Chapter 54
To implement my plan, I first needed to ask Duke a few questions.
After dismissing my escorts to a distance, I looked at him.
“Do you meet with our eldest brother often?”
When I casually asked, he shook his head.
“Not really… We just exchange greetings. But why are you asking?”
“I’m somewhat close with him, so I was thinking about having a conversation.”
“…A conversation?”
“Well, our second brother’s swordsmanship skills are good, but our eldest brother is also an advanced knight, isn’t he?”
“…So?”
“If you’re okay with it, I’d like to ask Abel to mentor you as well. What do you think? There’s no rule saying you can only learn from one person.”
At my suggestion, he started to deliberate.
Duke.
Being someone who is diligently striving to improve his rank, he wouldn’t refuse my offer.
Who would turn down an opportunity to gain another excellent teacher?
Moreover, my suggestion carried more significance than just adding another mentor.
Once the successor is decided, power will inevitably shift to either Abel or Adolf. Building a connection with the future successor is a vital move.
In noble families, it’s not uncommon for other siblings to be killed or exiled to rural areas after the successor is chosen.
Unluckily, Duke could easily end up in that situation.
Of course, I knew Abel was a kind-hearted person, and I had already promised to demonstrate my value and work alongside him, so I wasn’t worried about being abandoned.
But Duke was in a different position.
As a knight, his rank wasn’t extraordinary, nor had he shown any standout talent.
This was a period when his concerns about his standing were likely growing deeper.
His position could be overturned at any moment. If he could build rapport with Abel in advance…
It would greatly reduce his risks.
That’s why Duke was seriously considering my suggestion.
‘For now.’
Establishing this link and slowly pulling him to our side seemed like the right course of action.
Duke’s eyes held a trace of curiosity as he looked at me.
“…Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
“First, let me ask you something. Isn’t this a good opportunity for you? Being mentored by the eldest brother would undoubtedly benefit you.”
It would also forge a solid connection with the future family head. Though I didn’t spell this out, Duke seemed to grasp it and nodded seriously.
“…That’s true. But aren’t we not close enough for you to go to such lengths for me?”
“That may have been the case in the past, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.”
Especially now, when it was uncertain what hidden talent might emerge from him.
Though I couldn’t enlist him as a subordinate because he was my brother, he could still become a valuable ally.
To achieve that, I needed to build trust with him from now on.
“Did our second brother ever tell you not to meet with our eldest brother? That’s not the case, is it?”
“No, it’s not….”
“Then it doesn’t matter, right? I’ll talk to him about it today.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Of course. I’m sure the eldest brother will readily agree. But I’d like you to keep this a secret from the second brother.”
If Adolf found out I had introduced them, it was impossible to predict what thoughts would arise in his mind.
It was better for Duke to keep quiet.
This way, we could frame it as if Abel had taken the initiative to mentor him.
As for Abel…
Adolf couldn’t easily interfere with him, so he’d be safe.
I, on the other hand, was the problem.
“A secret?”
“The succession ceremony is just around the corner, isn’t it?”
“Well… That’s true.”
“If Adolf hears that I introduced you to the eldest brother, it might create complications.”
“If this is something that could cause trouble for you, there’s no need to go through with it.”
“As long as you keep it a secret, there won’t be any trouble. What do you say?”
“…”
Was he hesitating because his loyalty leaned toward Adolf?
That would be problematic.
If Adolf had been teaching him for a long time, it was possible his allegiance had shifted.
I decided to ask directly.
“How long have you been learning swordsmanship from the second brother? Has it been a while?”
“Not really. It’s been about… two months.”
Two months wasn’t a particularly long time.
It seemed Adolf had only recently realized something about him.
I needed to probe further.
“Are you leaning toward the second brother’s side?”
“…Leaning?”
“The succession ceremony is approaching.”
“If that’s what you mean, I haven’t decided who to support yet. Besides… It’s not like my support would be significant enough to change the outcome.”
“Then there’s no reason to hesitate, right? It’s always better to have more options. This isn’t betraying the second brother or anything like that. He’s only been mentoring you for two months. If you’re hesitating over that, it’d be ridiculous.”
Eventually, Duke gave a heavy nod.
“…Fine.”
“Great. I’ll talk to the eldest brother today. He’ll probably reach out to you soon.”
Was it my confident tone?
He began to look at me with a doubtful expression.
“You can talk to him, but… Are you sure the eldest brother will actually come to me?”
“Probably. I’m close with him.”
“Have you spent a long time with him?”
“Not really, but trust can build deeply in a short time, don’t you think? Just think of it that way. Be ready.”
“…Got it.”
He still looked skeptical, but the fact that he nodded was what mattered.
“Oh, and as I said, please keep this a secret. If anyone asks, just say the eldest brother suddenly decided to mentor you. Keep it at that.”
“…Fine. If he does come, I’ll keep it under wraps.”
If Abel reached out to him…
Duke would keep his mouth shut.
