Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Heir's Burden
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However, as the saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way." Eventually, after cross-referencing the Adventurer Guild's monster distribution data with the maps of the surrounding area from the mansion and conducting investigations from multiple angles, they finally discovered a 'ley line' after about two months of thorough searching.
The ley line was located by a riverside with a small waterfall deep in the mountains. Beonald was extremely satisfied when he saw it.
Since 'water' is essential for most alchemy experiments, a place where he wouldn't have to worry about drinking water was even better.
Otherwise, he would have had to carry water every time he came here or find a water source nearby. It had been troublesome that he couldn't find one until now, but he was even happier that the place he finally found had such excellent environmental conditions.
"Good, good. 'The sweet is never as sweet without the sour,' they say. I like it even more that it's near a water source."
"...I don't like it much. Strong humidity makes armor and weapons rust easily..."
"Well, that's not wrong either. Anyway, we should quickly build a base first."
"Ah, understood."
Beonald and Heidi each took out their weapons, began cutting down and shaping trees, and started building the base.
Both were knights, superhumans who used aura, so the trees were trimmed as easily as if they were straws. With their superior strength, they assembled a decent-looking wooden house using only the nails they had brought along.
Then, Beonald, who had gone inside, began spraying the medicine he had brought. A pungent smell arose, startling Heidi, who approached him.
"Y-Young Master, what is this? Is it poison?"
"Well, you could say it's similar. As you can see, these were easy to build, but they're made from green, unseasoned wood, so there will be many bugs. This medicine is to remove them preemptively. Of course, we need to do a few more treatments besides this."
"Ooh... I see. This is my first time seeing this."
'Of course, a high noble wouldn't want to live in filth even during wilderness living...'
After spraying the medicine and telling Heidi to do her personal training, Beonald wandered around the area with Alterio, setting up simple traps to detect anyone's approach and checking for habitats of wild animals or monsters, as well as for medicinal herbs or mushrooms.
"Oh! Found it! Alterio! Catch! A hundred-year-old ginseng!"
Screeee!
The area near the ley line was truly a treasure trove of life, with many good medicinal herbs growing. Beonald happily harvested them all. He sensed movements of monsters here and there, but perhaps because they all retreated in fear when the griffin Alterio roared, there were no fights at all.
He had been too busy with other matters to pay proper attention lately, but Alterio had already grown to a size that could almost be considered an adult.
It was slightly smaller than a well-grown warhorse, but its physique, reminiscent of a predator's body, its muscle mass, and its wings were overwhelming—enough to make even battle-hardened warhorses flee in terror.
"Hmm, now that we're here, shall I try riding you once? I think it's about time for riding training too."
Scree?
"It's time to earn your keep, Alterio. You're a member of a noble household too, after all. Anyway, let's see... I've gathered many good herbs. Which one should I make first? Hmm~"
Thus, having secured a base with optimal conditions for alchemy along with the 'ley line,' Beonald returned to the base with Alterio, pondering happily about his next steps.
Even within these seemingly peaceful days, he continued preparing for the storm to come and for the tasks that lay ahead.
***
A few months later.
Seasons continued to pass—summer, autumn, winter... The year was drawing to a close at the Callermain Earldom.
As for Beonald, since the Teal slums incident, he hadn't taken on any other tasks. His mornings were spent on Selina's education, his afternoons on swordsmanship and mana breathing training with Heidi, steadily improving his skills and progressing with his plans, enjoying leisurely days.
"Young Master, it's time to wake up."
"...Haaaah..."
On the other hand, Ralt, the original heir of this Callermain Earldom, who had barely fallen asleep just before dawn yesterday and had now woken up, was in a completely different state.
He now looked nothing like his 14-year-old self; to anyone's eyes, he bore clear signs of hardship.
Dark circles under his eyes, once lustrous and beautiful hair now dry and brittle, and skin covered in blemishes—signs that his body was beginning to wear down.
'...I want to sleep.'
A clear case of sleep deprivation. Even in his dazed state, Ralt wanted to sleep more, but knowing he couldn't, he tried to overcome his body's resistance and get up.
He was the legitimate heir of this earldom. To prevent this position from being stolen by that bastard from the countryside, he had to study more, train more.
"You've worked hard, Young Master."
"Uh... uh... ugh! Hah... hah..."
"You don't look too well?"
"No! I'll be fine after a little rest!"
Once his eyes were open, today's schedule began anew.
Perhaps because he was still growing, he endured this harshness and went out for morning physical training with the soldiers.
Having adapted quite a bit by now, Ralt kept up well with the soldiers' jogging pace, but his heart was not at ease.
Even during training, he could feel the gazes of those around him directed at him. And through the mansion windows, he could see Beonald, who had woken up later than him, spending a leisurely morning.
'...That bastard! I'm suffering like this! Though, it's better if I don't see him at all. Damn it!'
The one who was the cause of his suffering. Of course, it was his own father, Acting Head Renkel, who had brought him in and adopted him, but ultimately, that bastard's very existence was what had been tormenting him for months now.
