Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 376

After hearing out His Highness, I returned to the Pellegrini ducal house's mansion for the first time in a while.
I passed through the gate together with my little brother.
Seeing me, who had recently rarely come back, the servants were wide-eyed.

"L-Lord William!?"
"You have returned?"
"… Is something wrong with that?"

I was treated like a rare animal. Although I was offended by the servant's exaggeratedly surprised attitude, my little brother said while stifling his laughter.

"Elder Brother, it's the first time you've come home in a long while. It can't be helped that they are surprised."
"…"

I didn't feel like coming home, so perhaps it couldn't be helped.
I don't want to see Father after he did an about-face and said that I could marry anyone as soon as Lidi and His Highness's engagement was decided.
Thinking that Lidi might have been my wife if only Father quickly agreed, I could only resent him.

―― In practice, Lidi seems happy to be loved by His Highness though.

Since she married and became the Crown Princess, I have many opportunities to get a glimpse of Lidi. She always smiles, and when she's with His Highness, she looks particularly happy. Married to her beloved, every day must be satisfying for her. Seeing that, I can only think that it was right for her not to marry me, but I don't want to recognize that so easily. Even if I understand that I'm only seen as another older brother of hers.
Because, if I recognize it, over ten years of my life will have been in vain.

"Haa…"
"Elder Brother. I know that you are reluctant, but――"
"No, I understand. I suggested it. I will do my job properly."
"Then it's fine."

Accompanied by Glenn, I entered my room for the first time in a while.
I thought it would be dusty after not being used for some time, but perhaps because servants didn't miss cleaning it, the room was completely unchanged from before.
I urged my little brother to sit on the sofa, and then I sat on a suitable chair nearby.

Neither my little brother nor I said anything.
My little brother was hanging his head the whole time, and I couldn't understand what he was thinking.
After thinking for a while, I activated the soundproofing magical art in the room. Having noticed that, Glenn raised his face.

"Elder Brother…"
"I put on the soundproofing magical art. With this, we don't need to worry about eavesdropping."
"…"

I knew it wasn't an appropriate action to take in my room in our mansion, but I had no choice.
Because, even now somebody from Sahaja may be working here. I can't talk as I want while worrying that my and Glenn's conversation is being listened to. It's troubling.

"I don't want to use telepathic communication for everything."
"You… are right."

Glenn weakly nodded to my words.
Silence fell again.
The story we had just heard from Alex and His Highness.
It was strangely convincing that Father might be tempted by Sahaja to become a traitor.
Father really hates the Vivoir ducal house, and I couldn't even marry Lidi because of that.

"Glenn, what do you think?"

When I muttered, my little brother heavily said.

"I… To be honest, I'm confused. I think that there's no way, but at the same time, I think it might be true."
"I'm the same."

I'm well aware that Father swears loyalty to the Wilhelm Royal Family. But, the fact is that he hates the Vivoir ducal house just as much.
Until now that balance had just barely leaned towards the Wilhelm Royal Family. However, Lidi, the only daughter of the Vivoir ducal house, married His Highness. With that, it's quite likely that Father's scales have been tilted.

"I want to believe he won't do anything foolish…"

Precisely because we're closest to him, we can't trust Father like His Highness or Lidi do.
While we were sighing together, I heard a reserved knocking on the door.

"What?"
"… Master has returned home. He ordered you to greet him since you are in the mansion."

With a butler of this mansion saying so, I noticed that we certainly hadn't offered a greeting. But, more importantly.

"He's come back? I thought he would still be in the castle."
"Hearing that Lord William and Lord Gregor had returned home, he decided to return slightly earlier than usual."
"… It was unnecessary."
"Elder Brother."

I was rebuked by my little brother, but that's how I really feel. Although I volunteered to keep watch on Father to see if he would betray Wilhelm, I want to meet him as little as possible.

"Lord William."

At the butler's urging, I reluctantly nodded my head.

"Got it. Glenn, we're going."
"Yes."

I proceeded to Father's room with Glenn. Feeling gloomy, I raised my voice.

"Esteemed Father, it's William. Glenn is with me."
"Enter."

I opened the door to the room. Father was standing in front of his desk, looking at us.

"… I've returned home."
"You've finally come back. Glenn, you can go. Return to your room."
"Esteemed Father?"

Glenn made a puzzled face. As he did, Father told him.

"I want to talk with Will. You can withdraw."
"… I understand. Excuse me."

My little brother withdrew, and only I and Father were left.
Father expressly made Glenn withdraw. Fully convinced of the reason, I sighed in my mind.

―― It'll be another talk about marriage anyway.

"Will."
"What is it?"
"I said it before, right? That we would talk after His Highness got married… Enough, decide on your marriage partner."
"Ah!"

It was so much as I imagined that I bit my lip.
Still, I somehow answered.

"… No."
"So you can't decide yet. Cut it out, Will. His Highness married already. Since his relationship with Her Highness is good, news of the pregnancy may come any day. Hurry up and marry so you can father a child who will become His Highness's child's close aide. That's your duty as the next head of the Pellegrini ducal house."
"… Even if I'm told that, I won't marry yet."

If anything, it just reaffirms my feelings for Lidi. Why should I consider other women? When I looked down and slightly shook my head, Father said irately.

"Are you still saying that? You put me through unnecessary hardships because you're like that. If I'd known it would be like this, I would have made Glenn the successor."
"… I don't mind that. I should have said it before. Esteemed Father, if that's what you want, why not do it now?"

