CHAPTER 27: THE HEIR TO THE LUMINOUS HOUSEHOLD (THE GUY WHO GETS WHAT HE DESERVES)

That day, the marquis-owned Luminous dwelling, located in the royal capital, was bustling with crowds of nobility.

Holding immense influence within the kingdom, the marquis devoted all of his time and energy to hosting a massive party. Influential figures from throughout the country gathered in his mansion, which brimmed with the sun’s radiance throughout the night. 

A single handsome young man walked through the teeming crowds of the mansion.

As soon as the visiting nobility laid eyes on his figure, a look of awe spread across their faces. 

The young man courteously greeted them individually.

“I commend you for gracing our humble abode. I, Alencia Luminous, shall never forget the honor you’ve done for us today.”

Alencia shook the guests’ hands with a smile after thanking them.

Alencia Luminous, aged 25.

He had light brown hair, along with an amicable smile. The clothes he wore were of the finest craftsmanship, befitting of a high-ranking nobleman. Each movement he made displayed a refinement for all to see. 

The reason for today’s party wasn’t made especially apparent, but the participants all knew. 

This was an introduction—made to inform the participants that the next head of the Luminous household would be Alencia Luminous.

Naturally, Alencia knew this as well, which is why he flew about like a bee and continued to make sure both his name and face were well-known.

This was all for the prosperity of his household—

No, more precisely, it was to increase his own value.

“Hahahaha! There’s no need for such humility! You’ve become a splendid young man, Alencia. You’ve even graduated as the top student in your school; Your father must be bursting with pride for you!”

A middle-aged noble with a red face spoke in high spirits, then patted Alencia’s arm.

“I was simply lucky to be the top student. However, I’d be delighted if my father thinks of me proudly, as I’d be paying back all that he’s done for me.”

“What a wonderful son the Luminous household has!”

Thereupon, the middle-aged noble looked like he suddenly remembered something.

“Ah, that’s right. My kid is attending the Royal Magic Academy, you see.”

“What an outstanding son of yours.”

“No, not at all! He was just lucky! He has poor grades and all!”

After laughing like he wasn’t actually upset, the middle-aged noble continued. 

“Recently, it seems like a freshman at the academy was publicly commended.”

“Is that so?”

While listening to his story with a friendly smile, Alencia felt bored.

Alencia didn’t really have much of an interest in magic. He was dubious as to why this noble was bringing up such a subject.

Besides, there were still other high-profile figures to curry favor with—he couldn’t afford to be wasting time here. 

When he tried to cut the conversation to a stop—

“You see, the name of that student is Albert.”

If it weren’t for Alencia consciously controlling his facial muscles, that beautiful face of his would have contorted in displeasure.

Albert.

That name was considered taboo to Alencia.

That was the name of his moronic, incompetent brother, who dragged his family name through the mud.

He felt repulsed by the mere fact that they were related by blood.

“Is that so?”

Without showing a shred of the displeasure coursing through his body on his face, Alencia smiled sweetly and responded. 

The middle-aged man continued to speak in a good mood.

“If I recall correctly, there was a son named Albert in this household. Could it be…?”

This middle-aged noble most likely fuzzily remembered the Luminous household’s family tree—

as well as the fact Alencia had a “brother” of that name.

—I am 25 years old; Albert is my older brother. Common sense would dictate that it would be unlikely for him to be a freshman at the magic academy.

That’s all he had to respond with.

However, Alencia chose to answer differently.

“There is no such person of the name Albert in the Luminous household. I’m certain your memory must be mistaken in some way or another.”

 “Ooh, I see, I see. What a rude thing I’ve said! It only gets worse as you age!”

After wrapping up the conversation, the middle-aged noble quickly bowed his head and made haste elsewhere.

Alencia wasn’t really lying.

Albert was banished from the household, and he was told not to call himself by the Luminous name by Father. 

The Luminous household didn’t acknowledge the existence of Albert.

Of course—

Even if Father allowed Albert to be at the lowest rank of the Luminous household, Alencia probably wouldn’t have changed his answer.

Albert had already died inside of Alencia’s heart.

He was a mere stain on the household.

That was all.

He was nothing more than an inexcusable smudge on Alencia’s stainless track record—a hopeless imbecile without any merits, who was inferior to Alencia in every single aspect.

No, I suppose he had one merit…

Albert was able to use magic without any training whatsoever.

That fact irritated Alencia in his childhood to no end, as the realm of magic was a special one. 

Anyone can learn linguistics, math, and swordsmanship at varying degrees of success. However, in magic, there exists an all-encompassing wall known as talent.

Albert had talent—

and Alencia didn’t.

For Alencia, that was the unpleasant reality.

However, there wasn’t much need to worry about that either.

The only spell Albert could use was the beginner-level spell Magic Arrow, after all.

“Hehehehe…”

After remembering, he covered his mouth in a panic and laughed.

Even his long-awaited talent withered away after Magic Arrow, a beginner-level spell.

He really was a hopeless, miserable older brother.

Albert’s life probably would have been easier if he didn’t have such a pathetic talent.

The reason being that he fled from school without learning a single new spell, thereby incurring the wrath of Father, and was then ultimately banished.  

Although, that was a blessing for Alencia.

Until that incident occurred, it seemed like Father was worried over the next successor. The clear choice was the outstanding Alencia, no matter who looked at it. However, Father had a fixation on Albert being the eldest child—He was so reluctant that he even proposed that Albert be the feudal lord and Alencia run the territory. 

However, the incident at the academy completely changed everything. 

Father abandoned Albert in a rage and appointed Alencia as the official successor.

With his hand still over his mouth, Alencia quietly whispered.

“Thank you for being so hopelessly incompetent, Brother. Thanks to you, I was able to inherit the title of marquis.”

That was all he said. 

After remembering Albert for the first time years, he drove his very existence out of his head, sparing him only those words.

Today was the big day to spread his name. 

He mustn’t be sparing the time nor thought on his garbage older brother.

With the same smile from earlier, Alencia returned to greeting the various visitors. 

Affixing a smile onto his face like a mask, he spoke like so:

“I commend you for gracing our humble abode. I, Alencia Luminous, shall never forget the honor you’ve done for us today.”