Chapter 528
Chapter 528
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 528
Chapter Title: Reincarnated as the Plum Blossom Sword Guard in a Count's Family
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“Don’t play dumb. Now that Kyle’s back, you need to make it clear. Jent? Kyle? Or me? Who is it?”
I stared straight at Elaine without budging an inch, still connected to her. Tossing this question while in bed was meant to force her hand toward me. It was blatant enough that anyone could see it, so Elaine knew it too.
“……I.”
Her distress reached me even here.
Elaine had always stayed neutral on the successor issue. The fact that she’d done nothing about it until now was proof. In the original story, she hadn’t even supported her own son Kyle.
“I have no intention of backing anyone on the successor matter. Not even you.”
“…Ah. I see.”
I showed my disappointment openly and pulled my cock out of Elaine’s pussy.
“Y-Yu-jin?”
“Mother. Let’s call it here for today.”
“Why? It hasn’t even been two hours. …Don’t tell me it’s because I won’t support you…?”
“You said you’re staying neutral, Mother. So this isn’t right. If our bodies are joined, shouldn’t our hearts be too? We’d better hold back on our relationship from now on.”
I could’ve blackmailed her with the sex footage. But that would just mean mutual destruction. And more than anything.
“Ah, no…!”
There was no need to blackmail Elaine, who was already burning up.
“Are you saying we end our relationship here? Just like that…?”
“Mother. I love you as a woman. But it seems like you don’t love me back.”
“That’s not true!”
Elaine shot up indignantly, her upper body rising. Her shaking E-cup breasts stole my gaze for a moment.
“I just keep public and private strictly separate. If personal feelings creep into official matters, fairness crumbles. Once fairness is lost, everything falls apart. You know that from your time as a lord.”
I smiled quietly.
Elaine’s words held merit. Thanks to her, the Prukus family and territory stayed peaceful. At least on the surface.
“I learned that as a lord. That fairness isn’t always necessary.”
“Yu-jin!”
“Mother. A lord is the master of the territory. If the lord is pure and fair, the people live comfortably. But most don’t know their place. Give them a little slack, and they’ll try to climb. There were two rebellions this year alone.”
“…Rebellions?”
“Yes. From the merchants and mercenaries. I tried treating them fairly like you, Mother. But they didn’t see it that way. My fairness wasn’t fairness to them.”
It wasn’t a lie.
I’d treated those bastards with equal unfairness. Everyone else offered bribes, but those punks got cocky because of their backer.
That backer—the viscount—had sent Yuria to assassinate me, so I made them kneel and tripled their taxes for the next ten years. Bribes aside, of course.
“I respect your fairness, Mother. But sometimes it feels like indifference or apathy to me.”
“Ah, no. How could I not care about you all!”
I pulled Elaine into a tight embrace. She loved being held like this. She’d never received deep love from Count Prukus.
“I know. I know how much you care about us. But Jent and Kyle don’t.”
“If you know, then they do too.”
“No need to sugarcoat it. Jent openly despises you, Mother. He doesn’t accept you as his mother.”
“…….”
“Kyle ran away without a word to you. Would he have done that if he cared? He’s indifferent to you too.”
“Kyle…”
Moisture crept into Elaine’s voice. I caressed her head and cheek with my palms.
“I’ve sensed a subtle distance between you and Kyle since way back.”
“…….”
Kyle was a reincarnator with memories of his past life. He couldn’t act to save his life, so he must’ve been awkward around his birth mother, Elaine. And she wasn’t the warm type either.
Elaine hugged me even tighter. She must’ve felt it too.
“Mother. This isn’t the time to worry about fairness. Think about it. If Jent becomes family head… you’ll be shoved aside. Worst case, he might send assassins.”
“Assassins…? Jent and I are family. He’d never send any.”
“Jent doesn’t see you as family.”
“…….”
“Kyle could be a decent family head. He’s got a good personality. But a great one? He ran away without a word and lives sword in hand. Above all, he lacks your cold rationality. Can the fairness you value hold without it? I don’t think so.”
“…Now I’m curious. What reason do I have to support you?”
“I have experience. I developed Tevra territory as its lord. I’ll make Prukus territory grow unmistakably.”
“…Not many good things said about you in Tevra.”
“The people fear me. I’m decisive. But ask them directly if they want to go back to how it was. They’ll say no way. And if I become family head, you can stay by my side.”
“…By your side?”
“Yes. By my side until death. When Father steps down from family head, do you think he’ll shower you with love? No chance. He’ll keep swinging his sword on the battlefield or wherever. That’s Father. Mother, for our future… support me.”
“…….”
Silence.
I didn’t move a finger, waiting for Elaine’s answer. After five minutes, then ten, she finally spoke.
“…Looks like I’ve come to love you too much to maintain fairness.”
“Mother!”
“Haat?!”
I shoved Elaine down and climbed on top of her.
“Mother! Let’s be together forever!”
“C-calm down… Aang!”
Finally, I had her firm commitment.
