Chapter 18
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: A Harmonious Family Meeting, Part 2
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Ahead of the family meeting, I learned an interesting fact.
The family of the Earl of Arran, to which I belonged, had quite a large number of members, with a wide distribution of ages.
This was because the previous Earl of Arran had lived a long life, to the ripe age of seventy-five, and had been quite vigorous in producing children.
The age difference between my father, the eldest son of the previous Earl and the current Earl of Arran, and my aunt Cecilia, the protagonist of the current scandal, was nearly thirty years.
That's a larger age gap than between most parents and their children.
In truth, if he'd had only one wife, she would have long since passed the age of childbearing, and the family wouldn't have become so diverse.
However, after his first wife died, the previous Earl remarried twice more, fathering many children each time.
Perhaps my father, who conceived me when he was nearly sixty, was simply taking after his own father.
Still, befitting a prestigious family in Ireland, most of those gathered had succeeded in establishing their own domains.
After all, wasn't there even one among them who had managed to have a romance with a royal and secure a remarriage?
“Ahem. First, I want to thank everyone for gathering here despite your busy schedules. I know some of you may be surprised by recent events, but I thought it best to unify our opinions amongst ourselves, which is why I've called this meeting.”
My father, seated at the head of the table, had me stand up from my seat beside him and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“This is my son, Killian Gore. As you may have already heard, he will be entering Eton College next year with a recommendation from the Duke of Wellington. I intend for him to inherit my position upon graduation, so I expect you all to acknowledge this.”
Most of the family members seated around the table nodded without much thought, but there was one exception.
John Gore, the second son, whose face had screamed 'I have a complaint' from the very start of the meeting, furrowed his brow.
“Brother, this is not right. How do you expect us to accept it when you suddenly bring a child here and declare he's your son?”
“Yes, I know this is a bit unfortunate for you and Philip. But it cannot be helped. Until now, I wasn't even aware that my son was alive in that distant land in the East.”
“So you only found out last year about a son you didn't know existed for ten years? And after bringing him here just a year ago, you intend to bequeath him the majority of the estate and the title?”
“I'm not bestowing it upon him immediately, but establishing him as the definite heir.”
In truth, had it not been for me, the one to inherit the title of Earl of Arran would have been John Gore's son, Philip Gore.
From John Gore's perspective, it must be utterly baffling that the heir was changed to me overnight.
“Brother, it's not that I don't understand your feelings. The desire to leave everything to one's son. Why wouldn't I understand?”
“Good. I'm glad you understand.”
“But there will be talk from others. Our nephew, it's certainly impressive that he's been admitted to Eton College and has a recommendation from the Duke of Wellington. But people will continue to gossip that he doesn't even know who his legal mother is. Have you not considered that this could be a lifelong burden for the boy?”
“Of course I know. But my son is a child who grew up enduring all sorts of contempt in that distant land of the Far East. He'll let such nonsense go in one ear and out the other without a second thought. Isn't that right, Killian?”
That goes without saying.
If I'd spent my life getting worked up over what others said, how could I have survived a lifetime as a con artist?
It's no exaggeration to say I have the confidence not to bat an eye even if someone insulted my parents right to my face.
Of course, while I might not blink, I'd make sure they paid the price for their careless words a little later.
In any case, as long as the legal matters are perfectly in order, nothing will change no matter how much the relatives protest.
However, if Philip, the original heir, and his father, John, were to file a lawsuit, things could get a bit complicated.
We would ultimately win, but the succession process would be difficult while the lawsuit was ongoing.
My father was likely trying to persuade his younger brother to avoid such unnecessary conflict.
“John, don't be too upset. I'll separately leave Philip enough property and interests so he won't feel slighted. He is my beloved nephew, after all. Do you really think I would leave him with nothing?”
“No, brother! Who do you think is doing this just to get a bigger piece of the inheritance? I'm doing this because it concerns the prestige of our family!”
*And yet, most of the people here, aside from those with a direct stake in the matter, are looking rather bored.*
Whether I receive the title or not, it's a matter of indifference to everyone else besides John Gore.
Of course, they might object if he'd brought in some incompetent nobody and insisted he was his son, but haven't I met the minimum requirements?
In that case, the other uncles would have no reason to raise their voices and fight with the Earl.
And above all...
“Excuse me, but isn't that topic irrelevant now? That's enough of that, so let's move on, shall we?”
