think it’s a good idea for Prince Kreuz to take command. Even if he does take command, he won’t be leading the charge in his first battle. He’ll just listen to the opinions of his advisors, nod, and learn. What’s important is the results of his command.”
“Yes.”
“Now, Cain. This is where the real topic begins.”
“Huh?”
I couldn’t help but let out a surprised sound. Wasn’t he just going to give me information?
“Would you like to become my adopted son?”
“…What?”