62 Episode 58: Thoughts of the Leading Duke (2/2)

”This story is about a medical examination from Uphilia when Prince Algard was abandoned.”

”... yes, is it”

Kaindo-kun bit his lip and leaned down. I think the fist I put on my lap is probably gripped hard.

I can only ask how everyone is doing with the air that doesn't pinch my mouth. Aside from Caindo-kun, the faces of the Duke of Magenta house are just pale. Hey, I'm kind of stuck breathing. The difference between this house and when it's off and on is too intense...

”... So you think your sister will no longer be part of the Duke's family?

”It will.”

”But His Majesty let such impotence pass? I don't think I can give you the throne instead of Princess Anisphere...”

”This is still top secret. Recently, an official announcement has been made that Uphilia will be named as the Spirit Contractor.”

”Become...”

Take a breath and look like Kaindo-kun eats into Yufi's face. Yufi doesn't seem to show interest in Kaindo-kun and doesn't gaze at him. Hey, I feel some sign of a cold war. Honestly, my stomach hurts. It makes me crisp.

”To gain no less persuasion than direct lineage. That was the condition for Uphilia to be adopted. Ufiria, who accomplished great deeds, was allowed to take his name to the royal family. That's what I'm saying.”

”... but wasn't your father pushing Princess Anisphere?

”Whatever. It's not like you can accept me and your daughter off the hook. But if Yufi wants it strongly and accomplishes great deeds, he can only send it out as a parent. As a duke, it's a place to look around. Then you'll be someone else in red.”

Wow, Lord Grants is smiling scared and watching Uffi! You look intimidated, you're scared! Take that. Uffi's laughing thinly, too! I don't know! Magenta family. Communicate. I don't know!

”And Princess Anisphere... is too sick to stand as king. Not with this.”

Yikes!? That's where you talk about me!? And they treat me like a sick person!?

Caindo-kun's gaze can be directed at me. That's a bewildering gaze. No, I'm also suddenly confused about being treated like a sick person!?

”This country was too strong for Princess Anisphere. At the earliest, everything was too late to make you stand as king of this country.”

”Oh, you know, Lord Grants... care? You care, don't you? I appreciate that, but that's why I'm going to mislead Caindkun that Yufi gave you a name...”

”It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say yes”

”Right.”

Hey!? Why would Lord Grants and Yuffi admit it!?

See, that makes you think Kaindo-kun used Ufi to wipe the royal ass again!?

”What do you say this country has done to Princess Anisphere, Father?... If you say to embarrass the unknown, I will save you a lot, but I can't really grasp the story”

”Then I ask... did you honestly rejoice when Princess Anisphere was to stand as king?

Kaindo-kun frowned at Lord Grants's inquiry. He looked at me and saw how it was going. Well, there's something I think about that, isn't there?

No, it's nothing good. Even I didn't expect to be greeted by a king with all my heart...

”Princess Anisphere will not say whether or not to come this far and elaborate her mood. Be honest with your heart, Cain.”

”... I was not anxious. It was always whispered that Princess Anisphere was disqualified as royal. And if you can't handle magic, I think you should welcome your excellent son-in-law and set up a king.”

”Hmm. A lot of people in this country would think that way. If Uffi had been surrounded there as an assistant, the attitude of Princess Anisphere, who had refused to marry for so long, would have gone unnoticed.”

... That's really awful when they say it again, me in the past. I don't have any regrets, but do you mean you can see through the idea that I don't care about anyone else a while ago?

But even if I could start over, I don't think I could bend. I might be able to stand around a little better, but I think I categorically disagreed with welcoming my son-in-law.

”If they say it's an impossible story to stand that Princess Anisphere as king, it is. You wouldn't be wrong. But let me tell you something, you're just clouding your eyes with rumors up there, Caind.”

”... So why does Father push Princess Anisphere?

”Because Princess Anisphere possesses a similar gift of hope. Its value is not comparable to mine or anything else. I think even Uphilia would be sumptuous in a way.”

