Chapter 96
First, there's one thing I need to clear up before moving on.
For starters, I had no particular intention of squeezing an enormous amount of compensation out of Duke Stellaraim over this incident.
I was simply thinking of asking for twice the cigars burned by the antics of Wilhelm and Kairun.
If they compensated me with roughly twice that amount, I was willing to let it go.
A matter between two houses.
Moreover, one side was one of the four great ducal houses of the Empire, while the other was the Kingdom of Berlaim, not as powerful as the Empire but still fully deserving of being called a major power.
When friction arose between families and kingdoms of this scale, trying to extract the maximum compensation possible was dangerous.
Especially since magic and science were currently synergizing to produce war magic with power comparable to [Little Boy] by the standards of my previous life.
'...'
What?
Why was it that the more I explained, the more Kairun and Wilhelm looked like idiots?
"Sigh."
Well, whatever.
I might as well just think of them as men blinded by love.
Besides, this is a romance fantasy, after all.
It really was a magical phrase.
No matter how blinded by love they were, if I wondered, "Could anyone really act like that?" the single word "romance fantasy" explained everything.
"..."
In any case, back to the matter at hand.
Although I had these thoughts, I planned to decide what compensation I would receive based first on how Adrian Stellaraim, the Duke of Stellaraim, handled things.
If he was some lunatic who thought like a doting parent, [Ah, well, if it's because of love, it can't be helped. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. So our son has finally discovered women.]
then I'd demand more; otherwise, I planned to ask only for the compensation I mentioned earlier.
And fortunately.
"As the Duke of Stellaraim, I formally apologize for the grave discourtesy committed in this incident."
Kairun's father, the Duke of Stellaraim, was a perfectly normal person.
***
"Wow."
As we traveled toward the city where Duke Stellaraim resided, I let out a quiet exclamation while looking at the scenery outside the car window.
White.
A place where those words fit perfectly.
The southern region where House Nebla was located was clearly just beginning to transition into summer.
But this was the North.
It was an incredibly novel region that rejected the worldly standard of humanity's four seasons and had nothing but snow falling all year round.
"It's actually rather warm for this area."
"Warm, huh..."
At Mist's words from beside me, I lowered the window slightly and stuck out my hand to feel the temperature.
With all that snow still piled up, it was safe to assume it was below freezing.
And weather like this was considered warm here.
"Lord Abel."
While I was absentmindedly letting time pass, I looked at the driver through the rearview mirror when he called out to me.
The family had provided a driver since this was official business.
That was why Mist was sitting beside me to assist me instead of driving.
"We're about to arrive at the Stellaraim Duchy."
A city built atop a pure-white snowfield.
We had arrived at the Stellaraim Duchy.
.
.
.
Everything that happened afterward proceeded in a flash.
It was only natural, since I had already sent an official letter notifying them that I would be going to the Stellaraim Duchy.
When we entered the duchy and headed for the mansion where Duke Stellaraim resided, there wasn't a single car on the roads, so it appeared they had closed them off.
"Quite a lot of eyes are gathering."
I looked at the people outside the window.
People peering out from windows and coming into the streets to watch.
But their gazes held an unmistakable mixture of anxiety and fear.
"Well... It's House Nebla, after all."
Besides.
"With so many vehicles coming and going, it's only natural they'd react that way, not knowing what's happening."
The black vehicle I was riding in.
And dozens of vehicles sent by House Nebla to escort me.
They were all the same color. Their windows also had a special coating that made it impossible to see inside from outside, and the crest of House Nebla was emblazoned prominently on each car.
From an ordinary person's perspective, I suppose it would be frightening. That was what I thought.
After passing through the city's roads and entering the mansion where the duke resided in the center, the mansion's doors opened immediately.
Creak.
"We've arrived."
No sooner had the driver finished speaking than members of the family began pouring out of the cars escorting me.
Click.
"Good grief."
