52 - A Creature Called a Lord
"I was an only child."
Amidst a heavy atmosphere, the Fifth began to speak.
Inside the orb, everyone from the Second onward sat and listened. Only the Fourth, perhaps feeling awkward, kept fidgeting with his glasses, pushing them up with his finger.
The Second was—
"No way. That is just not happening."
He was looking at the Fourth with a severely strained expression.
The Third spoke as well.
"I was a second son, but I became the head because my older brother died. I explained that already, didn't I?"
Everyone turned their gaze toward the Fourth.
Unable to bear it, the Fourth opened his mouth.
"M-my wife was young. Look, when she was introduced to me, she was still in her early teens. I was in my thirties... there was an age gap like that of a parent and child."
To the Fourth's excuses, the Sixth shot back.
"And?"
The Seventh added.
"So?"
The group, for whom an age gap meant nothing, began to berate the Fourth.
The Second, having lost his own eldest son, was particularly serious.
"I mean, before even worrying about whether the Fifth would grow up safely, didn't you consider the possibility of him dying? People can lose their lives in even the smallest skirmishes."
The Fourth spoke in a powerless voice.
"No, I am reflecting on it, but after the Third died in battle, His Majesty, you see, took a personal interest in us..."
According to the Fourth's explanation, they had been given preferential treatment in various ways due to the Third's achievements. No one would think to openly oppose the Walt family at a time when the King felt such gratitude.
Furthermore, during the Fourth's era, the family had been promoted to a barony due to their merits.
Because the Third had risked his life to protect His Majesty and contributed to victory, the Walt family had moved into a position as a sort of protector lord, coordinating those around them.
The Seventh said,
"Since the Third died in battle, it couldn't be helped that the Fourth had no siblings. But for the Fifth to be an only child..."
While it wasn't a matter of marriage diplomacy with surrounding powers, considering their social ties, it would have been better to have younger brothers or sisters. If there had been branch families to support the newly expanded Walt family, the Fifth's position might have been more tolerable.
"Ah, I see. So while he was called a lecher, in reality, it was for the sake of the house."
When I said this, the Fifth nodded.
"That's right. I would have preferred just one wife myself. It's easier on the mind. Besides... when you have over thirty children, how can you love them all equally? There were sons I sent out into harsh environments. There were daughters I sent out as substitutes for hostages."
The Fourth's era had been good.
The fact that they were watched over by His Majesty had protected the Walt family.
It was also said that His Majesty, unable to stand seeing the Fourth struggle, was the one who introduced him to his wives.
However, after His Majesty stepped down and before the Fourth retired, things had apparently been terrible.
"Not a single one of them could be trusted. The surrounding nobles kept meddling with us. There was even a time when someone posed as a bandit and burned down a village."
A vein popped on the Second's forehead.
"I assume you retaliated? You didn't just let them look down on you?"
Then, the Sixth spoke.
"In my generation, I managed to solidify our surroundings, and from there, we went on the offensive."
The Fifth's era—
No, during the era from the Third to the Fourth, it seemed there were few reliable dependent lords. Even so, the loyalty of the Foxuz family, who did not betray them... I cannot thank them enough.
The Fourth's excuse was—
"No, well... on our end, there was this strange family precept, and we couldn't find wives."
Because their rank had risen clumsily, it seemed the Walt family needed to take daughters from viscount families of the same or one rank higher as wives.
However, it was said that after the Fourth retired, they were able to distance themselves from those viscount families as well.
"If I'd had siblings, things might have been a bit different."
The Fourth shut his mouth as the Fifth gave him a deadpan look.
The Third spoke.
"That's impossible. You were still capable of producing children, right? I mean, wasn't the option of concubines available? You were a baron family. You could have taken a second wife from among the surrounding dependent lords, there were options, right?"
The Fourth—
"Well, you see, my wife would cry..."
"Don't screw with me, you bastard!!!"
No one tried to stop the Fifth as he lunged at the Fourth. Rather, they all seemed to think he deserved to be hit.
