Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.26 – The Girl Has Gained a Family...? (3)
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Lee Han's expression soured, but amusingly enough, the Marquis laughed as if even that delighted him.
He was that sincere.
Truly...
"I want to take you as my son."
This wasn't like taking in Levi as an adopted daughter.
It meant a true Tristan.
Astonishingly, it was an offer to bestow the name of the Tristan family, which boasted a history of hundreds of years.
In other words, it also meant granting him the 'qualification' as heir.
"It's not just a simple qualification, either. I currently have no children, and among the collaterals, there are no exceptionally talented ones fully worthy of inheriting Tristan. Veil has the highest potential, but that fool gave up all heir qualifications upon joining the Knight Order. So, the moment you become my son, you'll immediately be first in the line of succession! You could become the Marquis of Tristan himself! Where else would such an opportunity come from?!"
An opportunity available only now.
It was an offer too sweet to refuse, and even the most unambitious person would find their heart wavering.
Anyone with even a shred of desire for power or honor could not turn it down—
"No, I must sincerely decline."
"……."
"In case you're suspecting I'm just playing hard to get, let me declare it again. I really don't want it."
"...Aren't you taking Tristan too lightly?"
"I'm not taking it lightly. It's just that calling you 'Dad' already seems like extreme difficulty."
"……That hurts even more. Nobles are people too. Can't you soften it a bit?"
"This is me softening it. If not, you wouldn't be able to handle what I'd say."
"...That's too much."
The Marquis's expression turned sullen.
Though he had said it playfully, the Marquis hadn't made the 'son' declaration lightly.
'...What a pity. Well, I figured it wouldn't be easy.'
If he had accepted, the Marquis had intended to treat him as a true child.
The family's elders and seniors would have been shocked beyond words if they heard this.
No matter how much he personally liked him, how could he give the Tristan name to the rogue who had invaded the Marquis's household?
However, the Marquis didn't think his decision was strange at all.
'A guy like this... I could entrust the Marquisate to him...'
Though the Tristans bore the name of great nobles, they lacked a [Mystic].
The founder had possessed a mystic and a magic bow, but that lineage had long been severed.
Was that the reason?
Honestly speaking, the Tristans had faced crises dozens of times over the past few hundred years.
Sometimes, fools unfit even to be master archers became heirs, and rebellions by collaterals arose frequently due to the lack of proof like mystics or magic bows to legitimize the family head.
For instance, when Jenmia himself had been young and briefly away from the family, the elders and seniors had fought, splitting the house in two—such incidents were common.
Things like this wouldn't have happened with Galahad or Lionel.
They had mystics proving their 'absolute legitimacy'.
Thus.
'What matters for Tristan is just the name Tristan and overwhelming force.'
The potential to carry the Tristan name for centuries to come and the overwhelming power to unite the entire family.
As long as one possessed these two qualifications, it didn't matter who inherited the Tristan name.
Some nobles emphasized 'blood', but that was laughable.
Aside from the royals, most nobles' blood was already diluted to the extreme—what use was blood?
But if there were those nitpicking over blood.
'Just have him sire a child with one of the collateral women, and it's done.'
Fortunately, Tristan blood was excellent in quality.
Perhaps because the first family head had a child with a fairy, all children born—regardless of gender—carried Tristan blood, evidenced by their red hair.
So, blood was a trivial matter that could be resolved easily.
...Anyone hearing Jenmia's thoughts would be dumbfounded.
No matter what, would he go that far for just one knight?
But he would reply thus.
'It's worth it.'
'...This guy is a gem. One overflowing with facets yet to be polished.'
For now, he could win.
It might be a headache, but killing him was possible.
But that was only 'now'. Tomorrow...
What about tomorrow?
'His presence is more stable than when we met the day before. No matter how young, how can he grow so frighteningly? Heh.'
Thus, expectations arose.
Perhaps this guy...
'He might reach it.'
Like a valiant gladiator in his youth.
Like a priest who was once a mere zealot.
Like a certain woman called dull.
This young knight might reach it too.
'Aura User—.'
He had given up on it.
A distant, grand realm he had essentially forsaken himself.
The Marquis harbored a desire to witness, from the closest vantage, this man he acknowledged—though not his blood son—attain that realm.
Some might call it vicarious satisfaction, but so what if it was?
Isn't placing expectations on the young the privilege of adults?
'I'm really looking forward to it.'
So, for now, just sowing this seed was enough.
Well...
'He'd be fun to keep by my side...'
The desire to make him a son wasn't solely for such vicarious thrills.
This young man seemed like one he wouldn't tire of watching up close.
For Jenmia, the proposal held no calculation of gains and losses.
Look at him even now—how entertaining!
"Tsk, what a shame. Well then, could you at least teach our Knight Order that method of walking on air? We'll pay handsomely."
"There it is, your real goal! No way. They're not even my disciples—why would I teach my techniques to another sect, er, Knight Order?!"
"Is that so? Hmm... This is just musing aloud, but when I tallied the costs of the doors that rogue smashed, the buildings, bricks, marble, statues, and so on, it came to at least three thousand gold coins. Especially since some of the damaged items are dwarf-made, repair costs will rise even more... Sigh, should I demand compensation from the culprit, I wonder."
"……."
"What do you think—should I make him pay?"
"...By any chance, do you not need a way to walk on snow without leaving footprints? It's called Untrodden Snow."
"Hahaha!"
See? Just watching him is entertaining.
The Marquis laughed heartily.
As if he had a frolicking son.
"...What a nasty old man."
Lee Han looked utterly deflated.
