Chapter 165: Heresy Inquisitors (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 165: Heresy Inquisitors (5)
Actually, my second brother’s wedding was originally supposed to be a slow, gradual affair.
If I recalled correctly, it was slated for this winter at the earliest, or early next year at the latest.
“Your letter said it was happening right away.”
I spoke up as if lodging a formal protest.
“He said if we didn’t put it that way, you probably wouldn’t come,” came the reply.
He casually revealed that it had all been bait to lure me back.
The problem was...
“……”
“You agree, don’t you?”
Since I couldn’t find a single word to refute that, I had no choice but to exercise my right to remain silent.
And so, the wedding that had started as mere bait actually became a reality.
There were two reasons for this.
“The Royal Cathedral... how could I possibly pass that up?”
Originally, they had planned to rent a decent venue or hold a small ceremony within the family.
But the Inquisitor, who had suddenly dropped by, used her authority to secure the Royal Cathedral.
…I’d had to go through so many hoops and reach an agreement with the Finance Minister just to get things done, yet she managed it just like that.
Was it prepared in advance, or was it simply the power of an Inquisitor?
The date was set overnight.
However, there was one thing I didn't understand.
“But you told me not to make it a big deal when I tried to do it.”
My second brother had definitely declared that he would never, under any circumstances, hold his wedding at the Royal Cathedral.
To my question, he answered shamelessly.
“Because I didn't want the attention.”
“Then why this time…?”
“Because I do want the attention now…!”
It was an answer that made me feel like I was losing my mind, but there was a reason behind it.
“If the wedding is held at the Royal Palace, the Sword Emperor might come to watch!”
It was all because of that Sword Emperor fellow.
“Since when were you so interested in the sword, Brother?”
“I have to support our eldest brother and take charge of the family’s knights now. I have to be interested.”
“……”
It was strange.
Just last year, he was a shut-in hikikomori with so little luck with women that our mother worried about him more than she did about me.
Was there really a reason for a person to change this much in just six months?
“What on earth happened to you…?”
“…Nothing happened.”
Even if he was my brother, I had to say what needed to be said.
“I mean, the knights? I hate to say this, but… you’re incredibly weak…”
“Hey, I’m still your older brother, you know?!”
I’m only saying this because you’re my brother.
If I had seen this kind of nepotism anywhere else, I definitely would have had something to say.
What was the reason for all this?
The secret was revealed through a passing comment from my eldest brother.
“This punk caused an accident.”
“Ah, Brother!”
“An accident?”
“He got drunk on wine at a blind date… and things turned out that way.”
“What do you mean, ‘turned out that way’?”
“He’s going to be a father.”
“Ah…”
The secret of my eldest brother’s birth, which I’d heard from my mother before his wedding last year, flashed through my mind.
My eldest brother had built a stable family after a long, long courtship.
But it seemed my second brother was following in our father’s footsteps…
“For the record, the bride’s family is a famous knightly house, which is why he’s claiming he’ll take over the knights.”
“Ah, Brother!”
Watching my second brother shout in frustration, I wiped a stray tear from the corner of my eye.
My brother wasn't always like this.
Back when we were kids, he was truly a good older brother…
How did it come to this?
“Time is so cruel…”
As I was lamenting the passing of the years...
“A-A human, talking about the passage of time…”
The loser who usually stayed cooped up in her room actually came out to heckle me.
Seeing her holding a bowl piled high with meat, it looked like she’d come down to get some food.
“Just go before I take your bowl away.”
“Understood!”
Seeing her bolt away instantly, it seemed she at least had the self-awareness to know she was a freeloading guest in someone else’s house.
“……”
“……”
A brief silence hung between us.
“Do I look pathetic to you?”
“Yes.”
“Think before you speak.”
“You’re so pathetic it doesn’t require thought, Brother.”
“……I suppose so.”
My second brother slumped his head like a criminal whose every misdeed had been exposed by a grim reaper claiming to be a master detective. He began to recount everything that had happened.
“And so, I ended up marrying her.”
It was a dreadfully long story, but the gist of it was exactly what my eldest brother had said.
He went on a blind date, got drunk on wine, and caused an accident.
The only other detail was that our mother, unable to stand him being cooped up in his room any longer, had forced him out on that date.
Which meant that once my second brother was gone, I would likely be the next target…
“What did you say the bride’s name was?”
“Rurien Artien.”
I was certain I was hearing the name for the first time.
And yet, for some reason, it felt terribly familiar.
-
To get a handle on the situation, I did a little investigating.
In the process, I discovered one shocking fact after another.
One was that the bride-to-be was two years older than my second brother.
And the other was...
“This was a setup, wasn't it?”
—Probably…
The name of the bride’s family was extremely familiar.
—I’m sorry… My sister did lament that she was past marriageable age and still hadn't wed! But I didn't know it would come to this!
Looking at Senior Lucia’s pale face through the communication device, I recalled the bride’s name.
Rurien Artien.
And the full name of Senior Lucia on the other end of the line was Lucia Artien.
That’s right.
My future sister-in-law was none other than Senior Lucia’s older sister.
“Thanks to that, my brother is making a huge fuss about picking up a sword this late in the game.”
Of course, as a man of Leon, my second brother wasn't completely ignorant of how to handle a blade.
This was a place where even commoners usually learned basic swordsmanship.
As a member of a noble family, it was impossible for him not to have learned.
But for my brother, who had spent more time holding books than a sword, to become the next Knight Commander of House Smith?
“Our family is going to ruin at this rate.”
