Chapter 277 - The General is 16 Years Old

  Nathan Evenhart:

  When was the st time I talked to myself like this? It's been a while.

  It’s been a year sihe i we know as the Battle of the Evenhart Duchy, though the publiever learned of it. The bance of power in the duchy shifted drastically. My aunt trols the rival fa, and you already know her pns—but there are details you only grasp by seeing them in a.

  Now, let’s get to the main point…I’m sixteen years old, in my sed year at the academy, and at the age when nobles are expected te a marriage. In my case?

  I've been engaged since I was five.

  My fiancée, Chloe, is a duchess and an ice-element mage. And yes, I have a romantic retionship with her, but nothing beyond that has happened over the past year. My soul may be 500 years old, but I genuinely feel sixteen. And holy, it’s hard not to be tempted by the idea of haviiful fiancées...

  Because, well, I don’t have just one fiancée.

  I have three.

  My sed fiancée, Kinue, is a demi-human with long blonde hair and green eyes. Officially, she’s just my girlfriend, but I know how lucky I am to have her by my side.

  And the third?

  Well... she’s a dragon. Or something close to it, since her raes from an unknown nd where powerful bei. Cyl believes we're already married, and she’s just as peculiar as I am. She’s also been reinated, though she doesn’t remember her past life. All I know is that at some point, she dreamed of me as Icarus and began searg for me.

  Things have ged for Cyl at the academy as well. Over the past year, rumors spread that she was a Moon Panther cub after some professors specialized in magical beasts reized her, making her somewhat famous. Because of that, more and more students started showing up to csses just to get a glimpse of her, and—sequently—I ended up gaining some fame too.

  But… I learhe hard way that not everyone approached out of genuine curiosity.

  Some girls started using Cyl as an excuse—pretending they wao talk to her, when iy, they just wao get close to me.

  My fiancées, of course, didn’t let that slide. The moment they saw me giving too much attention to some of them, I was thhly scolded.

  I swear I wasn’t trying anything!

  It was just five girls who only wao chat… How was I supposed to know the versation would suddenly shift to them being single and looking for a o marry?

  I tinued walking, adjusting my clothes. I had just stepped off a small ship, and upon arriving, I saw that the port had been prepared fra anized by the dukes. I had spent nearly two weeks aboard, iing valuable artifacts and treasures for the event. The ship had traveled through all the major ports of the duchies, colleg treasures from noble vaults.

  The feast, anized by the dukes, was meant to ence cooperation among them, and the dispy of these treasures was a way to symbolize that unity.

  I accepted the job when I learhat my aunt would be sending a team to one of the main ships.

  Being a itted man is plicated; I have way too many expensive gifts to buy for my fiancées.

  That night, all eight dukes were gathered in the same pce—a rare and historic event.

  In the past, eadepe kingdom signed an agreement that led to a non-aggression and cooperation pact, defining each duchy’s primary role and shaping them into what they are today.

  This pact put ao territorial disputes, allowing the duchies to bee essential pilrs of the kingdom when it fractured from the old empire.

  The main activities were divided into sectors such as Military, Agriculture, struining, and Engineering. Among the military duchies, the Valemont and Saul families stand out.

  That doesn’t meaher duchies ck armies, but their primary activities dictate their regions’ structure and funality.

  For example, my family ot shift its main focus te-scale ons manufacturing, just as a military duchy ot redirect its priorities triculture. Doing so would disrupt the bahat sustains the kingdom.

  The agreement includes clear limitations on what each duchy produce outside its main area, ensuring that the eid political bance remains stable.

  In practice, my family leads agricultural snty across the entire kingdom, but this position es with restris. We ot have a stronger military force or i heavily in teology.

  Oher hand, ercially, we have the advantage of selling to all the duchies and to the capital, which pces the agricultural dukes in an eically superior position within their regions. This nd snty strehem financially but limits their growth in other areas.

  This system is, iy, the kingdom’s way of keeping everyone under trol. No duchy dares to break the agreement, as that would mean eic isotion, fag a united kingdom ready to invade and oppress their nds. Oher hand, accepting the pact guarantees extreme wealth by exerg the main activity exclusively. It’s a choice between money and the fear of invasion, but the result is that all the duchies ended up adhering to the agreement to put ao the wars of the past.

