I Became the Eldest Son of a Margrave in a Romance Fantasy? (2)

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"Yes...?"

I couldn't help but ask again, wondering if I'd heard right. My brother had just graduated from the academy and was supposed to start his training as the margrave's heir. And now he was talking about a nighttime elopement? It was hard to believe.

I'd heard he had a wandering spirit, but it felt like something on the level of "he's gone for four months this time." Everyone around thought the same.

"What do you mean? Why would my brother do that?"

At my bewildered question, Father picked up one of the two letters on the desk—the envelope with the seal already broken—and shook it at me.

"We've already checked this one. It's the short farewell note your brother left for us, his parents."

The letter shook limply in his hand, mirroring the crumbling of my peaceful future. Father let out a cold sigh through his tightly pressed lips.

Father sighs too, huh. In a way, Kyle had done something truly monumental.

"Read the one he left for you."

So that's why there were two letters, and one was already unsealed. Thanks to Mother's "spoiler," I already knew the ending, but I had to confirm it myself.

I swallowed once, hesitated, then reached out again. Carefully breaking the seal, I pulled out the letter paper. Along with the rustle of the paper came my brother Kyle's messy handwriting. I started reading.

The more I read, the more my breath caught in my throat, and sighs escaped on their own. The opening lines about "take care of your health" and "my beloved little brother" didn't even register. I'd never even met Kyle face-to-face anyway. So I skimmed the tedious pleasantries and jumped straight to the main point I'd been dreading.

My eyes locked onto one spot.

There, in black and white, was the bombshell that shattered my easy "free ride" future.

...Wow, where's your conscience?

I gaped at the letter, staring holes through it. Blinded by love, he'd sold out the family, the heir position, and even his little brother's cushy future—then bolted. That final "take care" at the end felt like a blatant "go fuck yourself." My neck stiffened just reading it.

Fuck this romance fantasy.

The fact that it was such a clichéd romance trope made me even angrier. I tried to compose myself. No, I couldn't. My comfy future plans had crumbled before they even started. Even a sandcastle would hold up better than this...

My grip tightened on the letter.

Love? Fine, that could happen. No, actually, it couldn't! ...But forcing myself to understand, sure, love makes you blind. Still, running off without even mentioning her? That's some next-level coward shit.

If he really loved her, shouldn't he have at least brought her home and introduced her properly?

I clicked my tongue inwardly. From what I'd seen these past few days, my parents might seem cold at first glance, but they weren't the heartless tyrants from trashy novels who'd kill or lock up their kid's lover. Even the gruff father and strict-looking mother had a foundation of care for their children—I'd sensed it amid all the chaos.

If he'd just confronted them head-on, he'd have gotten some scolding and opposition, but eventually, a path would have opened. Instead, Kyle chose the most cowardly, easy way out: running away. Leaving me, the remaining brother, to shoulder the whole burden.

...Kyle, you utterly irresponsible bastard.

This must be what they mean by clutching your neck and collapsing. If I felt like this, how crushed must our real family—the parents—be?

That thought had me sighing deeply and staring at the ceiling like some enlightened monk.

I pondered what words of comfort to offer them.

"Ha... You really got fucked on the kid-farming front..."

Ah... What did I just say?

Their eyes snapped to me. Kyle's bolt-for-the-hills must have shocked me into losing my mind. I'd meant to say something comforting, but my true feelings slipped out unfiltered.

"Kasian! Where did you learn such vulgar language?!"

My raw honesty hit like a bomb, and Mother leaped up as if to bolt from her seat. As the daughter of a prominent family herself, she was especially sensitive to her child spewing words like "fuck" without decorum.

"No matter how unfilial your brother has been, cursing your sibling with such crude words in front of your parents goes against all propriety!"

Mother's sharp reprimand continued, but inwardly, I pouted. Propriety? With my brother ditching family honor and the heir seat to chase romance, couldn't the leftover kid vent a little? Still, I didn't push back further. Partly because I was a possessor, but also because I understood Mother's feelings a bit.

She was probably the most heartbroken of all.

