I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 94

There is a ritual passed down in the Robeheim Family called the Oath of Subjugation.

At first glance, it might sound like a kind of branding to keep slaves under control, but in reality, it refers to a more noble and lofty act.

This ritual originated from the first head of the Robeheim Family, who is said to have had a knight that dedicated their life in loyalty to him.

However, others around them, who were not fond of this knight, sowed discord between the two. In response, the knight made a contract with the first head of the Robeheim Family to prove their loyalty.

This is the Oath of Subjugation.

This oath, forged in blood and magical power, boasts an absolute bond that cannot be broken by any form of magic.

Furthermore, unlike other master-servant relationships, this oath imposes obligations not just on the subject but also has a degree of obligation on the master.

It’s designed to ensure that neither party can harm the other freely, thus solidifying their relationship.

This matter is a necessity for the heads of each generation.

The Oath of Subjugation not only binds the two people’s relationship but also grants those bound by the oath even greater power.

For this reason, each head of the Robeheim Family is required to conduct this oath at least once in their lifetime with a chosen subject they can keep by their side for life, making the selection process notoriously strict.

Of course, the current head of the Robeheim Family, Yulken, also entered into this Oath of Subjugation with a reliable subordinate.

It’s been almost ten years since, but the vivid memory remains fresh in his mind.

‘What will Ariel do?’

As Yulken sat alone in his study, pencil in hand, he found himself lost in thought.

His daughter, Ariel, would soon undergo her coming-of-age ceremony and would have to bind herself to the Oath of Subjugation eventually. The problem was that there wasn’t a suitable candidate nearby.

Ariel had never been particularly close to those around her since childhood.

This was largely due to Yulken’s missteps, as she had spent most of her time cooped up in the castle, but her personality also contributed significantly.

Basically, she had a nature that made it hard for her to get close to others.

While she could show unexpected sides to those she did get close to, she radiated an aura that always pushed people away otherwise.

Of course, her tendency not to trust others easily did play a significant role in that too.

‘Having a limited social circle is a real pain at times like this.’

For Ariel, the only trustworthy individuals nearby were Edgar, her childhood friend and lover, along with Silvia, Shuri, and family.

Aside from a few figures within the castle she had somewhat open conversations with, Yulken suspected they still fell short of being people Ariel could truly trust.

‘This is tough, real tough.’

There was no need to rush, but going on like this didn’t seem likely to yield any sharp answers either.

So, Yulken pondered whether a fitting candidate would appear to support Ariel.

As a result, the pile of documents in front of him remained nearly untouched.

* * * * * * *

Recently, Edgar had been dedicating himself even more to his training than before.

The scheming of Vincent and Lux a while back had led him to a more sober grasp of his position.

He knew that no amount of sudden effort could elevate the family’s standing.

So the only thing he could strengthen was his power, and he was determined to put in a grueling effort towards that.

In light of this, Creed had remarked he had nothing more to teach him, suggesting that if he wanted any further enlightenment, Edgar would have to seek that out himself from now on.

That was why Edgar had been visiting the training grounds on his own more often.

“Good work, Young Master.”

“Hm? What’s up, Shuri?”

He was sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat after swinging his sword when an unexpected guest dropped by.

Shuri carefully greeted him with a dry towel, stating that Ariel wished to see him.

“Are you busy?”

“Yes, actually, the princess and the master have also decided to come soon…”

“…You should have told me that earlier.”

He assumed Ariel had just summoned him out of boredom, but it seemed graver than he expected.

With no time to catch his breath, he quickly got to his feet and drank from the water bottle Shuri handed him, moving hurriedly.

“Young Master, here….”

“Oh, thanks.”

Since he couldn’t just go straight in a sweaty state, he decided to freshen up a bit.

However, it wasn’t as though he had the luxury to shower, so he took the perfume Shuri offered and began spraying it on himself.

“Ugh, this really smells weird.”

“Is that so? I think it’s fragrant.”

“Ariel said the same thing. I don’t get it.”

No matter how many times he smelled it, he could never quite get used to that fragrance, wrinkling his nose.

The problem was that Ariel liked the scent, and she often wanted him to wear it.

Edgar wondered if it was because it was a scent that women would find appealing, making it incompatible with a man’s sense of smell.

Or perhaps it was simply because he didn’t like perfume all that much.

“You’re always making things troublesome for me.”

Strictly speaking, Shuri was indeed Ariel’s personal maid.

It was one thing for her to summon him at Ariel’s behest, but helping him freshen up was a task she didn’t really need to do.

This was mainly because Edgar didn’t have any subordinates or subjects, so he could only feel sorry about it.

Given Shuri’s personality, she probably wouldn’t take it badly, but it was still a hassle for her.

“I’m fine. Though I do recommend you consider having at least one subject.”

“True. Lady Helene has mentioned it too… but I’m just not inclined.”

Edgar actually preferred going around alone.

Even when at the family home, he hadn’t kept a personal maid, and this aspect played a huge role in that.

Besides, he also didn’t like the idea of asking others to do things for him.

He believed that since he had hands and feet, there was no need to be waited on.

The problem was that there came a time when he had to borrow someone’s help, and then having a subject beside him became crucial.

Helene knew this too, which was why she had subtly asked him before, and each time, he had firmly declined.

Yet now, it seemed like that desire had feel a bit distant.

“I’ll think about it later. For now, let’s go in.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Shuri immediately tapped on the door to the reception room and awaited permission.

Once Yulken’s voice sounded from inside, Shuri pushed open the massive door that seemed to be the size of her body.

