CH 61

After the first Lords’ conference, Bernard disconnected the communication and returned to the detached palace.

The royal decree for him to serve in the military that his half-sister, Queen Yuna, issued at the meeting was announced in advance.

To Serve as an Operation Assistant to Fortress Kerviel and earn a Medal of Honor, an achievement that will allow the Royal citizens to recognize their succession to the throne or the Duke.

By making it known at the Lords’ conference, her intention was to disseminate the fact that they had fulfilled the conditions to be recognized by the people as a Sovereign or a Duke after earning such achievements, Yuna herself explained this.

Yuna had previously told Bernard that he was to gain political experience as the Duke of Strani because his younger brother Josslan is about to enroll in the Military Academy, and in fact she had expectations of him as a legitimate son.

(She may have said the same thing to Josslan.)

Bernard is not childish enough to swallow Yuna’s words, but he still didn’t feel bad when he was told she had expectations of him. Bernard is a legitimate son, and he is aware that he is the heir to Valfrete.

When he was little, his father told him that he would eventually become a Duke and lead the immigration to a new Star System.

His father, who will become the new Duke, would bury his bones in the new system. Bernard, as the second Duke, was expected to stabilize the rising system.

As a selection criterion for a marriage partner, he wanted a woman with high magic power who would not let the Duke’s family fall into ruin. In terms of personality, he was also told to choose someone who would follow him to the new star system, which is the most remote and undeveloped part of the Monarchy.

Therefore, Bernard’s criteria for selecting women has become “a woman with high magic power who would follow him to the frontier, without being selfish or extravagant,” in accordance to the standards instilled by his father at an early age. Even if their position changed afterwards, the indoctrinated selection criteria did not.

The reason he chose Beatrice Legrand, the daughter of a Baron, is that she does not seek her own selfish desires or luxury, is a high magical woman who has two broken engagements with her second partner being a traitor, and had no other way to live but to follow the first prince.

Major General Philine Carneus issued a warning for protecting her in the exercise, but he had no remorse or regrets about giving priority to getting her for sure over his grades.

In the second Diete System Battle, which was the real thing, he played his part, so there is no reason to complain. Bernard is convinced.

The future of immigrating to the remote new system disappeared in the war with the Coalition of Humanity.

The way of life he had been told to live as a child fell apart, and without being told how to live a new life, his father’s royal family register was restored, and Bernard himself became the heir to the throne.

Before long, his cousin Leandre became a traitor, his father ascended the throne, and Bernard became the first in line to the throne. It was here that it finally became clear that Bernard, in his new position, was required to become the next Sovereign.

Though bewildered by the change in his position, Bernard accepted the reality that couldn’t be helped because of the circumstances. However, just as he was about to change his way of life, his father died in battle and his half-sister ascended to the throne as Queen, forcing him to once again reconsider things.

His sister told him he would be the next Sovereign or the next Duke.

As for Bernard, he wanted it made clear which one he would assume.

If he is to succeed the Dukedom his father had founded, Bernard, who had been prepared for it from an early age, is willing to accept it. Moreover, if he is to succeed as the next Sovereign, he has accepted that it is destined for the son to succeed because the father had been the Sovereign. Therefore, it doesn’t matter which one was chosen, but he wants them to clearly decide which one he will be.

The Sovereign, who rules over tens of billions of people, and the Duke, who stands between the cunning aristocrats, have different ways of preparing. And, if it is his elder sister, all she has to do is declare it and it will happen.

She has the overwhelming support of the Royal citizens due to her accumulated victories, her fiancé has control of the Royal Army and spirit crystals, also she is entrusted with the right to decide the succession by the former Sovereign Valfrete and has a good cause. The sooner the decision is made, the shallower the wound will be for the one who is not chosen.

Even if other things are not his sister’s fault, Bernard thinks that she should stop playing with his life.

“Would it be offensive to say I have an indecisive sister?”

“10 billion people who sympathize with Her Majesty’s position would take offense at you, Your Highness.”

“It can’t be helped. I’ll stop it.”

When Beatrice pointed that out, Bernard withdrew his expression of dissatisfaction.

Whether as a Sovereign or a Duke, turning 10 billion Royal Citizens into hostiles will have a negative impact on your reign.

“Yes, that’s right. According to my sister, I and Josslan will be confirmed as the next Sovereign and the next Duke. Regardless of which one of us becomes the next Sovereign, it is said that the side that becomes the Duke of Strani will take a form that preserves enough honor.”

If Bernard is chosen as the next Sovereign, they can claim “in terms of military experience, his younger brother Josslan surpassed him, but the Monarchy in the future will have to rule as the dominant Star System, and she chose Bernard, who is the prince with experience in governing a dominant system”.

