Chapter 477: The Successor
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 477: The Successor
Come to think of it, I had never brought the children to any official functions. I had carved out time from my busy schedule to be with them, but the purpose of that time was simply to be together.
Unlike how I took Kim Yoora with me, I had never taken them hunting or to a clan meeting. Thanks to that, while I knew their personalities well, I didn't have a clear sense of how much they had grown.
Of course, I could sense things like the magic within their bodies or their innate talent. Lapura was the strongest, followed by Laveua. My son, Ratga, had high potential, but his body hadn't fully developed yet, so he had yet to truly blossom. But that was all I could tell.
One can gauge the magnitude of strength by specs, but that alone doesn't determine victory or defeat.
The position of successor wouldn't be decided by strength alone, but as the one who would lead the clan, they would need to demonstrate a certain degree of power.
The Blood Dagger Clan was no different in its reverence for great strength; like the vast majority of Green Skins, if we were to choose a successor, their martial prowess could not be ignored.
“..................”
“Come in.”
Sitting on the Iron Throne, I slowly spoke.
As if they had been waiting, those outside began to file in.
Jang Ye Ri, the Queen of the East.
Jung Hayeon, the Green Flower.
And Mev, the Mother of the Green Skins.
Jung Hayeon and Jang Ye Ri had strangely stiff expressions, and Mev, too, wore a face uncharacteristically serious. They were all aware of the obvious reason I had summoned them in the current situation. Perhaps after today, this matter would begin to spread by word of mouth throughout Green Skin society.
A rumor that Blood Dagger was considering the matter of his successor.
“This is a little overdue, my mate.”
“............”
“Chieftain?”
They are mothers. Just as I would want the best for my own child, they surely felt the same. They wanted their children to succeed, to be chosen. Even within the sanctuary of family, the instinct of motherhood is inescapable.
“The rumors circulating right now...”
“Nothing has been clearly decided, but I suppose I should say I am considering it. I feel the position has been left vacant for too long... and the children are old enough to think for themselves now. They must be aware of the position they are in. Personally, I wanted to wait until they came of age, but...”
“That is too late, my mate.”
“You are right.”
Jang Ye Ri was right. Contrary to my own desire to take a little more time, maintaining this strange situation—having a chieftain but no official successor—was becoming a source of great stress for the Green Skins in the clan.
The clamor from the ordinary members of the Blood Dagger Clan was growing, making it very difficult to ignore.
“Th-Then, by what method...”
Jung Hayeon cautiously continued.
“You told us not to interfere until you brought it up, so I didn't ask separately... but may I ask how you intend to select them?”
“Me! I'm curious too, Chieftain.”
“The reason we've gathered here today is precisely for that reason... Hmm...”
How to select them was the most important question. First, whether to make them compete or not. If I were to induce competition, how should I go about it? Second was the method of choosing the successor itself. Whether to hold an election, a contest, or to create an entirely new method was also important.
As I trailed off, Jang Ye Ri spoke again.
“Do you perhaps have a child in mind already?”
“Not necessarily, but if I had to pick one, I would say there is someone I've considered. If I could simply say the name and end the matter, this would all be finished. There would have been no need for everyone to gather like this. However, I thought that might be unfair.”
“You are right, my mate. It is, of course, right to respect your will. This is the clan you built, the land you forged. The authority is yours and yours alone. However, it is our children who will become the successor. No one here would wish to see their son or daughter be deprived of an opportunity.”
Jung Hayeon's and Mev's expressions both affirmed Jang Ye Ri's words.
If I were to simply pick one, there would be no competition.
But if I didn't, they would end up competing in one form or another.
“I don't think encouraging competition is necessarily a bad thing,” Jung Hayeon said. “The children aren't so young that they'll be devastated or struggle just because someone falls behind or is eliminated. In fact, I think they would be more disappointed at not being given a chance.”
“I-I think the same as the plant... L-Laveua too...”
Mev's face looked quite anxious.
In terms of specs alone, it was an undeniable fact that Laveua was the weakest. It seemed Mev wasn't even entertaining the thought that I might have Laveua in mind. Seeing her so afraid that I would speak the name of another child, a smile crept onto my face unknowingly.
But Jung Hayeon and Jang Ye Ri had a point.
Even if everything was within my authority, I did not decide the clan's affairs, big or small, by myself. I felt it wouldn't be right to unilaterally handle a matter that concerned my family and, by extension, would determine the future direction of the Blood Dagger Clan.
The opportunity had to be equal.
“I have no intention of denying that they should have an equal opportunity, but judging them will be quite tricky. Speak frankly. Can you tell me why you believe your child should become the official successor?”
A mother knows her child best. Watching their faces as they thought deeply for a moment, I couldn't help but smile.
