CH 534

Am I a Bastard?

Upon hearing Heinrich's bombshell of a question, the brothers remained silent with their eyes wide open for a long while.

Then, German von Schwarz approached Heinrich slowly, glaring down at him with bulging eyes.

"Where did you hear such nonsense? Surely, the Emperor didn't say that?"

If the source of the information was the Emperor, German seemed ready to march straight to the Allied Command headquarters to dispute it.

Heinrich knew that what he said was a grave issue, and it was certainly not something to be mentioned within the Kernstadt garrison.

But the frustration and sadness were unbearable, and he couldn't remain silent.

"When I see how you treat me, I can't help but doubt whether that's true."

"No, I can't help but doubt."

"Is it such a great sin to wish for a single word of warmth?"

"But no matter what I do, what field I excel in, or what tasks I undertake, you always treat me like this, so I wonder if I truly am your blood brother..."

Smack!

Before he could finish, German von Schwarz grabbed Heinrich by the collar.

"There is a time and place for words."

German's eyes were ablaze with anger.

"Do you really think this is an appropriate place to discuss such a topic?"

This was the Kernstadt military headquarters, where a banquet was underway.

It was dangerous and foolish to bring up the topic of illegitimacy when someone might be listening.

Furthermore, the youngest prince, who had garnered massive support within the Kernstadt military, discussing the subject of illegitimacy could plunge the military into a great shock, whether it was true or not.

"I suppose your fancy academy didn't teach you that, huh?"

Heinrich stared directly into German's furious eyes.

"The academy is a place where commoners and nobles study together. How could I learn something like that there?"

"…What?"

"And you still can't say that it's not true, can you?"

German's expression froze at Heinrich's now icy tone.

"Brother, just tell me."

"…"

"It seems like you already know, anyway."

Alphonse, who had been watching the scene, approached Heinrich with his usual lazy tone.

Then, he whispered into Heinrich's ear.

So that no one else could hear, so that only Heinrich could hear.

"You are a bastard, little brother."

"…"

"So, I hope you now understand your place."

Heinrich stared at Alphonse von Schwarz with a stern expression.

"We were never meant to converse as equals. Do you understand how uncomfortable and unpleasant we have been until now?"

"You get it now, don't you?"

"We dislike you because you are either incompetent or too competent."

"That's our position."

"So, stop making that disgusting expression as if you're upset and sad for being treated like a brother, as if you're wronged somehow."

"Our origins are different. We were never siblings to begin with."

"Know your place, bastard Heinrich. Do you understand now?"

"Hey, look at his eyes. What are you going to do with those fancy abilities of yours?"

"…"

"Are you planning to kill me like you did Cain and Samuel?"

"…What?"

Heinrich's heart felt shattered as he looked at Alphonse mentioning the two royal family members who died in accidents.

Seeing Alphonse trying to cross the line, even German held him back.

"Alphonse, stop it. Are you drunk?"

"No, but this bastard's eyes are so arrogant."

Despite Heinrich's disapproving gaze, which seemed to already have twisted into a harsh judgment, Alphonse approached him once more, ignoring his brother's restraint.

"Go on, you filthy bastard. Try it. Are the two of them not enough to bring down the royal family that you need a third?"

-Smack!

"Ugh!"

Alphonse could no longer continue speaking.

This wasn't something German would do.

Out of nowhere, Louise von Schwarz strode forward and slapped Alphonse across the face.

"Si, sister…"

Alphonse's eyes filled with terror, and soon, he began to step back hesitantly.

"You're discussing matters that should not be discussed in a place where they should not be discussed. All three of you. Were the people of the Schwarz royal family really behaving so shamelessly and without dignity?"

Just like Alphonse, German was also frozen in fear.

Louise's icy stare.

Under the Swordmaster's intimidating presence, everyone was left breathless.

No one dared to speak up in response to Louise's words. Alphonse von Schwarz was pale-faced upon her arrival as well.

But Heinrich was different.

Heinrich stared straight at Louise von Schwarz.

"Do I, a bastard who can't even receive acknowledgment from my brothers, have any dignity or face to protect?"

"What?"

Louise von Schwarz's eyebrows narrowed at the defiance in Heinrich's growl.

"Where is the decorum that I'm supposed to protect?"

Alphonse and German were terrified.

The rightful heir and eldest daughter of the royal family.

They were shocked to see Heinrich openly defy Louise von Schwarz's words.

A bastard like him had no dignity or honor to protect.

