The banquet to conclude this year’s Bloodline Continuation Ceremony was held that very night.
Gerhard wasn’t the only one who had been invited as a guest. While the results of this year’s Bloodline Continuation Ceremony could only be considered an embarrassment to the main family, as if he wasn’t at all ashamed of this outcome, Gilead had also invited the families of each of the children who had participated in the ceremony.
This was to give everyone the impression that this year’s Bloodline Continuation Ceremony wasn’t a disgrace of the direct line but instead an honor of the collateral lines.
Ancilla was pleased by her husband’s decision.
Although she didn’t believe that Eugene Lionheart’s victory was the optimal outcome, and she hadn’t truly hoped for it, in the end, Eugene had defeated the main family and earned his victory. If his victory was publicized through this banquet, Cyan’s defeat would seem even more insignificant in comparison.
“Stand up straight,” she ordered.
Ancilla was dressed in a fancy evening gown that framed her regal posture. Cyan had been standing beside her with his shoulders slumped and a dire look on his face and was startled by her words and turned to look at Ancilla in surprise.
“There’s nothing you can do about the defeats you’ve already experienced. Whether it’s the duel or the Bloodline Continuation Ceremony, what’s happened has happened. However, you still shouldn’t reveal your frustration,” Ancilla lectured her son.
“...Mother…,” Cyan whined.
“You are my son. The only son of Ancilla Caines. Even if you were defeated in a duel and showed a shameful performance during the Bloodline Continuation Ceremony, it doesn’t change the fact that you are my son.”
Cyan couldn’t fully understand the meaning of these words. However he could vaguely feel that there was a deeper meaning behind them, so he nodded and threw back his shoulders.
“...Cyan,” Ancilla said after a pause.
“...Yes, mother,” Cyan responded hesitantly.
“From now on, you will constantly be compared to that child. The first thing that everyone will remember when they see you is that you’ve lost a duel to Eugene. They will also laugh at the fact that you were partially responsible for the main family’s first recorded defeat in the Bloodline Continuation Ceremony.”
“....” Cyan stayed quiet.
“This is something that cannot be helped. Cyan, you are allowed to feel ashamed, but you must not be discouraged. No matter how many people mock you, you must remember that you are my son and in line to inherit the seat of the Lionheart clan’s Patriarch.”
“Yes, mother.”
“We can’t change the past. So remember Cyan, it’s what you do from now that’s important,” Ancilla bit out these words as she glared at Eugene.
Ancilla had been holding on tightly to Cyan’s hand. Through this grip, Cyan could feel his mother’s hand trembling slightly.
“I’ll do my best,” Cyan tried to reassure his mother.
“...That’s right, as expected of my lovely son,” Ancilla said, accepting her son’s comfort.
Eugene was to be adopted into the main family. Tanis and Ancilla were informed of this fact the previous day. Naturally, they had objected. However, they hadn’t been able to change their husband’s mind. 'For the Lionheart clan and for the glory of the direct line,’ her husband had said, his words filled with familial pride and enthusiasm that could not be overturned.
Rather than the family’s glory, Ancilla preferred to ensure the glory of her children. However, she was also greedy enough to want to first raise the prestige of the Lionheart name. Combining this greed, her desires as a mother, and recognizing the importance of the bloodline for an inheritance, Ancilla had adapted to the new reality forced onto the main family.
“There is no way that Eugene can become the Patriarch,” Ancilla said, lowering her voice. “However, Cyan, don’t allow yourself to relax just because of that fact. Because you never know what the future might have in store. Since you have so many disadvantages compared to him, you need to work even harder to become the Patriarch.”
“Yes, mother,” Cyan didn’t allow his shoulders to droop down once more, even though they wanted to.
Instead, he turned his head to look in Eugene’s direction while nodding.
“...Still. There’s no need to needlessly make an enemy of Eugene,” Ancilla added.
“...Because we’ll be brothers from now on?” Cyan uncertainly asked.
“That’s right,” Ancilla honestly wasn’t happy to acknowledge that Cyan would have to treat Eugene as his brother, but her reply differed from her inner thoughts. “Make sure to build up a brotherly connection to him. Make it strong enough that that child will become your strength in the future. After all, you… you have time on your side.”
“...Time…?” Cyan muttered questioningly.
“Don’t belittle him because he’s adopted. Instead, treat him as an equal. As you play together and train together, create some fond memories. Don’t allow that child to hold a grudge against you. Just like that… make it so that one day that boy will be willing to assist you,” Ancilla continued her advice.
“...Yes, mother,” Cyan hesitantly said, quietly nodding his head.
This small child held quite a complex array of emotions regarding Eugene. From his defeat in their duel came humiliation, unwillingness, and rage. But because of the overwhelming ability that Eugene had showcased during the Bloodline Continuation Ceremony, there was also admiration towards him, as well as envy and awe….
‘...Now I need to be friendly with him…,’ if this were only a few days ago, he would have burst into anger at these words. However, the current Cyan didn’t show any trace of that. Instead, he actually felt slightly embarrassed.
