Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: A Treacherous Subject Has Its Uses
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Sain. She was a maid brought from Lady Meira's family, and she had been placed to serve Beonald by putting pressure on the head maid.
Without the Count and the acting family head knowing, Lady Meira had thoroughly established her sphere of influence within the mansion, and thanks to that, she had been able to eliminate all the male children who would become obstacles to her son, Ralt.
"Young Master Beonald is someone I simply cannot believe is fourteen. It's not just that his physical growth is remarkable, but the composure and dignity felt in his actions and speech are such that it's hard to believe he's from the countryside."
"It seems that bitch Callen raised him properly in that regard. Damn it! Acting in ways unbecoming of a country bumpkin! Go on."
"He has the griffin he's raising under proper control and was also considering its dangers. Furthermore, he's not just skilled in martial arts but also knowledgeable, seeming to seek information while reading books. Moreover, perhaps because of the griffin, he has made contact with Lady Selina, a mage, and Sir Maldrov's son has been attached as his guard."
"Sir Maldrov's son? What on earth is going on? The only time he could have made contact would have been when he went to pick him up, right?"
Sir Maldrov, the only high knight in the territory and its military commander, attaching his son as a guard was no ordinary matter.
While there was still room for interpretation, it was at least a sign that Sir Maldrov held favorable feelings toward that country half-breed.
Moreover, the problem was that with Sir Maldrov's son attached, it had become difficult to play tricks on Beonald.
"Damn it! What the hell is this? What about Sir Maldrov?"
"Perhaps it's to protect him from the Mistress? If he dies or is injured too quickly, the competition horse training won't proceed."
"What?"
"The master and the acting family head must have some inkling as well. The Mistress secretly killed the male children born by the other ladies… Kyah!"
Crash!
At that moment, Sain was struck on the head by a vase thrown by Lady Meira and slumped down on the spot.
Glass shards, water, and flowers scattered on the floor, and blood flowed from Sain's head.
"I told you not to spout nonsense, didn't I? You wench, are you perhaps saying such things even when I'm not around?"
"S-sorry, Mistress. It was my mistake."
"This won't do. Hoo~ I'm already angry because that half-breed bastard is making my Ralt suffer. You must be punished. Take it off."
"M-Mistress, I was truly wrong……."
"Hurry up!"
"…Yes."
Sain began to take off her maid uniform with a pained expression. Meanwhile, Lady Meira opened the locked drawer beside her bed and took something out.
It was a whip studded with sharp thorns. It was something she had cherished since her maiden home, thinking it absolutely necessary for training her subordinates.
"Anyway, those lacking must be beaten to obey. I told you to keep it an absolute secret, yet you dare open your mouth in front of me? Sain, this is entirely your fault, right?"
"Y-yes, Mistress."
"Good, this is education. So accept it gladly. It's late at night, so you know you mustn't scream, right?"
"Yes, Mistress."
Whoosh!
Having used the whip all her life, Lady Meira handled it with great skill. The whip tore through the air with a sound and flew, clawing across Sain's back.
With just one strike, the skin burst like a popping balloon, blood flowing out. A pain that turned her mind white assaulted Sain, but she gritted her teeth and endured.
As this was not the first or second time, she sweated cold sweat, praying for this pain to pass quickly, and continued to receive Lady Meira's whipping.
"Hoo~ Understand? If you spout nonsense again, next time it won't end with this."
"Y-yes, Mistress."
"Good. For now, you continue to win favor by that half-breed's side and keep reporting his movements to me. I'll leave what happens if you can't even do that to your imagination. Now, take your dirty, blood-stained carpet and get out."
At Lady Meira's ruthless words, Sain roughly put on her clothes, barely got up, picked up the blood-stained carpet, and left the lady's room.
The pain in her back was one thing, but feeling more pathetic about herself, who had learned such helplessness to the point that she no longer even felt resentment or sorrow at such treatment, Sain silently moved to treat her back and wash the blood-soaked carpet and clothes.
***
A few weeks later, morning.
"Look, Father. How is it?"
"Hehehe, you were right. Indeed, Ralt's eyes have changed a lot."
Acting Family Head Lengel was looking out the window with the current family head, Count Callermain, feeling satisfied.
Count Callermain, a half-bald, withered old man whose health was poor and had retired from the front lines, still had his fierce, venomous gaze intact.
Sitting in a wheelchair pushed by the head maid, he looked out the window at Ralt and marveled.
"It's very good that our grandson has come to his senses."
This was because Ralt, the heir who used to idle around, act arrogantly, and tyrannize others, was now sweating profusely and struggling to keep up with the soldiers' running drills.
There was still a long way to go, but the fact that he wasn't collapsing like on the first day and was enduring and keeping up was remarkable in itself.
"I was secretly uneasy, but now I can feel somewhat relieved. Your choice was right."
"But it's too early to relax. He could easily revert to his old self. So I'll pretend to show more interest in Beonald."
"But Lengel, don't forget. The heir to our family is Ralt. For nobles, bloodline is justice. No matter how outstanding Callen's child may be. Understand?"
"Of course, Father."
