Chapter 7: A Heart To Heart Conversation

“…Then, shall we conclude the discussion here? Thank you all for your hard work despite the sudden circumstances.”

After a reasonable amount of time had passed, a decision was made regarding my opponent.

They seemed to deliberate very carefully, but it was a name I didn’t recognize anyway.

Having had little interest not only in politics but also in the Weiss Grand Duchy itself until now, it was naturally a name unknown to me.

With the end of the meeting, people began to leave one by one.

If observed closely, they each likely had their own characteristics, but to me, they were still just fellow nobles who glanced my way once before exiting.

In reality, the relationship between them and me had now shifted from mutual indifference to one-sided indifference on my part.

They too likely viewed me merely as a means for expanding their connections, but the performance I just gave must have changed that image.

However, to properly fulfill the contract with the Holy Sword moving forward, I couldn’t maintain the same attitude as before.

To fulfill the role of a proper Duchess, I had no choice but to gradually get to know them from my side as well.

“…You must have been taken aback, thank you for your efforts, Lady Eleonora.”

As I remained seated for a moment to gather my thoughts, the Cardinal slowly rose and approached me.

He naturally extended a hand imbued with warm light; knowing what it signified, I unhesitatingly offered the hand that had been injured earlier.

“Efforts? Your Eminence the Cardinal must be the one truly struggling. I am ashamed. Though I claimed it was a mistake earlier, this time it was intentional.”

Of course, both times were intentional, and the first time, I was actually trying to die.

But seeing no particular reason to mention it, I silently watched the Cardinal’s hand approach mine.

As the light touched my skin, the deep wound on my palm began to heal instantly.

It was that ‘divine power’ I had seen a few times before, something quite marvelous that clergy could apparently use.

“It’s quite alright. You stepped forward to resolve something I should have handled, Lady Eleonora, so rather, I am the one greatly indebted.”

I smiled silently, examining my hand again now that the wound had completely vanished.

It was certainly a convenient power.

Though the fact that it was merely enhancing regeneration wasn’t particularly to my liking.

“…Therefore, I feel hesitant to say this, but… I hope Lady Eleonora will cherish her own body a little more.”

…If you had done your job properly in the first place, I wouldn’t have had to cause such a scene, so why say this now?

[I don’t think it was necessary to see blood right from the start…]

Well, that must be why he offered an apology-not-apology.

Let’s just let it slide. It was all over anyway.

“…I understand Your Eminence’s words well. I shall endeavor to do so in the future.”

Before he could utter anything more, I preemptively cut him off.

Perhaps because I’d lost some blood, I was feeling fatigued, and watching that man’s lips flap seemed likely to drive me mad, so I took action.

“…I’m glad you accept it well. Honestly, my heart has been uneasy with only unfortunate events occurring in the duchy recently. Still, like this—”

…Ah.

Please, I wish he would just stop.

Forcibly hiding the frustration and anger welling up inside me behind a smile, I could only blur my focus and nod my head soullessly.

To reiterate, that man talks too much.

Why does he always drone on about useless personal thoughts or emotional history in front of me?

Does he have no friends to listen to him, or has he lived his whole life practicing a vow of silence? Every time I stand before him, my fatigue feels like it breaks its limits.

[…More importantly, you. How many years?]

As I was giving mechanical reactions, the Holy Sword’s question came through.

It was a short question asking about the duration, but I could roughly guess the unspoken words within it.

[I don’t know how you’re maintaining that appearance now, but if you’re my suitable one… surely, you possess the ‘Grace’, right?]

Ah, exactly right.

Indeed, even if its way of speaking is childish, a Holy Sword is a Holy Sword.

Well, judging by its persuasive manner earlier, it seemed its personality was just f*cked up, not that its intelligence was lacking.

[Hey! You wanna keep insulting me in your head!? So! …How many years, is it?]

‘Five years at most, maybe three years estimated?’

[…Can you do it within that time? It’s a condition you accepted, but still, it’s not an easy task… is it?]

‘Since I accepted it myself, it means it can be done within that time.’

‘Neither goal is particularly difficult to achieve.’

[Nooo, that’s not what I mean—]

“—In any case, I shall see you next time. Until then, may God’s blessing find its way into your life.”

“…May Your Eminence the Cardinal also spend peaceful days.”

Just as the Holy Sword was about to bother me this time, the Cardinal, perhaps sensing the timing, finished his words.

I rose from my seat, gave a light bow, and watched the Cardinal leave the hall.

It was a day that should have ended much earlier, but due to various incidents exploding, the end was only now in sight.

It was about time to return.

Time to go back quickly and calm my mind and body.

Considering the busy life I would have to lead from now on, it was gradually becoming necessary to temporarily detach myself from my true nature.

