Chapter 8: Philip Weiss

Philip Weiss.

The only son of the previous Grand Duke Weiss, now two years away from adulthood, he had endured a childhood far from smooth.

Considering his mother passed away when he was merely six years old—it certainly wasn’t a peaceful life.

On that day when the snow fell heavier than usual, erasing the color black from the world—ironically, the Grand Duchess Weiss met darkness.

It was impossible to know if it was because the snow, painting the world pure white, had stolen even the coachman’s sight, or if it had filled even the black void of the carriage itself.

The only result was his mother returning as a cold, broken corpse, and Philip, who could do nothing but weep endlessly.

The Grand Duke, already not particularly affectionate towards him, immersed himself solely in work afterwards, and for two years, the boy spent solitary days.

Trapped beneath the white snow that might have stolen the Grand Duchess, he lived in the lonely mansion, sharing its fate.

Loneliness stemming from the servants’ cold indifference, resentment towards his uncaring father, fear that his father had forgotten both him and his mother.

After a long time filled only with the repetition and recurrence of such endlessly negative emotions, quite harsh for a young child to bear, what finally arrived was—

…A testament that his father still remembered his mother, and a person who would relieve his long solitude.

The person suddenly brought in as his sister was certainly not the same, but… she resembled the Grand Duchess too much.

It wasn’t about physical appearance.

The only commonality was their hair color; their impressions were distinctly different from the start.

She came from a family called Schwartz, one he’d never heard of, so they weren’t blood relations either.

His mother’s origins weren’t particularly noble, so it was impossible for their hometowns to be the same.

However, the unique atmosphere emanating from her actions.

That mysterious yet gentle demeanor felt even without words, was certainly enough to evoke the memory of one unforgettable person.

Only then could he see his father’s face.

The same face as always, the same expressionless look as always, yet somehow it seemed clearer.

His father, standing before him, clenching his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms, as if enduring something—clearly showed a side of himself he had never seen before.

He was undoubtedly suffering.

Seeing that child who reminded him of the Grand Duchess, he was suffering to the point of deep grief.

Then why did his father bring this child, the one who would become his sister?

Well, to the now eight-year-old Philip, that wasn’t particularly important.

Because his sister was, regardless, gentle and kind.

She accepted everything he said, and always greeted him with a smile whenever he visited.

When he was too shy to speak, she would always wait quietly, and gently correct and teach him about improper behavior.

Even his mother, still vivid in his memory, had never shown such a side.

Rather, his mother’s smile would occasionally shatter, revealing a frightening aspect.

That’s why he was actually pleased when the Grand Duke suddenly created the strange house rule of family meals.

His time with his sister increased, the time he could see his sister’s face increased; could there have been anything better?

The second instance of kindness that arrived was therefore truly sweet, and seemed like it would continue forever.

Until twelve, when his sister coughed up blood and collapsed.

There was no warning whatsoever.

It was just sudden; they said she collapsed while returning to her room alone after finishing her meal.

Since neither the Grand Duke nor he had ever been seriously ill, a renowned physician from within the castle was quickly appointed as her personal doctor.

After several examinations, his sister lost sleep every night, forced to drink an unknown medicine.

Dark circles formed under her already pale face, and the sister who used to occasionally get fresh air became confined solely to the mansion.

Despite that, his sister remained gentle and kind.

It was from then that he began to feel something strange about the kindness he had simply enjoyed.

Had his sister ever desired anything first?

Had his sister ever expressed dislike towards him?

His father seemed to realize it too, asking his sister what she wanted from some point onwards, but it was futile.

His sister remained kind and gentle.

But whether his sister was happy, he could never tell.

Unlike himself, who felt he had everything, the only thing his sister possessed was an unknown chronic illness.

Her origins were different from his mother’s; born in a warm place, there was no way his sister could be content living in this cold.

The only commonality was their white hair, and in reality, the one enduring more was not his mother, but his sister.

Unlike his mother who liked extravagant things, his sister desired nothing, simply dying quietly here, no different from that.

That day, Philip went directly to the Grand Duke’s office for the first time.

He went directly and demanded why his sister had been brought here.

The truth he heard was the excuse that it was for his sake.

Not for the Grand Duke himself, but for Philip, for the sake of himself who was dying day by day after losing his mother—that was the truth.

Philip could see in his eyes that he too regretted placing excessive responsibility, a foreign land, onto an innocent young child.

Therefore, he couldn’t say anything more.

It was the second time he saw a different side of his father, The third time he saw his father’s emotional side,

And the first time he realized his own fault.

It was his fault, for simply desiring things without knowing his sister was suffering.

After that, Philip became sparing with his words.

Because no matter how he thought about it, the reason his kind sister suffered so much, the reason his good sister couldn’t even sleep properly, was his own fault.

Having received so much, the only thing he could do was walk with her, just in case his sister collapsed alone.

