The four of them moved to the Mother-in-law’s room.
Originally, they might have been expected to be treated as guests in the reception room, but Olivier wished to be treated as family, so it became her room as Karina had initially planned.
The reason Karina had actually called for Jared was to discuss matters privately.
Karina herself wanted to visit Jared, but even if it was a separate residence, a person from an up-and-coming baronial family couldn’t just visit a ducal household. Therefore, Jared was asked to come.
That was precisely why Olivier’s presence was unplanned.
Karina had also heard of Olivier’s reputation. Of course, she wasn’t foolish enough to believe rumors as they were, and seeing Olivier and Jared’s affectionate display, she should have been reassured that the bad rumors were untrue.
“Mother, was there something worrying you?”
Jared asked his mother-in-law, who was conversing with Olivier without getting to the main point.
After his mother’s death, Jared wanted to do everything he could for Karina, who loved him like her own son, and for Roik, who truly saw him as an older brother.
Asked by her son, Karina glanced at Olivier for a moment. Seeing Olivier offer a smile, she took a deep breath and made up her mind to speak.
“Actually, it’s about the headship of the family.”
“Did Father say something?”
“No, Husband hasn’t said anything. Or rather, should I say he *won’t* say anything?”
Jared sighed in exasperation, wondering if he was still neglecting his duties.
His father, Johan Daum, was a knight who had distinguished himself on the battlefield as a boon to the sword. Thanks to that, he had obtained an aristocratic title as an up-and-coming noble, and even from his son’s perspective, his strength and achievements were considerable.
However, he had a childish side to him that hadn’t changed even now that he was a grown man. His grandfather seemed to have decided not to let him become the head of the Daum barony, but it was undeniably impressive in a way that he had established the barony with his own power.
“If I’m not inheriting the headship, isn’t Roik supposed to be the successor?”
He thought of his younger brother, who had only exchanged greetings and returned to his room.
In Jared’s memory, their father was teaching Roik swordsmanship. Although Roik wasn’t particularly suited for combat and had a less aggressive personality, the sight of him earnestly swinging an unfamiliar sword to meet his father’s expectations was dazzling.
“Perhaps he is, perhaps he isn’t. Husband won’t say anything, and because of that, Annette-sama has begun openly stating that she wants Rex to inherit.”
“She’s also quite selfish.”
Rex Daum, Jared’s youngest brother and the son of Annette Daum, a consort, had recently been announced to be engaged to their cousin, Rena Daum.
He hated to say this about his own brother, who shared blood, but at the young age of twelve, his ambitious and arrogant side was not something he particularly liked. While one could say it was Annette’s influence, his forceful declaration of engagement to Rena and his persistent pursuit of Yeny made him someone whose thoughts were frankly unfathomable.
What he couldn’t understand was why Rex got engaged to Rena while harboring feelings for Yeny. Perhaps he was acting recklessly because Yeny wasn’t interested, and it had recently been decided that Yeny would become his consort. However, even if he managed to marry Rena, they wouldn’t find happiness.
“I heard from Rena the other day that she got engaged to Rex. Are you aware of this?”
“Yes. It seems they decided it amongst themselves, and Annette-sama was quite furious at first.”
“I’m sorry, I’m hesitant to interfere, but you said ‘at first’…”
Olivier, who had been silent on the topic of the family headship, asked, her eyes downcast in distress as Karina spoke.
“Annette-sama wanted Rex to marry someone from her own family’s relatives, so she was angry that they announced an engagement so casually. However, considering what might happen if the headship of this barony couldn’t be passed on, it seems she’s changed her mind, perhaps thinking he might inherit Father-in-law’s barony.”
“That’s, how should I put it…”
“It’s rather transparent, isn’t it.”
In reality, if their uncle did not inherit the family headship, the next person to inherit the Daum barony would be a relative. Their uncle’s health was poor, and he heard their grandfather was also troubled by this. For that reason, Jared had once been considered as the next heir.
However, now that he had decided to become a Court Mage, that was also difficult.
Jared didn’t dislike the idea of succeeding his grandfather, but becoming a Court Mage would earn him an earldom, and he worried he might be looked down upon as a mere baron when he needed to take command.
However, the Daum barony was an old lineage that had existed since the founding of the nation. Although the barony and title were low, it was a rare family where the direct bloodline had continued uninterrupted for generations.
If he had to choose between inheriting his father’s newly established barony or his grandfather’s, becoming his grandfather’s successor would have many advantages, allowing him to leave a name as the head of a historic family. Even more so, he would be called to the battlefield more often.
It was natural for a noble to want her son to be granted a title and for her to become the mother of the head of the family. It was truly noble. Individuals like Jared and Olivier, who weren’t particularly interested in titles, were the exception in noble society.
“Father-in-law and Mother-in-law say they don’t approve of the marriage with Rena, but Annette-sama won’t listen, and Husband just ignores it.”
“What are Mother-in-law’s thoughts on the matter?”
Jared, of course, believed that Roik should inherit the family headship.
It wasn’t just favoritism towards his beloved brother; he knew how hard Roik tried to meet his father’s expectations.
Rex, while still young, was not very interested in swordsmanship, and he heard he was interested in magic despite having no magical power. He had also heard that his selfish younger brother resented Jared, who was the only one with magical power.
“I want the Daum barony inherited not by Roik, but by you – the eldest son, Jared. And I want Roik to support him as his assistant.”
