Chapter 6
Chapter 6
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Heir of the Family (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"...So, you're saying that Rinel and I will end up fighting over the same woman later?"
"Well, yeah. Whichever one of us looks better gets chosen."
Lady Rozier's explanation of the 'capture target' seemed to refer to the men who would fall for that commoner girl down the line.
In other words, according to her, both Rinel and I would end up competing for one woman in the future.
I could barely wrap my head around a prince and the young heir of a ducal house falling for a commoner girl, let alone the idea that we'd both fall for the same one.
"No, who the hell is this commoner girl that both a prince like me and Rinel, the heir to a ducal house, end up falling for at the same time?"
"I told you last time. She's the first girl to spark your interest in your otherwise boring daily life."
"Then what about Rinel..."
"He's been neglected by his family since he was little, and even after being adopted, he grew up lonely without a single person he could let his guard down around. To make matters worse, his mean-spirited older sister tormented him every day, leaving him full of distrust toward women when he entered the Academy. Then this commoner girl is the first one to comfort him, opening his heart to a woman for the first time and making his heart race..."
-Creeeak.
"...S-Sis. Are you done yet...?"
Before Lady Rozier could finish, the door to the drawing room swung open with a creak, and a black-haired boy peeked cautiously inside.
Lady Rozier, who had been lounging half-reclined on the sofa, quickly straightened up and turned naturally toward Rinel as he entered.
"Rinel, I told you not to come in when I'm talking with His Highness the Prince."
"B-But it's boring without you, Sis... A-And today you said you'd teach me magic in the backyard..."
"Shh. I said that's not something to talk about in front of other people, right?"
"S-Sorry, Sis..."
"It's okay, it's okay. Just be more careful next time."
...No matter how you looked at it, that didn't resemble the conversation between a mean older sister who tormented her brother every day and her sibling.
I'd seen the same thing at the estate entrance earlier. Without a doubt, in this mansion, the person Rinel relied on most was Lady Rozier.
"Once His Highness leaves, Sis will play with you. Promise."
"Y-Yeah... Promise..."
"Good boy. Wait quietly now."
His eyes, which had seemed somewhat dead inside moments ago, began to sparkle faintly the instant he exchanged a few words with Lady Rozier.
It was the moment when her words about us potentially fighting over one woman gained a bit of credibility.
-Creeeak.
"So, where were we?"
"...We were talking about how Rinel falls for the commoner girl, Miss Elena."
"Oh, right. Anyway, Rinel showing up isn't the best situation for you, but you're still ahead in basic favorability, so you've got the advantage. If possible, keep Rinel from meeting that girl too often, and also..."
...The woman we'd supposedly fight over was some nameless, faceless commoner, but somehow, I doubted it would be her.
"Your Highness's mana affinity... is brimming with the essence of fire."
The mana aptitude test, which I'd put off briefly to meet with Lady Rozier.
The palace appraiser confirmed my mana affinity as fire, just as she had predicted.
"I can faintly sense another attribute besides fire... but it's too vague to judge right now."
"I see."
"Sometimes people awaken other attributes as they age, so there's no need to worry too much, Your Highness Cedric."
I'd awaken it not long after entering the Academy, just as Lady Rozier said.
By now, I was too exhausted to be surprised by every little thing. Pretty much everything she said could be taken as the future.
She herself cautioned that she might be wrong and couldn't take responsibility if her words altered the future or anything like that.
'Better than spouting predictions like gospel truth without accountability.'
Honestly, it was getting hard to view Lady Rozier negatively from any angle.
At just seven years old, she'd already earned a commendation related to national defense, and she had all the basic etiquette and refinement expected of a prince's fiancée.
I was also pleased by how she only opened up to me when we were alone. She was a bit more relaxed around others compared to most, like with Rinel... but the sight of her openly lounging with her toes wiggling was probably something even her maids had never witnessed.
And so, another two years passed, bringing many changes to my relationship with Elena.
"Elena’s just about at the age to take her mana aptitude test."
"Yeah. I already know what it'll be, so it doesn't really matter to me."
The biggest change was that, at some point, I'd started addressing Elena casually and calling her by name.
That was probably the most significant shift. It was clear proof that our psychological distance had closed.
These days, I made a point of calling her Elena by name even in formal settings, keeping my tone as casual as possible. It served as a warning to the girls who gossiped behind our backs, trying to drive a wedge between us.
