Chapter 28
When I spoke without looking away, Grandfather let out a sigh and murmured with a sad smile, "......I've lived a life full of regrets."
For a moment, I didn't understand what he meant, and as I repeated his words in my mind (Regrets? Grandfather, of all people?), I glanced at him in confusion.
"You look like you're about to ask if someone like me could even have regrets."
Is there anyone less suited to the word 'regret' than him......? No, there isn't. I'm certain of it.
"......I thought you were enjoying your life."
"That's because I've decided to live the rest of my life as I please."
Grandfather downed the cold tea in one gulp and turned his gaze to the certificate of commendation sent by His Majesty the King, displayed in the corner of the study.
"When I was around Celestia's age, the struggle for the throne was at its peak. Factionalism and bureaucratic corruption ran rampant. The people starved, and lords who couldn't receive aid from the kingdom often took their own lives. Fortunately, our territory was vast and prosperous, so we managed to hold on somehow...... But do you know what happens when a nation falls into chaos?"
"......War, perhaps?"
"Yes. An invasion war. Military nobles must be the first to sense it and prepare for war. But even gathering funds was a struggle, and the crucial military forces were caught up in factional disputes, unable to muster satisfactory numbers or coordinate properly. The only thing we could rely on was the National Army. A pathetic story, isn't it?"
"......"
"I wanted the power to protect my territory's people, my family, my close friends, and my country—all of it. I built a foundation by entering the Military School, became a soldier, and earned merits on the battlefield. By then, wars with the eastern and western nations were everyday occurrences, so before I knew it, I had been promoted to Colonel."
"What was happening with the struggle for the throne?"
"It was still ongoing. A nation divided internally couldn't possibly fight a war. We were left with only two choices: be trampled by foreign powers or end the succession dispute."
"So, Grandfather supported and assisted the current king......"
"Now it's told as a heroic tale, but what I and the current king's faction did was nothing more than a coup. I was the one moving in the open, but the one giving orders behind the scenes was the current king, not even of age yet. Without hesitation, he appointed me as Marshal, worked me to the bone, and ultimately claimed the throne...... Back then and even now, he's terrifyingly sharp when it comes to such matters."
As Grandfather spoke with a weary tone, I couldn't see any trace of regret in his expression.
I could tell that, from the start, there had only ever been one choice for him.
"The problem came after that. Everyone who wasn't part of the current king's faction or who remained neutral was purged. The confiscated territories were placed under the kingdom's control, filling the empty national treasury. To strengthen the unity of the nobles, the kingdom imposed arranged marriages on the sons and daughters of each house. As a result, many broke off their initial engagements and were forced to form new betrothals with others."
"Imposed by the kingdom......?"
"Arranged marriages are often for profit, economic support, or titles—various reasons, but generally, they're for the sake of the family. However, the arranged marriages imposed by the kingdom aimed at increasing military strength, securing funds, and supporting territories near enemy nations that had become battlegrounds. These were meticulously planned to ensure everything ran smoothly."
"Was Grandfather's marriage also one imposed by the kingdom?"
"No, I had already registered my marriage before that. Instead, my younger sisters were married to partners they didn't desire."
"Isn't that just how arranged marriages are?"
"Even so, shouldn't there at least be some conditions? Without a proper engagement period, without a trusted fiancé, being told to marry someone you barely know in just a month—anyone would rebel against that."
"......But there's nothing that can be done about it, right?"
"Indeed. As the head of the family, I was the one who informed my sisters. Even when they cried, screamed, and begged, I didn't change the decision. I couldn't even give them time to resign themselves and accept it."
Even in an arranged marriage, love can sometimes bloom during the days spent as fiancés.
If it were the old me, living a peaceful daily life, I might have pitied my great-aunts and felt anger over their circumstances......
With a bitter smile, Grandfather muttered, "They seem happy now, though," and I could only nod quietly in response.
"Once the kingdom stabilized, all that was left was to drive back the enemy nations. I had no choice but to rush from battlefield to battlefield, unable to return home. Even exchanging letters with my wife was a struggle. The management of the territory, the education of our children, and socializing as the leader of the king's faction—all of it was handled by my wife. For many long years, she never uttered a single complaint, until I learned of her illness through a letter written in the clumsy handwriting of my young son."
Ever since I was old enough to remember, Grandmother had been confined to her bed, unable to spend much time with us.
But on the rare days when she felt well, a few times a month, she would walk through the garden with Grandfather, and sometimes scold him on Mother's behalf when he tried to teach me swordsmanship.
Hearing that such a fragile person, who seemed as if she might vanish if I looked away, acted as the proxy lord in Grandfather's place while he was on the battlefield, filled me with both surprise and understanding.
'Even a beloved husband sometimes needs physical discipline, you know.'
Grandmother, with a sly smile, had said that, and it terrified me.
"It wasn't until Baldo was nine that I could end the wars and return to the territory. In my memory, Baldo was still a baby, so...... I was beyond shocked. When Baldo, standing protectively in front of my emaciated wife, yelled at me asking why I hadn't come back sooner, it felt like my heart was being torn apart."
"He must have been anxious...... I, too, couldn't bear to leave Mother's side as she grew thinner day by day."
"The power I sought was to protect what I cherished, but in doing so, I sacrificed much. Celestia...... regret always comes later."
"......"
"No matter what others say, it won't resonate with your heart right now, Celestia. You've already resolved to enter the Military School, and you've given up on Baldo. But Baldo might have his own side to the story. If you listen and still can't accept it, then you can give up on him again. After all, it must be a strategic retreat, not a cowardly escape in the face of the enemy."
Remembering the words I had spoken when I first came here, Grandfather gave me a mischievous smirk, and I couldn't help but hang my head in defeat.
I, who had only thought of running away from my fiancé and father, could never outmatch Grandfather.
"I'll talk to Father......"
Though it weighs heavily on me.
Not just Father, but will I eventually be told to speak with my fiancé as well......?
"Celestia."
"Yes...... huh?"
As I sluggishly stood up, something was thrown at me. I instinctively caught it and stared at what was clearly a wallet in my hand.
A long wallet made of leather...... It felt heavy. What was I supposed to do with this?
As I looked back and forth between the wallet and Grandfather in confusion, he silently placed a sheet of paper on the table.
"Go shopping at the place written on that."
"Shopping?"
"Yeah. Take Rudo and Renato with you. Altried will accompany you as your guard."
So the royalty is just an extra, and even a famous knight in the Royal Capital is just a bonus......?
Thinking it best not to dwell on it, I nodded for now and, wallet in hand, headed to where Rudo and the others were.