The Contract (5)

At the mention that they might be ambushed, Lobelia tilted her head in skepticism.

"What's your basis for that? Duke Aether is right here. What kind of madman would have the guts to raid this place?"

"If it's a private villa instead of a heavily fortified ducal estate, someone might see it as their best opportunity."

"I don't know... Even so, it doesn't strike me as a very bright idea."

To be fair, I wouldn't dream of attacking Tronios Aether either. But then again, Under Chain had already pulled off a brazen raid before. And above all else...

"Isn't he a man who has earned no small amount of hatred from the barbarians?"

"..."

Even now, Tronios Aether regularly deployed to the northern front to butcher barbarians. For a man who had once taken a beastkin as his wife, such ruthlessness couldn't possibly sit well with them. Moreover, the barbarians were fundamentally different from other factions. Their mindset was simple: great if we win, no regrets if we die. A barbarian philosophy through and through.

"Just keep it in mind. I can't say for certain myself."

"True enough. Caution never hurt anyone. So, Yohan? Did you come properly prepared today?"

"...Well, I was thinking I'd try talking it out first."

"After coming all this way?"

"My father told me to."

Of course, Father was just telling me in a roundabout way to give up and accept my fate, but I had other plans. Today, I was going to stand tall and ask: 'About this marriage... I'm terribly sorry, but could we please call it off?'

"Come now, come now! Don't just stand out there, everyone come inside!"

I followed behind Rascal Aether, who gave us a lavish welcome, and stepped into the villa. It was a rather beautiful retreat with a pristine white facade, but my chest felt thoroughly suffocated.

"Feels like I'm walking to the gallows."

The atmosphere was lively and warm. Or rather, the only ones full of cheer were Rascal Aether and Ariel Aether. A natural-born mood maker—that was my first impression of Rascal Aether. And Ariel... well, this was what she had wished for, so of course she was delighted. According to Lobelia, Ariel even seemed under the impression that I had already given my blessing to this marriage. Exactly which part of our previous conversation had sounded like consent to an arranged marriage? I must be an idiot, because I couldn't figure it out for the life of me.

Fortunately, Father was maintaining absolute silence, while Mother and Chris sat stiffly without uttering a word, looking as though their nerves had paralyzed them.

"Ahem! Hrm, hum... By the way, when should we hold the wedding ceremony?"

Because I hadn't found the right opening, time had slipped by, and the conversation had smoothly drifted all the way to setting a wedding date. I couldn't hesitate any longer.

"I believe it would be best for us to reconsider this marriage."

"..."

It was like dumping a bucket of ice water over a roaring hearth. Rascal Aether, who had been leading the conversation, blinked in utter disbelief, as if his mind couldn't process the words he had just heard. Father bowed his head with a deep, resigned sigh, looking as though the long-dreaded catastrophe had finally arrived. Chris merely tilted his head in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠confusion, unable to grasp what was happening, and Mother finally fainted outright.

Now, what about the two who mattered most? What about Ariel, and Tronios Aether, the father sitting beside her?

"Wh-What do you mean, so suddenly...?"

Ariel looked utterly flustered, wearing the face of someone who had just suffered a terrible betrayal. I was the one dragged here by the scruff of my neck, but looking at her, anyone would think I had just stabbed her in the back.

And Tronios Aether, whose reaction required the most caution in this entire room... Judging by his stony expression alone, it was impossible to fathom what was crossing his mind.

"H-How dare you...!"

In the midst of the silence, Rascal Aether erupted in indignation. It was an unexpected reaction. Getting angry was one thing, but with an outburst like that, someone might mistake him for being exceptionally close to Ariel. Weren't they practically strangers until recently?

"Now, now, calm yourself, Sir Rascal. And Yohan, you were far too hasty. You should have properly explained—"

Just as Lobelia hurriedly attempted to mediate between us—

"Silence."

A voice swept across the hall, suppressing the entire room. The moment that low, chilling command resonated, not a single person present could open their mouth.

This was Tronios Aether's supernatural power, the absolute authority that had earned him the title of the Empire's strongest ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Archmage. I had anticipated he might act like this, but I never imagined he would go so far as to silence Lobelia herself. Daring to clamp shut the mouth of imperial royalty? To think a man who ought to tread more carefully than anyone would commit such an audacious act was almost beyond belief.

"While I appreciate Her Imperial Highness Princess Lobelia's willingness to mediate in person, this is an internal affair of the Ducal House of Aether."

He even laid down an outright warning. Evidently taken aback by Tronios's reaction, Lobelia could only open and close her mouth uselessly, panic flickering in her eyes. The binding force of his Word Magic hadn't been lifted from her yet.