Suddenly something awesome was lifted. Oh, what!? Lord Grants, you appreciated me so much!? It's my first ear!?

”Neither do I strongly deny the assessment that I have not fulfilled my duties as royal, as you put it, as disqualified as royal. But who do you think tolerated that? Caind.”

”............... Are you trying to say that His Majesty himself has acknowledged it?

”That's right. Did you wonder if Prince Algard wanted me to be that strong and royal just because Princess Anisphere was talented? On the contrary, Princess Anisphere was driven from her duties as royalty because she risked being wanted by the king, even without magic.”

Uh, yeah. Is that what happens to the stories around there...? Your father said so, didn't he?

Because I don't want to be an obstacle to Al, either.... Speaking of which, you've always wondered.

”Um, I'm sorry I'm in the middle of a story. I'm afraid Lord Grants can appreciate me that much too...?

I think Lord Grants has appreciated me for a long time. It's Lord Grants, if you think he brought up the story of restoring the right to inherit the throne.

But I don't think Lord Grants and I have that much contact, but I don't know what the hell they value. I couldn't help but pinch my mouth to that question.

”I thought the question was natural. That recognition of Princess Anisphere is the poison we've been feeding her.”

”... Yes? Poison?”

”It's poison that erodes you. I don't think I'm aware of it because it's something I take the initiative to drink.”

”... you're not talking about actual poison, are you?

”” Nobody expects you to ”.... even that kind of poison”

Geez, and my heart almost stopped like it was grabbed., and his breath gets painful and he grabs his chest.

It's... it's certainly a poison that's eroding me. Yufi, who was sitting next to me, took her seat and held my shoulder. I'm horrified to hear Uffi's heart sound.

But I was surprised. I didn't expect this to happen when someone else told me again.

Lord Grants stares quietly at me. I don't even know what emotions are hidden behind those eyes, deep eyes. I was unexpectedly freaked out.

”... that's certainly not an exaggeration to say poison though. But I was the one who took the initiative and acted unexpectedly, wasn't I?

”Just conveniently riding it, we were definitely the ones in charge of politics who poisoned you enough to push yourself.... apologize for that dishonesty, then let's bow our heads again. If it wasn't for this opportunity, I wouldn't have been able to elaborate on my mood.”

Well, Lord Grants narrows his eyes.

”I valued you very much. That has also been since childhood. That's why I couldn't have put you up to this situation. I was so afraid of you that you were my greatest political opponent.”

”... no!?”

Suddenly, what are you saying, Lord Grants!? Why am I Lord Grants' biggest political enemy?!? What do you mean you've been afraid of such a little girl since you were a child!?

”Are you surprised”

”Oh, I'm surprised...!? Oh, let me, explain! Request an explanation!

”You must already be aware of that. It's really simple, it's just that.”

……

Oh, I don't know. What is consciousness...?

I'll take a look at Uffi like I'm in trouble. Then, as if to revenge, Lord Grants has Yufi who is stripping his fangs and he gets gnawed.

If you look at Mrs. Nerschel like you're in a hurry, you're hiding your expression with your hands on your mouth. What, this temperature difference!? Maybe Caind is the only one who thinks the same about me!?

”... Dad, you used to say this to me, didn't you? Said he saw the ideal for Lady Annis. He wants me to be king because I recognize its value.”

”Oh, I'm not lying”

Is that why?

”That's right.“ That's why. ”

”What, hey, Yufi! Explain it! I'm so confused right now!

”... because it's a really simple story, Dear Anis”

Kick, and Yuffi continues to be challenged as he stares at Lord Grants.

”Your father was afraid of Anis' influence. Because you acknowledge its value more than anyone else. So I set out to pull out my fangs thoroughly. Right?”

”... my influence?

”It's magic. Dear Anis, think calmly. What aristocracy do you associate with having a nobleman who supported your father?

