Published: January 15, 2026
【Yard】
At seventeen years old, Yard returned to the marquis family mansion for the first time in about a year. Three months after Van was sent off to a frontier village, Yard and Sesto had been studying by serving as magistrates in large cities to learn about internal affairs and managing their own domains.
As the marquis, only sending the youngest brother Van out was starting to cause rumors. To prevent bad gossip, the second and third sons were also appointed as magistrates in cities, and the eldest son was raised strictly as the head of the family's assistant, just to maintain appearances.
However, Yard, sent out as a magistrate during such an important time in his mid-teens as a noble, was inwardly very anxious.
Yard and Sesto, both candidates to become head of the family and possessing fire magic aptitude, should have been strong among the four brothers. So why was he not made the head of the family's assistant, but just a mere city administrator?
Jarpa, always out on the battlefield, could die at any time. That was why the position of head of the family's assistant was so important.
Yard thought this way.
Even from the southern side of the Fertio Marquisate where Yard served as magistrate, opposite to Seato Village where Van was, Yard heard about Van becoming a baron and the war with the Yelinetta Kingdom, but Yard saw this as a great opportunity.
Upon receiving a prompt summons from the current head of the family, Yard eagerly returned, believing that this was finally the time to prove his strength as the head of the family's assistant, and stood before Jarpa.
“Father! Yard Guy Fertio, just returned!”
When Yard raised his head and said this, Jarpa gave a shallow nod with his usual stern face.
“...How did you feel ruling the city as a magistrate?”
At this simple question, Yard’s expression changed.
“...I was able to learn sufficiently how to govern a city as a lord, how to bring profit, and how to promote development. In the future, I want to further solidify the marquis family and also prove my strength on the battlefield.”
Speaking seriously, Yard was observed by Jarpa with narrowed eyes. Jarpa knew that Yard and Sesto had been assigned experienced aides and had spent the year simply learning their aides’ methods. Furthermore, the cities they governed were all peaceful and economically prosperous. Frankly, simply taking the role seriously would guarantee results.
However, reports from the aides only contained that Yard and Sesto were diligently working as magistrates. Jarpa was not naive enough to take the reports at face value. As the current marquis, he was the one receiving evaluations of his potential successors. No one would risk writing anything unfavorable. On the contrary, any good news would probably be exaggerated.
Yet, in less than a year, there had been no significant changes or developments in the cities Yard and Sesto were dispatched to. Only that they had worked diligently.
Jarpa judged this as the result of laziness.
He gave Yard a sharp glare and let out a small sigh.
“Van, in the time you spent managing a city for a year, has defeated an adult dragon, risen to baron, developed his village into a fortress city, and even achieved battle merits. Aren’t you ashamed as his older brother?”
Upon hearing this, Yard’s face twitched.
“N-no, that was probably with the aid of Count Ferdinand. Rumors say Count Ferdinand’s daughter lives in Van’s territory. Van must have become a pawn of the count’s house. With their power’s help, he defeated the dragon and developed his territory. If that’s how it’s done, then I could do it too…”
Yard doubted Count Ferdinand’s involvement out of prejudice, believing that the youngest brother, only eight years old and lacking much magical aptitude, couldn’t have done such a thing.
At first, Jarpa had thought similarly. But after witnessing Van’s magic firsthand, Yard’s speculation seemed nothing more than delusion.
“Don’t say foolish things. His Majesty personally visited Van’s territory and acknowledged him. If Count Ferdinand were involved, they would never have deceived His Majesty. Moreover, to defeat an adult dragon by normal means, you’d need two or three thousand equipped knights and several top-class four element magicians. Doing that openly would be immediately discovered by His Majesty.”