The Useless Extra Knows It All....But Does He?

Chapter 467: Chapter 466 - I Need You!

The morning atmosphere surrounding the grand noble estate carried an air of dignity that had been cultivated over centuries.

The first rays of sunlight spilled across sprawling gardens carefully maintained by generations of gardeners, illuminating fountains carved from white stone and pathways lined with ancient trees. The estate itself stood proudly at the center of the grounds, a magnificent structure of red and white marble whose towering spires and expansive wings spoke of both wealth and power.

Servants had already begun their duties long before sunrise.

Maids moved gracefully through the corridors carrying trays of breakfast and stacks of documents while attendants coordinated the countless responsibilities required to maintain an estate of such scale. Guards stood at every entrance in polished armor, their expressions disciplined and vigilant, while knights patrolled the grounds with swords hanging at their waists and spears resting against their shoulders.

Every movement carried purpose.

Every action reflected centuries of tradition.

The entire estate felt less like a residence and more like a living institution.

And within its walls—

An argument was taking place.

"You don’t understand it."

The deep voice echoed throughout an expansive study lined with towering bookshelves and decorated with banners bearing the family’s crest.

Sunlight streamed through enormous windows behind a massive wooden desk.

Standing behind that desk was an older man whose very presence seemed capable of filling the room.

His hair was a deep crimson touched lightly by age.

A neatly maintained beard framed a stern face weathered by decades of responsibility.

Despite his years, his posture remained perfectly straight, while the broad shoulders and bear-like physique hidden beneath noble attire made it immediately obvious that he had once been a terrifying warrior.

His burning eyes remained fixed upon the two people standing opposite him.

Neither appeared particularly intimidated.

The first was a young woman with flowing crimson hair and striking violet eyes.

Her expression carried unmistakable determination.

The second was a red-haired young man whose crimson eyes currently held more exhaustion than enthusiasm.

Aurelia stood with her arms crossed.

Kyle stood beside her.

And neither appeared willing to back down.

The older man sighed heavily.

"I am not making this decision because I favor one of you over the other."

Aurelia immediately responded.

"Then what exactly is the reason?"

The old man’s gaze shifted toward her.

"The reason is responsibility."

Aurelia’s expression hardened.

"That is not an answer."

"It is the only answer that matters."

The room fell silent briefly.

Then Kyle finally spoke.

Unlike his sister, his voice carried more confusion than defiance.

"Grandfather."

The old man looked toward him.

Kyle rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why is this suddenly becoming urgent now?"

His brows furrowed.

"For years nobody spoke about determining the successor so soon, "

He gestured lightly between himself and Aurelia.

"Nobody pushed either of us toward becoming the next family head."

His gaze narrowed slightly.

"But now suddenly we’re having meetings every other day about inheritance, succession rights, political support, and future leadership."

Kyle shook his head.

"I don’t understand why this has become such a pressing issue."

The old man’s expression remained unreadable.

For several moments, he simply studied his son.

Then he slowly leaned back in his chair.

"Because circumstances change."

The answer immediately annoyed Aurelia.

"That explains absolutely nothing."

"It explains enough."

"No."

Her violet eyes narrowed.

"It doesn’t."

The older man remained calm despite her frustration.

Aurelia, meanwhile, showed no intention of yielding.

"Every time we ask for a reason, we receive the same vague answers."

Her voice remained controlled.

Yet the emotion beneath it was unmistakable.

"You keep speaking about responsibility."

"You keep speaking about preparation."

"You keep speaking about the future."

She took a step forward.

"But nobody explains why."

The room became silent again.

Kyle glanced between the two of them before quietly muttering—

"Here we go again."

Neither paid him any attention.

The old man’s gaze remained fixed on Aurelia.

"You wish to lead this family."

It was not a question.

Aurelia nodded immediately.

"Yes."

The answer came without hesitation.

Without uncertainty.

Without doubt.

The older man studied her carefully.

"You understand what that means?"

"I do."

"You understand the responsibilities?"

"I do."

"You understand the political consequences?"

"I do."

The old man sighed.

"You always answer too quickly."

Aurelia’s expression remained stubborn.

"Because my answer hasn’t changed."

For several moments, father and daughter simply stared at one another.

Then Kyle raised a hand.

Both immediately ignored him.

Kyle lowered it.

Then raised it again.

"I feel like I should point out—"

This time Aurelia interrupted him.

"You are part of the problem."

Kyle blinked.

"What did I do?"

Aurelia looked genuinely offended.

"The fact that you keep existing."

Kyle stared.

The old man pinched the bridge of his nose.

Meanwhile Aurelia continued.

"If you would stop being the only son in this family, half of these discussions would disappear."

Kyle looked horrified.

"I am fairly certain that’s not something I can control."

The old man actually laughed.

A short laugh.

Brief.

But genuine.

Unfortunately, Aurelia remained entirely serious.

The older man’s amusement quickly faded.

His gaze shifted toward Kyle.

"And yet, regardless of your personal wishes, the reality remains unchanged."

Kyle immediately understood where this was heading.

And visibly disliked it.

The old man continued.

