That Night, in the Main Dining Room
Garius sat at the head of the long dining table, cutting into his steak with precise, deliberate motions. Beside him, Fransesca gracefully sipped her wine, while Lady Garcinia calmly dined. Across from them, Phenelopie and Heres quietly ate, their expressions composed.
Garcinia’s son and daughter sat beside each other, engaged in quiet conversation.
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Further down the table, Marcellus and Cedric ate in silence. Standing behind them, Lithia and Meira remained poised and attentive, occasionally refilling their masters’ glasses.
At the far end of the table, Javier happily devoured his meal, his plate stacked high with roasted meat. Beside him, Liana and Gloria stood dutifully, keeping a watchful eye on their young master.
The only sounds in the grand dining hall were the clinking of silverware against fine porcelain and the occasional rustle of movement.
Then—
"Marcellus. Cedric. Javier."
Garius’s deep voice cut through the room like a blade.
The three brothers immediately straightened.
"Yes, Esteemed Father!"
Silence.
Garius chewed slowly, swallowing before finally looking at them. His piercing gaze landed on all three in turn.
Then, he spoke.
"You all will personally oversee the affairs of our region," Garius continued, his smirk widening as he watched the expressions of his sons shift from confusion to reluctant understanding.
"Tomorrow, you will each travel to different parts of our territory. You will inspect the trade routes, visit the villages, speak to the people, and observe the operations that keep our land prosperous."
He leaned back in his chair, effortlessly cutting another piece of steak.
"Perhaps, along the way, something might interest you—whether it be commerce, governance, military affairs, or even innovation."
Marcellus, Cedric, and Javier exchanged wary glances.
"Ehhh!? Father, isn’t this more suited for Marcellus and Cedric!?" Javier protested. "They’re the responsible ones! I’m still kids and i dont have any talent!"
Garius chuckled.
"Oh? And here I thought you were the most talented one, Or perhaps you’d rather I assign you all the paperwork piling up on my desk?"
Javier shuddered.
"Nope! No paperwork!"
Marcellus sighed. "I suppose this is a good opportunity to learn more about our people."
Cedric crossed his arms, deep in thought. "Fine. But I pick the trade routes. I want to see how our merchants are faring after the war."
Aelius and Athine smiled.
"Nope, Brother Cedric. Trade routes are our job. Besides, both of us are already managing trading affairs," Aelius said confidently.
Garius smirked, turning to Cedric.
"Cedric."
"Yes! Esteemed Father!"
"You will focus on the military."
Cedric’s expression stiffened.
"Huh?! But—"
Garius ignored him and turned to Marcellus.
"Marcellus, you will focus on the people. As the future Count of Armand, it is your duty to oversee the well-being of our land and its citizens. The main responsibility of a ruler is not just power, but the prosperity of his people. You must inherit not only my title, but my legacy."
Marcellus paled.
"Ehhh! No, Father...! Ummm... I believe Cedric is more suited for that! He’s way more responsible than me! He enjoys handling paperwork and—"
"Hah?! No, I don’t!!" Cedric cut in. "If anything, Heres or Aelius would be much better for this!"
Both Aelius and Heres froze, looking horrified.
"Esteemed Father!" Aelius quickly spoke up. "We both firmly believe that Marcellus and Cedric are the best candidates for this!"
"Yes! Yes!" Heres nodded rapidly. "Marcellus has experience handling the estate’s affairs, and Cedric is already a brilliant strategist! They are far better choices than us!"
Athine, meanwhile, stayed silent. She had no interest in titles or inheritance. As a woman, she knew she wouldn’t be expected to inherit directly, and to her, that was a blessing. All she wanted was to continue her business, growing trade alongside her brother, Aelius.
Heres, still desperate to escape responsibility, scrambled for an excuse.
"Umm... Esteemed Father..." he hesitated, forcing an awkward smile. "I don’t think I’m suitable for that… My skills are… better used elsewhere?"
Garius simply chuckled, amused by his children’s reactions.
As expected, they were trying to run from the title. He had anticipated this. If he outright named an heir, it might cause dissatisfaction among them, but if they argued among themselves, the answer would come naturally.
"Marcellus," Garius said, his tone calm but firm. "Why don’t you want to inherit the title? You are the eldest, after all."
Marcellus swallowed hard. He could feel all eyes on him.
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"Esteemed Father… I believe I still lack the necessary leadership qualities to govern an entire region. There is much to learn, and I fear I would not be able to uphold the Armand name as you have. Therefore, I believe Cedric is the better choice."
Cedric stiffened.
He knew exactly what this meant. If Marcellus refused, then the responsibility would fall onto him. And that meant endless work, mountains of paperwork, and a lifetime of political headaches.
"E-Esteemed Father!" Cedric quickly protested. "Look at Brother Marcellus! He’s just giving an excuse! He has always overseen estate affairs, and he has experience in handling our household! He’s the best suited for the title!"
Garius simply smiled, watching as his sons unknowingly played into his hands.
Garius leaned back, watching his children squirm.
It was amusing how quickly they tried to pass the responsibility onto one another. Just as he expected, none of them wanted the burden of ruling.
"So," he said casually, tapping his fingers on the table, "if none of you want it, who should inherit the title?"
Marcellus and Cedric turned to Aelius and Heres.
"You two are younger, so maybe one of you should—"
"No," Aelius cut in before Cedric could even finish. "I have no interest in ruling. My focus is on trade and managing our businesses. I wouldn’t be suited for the responsibilities of running an entire region."
Heres quickly followed. "Same. I don’t have the skills for it, and I prefer staying in the shadows. Politics isn’t for me."
Marcellus and Cedric frowned, then slowly turned their gazes toward Athine.
Athine, already expecting this, simply smiled gracefully. "No."
She sipped her tea calmly before adding, "I’m a girl. Besides, I’m busy handling trade routes, business affairs, and logistics. I have no time to rule, nor do I want to."
Silence.
Marcellus and Cedric glanced at each other, realizing they had run out of people to push the title onto. Garius smirked.
Everything was going exactly as he planned.
Javier felt an ominous chill run down his spine.
He slowly put down his fork and tried to stand up, but before he could escape—
Marcellus and Cedric both grabbed his shoulders.
Heres, Athine, and Aelius leaned forward, their sly grins matching their older brothers.
"Well, well, well…" Cedric smirked. "It seems there’s only one person left, huh?"
"Yeah," Marcellus added, his grip tightening. "Our dear little brother. The one who’s always so ’talented.’"
Javier’s face paled. "H-hold on, wait a minute! That’s not—"
"Oh, but you wouldn’t refuse, right?" Heres said, smiling sweetly. "After all, you’re the most capable of us all."
"You wouldn’t let your big brothers suffer through all that paperwork, right?" Aelius added.
"Right, Javier?" Athine chimed in.
Javier’s eye twitched. "Ugh!
Garius smirked, resting his chin on his hand, clearly entertained. "Oh?"
Javier gulped.
Crap.
( End of Chapter )