Chapter 14: Roll Them, and Roll Them Again (2)
As Deni left the training grounds, Seros appeared behind Kyle.
"To think that bastard left this world…… I can’t believe it."
"Pass the word to Aron. Tell him to find out everything that happened to the Light Family, without missing a single detail."
"Yes, my lord."
Unable to easily forget Deni’s words, Kyle pressed his fingers hard against his forehead.
"……There’s no way Eric would fall so aninglessly. You know that, don’t you?"
"How could I not know? He was one of the Vice-Commanders of the Special Operations Unit. Soone must have been involved in the downfall of the Light Family."
Eric Light.
Once, he had been one of the Vice-Commanders of the Special Operations Unit, and a rival of Seros.
He had also been a comrade who left, saying that trouble had arisen within his family even before the war had ended.
Kyle had thought that he was living well.
But he had never imagined that he would hear such news like this.
"Seros, you will pass down the Light Family’s swordsmanship."
"……Understood."
"Instead, I will personally take care of the basic sword training."
Kyle clenched his fist tightly.
He was the younger brother of a man who had helped him and crossed life-and-death situations together.
He could never allow the succession of the Light Family to end so futilely.
Blood welled up in his hand, clenched so hard that his fingernails dug into his flesh.
"Seros."
"Yes, my lord."
"We need to track down the whereabouts of our comrades who left the Special Operations Unit. I’ve got a bad feeling about this."
After returning to the Ragnar Family, many things about Kyle had changed.
At the order to look into old comrades he had never even paid attention to before, Seros lowered his head.
"I will search as thoroughly as possible."
"Even if you have to leave the Ragnar Knight Order’s training to Acacia, you move personally."
"Yes, my lord."
After parting ways with Seros, Kyle headed straight for Pramo.
It bothered him that, while dealing with the urgent matters at hand, he had not been able to have many conversations with him one-on-one.
When he arrived in front of the door to the Head of the Family’s Office, Elise, who happened to be outside, greeted him.
"Has the Eldest Young Master arrived?"
"Where is Pramo?"
"He is inside."
Kyle nodded and opened the door to the Head of the Family’s Office.
Seeing Kyle, Pramo stopped what he was doing and smiled.
"Brother, you’ve co?"
"Pramo, I ca because there’s sothing I need to discuss. Is now a good ti?"
"It’s fine. Please, have a seat. Elise, could I ask you to prepare so refreshnts?"
At Pramo’s request, Elise showed a gentle smile and nodded.
Once the door to the Head of the Family’s Office closed, Kyle sat down beside Pramo.
"I don’t know how long I’m supposed to go on living while being called Young Master."
"Ah……."
So many things had happened that it was sothing he had failed to pay attention to.
At Kyle’s words, Pramo stood up and bowed his head.
"I apologize. It was sothing I should have taken care of, but I failed to do so."
"Apologies are fine. Instead, I’d like you to make up so suitable position for ."
Kyle’s current standing was ambiguous.
Although he had beco the eldest elder of the family, the people of the family still called him Young Master.
"I’ve been troubled by that issue as well, but I don’t know what kind of position I should give you……."
Pramo did not want to give his older brother so half-baked title.
At the sa ti, bestowing upon him the title of Elder would also be strange.
As Pramo fell into thought with his chin resting on his hand, Kyle changed the subject.
"Pramo, how is the reconstruction of the Elders’ Council coming along?"
"I haven’t been able to form a proper plan yet. Since there aren’t many people suitable to entrust with the position of Elder, there’s not much I can do."
"There would be no issue if Lord Pan were granted the position of Elder."
At Kyle’s suggestion, Pramo scratched his head.
He did not understand why Kyle suddenly wanted Pan removed into an Elder position.
Sensing his thoughts, Kyle recalled his conversation with Deni and spoke.
"If Lord Pan remains in the Ragnar Knight Order, my subordinates won’t be able to properly roll things out."
"What do you an by that……?"
"First, I’m going to tear down and rebuild the Ragnar Knight Order from the ground up. If Lord Pan keeps the position of Commander, problems may arise."