When I got out of the car, the sight before me elicited a wry smile.
Dozens of people moved through their respective positions to guard me.
Since everyone was wearing black suits, anyone seeing it would think a mafia boss was making an appearance.
As I proceeded to the front entrance under their protection, a man who clearly looked like the chief butler bowed politely and spoke.
"Welcome, Lord Abel."
"..."
"The duke has ordered us to extend the utmost hospitality to you and your guards. Please follow me."
"All right, I understand."
At the butler's words, I turned and spoke to the people standing at attention behind me.
"You heard him?"
[...]
"Everyone, get some rest."
[Understood.]
At my words, they began to disperse, following the maids and butlers Stellaraim had sent.
"Well then."
Looking at them, I smiled at the butler and said:
"Shall we go?"
"... Yes. Please follow me."
Following the butler's guidance, Mist and I slowly walked upstairs.
We arrived at the reception room on the mansion's top floor, where the head of the family was waiting, and entered.
"Good to meet you."
There stood a middle-aged man with black hair.
"I would have preferred to meet you under less unpleasant circumstances, but it can't be helped."
Kairun's father.
More precisely, the Empire's strongest warrior, unquestionably the strongest among the countless powerful figures in the North.
"Good to meet you. Abel de Nebla. My name is Adrian de Stellaraim, and I am the head of House Stellaraim."
'Huh...'
The strongest in the North.
I knew it intellectually, and that bastard Serban had told me about him, so I had a sense of it.
'Hmm? You want to know about Duke Stellaraim?'
'Well, there are plenty of stories. The strongest in the North, or the strongest warrior.'
'He's not a knight. He's a warrior. A warrior who does whatever it takes to win. That's why the point I wanted to make was very simple.'
'Adrian is the strongest warrior among all the men of arms I know.'
So this kind of experience was a first for me, too.
It was just that the mere presence of the man before me caused the defensive magic I had already put in place to react.
"I am at a loss for words at such a welcome. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Abel de Nebla."
"Yes, a pleasure."
Thud.
The vigor I felt from the hand gripping mine after I extended it.
I couldn't help but think:
A strong man. An incredibly strong one, at that.
"First of all."
Adrian took a step back and bowed his head slightly.
"As the Duke of Stellaraim, I formally apologize for the grave discourtesy committed in this incident."
A duke—one of the four great dukes whose autonomy was recognized by the Empire—had bowed his head, if only slightly.
He, who wielded power comparable to a king's.
"Even though he is my son, I know that what he did this time was an extremely serious discourtesy."
"..."
"I apologize for the trouble caused by my failure to educate him properly."
Adrian continued speaking while meeting my eyes.
"And for his rude attitude toward Saintess Ariel and House Nebla's heir. I promise that neither matter will be brushed aside, and that he will receive appropriate punishment."
"What punishment? What kind of punishment do you mean?"
"Yes..."
For a moment. Adrian's expression darkened ever so slightly—truly for only a moment.
No matter how serious Kairun's discourtesy had been, from a father's perspective, was it easy to punish one's own son and speak of the details?
But Adrian forcibly suppressed his paternal affection.
"First, do you know that once a student enrolls in [Crocus Academy], they cannot receive direct support from their family until graduation, nor can they leave the academy at a guardian's whim?"
It was a rule established because there had been cases of people being ruined by excessive elixir support from their families in the past.
In addition, the academy and numerous nobles had coordinated their positions, and a rule had been enacted that even if a family or parent demanded a student's expulsion, the student could continue attending as long as they wished.
In other words, expulsion from the academy was impossible for the time being.
"Therefore, I swear in my name, Adrian, that Stellaraim's support for Kairun will be suspended until you and Ariel wish for it to resume."
A promise to cut off all of it: academy tuition and indirect support from the family.
Moreover, he was saying that even the authority to decide whether Kairun would receive support again would be left to Ariel and me.
