「Let’s continue the story」
「Yes」
「Father had her thoroughly examined after bringing her from the facility. The first thing that became clear was her two blessings: healing and amplification. Any wound heals at a terrifying speed, and her magic power is probably among the highest on the continent. The more they examined her, the more abnormalities they discovered」
「Abnormalities?」
「Yes. Basically, they did everything possible to make her strong. First, countless spell arrays were carved into her. Normally using power would cause pain like her body is tearing apart, but healing cancels it out. There are also spells that double the consumption but increase power, but amplification more than covers that. The result is a calculated, perfect strongest being」
「……」
Sorry, Mom.
You told me 『It’s okay to hate people, but don’t become someone who wants to kill others』, and I’ve kept that promise… but today is the first time I’ve ever felt my emotions go beyond hatred.
It’s wrong. It’s too wrong. How could they do something like that!?
「Halfren-san」
「Call me aniki」
「Where can I meet the people from that facility?」
The king said he 『punished them』.
That means they should still be in this country.
「That’s difficult」
「Why!」
「Because you’re the person closest to Noie. You understand what I mean, right?」
「……」
「Besides, they’re all six feet under」
「Eh?」
I got irritated at his 「prank successful」 face.
「He acts like that normally, but Father hates that kind of thing. The overly serious eldest brother doesn’t like it either. And for me, it’s no questions asked. In the end… within a year, accidents, illnesses, whatever—all of them ended up in graves. Sorry」
「No. It’s fine」
「But you wanted to punch them at least, right?」
「…Yes」
He laughed 「kukuku」 and slapped my shoulder hard.
It hurts. My shoulder’s going to dislocate!
「That’s what makes you family. The previous Argusta wouldn’t have even gotten angry」
「Really?」
「Yeah」
Ah… he’s making that bad face again.
「The eldest pushed for the marriage with Noie, but I’m the one who placed the poison in front of you. You understand what that means?」
「…You wanted to get rid of me from the start?」
「It would’ve been fine if you lived and married safely… but the old you had too much ambition. The cause was your mother and her family」
That quick glance he sent me is annoying.
「So succession issues?」
「Correct. This country is in a very troublesome spot, sandwiched between two great powers. Plus, the Noie problem. If word spread that the third son was showing unnecessary ambition on top of that? It could seriously turn into war. In that case, we had no choice but to use a method that solved multiple problems at once, right?」
Is that how it works?
But I remember history nerd Kishiwada-kun saying that in the Sengoku period, Oda Nobunaga killed his younger brother over succession issues.
Things like that can happen.
I can’t understand or accept it, though.
「…Can’t I just give up my right to the throne?」
「Leaving the country and going somewhere else… impossible with Noie around. The only other option is to hurry up and join the graves, right?」
「That’s exactly why I’m asking for another way」
「Then the best thing is to just stay quiet without any extra ambition」
「You’re the one who just tried to tempt me into a plot, and now you say that?」
I flopped back onto the sofa lazily. He snorted like he was looking down on me.
「I never wanted to be king anyway. Even with power, you can’t do whatever you want. The only fun thing is snacking on the castle maids. Small joys, really small」
「There’s a certain king who bragged about 『flirting with girls everywhere and causing rebellions』 in his youth」
「Back then the neighboring countries weren’t full great powers yet. In a way, those were the good old days」
Don’t say stuff like 『so jealous, so jealous』.
「By the way, ani… nii-san, are you married?」
「Nope」
「I see」
「I have five concubines, though」
「Eh～?」
Something moral inside me just crumbled.
Concubines don’t count as wives? Like how bananas aren’t snacks? Does that logic still work with kids these days?
「Don’t sulk just because you can only have one」
「I’m not sulking」
「Then what?」
Looks like it’s time to steel myself.
「Um… aniue?」
「You’re being way too polite. It’s scary」
Read the room, idiot.
「…There’s something I want to ask」
「What」
「…I don’t know what to do with a woman. More specifically, the wedding night kind of stuff」
「……」
Hey? Why are you standing up?
He walked straight to the door and opened it.
「You. Stand at that corner over there. You over there. Don’t let anyone near. If the king comes, great—cut him down. I’ll give you a reward」
He gave dangerous orders and came back.
「I see. You… really were a virgin, huh」
「Yes」
「Rejoice, little brother. Your big brother is about to teach you everything he knows. Burn these words into your heart」
「Yes!」
「Women are…」
Self-censorship activated to avoid divine wrath from whoever gets affected.
-0-
「…That’s the basics. For a virgin like you, even that should be more than enough. When you get better and want to aim higher, come ask again. That’s it for today」
「……」
「What’s wrong?」
「You’re gross, aniue～!」
Watching his little brother run away with a bright red face, Halfren burst out laughing.
After making sure he was gone, Halfren stood from the sofa and walked to the bookshelf in the room.
He activated a hidden mechanism to slide the shelf aside… revealing a small office behind it where another man sat.
「How was he, aniki? Turned out to be a pretty fun little brother, right?」
「…Yeah. From what I heard, he seems way less troublesome than the previous one」
「Told you」
The sharp-eyed man looking over documents raised his face.
「…He wanted a job. Put him under you and teach him paperwork. This is ridiculous—I can’t handle it all」
At the next king’s order, Halfren shrugged with a weary sigh.
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