[…Aish, I don’t know. What am I supposed to do with a kid who doesn’t want to live in the first place—]

Ignoring the muttering Holy Sword, it was now time for me too to return to my room.

It was truly fortunate that I didn’t need to carry that thing back to my room.

If I had fully ascended as Duchess, perhaps, but currently, I wasn’t in the position of head of the family, so I couldn’t take it anyway.

With the two noisy entities gone, I had completely found my freedom.

Before opening the door to leave, I glanced at the window and noticed the sun’s position had changed significantly.

I didn’t think I intended for things to turn out like this in this life, but the sudden, sh*tty situation had changed everything.

However, ultimately, this too was something I chose—so there’s no helping it.

My position merely shifted from someone drifting down a river to someone swimming towards a waterfall—

…Ah, wait a moment.

I left… my cane behind.

…As far as I remember, I think I have to go all the way to the back of the meeting room; could anything be more bothersome?

No, actually, I didn’t even have time to grab it.

How could I possibly think of a mere cane amidst all that chaos?

Well, what can be done?

I have no choice but to ask a servant…

“Were you looking for this?”

…Aha?

Turning my head towards the source of the voice, my brother was standing there, holding out the cane and looking at me.

I remember him leaving first earlier; seeing him back here again, perhaps he grabbed the cane and was waiting for me?

He’s more rational than I thought.

I wondered if he might get jealous about me being chosen and act emotionally, but I didn’t expect him to be this kind.

“…Thank you. You saved me the trouble of looking.”

Taking the cane, I look at my brother with a reasonably pleasant smile.

The kid, who seemed quite agitated earlier, had already returned to his usual expressionless face.

“Well then, shall we head back? You must have been incredibly tense today, and with this incident on top of it… You’ve been through a lot, little brother.”

“…It was you who suffered, Sister. You must be tired; it would be best for you to go straight to your room.”

‘Gosh, he says such nice things.’

Although faced with the current situation, my brother wasn’t lacking either.

If I hadn’t existed, he would have smoothly become the next heir, but because of my existence, the Holy Sword simply chose me.

It was just that the ability required of a Grand Duke Weiss was different, so it was ignored, but the ‘Grace’ wasn’t something easily overcome.

In reality, it must have been a truly unfair contest for my brother.

In that sense, well, he’s an ideal figure.

Especially considering he hasn’t fallen into depression despite losing his parents one by one at the young age of only fourteen.

Physically and mentally, it would likely be hard to find someone like that at his age.

Perhaps once I finish my contract with the Holy Sword, he’ll ascend the Ducal throne, find a suitable partner, and live well.

However, the slight question that arises concerns his personality—

“…Little brother. Do you not hate this sister of yours?”

At the lightly tossed words, my brother stops walking for a moment.

It was a line thrown out to gauge his feelings, and it seemed he took the bait well.

“…I’ve essentially stolen your place. What should have been yours, the praise that should have been yours, I took it all. I’ve never committed such discourtesy in my life.”

I am still smiling.

But it’s not on the axis of joy.

It’s closer to an expression of quietly, melancholically confessing something.

If I had to categorize it, it would be closer to the expression of someone confessing their wrongdoing.

My brother stands still, listening to the confession without any reaction.

It wasn’t exactly a good sign.

I might have touched a sore spot for my brother, or perhaps I was poking at something he was desperately trying to hide.

However, since my intention was to confirm my brother’s true nature in the first place, his mask coming off was a good thing for me.

Handling someone ordinary, rather than someone exceptional, was easier after all.

Still, provoking him too much wasn’t good, so observing the expression that inevitably leaks out even when trying to hide it at this point would be the best course.

Whatever one tries to handle, walking the middle path is generally better in psychological relationships.

“…I wonder if I’ve only been a burden to you until now. My body just had to be sick, making you come get me every time. Perhaps my existence is just an obstacle to you—”

“Sister.”

My brother cuts me off, simultaneously turning his body to face me.

This is the reaction I wanted.

Rather than avoiding the conversation entirely, actively engaging like this was easier to read.

His voice was also a full tone lower than usual, and his eyes had sharpened slightly.

His hands were clenched into fists, and his gaze was fixed directly on me.

It seems he took the bait properly.

“Sister, do you find me pitiful?”

I don’t know the intent of the question, but in the context of the conversation, it’s close to a trigger point.

Either pent-up feelings are exploding, or words he wanted to say for a long time have accumulated.

Either way, it’s a normal reaction.

“…It would be a lie to say you aren’t pitiful. Yes, that’s right.”

However, that expression is closer to anger or irritation.

Yes, it would be strange if it weren’t so.

