“That’s a lie!”
Jared raised his voice, unable to accept his father’s words.
“I was never a good father, I’m sorry. But it’s the truth.”
“No! You married her just to use Mother’s status, didn’t you! So don’t tell me such a fabricated lie!”
Since losing his mother, Jared had heard unpleasant things about his father countless times. Because of that, he had come to think that it was okay not to be bothered by his father, and even that he didn’t care if his father wasn’t interested in him – in fact, he even thought he would hate him. Now, he couldn’t possibly accept being told that his father loved his mother and loved him.
“I know there are such stories about me. But please, think about it. Liz quit being a Court Mage and returned her aristocratic title when she married. Of course, she still has the title of Former Court Mage and influence, but with the Magician’s Guild around, she can’t do as she pleases. I couldn’t have used her, nor did I.”
Perhaps Johan was right. His father had been active as a Knight and achieved accomplishments until he obtained his baronial title. However, after marrying Jared’s mother, he had lived his days as a perfectly ordinary knight, without doing anything special. His actions were not those of an ambitious man, at least not outwardly. He had heard in many places that his mother had been used, but he wondered if the mother he remembered would have been so easily manipulated. However, it was too late now. It was simply too late.
“I’m sorry for intruding so often. By the way, Jared, how did you know Father was using Mother?”
“Everyone said so. The people at Grandfather’s mansion, and even here. Come to think of it, I remember Annette saying something similar.”
“I see. Whether it was true or not, it was ingrained in you from what you heard as a child. Then, Father-in, why didn’t you deny it when you heard that you married Liz to use her?”
At Olivier’s most pertinent question, Johan opened his mouth as if recalling the past.
“As I said, Liz wanted my blood. However, interestingly, the opposite rumor spread. So, I thought I would use that rumor as a cover.”
“You mean you deliberately accepted the bad rumors to prevent others from knowing that Liz used you?”
“Yes, I didn’t mind if it was for Liz. Olivier, you too, would not hesitate to act to protect someone you want to protect, even at your own expense.”
“I understand. I was like that once too. Father-in, you truly loved Liz to go that far, didn’t you?”
Olivier had once used even the bad rumors about himself to try and protect his mother. He looked at Johan with understanding eyes, as if sympathizing with how he had endured being labeled a man who used his wife for Liz’s sake, yet still never denied it.
“Of course. However, I lied because I loved Liz.”
“It’s about Jared’s talent.”
“Yes, that’s right. There were two reasons: Liz had achieved her goal, and I feared she would leave me because of it. Another reason was that I didn’t know how Liz would treat Jared—you.”
The last words were directed not at Olivier, but at Jared.
“Mother, what did you think she would do to me?”
“I believed it wouldn’t be anything bad. But I wasn’t without anxiety. I knew the child Liz was seeking. But I didn’t know what she intended to do with that child.”
Therefore, he lied. By saying he had no talent, he tried, however clumsily, to protect his beloved son, so that his beloved wife wouldn’t be distanced from him.
“Lying was difficult. I agonized over it, both with Liz and because I thought I had limited your future. What was surprising was that Liz was so nonchalant about it. I feared she would lose interest in you when I told her you weren’t the talented child she sought. But that wasn’t the case. She just smiled, saying it was enough that you, whom she found adorable even without talent, were doing well.”
“Um, I understand about hiding the talent, but why didn’t you make Jared the head of the Daum Baronial Family?”
“Not passing on the aristocratic title was a promise I made with Liz. I wanted Jared to escape the entanglements of nobility and live freely – that was one of Liz’s few wishes. Since I lied about Jared not having talent with a sword, I could use that as an excuse, and people accepted it.”
If one was of the blood of the Daum Baronial Family, known as a family of swordsmen, it was natural to accept that they lacked talent with a sword. However, questions remained.
“Wait, then why did Grandfather teach me the sword?”
Even if it was just the basics, his grandfather had placed a sword in his hand and taught him. Although Jared had believed he had no talent, his grandfather’s guidance had enabled him to put his sword skills to practical use. He couldn’t yet say he could use sword techniques to his satisfaction, but he had improved enough that wielding a sword in actual combat increased his strength.
“There’s no way my father, who was called a sword demon, would believe my half-hearted lies.”
“Grandfather knew about your lie… Is that why he mentored me?”
“That’s right. Only my father and mother— no, probably my younger brother too—saw your talent with a sword and were angry with me for declaring you wouldn’t be the next heir. Of course, I couldn’t tell them the reason. Doing so would have made Liz look bad. At this point, I may have been disowned by my father, but I didn’t care. However, when I learned that my father intended for you to be his successor, I decided to entrust you to an acquaintance.”
Of course, seeing Jared might have reminded him of his lost wife, which could have been a painful reason. But that wasn’t all.
“My acquaintance was skilled in magic. I thought that person could nurture the magic power and talent you inherited from Liz. However, that’s why you went missing. I’m sorry.”
Ironically, as a result, Jared would meet and become the disciple of what could be called the finest magician. The training was harsh and difficult, but he was given much knowledge, skill, and affection. He had hated his father at times, but he was grateful for his encounters with Luzer and Almeida.
“I’ve always wondered, if you wished to free Jared from nobility, why did you try to have me betrothed to him?”
“…Please forgive me for what I’m about to say.”
“It’s alright.”
“I was hoping either Jared would give up due to the problem of being betrothed to Olivier, or you would break off the engagement. I intended to use that as a reason to decisively abandon any future as a noble for him – at the same time, Liz’s death was shrouded in much ambiguity, so I wanted to keep him away from the Daum Baronial Family, including my father.”