I had emphasized how close Abel and I were, so it was natural.
If he went around blabbing after I specifically asked for secrecy, it would be seen as a direct challenge to me.
That would sever his connection to Abel as well, which wouldn’t benefit him.
“Good. Then wait for it.”
After parting ways with Duke,
I immediately headed to Abel’s residence.
As I entered the grandiose building deep within the inner castle, the eyes of the attendants turned toward me.
It had been quite some time since I last visited this place.
“Is the eldest brother inside?”
At my words, one of the attendants quickly replied.
“The young master left earlier. I’m not sure when he’ll return…”
He must be a busy man, constantly moving about.
“He’s not here?”
“Yes.”
“Are you certain?”
“It’s the truth.”
“That’s strange. He was the one who set up this meeting. Could he have forgotten?”
Of course, Abel had never set up such a meeting with me.
Still, I needed to say this.
This way, news of me visiting him wouldn’t reach Adolf’s ears.
There was a significant difference between Abel calling me over and me going to him of my own accord. It was best to lay the groundwork now.
The Seltarion Family.
What a tiresome place this was.
At least until all the villains were thoroughly dealt with.
“Let him know I’m here when he returns.”
After killing time in the guest room for about thirty minutes,
I heard that Abel had returned and stood up.
Upon entering his room, I was greeted by elegant, antique furniture.
‘Wow.’
As expected, there’s something different about the successor.
This place was much better than my room.
While I admired the room, Abel looked at me.
“What brings you here all of a sudden? Weren’t you the one avoiding me?”
“It wasn’t me who came here; you were the one who called me.”
At my words, Abel chuckled.
“Sure, let’s go with that.”
“My reason for coming is simple. I’d like you to teach my brother some swordsmanship.”
“Duke?”
“Yes.”
His eyes lit up with interest.
“You wouldn’t bring this up without a reason. What’s the story?”
“It seems like our second brother has taken a particular interest in him. Whether it’s in a good way or a bad way, I’m not sure… but I think it’d be a waste to just leave it at that.”
“Adolf?”
Abel seemed to be hearing this for the first time.
Well, considering Duke wasn’t exactly a standout figure, it wasn’t surprising that he hadn’t noticed.
Still, it wasn’t too late to show some interest now.
“That’s right. Honestly, I do think it’s a waste, but the main reason is that I have a bad feeling about it.”
“A bad feeling?”
“Just like you, I seem to have a bit of an instinct for these things. If we leave him as he is, I feel like something bad might happen to him.”
“I see. I understand your intentions. I’ll look into it.”
As expected.
Having an ally made life much easier.
If the Seltarion family were full of people like Adolf,
‘Ugh, I don’t even want to imagine that.’
I would’ve developed a neurosis long ago.
Once again, I felt just how valuable Abel’s presence was.
A reliable companion to navigate this treacherous world with.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s not a difficult request. But have you patched things up with Duke? I recall that after your big fight, you two barely spoke to each other.”
“We’ve resolved most of the tension.”
There was still a long way to go, but the path was clear, and time would take care of the rest.
Abel nodded at my response.
“Good. By the way, how have you been these days?”
“I’ve been well. Nothing major. I do plan to head to Helena in a few days, though.”
“Helena? Don’t tell me…”
A glimmer of realization appeared in his eyes.
The magic tournament.
That’s what he was thinking about.
“It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”
“Did Father give you permission? You’ll need to use the gate to participate.”
“He agreed readily on the condition that I win.”
“Win, huh… Have you decided on your category?”
“I’m planning to compete in the theoretical category, not combat.”
After pondering for a moment, Abel nodded.
“If you win, it’ll be good for me as well. If you need help, let me know anytime.”
Now, this is what family is about.
The warmth and camaraderie I could never feel from Adolf brought a smile to my face.
I didn’t need help at the moment, though.
Constantly relying on others wasn’t my style.
After all, mutual support was the key.
I intended to repay all the help I had received from him soon.
Through the Storm Swordsmanship, no less.
Even if I charged a high price, the value of the technique would far exceed it.
That should be enough to settle the debt, don’t you think?
“I appreciate it. If I need anything later, I’ll let you know.”
“Good. If you have some time, let’s chat for a bit.”
With that, two cups of tea were placed in front of us.
Abel and I chatted about various things.
Most of it was light-hearted, like reminiscing about childhood memories.
Some of the stories were ones I didn’t even remember, but the time we spent talking felt pleasant nonetheless.
It had been a while since I felt such peace here.
After finishing our conversation,
I left the inner castle.
‘About a week left.’
That was the time remaining before the magic tournament.
There was plenty to do.
Among those tasks, the top priority was to
‘Expand the mixed activation techniques.’
Specifically, increasing the mixed activation techniques for 2-circle magic.
My gaze naturally shifted toward the library’s location.
Before heading to Helena,
I planned to maximize my power in the remaining week.
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