“...M-mother,” Cyan tentatively spoke up.
“Say whatever it is you want to say,” encouraged Ancilla.
Cyan nervously asked, “How exactly… do I become friendly with him? C-can’t you speak to him for me, mother? You can tell him to make friends with me….”
Although these words were to be expected from a spoiled child who had never needed to make friends, Ancilla looked at her son with a gaze full of disappointment.
“Talk to Ciel,” Ancilla eventually hissed.
Ancilla would have taught her son a harsh lesson if it weren't for the eyes surrounding them. Instead, she let out a sigh and shook her head.
Meanwhile, Ciel was currently standing beside Eugene.
Gerhard was surrounded by the adults from the other collateral families and was busy chatting about this and that. Among these adults, the parents of Gargith and Dezra were especially eager to talk to Gerhard.
“You really have raised a wonderful son.”
“I heard that he will be adopted into the main family?”
“What type of training did your boy do?”
“They also say that Lord Gerhard will be entering the main family.”
“I heard from my son that your boy’s strength is really impressive for his size.”
“Could you give some advice on how to educate my own children?”
“Even the main family doesn’t have our house’s revolutionary muscle growth agent. Are you interested in trying some?”
“It’s quite serendipitous that we were all able to meet like this, so I think that from now on, we should continue to arrange events where members from the different collateral lines can mingle and get to know each other.”
“This muscle growth agent is most effective when taken by children, but even adults show some effect. Of course, it has to be combined with the proper exercise and nutritional supplements, but I think Lord Gerhard might be able to make good use of it.”
“Oh my, then that works out perfectly. You were supposed to go out hunting with the guys next month, right dear? Gerhard should go along with you as well.”
“Once you start working up a good sweat while running across the mountains, Lord Gerhard will also become addicted to the taste of our muscle growth agent.”
Gerhard had no choice but to keep making sounds of agreement as the words poured in from all directions.
Eugene didn’t want to pointlessly get singled out by these over-eager adults. As such, he immediately left them behind while Ciel trailed along in his footsteps.
“My father told me that we’ll be siblings from now on.”
“Do you have any objections to that?”
“It feels a little strange,” Ciel said with a giggle as she tugged on the back of Eugene’s shirt. “After all, I’ve only ever had Cyan and Eward as brothers, but now suddenly, a new little brother has appeared.”
“What kinda crap is that? Little brother?” Eugene objected to this new title.
“But your birthday is later than mine,” Ciel pointed out.
“Why should that matter? It’s not like there’s a difference in years, only by a few months, so how can I allow you to call me your little brother?” Eugene asked aggressively.
“I was born five seconds later than my brother, but I’m still his little sister,” Ciel calmly pointed out.
Eugene was left dumbstruck by her logic.
After some hesitation, he weakly argued, “...This and that are a little different.”
“How is it different? I’m younger than Cyan by a few seconds, so I’m his little sister. You’re younger than me by a few months, so you’re my little brother,” Ciel continued relentlessly.
“No, as I said, it’s different,” Eugene was still trying to escape.
“Why is it different?” However, Ciel didn’t halt her interrogation.
So why was it different? Even Eugene, who had memories of his previous life, couldn’t come up with a reasonable answer to that question.
“...That’s… because I’m not your real brother! We have different parents, so… that means I can’t be your little brother,” Eugene tried to put some confidence in his words.
“However, you’re still my brother,” Ciel wasn’t having it.
“Although that might nominally be true, we’re fundamentally strangers. That’s why I will absolutely never call you by big sis.”
“Can’t you just call me big sis even once?”
“Not even if my life was on the line.”
“Hmph,” Ciel began to pout her lips.
She began choking Eugene by tugging the hem of his shirt back and forth.
“Call me big sis, just one time,” she pleaded.
“No way,” he refused.
“It’s not like it’s a hard thing to do.”
“I said no way, and I mean no way.”
“If you keep acting like this, big sis will have to punish you,” Ciel changed tack with a threat.
“Stop spouting nonsense,” Eugene huffed.
“Your words are way too mean. I’m going to tell on you to mom.”
“Go ahead, tell on me, but before that, why do you keep grabbing me like this?” Eugene asked in annoyance as he shook Ciel’s hands off his shirt.
This caused Ciel’s lips to pout even more.
“Why are you being so mean?” Ciel whined.
“I’m not being mean. It’s just that you’re doing stupid sh—”
“Do you want me to cry?” Ciel interrupted before he could finish.
“Hold—Hold on a moment,” Eugene started to panic, looking around for help as his fists trembled uselessly at his sides.
After staring at Eugene sulkily, Ciel suddenly stuck her tongue out at him and said, “I’m not gonna cry, idiot.”
“Of course, you weren’t…,” Eugene sighed.
“I just want to hear you call me big sis, even if it’s just once, is that really so hard?”
“It’s extremely difficult for me,” Eugene answered.
After all, how could he call a thirteen-year-old brat his big sis?
‘I’d rather die,’ Eugene sincerely believed this statement.
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