"...I'm sorry. I was so flustered, I misspoke without thinking."

At my apology, Mother finally caught her breath and sank back into the sofa. But her eyes still swirled with betrayal toward Kyle and guilt toward me.

The silence was broken by the heavy thud of Father's fingers tapping the desk.

"You might be right. But we have another son besides Kyle."

I'd thought he was about to scold me too, but his tone was surprisingly calm. Still, why bring up the obvious now? A ominous premonition—the one I'd dreaded—flashed through my mind.

"Yes, that's true."

As I absentmindedly agreed, Father drove the nail in.

"The situation hasn't changed regardless. I'll handle what Kyle did somehow, but we can't leave the heir position vacant for long."

A chill raced down my spine. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Can't leave it vacant? That meant someone had to fill the spot left by our runaway brother—and the only other son in this room was me.

It wasn't just a dark cloud over my dream of lounging in the territory's corner, supporting Kyle forever. It was a full-blown storm obliterating it.

Father stared straight at me with cold eyes, ignoring my expression entirely.

"Kasian Valenvalt. You will take Kyle's place."

His words—"the heir"—made my mind go blank.

Margrave's heir? Me?

Honestly, I wasn't the type with the guts or boldness for such a grand role. My goal had always been modest: graduate the academy, snag a minor title, pretend to support Margrave Kyle, and coast through life in some cozy corner of the territory—warm back, full belly.

The margrave position is powerful, sure, something anyone might want.

Ambition? Never had it. The northern margrave? Sounds prestigious as family head, but really, it's a brutal job fighting monsters year-round and managing the territory without a break. No one would sit there if they had a choice.

I'm screwed. My free-ride life just got nuked.

Inwardly screaming and wanting to roll on the floor, I was pinned by Father's piercing glare and Mother's expectant gaze—her hand suddenly gripping mine tightly.

The vibe wasn't right for "Nah, I'd rather just chill?"

I pried my trembling lips apart, hiding the world's most aggrieved expression as I replied.

"...Father, this is so sudden—I'm flustered. I'm still lacking in so many ways, and above all, I'm no suitable replacement for my brother."

Please, realize this isn't humility—it's the truth.

"No, you're more than sufficient. Just bearing our ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blood is reason enough, but I heard about your exploits from Kalia. Your youth is the only drawback, but that'll resolve as you grow. No need for false modesty."

No, you took it as modesty! It's not—it's sincere!

My insides burned. Father had already heard from Kalia about my "exploits" in the Goblin Forest—what was really just desperate flailing to survive.

That damn "Valenvalt blood" was the problem. What the hell did it have to do with shoving me into this hellish job site? Youth as a drawback? I shot Mother a despairing look, but she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, beaming with pride.

Where'd she get the handkerchief? And isn't that a bit theatrical? Now even she seemed suspicious.

"Yes, Kasian. I've known since you showed such spirit surviving that dire situation. You have the talent to lead our house."

Mother too? Come on...

In their eyes, I must've looked like a "timid genius." But my reality? Just a modern guy allergic to work—nothing more, nothing less.

For my final desperate stand, I opened my mouth.

"Brother just slipped up once—won't he come back?"

Father shook his head at my naive plea.

"The details are in there, as I said. The point is one: your brother is no longer in the North. He might not even be in the Empire anymore. He was more calculated than I thought. If word of this vacuum spreads, Valenvalt's honor falls, and the North's balance shakes."

Father's sharp gaze pierced me.

"As I said, we can't leave the heir seat empty. And news of Kyle's elopement will spread fast—through those gossip rags in the papers making the rounds these days."

Father knows about those tabloids? Unexpected...

"So we must show Valenvalt still holds firm. Even if Kyle returns, it'll be too late—he'll have lost the retainers' trust and can't stand above them. So you must fill the role. Kasian, become the heir in his place."

Truth is, from the moment Kyle bolted, I was cornered. If he'd planned it knowing that, it'd be Zhuge Liang-level strategy. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I wanted to scream at the sky.

Kyle, you fucking dog!!