Chapter 4: Sister Bridget

 

Inside the carriage was warm.

 

As the carriage ran forward, I saw my family’s home in the distance.

 

As we arrive, the butler quickly dismounts before I can and holds the door open while remaining bowing politely outside.

 

“Welcome back, Sir Werner.”

 

Werner: “Yes, thank you.”

 

I enter the mansion, and no sooner do I cross the threshold when I see my sister waiting for me expectantly and quite intimidatingly.

 

She stared right at me.

 

“Fwew. If you got fired from the Mage’s Academy and didn’t have a place to stay, come straight home next time. You didn’t even give us one call. You’re always soーー”

 

Werner: “I thought father and brother would be here.”

 

“But even so……..”

 

It’s not that my relationship with my father and brother are bad or that they pick on me.

 

But my father and brother do not approve of me doing Magecraft Artifact Research all the time.

 

Werner: “Father and brother are both against my Magecraft Tool Research, right?”

 

“That is true, but…..”

 

Werner: “If they found out that I was fired from the Mages Academy, they’ll definitely use that fact against me.”

 

My father and brother oppose me doing any further Magecraft Tool Research.

 

In order to suppress their opposition, being a Teaching Assistant at the Mages Academy was extremely useful.

 

“I also understand how father feels, and I’m certain as well that they will be ecstatic to hear this news and try something to change your mind.”

 

My father heads the Strout Marquis ー one of the most prominent Noble families in this country.

 

Because the Strout Marquis holds an immense amount of power, he’s always trying to find ways to get me to stop researching and developing Magecraft Artifacts.

 

And under my father, my brother Gustav leads the Strout Marquis Military is of the same opinion.

 

He’s always looking for an excuse to pull me into his army as a Magecraft Spellcaster.

 

I most definitely do not want to join the military.

 

That is why I place distance between myself and my family and prefer to remain isolated to some degree.

 

My father only allowed my apprenticeship with Professor Kay when I was a kid because he intended for me to master Attack Spells and utilize it for the military.

 

“I understand why you find father and Gustav’s intentions troublesome. But what is your excuse for not contacting me? I have always stood up for you all these years.”

 

My sister was quite upset with me.

 

Werner: “I do feel terrible about that. But I didn’t even know that you were here at the Capital.”

 

My sister is the legally designated heir of the Strout Marquis.

 

As the designated heir, she is first in line, and no matter who is born after her, her number 1 position is already decided and final.

 

And the Rome Viscount is the title the Strout Marquis' designated heir takes on as a subsidiary position to the Strout Marquis.

 

So Rome Viscountess, Bridget, is the representative of the Strout Marquis and does scheduled visits and resides in the Capital periodically.

 

She deals with politics at the Palace, and politics between the nobles.

 

Because of that, she’s quite busy all the time.

 

Bridget: “So you’re saying that you would have contacted me if you knew that I had returned to the Capital.”

 

Werner: “Well, yes.”

 

And with that, my sister’s expression softened.

 

Bridget: “Hmph. Then I will exempt you from further scolding for not contacting me earlier.”

 

Werner: “Thank you.”

 

Bridget: “You must be hungry. We can continue our conversation while we eat.”

 

We relocated to the dining room, and I ate the meal served.

 

The food here at the Marquis' mansion is delicious as always.

 

There’s no comparing it to the dried out bread I would be nibbling on while I did my research at the Mages Academy.

 

My sister sipped her tea and watched as I consumed the delicious food before me.

 

After I was full, I asked my sister a question that was bothering me.

 

Werner: “......so…...how did you know where to find me?”

 

Bridget: “You sent up the firework, didn’t you?”

 

Werner: “I did fire one into the sky.”

 

Bridget: “I got a letter from Professor Kay. He said that if a firework lights up the sky, Werner is in trouble so please go rescue him.”

 

Werner: “........I thought that the firework was just a prank, but he intended for it to be a signal….”

 

The realization was nothing less than astonishing.

 

Werner: “Wait, so Professor Kay KNEW that I would be fired?”

 

Bridget: “It’s highly likely. He is the Great Sage who has lived for over a thousand years.”

 

Even as his disciple, there are many times when I don’t even know what he’s doing or thinking.

 

Bridget: “For now, Werner, stay at the mansion and rest for a while.”

 

Werner: “.........I’ll have to decline. I want to continue my research.”

 

I know my sister is making the offer in good faith.

 

But my brother and father will be periodically visiting this mansion.

 

And there are no research facilities here.

 

Bridget: “You are really in love with your research.”

 

Werner: “Yeah, I probably am. I think it just suits my character. It suits me more than managing the politics of the Marquis or helping with the military.”

 

Bridget: “.....in that case, I have no choice but to give this to you.”

 

And with that, my sister nodded and whispered something to the butler.

 

<<<<>>>>

 

CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) (Updated 7-NOV-2021)

 

Marquis - Per reader suggestion, updating from Margrave to Marquis as the following distinction parallels the author's literature: "[...] the land of a marquess [...] was on the border of the country [...]. As a result of this, a marquess was trusted to defend and fortify against potentially hostile neighbors [...].

(Per Google Translate originally) Margrave (Henkyohaku) (辺境伯)

Definitely not a term I come across very frequently (or I just ignore the term altogether because I’m not translating).

 

This is POP Culture Nobility Structures (meaning it is a mish-mash of varying countries and history and should NOT be trusted as a reliable source of info), but a quick 10 minute research reveals the following top-down hierarchy:

 

Royal Family (Top Dog)

Duke (sometimes direct relative of Royal Family)

(Earl -- British Nobility but I may not use this)

Marquis (defends territories on borders)

Count (rules territories not bordering enemies)

Viscount (usually does administrative stuff below the Marquis/Count)

Baron (ranks higher than Lord or Knight)

Lord (owns territory)

Knight (someone who serves Monarch, Church, or Country appointed by Nobility)

Lower Nobility (etc.)

 

For more detailed ranks of Nobility, I might be relying on the following diagram I found on Wiki:

For those who may not know this about me, I absolutely loathe politics, so it gives me the heebie-jeebies just looking at this.

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