"I have a few questions for you."

"...Yes, Duke."

And naturally, I was the only one exempt from the spell.

"What is your reason? Is it simply that you do not fancy my daughter?"

"...That is not it."

Could Tronios Aether secretly be a doting father who cherished his daughter above all else? The thought flashed through my mind for an instant, but I dismissed it with a mental shake of my head. If that were true, he would have treated her well from the start. Acting like this now was the height of absurdity.

"Then what is it?"

"Because I believe this marriage will, in all likelihood, hurtle toward tragedy."

"Hmph..."

Tronios Aether glanced down at the cut of meat on his plate for a brief moment before lifting his head once more to stare straight at me. I sincerely hoped he wasn't contemplating turning me into a similar cut of meat.

"What makes you think so?"

"Because we—and more specifically, I—cannot shoulder it. You may already be aware, but I am weak, and my family is just as powerless."

In the corner, Father was glaring daggers at me, but it couldn't be helped. Cruel as it was, this was reality. I liked to think well of our family, but viewed through an objective lens... yeah.

"In fact, I looked into a few matters beforehand."

I produced the documents I had prepared for today from my breast pocket. I hadn't expected to present them directly to Tronios Aether himself, but now that things had come to this, I had to provide concrete evidence.

"Over the past year, there have been seven acts of terrorism targeted at the Ducal House of Aether."

"That is correct."

Tronios Aether scanned the papers I handed him for a few seconds before looking back up, boring into me with dry, unreadable eyes.

"And?"

"Looking at the scale of those attacks, my calculations showed that if even a single one of them were redirected toward our territory, our county would be reduced to a sea of fire."

"Hrm..."

Tronios Aether surveyed the room. He looked back and forth between the expressions of his younger brother, Rascal Aether, and my father, then gave a measured nod.

"Are you saying you wish to abandon this marriage out of nothing more than fear?"

Pretty much, yeah. Still, agreeing outright would look rather pathetic, so let's dress it up with a decent justification.

"I am simply choosing to look at reality rather than chasing empty ideals."

"Reality, you say... I would think you are too young to pass judgment on such matters."

"I am the heir to the County of Damus. Naturally, I must consider the future. The lives of every single person in our territory hinge upon each choice I make."

And this was the honest truth. If I accepted this marriage, our estate would be thrown directly into the line of fire. I fully intended to inherit the earldom and live in the lap of luxury one day, but even that dream required a sense of responsibility. Wealth and comfort don't just fall from the sky for free, after all.

"An ideal without the power to back it up only devours the one who holds it."

"...Those words almost sound as if they were aimed at me."

It was the very first flicker of emotion he had shown today. Tronios Aether let out a self-deprecating scoff. I had forgotten. Bound by the Emperor's absolute commands, Tronios Aether hadn't even been able to attend his own wife's deathbed. It really wasn't the sort of thing I should have spouted in front of a man like him.

"I-It is not that I dislike Lady Ariel. It is simply that we are far too young to decide our entire future on a fleeting impulse, and the wall of reality we must face is far too steep."

"There is no need to make excuses. It is the truth."

Though I hastily cobbled together an excuse that wasn't much of an excuse, Tronios Aether leaned back comfortably against his chair, looking as though all emotion had been burned right out of him.

"I understand your sentiment. With such a prime precedent sitting right before your eyes, how could you feel otherwise?"

"..."

"If you let your heart run ahead without considering the wall of reality, there comes a day when you must place everything you hold dear onto the scales. That is why I chose to love no one. For that is the only way to protect what I once held dear."

"..."

Why was that? To my ears, Tronios Aether's words sounded like nothing more than an excuse he had invented so that he wouldn't have to love Ariel.

"Therefore, I shall respect your choice, Yohan Damus."

With those words, Tronios Aether shifted his gaze away from me and fixed his eyes upon Rascal Aether.

"Rascal."

"Y-Yes, Brother."

"I know you did this for my daughter's sake. However, your heart got ahead of you, and it seems you acted far too hastily."

"...I am deeply sorry."

"As you well know, protecting a house demands great sacrifice. The higher one's authority, the more burdens one must shoulder. To cultivate sufficient strength to protect all of them... is an agonizing endeavor."

"I have no excuse."

"It is enough that you understand now. The price of this mistake was remarkably cheap, so let it serve as a good lesson for you."

"Yes..."

Rascal Aether shrank into himself, utterly chastened. Next, Tronios Aether turned his gaze upon Ariel.