Thus, at fourteen, his sister was still kind, still suffering from illness, her complexion growing increasingly haggard.

His father frequented the ruined Schwartz county estate for his sister’s convalescence and attempted more conversations with her.

…Without anything changing, his sister remained merely kind.

Though the Grand Duke belatedly put in effort and attention to make up for his mistake, she still refused them as if broken.

Like the snow, she embraced him warmly, yet she herself was merely melting away.

And then.

The Grand Duke lost his life during an inspection tour.

Although not a good, kind father, he was still his father.

His only remaining blood relative, the one who worried about him alongside his sister.

Though he was the only son of the previous Grand Duke Weiss, now two years shy of adulthood, the boy was still a boy, so he could only weep sorrowfully.

Thus, he endured a childhood far from smooth, and now reached the point where he was forcibly required to become an adult.

Nevertheless, the reason he still couldn’t become an adult.

…Could likely be attributed to his sister, currently lying quietly.

Sister, Eleonora, was sleeping as quietly as if dead.

She was breathing, but she lay still, as if she could die at any moment.

In the room filled only with silence, all servants sent away, Philip sat beside his sister.

That illness, whose name he didn’t even know, had been tormenting his sister for three years now, starting this year.

Even using medicine to alleviate it slightly, it never healed.

It never showed any signs of improvement.

Even summoning priests to use divine power didn’t show even the slightest improvement, let alone alleviating the symptoms.

Despite such a terrible illness, his sister was still kind, still, simply kind without taking care of her own body.

…Please, I wish she were even a little selfish.

Please, I wish she would just run away from here and at least let her body heal.

Please, I wish she wouldn’t take responsibility for everything and feel burdened by receiving things.

Futilely against Philip’s wishes, futilely against his desire to become an adult and protect his sister.

His sister was too kind to him.

Too gentle, to the point of sacrificing her own body for his future.

…Therefore, he simply sits beside his sister, staying up all night.

Because this is still the only thing he can do, he simply stays up all night.

With his hand placed beside his sister’s hand, the one that felt embarrassing to hold from some point onwards, the one he felt he shouldn’t hold.

***

…Opening my eyes, I see the familiar ceiling.

This situation means one of two things.

Either I had a nightmare about actually grasping the Holy Sword and woke up on the day of the succession ceremony, or it actually happened, and I woke up again after fainting.

Quietly turning my head, it was unfortunately the latter.

Seeing my brother collapsed beside the bed, as if he had nursed me all night, makes it certain.

…Honestly, I hoped it was a dream, but well.

The contract side is more valuable than that, so yes.

My little brother must have brought me here.

That’s something to be grateful for, but… why he’s sleeping here, really.

Seeing him here like this, a kid with no medical knowledge whatsoever, didn’t make sense.

Actually, come to think of it, it’s an act I’ve considered inefficient since my past life, so it’s not just my brother I can’t understand.

He’s not my personal physician or anything, so what’s the point of watching someone else sleep?

He’ll just wear himself out.

Every time I see this kind of behavior, I can only sigh in exasperation.

How on earth should I raise this naive kid into a great Grand Duke? This is one of the few dilemmas that has arisen.

In the contract with the Holy Sword, not only the role as the suitable person but also the role of educator to make my brother a good Grand Duke was assigned as my duty.

On top of that, it looks like I’ll be stuck acting as Grand Duke for about two years, but… well, what can be done?

The reward I’ll receive is more than sufficient compensation, so I must follow without complaint.

“…Sister?”

Perhaps because the lingering effects of the pain haven’t fully subsided, as I slowly sit up my stiff body, my brother wakes up like a ghost and looks at me.

“…Are you alright? Sleeping in that position must have been quite uncomfortable.”

Tossing out some words that sound vaguely concerned, my brother momentarily makes an incredulous face and bites his lip hard.

Ah, come to think of it, before I collapsed yesterday, he got angry at me about that topic.

Considering it was a very recent conversation, his resentment must be starting to build up again.

I mechanically started to utter ‘I’m sorry—’ but then remembered my brother saying he hated that yesterday too, and closed my mouth again.

Gosh, just being kind should be enough, why does he demand so much more?

He demanded quite a lot even when he was younger, but yesterday’s request is unparalleled in its trickiness.

Why worry about a body that’s going to die anyway, why care about the will of someone like me who desires nothing?

I can’t grasp how to approach that emotion.

…What choice do I have? I have to do as he asks for now.

“…I’m fine, little brother. It was just because I didn’t take my medicine. And uh, I remember yesterday’s words well, so don’t worry. I asked about your well-being knowing I was fine myself—”

“…Sister.”

…I tried prioritizing myself, but apparently, that wasn’t it either.

Complicated, so complicated.

“…It’s nothing. I’ve called the physician, so get examined and rest a bit. Besides, don’t you have to go on an outing in a month anyway?”

I couldn’t help but be startled by my brother’s swallowed words and the subsequent statement he uttered.