"But Lord Pan seems to wish to remain active."
The mont Kyle heard Pramo’s words, he shook his head.
"You’re a smart one—why do you think so poorly of Lord Pan? There’s no one suitable to entrust the role to, so he’s leading the veterans and continuing as Commander."
The reason Pan insisted on remaining active was because the Ragnar Knight Order was the family’s military might itself.
The mont the Knight Order fell into disarray, it was only natural that the family’s power would rapidly decline.
That was why Pan would have found it all the more uncomfortable to pass the position of Commander on to Akun.
Looking out the window, Kyle continued.
"Akun is still lacking. That’s why Lord Pan likely judged that even if Akun beca Commander, he wouldn’t be able to keep the knights under control."
"……Then who should be appointed as the Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order?"
"Vice-Commander Akun."
Kyle spoke words that contradicted what he had said earlier.
At this, Pramo asked back with a puzzled expression.
"Brother, what do you an by that?"
"Don’t worry. No matter who is placed in the Commander’s seat, I’ll roll them so thoroughly that they won’t even dare to think of opposing it."
At the resolute remark, Pramo started to speak, then closed his mouth.
Kyle lightly patted his shoulder.
"I can’t tell you, the Head of the Family, what to do with family affairs. But at the very least, follow my will when it cos to military authority."
"Understood."
"For now, focus solely on administration. I’ll strengthen the military authority in the anti. When the ti cos, you’ll be able to take it back yourself."
"I trust you, Brother."
Nodding, Kyle returned to the main point and spoke again about the Commander position.
"Appoint Lord Pan as an Elder, and hand over the position of Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order to Akun. After that, I’ll take care of everything. Even if the knights beg to be spared, do not think of intervening."
"I’ll try."
"Answer clearly. If you intend to intervene, I won’t even begin."
"……Understood. I will absolutely not intervene."
When the conversation had largely wrapped up, Elise brought in the refreshnts she had prepared.
She set them down on the table and was about to leave, but Kyle stopped her.
"You sit as well."
"Yes, Eldest Young Master."
"What do you want
to call you?"
Kyle asked as he seated Elise.
Now that she was the lady of the family, it seed right to use a different form of address.
However, Elise smiled as if it were fine and shook her head.
"I would like you to call
by my na, Brother-in-law."
"……Is that all right?"
"It doesn’t matter. Please call
by whatever title you’re most comfortable with."
"Thank you, Elise."
"Not at all."
"All right, that’s sothing we can adjust over ti. Pramo, so what is my position?"
At Kyle’s question, Pramo let out a deep sigh.
No matter how much he thought about it, no suitable position ca to mind.
At that mont, Elise spoke up in place of the tongue-tied Pramo.
"How about Grand General? It’s a position that can always be changed later, so for now it seems appropriate."
"Grand General, huh……."
"Since you hold full authority over the military, Brother-in-law, I don’t think it would be strange."
Her words had a point.
Once Ragnar stabilized to so extent, the position could always be changed then.
"I’ll accept it."
As long as he was no longer called Young Master, that was enough.
Nodding, Kyle picked up the teacup Elise had brought.
After taking a sip, Kyle spoke of sothing he had been thinking about for a long ti.
"Elise, you should participate in the Ragnar Knight Order’s training as well."
"……Brother!"
Realizing that Kyle was serious, Pramo shouted loudly.
If Elise were to participate here, he might not be able to keep his promise of not intervening in the training.
Having anticipated Pramo’s reaction, Kyle admonished him in a low voice.
"I won’t train her too harshly."
Pramo still looked reluctant, but before he could say anything, Elise answered first.
"I will participate."
"Good. You’ve made the right decision."
At the sudden decision, Pramo alternated his gaze between the two.
But since Elise had already decided, it was no longer sothing he could involve himself in.
Pramo let out a small sigh.
At this point, the only thing he could say was to repeat what he had said earlier.
"……If the training becos too harsh, then this will beco an issue I have no choice but to intervene in."
"You’ll beco henpecked, I see. That’s not so bad either."
"Brother, I’m being serious right now."
