To celebrate the release of Volume 13 of the books and Volume 1 of the comic.
My older brother, Sieg, is the successor, and my sister is already becoming a force to be reckoned with, comparable to Auraniess.
“Then what am I supposed to do?”
Fried was troubled. Compared to his brother, who had established his position as successor, and his sister, whom only their great father and stepmother could really reprimand, he felt so very ordinary.
(What should I do?)
His worries were quite serious. Everyone said it was enough if he assisted their father and brother and looked after his sister, but he himself couldn’t accept it. What should he do?
(Honestly, I don’t think the difference between me and big brother is that much…)
He quickly denied the thought just as it began to form. He was on good terms with his brother and loved him dearly. The thought of looking down on his brother, even for a moment, made him feel petty and ashamed.
Lost in his thoughts, he drowned himself in reading books in the castle. Nergal noticed his state. She went to consult their beloved father.
“Fried’s acting strangely?”
“Yeah. He seems troubled about something. Father, can you do something?”
Marius replied seriously to his daughter’s question.
“I want to do something, but is it something I can solve?”
“If it’s you, Father, you can definitely solve it perfectly!”
Feeling the weight of his daughter’s unquestioning smile, he went to see Fried. Fried, who had been reading, widened his eyes at his father’s unexpected appearance.
“Father, why…?”
“Nergal told me you seemed troubled and asked me to talk to you.”
“That girl…”
Fried was touched by Nergal’s thoughtfulness. At the same time, he felt pathetic, thinking that this was why he was inferior to his sister.
“Ac-actually…”
Fried spoke his feelings without hiding anything. He felt apologetic towards his great father, but because he was his great father, he felt he could say anything without shame.
“I see.”
“I-I’m sorry. Father. I’m your child too.”
“Why do you apologize?”
Marius sounded genuinely puzzled.
“Why…?”
Fried’s expression contorted painfully, as if his suffering couldn’t be understood. Placing a hand on his son’s shoulder, Marius said gently,
“Listen, Fried. I wanted a son. I didn’t want a son I could brag about.”
“…Huh?”
Fried blinked in confusion. Gently stroking his son’s head, he continued,
“You are who you are, and that’s fine. There’s no need to compare yourself to Sieg or Nergal. As long as you grow up healthy, Father will be satisfied.”
“U-un.”
Fried looked down. His father’s words slowly seeped into his heart. He felt tears welling up, but pretending not to notice, Marius continued,
“Ah, and if possible, I hope you three brothers get along well and make up after any fights.”
“U-un…”
Fried’s voice was choked with tears. As Marius left the library, he encountered a worried Nergal and Sieg.
“Let him be alone for now.”
“Okay.”
They both nodded obediently at their father’s words. After walking a short distance outside, Nergal spoke.
“Hey, Father, what were you talking about?”
Sieg silently signaled “Stop, don’t” with his face, but she didn’t understand. Marius smiled and replied,
“I just told them I want the three siblings to get along and make up if they ever fight.”
“We don’t fight, do we, big brother Sieg?”
Sieg, addressed by his sister, averted his gaze uncertainly.
“I don’t fight with you, but I might fight with Fried.”
“Eh, really?”
Nergal blinked, confused. She had never had a real fight with anyone other than Auraniess. It was only natural, but she lacked self-awareness.
“…Am I the odd one out?”
She tilted her head. Her expression looked slightly anxious, so Marius gently stroked her hair.
“It’s not like that. It’s just that they’re not the type to get worked up over a younger sister. In other words, they both dote on you.”
“…Really?”
Nergal looked at Sieg. He thought that couldn’t be further from the truth, but he couldn’t break his father’s thoughtful gesture, and the boy nodded agonizingly.
“Hooray!”
Nergal’s mood instantly brightened, and she beamed with an innocent smile.
The man who appears to be an ordinary middle-aged guy in the ongoing daily slice-of-life, but is actually the strongest man on earth,
Thank you for your support.
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3740ei/
