Chapter 2
Alter had openly stated his own role.
The northern grand duke, his own father, was weighing the family and his child against each other. Unable to give up on either, the conditions that followed were inevitably limited. Thus, as the minimum compromise, he was planning to send him to the most peaceful place, regarded to be the capital.
"You are not sick. You have been like this since birth, and nothing has changed even now. Didn't I tell you that even high-ranking clergy couldn't determine the cause?"
"......."
"I don't know what to do anymore. Will your condition improve just because you go to the capital? Maybe, as you said, it's best for the ducal family to avoid the match."
Zair honestly expressed his own feelings. He guessed Alter was hoping for a breakup to avoid having empty hopes. Perhaps he wanted to contribute to the family while accepting his own fate.
"...... I'll think it over. For now, stay at the ducal family. You won't get married right away, so there's no need to worry."
"Understood."
Alter thought this answer was somewhat ambiguous but accepted it anyway. With talks of marriage already in motion, it would be difficult to suddenly declare a breakup. In the end, both families would need to present a united front to end things amicably.
'It'll be over once I convince the duke. No need to worry about the protagonist.'
Alter had a rough idea of what Duke Illenat was planning. Duke Illenat would not be satisfied with just a political marriage to the grand ducal family. Rather, he seemed intent on becoming a power who overshadowed the imperial house itself.
'If he wants the crown prince as his son-in-law, he has no choice but to send his daughter.'
Duke Illenat had two sons and one daughter. That daughter was the protagonist of the original story, and she was also the very tool for Duke Illenat's power expansion. Of course, the protagonist would not remain inactive, but as the young lady of the ducal house, she could never fully escape.
'If convinced properly, I can probably move the breakup up sooner.'
Most likely, Duke Illenat was already considering a breakup with the grand ducal family. He probably saw it just as a step toward an imperial marriage for his daughter. However, because he could not underestimate the emperor and the direct royals, he was just waiting for an opportune moment.
'How can I stay as far away from the protagonist as possible.......'
* * *
After finishing his meal, Alter quietly returned to his room. There was always a maid at his side, and no one else dared to approach. Since everyone knew Alter was frail, they responded accordingly, though implicitly.
'I'll have to stay quiet here. I have to make myself invisible.'
Alter sipped his tea lost in thought. Even if the breakup happened, he must not do anything to incur the duke family's displeasure. He would keep running into them, and there was no benefit in provoking such a powerful house unnecessarily. Rather, before the breakup, he should act as politely as possible to leave a favorable impression.
'No matter what the protagonist does, I'll just stay out of it.'
As long as he didn't interfere with the protagonist, the original story would be faithfully reproduced. Of course, his own death was no longer a factor, but if it ended with a breakup, that would suffice. Above all, as long as he didn't provoke any major characters, he could get by without incident.
'If there's a female protagonist, there must be a male lead too.'
The original work was labeled as romance fantasy, set in a medieval world of magic and monsters. Therefore, there was royal rule, a class system, and unique ideologies and cultures. The male leads, endowed with fitting personalities and roles, were destined to endlessly compete against one another.
'How many men end up falling for one woman.......'
Alter, though exasperated, reflected on the core of the genre. In romance fantasy, naturally emotional conflicts between the sexes were expected. As everyone vied for love, competition was inevitable, so the gender balance skewed accordingly.
'If I don't break it off soon, I'm going to get caught up in this mess.'
Alter was well aware of the dangers posed by the male leads. The crown prince, the knight commander, the phantom thief, the capable butler, the vampire—he could not possibly handle such characters.
'I'll just let them fight among themselves while I keep my distance.'
All Alter wanted was the most ordinary of lives. Even living on in a sickly body was no easy feat. On top of that, as a member of the grand ducal family, he had no choice but to face reality and compromise as needed.
'At least I have a lot of magical power, so I can endure. Without that.......'
Alter put down his teacup, his expression turning ambiguous. The original owner of the body had failed to endure and succumbed to death. While he was still alive for now, he couldn't predict how things might change in the future.
'I have to solve this problem somehow, but is there even a way?'
Gripped by uncertainty, Alter cocked his head. Surely, the northern grand duke had tried every means possible to improve his youngest son's condition. But the frail constitution could not be fixed, and upon dying prematurely, the ownership of the body was switched.
'I'll have to investigate once I go to the capital.'
The empire's capital was steeped in long history and knowledge. As a grand ducal heir, he would be able to peruse old tomes with ease. If not, perhaps he could consult a great mage or high priest for advice.
'I didn't even get an explanation because I died as soon as I appeared.'
