Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 067
Chapter Title: Under the Moonlight
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"Count Glas. What did you just say?"
"When the two of you plan to hold the wedding. That's what I asked."
What the...
"Count Glas. Let me be clear."
"Dad. Wolfram and I aren't thinking about that yet."
Aila beat me to it, cleanly drawing a line before I could even open my mouth.
"...Uh, hm? Aila?"
"Dad. Wolfram is working on something huge right now. Truly rebellious stuff. It's bound to be a big help to our Trista family too."
"Right. So..."
"But that shouldn't be what decides our relationship."
"......"
"Rushing the marriage is because of the family's 'that matter,' isn't it?"
"Yes. You know it well."
"Yeah. I know it's incredibly urgent."
"Uh, hm. Then."
"But that can't be the deciding factor for us. Absolutely not."
"......"
I tilted my head at Aila's explanation.
So, to sum it up: Count Glas heard about what I've been up to, saw me as someone worth securing, and wanted to rush the marriage with Aila.
But Aila... drew a firm line, saying our relationship shouldn't be influenced by outsiders. Something like that?
Hm.
I see.
I have no clue.
But pretending to know is my specialty, isn't it?
"Well, we can't hold a wedding while still at Jefrin anyway. Can't we talk about it after graduation?"
"...Hm. Understood. I was too hasty."
With that, Count Glas bowed his head politely.
The conversation wrapped up like that, but then Aila shot me a look.
She was staring intently, like she had something to say, so I nodded.
That night.
I was sitting on the terrace of my assigned third-floor room, gazing at the night view.
The mansion was utterly quiet, with only the occasional chirp of crickets breaking the silence. The moon shone brilliantly full, making the garden look like a painting overlaid with a deep, blue filter.
As I enjoyed the beautiful scenery, a soft voice tickled my ears from below.
"Wolfram? You awake?"
Something floated lightly up toward me.
To be precise, Aila Trista was gracefully walking through the air toward me.
Fly. At least a fifth-tier high-level spell.
"You can use flight magic too?"
"Huh? Oh, haha. No. I made invisible crystal stairs below."
Ah.
Impressive magical application, as expected.
She created transparent crystals with magic circles in the air and stepped up them like stairs.
"I see. Clever use."
"Hehe. Right?"
Aila beamed and created a black crystal chair in the air beyond the terrace, sitting down.
She hesitated a moment, then giggled "ehe" and continued.
"Sorry about dinner. Dad... er, Father isn't usually like that, but he must've been really urgent."
"It's fine."
We are officially engaged, after all.
Parents might say that sort of thing.
"...Actually, I came because I have something to tell you about that. Thanks for catching my signal and coming out."
"No big deal. But couldn't you use the stairs?"
"I did use stairs...? ...Kidding. I came this way because it's secret talk. Wandering the mansion gets the servants all riled up."
"Hm. Fair enough."
True. With the number of Trista family servants, it'd make sense.
"Anyway, what I have to say isn't much. It's about what Father said earlier."
"The wedding talk?"
"......Yeah."
Aila scratched her cheek with an awkward smile, then giggled "ehe" again and went on.
"I've thought about it a lot, actually... Our engagement was set when we were eight, right?"
"......Hm."
I wouldn't know.
That's something only the real 'Wolfram' would know.
But reflecting on myself.
I could guess a few things.
"It was rushed. Aila Trista wanted power..."
"And Wolfram von Loengrin was the discarded prince on offer."
"......Yes. Exactly."
Eve von Loengrin has no fiancé.
She proved her own worth as imperial royalty.
Precisely, her value is so high that no political marriage could match it.
It could disrupt the power balance too severely.
But Wolfram is different.
Just a discard with good bloodline. Trash prince.
"Back then, I just thought, 'Ah, so I'm marrying this person.' My family just said, 'Congrats on marrying a prince.' I figured that's how it'd go, how I'd live."
"I see."
"...I-it's not that I disliked it. Regardless of liking or disliking you?"
"Keep going."
"Ahem. Yeah. It felt wrong. That's not rebellion, right? It's not choosing your own path."
"......"
"Rebellion means throwing off every chain that blocks your steps and choosing your own life, doesn't it?!"
"......"
Even if you seek agreement like that... I really don't get it.
I see, Aila's rebellion is like that. She has that standard.
I truly don't understand.
"I realized it watching you."
"...Me? I lit the fire of your rebellious will?"
"Yes! Exactly!"
Don't say it so happily.
I can't grasp it at all.
"...Fine. What specifically?"
"Stepping down from student council president, starting from rock bottom to do what you want. Abandoning the rights you were due, walking your own path—that resolve."
"Hm."
"You steer your own life. Captain gripping the helm."
"......"
That helm might lead to ruin, though.
Well, anyway.
That Wolfram guy is impressive.
I wanna meet him sometime.
"It moved me. Can you feel this? It's an incredibly hard life!"
"Is it? Isn't it your own life?"
"No. For nobles, it's environment, power, politics. But... you'll pull it off, Wolfram. You've already done some, and you're on track!"
"...I, I see."
"So... I want to live that way in my own life too. So, Wolfram, can we put off deciding for a bit?"
"...Put it off."
"Yes. Until we can ignore all external factors completely. When we've seized our own fates. When the rebellion succeeds. Then, Wolfram and Aila can choose our answer ourselves."