Of course, that was just a figure of speech.
In an era of peace, there wouldn't be much for my brother to actually do.
Well, even if dark mages were roaming around next door.
And even if they said the world would go to hell if the Demon King was resurrected…
By then, my second brother would probably have come to his senses and resigned.
…If he didn't, I’d drag him down myself.
—But he’s your brother?
“Our family is weak.”
To be honest, even if I fought both my brothers—no, including my father, 3-on-1—I would still win easily.
I thought the family itself had the combat power of an average Count’s house, but the personal martial prowess of the Smith direct line wasn't particularly high.
I’d heard my grandfather was a fairly renowned knight, but from my father’s generation onward, they had picked up the pen instead of the sword.
This was a strategic move.
Since this was a nation that worshipped the sword, it was difficult to reach high positions even for a noble family that learned the sword from childhood if they only had mediocre talent.
As a result, they chose internal affairs as a niche market.
Of course, even then, because they were nobles of Leon, my father and eldest brother were said to have the combat power of a decent knight compared to other countries…
“But my second brother is especially weak.”
—Is it... is it that bad?
“I could probably beat him with one toe.”
The scariest part was that it wasn't an exaggeration.
—D-Don't worry too much! My sister is strong, at least!
Those were not comforting words at all.
How strong could a noble lady be…?
—She’s stronger than me!
“……?”
That was the moment the future Knight Commander of House Smith was decided.
Senior Lucia is strong.
Not just "strong for a woman," but simply strong.
In the first place, there was no distinction between men and women in a fantasy world.
Setting that aside, Senior Lucia was a powerhouse acknowledged even by the Captain.
There was a reason Princess Hestia kept Senior Lucia by her side, and a reason the Captain tore up Senior Lucia’s resignation letter every single time.
But to hear from Senior Lucia’s own mouth that her sister was stronger than her...
“Really?”
—Really.
The Captain had assessed that both Princess Hestia and Senior Lucia were at a level where it wouldn't be strange for them to stand before the "Wall" at any moment.
That assessment was made before I entered the Academy—two years ago.
I didn't know her current level, but she certainly wouldn't be weaker than she was then.
And yet, she was stronger than Senior Lucia.
—Currently, the strongest person in our family is my sister.
As if answering my doubt, Senior Lucia declared that the bride-to-be was the strongest in House Artien.
House Artien.
Being one of the 48 Count families in the Leon Kingdom might make them seem on par with House Smith.
However, unlike House Smith, House Artien was a true blue-blooded family that had advanced into central politics.
A prestigious house among prestigious houses, wielding powerful influence over the military and the knights.
Even the previous head of the family, active in the last generation, was one of the Sword Masters the kingdom boasted of.
—The strongest swordsman in the family, raised by my grandfather.
And she was the strongest swordsman raised by that Sword Master.
—The secret weapon of House Artien, standing right before the wall of a Sword Master!
She was a monster on the verge of becoming a Sword Master.
—Because of that, she was so focused on the sword… that the problem was she missed her marriageable age!
And because of that, she missed her chance to marry… The narrative consistency was perfect.
—Thank you for solving our family’s headache.
With that, Senior Lucia bowed her head and was about to end the call…
“Don't you dare hang up.”
—I thought I could just slide past this…
Don't try those cheap tricks on me.
“Why would someone like that even look at my brother?”
—She said it was his face?
“……”
I pictured my brother’s face.
Though he paled in comparison to the RoFan male leads, my own face wasn't something to be ashamed of anywhere.
And naturally, being brothers, my older brothers weren't bad-looking either.
Of course, my second brother had looked a bit rough for a while… but that was during his shut-in days.
Since our mother had sharpened her blade to prepare him for the blind date, she must have sent him out looking his best.
But still.
“Don't lie to me. Someone like that, just for a face…”
—I’m sorry, but my sister was the desperate one.
“No matter how much she missed her window, that’s…”
—She didn't just miss it. She missed it by a lot…
“Even so…”
—And I’m starting to get into the danger zone myself. So keep your mouth shut.
“…Yes, ma’am.”
…Come to think of it, it had been years since she said she’d retire, seduce a man, and get married.
Far from seducing a man, Senior Lucia seemed to have a long way to go before she could even retire.
—Ah… I want to retire…
As Senior Lucia’s lament echoed like a prayer, I quietly turned off the communication device.
Even if the other side was full of ulterior motives, my second brother also had a past he was too ashamed to show anyone.
It seemed both House Smith and House Artien wanted to push the marriage through as quickly as possible.
Thus, the wedding proceeded at breakneck speed.
However, House Smith’s specs were inferior to House Artien’s.
And the groom’s personal specs were utterly overwhelmed by the bride’s.
“Blessing the union of these two.”
Since all we had left was our connections, we had no choice but to call for help from the Sword Emperor.
“Heeek… Why do I have to…”
“You’re here for decoration, so keep your mouth shut.”
“Humans are so arrogant…”
The ornamental High Elf was a bonus.
“Ooh…”
“There’s a wedding here every year…”
The Prince and Princess, who had ties to both the groom and the bride, were also bonuses…
“……”
The King and Queen, who followed the Sword Emperor, were bonuses too…
“……”
Along with the high-ranking ministers who followed the King and Queen…
And even the high-ranking priests the Inquisitor had brought from somewhere…
“……”
Looking at the countless guests, as if the Royal Cathedral itself wasn't large enough...
—You son of a bitch!
I had no choice but to quietly look away as my second brother cursed me with his eyes.