If Josslan is chosen next Sovereign, they can claim “in terms of political experience, his brother Bernard, who ruled the MacLir System surpassed him, but because it was wartime, he went to the military academy and so she chose Josslan, who was familiar with the military”.

In the first place, the Duke of Strani was a family founded by the former Sovereign, Valfrete, who destroyed the Human Coalition, and succeeded by the national hero, Queen Yuna. Although its history is short, it has established an honor that other aristocratic families envy.

“Congratulations are in order.”

“At the Lords’ conference, I was told I could have my fiancée join me as a candidate for the next Crown Princess or the next Duchess when I serve. Your father would not object anyway. I’ll take you as my official fiancée.”

“This is the third time my father has sold me. I’m a quasi-aristocrat of a Baron Household, and I haven’t benefited from any aristocratic privileges. I’ve even received a lot of infamy.”

When Beatrice looked at him with an optimistic expression, Bernard thought of his half-sister.

Yuna, who was undesirably enthroned as the Queen, has changed her expression from the one she used to show when the Second Queen Maina was still alive to one that lacks something now.

In just a few years, the people of the Monarchy had lost a lot of things.

When Bernard returned to the palace, Josslan also returned to one of the mansions owned by the Duke of Takrham on the Capital planet.

As previously announced, his half-sister Yuna declared Bernard and Josslan to be the next Sovereign and the next Duke of Strani at the Lords’ conference.

Bernard and Josslan are the children of the First Queen, whose origin is a Marquis family.

Josslan thinks that it is natural that he and Bernard will succeed as head of the family, in light of their mother’s rank in the pecking order and the title of their parents’ household.

Of course, he understands that Yuna obtaining a Grand Duke title after she abdicates the throne is necessary because the Former Queen and the Vassal Duke do not stand on the same level. All of this was set by the former Sovereign, Valfrete, and for Josslan, it was all by default.

It would be more than two hundred years in the future before Josslan succeeded to the throne and abdicated.

With that much time, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will have been born, and even if Yuna’s children have high magic power, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren will not have enough magic power to mix with the others and push away the main family. Therefore, there is no need to worry about the lineage of the heir to the throne shifting to Yuna’s side.

Josslan, who was taught the idea by the Duke of Takrham, who was concerned about the future of his granddaughter Lysine, was generally satisfied with the current situation.

“It’s not so bad…. or so I’d say “

Even after inheriting the throne, he can’t despise his half-sister and prospective brother-in-law whose achievements are too high.

A vassal with too much power like Marquis Amakawa is troublesome, but if Hart does not want the position of Sovereign and can accept being a vassal, Josslan’s stance is that he must be treated well while reducing his power.

Those around Josslan, such as Lysine and Duke Takrham, are hoping for him to become Sovereign, and he imagines many things about what will happen after he becomes the Sovereign.

(It isn’t possible to give Marquis Amakawa a daughter like with father, so is it better to offer sister Mirabell as a concubine to follow him?)

Josslan also considers the possibility of not becoming Sovereign.

His two-year-older brother Bernard shares the same parents, and Josslan has slightly higher magic power value, but since Yuna has the right to decide, it is not clear how much of an advantage he has.

However, even if his brother Bernard becomes Sovereign and Josslan becomes Duke of Strani, there is an opportunity for a reversal.

It is a form in which the throne is transferred from the Bernard side by the magic power value of their child.

Beatrice, of the Baron of Legrand, who is friendly with Bernard, has a magic power value of 28,152.

It’s certainly high, but with an average magic power inheritance of 0.9 times, no Royal-grade magic power holder will be born between her and Bernard. Then, Bernard’s claim as the next Sovereign would naturally flow to Josslan side.

Lysine, the young lady of the Duke of Takrham, had magic power value of 36,451. In this case, even if the magic power inheritance is as low as 0.8 times, their child can become a Royal-grade magic power holder.

It is unclear why Lysine’s magic power value has jumped significantly from the estimated value.

She also tilted her head, saying she hadn’t done anything unusual, other than spending time in the Duke’s family mansion of the royal capital before her anchoring.

An investigation was carried out carefully and meticulously because of her position as a Duke Lady, but the Second Diete Star System Battle broke out the month after the investigation started, and the mansion to be investigated on-site was also wiped out, so the investigation ended.

It is clear that the Duke of Takrham cannot arbitrarily manipulate the magic power value at will, as Lysine’s sister Digitalis, who was seeking to be the fiancée of the former Royal Grandson Leandre, produced a result in accordance with the estimated magic power value. Therefore, it ended up being unknown.

If some reason why it can be manipulated artificially is understood, you could increase the magic of the child and the succession to the throne will be decisive… Josslan imagined that as the granddaughter of the Duke who owned the mansion entered the communication room.

“Your Highness Josslan. Congratulations on being confirmed as a Duke or higher.”