Wait, what?

It’s not even time to refill my prescription, so why did he call that eccentric old woman, why?

Of course, it was about time to discuss the medicine again anyway, but she wasn’t someone I wanted to meet in this unprepared state.

She was one of the very few people in my life who was incredibly difficult to deal with.

…And, an outing?

Ah, the Knight Examination?

“…That shouldn’t matter, right? Even if I’m frail, I’m not someone who would collapse from a single outing. And the physician has her own work to do; since I’m fine now, just sending her back is—”

“Sister.”

…My brother’s gaze is remarkably sharp.

That gaze I saw briefly yesterday shone intensely, like a glare reproaching me.

Those words I said trying to test his character must have really struck a nerve.

For a kid who had been quiet from some point onwards to suddenly act like this, it couldn’t help but fluster me.

No, thinking about it, maybe it’s a good thing?

Being clear-cut, having a resolute side—that was a decent trait for a future Grand Duke.

Hmm, aside from becoming slightly more burdensome, it should be considered a positive change.

“…She should probably have arrived, so I’ll call her on my way out. I have morning training, so I apologize for not being able to stay until the end.”

“…Alright, go ahead.”

My brother said so and quietly stood up from his seat.

The intense glare I felt earlier had changed into a form similar to usual, yet slightly different.

Resolve, or perhaps determination?

His emotional expression has become richer than before, which makes him easier to read, but if he keeps acting like this, it will be troublesome.

Having already prodded him, I can only hope my brother will still listen to me even with his previous gentle demeanor.

Changing my superficial appearance at this point would be bothersome for me too, and my brother would likely feel a strong sense of incongruity.

“…Haa.”

Clank—!

As I was sighing at the increased number of things to worry about, the door opened roughly, and the physician entered.

“…It’s not even time for your medicine to run out, so why did you suddenly have a seizure?”

She, one of the few people I bestow the title ‘eccentric’ upon, was an old woman with a face full of wrinkles.

Her hair had turned white, but her back was straighter than her age would suggest… quite a dignified, and annoying, human.

“…You’ve arrived? Aha, it’s nothing serious. Yesterday was the succession ceremony, and something unexpected happened, making it drag on. I didn’t have time to take my medicine.”

“Come to think of it, rumors have spread throughout the castle. They were chattering about the young lady being chosen by the Holy Sword; is it true?”

It wasn’t annoying because she talked too much.

The primary reason for annoyance is that her expression itself barely changes, making it impossible to know what she’s thinking inside.

“…It seems to have turned out that way. I plan to rectify it soon, though.”

Being unable to read expressions wasn’t usually a major problem.

I didn’t need to be a mind-reader, and I just needed to think a little about the expressions of reasonably emotional individuals.

“Is that so. Well, I’ll let it slide for now, but if you skipped your medicine, there’s nothing I can do for you. You know that well, right?”

However, important people are different.

People like my brother, or perhaps the Cardinal.

Since I inevitably had to converse a lot with such individuals, misreading their expressions could instantly sour the relationship.

After all, I was the worst when it came to empathy.

“Of course. You must be busy; I wonder if I called you unnecessarily.”

I extend my hand.

Simultaneously, I curl my ring finger tightly.

The physician grabs my hand firmly with one hand, then with her other hand—

Slice—

—She just swings lightly.

“………And wipe that expression off your face. As I said before, it’s quite obvious in front of this old woman.”

“…Hmm, perhaps I should.”

At those words, I drop the smile and simply wear no expression at all.

The second reason this human is bothersome and annoying is that she instantly sees through my act.

Even though it’s a seemingly perfect expression, researched countless times, she saw through it from our very first meeting, so it’s only natural to feel irritated.

Technically, it could be said this human effectively holds my weakness.

The only person in the world who knew my smiles were all lies was, besides the physician, non-existent.

“…Why did you do that this time? I told you before, the soundproofing in this room is quite good, you know?”

And, the third reason is.

“Because the young Grand Duke is standing outside. He seems like a fledgling still, but a knight is a knight. He probably heard everything, including the young lady’s sigh just now.”

“…Aha, is that so. As you know, I’m ignorant in that area.”

—because she was a monstrously powerful individual whom I couldn’t easily eliminate.

In this world where modern medicine doesn’t exist, relying mostly on magic-like powers and knowledge for convenience and scholarship, those who practiced medicine without using divine power belonged to only one category.

Those who know the body well, are those who handle the body well.

Those who know how to fix the body well, are those whose own bodies have been broken many times.

“………So, did that d*mn illness really get worse again?”

Therefore, the one who fixes bodies best here is, naturally, a knight who handles the body as if by magic.

Though now retired, her former identity, still capable of blocking sound with a single gesture, was—

“…Not that, but there’s something else I wanted to talk about.”

—the former Commander of the Grand Ducal family’s prized Elite Knight Order.

…That was the reason I found this human most difficult to deal with.