If I won't have to get married, I want him to do it by all means. I have no attachment to being the heir to the ducal house.
I just thought the title of Duke Pellegrini would make it easier to provide for Lidi if I'd married her, so I felt like succeeding it for her sake.
With Lidi marrying His Highness, I find no meaning in the status of the Duke.

"Don't say something so foolish. Glenn's engagement has already been decided with His Majesty's approval. The matter of him receiving peerage after marrying is already in progress. I can't make Glenn the successor now."
"… Then you just need to adopt a child from outside."
"You are a legitimate child, so I can't do that. Will, enough with your selfishness. You are not a kid. You know what you must do as the next Duke, right?!"
"I don't know. I don't want to know!"

I knew I was quarreling meaninglessly, but I didn't stop.

"I've only ever loved and will only ever love Lidi! There's no way I could shift my attention to anybody else this late!"

Even if she's happily married to His Highness, I can't stop loving Lidi. Marrying in this state? No matter how I look at it, it would only make my partner cry. Father should understand that much.
With a face as if he had swallowed a bitter bug, Father said.

"… I understand you yearn for Her Highness. But, you must understand how pointless that is."
"Pointless or whatever… I can't love anyone but Lidi. It's impossible. I'm fine as long as I can see Lidi smile. I don't wish for more. Please, leave me alone!"

I shouted from the bottom of my heart, but Father was untouched.

"… If you can't choose, it can't be helped. I will prepare a girl with a suitable family status. Will, I can't allow you to run away."
"Ah! Esteemed Father!"
"You're wasting my parental affection of letting you choose."
"… What parental affection? You continued to reject Lidi for years when there was no problem with her status or anything."
"She's the daughter of Duke Vivoir. But, since you were so desperate, I yielded eventually. Don't say you've forgotten."
"When Esteemed Father yielded, Lidi was already tied to His Highness. If you had done so a little earlier, I'd be thanking Esteemed Father."

I resentfully stared at Father. Father sighed exasperatedly.

"You're just running your mouth. No matter what you say, it's too late."
"Ah! I understand that! That's why! I!"

With a swing of his hand, Father interrupted me from talking back.

"… It's enough. I knew there was no point in talking with you. I'll contact you about your partner at a later date. Withdraw for today!"
"Esteemed Father!"
"I told you to withdraw."
"Ah….! Excuse me."

I bit my lip as Father stared at me.
When I left the room tormented by the feeling of helplessness, Glenn, who should've returned to his room, was waiting outside.

"Elder Brother…"
"Glenn."
"Um… I…"

He must've guesses what Father told me from my expression. My little brother's complexion was visibly worse than before.
My little brother got together with the person he'd loved for years and got officially engaged a while ago. There's still some time until they marry, but I know he spends every day in happiness.
And, seemingly sorry for being the only one happy, my little brother began being more reserved with his words when he's with me compared to before.

―― I hate such reservation the most.

It's as if I'm a pitiful man.
It's irritating.
To shake off this feeling, I told Glenn.

"For a while I'll monitor Father's office with magical arts. If anything happens, I have to report to His Highness."
"Ah… Yes."

My little brother nodded in a fluster to my words.

"―― As usual, Father's hate for Duke Vivoir is as strong as ever… I feel sorry for His Highness, but I won't be surprised no matter what choice Esteemed Father makes."
"Is that so?"
"Let's return to my room. We don't know who may be listening. Let's continue talking in my room."
"Yes."

Accompanied by my little brother, I returned to my room.
I don't want to think about marriage. Such a feeling filled me.

"Elder Brother, um… I'm sorry."

On the way back to my room, Glenn apologized, but it just made me angrier.

For the few days after I returned to the mansion, nothing happened. Every day was peaceful, with nobody visiting Father. But, that peace didn't last long.
One evening, Father summoned me and Glenn to his room and told us.

"Tomorrow, I'll welcome a foreign guest in the mansion. Because he's traveling incognito, I will receive him alone. Don't come back tomorrow."
"… I understand."

I realized that was it.
Father has the position of the Foreign Minister, so he often invites foreign guests to his residence.  So, that wasn't strange by itself, and he also often doesn't allow our presence, so that wasn't suspicious, but at this timing, I was sure it was related to Sahaja.

"… Esteemed Father. Which country is that guest from?"

I usually just nod silently, but with the information I had this time, I wanted to ask about it. Father raised his eyebrows and stared at me.

"How unusual for you to ask."
"… I just felt like it. I don't really mind if I don't receive an answer."
"I can't say who the guest is, but that much should be fine. He's from Sahaja. He seems to want to talk with me…. Hmph. I can mostly predict the topic."
"Sahaja."

―― Spot on.

I exchanged looks with Glenn. My little brother slightly nodded and told Father.

"Esteemed Father. I won't say that Sahaja is Wilhelm's enemy at present, but our relationship isn't particularly good. It won't be good for Esteemed Father to secretly meet a guest from Sahaja, will it?"
"Nonsense. That's why we need to meet. I am the Foreign Minister. It's precisely because our relationship isn't very good that I have to meet with a concerned person and strive to improve the relationship if even a little. Although I don't go out to war like you lot, I have my own battles."
"Is that so?"

Father's sharp rebuke silenced Glenn.
Father, who serves in the castle as a civil official, and we, who mainly serve by going to war, fight different battles. Having that pointed out, we couldn't say anything else.

Chapter end