With a New Heart - 1
When I arrived at the territory, Mother and the retainers were waiting for me as always. Even back when I was still only the heir, they had come all the way out to the main gate to welcome me. Now I was no longer the heir but an Imperial Count and a great lord in my own right. From the retainers’ point of view, they had to come out to greet me even if I were on the verge of collapsing from overwork.
Of course I felt guilty seeing retainers who were already being worked to the bone for the territory still standing out here in the middle of their duties. But if I told them there was no need to come meet me, they would probably panic instead. Is this new Count already testing our loyalty? they would think.
So what else could I do? All I could manage was to exchange greetings quickly and head into the castle.
"I'm home, Mother."
"Yes. Welcome back."
I approached her and gave her a light hug. She pulled me close in return and spoke gently.
"Erich came as well."
"Ah, yes."
Then she carefully embraced Erich, who had been standing behind me.
Her movements were a little stiff, but for Mother that hug must have taken real courage. Erich knew it too, so he accepted the embrace without any resistance.
It was a warm sight. Just as the Emperor had accepted Ainter as a member of the imperial family, our family was slowly opening our hearts and acknowledging one another. All that remained for perfection was for Erich and Father to grow close.
"I'm sorry. You finally come home and only I am here."
The problem, of course, was that the very man who needed to grow close was absent.
"He said he was busy with work. Still, he promised he would be back by evening, so don't worry."
"It's fine. An assemblyman being busy is only natural."
At those words, Erich—who had just slipped free of Mother’s arms—wore a bitter expression. In only a year, he would be the busy assemblyman himself.
But he was worrying too much. Assemblymen were busy, true, but not to the abyss of overwork Erich imagined.
—It looks like I'll be late. The Speaker is raising such a fuss that I'll have to humor him a little.
A few days earlier I had heard the truth straight from Father’s own mouth. He was not away on business at all. He had simply left on a long trip for fishing, just like last time.
Looked at one way, he was a deranged head of household who put fishing above his family. Yet I couldn’t bring myself to feel real concern.
—Going on about how he’s still only a count while you boys inherited titles—I’ve never seen such an ugly tantrum. And he himself plans to step down the moment his term as Speaker ends.
Even Father, being dragged along, had sighed as if the whole thing were a nuisance. It had been painfully clear he didn’t want to go and was only being forced by an old friend’s childish fit.
"Still, the Speaker regards Father as a close friend, so—"
—I never had a friend like that.
Father’s blunt reply in the middle of it all had forced me to bite my lip in a hurry. Hearing such a serious man deliver a variety-show punchline had almost made me laugh out loud.
Thankfully I had held it in with all my strength and never burst out laughing. For a son to laugh when his father was being serious would have been monstrous unfilialness.
I just hope he doesn’t get caught this time.
Silently wishing Father good fortune, I watched Mother approach my partners. This time, I hoped, she would not chase him out of the house.
Still, it was strange. Father had already deceived Mother multiple times. The last time he had even been caught and scolded by her.
Yet Mother believed him when he said he was busy with work. It was not mere politeness; her expression said she genuinely trusted him.
Is this marital trust?
The thought filled me with a kind of awe. After more than twenty years as husband and wife, perhaps they simply chose to believe and defend each other no matter the outcome.
Or maybe it was less trust and more the quiet confidence that she could thrash him whenever she felt like it.
"You’re finally graduating. Now we can truly be the same family."
"I’m happy I get to share the same surname as you, Mother."
As soon as those thoughts crossed my mind, the sight of Mother and Mar chatting with smiling faces sent a chill down my spine. If Mar ever became a mistress of the house thoroughly schooled by Mother—would I end up living a life where every lie was instantly exposed and I was thrown out of the house?
Terrifying.
Instinctively I found myself thinking of Wiridia. If Mar ever drove me out, that remote border territory would be my first refuge.
Father had also told me about his favorite lake for emergencies, but as someone with zero fishing experience, the idea did not exactly appeal.
The grace of His Majesty the Retired Emperor…
So I pictured him around now, probably feeding Lord Keigong. If he had never granted me Wiridia, my only shelter would have been that lake.
Truly an immense grace. Starting today I would bow three times a day toward the Imperial Palace.
When Father returned that evening, he was caught by Mother yet again.
Unlike last time he had neatly arranged his shoes, which might have made for a perfect crime—except the fishing-line marks still on his fingers gave him away.
I still couldn’t decide whether Father was impressive for always leaving traces, or Mother was impressive for noticing even the tiniest ones like a ghost.
"Does Older Brother like fishing as well?"
Having just witnessed her parents-in-law fighting—or rather, Father being one-sidedly scolded—Rory asked cautiously.
"No. I’ve never done it even once."
