The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 15

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In the end, I decided to accept the invitation from Duke Sarion’s House.
If this tea party would satisfy them, then so be it.
And so, the day arrived.
I found myself chatting with Sarionmes in the courtyard, but my overall impression was one of utter indifference.
Imagine if the trees, rocks, and grass around you suddenly gained consciousness and declared their affection for you. What would you think?
As long as they didn’t cause any trouble, you’d probably just let them do as they pleased, right?

“—And so, Lord Hein, for the further prosperity of both our houses, we should foster closer ties…”

“Recently, attacks by the Former Demon Lord’s Army have been increasing. During your recent sortie…”

She continued talking, but while the words reached my ears, they failed to register in my mind.
This is all far too roundabout.
So I said,

“Isn’t this all rather circuitous? Let’s be frank. There’s no need to force an engagement with someone you don’t even like, is there? It’s clear you don’t care for me, and you must know I don’t care for you either. We nobles are skilled at reading each other’s expressions. If relations between our houses haven’t been good in the past, we can negotiate in the future. But marriage isn’t necessary for that. After all, both our houses are responsible for defending the Imperial Capital. Shouldn’t we focus on cooperating where we can, rather than competing?”

“That may be true,”

Sarionmes replied, her tone agreeing but her expression unconvinced.
But that wasn’t my concern. I’d already conceded where I needed to.
Since my mother is considering improving relations with other noble houses, I haven’t been forcibly rejecting the idea.
However, one of the duties of a noble is to produce heirs, and I’m still considering how to approach that.

“So, you’ll cooperate in strengthening the alliance between our two houses?”

Sarionmes pressed for confirmation, and I nodded.
I wish she wouldn’t make me repeat myself, but I understood her reasons for seeking reassurance.
During the recent inferior dragon attack, Duke Sarion’s House’s prized barrier magic had proven utterly ineffective in defending against the aerial assault.
This incident had undoubtedly shaken their confidence.

“However, I must insist that neither house become overly reliant on the other’s power. I trust the astute Lady Esmeralda understands what I mean.”

When I said that, Sarionmes lowered her head in frustration.

“May I offer an explanation?”

Intrigued, I urged her to continue.

“I’m listening.”

“The Dragon that flew to the Imperial Capital during the recent attack was a particularly powerful kind.”

“Really? I thought it was just a Low Dragon.”

Low Dragons were the lowest of the Dragon species.
They range from small to mid-sized, have low intelligence, and mostly act on instinct.
While weaker in strength and magic compared to higher-ranking dragons, they still posed a significant threat to ordinary people.
However, I couldn’t imagine them giving Duke Sarion’s House any real trouble.
As I thought this, Sarionmes glared at me with eyes that held no pleasure—the eyes of an inferior.
The eyes of a loser who had forgotten the value of effort and self-discipline.

“Something wrong?”

“…No. I suppose from your perspective, it wouldn’t make a difference. You look down on everything.”

Indeed!
Sarionmes possessed remarkable insight.
Or perhaps not.
I didn’t look down on my mother, nor on Gaddem, Feri, Ouma, or any of the others serving the Duke Aster Household.

“If you don’t want to be seen that way, then you should get stronger. If you know people and know yourself, then you’ll naturally know how to get stronger.”

Perhaps because we were both from ducal houses and had even been engaged, I found myself offering unsolicited advice, something uncharacteristic of me.
Well, even though Sarionmes still carried the gaze of a defeated loser, a flicker of defiance remained in her eyes. A little assistance wouldn’t hurt.
Becoming stronger was simple.
People grew stronger by pushing themselves to the brink and overcoming those trials. All she needed to do was push herself to the brink…
And overcome it!
With magic, anything is possible.
To know others is to understand the structure of the human body—to know exactly what actions will lead to death.
To know oneself is to understand how far one can push their limits before dying, and then to push right up to that edge.
This can be accomplished even without an opponent.
If you can’t get someone else to hurt you, you can always hurt yourself—it’s all a matter of ingenuity.

“To know others… to know oneself…”

Sarionmes muttered with a gloomy expression.
It seemed she had finally realized it. Good.

“I’ve said what needed to be said. I’ll take my leave now. The engagement is annulled! However, we should maintain friendly relations between our families, correct?”

That should have been the end of it. I made that perfectly clear.
“Could you grant me an opportunity?”

Sarionmes asked.

“An opportunity for what?”

“I want you to see me clearly as Esmeralda Ira Sarion, Lord Hein. Your eyes treat me as if I were nothing more than a stone lying in the street. I can’t bear it. I want to change your impression of me—I want to make you regret looking down on me.”

“Do as you please.”

“Then I will.”

I didn’t find her rude, nor did I intend to mock her.
Personally, I didn’t dislike this kind of attitude.
Still, she was ultimately just a reserve for the inferior, so I didn’t expect much.
This time, the conversation was truly over, and Sarionmes and I left the room at the same time.

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In the “original history,” a discussion about the relationship between the two houses had also taken place here.
The situation was similar: Duke Sarion’s House’s non-interference with Duke Aster’s Household, and negotiations to rectify this relationship.
However, unlike the parallel world, the positions of Duke Aster’s Household and Duke Sarion’s House were completely reversed.
In the “original history,” the proposal had come from Duke Aster’s Household, resulting in a tea party at Duke Sarion’s residence.
And so, Esmeralda Ira Sarion delivered Hein his final judgment.

–“Lord Hein, your only value lies in your magic. You are arrogant, intolerant, and cruel. You possess no human charm, no appeal to the opposite s3x. Yet I have endured this marriage, hoping to one day obtain your magic—the very bl00d that makes you House Aster’s greatest masterpiece. Don’t complain about my indifference; it stems from your own behavior. But during the recent raid on the Imperial Capital, you failed to wield even that sole strength. It was Azel Sera Alphaid, the man you despise, who repelled that terrifying Magic Dragon. Duke Sarion’s House serves as the shield of the Imperial Capital. As a shield, we understand that without a sword, we cannot strike down our enemies. Therefore, we have no use for a sword that cannot cut. Duke Sarion’s House has found a new blade. This engagement is formally terminated here and now. His Imperial Majesty has granted his approval. Please leave and never cross the threshold of Duke Sarion’s House again.”

Instead of being enraged by these words, Hein attempted to kill Esmeralda by using magic.
But she easily suppressed him, saying,

–“It’s pointless, Lord Hein. You may have abundant magic, but you lack finesse.”

From there, punishments for his misconduct and other incidents further tarnished the already poor reputation of Duke Aster’s Household.