A fistfight or sword clash would have been less exhausting than conversing with this sly politician—it drained his energy and wore out his mind.
A mentally exhausting act, leaving him depleted in every way.
Then.
"Aren't you attending the closing ceremony?"
As he rubbed his dry face to shake off the fatigue, Lee Han muttered as if talking to himself, and for a moment, there was a faint tremor from somewhere.
Fainter than a branch quivering in the wind, imperceptible to most.
But not to him.
"That's a bad habit. Always hiding and eavesdropping. You could get seriously hurt if you're caught someday."
It was advice like counsel, or a master's instruction, and as soon as it ended...
"...You're right, perhaps. But unless it's the instructor, no one would notice us hiding here, I think."
Two figures emerged from the shadowed gloom.
Familiar faces. Lee Han finished rubbing his face and looked at the two cadets.
Roan and Jack.
The lord and retainer faced Lee Han with wry smiles, and Jack scratched his cheek.
"I thought I hid pretty well this time..."
"Yeah, you did hide well. How is it your hiding skills outpace your swordsmanship? You're not seriously planning to switch from knight to assassin, are you?"
"...No, sir. It's just that I have a talent for it, so my hiding improves without practice."
"What an unlucky thing to say."
Anyway, that guy was just as unlucky as others, if less conspicuous.
"...Haha."
Under the scolding gaze, Jack's head drooped lower, and Lee Han glared briefly before turning an intense look to the black-haired one opposite.
"You look like the type who'd sit quietly in a chair waiting, yet here you are in the field. Why?"
"Guess I'm not the sit-still type."
"That's a sickness too."
"...Did the Marquis notice I was here too?"
"Probably noticed first. His senses surpass mine. He likely pretended not to know."
"……."
"Why the look?"
"...For rejecting the offer, your opinion of Marquis Jenmia isn't bad."
"The man's not a prickly sort."
"Then why decline? A marquis like that would make a fine patron."
"So curious about others' business..."
"You're our master, so this much nosiness should be fine."
"Oh, really?"
The dark-haired one seemed to find his choice odd.
Accepting the Marquis's proposal would have instantly made him a leading noble of the royalist faction, representing a corner of the kingdom—why refuse?
Was it truly just because he didn't want to call Jenmia 'father'?
To that question...
"Yeah, that's really it."
"……."
Lee Han answered lightly, leaving Roan speechless.
...Is that really all?
"You think too much."
Lee Han, a regressor in words but not in maturity, gave his age-wasted disciple some unsolicited advice.
"At my age, should I ask my parents for allowance? Or act cute? I'm at an age where even marriage and kids aren't enough—now what, parents?"
"Becoming the Marquis's son isn't just about getting an allowance..."
"To me, it's the same. And you shouldn't need family for such material reasons. What matters with family isn't money or power."
"Then what is?"
"Loyalty and responsibility."
"……."
The answer came without hesitation, widening Roan's eyes.
Regardless.
"That's what matters with family. Husbands and wives uphold loyalty to each other. Children fulfill their duties as children, and all share responsibility to maintain those bonds. Those who become family for calculating reasons end up much the same—bringing only misery to each other. ...Not always, though."
"……."
"Anyway, that's why the Marquis and I aren't suited to be family. I don't need parents, and conversely, he doesn't want a child—he's just intrigued by me as a subject, like a puppy or kitten."
Lee Han already knew the Marquis's offer wasn't born of pure fondness for him.
He coveted his power or whatever.
But it didn't bother him.
It was appreciation of his abilities.
A knight dies for the one who knows him. 'A true man lays down his life for the one who recognizes him,' as the saying goes.
...He just wasn't desperate enough to crave recognition.
So, if he were world-weary or starved for approval, he might have dived headfirst into that offer.
'But frolicking under that old man? No thanks.'
He shuddered at the mere thought, sticking out his tongue. Toward him...
"...From what I see, that's not it."
"What?"
"No matter how I look, Instructor, you're no dog or cat—you're a lion or bear."
"……."
"One that might tear people apart once grown."
The cheeky black-haired brat ran his mouth, but Lee Han was faster.
"...Want to try the Arhat Divine Fist?"
"...No idea what that is, but I'll pass."
"No, I'll pass."
He thrust out a fist.
"-You must be tired from sneaking around eavesdropping."
The Marquis expressed regret, as if he hadn't asked everything due to the lurking young leopards.
There was something he absolutely wanted to ask.
Chewing on that regret as he boarded the carriage...
"Hm?"
He paused upon spotting a note wedged in the door crack.
"Your Excellency, is something wrong?"
"...Wrong? No. Rather, were there any who approached the carriage?"
"How could there be? With so many soldiers escorting us."
"I see."
"Why do you ask...?"
"Nothing. Haha."
"??"
The Marquis boarded with a hearty laugh, while the butler-like man tilted his head.
But the Marquis didn't resolve the butler's curiosity.
Instead, he chuckled robustly, thinking of the one who had slipped through his forces so effortlessly to deliver the missive.
He had wondered why the previous day's commotion at the Marquis's house had been buried so quietly.
Now that mystery was solved.
The knight he wanted as a son was apparently...
"Haha, that guy. He's caught the favor of a dangerous figure. Heh."
No name was written, but atop red sealing wax revealing the sender's identity was a dragon emblem.
And on the note:
[He's mine. Don't covet him.]
...a stern warning.
The Marquis shook his head.
And then.
"Your Highness. The only one who can command me—no, Tristan—is the king with true power. ...You do not yet have that right."
Riiip.
He tore the note with a cold smile.