### Chapter 50: Servant Cedric (16) – Familial Affection
After Cedric had left, an eerie silence flowed through the garden like that of hell.
The Marquis Redbell remained motionless, lost in deep thought for a long time.
One of the retainers, cautiously exchanging glances with others and gauging the Marquis’s mood, finally stepped forward and spoke.
“My Lord, should we not punish that man’s insolence?”
The Marquis Redbell was one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, easily ranking among the top three.
Even the princes of this nation dared not be overly disrespectful and had to tread carefully around him. Yet, Cedric, a mere servant, had said something audacious.
Even if one were to consider that sometimes it’s noble to forgive the ignorant, Cedric had crossed the line by a long stretch.
Had it not been for the Marquis’s extreme dislike of his subordinates taking arbitrary actions “for his sake,” the retainers under the Marquis would have already punished Cedric themselves.
“Insolence, you say… Yes, he was rather presumptuous.”
“Then…”
“It is settled. Leave him be.”
“Uh?”
In response to the retainer’s wide-eyed astonishment, the Marquis smirked mischievously.
“He won’t come to any good if we touch him, so I’m just saying, leave him alone.”
“…”
Not just the retainer who initiated the conversation but all other retainers present exhibited complex expressions on their faces. They had plenty they wanted to say, but since the Marquis had made a decision, they could do nothing but internally stew over it. This was quite unusual for retainers of the main house, who normally did not show their emotions so openly.
‘To be fair, it is quite uncharacteristic of my usual behavior.’
Despite this thought, the Marquis did not think his judgment was wrong.
‘True, I had suspected it before meeting him, but he is undoubtedly not an ordinary commoner.’
His vocabulary, his accent, his natural demeanor, and his confidence – despite his deliberate clownish behavior and remarks, various characteristics of someone well-educated were evident in Cedric.
‘After all, magic is advanced knowledge. Simply copying floating spells and using them is something even an ordinary adventurer can do, but to modify spells, especially the secret techniques of a family – that is impossible without proper, systematic education.’
If what Cedric claimed about modifying the Blood Magic Beast was true, or even if it were half as effective, the Marquis was ready to lavish countless treasures to acquire the technology.
A guard equivalent in power to a knight is undoubtedly attractive, but how does that compare to a nation-level security system? If an individual could achieve this, they would be a legendary superhuman whose name would go down in history. If it were a group’s achievement, it would certainly be a massive power with influence surpassing the House of Redbell.
The Marquis judged the latter to be the correct answer. As a rational and astute individual, he could not reach the conclusion that the Crown Prince of the Aizern Empire, tired from endless duties, was casually working as a servant under the guise of a hobby while modifying spells as gifts.
After all, were such intuitive leaps possible, it wouldn’t be deduction but divine insight – hence, it would be too harsh to call the Marquis incapable.
Unaware of his subtle misconception, the Marquis began planning his next move.
And the first gambit he played was…
“The Head of the House has said he is not feeling well and wishes to postpone our meeting. You may return at dawn.”
Upon hearing the head butler’s words, the expressions of the four siblings contorted weirdly.
Of course, it was awkward to call everyone back to the main house for the first time in a while and then send them off without even showing up. Everyone knew the excuse about his health was just that – an excuse.
Among them, the eldest son, Armin, was the most significantly impacted.
He had originally planned to use this family gathering as a pretext to keep Claudia at the main house.
Unlike Claudia, who lacked any clear external allies, Armin only needed to keep her detained here, and the 2nd Prince would surely proceed with the engagement plans without hesitation.
Even if Claudia made a frantic attempt to resist, Armin calculated that by that time, everything would already be decided.
Furthermore, it was impossible that the Marquis hadn’t seen through his plans.
Until now, he had silently condoned the schemes but now chose to disrupt them?
“…He has changed his mind.”
Armin’s face hardened.
The Marquis had not clearly supported Claudia or acted against Armin. To nitpick, it leaned more towards a stance of non-interference, letting things flow in either direction.
Certainly, Armin was still in the advantageous position even if the Marquis did not side with him. It was just that this surefire victory suddenly had a faint, almost invisible, chance for Claudia.
Still, Armin, a man who preferred to tap and inspect a bridge multiple times before crossing it, found the mere possibility of losing distasteful.
“Should I abandon the plan now?”
Canceling it was no simple task either.
If it were something he initiated alone, it would be easier, but since the royal family was involved, calling off the plan unilaterally would mean incurring a significant debt to the 2nd Prince.
After deep contemplation, Armin made up his mind.
