Chapter 125
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Normalization of the Family Meeting (2)
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“Ahem.”
Putting the brief commotion that had ended immediately due to Kairen's scolding behind them, Astridje Nox Belverk, who had returned to her seat on the crimson jade throne and cleared her throat again, opened her mouth with her eyes once more tinged red.
“...The family meeting will now begin.”
But even as she spoke, her gaze remained fixed on Kairen, who was coughing and wheezing in her arms.
“My little brother's fever is still burning hot...”
“How about we bring the fever down first...”
“I'll adapt quickly and build up some antibodies...”
And the three sisters, who had been watching cautiously from the sidelines, felt the same way.
“...Grrr.”
However, as Kairen, nestled in Astridje's arms, let out a fierce growl, the sisters immediately straightened up and finally got down to business.
“Due to the former crown prince Alberion Lumen Shinehardt's wish, the position of crown prince is now vacant.”
“......”
“Naturally, countless imperial royals will be vying for that seat.”
And though the atmosphere in the grand conference hall had improved slightly from before, it was beginning to grow chilly once again.
“I have no doubt that the ministers so astutely observing our family meeting are itching to relay real-time information to their favored imperial royals.”
In that atmosphere, Astridje's crimson gaze swept lightly through the silent conference hall.
“So, it is precisely the duty of the family head to clearly convey Belverk's will to such people once more.”
Seeing several officials already breaking into cold sweats and lowering their gazes, she let out a scoff before beginning her solemn declaration.
“I, Astridje Nox Belverk, accept Alberion Lumen Shinehardt's wish and hereby establish the following rules for the crown prince selection trial.”
“......”
“Any imperial royal who reaches the family head's office of the Belverk Ducal House, by any means necessary, shall be recognized as the next emperor.”
Of course, her statement was something everyone gathered in the conference hall already knew, having been informed through the emperor.
“...Those with objections or questions to this decision, raise your hand.”
But unlike earlier, when they had seemed ready to stake their lives on protesting, not a single official raised their hand now.
“Ah, of course, you have no authority here.”
“......?”
“This is, after all, a strict family meeting.”
But in truth, whether they raised their hands or not made no difference.
“You're not my family, after all, are you?”
Since Astridje herself had declared it a 'family meeting' from the start, there was never any chance their opinions would be accepted.
“Astridje!”
“Hm?”
“Can friends who are like family voice their opinions?”
Even the emperor, who had tossed in a joke with her usual sly grin, was no exception.
“...Butt in when you're supposed to. Yustina.”
“Ah, that's harsh.”
“You're borrowing our power because you can't even unify your own lackeys...”
As Astridje glared at the emperor, who seemed particularly loathsome today, and unleashed her killing intent without even using the honorific she normally reserved for public settings, the officials in the conference hall wore terrified expressions.
“Still... I despise political strife and such nonsense.”
“So shut up and stay quiet.”
“...Hm, that's quite logical.”
Fortunately, since the emperor had erred today as well, the bloody clash between the two powerhouses—which happened almost annually—did not occur this time.
“I have a question.”
“Yes, Edelrasia.”
“Can we play with the imperial royals invading Belverk?”
And right around then, the eldest daughter, Edelrasia—who had been standing with an icy expression—opened her mouth and posed the first question.
“That's a good question.”
Astridje finally relaxed her expression, flashing a chilling smile as she began her response.
“Fundamentally, I have only permitted entry into my office.”
“......”
“I have granted no authority to trespass on Belverk territory or open the mansion's front doors.”
At that sophistry, the gathered officials stared at Astridje with dumbfounded expressions for a moment.
“In other words, Belverk's autonomy and extraterritorial rights remain fully in effect even during the selection trial.”
“Hmm.”
“Otherwise, it would just be a race to the finish line, diminishing the meaning of a trial to select the next emperor.”
Yet, naturally, no one dared to challenge Astridje's words this time either.
“...Playing with imperial royals should be fun.”
Anyone would have reacted the same upon seeing Edelrasia, who always wore a cold expression, suddenly flash her eyes with a murderous whisper.
“I have a question as well.”
Meanwhile, the second daughter, Yuriel—who had been secretly swallowing a laugh while watching her eldest sister—raised her hand next.
“If it's not rude, can we consume the imperial royals who fail the competition...”
“Sis!”
“Ah, sorry...”
But before she could finish, she was stopped by Kairen from Astridje's arms.
“Forehead!”
“Ow...”
Yuriel trudged dejectedly to the throne, lowered her posture, and rubbed her forehead with a aggrieved expression after receiving a flick from Kairen.
“Hah...”
“A dream...?”
“Ahem...”
The sight of the epitome of sinister depravity—responsible for about five percent of the empire's back-alley disappearances—being so helplessly punished was enough to sear itself into the officials' minds.
“Hehe...”
“Are those all the questions?”
“...One more. What if an imperial royal gets injured during the trial?”
As if fully aware of the atmosphere, Yuriel secretly lifted the corner of her mouth before composing herself and asking another question.
“To reiterate, Belverk is extraterritorial.”
“Right, it is.”
“I'm not asking for your confirmation.”
Astridje answered the question once more, shooting an irritated glance at the emperor who had slyly interjected with a grin, then continued with a annoyed expression.
“This is an ancient and ironclad right guaranteed by the covenant between the founding emperor and the first Belverk family head.”
“......”
“Thus, unless it is the current emperor himself, all imperial subjects—including imperial royals—must obey this covenant.”
The more seasoned or quick-witted officials were already sighing or squeezing their eyes shut at those words, while the newer recruits looked puzzled by the complex explanation.
