EP.160 Hasn't The Grand Duke Already Been Decided?
"...And that's how I finished dealing with that Wave Tamer or whatever he was. Then the island's lord immediately started speaking formally to me. It was ridiculous. Just moments before, he'd been speaking down to me."
"People only learn their lesson after they face consequences."
The Grand Duke replies while helping himself to some appetizing roasted chicken.
He focuses solely on his conversation with Kyle and his meal.
He makes no gesture of acknowledging his son while talking.
Overcome it yourself. Handle it. And move forward.
If you can do that, then you can return to the ring.
Conversely, if you can't, you'll fall endlessly.
'Elga was right. He really is a cold person.'
If someone isn't worthy of this position, they must be cut off.
So prove yourself. Prove that you can lead Littorio more wisely.
Such thoughts seemed to radiate from the Grand Duke's eyes as he looked at his son and daughter.
'That's exactly why he's out. What kind of family is Littorio? They handle the empire's diplomacy. They never make outright enemies. Yet this supposed heir provoked Jonathan.'
He continues to grip and shake the man before him.
His future? Why should I care? He should have been sent straight to the afterlife to begin with.
Being called barbarians was infuriating enough, but he called us weak? He must have a death wish.
And to Lady Lea of all people? Did he say that after experiencing her sincere punch?
If someone like him becomes the master of Littorio, its future is obvious.
This is for both Elga's sake and my future in-laws at Littorio.
Father-in-law. I'm sorry, but please leave this matter to me. This really isn't right.
"When we were hunting monsters in the west, children from my hometown came."
"Children? You mean those who had just come of age?"
"No. Some were barely ten years old, others fifteen."
"Hmm?"
"Those kids were jumping around everywhere, tearing monsters apart. Thanks to them, I had nothing left to hunt. I was so bored. It's such a shame when I think back to that time."
Crack-.
While talking as if just complaining, he casually grips the table.
Then one side of the table makes a cracking sound and becomes grotesquely crumpled.
Both Elga and the Grand Duke were surprised, but naturally, Yugen was the most shocked.
The nightmare from that day must be slowly coming back to him, the hell he faced.
"Come to think of it, Young Lord Yugen. I heard you had some friction with my sister before."
"Ah. That, well... that..."
"I've already conveyed my apologies to His Grace the Grand Duke. Not as my personal opinion, but representing Jonathan. However, I'd like to apologize to you again, Young Lord."
Kyle says this while slightly bowing his head and saying, 'I'm sorry.'
If he had stopped there, Yugen might have somehow endured it.
"However, I recall you also caused some trouble. I heard you provoked my sister first. What was it you said? Ah... barbarians? No, that's not it. Ah! Weak!"
In that moment, Yugen could see it. The massive flames of rage burning in Kyle's eyes.
It seemed like the young man from Jonathan might jump up from his seat and strangle him at any moment.
As mentioned before, it looked like he might tear off his limbs one by one and fold his waist in half.
And ultimately, like that woman did, turn everything in sight to dust.
"Would you perhaps like to apologize for that? I could relay it for you."
Creak, creeeak-.
He turns the fork and knife in his hands into a well-dried ball.
No one at the table dares to question why he did it.
They were all struck speechless at the sight of the tightly woven metal ball.
It's as if he's handling clay. One might think he'd treat a human skull similarly.
"Young Lord Yugen?"
He asks again with a smile.
To Yugen, it was like the grim reaper smiling and beckoning.
No, even the grim reaper would probably see Kyle now and think, 'Ah, this is a bit much,' and run away.
Jump!-
Yugen stands up from his seat and leaves the banquet hall without a word.
A startled Elga calls out to her brother, but he doesn't even pretend to hear.
The Grand Duke just silently continues his meal, not stopping his son.
'It must have been a vain hope. He must have realized there's no more hope.'
He couldn't overcome it. He couldn't prove himself.
So from the Grand Duke's perspective, there's no reason to hold onto any lingering attachment.
An heir who has crumbled once will surely crumble again in future difficulties.
As a bonus, he let them know. If that guy becomes Grand Duke, Jonathan will cut ties with this place.
For Littorio, which handles diplomatic affairs, this would be a fatal mistake.
Though Elga said she wouldn't use Kyle in the heir struggle anymore.
Kyle himself was different. Why did I take your side, Elga?
It was to see you become Grand Duke. I don't need the Grand Duke's little sister.
"It seems you're still too ashamed to apologize."
Smiling, he places the metal ball he was holding onto the table.
"Elga."
"Yes, yes. Father."
"Let's finish our meal."