As Edgar entered, Yulken greeted him with a smile on his face.

“Sorry for making things troublesome. I have something urgent to discuss.”

“It’s alright, Your Highness — I just finished my schedule.”

Edgar bowed his head in respect to Yulken, who occupied the main seat, and the Helene sitting next to him before finding his own place, directly opposite Ariel.

When he didn’t sit beside her, she turned her head away with a pout.

“You could sit next to my daughter, you know.”

“Since you said there’s something urgent… I’ll move after this discussion concludes.”

He thought it might lead to a serious conversation, so he shifted seats to avoid any distractions from Ariel.

Yulken, pleased with Edgar’s consideration, quickly got into the main topic.

For it didn’t suit his temperament to drag it out with preamble.

“Right. I called you here because, next year, my daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony will take place.”

“Yes.”

The coming-of-age ceremony.

For heirs of noble families, it’s a customary event throughout their lives, but for those affiliated with the Grand Duke’s name, its value carried even more weight.

Not only was it merely a coming-of-age ceremony, but it was also an occasion to formally announce the heir to the Grand Duke’s legacy to the world.

This was precisely what Edgar had been focused on considering.

“Although it’s not yet set in stone, after the coming-of-age ceremony, I plan to pass on my seat to my daughter within the next year.”

“You mean to pass it on… does that mean Ariel will become the master of the Robeheim Family?”

“Exactly.”

Edgar’s eyes widened in shock at an unexpected revelation.

It wasn’t a matter of underestimating Ariel’s abilities, but the position of being the head of the Grand Duke’s house wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

However, if Yulken had reached this decision, there must be some reason behind it.

So Edgar decided it was best to wait for his next words rather than jump to conclusions.

“Knowing your personality, I’m sure you’re worried. But it’s not a strange thing. I, too, inherited this house at twenty.”

“Is it a tradition, then?”

“It’s tradition. Hmm, that’s not completely wrong, but it’s also a bit different. You’ll hear the full reasons from my daughter later.”

As Edgar glanced over at Ariel sitting opposite him, she nodded slightly as if to say to wait, before focusing her gaze back on Yulken.

From that sight, Edgar could glean that this decision wasn’t merely Yulken’s unilateral decision but rather included Ariel’s will as well.

Although it eased his mind that there was no pressure from the family, he still couldn’t easily shake off his unease.

“Officially, Ariel will be the head of the family, but I plan to help with most of the public duties from behind the scenes. I did the same when I inherited the family.”

While not everyone in the Robeheim Family operated this way, often, deciding the successor swiftly and transferring authority occurred to establish the successor’s position quickly.

Some people regard it as trivially because of the title alone, but merely holding the title of successor and truly taking on the role of the head of the family carries a different weight.

The quick transfer of leadership within the Robeheim Family primarily aims to raise their awareness and hasten the character development needed to fulfill the role of head of the Grand Duke’s house.

Thus, a hasty choice was not tolerated.

Currently, with Ariel being the one and only successor, and with Yulken acknowledging her capabilities, he boldly made his choice. However, things had not always gone smoothly in the past.

Looking at past generations, there were those who couldn’t inherit power swiftly due to succession disputes, and those who, despite becoming the head of the Grand Duke’s house, couldn’t hold onto their position.

In other words, only those truly fit to become the master of the Robeheim Family are granted such privileges.

This also demonstrates how much Yulken cherished and acknowledged his daughter.

Taking a sip from the tea before him to moisten his throat, Yulken went on to say what he primarily invited Edgar to discuss today.

“I’d like to make a request of you. It might be a bit of a burden, so don’t hesitate to refuse if it’s too much.”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

What kind of request could be so delicate that he was taking his time revealing it, Edgar wondered.

If it was merely a matter about engagement or marriage, then the phrase “burden” wouldn’t even fit.

This meant it was only reasonable to assume that he was about to propose something Edgar would find difficult to accept.

“While you are my daughter’s lover… is it possible for you to keep by her side when fulfilling her duties?”

“…Are you suggesting I take on the role similar to that of Lord Elpelt?”

“That’s what I’m thinking.”

At last, Edgar began to understand why Yulken hesitated before presenting his request.

Given that it had only been a short time since that incident, Yulken may have worried Edgar could misinterpret his words as not accepting his place next to her.

But even accounting for that concern, to have made such a request implied a lack of suitable candidates to help Ariel.

It spoke volumes that there simply weren’t any trustworthy individuals she could depend on, capable of standing beside her.

This was something Edgar empathized with deeply.

‘Well, Ariel does have a narrow circle.’

He considered it a weakness that would eventually surface, but it seemed that time was coming sooner than expected.

Like it or not, those positioned high need to build a wide social network.

Even if they end up cutting off useless relationships later on.

In that regard, Ariel was quite different from others.

She was preoccupied with only the most minimal relationships, pouring her emotions into just those few individuals.

Edgar was a prime example of that.

The issue was though, while it may seem nice to have someone whom she trusted deeply at her side presently, it would surely become a drawback when the time came to manage many people.

Exactly like how Ariel currently found herself.

“To be frank, I would be inclined to assist. However, I would like to discuss it further with Ariel first… may I?”

“Of course. I won’t enforce this, so don’t overthink it.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Edgar signaled to Ariel that they’d discuss later as their eyes met for a moment.

She nodded slightly, then brought the teacup before her lips.

It seemed she’d have many matters to consider even before the coming-of-age ceremony, so Edgar leaned back into the sofa.