They as women and they as mothers were completely different. There was none of the subtle coquetry they sometimes showed.
“I'm not asking for the 'right' answer, so there's no need to feel pressured.”
Amidst the silence, the first to speak was, as expected, Jang Ye Ri.
“My son, Ratga, is a child who will one day become the King of the East. What I desire is the complete unification of the East, for humans and Green Skins to truly become one. Ratga being named the successor to the Blood Dagger Clan will be the starting point for all of this. He is wise and just, and he will remain a king who can rule over humans and Green Skins for a long time. My son possesses the strength and wisdom to do so.”
“...................”
“It was you who said that if one has the ability, they can handle both roles. Ratga is exactly that. My son has the makings of a king.”
Her voice held not a shred of doubt. Jang Ye Ri had that much confidence in her son. From what I could see, Ratga had the qualities. He had a personality that made him charge ahead recklessly when he fixated on something, but that also meant he had drive, and above all, he was smart.
He was different from Laveua and Lapura, who had grown up only in a Green Skin settlement. From a very young age, Ratga had learned and experienced both human and Green Skin society. In both respects, Jang Ye Ri's plan had worked out perfectly.
His speed at absorbing two cultures at once was astonishing. Although the importance of language had greatly diminished due to translation magic, Ratga could speak both human and Green Skin languages, and he showed differences in his ingrained mannerisms as well.
Of course, he was not without his flaws.
“Isn't being swayed by women a sort of handicap that naturally comes with being a hero? Now that he has met a wife who can keep him centered, he will be able to navigate it well.”
“..................”
For some reason, I felt incredibly sorry for Nicole. More than that, I couldn't refute her words. It was because I, too, was in a similar situation to Ratga.
“I have heard you well.”
As I subtly shifted my gaze from Jang Ye Ri to Mev, I could see her frantically trying to organize her thoughts.
“Ah! Ah! W-Well... Laveua is... Laveua is a hard worker. She's... she's friendly, and the other Green Skins all follow her well. She caused a lot of trouble at first, but she's also sh-shown how much she's changed, and she's so kind... Ah, she's a very dutiful daughter! She swings her sword every single day, and now her magic is high-level too! She knows how to use a bow... Choi Eunju said that Laveua has more talent for magic than she thought... Isaac also said Laveua was good. A traditional magician? No, no, no... Orthodox? He said she shows the qualities of an orthodox magician...”
“Hmm...”
“If Laveua becomes the successor, it'll be... like this feeling? We can just keep going with this kind of feeling. Th-There's no doubt. A-And, she's the f-firstborn. It doesn't mean anything, but... um... um...”
She was rambling, but I could understand the gist of what she was saying. From the start, Laveua's species stats were on the lower side, so expectations were low. If Jang Ye Ri could be compared to a passionate mother, Mev was thoroughly hands-off. She had raised Laveua with an educational method of 'play if you want to play, do it if you want to do it.'
There were side effects, but Mev's method had also worked out well. Though she was a late bloomer, I knew well that Laveua never missed a single day of training. She understands what she lacks and realizes her own shortcomings. She then fills those gaps herself.
I couldn't call it a good method, but I, more than anyone, knew what it looked like when such a method finally blossomed.
‘Me.’
Laveua was truly like me.
Of course, that wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Just as I had caused all sorts of trouble, there was no guarantee Laveua wouldn't do the same. Being like me was both an advantage and a disadvantage.
“Lapura is...”
“You can say it.”
“Lapura is a special child. She is smart, thoughtful, and strong. She is a good child who thinks about and reflects upon her father and all he has achieved more than anyone else. She is also mature for her age...”
“...............”
“She is the strongest.”
It was Jang Ye Ri who reacted to Jung Hayeon's words.
“Interesting. Can you take responsibility for those words?”
“I believe you know as well as I do, Your Majesty, that I am not one to bluff. These days, she has grown accustomed to controlling her power. As much as Green Skins admire the strong, I believe Lapura is the most suitable for all these conditions. It is said that we are in an era of peace, but I believe this is a place that changes day by day. Lapura is not perfect, but she will become a fine child and will be able to lead others in her own way. I have no doubt.”
As expected, Jung Hayeon was not bluffing. Lapura was, in fact, strong. It was difficult to explain with common sense how a young child could wield the power of a Blood Dagger Clan executive. Of course, that didn't mean she was perfect. Her control was indeed lacking, and she struggled to manage her immense power.
However, her potential for growth was limitless. In terms of species stats, she had already surpassed my former self.
Recalling Lapura's species name, Mythical-grade Demon World Tree, I spoke once more.
“I have heard your answers well. So now, let's hear what the children have to say.”
The moment I finished speaking, Jang Ye Ri's brow furrowed slightly.