If someone snatches away the goal one desired, it’s only natural to feel jealousy.

Just a little more, just a little more, and I should be able to know for sure.

I hope it’s what I’m thinking—

“I… find you, Sister… to be the more pitiful one.”

……Huh?

‘Ah, that wasn’t the answer I wanted.’

“Sister, choosing the role of transferor, was that entirely your own will?”

My brother takes a step towards me.

The emotion clearly visible now wasn’t anger, but something closer to resentment and self-reproach.

“In the meeting hall, pushing yourself to shed your own blood like that, was that something you did because you wanted to, Sister?”

The cause isn’t jealousy. It’s much closer to worry.

Worry directed at someone, and the self-reproach resulting from that worry.

And unless he particularly cares for this space, that someone—was almost certainly me.

“…Little brother, I—”

“Why on earth!!”

…Really, how annoyingly so.

“…Why do you take responsibility for things you don’t need to, Sister, and yet insist on blaming yourself even for mistakes? Why, just why…”

He quickly swallows his breath, then spits out words rapidly, as if emotions had been properly building up all this time.

However, it wasn’t the kind of emotion I wanted.

I can say with certainty that it wasn’t the true nature I had hoped for, the one I desired.

‘Haa, why does his nature have to be like that?’

There’s no breed more difficult to handle than the needlessly altruistic ones, so why did he have to be that type?

“…I’m sorry. Little broth—”

‘Ah, what on earth is there to be angry about?’

Since he almost never cuts me off, he must be incredibly frustrated right now.

But as someone who has never possessed such a nature, I could only feel puzzled about what he found frustrating about me.

“I hate it when you apologize, Sister. What are you sorry for? You haven’t done anything wrong, Sister.”

My brother breathes heavily, approaching me.

It was a movement closer to reproach than an expression of pressure or anger.

Not reproach for me grasping the sword, but reproach for my perceived self-sacrificing devotion to him, disregarding my own body.

Reproach for a misinterpreted intention, which was simply bewildering to me, who had never once been altruistic.

His voice trembled, his breath ragged, making him seem unable to control his own emotions due to pent-up resentment, but I just felt troubled.

How on earth am I supposed to raise such a naive individual properly?

I wasn’t a master of education, and confidently handling those outside my scope was quite a difficult task.

“Someone whose own body isn’t well, someone nobody could say anything to even if you prioritized yourself, why, why are you so deeply concerned only about others—”

‘Haa, what method should I use to educate this kid?’

‘How should I handle such a naive kid to achieve what that d*mn Holy Sword wants—’

“…Kuhk, ah. Huk.”

……Huh?

“…Sister? Sister!”

Ah, right.

Gosh.

“—!”

‘Pills, I forgot my medicine time.’

‘And, for quite a while.’

‘Calculating the timing, for the first time in a while, perhaps an attack is starting right about—’

…Oh dear.

A chill washes over my body.

Not just chills; the price for not taking medicine on time was quite severe.

Ah.

It hurts.

Excruciating pain, cold yet hot, making it disgustingly hard to breathe, hammers every single joint.

An intense coldness, strong enough to freeze everything, surges through my blood vessels, tearing my body apart.

In time with my heartbeat, paralyzing pain spreads through my entire body.

A loud ringing, seeming to block out all other sounds, tears at my eardrums.

My whole body feels like it’s collapsing, every sense heightened acutely.

Heat rises from my organs, as if stomach acid is bursting forth.

My vision darkens with the pain.

My head isn’t working.

The convulsions are excessive.

It hurts.

Ah.

However.

I won’t die, right?

I wonder what my expression is like right now.

At the very least, I hope it’s not too bad.

If I’m to somehow raise my naive brother properly.

I shouldn’t crumble so easily under this level of pain.

But, staying upright is difficult, given it’s an attack I haven’t felt in a long time.

And, not taking the medicine was also my fault for miscalculating the time.

Ah, thoughts, thoughts, I need to keep them going.

To achieve, the goal—

…But, it hurts, too much—

***

“F-Forgive us, Young Master.”

In the dark room, a room filled with a chilling, almost freezing silence.

In the room where Eleonora lay, several servants stood with bowed heads.

Their faces stiff, cautiously watching her brother, who radiated a fierce aura.

“We, uh, tried to deliver the medicine, but the knights in front stopped us, so—”

“…Enough, leave. Tell the head butler to call the physician.”

Those who had stood there cautiously for hours immediately scrambled away as soon as permission was granted, as if fleeing an uncomfortable situation.

Thus, only silence filled the space, leaving only two people behind.

The older sister, collapsed due to her chronic illness.

“……………”

And the younger brother, watching over her, lips pressed tightly together.