As for me, I only knew about these things as academic knowledge. In fact, when my own engagement was decided, it was in the absurd state of being picked randomly from a dependent lord because I had reached the appropriate age.
I was in no position to care, so I had no time to think about marriage.
How to get my parents to notice me... that was all I thought about.
The Second took control of the situation.
"Leaving the Fifth to beat up the Fourth aside, so you created ties with the surrounding houses. Marrying relatives to those around you, or sending them in as adopted sons or sons-in-law... if the bloodline is solid, the other party would be happy."
Having a well-educated spouse with a good bloodline probably benefited the surrounding dependent lords as well. It wasn't without problems, but even so, the Walt family, which had no allies around it, managed to build a solid foundation.
The Sixth said,
"They all had solid bloodlines. The problem was that he seemed to collect women whose families were on the verge of collapse or had been abolished, for whom the individuals themselves were blameless. He investigated them, called them over... no amount of money would have been enough."
It seemed he spent a great deal of money, but the contents of the Fourth's vault apparently held out. Just how much had he hoarded?
The Fifth, out of breath, sat in a chair. The Fourth readjusted his glasses and sat in a chair. His clothes were tattered, but he didn't seem to be injured.
(I guess they aren't exactly flesh and blood.)
Inside the orb—I am in a state where I have brought only my consciousness to this place.
And the ancestors were, fundamentally, memories. However, they were based on the premise that their hearts had been remembered as well.
(Just how did they make an orb like this?)
If it were just a matter of remembering skills, such a method wouldn't have been necessary. For me, it's fine since I can hear the stories of the successive heads, but for an ordinary person, it would be enough to drive them insane.
I've almost gone insane a few times myself. When was the last time I experienced the embarrassing ordeal of being teased by my own family?
"I had no affection for any of them. I declared that all I wanted was for them to produce children."
The Fifth spoke, sounding a bit sad.
I thought he was a cold person, but it seemed he had his own thoughts on the matter.
And then—
"Then the eldest son became a delinquent, the sibling rivalry never ended... my only solace was my pets."
"Um, I think the Fifth just broke."
I remembered an incident in Darion.
There had been a monster in the form of a rabbit.
When we were defeating that monster, the one who had shouted and stepped in to stop us was the Fifth. Just as I was thinking he had an unexpected hobby, the Sixth, who had been called a delinquent, shot back.
"If you have over thirty younger brothers and sisters around you, you're bound to go astray! Moreover, he loved pets more than his children... do you know, Lariel?"
"Know what?"
"The Fifth kept a divine beast called a young Kirin."
Then, the Fifth spoke.
"Hey, don't say I 'kept' it. They were my family!"
The Third said,
"Value your own family first."
I put my hand on my chin and recalled.
A Kirin—a horse with scales and a horn. They were also called dragon-horses, but because they were different from monsters, they were called divine beasts.
Until magic tools were born, divine beasts were an object of longing even for nobles. It was even said that the Kirin, which could gallop through the sky, brought prosperity to the clan that possessed one.
There were even knights who fought duels wagering a Kirin.
The Fifth, who possessed such a Kirin—
"Wait? But if it was young, it's strange that it wasn't around when I was at the mansion, right? I've heard divine beasts live a long time."
Divine beasts normally live for one hundred or two hundred years. The Fifth, who had kept... no, raised such a divine beast, smiled.
"It was injured... once I treated it and it regained its strength, I returned it to nature. Its herd mates came to fetch it... at the end, it looked back at me with such reluctance... even though I told it to go on, it kept worrying about me."
As the Fifth began to cry, everyone else looked at him with utter disgust.
The Sixth yelled.
"Do you understand how I felt! The feeling when I expected a father who raised a divine beast, only to be told 'I returned it to nature' out of nowhere! He could have presented it to the royal family! Just possessing it would have been enough!"
That's how rare a Kirin was. It surely would have benefited the Walt family, he thought—
I was equally disgusted by the Sixth's way of thinking.
The Fourth looked at the Fifth and said,
"You... are the worst."