Aila extended her hand as she said it.
I took her slightly trembling hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Right now, friends bound by trust, credit, and faith. Someday, if fates intertwine, maybe more."
"Comrades in your rebellion."
"Yes. ...You think I'm being spoiled?"
"No. I think it's good."
"Thank you."
Aila's smile under the moonlight.
She wants to find her own answer, not one dictated by others.
Even forced into engagement with a trash prince from the power-hungry Trista family, she thinks of her partner sincerely, values her own life sincerely, and wants to get to know each other and decide purely.
"Rebellious indeed."
"...Yes."
"Impressive, Aila. I respect your way of life. When we can decide ourselves, we can revisit this."
"Intersecting fates wouldn't be bad either, though."
A strong wind blew, drowning out Aila's last words.
"...It's getting cold. Go inside and rest."
"...Yeah. Good night, Wolfram."
The next day.
The Imperial Bloodline skill apparently forces elegant speech and conduct in any situation, so I rose early, finished grooming, and was pondering the morning schedule when a knock sounded.
"It's open. Come in."
"Yes. Excuse me, big bro."
Big bro?
No one in this world can call me that.
The day Eve von Loengrin calls me that would be when she says, 'Farewell. It was fun. Big bro,' and spears me through the gut with holy light. Otherwise, she'd never say it.
So, this "big bro" was incredibly... refreshingly novel. So much so that my brain briefly gave up thinking.
And the one who entered was mini Aila. Like Aila scaled down. Spica Trista.
"...Spica."
"Yes. Big bro. I came to greet you. Thrilled? Revolutionarily."
"Sure."
"Hehe. As expected of big bro, who gets revolution."
"......"
If.
Suppose Aila doesn't screw up in act three.
Then this kid enters Jefrin next year?
And the sisters double-team with rebellion revolution rebellion revolution... chattering away...
Ah,
No thanks.
Should I drop out?
"C'mon, let's go. Big bro. Father's waiting."
"Got it. But why'd you come to greet me, Spica?"
"Well. Hehe. Remember last night's talk? Sis raved about big bro's saga!"
"Yeah, I remember."
"I was super moved. Stepping down from student council president. I thought, 'Whoa, big deal...' but even that was part of the plan... Perfect for revolution's partner!"
"......"
"So, big bro. Sis refused, so isn't snatching you revolutionary? Taking from sis. Just thinking about it is ecstatic... Revolutionary!"
"......"
Spica smiled contentedly as she said it.
I don't get it. Precisely, I don't want to.
This house is a demon den. Thinking that, I flipped off a couple mental switches and went into autopilot vague response mode.
"So, where to? Not the dining room."
"Oh. Father's study. He said he has brief words. Eat first?"
"No, if Count Glas has something to say, better hear it first."
We soon reached Count Glas's study. At the "come in," Spica opened the door, and there stood Count Glas.
"Your Highness Wolfram von Loengrin."
"Hm. Count Glas."
"I'm truly sorry about last night!"
In a situation where I didn't know how to start.
Count Glas bent at a perfect right angle, bowing deeply in apology.
Suddenly why?
Hm.
No clue, so pretend to know vaguely.
In this house, I know nothing—don't want to—so flowing with the watered-down booze vibe and faking it is best.
First, I sat in the prepared chair and accepted Count Glas's apology.
"Raise your head. It's making me uncomfortable."
"You forgive me? I thought it a grave rudeness..."
"Of course. Rather, you seem aware of your misstep, Count Glas."
"...Yes. Your marriage to Aila is an imperial matter. My words yesterday looked like dismissing the imperial family... Truly sorry."
Huh?
Ah, aha. That's how it's interpreted.
Right, my marriage would be... an imperial event. Even if from the bride's family, an 'earl house dictating an imperial affair' could look bad.
"Water under the bridge. And... as Aila said yesterday, this is for us two to settle, so please wait for our decision. Whatever it is."
"Thank you."
Count Glas visibly brightened at my words.
And... Spica clenched her fist in joy too.
Why you?
The rest of the chat proceeded in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere.
Mostly about how this field trip would go.
But the more I asked, the more Count Glas's expression hardened.
As if the field trip site wasn't prepared.
Hm. I figured it'd be learning mine command, hearing site management a few times, inspecting the mine.
Looks like.
"...Is there a problem at the mine?"
"......Embarrassingly, yes."
"Hm. May I hear what, Count Glas?"
"Monsters appeared in the large mine our family owns nearby. They've nested completely, so site inspection is tricky..."
"I see."
Ah, too bad.
Guess I'll rest at Trista mansion and go.
Man, really too bad. Truly unfortunate. No learning from field trip.
"...Come to think, I hear Your Highness is expert in monster hunting. Multiple expeditions succeeded."
"Eh? Hm, just a student's shallow knowledge."
"Hm. If I may boldly ask, lend us your wisdom to hunt these monsters..."
Ugh, annoying.
I don't take requests like this. Don't want to.
Just wanna rest? No thanks.
"If effective, great reward. Even if not, we'll reward."
"Fine. I'll check the site."
"As expected! A prince!"
"Wolfram big bro!"
"We help each other. No mind."
Hm.
Hmm.
Can't be helped.
Not for money, but problem at Aila's family mine?
A man has loyalty, gotta help, right?