'Elena herself keeps a strict distance except when we're alone, though.'
I had no idea how she kept up the act without ever slipping on titles or speech patterns.
She always called me 'Your Highness Cedric' and never once forgot her polite speech.
"Once Elena does her aptitude test, Rinel's will be next year. He's a year younger than her."
"Nah, they'll do it together this time. Everyone already knows his affinity is dark magic, so no point delaying. Plus, unlike me, Rinel's been taking magic lessons for ages."
"...Then why hasn't Elena been?"
"Because she's not the heir."
"......"
I'd felt it every time I visited the Rozier estate, but... there was definitely a sense of discrimination from the duke.
Objectively speaking, the duke's decision was entirely rational. After all, it made far more sense to teach Rinel, the designated heir, rather than Elena, who would eventually marry into another family.
...I just didn't like seeing Elena treated this way.
"By the way, Cedric, you still haven't unlocked your light attribute?"
"I'm studying it like Elena advised, focusing mainly on light... but no signs yet."
"Even knowing ahead doesn't let you unlock it before the Academy. Just wait patiently; it'll happen on its own. Take it easy~."
With those words, Elena sprawled on the sofa, putting on a blatant display of what 'taking it easy' looked like.
When we first met, she still had that childish air about her appearance, but over the past few years, she'd taken on a subtly more mature vibe.
She was still short, but she'd grown a bit taller, and those legs she so openly showed off... felt a touch slimmer than before.
I'd seen them so often that I could probably spot Elena from afar just by her legs.
...Not that I was fixating solely on her legs every time we met or anything.
"Ah, I wanna start blasting magic around and having fun already. It's so frustrating only practicing sneakily with Rinel and watching my step all the time."
"......"
As she'd mentioned before, she was still doing those secret magic training sessions with her little brother.
Since they were both dark magic users, she could still use Rinel as cover for practice. Any traces left behind could be pinned on him.
'Objectively speaking, not a great situation.'
Her little brother, whom I occasionally ran into when visiting the Rozier estate or when Elena came to the palace with her family.
Rinel was ten now, past the age for childish clinging, yet he still wouldn't leave his sister's side... no, he seemed to be sticking to her even more lately. Every time I saw it, I couldn't shake the unease gnawing at me.
A gut feeling that, not far in the future, I might really end up fighting her brother over one woman.
'At the very least, I need to close the distance on my side.'
As a prince, I couldn't leave the palace, so the only option was to bring Elena to me.
Fortunately, once her mana aptitude test was done, I'd have the perfect excuse to bring her to the palace.
"Elena."
"Yeah?"
"What if, after your mana aptitude test, you moved into the palace?"
"What? Make me play house before we're even married? Like I always say, this is just a fake engagement..."
"Not like that. I mean creating an environment where you can learn magic freely. In the palace, you can use magic without worry, no need to watch your back."
"......"
Elena's eyes sharpened the moment she heard me, her expression turning serious.
I was starting to get a feel for how to handle her.
"Give me the details."
"For starters, there's a personal magic training ground in the palace I can use. Plus, you could learn from the palace mages, do mock spars, that sort of thing."
"......"
"It's a fake engagement, sure, but you're still officially my fiancée, so no one would complain about you living in the palace or using my training ground."
"...Yeah, unless they want their head rolling."
"You could use the palace library you always visit every time you come, and if needed, there are plenty of instructors for not just magic, but swordsmanship or other studies. Only if you're interested, of course."
"...True. It might not be so bad."
Yeah, I should've tempted her like this from the start.
The way to move her—someone with zero interest in romance or desire for status and wealth.
By appealing to that thirst for knowledge, I could draw Elena even closer to me. ...And as a bonus, separate her from that clingy little brother.
"Well, I'll think about it after this event—er, mana aptitude check. It might depend on the situation."
"Do you need your family's permission?"
"Not permission exactly... just, there's something."
"...Got it. I'll wait for your word."
Her tone carried a hint of unease, as if she were holding back on purpose.
Probably thinking about some future event I didn't know about. The fact that she wasn't bringing it up first meant she didn't want me getting involved.
"I'll send a letter after the aptitude check. If I write asking you to visit, take it as a yes and come get you."
"Sure, got it."
We parted after what was essentially her agreement, and I waited leisurely for contact, thinking this would keep her by my side.
...But even three months after Elena returned to the Rozier estate, no letter came from her.