Elaine had the trust of the household staff, nobles, and retainers at the main estate. In other words, they’d back me now!
Jent’s support base is bigger, but I’m ahead of Kyle!
???
After lunch, I headed to Kyle’s room. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, deep in meditation.
“Kyle hyung.”
“…Huh? Yu-jin, you’re here.”
“We live in the same house, but I hardly see you these days.”
“Yeah. Lots of visitors lately, no free time.”
Kyle’s gaze shifted to my side. I hadn’t come alone—I’d brought Yuria. Kyle had feelings for her, so he wouldn’t focus fully on me with her around. It made dealing with him easier.
“Yuria’s here too.”
“Yes. Young Master Kyle.”
Yuria smiled as she spoke. I caught Kyle’s pupils trembling. She’d done nothing but smile, yet it shook a top-tier aura expert. I had to admire his pure heart. Was it because he was still a virgin?
“Yu-jin. What’s up?”
“Heard you’re gunning for successor now. You weren’t interested before. The runaway wasn’t just for that, right?”
“It was to travel and raise my realm. Thanks to it, I realized I was a frog in a well. Me becoming family head… it’s for my personal goal and for all of us.”
I furrowed my brow.
His personal goal was probably founding that volcano sect. But “for all of us” made no sense.
“What do you mean ‘for all of us’?”
“Exactly what I said. Big trouble’s coming to the world. For your sake, for the people’s sake, I need to step forward.”
“……Kyle hyung. Feels like you’re underestimating me too much.”
“Why would I? I know your abilities. I acknowledge them. But this is on another level.”
I glared at Kyle. He didn’t flinch.
“……Just wanting to be family head doesn’t make it happen.”
“…True.”
Kyle gave a wry smile. That attitude, like he could take it anytime. It pissed people off.
“I don’t get what you’re thinking, hyung.”
“Yu-jin. Can’t you give up on family head? It’s too much for you to handle. Can’t you be satisfied with Tevra?”
“…That’s exactly underestimating me. I get your point, hyung.”
“Yu-jin! No. The things coming up ahead…!”
“War. You’re worried about war, right?”
“…You knew?”
“I told you, stop underestimating me. You think I can’t handle a war?”
“A massive war where thousands, tens of thousands die. I’ll protect you and Yuria. So…”
“Hah… Whatever you say, hyung, I’m not giving up the family head position.”
No point in a long talk. I turned to leave.
Kyle had made up his mind. He wouldn’t back down from family head.
It’s deviated a lot from the original.
Any suggestion for support would be pointless.
“Yu-jin!”
“Hyung. See you next time.”
I was too irritated to retreat cleanly. Even if retreating, I’d scratch him a bit first.
“Ugh, whoa?!”
I deliberately stumbled as if my legs tangled. Flailing my arms pathetically in the air, I fell toward Yuria. My face landed on the upper part of her chest, and my right hand grabbed her breast.
I confirmed Kyle’s eyes bulging wide, then pulled away from Yuria right away. He still didn’t know she and I fucked every day.
“S-sorry, Yuria. My leg just slipped.”
“Don’t worry about it, Master. It was an unavoidable accident. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“My ankle stings a little.”
“I’ll support you.”
Yuria held onto me. Her full breasts pressed subtly against my body.
“Young Master Kyle. We’ll be going now.”
“Y-yeah. S-sure.”
Yuria bowed to Kyle, then closed the door.
I could guess Kyle’s state of mind right now. His insides must be burning. Maybe he was even cursing me out in jealousy.
Hoo. Things are getting messy.
Squish, squish.
On the way back to my room, I kneaded Yuria’s breasts the whole time.
???
The banquet started three days earlier than planned. Far more nobles had gathered at the Prukus count’s estate than expected, leaving no choice.
And I saw a bastard I didn’t want to see.
Jent.
The Prukus family’s eldest son had returned to the main house even before Count Prukus.
Maybe from attending a few parties. I can read the atmosphere now.
There’s a saying that crowds naturally form factions. Slave, commoner, noble—it didn’t matter.
This banquet hall was no exception, splitting into four factions.
The noble supremacists and conservatives mostly gravitated to Jent.
Most of them are nobles Jent’s already bought off.
The romantics went to Kyle. Others approached with their own agendas.
Kyle’s still green. No need to worry about him now.
The ones gathering around me valued money over honor or power. Lots of merchant-born nobles. And those who owed me debts eyed me warily.
The target is the fourth faction. The neutrals.
They either hadn’t decided on a successor yet or had no real interest in Prukus affairs.
First, some greetings… Hm?
Jent was heading my way.
His smug smile grated on me. At his side was Vivi Heolis, his wife from their recent wedding. Our eyes met, and she blushed faintly, lowering her gaze.
“Long time no see, Yu-jin. You look healthy—glad to see it.”
“You too, Jent hyung. And your wife looks beautiful.”
“Ah, h-hello. Young master.”
Vivi replied awkwardly.
But Jent paid her no mind at all. Had this moron ever imagined I’d taken her virginity?