"You are the only direct male heir."

Kyle groaned.

"There it is."

The older man’s expression remained firm.

"That matters."

"It shouldn’t."

"It does."

Kyle spread his arms dramatically.

"Why?"

The old man looked at him as though the answer were obvious.

"Because whether you like it or not, the majority of the family elders support your succession."

Kyle looked personally betrayed by this information despite already knowing it.

"They support me because I happen to exist."

"They support you because tradition favors you."

"Which is ridiculous."

Aurelia immediately nodded.

"Finally something intelligent has left your mouth."

Kyle pointed toward her.

"See? Even Aurelia agrees."

The old man remained unimpressed.

"You are both looking at this emotionally."

"And you’re not?" Aurelia asked.

The question lingered in the room.

The older man paused.

Only briefly.

Yet both siblings noticed it.

His expression hardened slightly.

Then he looked directly toward Aurelia.

"No."

The answer sounded calm.

Too calm.

Measured.

Deliberate.

The answer of someone hiding more than they wished to reveal.

And somehow—

The atmosphere within the grand study remained heavy long after the conversation had reached its conclusion.

Sunlight continued filtering through the enormous windows while servants and attendants moved quietly throughout the estate beyond the walls, yet none of that seemed capable of dispelling the tension lingering inside the room.

The Duke stood silently behind his desk.

His crimson hair and beard appeared almost aflame beneath the morning light while his violet eyes remained fixed upon the two grandchildren standing before him.

Neither Aurelia nor Kyle spoke.

Both understood what was coming.

The discussion had already stretched far beyond its original purpose.

Arguments had been made.

Objections had been raised.

Positions had been stated.

Yet in the end—

There remained only one person whose decision truly mattered.

The Duke released a long breath.

Then his voice echoed throughout the room.

"I have heard enough."

The statement immediately caused the atmosphere to stiffen.

Kyle straightened instinctively.

Aurelia remained motionless.

The older man looked first toward his grandson.

Then toward his granddaughter.

His expression revealed little.

Yet his words carried the weight of authority built through decades of leadership.

"The matter will proceed as discussed."

Aurelia’s jaw tightened.

Kyle looked equally dissatisfied.

Yet neither interrupted.

The Duke continued.

"The family elders will be informed."

"The preparations will begin."

"And until further notice, neither of you will involve yourselves in unnecessary disputes regarding this matter."

His gaze sharpened slightly.

"That is my decision."

Silence followed.

Neither Kyle nor Aurelia objected.

Not because they agreed.

Because they knew it would accomplish nothing.

The Duke had already decided.

And once he reached a decision, changing his mind was comparable to convincing a mountain to move.

The old man studied them briefly before nodding.

Then he turned and walked toward the exit.

The large doors opened.

Closed.

And just like that—

The room became silent.

Truly silent.

The sort of silence that only appeared after an argument had ended without anyone feeling satisfied.

Neither sibling moved immediately.

Neither spoke.

The ticking of a distant clock seemed unusually loud.

Then finally—

Kyle broke the silence.

"You know..."

His voice echoed softly throughout the room.

Aurelia already disliked that tone.

Slowly, she turned toward him.

Kyle stood with his arms crossed while looking at her suspiciously.

The expression on his face was not angry.

Nor frustrated.

Mostly confused.

Which somehow made the situation worse.

After several moments, he sighed.

"I never knew you had such a problem with my existence."

Aurelia blinked.

Then froze.

The memory of her earlier statement immediately resurfaced.

The fact that you keep existing.

Her expression changed instantly.

Kyle pointed accusingly.

"See?"

Aurelia groaned internally.

"That is not what I meant."

"It sounded exactly like what you meant."

"It wasn’t."

Kyle looked deeply unconvinced.

"You literally said my existence was the problem."

"I was speaking politically."

"You did not specify politically."

Kyle placed a hand over his chest.

"Thank you for coping with my existence."

As he left, slamming the door.

Aurelia pinched the bridge of her nose.

A headache was beginning to form.

Aurelia stood motionless for several moments.

Then slowly walked toward the enormous windows overlooking the estate grounds.

The view stretched far into the distance.

Gardens.

Forests.

Mountains.

And somewhere beyond those distant horizons—

Arcadia Academy.

A small smile appeared on her face.

Melancholy.

Soft.

The kind of smile that appeared when thinking about someone important.

The argument with her grandfather lingered within her thoughts.

The succession dispute.

The family expectations.

The responsibilities waiting ahead.

All of it felt heavier than before.

For perhaps the first time since arriving home, she allowed herself to admit something.

She was tired.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

The constant pressure.

The expectations.

The endless political considerations.

The feeling of constantly needing to prove herself.

It was exhausting.

Her violet eyes drifted toward the distant horizon.

Toward the academy.

Toward a certain violet-haired young man who was completely unaware of what was happening.

Aurelia released a quiet breath.

Then smiled faintly.

And in the privacy of the empty study, where nobody else could hear her—

She whispered softly.

"...I need you."

The words disappeared into the morning sunlight.

Yet somehow—

They felt heavier than any argument that had taken place that day.