Count Callermain. The current family head and a specimen of a high noble who valued bloodline and tradition, he was one who believed that a noble's bloodline was noble.
Therefore, he believed that Ralt, born from a union with a woman befitting his family's status, was the one truly qualified to be the heir.
Count Callermain's opinion differed from that of his son Lengel, who held a somewhat more realistic perspective.
"So you must use that child but never be captivated by his talent and light. That is a seed of destruction. Don't forget to make that half-breed thoroughly know his place so he never dares to dream foolish dreams."
"Of course. I've already thought ahead, even after the competition horse training. I plan to send him as Sir Maldrov's son-in-law, or give him a suitable territory to become independent……."
"Fool! Is that a judgment made after properly assessing that bastard's capabilities? Do you think a wolf can control a lion? Sending him as Sir Maldrov's son-in-law could rather be a bad move."
Reprimanding Acting Family Head Lengel's complacent thinking, Count Callermain shouted.
No matter his blood relation, that bastard was a half-breed with lowly mercenary blood mixed in. He had granted him a barony because of the debt of saving his life, but he had absolutely no intention of letting him join the family.
That was why the Dustycloak territory was in that state.
"If he's a talent possessing both wisdom and bravery as you say, can you guarantee he won't hold resentment later when Ralt ultimately takes the heir's position? Knowing his own abilities are superior to Ralt's, can he just sit back and watch that position be taken away?"
"If we go by that, Sir Maldrov is also a high knight, yet he shows absolute loyalty to us, doesn't he?"
"Isn't that because we know Sir Maldrov's character and he has taken actions worthy of trust? He voluntarily returned his territory to us, and though he received a title, he calls himself 'Sir' because he wants to live as a 'knight'. But that child has yet to show such proof of trust. So be careful."
"…I understand, Father. Then, as it's time, I shall attend to the territory's duties."
While appearing to accept it outwardly, Acting Family Head Lengel thought that at least until Ralt became a talent worthy of being this territory's heir, Beonald should be acknowledged, and if there truly was no alternative, he even considered making him the heir.
'Father is looking down on the current era too much. Having been away from the field for so long, he doesn't know the national situation and circumstances, so it can't be helped but…….'
Returning to his office, Acting Family Head Lengel looked at a map and sank into thought.
The continent divided into six countries. The Callem Empire, to which he belonged, was a nation located in the western part of the continent, currently facing frontlines with three other nations, constantly under threat and frequently at war.
Therefore, this Callermain territory also often dispatched troops in response to the Empire's summons.
'That's why we cannot afford to discard talented blood relatives all the more. Even if it's dangerous, I think it's right for a more capable and stronger person to become the family head! Besides, now is not the time to worry about that anyway.'
First and foremost, it was questionable whether that child named Beonald could withstand the envy and jealousy of Ralt's mother, Lady Meira.
Even though she was the prime suspect in killing the male children within the family since Ralt, as the lady and her maiden family were nobles with considerable influence, it was a frustrating situation where he couldn't lay a hand on her. Even though he had warned of the danger, he couldn't help but worry whether Beonald could withstand her schemes.
***
Beonald's daily life continued to flow without major changes after that.
Morning training and education, free time in the afternoon and evening; in fact, his morning education often impressed the teachers so much that some even began refusing to teach him.
Thus, Beonald effectively had so much free time that aside from the morning joint training and meals, he could roam the mansion and territory doing what he wanted. However, he shouldn't let his guard down.
'The coming-of-age ceremony is soon, so the real work will begin from then.'
Adulthood. The age where one is no longer recognized as a child but as a member of society.
Of course, it didn't mean one immediately needed to bear heavy responsibilities and face reality; there was a tendency to be treated as a 'quasi-adult' until about twenty years old, but it was undeniable that from then on, one had to decide their duties and position.
'That very choice is the most important. Because if things continue like this, I'll surely…….'
It was highly likely he would serve as a knight in this territory's military.
But that wasn't a good choice.
In peacetime, one had to work oneself to the bone, and even if one achieved merits on the battlefield, there was ultimately a limit to the rewards the Earldom could give, so there was a high possibility of being squeezed for only the sweet parts.
Moreover, it was a position where if one achieved too great a merit, one could conversely be killed.
'Furthermore, based on my observations here, it seems there wouldn't be anything good even if I seized the heir position here.'
Although of the same bloodline, being half of mercenary blood, even if he seized the heir position here, he could only foresee a future where lower nobles would defect or a civil war would break out using Ralt as a pretext, so it seemed unnecessary to snatch the heir position.
'A poisoned chalice.'
However, leaving this place immediately was not an option as he had no other plans or information, so Beonald decided to continue training in martial arts and crafting necessary items while watching for an opportunity here.
But the problem was that staying here peacefully was also quite difficult in its own way.
'I feel many gazes watching me from all around. Is Lady Meira seriously starting to target me?'
He strongly felt the gazes observing him among the maids and butlers, and those working around him.
It was undoubtedly at the instigation of Ralt's mother, Lady Meira.
Even if he were in her position, he would have done the same, but even so, Beonald had no intention of standing idly by if she interfered with his affairs.