"You're one to talk!!!"
"It's all your fault!!!"
Watching the Fourth through the Sixth argue, I whispered to the Seventh, who was next to me.
"So, who is actually at fault here?"
"...I don't want to say it, but the deceased Third also bears responsibility. Thanks to that man, the Walt family left its name in history, but at the same time, the rank rose suddenly and the scale of the house grew. Well, if you ask who is at fault... it's everyone."
Parents leave problems for their children to solve.
The successive heads had put that into practice.
Watching them made me feel sad, but at the same time—
"I see. There are problems in every era."
"Indeed. There were many problems in my time as well. ...You're taking it easy, but from the Walt family's perspective, you're right in the middle of a huge problem."
Told this by the Seventh, I tilted my head, wondering if that were true.
The Second, with an exasperated expression because I didn't understand, said to me,
"Lariel, you were merely kicked out of the house, but the Walt family is in a state of holding a bomb called Celes... that's a huge problem."
Hearing that, I was convinced. There are things I cannot see for myself.
(...But isn't it fine to just leave Celes alone? I'm leaving the country anyway.)
Is my thinking too naive?
Having challenged the labyrinth of Alamsars, I had Aria, Novem, and Clara with me.
This time, we had planned a three-day, two-night trip to see how far the four of us could go.
"Lariel-san, a group of adventurers is following us from behind."
"Eh? Why?"
When I listened closely, I could hear footsteps from behind, just as Clara said.
"Perhaps they think we are taking the shortest route? In fact, you conquered the fortieth underground floor in less than a week. It wouldn't be strange for them to think you possess such a skill."
I didn't feel very good about it.
Following someone from behind is a breach of etiquette to begin with.
Even if I questioned the people doing it, it was obvious they would make the excuse that the path they happened to choose was the same.
Moreover, if they followed behind us, they could avoid combat.
That is a behavior loathed within the labyrinth.
Aria spoke up.
"What are we going to do? We're investigating how far the four of us can go this time, right? Should we tell them we don't have skills?"
Then, Clara shook her head.
"It is safer not to involve ourselves with adventurers who breach etiquette. In the worst case, they might even attack us."
Adventurers killing each other in the labyrinth.
It was a story I had heard often. There were certainly people who waited for adventurers returning after defeating monsters to steal their earnings.
However, for adventurers who went deep underground—
They often ended up being the ones defeated.
While I was worrying about the rear, Novem raised their voice.
"Lariel-sama, footsteps from ahead."
I immediately took the mace hanging at my waist in hand and looked forward. Clara was illuminating the way, but from the depths, it only looked like a few monsters were moving.
The number wasn't clear, and more than that, I couldn't confirm what kind of opponents they were.
(To think I'd become this anxious just because I don't have skills.)
What kind of magic should I have Novem prepare? Should I have Aria step forward, or have her wait and leave the finishing blow to her?
Even if I were to judge instantaneously, I couldn't make a decision until the enemy drew closer.
Around the time the enemy's form became visible, I gave instructions.
"Novem, blow them away with wind. Aria, move forward once Novem uses the magic! Clara, stand by."
I gave the orders, but the party's movements felt sluggish. The amount of luggage each person carried was also large. There was a limit to how much Clara alone could carry. At the same time, collecting monster materials and magic stones was Clara's job.
We couldn't afford to have the luggage full from the start.
"W-wait a second!"
Then, Aria jumped out first.
"What are you doing!"
As I said that, I signaled Novem with my hand to interrupt the use of magic. I had Novem enter as Clara's guard, and I stepped forward with Aria.
Aria made an excuse while swinging her spear.
"I was the one who stepped forward against the same opponent earlier!"
"That was because I was late in noticing! Now we had time to let Novem prepare the magic!"
As my tone grew harsh from panic, Aria's movements slowed.
It seemed she felt she had been yelled at and shrank back. Since I had no time to say I wasn't angry, I dealt with the enemy myself.
Fighting alone was no problem, but doing so while giving orders was entirely different.
