LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Reunion with Family
Chapter 37: Reunion with Family
I dropped by the office to inform them of the possibility of extending my vacation and finally left the capital. If I hurry, I should be able to return within the initial five-day vacation period that I applied for.
By now, investigations into the Crown Prince and the Temple must be underway. While this country is a monarchy, it’s also a nation governed by law. Even if you’re of royal blood, you’ll face punishment if you break the law. Besides, I have brothers, so even if I were disinherited, it wouldn’t be a problem… or so I hope.
In that case, for the Temple, which presumably wants to make the Saint the future queen, this incident is quite a setback. Well, by the time I return to the capital, there will probably be some movement. Would it be pitiful for Diane if the Crown Prince were disinherited? No, if that happens, the engagement will likely be annulled, so she might actually be happier.
“Crimes are not our specialty, so let’s leave it to the authorities. It’s been a while since you and Eleanor went out together, right? Let’s forget about the unpleasant things and have some fun!”
That’s what I thought until I reached my family’s territory. Although we smoothly made it to the territory in a day, when I arrived at the mansion, it was an entirely different atmosphere – totally unwelcoming.
It seems that just before my arrival, news had arrived through merchants that I had been apprehended as the perpetrator of the attempted abduction of Lady Diane. To my father, it probably sounded something like, “The foolish son has finally done it.”
It was a good thing I had lunch before arriving, anticipating this kind of atmosphere. Having a meal with my family in this mood seemed impossible. Now I was being escorted by the steward to the dining room, but everyone had stopped eating as if they had lost their appetites.
“Father, I’m back.”
“There are several things I want to ask you.”
“Anything. I don’t need a meal, so I’ll have some tea.”
The seat I used until I left home was still empty, so I asked a maid for some tea and took my seat. Perhaps because I used to command them to bring tea in my past life, the maid seemed surprised, as did my family.
At the dining table were my parents, my eldest brother and his wife, and my second brother. My eldest brother’s wife had two children, aged four and two, but they didn’t eat in the dining room until they could handle cutlery properly. After the slightly nervous maid brought the tea, I took a sip, and then my father spoke up.
“Is it true that you tried to abduct the Crown Prince’s fiancée?”
“No, I was the one who stopped the abduction. I was falsely accused and put on trial, but thanks to the testimony of the victim herself, Lady Diane, I was acquitted and am here now.”
Normally, when a son returns home after a long absence, wouldn’t it be appropriate to at least say “welcome back”? Quite different from my father in my previous life, who loved children.
“I see, that’s good.”
“So, why did you summon me with a letter without stating the reason?”
“How dare you speak to your father like that!”
My eldest brother, Albert, slammed the table. His wife flinched. The Vandière family is quite hot-blooded, aren’t they?
“I, for one, am still in the middle of a meal, aren’t I? It’s rude to interrupt.”
“What did you say!?”
“Do you have to speak so loudly all the time? As the future head of the family, you should be more composed. Getting emotional so easily will only invite disrespect from those around you.”
As I calmly replied, I noticed Cyril, my younger brother, suppressing a laugh. Once Albert’s son turns seven, he’ll become redundant as a spare, so there are probably various implications from Cyril’s perspective.
“You’ve changed quite a lot, Justin. You seem like a completely different person from before,” my mother said, bewildered. But in my mind, my previous mother was the real parent, not this woman who showed little interest in Justin. Even so, the Justin who once sought affection became disillusioned and turned into such a person with a bad reputation.
I could have laid it all out for them, but the feeling of not wanting to treat these people, who were only connected by blood, as family won out. I offered a polite smile to my mother.
“Oh, you know about me? I thought you had no interest and knew nothing about me. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
After delivering a bit of sarcasm, her expression seemed as if she had been shocked. In reality, she had shown no interest until now, so she had no right to make such a face.
The actions of the eldest son being the first, followed by the second son, and the third son being indifferent were evident. In fact, I hadn’t received a single letter from my mother since leaving home, and of course, she never came to see me, not even when I visited the capital.
“You’ve really changed. By the way, is it true that you refused a peerage?”
“A peerage!?”
Both Albert and Cyril exclaimed at my father’s words simultaneously. Albert, who could inherit the title, might have been worried, but Cyril, who was just a nobleman’s son, might have been concerned that my status would surpass his if I were ennobled.
“In reality, the credit goes to my subordinates, not me. It would be petty of me to take credit for their achievements. Besides… I’ll be ennobled for my own accomplishments eventually.”
In fact, in novels, there should be plenty of opportunities ahead to earn accolades, whether it’s slaying dragons or battling dark gods. My father blinked at my confident declaration, but in the end, he smiled satisfactorily.