"Ariel, I am sorry for dragging you into matters that belong to adults."

"No, Father. It was my own shortsightedness. It seems my feelings got ahead of me as well. I'm so sorry, Sir Yohan. I should have considered the circumstances of the County of Damus..."

"...I am quite alright."

"No... now that I think about it, you are the heir to House Damus, Sir Yohan. I should have taken that into account..."

In the end, Ariel shrank into herself just like Rascal Aether. She seemed to realize, albeit late, that her own selfish desires had nearly caused a disaster.

"So... let us find another way instead."

"Ah, yes..."

And yet, she still hadn't given up. In a certain sense, she was truly magnificent. It looked like she intended to seek out some other means of binding herself to me, outside of a formal political marriage between our families. She isn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠going to suggest we elope in the dead of night, is she? A grand epic of forbidden romance still seemed to be unfolding inside that head of hers... Well, I'd cross that bridge when I got to it.

"Now then..."

Tronios Aether looked around the table before finally fixing his eyes upon Lobelia.

"What are Your Imperial Highness the Third Princess's thoughts on this matter?"

"You carry out every single thing on your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠own, and now you ask me? After drawing the line and declaring it a purely domestic affair, no less."

"While it is an internal affair, there should be no harm in seeking your counsel."

"You have quite the silver tongue, Duke. I may have to reevaluate my opinion of you."

"As Your Highness pleases."

Tronios Aether bowed his head naturally, maintaining an elegance befitting a duke.

"Regrettably, I see no room for me to intervene. I trust you will hand down a fair and impartial judgment."

"Then—"

Tronios Aether began to speak once more. Whatever words left his mouth next would settle everything once and for all. However, at that very moment—

CRASH!

The windows shattered in unison as a group of intruders breached the building. Naturally, until the sound of shattering glass tore through the room, I hadn't sensed a single thing. However, most of the people gathered here were seasoned combat specialists.

"Halt."

Before the intruders who had smashed through the windows could even set foot on the floor, Tronios Aether suppressed them midair.

"What a truly foul intuition you have. Or did you foresee even this?"

BZZZT!

I heard Lobelia's whisper, but her words were drowned out and scattered in an instant by the crackle of lightning that followed. She had likely adjusted the sound so that only I could hear it. She sure knows how to make a joke with a straight face.

And by the time I processed what was happening, she had already swept through the attackers. Because I had warned her about an ambush beforehand, her reaction had been instantaneous. Pinned in midair by Tronios's Word Magic, every single intruder was engulfed in red lightning and slammed down against the floor. The residual lightning crackled across their bodies, paralyzing them so thoroughly that they couldn't twitch a single finger.

Less than a second after the intrusion, the situation had already been brought to a close. Tronios Aether rose from his seat, walked over to the intruders, and used his staff to flick off one of their face coverings.

"..."

For a brief second, the stoic man's brow twitched. Beside him, Lobelia grimaced as well. And peeking over their shoulders, I couldn't help but swallow hard.

"You are..."

The attacker was a barbarian from the Spearhead of the Snow Flower—a beastkin. Up to this point, it was within my expectations. Aside from bearing a deep-seated grudge against Tronios Aether, the Spearhead of the Snow Flower was one of the factions secretly connected to Andvaranaut. Still, I never imagined they would pull a stunt quite like this...

"Heh..."

One of the subdued attackers pulled off his own mask. He looked like an elderly man, but an immediate detail caught my eye, sharing a stark resemblance with the one unmasked just moments before.

"What, are you finally feeling guilty after all this time? Tronios."

The intruder was a beastkin. ...And not just any beastkin, but a rabbit beastkin, exactly like Ariel.

"You were alive."

"Not for much longer, I wager."

"Ngh?!"

BOOM!

Just when he seemed completely restrained, the old man surged to his feet in an instant and kicked Lobelia, who was holding them down with red lightning, sending her flying backward. Caught off guard by the sudden strike, Lobelia's reaction lagged, though she quickly regained her footing midair...

"Today, we shall all be wiped out here, Tronios Aether."

"..."

"For that is the only way to wash clean the sins that lie between us."

Following the old man who had shattered Lobelia's restraint, the other attackers rose to their feet and tore off their masks. Every single one of them was a rabbit beastkin. The moment that shared trait registered, the truth became painfully, unavoidably clear.

"Isn't that right? My dear son-in-law."

The old man smiled. Weeping tears of blood, he forced a grotesque grin.

"Let me ask you one question, Tronios. Just how miserable was my daughter's death?"

Ah, damn it all... I think I've gotten dragged right into the worst possible mess imaginable.