Currently, Beonald was excused from the shared physical training with the soldiers on the grounds that he was receiving training from Heidi, daughter of Baron Zelkerd.
At first, Ralt thought he was running away alone, but conversely, for Ralt, not having to see the person he despised was actually a good thing.
"Did you sleep well?"
'That damn bastard! I don't even want to see his face... Ggrrr!'
The problem was that they were in a relationship where he couldn't avoid seeing him even if he wanted to.
Even if he tried to ignore him during training, there was absolutely no way to escape during the morning meal where all family members gathered.
Unless there were special circumstances, this meal was an event at the Callermain Earldom that one could never skip, so no matter how bad he felt, there was nothing he could do.
"By the way, Beonald, do you have any plans today?"
"Hmm~ First, I plan to commission the crafting of armor for Alterio in the morning. He's finally grown enough to carry a person."
"Alterio... you mean that griffin? I see. Armor... Don't tell me you're thinking of riding it onto the battlefield?"
"Yes. Putting practicality aside for a moment, if I armor it and take it to the battlefield, just having it roar at the enemy camp's horses would make its presence overwhelming and raise the family's prestige. At the very least, there would be no loss. Of course, I still need to train it more. As it grew, its wild nature seems to be resurfacing, really~"
"Indeed. Be careful."
During meals, it was naturally the head's duty to inquire about the well-being of the family members and check on their recent situations.
Beonald, who was questioned first, mentioned that today he would be fitting armor for the griffin and focusing on training. Since this was beneficial for the family and was being handled well, no further questions came his way.
"Ralt, how is the outer wall construction supervision I entrusted to you last time? According to schedule, it should have been completed by now, but I hear it's still in progress?"
"Th-that... the, the stone supply hasn't been smooth, so it's been slightly delayed."
"Then have you devised a plan to improve the stone supply? Didn't I clearly tell you to make additional purchases through other territories or merchants?"
"Huh? Th-that's still..."
"The defense of the territory and the castle is more important than anything! If you neglect that, what do you think the enemies will think?"
As soon as he failed to properly carry out his assigned duty, Acting Head Renkel's scolding came immediately.
Of course, it wasn't that Ralt disliked the heir's duties and neglected them.
First, the task he was assigned wasn't the only one; he also wasn't skilled at negotiating with merchants, among other things... There were too many things he could offer as excuses.
But voicing them now would only lower his own evaluation, so he had no choice.
"I-I will complete it as soon as possible."
"Or, if the tasks assigned to you are too many, how about entrusting some to someone else?"
"Ralt is just lacking experience. So there's no need to redistribute tasks."
Acting Head Renkel wasn't unaware of such circumstances and tried to lighten the load a little, but Ralt's mother, Lady Meira, vehemently opposed it.
Not wanting her son to bear the stigma of failure, she ignored Acting Head Renkel's suggestion to reduce his workload.
Thus, after the hellish meal ended, Ralt spoke to his mother about his situation before returning to his hellish duties.
"Mother, that was too much just now. Honestly, it's too hard for me. I'm not just handling this one task; there's also criminal trials, prison inspections, barracks improvements, attending various guild meetings, preparations for attending the Viscount Sizel's congratulatory party... There's too much to do!"
"Of course, dear. But! If you don't do it here, all these tasks will surely go to that child, Beonald! If that happens, it will further highlight the gap between you and that child!"
"Eeek... But this is unreasonable! How am I supposed to do all this alone?"
"What you need to do isn't to do everything yourself! It's to manage the tasks and ensure they progress well! You just need to delegate to people, reward them for success, and punish them for failure—why are you making it so difficult? Anyway, you must never let your tasks be taken away! We're barely managing to prevent that Beonald child from doing anything!"
His only ally, his mother, ultimately didn't understand his pain and suffering and just forced him to continue like this.
Just use people? Just manage the work? Of course, he could do that.
But to make judgments about it, not just be a signing machine, he ultimately needed to understand the tasks.
"I can't do it! I can't take it anymore! Just kill that guy! Why do I have to suffer like this because of him! I'm not working today! I don't care! Mother, you handle it!"
"Y-you...?"
"If you're going to keep doing this! Then just make him the heir! If this is what being the heir is like, I won't do it!"
Finally, what Ralt had been suppressing exploded.
From the start, the burden was too heavy for an ordinary 15-year-old boy. For months, he hadn't slept properly, had no personal time, no one lightened his excessive workload, and his only ally, his mother, just mindlessly pushed him to work without offering solutions or help. It was only natural it came to this.
Especially since Ralt had enjoyed the freedom to do as he pleased just a year ago, the backlash was inevitably greater.
Until now, he had endured solely because he didn't want his 'own' heir position to be taken by that bastard Beonald. But now that he had reached his limit, he threw everything aside—work and all—and ran off to immediately satisfy his accumulated need for sleep.
"H-he...?"
Unbearable stress combined with the influence of puberty, which naturally arrives for a typical 15-year-old.
Perhaps it was an event close to inevitability, but for Lady Meira, it was too sudden.
Not knowing what to do, she had no choice but to hurriedly go to meet the Count of Callermain.