“Cecilia! What do you mean, 'enough'? Did you not just hear this concerns the prestige of our family?”
“Then all the more reason we should discuss my situation first. What could be more closely related to our family's prestige than this?”
“Cecilia is right. If our eldest brother's will is firm, Killian becoming the heir is a foregone conclusion anyway.”
“What on earth are you all talking about! To say such things, so detached from reality... honestly...”
In an instant, raised voices flew across the table, and factions formed between the relatively older uncles and the younger-looking ones.
The reason for this clear division was simple.
Aunt Cecilia, who had dropped a bombshell on British high society, and the younger faction favorable to her were the children of the previous Earl's third wife.
Meanwhile, John Gore and the uncles who supported him were the children of the previous Earl's first wife.
And the children of the second wife were simply watching with their arms crossed, as if enjoying the spectacle.
Though it was a family gathering, only a third of them shared the same mother—a chaotic scene rarely found even among European noble families.
“Since we're on the subject, Cecilia, what on earth are you thinking?”
When even my father, who had been confronting his brother, joined the fray, a hint of anxiety crept into my aunt's elegant, composed expression.
“What am I thinking? I'm thinking of marrying the man I love, of course.”
“I have no intention of interfering with whom you remarry. But the man you intend to marry is a royal of this country. Moreover, this is a marriage that defies the laws of the Royal Family. Are you aware of that?”
“We are in love, and I believe that alone is reason enough to be blessed. Shouldn't you, eldest brother, and everyone else be blessing a family member who has found true happiness?”
“The person in question is the problem! The Duke of Sussex has a history of marrying in defiance of royal law. Are you telling me you don't know how that ended?”
Frederick, the Duke of Sussex, had previously broken royal law by marrying the daughter of the Earl of Dunmore without permission.
Naturally, his wife at the time was not granted the title of Duchess of Sussex, and the two eventually separated.
With such a precedent, the prevailing belief was that Cecilia would inevitably follow the same path.
But my aunt glanced at me, then openly expressed her disappointment to her brother, who was nearly thirty years her senior.
“Still, as family, you could at least offer your support first. Isn't the reason you're being so passive, eldest brother, because of that child? You're worried that my situation might cause trouble and hinder his establishment as the heir.”
“No, why are you suddenly jumping to that conclusion...”
“Even if you deny it, that's the only way I can see it. I know the English Royal Family and the nobility will condemn me for this. They can't openly censure my royal husband, so the arrows of blame will naturally be aimed at me, the easier target. And of course, our family won't be immune to it either.”
Honestly, I think she's right to some extent.
There were plenty of people who would look unfavorably upon the title being passed to me, not just an illegitimate child but one of mixed blood.
No matter how legally sound it was, this world was still governed by the formidable power of public sentiment—what one might call mob rule.
It meant that if a majority of the nobility voiced their disapproval, what was legal could be overturned into something illegal at any moment.
It was a reasonable inference that this was a factor in my father's refusal to side with Aunt Cecilia.
After all, there was nothing to be gained by getting on the wrong side of the British Royal Family or the nobility at this juncture.
And naturally, from my aunt's perspective, she might feel that my existence had made things more difficult for her.
Of course, how much of a voice could an Earl's family from Ireland really have?
Even if the entire family united as one, it was obvious it wouldn't make a lick of difference.
I couldn't be certain, but I would bet my entire fortune that this marriage was treated as illegal even in the original history where I didn't exist.
Be that as it may, an aunt who fell in love with and married a royal, even if it was illegal and invalid.
In my father's eyes, she might seem like a troublesome burden hindering the succession, but to me, she was different.
She seemed like too valuable a prize to let slip away with our relationship strained.
Perhaps, instead of a relationship where we hinder each other, we could create a win-win situation.
As the meeting progressed, I watched my aunt grow more somber instead of raising her voice, and I began to gauge her personality.
That was clearly the look of someone who regretted saying unnecessary things to her family.
At first, I thought she had an arrogant personality, but that was just an aggressive facade brought on by the constant harassment from those around her.
Her true nature seemed likely to be that of a good and gentle woman.
In fact, for a high-nosed royal to fall for her and rush straight into marriage despite the opposition, it was only natural that she possessed such charm.
In other words, she was someone with whom it would be advantageous to build a friendly relationship, no matter how you looked at it.
If so, there was only one conclusion.
I would make the most of this opportunity.