  After all, that eriod of age. Today, all the leaders of the duchies drink and ugh together—something that, millennia ago, would have been unthinkable without them trying to kill each other.

  As I walked through the event, a figure appeared in the distance, but upon seeing me, rushed toward me. It was a 15-year-old boy from the new first-year css at the academy, thin, wearing a formal outfit that looked like a butler’s uniform. He robably w at the feast, maybe he nobles or as my aunt’s assistant. He had red hair and a personality… cheerful? A bit silly? I don’t know, but he was a good person, even if peculiar.

  "I'm very happy to see you here, Lord Nathan," said the boy, bowing.

  "It’s a feast given by the dukes, why wouldn’t I be?" I answered seriously but jokingly.

  He got nervous.

  "True! I’m sorry, sir," he quickly corrected himself.

  "It's all right, Frederick. I’m just joking with you. What are you doing here? I thought my aunt would have already dismissed you to go bae to the city. Your mother is going to scold you fetting home te."

  "I’m already an adult, sir… at least on paper. I turned 15 over the break, did you fet?" he replied, ughing.

  "Sorry, Lord Wolves," I bowed pyfully.

  He panicked.

  "Don’t do that, sir! If someone of your status does that to someone like me, I’m in trouble!"

  I ughed.

  Frederick Wolves… yes, he art of Nikous Wolves’ family—or what was left of it. After Nikous fell, the kingdom stripped his nobility and handed over his nds, fortune, and even the lives of his desdants to my aunt. Castles, farms, businesses, iions, iances… everything was fiscated. Harming a High Noble has severe sequehe lives of children, grandchildren, nephews, employees, and oied to the Wolves family were pced under my aunt’s trol, who was grahe right to decide their fates—including execution—at any time.

  You know my aunt. You know what she did… “Servitude or Death.” Those who worked for the Wolves family but were not directly involved in Nikous' crimes were giveion of servitude. They would tinue w on the same nds to keep the duchy’s ey stable. As for those who were actively involved… they were either executed or, well, wished they had been. I won’t go into details.

  The Wolves were a rge family, full of cousins and distaives. Although they lost their les, my aunt did not punish those who had nothing to do with Nikous’ crimes. She offered servitude as an alternative, and although they are bound to some ditions or could be executed at any time, my aunt was not a tyrant.

  They kept part of their fortune aain rights as izens, but urict rules: they ot leave the duchy without prior notice to the local baron, minor crimes result in immediate execution, and if they marry someone from outside, their children i the punishment.

  It was a delicate situation. Teically, we could have turned all of them into sves.

  The main branch of the Wolves family was nearly wiped out when Nikous took over leadership after his father and brother’s deaths.

  The heir, Frederick, was the illegitimate son of Nikous' brother and a oner maid who suffered abuse in the Wolves household. He had beeo a remote vilge and was supposed to live out his days as a local guard, but Nikous kept him alive for a reason.

  After marrying Chloe and taking trol of the Evenhart Duchy, Nikous po install Frederick as a marquis under his trol, since Chloe’s children would i the Evenhart name, not Wolves.

  "I have to go, Frederick," I said, trying to end the versation.

  "Nathan… I mean, Lord Nathan." He seemed a bit embarrassed. "Are you still going to help me… with that?"

  I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms.

  "Are you seriously asking me for help getting a date with Natty and Catty?"

  Frederick turned red like a tomato, stepping closer in a panic.

  "Please, keep your voice down!" he whispered, nervous. "I… I just want some tips. I want to know what Nathalie and Caitlyn like."

  I paused, pretending to give it serious thought.

  "Knives, axes… and any tool capable of causing pain."

  He blinked, fused.

  "I’m being serious, Lord Nathan. I… I just waetting closer, you know? Maybe be friends with them."

  I am being serious…

  I pced a hand on his shoulder, giving him the kind of look one gives to a man whose soul was already lost.

  "Frederick… I would help you with any other single girl at the academy. Any of them. But those two… man, I pity what they’d do to you if you tried anything."

  He sighed, looking disced.

  "I’m serious, Lord Nathan… I really like them. I tried to find out as much as I could about them, but they’re too reserved..."