I answered with complete confidence. It was the truth, so I could speak without shame.
Before the transmigration I had never had the chance to take up such an expensive hobby, and after it I had never been interested.
"If you ever want to fish, please come to our territory. The eels are excellent there."
"…Yeah."
I answered half a beat late.
I was startled. At that timing I had fully expected her to say something like, Please don’t take up fishing, Older Brother.
Not long after I returned to the Imperial Palace, a summons from His Majesty the Emperor arrived.
For a moment I wondered whether I had done something he could hold against me, but I calmed myself quickly. There was no longer any reason for His Majesty to aim for my neck. Unless I started dreaming of rebellion, he would never strike me down.
And since I had no intention of going mad enough to even consider rebellion, my future looked peaceful enough.
"Now you will need a title as well."
That was what I thought—until I heard His Majesty’s words.
"A title, Your Majesty?"
I opened my mouth while suppressing my dismay. When the Emperor himself brought up a title, remaining silent would have been rude.
"Yes. You are the Emperor’s younger brother now. One day you will even be an imperial uncle. If you hold no title at all, the nobles will look down on you."
The retort that I was already quite used to that rose to my tongue, but I wisely kept it inside. His Majesty was approaching me with goodwill; dredging up old conflicts would have been foolish.
At the same time I felt cold sweat. It had only been a short while since I had teased Erich about becoming a baron. And now I was the one receiving a title? The mockery and obligations that would follow would clearly be several times worse. I could not imagine a titled noble who was also a member of the imperial family and the Emperor’s own brother living a quiet life.
If I wanted a comfortable, peaceful existence, the smart move was to avoid a title. Yet as a member of the imperial family I could not refuse this offer-that-was-really-an-order.
It would only raise suspicion for no reason.
Apart from the Crown Prince or Crown Princess, the Emperor’s children received no titles. Because a tragedy might one day make another child the heir, they remained untitled until then.
Put another way, an untitled imperial meant an imperial close to the throne. With a new Emperor newly enthroned, if his younger brother refused a title, it would be read as lingering ambition for the crown.
That was unacceptable. I had only just escaped a life where my neck was constantly in danger; I had no desire to walk back into hell.
"I am overwhelmed by Your Majesty’s grace. I shall never forget this kindness and will devote myself forever to the imperial family and the Empire."
I finished my calculations in an instant and bowed. If I had to accept the title anyway, better to take it cleanly.
"…Very well. I shall look forward to it."
After a brief silence His Majesty answered in a low voice.
Strange. Somehow that short reply seemed to contain many different emotions.
"Following custom, I will grant you a non-hereditary marquisate. It will be formally conferred at the New Year’s Audience, so take note."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
But he soon returned to his earlier tone, as if what I had sensed had only been my imagination.
"Also—"
He began to add something further, then closed his mouth again.
"No. I will speak of it next time."
The following words made me flinch. It was clearly related to my treatment, yet he was putting it off for later; a strange anxiety and worry surged up.
Naturally I showed none of it. If His Majesty said he would speak of it later, there must be sufficient reason.
After sending Ainter away, I let out a small sigh. I still had many concerns regarding him.
Of course I did not regret accepting Ainter as a member of the imperial family. That particular worry had been settled long ago thanks to the Minister of the Inspectorate. I was simply still deliberating how high a title to give him, and how much power.
Following custom would be the safest path…
I stroked my chin and continued turning the matter over. By custom, the Emperor’s younger siblings received a non-hereditary marquisate. Because it was not hereditary, only the holder themselves was recognized as titled nobility.
Yes—an honor granted to that person alone. Unless the Emperor particularly favored the marquis and separately bestowed a hereditary countship, such a marquis usually married into another noble house and passed a title to their children that way. The Retired Emperor himself had such a marquis among his ancestors.
That was why I had been deliberating until now. Should I also grant Ainter a hereditary countship? Or…
Should I have him marry into another marquisate?
In truth that was cleaner than bestowing the rare hereditary countship. From the other marquisate’s perspective, imperial blood would be entering their line, so they would hardly mistreat Ainter. They would probably at least give their daughter a subsidiary title.
Then Ainter could pass a title to his children. Becoming high nobility would still require luck, but simply having a title was already something.
…Barandiga might actually work well.
Suddenly Marquis Barandiga came to mind.
A noble who would welcome imperial blood, and who would give a decent title to the daughter marrying Ainter? That description fit Marquis Barandiga perfectly. And as it happened, the Marquis had only a daughter.
…
"Barandiga."
The word that had been circling in my head slipped out of my mouth.
The central pillar of the North, and a newly risen noble who needed authority.
Moreover, as a member of the Minister of the Inspectorate’s faction, the chances of him causing trouble were extremely low.
Not bad at all.
It was well worth serious consideration.