”Er...? Sorry, I can't answer that right away.”

They say it's a layer of nobility that directs Lord Grants, but it doesn't come out painfully. I know it's your father's right arm, but when it comes to Lord Grants, I don't know exactly what he's doing...? I guess I'm just ignorant!

”So, Caind, what about you?

”... Factions that support your father have a lot to do with armaments. We gather strong support from knights everywhere, including Kingsguards, regular investigators of important places of spiritual resources, and the nobles of the territory, including their important places.”

”Um, I mean, when I say it, it means faction, right?

”Yes.... my mother used to say it. In times of war, he strongly hopes to convert magic to knighthood.”

”Yeah.... so?

”On the contrary, I ask, what do you think will happen if your father takes in Lady Anis?

... Er, Lord Grants' faction is a faction aristocrat, right? He said there is strong support from nobles who protect the country's vital resource, the Spiritual Resource, or hold it in their territory.

It's a delicious story even for me. Because they may have accommodated the resources in the realm, and most importantly, they can connect with the knights operating locally, so the propaganda of the magic props may have progressed quickly... right?

”... have you noticed”

”... Huh? Is that what this is...?

”Master Anis' magic can also be used by civilians. I mean, it threatens to transform the way the Knights are. Master Anis was standing around trying not to have power, wasn't he? It wouldn't be surprising if there were others who thought the same.”

”... you say that's Lord Grants?

Unexpectedly turn your gaze to Lord Grants.... Scary, I've never thought I was so scared of people.

It's just my father's right arm, and I thought he was someone who used to help my father. But you're not interested in me at all, so I thought you were being ignored. At the bottom of my belly, I was putting that idea around...?

”Generally, as Yuffi imagined.”

”Lies............ so, but why is that a political enemy? What a little girl I was!

”It's a matter of numbers.”

”... number?

”If you are serious about creating your own faction, the people may turn to the enemy. Because magic props do not choose the user. Both the inferior aristocrats who are being treated cold and the Adventurer Alliance may attach to you in search of profits from demonic props. You have too much power on your side. On top of that, I had a bad compromise with the central nobles that move this country.”

My mouth gets sour. I think my stomach fluids are coming up.... undeniable.

”Even if you didn't have the will to fight, you could have just broken the country. All you have to do is gently touch magic. All you have to do is distribute that invention. You were… the biggest political opponent that could destroy this country.”

”Ugh...!

”Not to mention that in your childhood you were inclined to magic. I was just stepping forward for that. The idea, the thought, the secret talent... I feared. Assuming you didn't leave the palace, I was forced to take Cain as my fiancée and ask you to leave the royal family.”

”That's it...!?”

You didn't think you were included in such thoughts, Caindo, and you're circling your eyes. What, scared......! You didn't show that bare gesture at all, Lord Grants......!

”It is only through the use of those who would be enemies to politics, Princess Anisphere. It only deepens my remorse that it became the poison that passed around... but you didn't have any credibility when you were a child.”

”I don't trust you...”

”Its brilliance, the flexibility of thought that just keeps the throne away from itself. There are children who are not even adults yet. Uffi was treated like a prodigy, but that's only worth a thousand. The subordinate who obeys, without the people, the whole country will not be made up. In that respect, your own worth is immeasurable.”

”... so poisoned that no one expected me to...? Did you work that way around?

”I didn't root that aggressively. I got caught out of the palace early. But... I'm more guilty than anyone of not taking your hand, even though I realize your worth.”

”... it wasn't the Sprout Knights chief who allowed the Kingsguards and Samurais to spread Mana Blade, was it? Was that you? Lord Grants.”

”Matthew wanted it more aggressively. I'm the one who stopped it. Speak to His Majesty, too. At least wait until Prince Algard is in power and turns to stone.”

... Yes, it was.

I was unintentionally stunned and dropped. I know it's a shock, but it's not sad either. Only surprise recruited me, and my thoughts stopped.