(To think there's such a difference between planning a strategy in advance and giving instructions on the spot...)
Because I had become too accustomed to it, I felt considerable inconvenience without skills.
The monster before me held a shield and an axe that looked as if they had been made by cutting out metal plates.
It was a Goblin, but since it wore a helmet, dealing with it was a pain.
When I punched it away with my grown strength, the Goblin flew into the depths of the passage along with its shield. However, I didn't finish it off.
(A saber would be better for this! But I didn't bring one this time because it would be luggage... Aaaah! Seriously!!)
Suppressing the urge to yell, I swung the mace, and this time it collided with the tip of the spear Aria had swung up diagonally.
"What the hell are you doing!"
"It's not my fault!"
Aria shot back, but her voice sounded as if it were trembling.
(This is no good. I'm losing my composure.)
How much I had been benefiting from skills... I was feeling that with every battle.
After shaking off the party that had followed us, we found a room and entered a break, sitting in awkward positions.
I felt like we were closer before, but Aria was keeping her distance.
Seeing this, Clara spoke to me.
In the room dimly lit by the lantern's light, Novem was keeping watch. Aria, who was sitting, had her eyes closed, perhaps exhausted.
"That last battle was problematic."
"...I had no composure. It's an excuse, but my thinking was naive."
"No, I didn't mean it in that sense. The party's coordination is one thing, but it's mainly the human relationships."
When Clara said that, I tilted my head.
"Is there some problem? I apologized to Aria after that, and after that, it was fine."
Just as I was about to say nothing happened, Clara looked at me with a deadpan gaze even more intense than usual.
"Do you not understand?"
"...I don't."
I tried to argue back, but since I really didn't understand, I decided to ask Clara. Then, Clara looked at Novem.
"Basically, this is a party where Lariel-san is the leader."
"Eh, it's been that way from the start."
Clara took off her glasses and began to wipe away the dirt. Then, she explained to me.
"Even when we say 'leader' in a party, there are various types. The type who gives instructions from the back. The type who charges in at the vanguard. The type who responds flexibly in the mid-line. Lariel-san is the mid-line type. You can handle any position, and you are a capable leader who can excel wherever you are."
Seeing me blush at those words, Clara continued her explanation matter-of-factly.
"...Do you realize that you are handling the vanguard more than Aria-san is? Aria-san is excellent. If she gains experience for another two... no, even one year, I think she will grow significantly. Her movements in the labyrinth are also improving."
Clara said "however," and put on her glasses, staring at me with a serious expression.
"She feels a sense of inferiority because Lariel-san and Novem-san are nearby. It's serious. Even when she tries not to make mistakes, she makes them, and Lariel-san or Novem-san provides the follow-up. 'Am I even needed?' It's natural to think that."
"No, but that's..."
"Basically, if Lariel-san weren't at the center, this party would have disbanded. The relationship between the women isn't very good."
Hearing that, I shook my head.
"That's not true. I mean, they don't even fight at the mansion."
Hearing that, Clara seemed convinced. She told me about the parties she had seen until now.
"The parties I previously assisted were people who said what they wanted to say. 'The coordination was bad here.' 'How was I?' 'Let's try a different pattern next time...' They had those kinds of conversations during breaks. Even when they met outside, they fought. They were facing their work seriously."
Hearing Clara's story, I fell silent.
A party centered around me... that was certainly true. But it was also a party that wouldn't function without me.
Until now, those aspects had been hidden thanks to the skills. Now that I can no longer fulfill the role of a perfect commander, the party is ceasing to function.
(Was I hindering Aria's growth with the ancestors' skills?)
Companions who do not judge for themselves—
Aria is likely confused, moving from a state where she only had to listen to what I said to a state where she must judge for herself.
I had forgotten because Novem had adapted.
"Lariel-san, why don't you first try talking among your companions? What you can do, what you lack... it's important to see that from another person's perspective."
I felt as if I had been taught something important by Clara.
Remembering the ancestors from last time, I found myself wishing I had received advice like this.