The Count was sitting in front of a large desk. There was a mountain of documents on one corner of his desk. The giant signature on top of the load indicated the completed pile while a load of documents on the opposite corner seemed to be the unfinished pile. As he sat in front of the messy desk, the Count looked far different from the time he led an army to war as a brave knight not so long ago. This was the appearance of a lord of an estate now, and what naturally came after a bloody, dangerous war was nothing to do with swords but wrestling with documents and papers.
The Count placed the pen in his hands next to a document had been reviewing for a long time. It seemed like the paperwork was grueling as the Count’s face was streaked with deep fatigue.
“You are a bit late,” the Count said.
“Some things happened along the way.” That was all Zich explained. His attitude was beyond rude for someone addressing a high-status noble, but the Count looked unconcerned. Then, Hans bowed to the Count once and went out, leaving only the two of them in the room.
“Count Dracul from the neighboring country and Lady Rouge informed me that they are on their way here.”
“I heard from Hans.”
“It seems like they are coming to see you.”
“I have quite a deep relationship with those two.”
“I see.” The Count didn’t know much about how Zich was acquainted with Count Dracul, but he had personally witnessed how Zich became involved with the Rouge family’s business. The Count assumed something similar must have happened with Count Dracul, and even if it wasn’t the case, the Count had no intention or reason to investigate the matter.
“Are you going to do the greeting and welcoming?”
“Why would I do that? They came as Steelwall’s guests. Just arrange a meeting place for me to see them.”
“I will do that,” the Count replied and nodded.
“Do you perhaps know what those people like or dislike?”
“Who knows?” After spending many years fighting the world together, Zich was knowledgeable of the two’s hobbies and preferences, but this was strictly before the regression.
‘They will probably be shocked beyond belief if I welcome them with a bathtub full of blood or a dressing table decorated with the heads of handsome men now.’ At this thought, Zich felt satisfied to know how well he had guided the two from straying off the wrong path.
“Although I think we have a deep relationship, the time we spent together was short. I don’t know what they like or dislike.”
“I guess that means we will have to just welcome them normally. You said the two were engaged to one another, right?”
“Yes. I think they must have set up a marriage date by now.”
“Then, I should prepare their bedrooms to be close to one another.”
After that, the Count continued to ask Zich many questions to prepare for his welcoming of Joachim and Evelyn, including their arrangement with meeting up with Zich.
“There’s one more thing I must tell you. His Highness, the Crown Prince, is also coming here this time.”
“Is he also coming to see me?”
“Probably. Unlike how you speak to me, you must address His Highness with proper etiquette.”
“I adjust my attitude and manners according to the situation and person anyways,” Zich replied and recalled the time he met the Crown Prince in the capital.
‘He seemed like a competent man,’ Zich thought. Since he was planning to stay in the Steelwall’s residence for a while, he wouldn’t be able to avoid seeing the Crown Prince. However, Zich didn’t consider the meeting with the Crown Prince as anything special. After they finished their conversation, the Count stared intently at Zich.
“What are you looking at?” Zich asked and met the Count’s eyes snidely.
“Do you know that?”
“How the heck am I supposed to respond if you ask me a question like that out of the blue without any context? Do you think I can read your mind or something?”
“You look like Sara.”
“I know that.” Sara Steelwall’s original name was Sara Flaud. She was Count Flaud’s daughter and Count Steelwall’s ex-wife and Zich’s mother.
“Anybody can see that I don’t look like you.” The Count’s rugged appearance could be described as wild and manly at best and rough at worst. On the other hand, Zich had the neat and prim appearance of a young nobleman. With his quite fine appearance, if Zich had officially grown up as the Steelwall’s heir and debuted in higher society, he could have received the attention of many noble ladies.
“You heard how vicious your mother was, right?”
“Yes, I heard.”
“That was why I disliked you.”
“I know that too, and how ridiculous it was for me to be mistreated for that reason.” The content of his words was full of thorns, but Zich’s tone was flat and his face looked unbothered. What happened in his younger days didn’t influence him in the slightest, and he was simply stating the truth.
“I know.” The Count agreed this time.
“Why are you bringing that up now? Do you suddenly want to rebuild our relationship?”
“Rebuild our relationship? I’d be glad if we could, but I already know it’s impossible.”
“I suppose you haven’t lost your mind yet.”
The Count remained calm in front of Zich’s jeering.
“Do you perhaps have any thoughts about succeeding my position?”
“On second thought, it seems like you’re starting to lose your mind a bit and you’re just pretending to be sane.”
“What I did before was only natural since you couldn’t use any mana before. You weren’t suitable to be the Steelwall heir, and with the issue with your grandfather, I judged that the family wouldn’t be able to last if you succeeded my position.”
Zich had already admitted this.
The Count continued, “It would have only been wrong for us to go beyond matters relating to the heir position and persecute you because of our negative feelings about your mother.”
“Yet, you guys did just that.”
“We did.” That was what created this psychological bridge between the two.
“Will you never come back if you leave this time?”