"I understand, so don’t worry. I only intend to focus on correcting her swordsmanship."
After taking another sip of tea, Kyle rose from his seat.
Before leaving the Head of the Family’s Office, he left Pramo with one last remark.
"I’ll et with Lord Pan myself."
---
Pan sat absentmindedly in the garden with his equipnt removed.
At that mont, one of the servants who managed the mansion ran over and reported to him.
"Commander, Young Master Kyle has arrived."
At the news of Kyle’s visit, Pan hurriedly rose from his seat.
"Escort him in at once."
A short while later, Kyle arrived in the garden under the servant’s guidance and looked around.
"Lord Pan, it feels like it’s been a long ti since we last t one-on-one like this."
"I don’t even know how many years it’s been, Young Master."
"Ah, and my position has been decided."
"What is it?"
"They say I’ll be appointed Grand General."
As Kyle sat down on a chair set up in the garden, Pan finally took a seat as well.
Pan had thought the conversation would naturally turn to the matter of Grand General, but Kyle only looked at him in silence for a while.
After maintaining an awkward smile for so ti, Pan finally opened his mouth.
"……Is there sothing you wish to say to ?"
"You’ve worked hard all this ti, Lord Pan."
"To hear that from the Grand General embarrasses . Haven’t you endured far more than I ever did?"
Waving his hand as if it were nothing, a trace of a smile surfaced at Pan’s lips.
He then lifted his head and continued speaking.
"I still can’t tell whether this is a dream or reality. But seeing the Grand General standing before
like this does bring
a sense of relief."
"……I’m sorry for making such a selfish choice fifteen years ago. However, I have never regretted it even once. The only regret I carry is that I could not be by my father’s side at his final monts."
At Kyle’s words, Pan let out a sigh and gently closed his eyes.
"Did you not return alive like this? I’m certain the Previous Head of the Family would understand as well."
"Hearing you say that does ease my heart a little."
Kyle paused briefly and looked at Pan.
Pan, opening his eyes, belatedly sensed the gaze and turned his head.
Both n read the look in each other’s eyes, and Pan spoke first.
"Is there sothing you wish to ask of ?"
"Lord Pan, please step down from the position of Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order."
As the expected words ca from Kyle’s mouth, Pan gave a bitter smile.
There had been only one reason he had continued to lead the veterans and maintain the position of Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order.
It was because there was no proper successor to take over.
He had wanted to hold out until Akun properly matured.
But now, it had beco aningless.
Because Kyle had returned to the Ragnar Territory.
"It seems I’ve finally reached the age to rest."
"I have no intention of letting Lord Pan rest."
"……."
"Please take one of the vacant Elder seats. Even if you can no longer serve as an active knight, do it for the territory, and for Pramo."
This was sothing Pan had not anticipated.
At the sudden request to take on the position of Elder, Pan could not grasp what decision he should make.
"……I’ve long since passed the age for retirent."
"You’re still hale and hearty. I believe you are the only one capable of bringing order to a territory that’s fallen into chaos. So please, take the role."
"……It may be greed on my part, but to be honest, I still don’t wish to retire."
"For Lord Pan, that much greed is acceptable."
"But my body no longer listens to my will as it once did."
"……."
"Now that the Grand General has returned like this, it’s also true that retiring just like that leaves
with regrets."
Kyle did not rush him.
He simply wanted to respect Pan’s decision.
After how much ti had passed, Pan, who had remained silent for a long while, finally answered Kyle’s proposal.
"……I will accept. I don’t believe myself to be soone worthy of the position of Elder, but I will do my utmost nonetheless."
"You needn’t think that way. Lord Pan possesses more than enough character to suit the title of Elder."
Kyle took Pan’s hand, now filled with wrinkles.
A swordsmanship master who had been stricter than his father Rai, and soone who had influenced Kyle during his formative years.
"I know that I’ve weighed on your heart for many long years, Lord Pan. So I wanted to give myself a chance to repay even a little of that debt."
"Haven’t you already repaid everything? Your return alive alone is more than enough."
Pan looked at Kyle with a brighter smile than ever before.
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