This was the blind spot of the character called Alter Radiant. He played such a minor role, and even the reasons for his death were not clearly described. Thus, while he knew the contents of the original story, he wasn't able to prepare for his own death.
'Will I survive until the breakup? This is really tricky.'
* * *
The woman, exhausted, made her way into the mansion. The capital, heavily populated, held frequent events and high-value transactions. As a result, numerous nobles and merchants flocked there, creating great friction. The city guard or watch force alone could not control the situation, so the knight order, wielding superior force, inevitably had to step in.
'Just like the commander said. This place is as tough as the borderlands.'
The woman, upon reaching her room, first set down her sword and helmet. Since she was in light armor, she could undress by herself. Had she been heading to the battlefield, she would have needed help donning full plate armor.
'If it's a royal or a noble, handling them is even harder.'
When influential people got involved in cases, things became more complicated. They would either outright deny their crimes or try to buy their way out of trouble with status or money. In serious cases, they mobilized their network, and from then on, pressure came from all directions.
'At least because I'm the young lady of the ducal family, things get resolved somehow.'
From the start, the fact that someone of ducal blood would serve as a knight was unusual. Moreover, as a woman wielding a sword herself, people grew even more curious around her. Despite that, her skills were so outstanding that most swordsmen could be subdued instantly.
'The commander is a renowned noble swordsman, so he's immediately recognized anywhere.'
The commander of the Setinos Knights was a swordsman famed for his exploits on the front lines. With just a few dozen troops, he had routed a centaur unit and single-handedly slew a troll. Among knights his age, none could match him, and lately, he was being called the next Sword Saint.
'Well...... that's part of why I joined.'
The second daughter of Duke Illenat, Brillie Illenat, took off her armor and sat down in a chair. No matter what others thought, she was committed to walking the path of a swordsman. No matter how much her father opposed her, she pressed on and proved her worth through her talent and skills. In the end, she participated in a monster subjugation campaign with remarkable results, and now she was serving as the vice-commander of the Setinos Knights.
'If I'm vice-commander, I get to keep competing against the commander.......'
There was a knock, and the door opened. Her personal maid hurried in and approached Brillie. Brillie simply watched her quietly, feeling a faint sense of curiosity.
"I just heard...... your fiancé will be arriving soon."
"...... Who? My fiancé?"
"Yes. They say he'll be here within a few days."
"Tsk. Why is he coming, anyway?"
"Well... to marry you, lady Brillie......."
"Why should I marry him? I won't! I can't! I'll break it off by any means necessary!"
Brillie reacted intensely, clenching her fist unconsciously. From the start, it was a marriage she didn't want—her father had forced the match onto her unilaterally. Above all, with her duties as a knight, she couldn't afford a needless distraction.
"You know it's impossible, right?"
"What's impossible? If I say I won't do it, then I won't."
"Are you going to fight Duke Illenat?"
"Fight? No need to fight. I'll just refuse and throw a fit."
"I don't think that will work."
"Then I'll keep at it until it does."
"... You're going to throw a fit in front of everyone?"
"Oh, come on. It's just a saying. I'm not really going to embarrass myself like that."
Brillie naturally crossed her legs, showing her displeasure. She had many complaints about her father, but she couldn't collide head-on. Duke Illenat, her father, always got what he wanted. She guessed he had a solid reason for seeking ties with the grand ducal family.
"Then are you going to run away?"
"What kind of runaway? That's embarrassing. And what excuse would I give the knight order?"
"Say you left because you didn't want the marriage, and just ask them to let you stay temporarily."
"Wow... you really don't hesitate to suggest anything, do you? Just because it's not your problem?"
"You said you didn't want to get married. Shouldn't you try everything?"
"Haaa. But if I do whatever I want, who takes responsibility?"
"You do, lady Brillie."
"Why do you never change? I'm in this situation precisely because of responsibility."
"Then just get married."
"Hey! Why would I marry a frail, sickly guy!"
Brillie had already investigated her fiancé's rumors and reputation. The grand duke's youngest son—weak, incompetent, a noble invalid who always needed care. In detail, he was only notable for being a scion of the grand ducal house.
"Well... once your fiancé passes away, you could remarry......."
"Why even marry in the first place! If I just don't get married, that's it!"
"But you have to."
"How many times do I have to say no!"
"But you really can't refuse."
"Enough. It'll be over if I break it off."
Brillie answered firmly, her eyes narrowing. She had no intention of meekly following her father's wishes. If her father kept pressing, she would resist just as firmly.
'I'll only get married if he's to my liking, but they're sending me someone younger than me.......'
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
It's a weak MC, and a strong and a little bit annoying FMC.
As the cover has shown, the FMC will probably go from annoying to overprotective real quick.
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