“No, I will push forward.”
It was not solely out of fear of political repercussions.
If ultimate victory was within reach, Armin was more than willing to endure and wait.
However, the Marquis showing even a hint of favoritism towards Claudia was a matter he dared not overlook.
This time, the scales merely tilted slightly, but there was nothing stopping the Marquis from openly supporting Claudia next time.
Armin knew his father well – no matter how many accomplishments or results he presented, if Claudia proved to be more beneficial, the Marquis would not hesitate to discard Armin.
Armin’s eyes turned cold. In his mind, Claudia was no longer a less capable younger sister but an explicit competitor.
“The Royal House represents legitimacy, the Marquis Redbell represents wealth, and the Viscount Sarunos represents military might. These three dominate the Kingdom of Birka.”
Some time later in the study of Eched territory, Cedric was providing a private lecture to Claudia.
“Currently, the royal family faces many issues. The aging king requires the selection of a new ruler soon, but the original crown prince, after contracting a fever, regressed into a state of idiocy. The Viscount Sarunos supports the king’s brother, known as the Prince Regent, while the House of Redbell supports the 2nd Prince.”
Though bizarre to have a servant casually referring to the king simply as ‘the king’ instead of ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘Your Highness’ while explicating the kingdom’s political landscape, Claudia made no comments. The two had gone too far down this road for her to raise objections now.
“To be blunt, from a purely power struggle perspective, the advantage lies with the Redbell faction. The Viscount Sarunos is no match politically for the Marquis. However, Redbell also carries its own instability, specifically its relatively insufficient military power.”
“While the Viscount’s territories might lag behind Redbell’s in administration, their military strength is considerable. Redbell’s abundant funds could raise an army easily, but they fall short in comparison in terms of commander and knight quality. This is a critical issue for both Redbell and the 2nd Prince they support.”
“The 2nd Prince seeks to address this by recruiting an ally, and that ally is the Baron Veliah family. While not among the top three powers, they are certainly within the top ten, noted for their military prowess and their strategic position nestled between Redbell and Sarunos.”
“If you were to establish ties with the Veliah family, the alliance between the 2nd Prince and Redbell would gain the military strength they lack while also securing a powerful strategic shield. Moreover, as you are both from Redbell and bear royal blood, the equilibrium between allies would remain stable. This would be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both Redbell and the 2nd Prince.”
“Additionally, the Veliah family’s finances are gradually drying up. Without royal or Redbell sponsorship, maintaining their army will be burdensome. This will allow whoever ties with them to have leverage over the Veliah family. In essence, if you were to marry into the Veliah family, that leverage would effectively transfer to you as well.”
Cedric paused after inscribing furiously on the blackboard.
“Do you follow so far?” Cedric’s gaze asked, to which Claudia, despite furrowing her brow, nodded.
“In short, they are offering me as a sacrifice so the 2nd Prince and Redbell can prosper. How ridiculous.”
“An accurate if rudimentary understanding.”
“So, what’s the next step? I’m against being sold against my will. Every time I hear rumors that my engagement is going ahead without my consent, I get chills down my spine.”
Though her tone was curt, her voice was desperate.
Looking at Claudia’s earnest and pleading gaze, Cedric responded.
“Of course, there are ways.”
“Wh-what? Of course! I knew it! So, what’s the plan?”
“Assassinate the 2nd Prince.”
A brief silence ensued.
Claudia tapped her ears with both hands and asked again.
“Sorry, could you repeat that? I must have misheard.”
“Certainly, Miss.”
Cedric, with an expression as innocent as a puppy, continued calmly.
“Recruit the Prince Regent as an ally and assassinate the 2nd Prince.”
Claudia stared blankly at Cedric.
His eyes were unusually clear, flashing with a strange luster.
After a moment, Claudia carefully spoke.
“Didn’t you just say the 2nd Prince is our ally and the Prince Regent is the enemy?”
“The 2nd Prince is Redbell’s ally, not yours. If he were truly your ally, he wouldn’t have proceeded with this without consulting you. On the other hand, the Prince Regent would be among the most inconvenienced should this arrangement succeed. In politics, enemies and allies can change as long as interests align.”
“Would the 2nd Prince just stand by if we support our enemy and strike him in the back?”
“Miss.”
Cedric responded with an extraordinarily calm and gentle voice.
“That will be something Elder Brother will handle. Are we not a family that can rely on each other?”
“…You’re right!”
Claudia decided to entrust everything to fate.
With this, a profound peace filled her heart.
The trust in family was, indeed, sublime.