* * *
In the end, the long-awaited family meeting concluded as an emotional battle that left everyone with wounded feelings.
John Gore stormed off, fuming with uncontrollable anger, while Cecilia departed with slumped shoulders, sighing repeatedly.
Before she left, I asked my father to arrange a private meeting with her.
“Aunt. Could we speak for a moment?”
“Hmm? Why with me...?”
Her expression was reluctant, but it was closer to hesitation than dislike for me.
And underlying it all, I could clearly see a feeling of guilt.
It seemed Cecilia was exactly the person I thought she was.
Thanks to my past life's experience, I knew exactly how to win the favor of this type of person, so it wouldn't be a problem at all.
“I'm sorry. I feel that my presence has caused a disturbance in this peaceful family, putting you in a difficult position, Aunt. I wanted to offer my sincerest apologies.”
“No... it's not your fault. I'm the one who should be sorry for saying such childish things in front of a young boy.”
As I, a mere child, bowed my head first, the guilt on my aunt's face deepened.
She had acted aggressively out of anxiety, but she must have known the truth.
No matter how hard the Earl of Arran tried, there was no chance of Cecilia becoming the Duchess of Sussex.
While my existence might have influenced the Earl's passive stance, the outcome would have been the same regardless.
My aunt surely knew this, so now that her emotions had calmed, she must have felt uneasy for taking her frustrations out on her innocent young nephew.
And yet, here I was, approaching her first and bowing my head, which could only make her feel even more apologetic.
“Still, Aunt, please don't worry too much. I'll ask my father to support you as much as he can. And I'm quite close with the son of His Grace, the Duke of Wellington, you know? I've spoken with the Duke himself as well. I'll try asking them to help my aunt have a happy marriage.”
“I appreciate the thought, but it won't do any good. This is a matter concerning this country's Royal Marriages Act. Besides, why would you go to such lengths for me, whom you've only just met today? I said some rather harsh things to you earlier.”
“I think the relatives' reaction is perfectly understandable. I'm like an outsider who just rolled in, after all. But as you know, Aunt, I grew up in that distant land of the Far East for ten years without feeling the warmth of a family. So, to be honest, my first wish upon coming here was to live happily with my family forever. That's why I want to help in any way I can if a family member is in trouble. Only then will my relatives truly accept me as a member of this family. How can I turn a blind eye to my family's hardship just because it might complicate my inheritance?”
“I see. The love of a family... But my dear, the truth is, following your eldest uncle's judgment is the right answer. No matter how much of a fuss we make, the result won't change. It will only make the central nobility of this country look down on us. There's no reason to walk such a thorny path, is there? Your kind heart alone has been more than enough comfort for me.”
Cecilia smiled gently and stroked my hair.
My aunt seemed to think this was enough, but I did not.
I needed to give her a reason to genuinely care for me, not just see me as a decent nephew.
To do that, I had to offer advice that would be of practical help, and fortunately, I possessed the necessary knowledge.
“By the way, Aunt, what exactly are the specifics of that royal marriage law?”
“To put it simply, it's a law that requires royals to obtain the monarch's permission before they can marry.”
“Then if you receive His Majesty's permission now, will your marriage become legal?”
“No. It won't be applied retroactively. But it would be valid from this point forward, so I could officially become my husband's wife. However, the current King seems to have no intention of recognizing our marriage as legitimate.”
Of course. If William IV had blessed the marriage, even after the fact, there would be no reason for all this chaos.
“In that case, Aunt, this may sound a bit irreverent, but if the current King won't give his permission, couldn't you just get it from the person who will ascend the throne next?”
“...Hmm?”
“I was thinking you could quickly give up on seeking recognition from the current King, which is unlikely, and instead try to improve your relationship with the next in line to the throne.”
The people of this era had no way of knowing how long the current monarch, William IV, would live, but I, at least, knew his time was short.
And, of course, I also knew who would succeed him.
Considering the tangled royal bloodline, most British nobles probably had a good guess as to who the heir would be anyway.
“You're right. That certainly makes sense. If it's the current heir presumptive, first in the line of succession, then surely...”
While most modern people have likely never heard the names of the previous king, George IV, or the current one, William IV, the person who would next sit on the throne was different.
A name that even modern people with little connection to Britain would have heard somewhere before.
“...Princess Victoria?”
Cecilia tilted her head as she uttered the name.