“Brother…?”
I leaned back against the chair and stared intently at Lady Mary, the Marquis’ daughter. Lady Mary flinched slightly, as if my gaze made her uncomfortable, and lowered her eyes.
‘Come to think of it, if it’s a matter concerning the eldest of the Marquis’ family, she would likely ask for my help while keeping an eye on the Marquis and Marchioness.’
The Mary Marquis family had an eldest son who was significantly older than Lady Maria Mary. The reason this is in the past tense is because it’s now rather ambiguous to still refer to him as the eldest son of that household.
‘Wait, wasn’t that already five years ago?’
The eldest of the Marquis family, ‘Brian Mary.’
He had an extraordinary talent in the arts, particularly in fine painting. Though his fame has somewhat faded now, there was a time when his works were all the rage among the nobility.
How much of a sensation was it? At that time in the capital, regular salons were held to appreciate his work, and prominent critics in the art world were constantly publishing rave reviews.
Of course, there were those who frowned upon the idea of a nobleman of his stature selling paintings.
‘After all, there’s still the lingering perception that painting is something done as a hobby by commoners or lower-ranking nobles.’
It was such a narrow-minded way of thinking, as if art had anything to do with social status.
Nonetheless, no one could deny that Brian Mary possessed exceptional artistic talent. Even I couldn’t help but be amazed when I glimpsed one of his paintings at a café in the bustling part of town.
“B-Biblos Academy has always been my brother’s lifelong dream…”
“……”
“But no matter how hard I think about it, I can’t find a way to help my brother myself…”
I silently watched Lady Mary shrink her shoulders as she spoke.
As she said, Brian had long dreamed of entering Biblos Academy, the undisputed best university. However, that dream was crushed before it even began. The Marquis and Marchioness vehemently opposed his entrance into the academy.
They pressured him to abandon his ‘vulgar paintings’ and prepare to inherit the family title instead.
It was indeed strict guidance befitting one of the most prestigious families in the Empire.
‘If things had ended there, the story wouldn’t have become so widely talked about.’
What made the Marquis family’s situation so famous, even to me, was what happened next.
Brian Merry, the eldest son, went so far as to burn the family register with his name on it, declaring that he no longer wished to be a member of the family.
When the eldest son dramatically incinerated his name from the family records, the Marquis and Marchioness were so shocked they nearly fainted, and Brian left the family, cutting ties and disappearing.
‘I heard he’s been living as a commoner somewhere.’
Because of this, the Merry Marquis family made headlines on the front page of the Aria Gazette for quite some time. Even now, the story remains astonishing.
Though he hasn’t been officially disowned, meaning he is still legally their son, what could the Marquis and Marchioness do with a son who hasn’t shown his face in the capital for five years?
But the story didn’t end there. One would think that, as parents, they might have softened by now. However, the Marquis and Marchioness, being quite headstrong themselves, began applying pressure on Biblos Academy six months after their son ran away, blocking Brian’s admission.
It seemed they believed that if his dream were crushed, he would eventually return home.
‘Both the parents and the child are stubborn beyond belief.’
As I marveled at the situation in disbelief, I glanced at the small young lady sitting opposite me. When our eyes met, she flinched and quickly looked away.
‘How could someone so timid come from such a family?’
The more I thought about it, the more certain I was that Mary was an anomaly in the Marquis family.
“So, you’ve come to me.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Grand Duchess… I thought you might be able to help.”
“Help, you say?”
I tapped the armrest of the chair lightly with my fingertips as if I were deep in thought. As I assumed a pondering posture, Lady Mary became visibly anxious and hurriedly continued speaking.
“My brother is an exceptional talent. Although his admission is currently blocked by my parents…”
“So you want me to support the Marquis’ son in his application to the academy? How noble of you to think of your brother.”
“…I understand that even making such a request is incredibly presumptuous, but I can think of no other way.”
“And so?”