But Adrian did not stop there.
"And during the vacation, he will fight on the front lines against monsters as an ordinary soldier."
"..."
"Finally..."
Adrian paused for a moment, then declared in a heavy voice:
"Upon graduation, I hereby declare that Kairun de Stellaraim will be removed from his position as heir to House Stellaraim..."
I assumed the reason he did not declare it immediately was that he retained at least a little fatherly affection.
The harsh punishments mentioned earlier had probably been nothing more than setup to make it possible to accept this final punishment.
'Is this a father's heart?'
He knew his son's wrongdoing, yet would not evade it and would impose the greatest punishment possible.
But his final act was a father's plea: Please let my son retain his position as heir at least until he graduates from the academy.
He had not done this for the sake of the family's interests.
It was solely a father's concern, because if Kairun were suddenly declared removed from the position of heir, Adrian did not know what disadvantages he might face within the academy.
"If you happen to be dissatisfied with the punishment, are you willing to change it?"
"...Of course, I intend to accept it. The victims are you and Ariel..."
If the victims wanted a harsher punishment, how could the perpetrator's father adjust its severity as he pleased?
The decision belonged solely to the victims. That was what Adrian was saying.
"..."
Perhaps because Adrian's appearance reminded me of my father in my previous life for the first time in a long while, I felt a faint sense of nostalgia.
"I see..."
Perhaps he had guessed what I was thinking from my wistful tone, but Adrian slightly lowered his head and closed his eyes.
Leaving Adrian's action behind, I spoke with a lighter heart.
"As for suspending his support, you may resume it. Ah, but please proceed only after obtaining Ariel's permission."
"...What?"
"As for sending him to the front lines... I suppose you intend to further strengthen Kairun's combat abilities. I have no objection to that either. Do as you please."
I had definitely said this before, right?
I had no particular intention of extorting anything over this incident.
Rather.
"And as for the matter of the heir, I won't get involved."
It seemed more advantageous to me to have Duke Stellaraim indebted to me over this incident.
"You won't get involved?"
"Yes. It's a family matter, isn't it? Even if Kairun made a serious mistake, if you're making this choice out of consideration for House Nebla, I ask that you reconsider."
I was the heir to House Nebla.
And Kairun was the heir to House Stellaraim.
The decision to remove him as heir had probably been made because there might be friction between Kairun and me if we both eventually rose to become heads of our respective houses.
So I spoke first.
I had no intention of becoming an enemy of House Stellaraim over this incident.
Even if Kairun remained the heir just as he was.
"Then, what about compensation?"
"Oh, that?"
At Adrian's words, I held out my hand to Mist, who had remained standing behind me ever since we entered this reception room.
She understood immediately; when I held out my hand, she handed me a bundle of papers.
"What is this?"
"This is a list of the kinds of cigars that were burned up in the commotion caused by Wilhelm and Kairun that day."
I lazily smiled and held up two fingers at the duke, who was looking at me questioningly.
"Twice as much. Give me twice the amount of cigars they destroyed, and I'll be satisfied as long as Stellaraim doesn't forget this incident."
"..."
"What do you think?"
The hand I held out to Adrian.
Adrian stared at it for a moment, then clasped it with a much more relaxed expression.
Thud.
"I accept... and thank you."
"Think nothing of it. Ah, even if you let my matter go, please make certain to offer Ariel proper compensation and an apology."
"Of course I will. Still, I can't help but thank you. Rest comfortably for now. I'll have a feast prepared for dinner."
"Hahaha. I look forward to it. I hear the North's meat dishes are considered among the best in the Empire."
A smile began to spread across Adrian's face at my words.
"Heh-heh. You have every reason to look forward to it. Ah, do you drink well? The North is famous for its liquor too."
"I do enjoy cocktails."
"Is that so? Then I suppose I'll have to serve you some proper liquor."
With that, my meeting with Adrian ended on a rather friendly note.