“Who knows what will happen? Like this time, however, I will never come to you as Zich Steelwall since I have absolutely no connections to the Steelwall family.”
“I see.”
“Why have you suddenly become so emotional? Are you scared that I would return for revenge?”
“Revenge from a dragon slayer certainly does sound frightening.” The Count’s slightly regretful tone made it easy to tell that he wasn’t expressing his genuine feelings.
Seeing Zich’s expression, the Count then added, “You look like you don’t understand what’s going on.”
“Your change is shocking me more than even the dragon’s appearance.”
“It’s simple. The son whom I didn’t favor and chased away grew up splendidly. He returned to only save his whole family from falling to hell. I wouldn’t be a proper noble if I didn’t consider my losses and I’d be inhumane if I didn’t feel anything about this.”
“Due to the amount of pain my mother caused to this family, I thought I should help you all out just once. That thought somehow ballooned into this whole incident.”
“Then, does that mean this is all thanks to Sara?”
“Don’t you think that’s too much of a stretch?”
“Yes, that’s certainly true.”
The father and son were finally seeing eye to eye.
“Greig would be enough for the heir position. Since I completely healed his trauma, he won’t act so pathetically as he did before.”
The Count nodded. Greig had shown considerable skills in this war and showed no signs of his past self.
“A guy like Greig is a perfect fit for a place like Steelwall. The Steelwall Estate is far too small for an existence like me.”
“Not too long ago, I would have argued with you passionately over that, but…” The Count could no longer do that with the current Zich. Count Steelwall had grown up his entire life with extreme pride about his family. He even thought that his family didn’t lack behind the royal family, but even this family that he was so prideful about seemed to be lacking for Zich. Thus, the Count felt even more regretful. The moment that a figure like Zich joined his family, he would expand the family’s power and standing so that it would become suitable to hold him. Then, the Steelwalls could become an even greater family. Yet, that was nothing more than a dream now.
“Yes. The Steelwall family is probably too small to contain you.” The Count rose from his chair. The office seemed to fill up with his size. Even if he didn’t try, his effortless, small movements let out an atmosphere akin to a giant mountain rising. That was the sort of person Count Steelwall was. He was someone who appeared as if he would always hold his head up high like a mountain peak, but such a man was bowing to Zich.
“I am truly sorry.”
Who would be able to receive such a sincere apology from a man like Count Steelwall? Considering the Count’s age and social standing, those who received his apologies would feel uncomfortable pressure instead. Of course, Zich wasn’t the type to feel pressured by such social bearings and was able to see the Count’s apology purely for its own merits. However, this didn’t necessarily translate into accepting the apology.
“What joke are you playing now?” Zich asked. “You must know how useless this is.”
“Of course, I know that. But that doesn’t prevent me from doing what I should do.” The Count straightened his back and bowed again. “I also want to thank you for protecting our family.”
Zich stared intently at the Count. “It’s none of my concern whether you are apologizing out of duty or self-satisfaction, but I will accept your thanks.”
“Thank you,” the Count replied as he stood upright once more.
“Is that all?”
“Yes, that’s all.”
“Then, I will be leaving.”
“All right.”
Zich opened the door and left the office, and the Count lifted his pen and began working on his documents again. As if their interaction just now had been a dream, the two went about their business as if nothing ever happened. Perhaps, like father and son, in this regard—only in this matter were the two extremely alike. Unable to mend the relationship, Zich and the Count’s relationship ended like that and hardened.
* * *
“Have you finished your conversation with Sir Count?”
When Zich got out of the Count’s office, Trell stood next to the door looking like he had been waiting for him.
“Yes. If you also have some business with the Count, you can go in now.”
“No, I was just waiting for you after hearing that you came to see Sir Count on my way here.”
“Do you have something to speak to me about?”
“It’s not anything important, but if it’s fine with you, could we talk for a bit?”
“Yes, sure.”
Like that, the two began to slowly walk across the hallway. Zich glanced at the old butler walking next to him. He was one of the very few who hadn’t held negative feelings for Zich in the Steelwall family. Yet, he hadn’t taken Zich’s side either. He simply didn’t discriminate, but that was enough for Zich to have favorable opinions of the butler. Thus, the way Zich interacted with Trell was much softer than the way he treated the Count.
“I’m sure Sir Count already asked you about succeeding his position,” Trell said.
“You are quite direct, but it is as you say.”
“Could I ask you what your answer was?”
“It is just as you predicted.”
“I see, as expected. That’s certainly a shame.”
“You are backing down more easily than I expected. I thought you would want me to succeed the Count’s position the most out of everyone else.”
“I did.” Trell looked toward the garden past the window. “When you came back here, young master, you said that the Steelwall Estate was too small of a place for you.”
Zich recalled saying that while arguing with the Count.
“At that time, I couldn’t agree with what you said. I thought the Steelwall Estate could contain anyone.”
“Did your mind change?”
“Yes, it changed significantly.” Trell looked away from the window and stared at Zich. His eyes under his white eyebrows arched softly.
“Young Master, you have surely become too great for even the Steelwall Estate.”