  I sighed as well.

  "Alright… I’ll help you. Here’s what you do: go to Martha and Hugo ahem you’re ied in their daughters. I’m sure they’ll wele you with open arms… and even give you a few tips."

  He gave me a wary look, trying to figure out if I was being serious or just messing with him.

  "I… think I shouldn’t do that."

  I smirked.

  "Yeah… you really think I’d set up a suitor for their daughters? Did you fet I’m basically their boss? Anything I say could be taken as a reendation. Besides, that lovely woman y food, s my room, and… well, she has the key to it. I have no desire to test the wrath of a mother. But look, I did promise to help you. I’ll put you in the same pce as them. The rest… is up to you."

  I let out a small ugh and walked away, leaving Frederick behind.

  Poor soul…

  As I walked, I kept thinking about how ihat boy was for even sideriing close to the twins. He had no idea what he was getting himself into.

  Before I could move on, Frederick appeared again, stopping me in my tracks.

  "Lord Nathan..." he said, bowing respectfully, though his nervousness was clear. "Please, help me. I’ll do anything you ask… as long as it’s not something wrong. I just… I just want to at least try being friends with the twins. And also… to know if their parents would approve… I mean… if they’d even allow me to approach them."

  He’s c death and doesn’t even realize it…

  "Do you really want to know if they’d approve of someone? If they’d accept a b to get close to their daughters and asking them out? Do you even realize what you’re asking?" I questioned him.

  Frederiodded, serious.

  "I beg for your help, Lord Nathan. I… I know they are nobles. I don’t uand nobility very well, but I know parents decide their children’s futures. I just want to know if I try… to be their friend."

  I stared at him for a moment, refleg on the sheer insanity he was trying to throw himself into.

  "Alright… but you do remember your st name, don’t you? Wolves."

  He nodded again, not quite uanding where I was going with this.

  "Their family has served mine sihis nd was founded. You, my friend… are at the top of their list of people they’d love to kill. Literally…"

  Frederick turned pale.

  The boy lowered his head, shame evident.

  "Alright… sorry, Lord Nathan. I… I didn’t mean to cause trouble."

  I sighed, shaking my head.

  "Don’t worry so much. I’ll help you."

  He lifted his gaze, his eyes shining with hope.

  "I’ll ask their mother what she thinks about some random academy student… let’s say, taking an i in her daughters. I won’t mention it’s you."

  A huge smile spread across his face.

  "Thank you so much, Lord Nathan!"

  Then, in a moment of excitement, he pced his hands on my shoulders—only to quickly step bace he realized his mistake.

  "Oh! I’m sorry, Lord Nathan! I don’t have permission to… to touch you like that."

  I sighed internally.

  "I don’t mind, Frederick… but you o uand how things work with other nobles. If you did that to someone more traditional, someone who sees themselves as superior, you could end up in a very difficult situation."

  He nodded, more serious this time.

  "You and I grew up among oners. Our sense of etiquette is different. But these elitist hey do care about these formalities. You’ll have to learn if you want to avoid embarrassing yourself."

  Frederiodded again, looking a little more fident.

  Even so, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was diving headfirst into a viper’s .

  Frederick lost his nobility—though he barely even knew he had it. Nikous had forced him to live as a oner, keeping him isoted from the family and distaives. When he and his mother were senteo death by a kingdom official, they were desperate. But my aunt… she fave them. She also had to help them in other ways, sihe Wolves family’s reputation was in ruins among the nobility after Nikous’ crimes. Imagine waking up one day and finding out you were going to die because of a crime itted by a distaive?

  Yeah. A lot of people wanted Frederick dead—especially once he was sidered a oner, meaning no one would care if he were assassinated.

  To protect him, my auored his atus, promoting him to Baron at the age of fifteen. It was the only way to ensure safety for him and his mother. She also granted him a portion of the Wolves’ iance, while the rest was reied into the duchy itself—particurly in the region he now governs. The boy ied earth magic, a trademark of the Wolves bloodline, and was sent to study in Apsalon, since his family’s fortune allowed him to receive a prical education.

  I got closer to him during this period, as he temporarily stayed in a vilge he castle while his mother handled dots with my aunt. Since I was starting to take on my role as duke, I also participated in the process.