“My brother is more than capable of entering the academy on his own merit. The issue is that his application is not even being submitted to the admissions office. All I ask is that Your Highness relay my brother’s situation directly to the headmaster…”
Her voice trailed off.
Though it was a polite request, it was essentially asking the Grand Duchess to act as a courier for her brother’s application.
Even so, I could easily imagine how much she must have agonized over this request before coming to see me.
‘Most noblewomen would consider this request offensive and would dismiss her outright.’
It seemed that Lady Mary wasn’t unaware of this fact either.
While I quietly observed her, she fidgeted slightly, seemingly having made a decision. Then, from under her chair, she carefully pulled out a thick portfolio and respectfully offered it to me.
“Please take a look and decide for yourself. It’s a collection of my brother’s works.”
“…To this extent?”
I stared intently at the Marquis’ daughter before taking the booklet she handed me. As I opened the cover, I saw neatly arranged paintings and descriptions.
‘She even made a catalog?’
“If the headmaster sees my brother’s work, I’m sure he will change his mind. I’m confident.”
“Hm.”
Indeed, even though the artwork in the collection wasn’t the originals, I could tell, even as an amateur, that they were outstanding.
‘Delivering this personally would be effective.’
Since I was already set to give a speech at the 100th-anniversary celebration, handing this portfolio to the headmaster wouldn’t be difficult. Even without directly asking for Brian’s admission, the mere act of me delivering it would carry weight.
That’s probably why the Marquis’ daughter came to me.
Most importantly, the eldest son’s skills were already well-recognized.
‘Everything checks out… but…’
I snapped the portfolio shut with a decisive thud.
“Lady Mary.”
“…Yes, Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
“I understand your request. However, if I do this, I’ll end up at odds with your parents, the Marquis and Marchioness of Merry, won’t I?”
That was the crux of the issue.
I had no intention of becoming enemies with the Marquis family.
Last time, I helped the Countess of Olsen, but that was a matter of gaining her favor while keeping my identity concealed.
In contrast, the Marquis of Merry, while a supporter of the emperor, could shift their allegiance to the grand duchy if the circumstances changed. From my perspective, there was no reason to risk their disfavor over this.
Seeing my indifferent gaze, Lady Mary bit her lip tightly.
“So… that’s the issue.”
“Exactly. Your concern for your brother is admirable, but as you know, I must consider the relationships between families.”
“……”
At my firm response, she shifted her gaze to the floor, seemingly deep in thought, before slowly raising her eyes as if she had reached a decision.
Straightening her back, she lifted her previously hunched shoulders with newfound resolve.
The timid girl from moments ago was now standing tall with a different aura entirely.
“You need not worry about that.”
“Hm?”
I tilted my head.
“You don’t need to worry…? What makes you so sure?”
Lady Mary closed her eyes slowly, then opened them. Her silver-gray eyes, slightly obscured by her cream-colored bangs, gleamed sharply.
“In the Marquis family, the title is passed down when the heir turns nineteen.”
“And?”
“My brother was originally meant to inherit, but since he has severed ties with the family, it’s not possible for him right now.”
I let out a small chuckle, intrigued by how her demeanor shifted the moment the topic of her family came up.
“Even if my parents relent and allow him to return, my brother will see it as an opportunity to enter the academy, not to reclaim his place in the family.”
Her words flowed without hesitation.
“And since the academy’s program lasts three years, he wouldn’t return to the family for at least that long.”
She took a short breath.
“And I am sixteen this year. In three years, I will be nineteen.”
Was she implying that she would inherit the title herself, assuming nothing changed? My eyebrows lifted slightly.
“Hm, so?”
“That means we have three years.”
Lady Mary’s words were clear and deliberate.
“In three years, either my brother or I will inevitably inherit the title.”
As she paused, an unusual silence filled the parlor. Sunlight poured through the transparent windows, casting a brief glimmer on the surface of the tea. Then Lady Mary spoke again.
“Your Highness, will you stake your future relations with the Merry Marquis family on the next three years or the thirty that follow?”
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