“Since some still don't seem to understand, let me summarize simply...”
Astridje, grasping the mood, rested her chin on her hand and casually dropped a line.
“Belverk bears no responsibility if an invading imperial royal suffers a fatal wound or loses their life during the trial.”
This time, it was enough to make even the young officials' blood boil.
“However...!”
“......”
“...Guh!?”
But before the young officials could protest in unison, a crimson killing intent flooded the conference hall.
“I said this was a family meeting, didn't I?”
“Kkheek...”
“This calls for an example.”
It was right then, as Astridje emotionlessly tilted her head while lifting the first official to speak with telekinesis.
“Stop!”
That Kairen's sharp voice suddenly echoed through the conference hall.
“Don't kill people over something so trivial!”
“...Sorry.”
“That's one penalty point!”
Astridje immediately set the official down, her face turning as dejected as Yuriel's, only for an angry-faced lesser panda sticker to suddenly appear on her chest.
“Ah...”
“I'm letting it slide with just one because you put him down right away!”
As Astridje stared in dazed bewilderment at the rather cute sticker design, Kairen continued his stern scolding with a serious expression.
“Little brother, I was quiet...”
“M-Me too.”
“M-Me as well!”
Right then, the terrified voices of the three sisters chimed in from the side.
“...Just continue the meeting.”
Having heard Kairen's upset voice, they pouted and lowered their gazes.
“......”
And for a moment, an awkward silence descended on the conference hall.
“Hm, by the way, doesn't Lilien have any questions?”
Astridje, pointedly glaring at the officials desperately avoiding her eyes, soon turned to Lilien Nox Belverk and prompted her.
“I-I do have one... What happens if two or more imperial royals arrive at the family head's office?”
“The curse... no, the honor of becoming the next emperor goes to the first one to arrive.”
In response to Lilien's question, Astridje hastily corrected herself mid-sentence as she continued.
“What if they arrive at the same time?”
“Hmm... We'll decide that when it happens.”
Glancing at the emperor, who had begun to look slightly stern, Astridje cleared her throat and started wrapping up the meeting.
“Then, if there are no more questions...”
“Wait!”
“Hm? Kairen, do you have a question too?”
But right then, Kairen shot his hand up high.
“No, I have an objection!”
At his bold declaration, all eyes instantly focused on him.
“Even if it's a crown prince selection trial, it's too much if participants can die or get hurt!”
In that tense moment, Kairen swallowed dryly before steeling himself and speaking up bravely.
“If real imperial royals invade, that's one thing, but this is just a test...”
“......”
“...Kairen opposes any needless sacrifices.”
As Kairen finished, glancing nervously at everyone, another awkward silence filled the hall.
“......”
In that silence, some of the older officials were already looking at Kairen with warm, pleased expressions, and even the younger ones mostly hostile to Belverk wore slightly surprised looks.
“Little brother, you're so kind.”
“Hehe, how gentle.”
“Yeah, I wondered why you were staying quiet.”
And as the three sisters' soft praises began to warm the atmosphere further...
“As expected, my son is so thoughtful.”
“Eek?”
“Don't you all think so?”
Astridje, who had been blankly stretching Kairen's cheeks, lifted the corners of her mouth as if she'd been waiting for that very line, forcibly putting the finishing touch on the heartwarming mood.
“...Fine, then let's do this.”
After a brief pause, Astridje spoke again in a solemn tone.
“We will appoint one supervisor for the crown prince selection trial.”
“......!”
“The supervisor shall have the authority to arbitrarily halt the trial, disqualify participants with due cause, and mediate disputes between participants.”
At her shocking declaration, everyone in the conference hall simultaneously wore stunned expressions, their gazes converging in one direction.
“And I, Astridje Nox Belverk, hereby delegate all the aforementioned supervisor authorities to Kairen Nox Belverk.”
Toward Kairen, who had been groaning with his cheeks stretched in Astridje's arms but froze upon belatedly grasping the meaning of her words.
“So, any imperial royal in mortal danger or wishing to forfeit the trial should seek help from Kairen.”
“......”
“No one in Belverk will defy Kairen's word.”
As time passed and the officials' gazes—laden with various implications—turned increasingly toward him, the still-frozen Kairen began to shrink back slowly.
“This concludes the family meeting.”
Astridje gently stroked Kairen's head as she declared the end of what had been a show of force disguised as a family meeting.
About an hour after the Belverk conference hall occupation—which was practically an annual event—had concluded successfully...
“Uwaaaaa...”
As soon as the meeting ended, Kairen had been moved to a villa near the imperial palace and was receiving devoted care from the maids, but he let out a terrified scream at the voices coming from beyond the window.
“Oh dear, Young Master Kairen...!”
“C-Could we have a quick word...?”
“Hehe, do you like snacks by any chance...?”
Not only the officials from the conference hall but most central nobles with access to the villa were crowding around, eagerly awaiting Kairen.
“...I hate you, Mom!”
He truly hadn't wanted this level of attention at all, so Kairen raised his voice in a tearful whine.
“I'm sorry, Kairen.”
Astridje, who had been peeking at him through the door crack, leaned against the corridor wall and murmured bitterly.
“But...”
At the same time, she pulled something from her bosom and held it to her lips.
“...The kind of influence needed to support you when you become family head someday can't be built overnight.”
After inhaling its scent briefly, she delicately kissed it and murmured with a face full of maternal love.
“I learned that the hard way from him.”
The forget-me-not in Astridje's hand swayed gently in her breath.