The Duke probably told Lysine about the part of the contents announced at the Lords’ conference related to her. Lysine, who looked excited, ran up to Josslan.

Josslan received her, and a slight smile appeared on his face.

“Thank you. Then, as promised, I, Josslan, the Second Prince of the Asteria royal family, will propose marriage to Lysine, the Young Lady of the Duke of Takrham. Will you accept?”

“Yes, of course. My grandfather has already given his permission.”

“That’s splendid.”

Josslan embraced Lysine’s slender body, which had become his own. After confirming her soft feminine sensation for a while, Lysine also puts her hands on his back.

Josslan hugged Lysine, and spoke of his plans for the future.

“My sister asked me to serve as an Operation Assistant to Fortress Kerviel. She wants me to earn the Medal of Honor.”

“So you can safely serve with distinction? Will I receive the rank of Lieutenant?”

“Thankfully, yes. She said that she would support us with our military achievements while supporting my brother with his political achievements as acting Duke of Strani. She even told me that she wants to abdicate as soon as possible. I’m sure it’ll be quite a sight to wear the Medal of Honor at the ceremony.”

In April, Josslan and Lysine will start their first year at the Military Academy.

At this point, their knowledge of the military is no different from that of an amateur, but he knows that Fortress Kerviel will not be destroyed and that those assigned to it have earned glorious Military Achievements.

His Two Year senior, Claudia, Young Lady of the Duke of Coesfeld, volunteered in October of her first year of Military Academy and was assigned as a Lieutenant. A year and a half later she was promoted three times to Lieutenant Colonel for her exploits at the MacLir, Shinkyō and Kyūyama Systems.

Having become a member of Fortress Kerviel that had dropped as many as 250,000 enemy ships, Claudia had also earned the Order of Gliese, 7th class award in the MacLir Star System Battle, and was considered to have fulfilled the duty of the Monarchy aristocrat.

If he could be in such a setup, it would be a very welcome story.

Queen Yuna, who became his half-sister four years ago, had been in contact with Josslan for a short time, but as an older sister, she supported Josslan accordingly.

Yuna is of the blood of the former Sovereign Valfrete, and Second Queen Maina is also the official second queen of aristocratic descent. Her military achievements shine in the history of the Monarchy, and Josslan thought, “I could accept her as an elder sister”.

“If it wasn’t for the fact that our mothers were different, I would have accepted her outright from the beginning. Or should I consider it a good thing that she was my half-sister, so that she could protect what my father had left me and she could pass it on when I came of age?”

“Isn’t Her Majesty an excellent sister? My own sister has been dragging me down, using our sisterhood as an excuse. During her time at the Magic Academy, she could have been close with Her Majesty the Queen and His Excellency the Duke of Son. I wish I had… “

Lysine’s older sister, Digitalis, was in the same grade as Hart and Yuna in the middle school of the Academy of Magic.

If their relationship had been normal, the Duke of Takrham would have used his own power to push Digitalis into being Hart’s concubine.

Lysine asked her grandfather why the Duke of Coesfeld could send a Young Lady they had never met to be the second wife, but the Duke of Takrham could not do the same. The answer was “because their relationship was the exact opposite of cordial”.

When asked with whom she had a relationship that was the exact opposite of cordial, the answer was both the Queen and the Duke. In addition, it seems that she was also the exact opposite of cordial with Lieutenant General Colette Listner, who is the Queen’s best friend and Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief.

Lysine was angry at her sister’s actions, wondering what in the world she had done in a place where people were to make connections.

The daughter of the Baron’s daughter and the second son of the Baron’s family ended up being the ones that the Duke’s family can’t even touch. Usually no one would blame her for being the exact opposite of cordial with quasi-aristocrats, who can be crushed by even one of her entourage.

It may be that she wanted to pretend to be a dignified queen, or that she was under pressure to be a potential queen, or something like that.

However, the two who she was the exact opposite of cordial with became the current Queen and the Duke who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Army and the administrator of the Spirit Crystal. As a result, because of the foolish sister, the damage suffered by the Duke of Takrham was immeasurable.

What would happen if Bernard’s side was chosen as the next Sovereign because of Lysine’s origin as Duke of Takrham? Likewise, what would happen if the defense priority of the Artemis System was lowered or the distribution of spirit crystals was reduced because of the Duke of Takrham?

Just imagining the situations that could happen because of the exact opposite of cordial relations with the two made Lysine feel dizzy and far from conscious.

If Lysine gets engaged to the Second Prince of Josslan, and Digitalis were to make the mistake of thinking that the Queen has forgiven her, what will she do?

Lysine’s arms, indignant at the thought, were squeezing harder.

(………… That foolish sister. Going so far as to trouble her cute little sister like this!)

“Lysine, it hurts a little.”

Lysine, whose anger at his sister blinded her to the surroundings, tightened her hands around Josslan’s body.