Louise von Schwarz looked at Heinrich coldly as if to question whether it made sense to insist on protecting it after having never treated him royally.

"Enough. There's nothing more to gain from this conversation. There will come an appropriate time and day to settle this matter."

Louise seemed reluctant to continue the discussion.

"Will that time ever come?"

"What did you say?"

"I asked if that time will ever come."

Heinrich's words further hardened Louise's expression.

"Will you have this conversation with me before this war ends? As it is now, everyone secretly despises me as a bastard and doesn't even treat me as a proper human being. When will that day come…?"

"Youngest."

Louise interrupted Heinrich's words and coldly spoke as she gripped his shoulder.

"Stop acting worse than a bastard."

"…"

Actions that not even a bastard would do.

Arguing over an unsuitable subject with his brothers near the military headquarters.

Regardless of whether they were royalty or not, Heinrich could only grit his teeth at the remark that it was a lowly act.

It was a conversation that could only bring chaos to everyone. They were discussing an issue that shouldn't spread at a place where it could potentially reach the entire army.

Worse than a bastard's actions.

Those words pierced Heinrich's heart.

Louise looked at her frozen younger brother Heinrich and her two other brothers as well.

"Alcohol can be good…"

Alcohol.

It was usually absent, but it was present today.

"But it seems to be bad for you guys, so don't touch it from now on."

With those words, Louise left for the command post.

German and Alphonse, no longer speaking to Heinrich, quietly returned to their own quarters.

Heinrich stood motionless in the same spot for quite some time.

------

After the feast ended, late into the night.

Not all the troops were asleep. Even with the ongoing festivities, monsters could still appear near Senkelien, so a few of them remained awake, guarding the area throughout the deep night.

The area near the Kernstadt military headquarters, where a somewhat ominous commotion had occurred, grew quiet as if the previous revelry had never happened.

Yet, there was still one tent with its fire burning.

"My lady, should we not take action?"

"I don't know where he heard that he's a bastard, but we can't leave things like this."

Alphonse and German sought out Commander Louise's tent in the middle of the night.

Louise sat on a makeshift bed, listening to their story.

"So, the youngest may try to kill us, is that it?"

"It would be strange if he didn't."

"It's certain he won't think of us as brothers now that he knows the truth, and he'll surely try some sort of scheme."

"Yes, why did you confirm his suspicions when you knew he might take drastic measures?"

"Huh? That… well…"

"You could've just said no to such an absurd question. Why did you both bring about this crisis by failing to say we're brothers?"

At Louise's gaze, both Alphonse and German fell silent.

"Crisis, you say? Yes, it's a crisis. Unable to say a few kind words to a sibling with the power to annihilate an entire army with a single gesture. It seems like a crisis, given that you've ended up in this mess by trying to belittle and shun him."

Neither Alphonse nor German had any words to say in the face of the situation.

"Isn't your foolishness already a crisis for the Schwarzs royal family?"

"…"

"…"

If they had treated Heinrich warmly, he wouldn't have felt such sorrow.

But it was just their pride.

Not wanting to treat a bastard like a brother, their pride and inferiority complex ruined everything.

Heinrich von Schwarzs now knew that he was a bastard and that those he wanted to believe were his siblings saw him as inferior to everyone else.

The current situation of the Kernstadt army was one where no one knew what sudden actions Heinrich might take.

Though she hadn't personally intervened, as the commander, the person in charge of the military, and the successor to Kernstadt, Louise von Schwarzs had to take responsibility for the mess her foolish brothers had created.

"You think the Emperor is the source of this information?"

"…Yes, my lady."

"He said he met the Emperor at the military headquarters. Boasting about being friends with the Emperor, how infuriating…"

Alphonse tried to add a useless comment, but when Louise glared at him, he closed his mouth.

Louise von Schwarzs couldn't know what conversation took place between the Emperor and Heinrich.

But Heinrich, after meeting the Emperor, couldn't help but ask if he was a bastard.

Even without hearing the conversation, it was clear what they had discussed.

"I'll have to meet the Emperor."

Louise's stern expression seemed to suggest she wanted to chew up and spit out the Emperor.

But regardless of where he had gotten the clue, the direct cause of the problem was the straightforward response from German and Alphonse.

"Don't cause any more trouble before discussing it with me."

"Yes."

"Yes, my lady."

Action had to be taken.

Heinrich and the Schwarz royal family had crossed an irreversible river.