  The ceremony was simple: a few nobles from the duchy were present, and Frederick had to kneel before me, Chloe, and my aunt.

  She handed him a scepter and pinned an insignia onto his ceremonial attire while delivering a formal speech about duty and prote.

  I tried to pay attention, but halfway through, I have to admit—my mind wandered.

  Bme Athena. She wouldn’t stop whispering bullshit in my ear.

  In the end, Frederick was formally named a baron, seg political prote, and became somewhat of an assistant to me.

  My aunt saw this as an opportunity to teach me about administration while I helped him, sihe vilge under his and was nearly a day's travel away, and she wao i in that region.

  When he awakehe earth element, he decided to bee a Builder Mage, which made sense, sidering his position as an administrator.

  There’s an ironic detail in all of this:

  One of the vilges Frederiow governs is the same ohat Nikous’ men raided years ago, f the vilgers to seek my aunt’s help.

  That was the night I went after the raiders with Sifu, leaving my mother behind, only to end up getting kidnapped by Sisika.

  That vilge became special to me. And now, the heir of the Wolves family is the oaking care of it. It’s hard not to see the irony in that.

  Frederick grew even closer to me after joining Apsalon Academy. He’s a naive kid, pletely harmless. Oime, I joked that he should get a hat for his horse because of the sun. He believed me. Puy. And to top it off, he fell for Natty and Catty.

  He swears he only fell for one of them—only realizing they were twins when he saw them together.

  In the end, he seems to have fallen for both.

  This guy is insane. I guess that’s why his st name is Wolves—that family is full of crazy ideas.

  In the distance, I spotted a familiar figure at one of the main tables.The hall was grand, with ables standing out at the ter of the massive, illuminated space. Eight of them beloo the dukes and their families, while the ninth, at the very ter, beloo the representative of the royal family and their ente.

  At my family’s table, I noticed Martha standing still beside the chairs. She was clearly holding herself back, struggling internally. My aunt had probably forbidden her from w at this event, insisting that she enjoy the occasion ahe other servants hahe service. But I knew Martha too well. She erfeist. Standing around with nothing to do had to be eating her alive.

  The moment she saw me, Martha rushed over, wleaming in her eyes.

  "Young master! I’m gd everythi well with your mission." Her stiff posture aless hands showed just how much she wao do something. "Would you like me to fetything for you?"

  I kly what she was doing. Looking for an excuse to keep busy.

  "No need, Martha. Thank you, you rest."

  A faint smile formed on my lips, but inside, I was thhly enjoying watg the internal flict deepen on her face. Tellio rest was like throwing a spark into a barrel of gunpowder. She looked even more tense, quiet frustration fshing in the way she bit the er of her lips.

  "Is everything alright, Martha?" I asked, feigning .

  "Of course..." she replied, visibly disheartened, returning to her spot with the look of someone who had just suffered defeat.

  I sighed and decided to cut her some sck.

  She deserved it.

  "Martha," I called again.

  She turned instantly, her face lighting up with an impeccable smile.

  "Would you like me to do something, young master?" The hope in her voice alpable.

  Damn… She’s so dedicated I actually felt guilty.

  " you show me where Kinue and Chloe are?"

  Her smile widened—like I had just given her a purpose in life.

  "Of course! Let me be of service!"

  She immediately started guidihrough the hall, taking the opportunity to update me on the past few days. I listeo her, but something was still on my mind. And I decided t it up.

  "By the way," I interrupted, "I found out there’s a boy at the academy who wants to ask your daughters out… He even asked for my help to figure out what they like so he could buy them a gift."

  She stopped abruptly and, to my surprise, started ughing.

  A genuine ugh—yet filled with a deadly uone.

  "That was funny, young master."

  "I’m being serious."

  Martha simply shook her head, her gaze darkening slightly as she tinued ughing.

  "If any boy ever showed up trying something with Natty or Catty, I would torture him until he lost his memory… and spent the rest of his life drooling in a chair."

  I subtly gnced back.

  There was Frederick, hiding behind a n, watg me with an optimistic smile, fshing a thumbs-up as if to say: ‘So? How’d it go?’

  I just shook my head silently.

  I tried, buddy. I tried.