The Grand Duke is utterly composed. And Kyle is completely at ease.
Sitting between them, Elga hesitates for a moment before deciding to focus on her meal.
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"So, how was the meal? I heard the chef went through quite some trouble. Was it good?"
Even though a storm had passed through the dining table, the Grand Duke maintained his composure.
He even showed a relaxed demeanor as he asked Kyle about how the meal was.
If anything, it was Elga who was watching the Grand Duke with a tense expression.
"Yes, Your Grace. It was excellent. Though it's a shame the young lord had to leave during the meal."
Elga now turns to look at Kyle who gave that answer.
Kyle who had literally driven out her brother, and the Grand Duke who showed no concern about it.
She couldn't understand at all how the situation had come to this.
"What can we do? It seems the place wasn't suitable for him. It was his choice, so he'll have to deal with the consequences."
Sip
The Grand Duke slowly takes a sip of tea held to his lips.
Kyle follows suit, bringing his teacup to his lips as well.
After a few minutes had passed like this...
"It seemed you didn't care for my second son at all. Am I right?"
Elga's hand holding the teacup twitches at the Grand Duke's words.
True to his words, Kyle had been hostile to her second brother from the start.
It was clearly felt. That silent pressure telling him to get out of here.
The unnecessarily harsh words and the chilling look in his eyes.
It was enough to make her brother, who had just barely escaped his nightmares, run away again.
With an expression that said 'this was bound to happen,' she finds herself looking at Kyle.
She had to hold back the urge to ask him why he did it.
Even if they were rivals, this was Littorio, wasn't it?
Having treated him so openly like that, even if the Grand Duke felt uncomfortable, there was nothing he could say.
"Yes. I don't like him."
But Kyle's response showed he didn't care about any of that.
He even lowered his voice slightly, as if asking why they were asking about something so obvious.
At this sight, Elga stopped her train of thought.
One of only three Grand Dukes in the empire was right in front of them.
Moreover, he had threatened and driven out that Grand Duke's son right in front of him.
Yet this man sitting beside her wasn't the least bit nervous, but rather completely at ease.
"That's quite definitive."
"He broke the taboo first. And since he didn't apologize, I had no choice."
"If he were to apologize, would you withdraw?"
"It's too late. Even if he apologizes now, I have no intention of accepting it."
The Grand Duke nods and places his teacup on the table.
"You said you've joined hands with my daughter."
"That's correct."
"May I ask why?"
"Between the side that committed the offense and the side that made an acceptable proposal, from a diplomatic perspective, it's obvious whose hand I should take, isn't it, Your Grace?"
Littorio handles the core of the empire's overall diplomacy.
So when he made the diplomatic analogy, the Grand Duke chuckled and nodded.
"Then tell me. Why my daughter?"
"I believe I've already explained my reasons."
"No. Not those reasons. From a more... human perspective."
Perhaps the Grand Duke's question was asking why he thought Elga should become Grand Duke.
It seemed he was asking himself about that point.
'Actually, there's no need for reasons.'
Elga was created to become Grand Duke.
It's natural for her to take that position. It absolutely cannot be anyone else.
From its very beginning, Littorio has existed solely for Elga.
"Because she's the right person for the position of Grand Duke."
His voice and eyes were full of conviction. The Grand Duke of Littorio clearly felt this.
After briefly looking at Elga, the Grand Duke tapped the table.
It was his habit when deep in thought. Kyle immediately continued speaking.
"Of course, it's true that Lady Elga still has areas where she's lacking."
Simply saying good things won't be convincing.
It's better to point out problems and present solutions.
"But she knows how to distinguish and desire those who can fill those gaps. 'People.' In my judgment, she has better instincts for that than the young lord."
"Is that why you joined hands with her?"
"What's important is that she reached out first to Jonathan, who had been on uncomfortable terms with the Grand Duke's family of Littorio."
Having heard this far, the Grand Duke slowly nods.
After that, he ordered Elga and Kyle to return to their rooms and rest.
"Kyle."
The Grand Duke calls out to Kyle just as he was getting up from his seat.
"Let me ask you one last thing."
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Will you continue to help my daughter by her side in the future?"
Kyle was about to reflexively answer 'yes.'
But at that moment, Elga firmly grasped his hand.
Thanks to that, he could think again about what the Grand Duke meant by that question.
'By her side, continue, he says.'
That question was asking about his future relationship with Elga.
Not as a Grand Duke discussing his successor, but as a father asking about his daughter's future.
"...Yes, Your Grace. I will. I will help her, Lady Elga."
After all, he had no intention of backing down now.
"By her side, always."