Louise's plan to raise the prestige of the Kernstadt army through Heinrich, exploit it, and ultimately have the Schwarz royal family take the place of the Gardias imperial family after the war, had failed.

"I can't stand the sight of you both. Get out of my sight."

"..."

"..."

Louise silently glared at the retreating backs of the brothers, who had been given a brief expulsion order.

'The Emperor...'

Bertus de Gardias.

Louise never imagined she would feel the Emperor's influence in such a place, in such a manner.

The division within the Schwarz royal family.

Had they not fallen victim to the Emperor's schemes instead?

To be precise, it was almost as if they were manipulated by the stupidity of the two brothers other than herself, and Heinrich's recklessness.

If they could be predicted to be so reckless and foolish after being born out of wedlock, was there anything left in the Schwarz royal family that the empire hadn't grasped?

Louise couldn't shake off such thoughts.

------

Heinrich sat on his barracks bed.

The night was deep, but he couldn't sleep.

How could he sleep peacefully after hearing such a story?

A bastard.

When Bertus told him the story, he had no choice but to admit there was some possibility, but deep down, he denied it.

There was no way.

It was an absurd story. That's what he couldn't help but think.

But that absurdity turned out to be true.

When he finally faced the hidden contempt and disdain in their eyes, Heinrich felt suffocated.

Everything until now.

That's why it was like that.

The origin of the siblings' inexplicable alienation and hatred was rooted there.

"Heh…"

Heinrich let out a hollow laugh.

Yes, a bastard had killed two members of the royal family.

It was rather fortunate that he was exiled to the temple rather than being killed outright. It was clear that the Schwarz royal family was still a magnanimous group.

Although they hated him, it wasn't enough to end it with hatred alone.

Now that he knew the truth, Heinrich could feel how much his non-brothers had to endure.

They must have seen their actions of openly ignoring and despising him as unavoidable. It was fortunate that they only did that much.

However.

Your siblings will kill you.

Now he couldn't help but feel the reality of that message.

A bastard.

The position of a bastard was growing, and eventually, it would even surpass Louise von Schwarz's influence.

They wouldn't stand by and watch it happen forever, so they would try to dispose of him when the time was right.

They didn’t know how he knew, but Heinrich and his brothers had shared a conversation they shouldn't have.

Heinrich knew he was a bastard.

His brothers had told him he was a bastard.

So, he sensed that he would face another phase different from before.

His siblings would try to kill Heinrich, not knowing what actions he would take.

When would it be?

It could be tonight, or tomorrow, or during a later operation. Even knowing the date, he didn't know the method. It could be poisoning, assassination, or a disguised death during an operation.

Should he just sit still like this?

While his brothers might try to kill him?

As Bertus said.

To survive, he had to kill.

It was clear that his brothers would try to kill him, so he had to kill his brothers.

But could he really do that?

In this desperate situation, even if it's for the sake of survival, is it really the right choice to kill one's own siblings in a war that determines the fate of humanity?

Heinrich sat motionless in the darkness of his tent.

This place was far too vulnerable.

No matter how thick the tent's fabric, it could be easily cut through by a blade, and unlike Ellen's tent, Heinrich's had no locks or security measures. Most tents were like this, so there was no room for complaints.

From the outset, with monsters as the enemy instead of humans, the safety of the tents themselves held little meaning. This wasn't a war with assassins or spies running rampant.

The entire garrison was an all-too-ideal environment for night prowlers, since monsters didn't conduct ambushes.

"Hey."

"…!"

Just like right now.

"Who, who are you!"

A man clad in a black robe, who had not been there moments ago, suddenly appeared in the center of the tent.

Heinrich summoned a flame in his right hand, his eyes wide in surprise.

Were they acting so quickly?

Even so, right now?

As Heinrich hesitated between attacking and fleeing, the robed man pulled off his hood.

He wasn't an assassin.

"Don't worry. It's me."

"You…you are…who are you?"

But he was something far worse than an assassin.

Despite his reassurances, Heinrich was gripped by a fear that felt like his heart would burst.

"Re, Re… Reinhardt…?"

"Did you receive the letter well?"

Upon the appearance of the demon king, Heinrich's eyes widened in shock.

"Yo, you…you can't be…you're?"

"Yeah, we're friends, aren't we?"

Reinhardt grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

"Aren't we?"

Somehow, it seemed as if nothing had changed from before.

That's what Heinrich thought.

"Uh…oh…this is troubling."

However, Reinhardt's condition seemed a bit strange, as if he had been drinking alcohol or something.