Erich nii-san
‘So the heir son finally would be married…there many thing happen to us too…’
The next day when father reported that oldest brother Kurt who became 26 years old in this year finally got married, Erich nii-san together with me as usual went to the forest for hunting and gathering.
If you ask why, it is because the bride would arrived at this Baumeister knight territory within a few days and the wedding would be held.
A bit small but it was pretty much a wedding for noble.
And for ceremonial in remote area in the countryside village with nothing in it, people in the territory that usually hungry for entertainment want to celebrate together.
Actually, our Baumeister family in the end would bear all the served dish and liquor in the wedding, is what I thought.
Well, leaving aside story about real intention and theory behind, there must be hundreds of people who would come to the wedding party to eat and drink which needed a huge amount of food and liquor.
On the other hand, it would become a problem if the lord that govern this land is stingy in that part.
Noble that governing territory, if that territory people once been thought poorly as stingy, it can cause big ruination later.
No matter how we usually endured the tasteless brown bread and very bland vegetable soup, we can’t eat them this time, we must prepare the feast and liquor until they can’t gulp it down.
For dowry to pay the bride’s parent’s family, even if bride’s parents’ family prepares clothes and accessories, the husband clothes must be newly made as well and there also the matter of feast and liquor to be served in the party that I just talked about.
We just a poor noble anyway, the material and monetary loss can’t be ignored from recklessly sending troops to the Demon forest.
Rebuilding the territory structure while finding wife for eldest brother Kurt who is the heir, only by saving they can hold the ceremony.
Normally, nobles man usually get married before ages 20, why brother Kurt was a single until 25 ages?
That was the harsh reality that can’t be talk about without tears were present.
‘It’s good that Kurt nii-san get married.’
Honestly, territory with only poor village in such rural area.
I can’t inherit it from the start as I am the eighth son but I never thought that I wanted to inherit it either.
Becomes independent quickly to live as adventurers.
This was my only dream.
‘But isn’t too fast for the other brothers to be driven out?’
After the wedding, brothers that already adult long ago that outside the common sense of this world will independently be leaving the house respectively.
As noble custom, the child after the second son leave house since they can’t take over the territory and the family name, it was a common knowledge to handing over money for the outfit cost implied as apology to those that cannot succeed the territory.
The sum of money is not really a big deal though, since I have many brothers on top of being poor, this apparently take time to prepare.
Expect I who still 7 years old and second son’s Helman, the three people from the third son to fifth son leave the house to be independent.
Helman nii-san who is not married yet as a backup for Kurt nii-san that unlikely to dies suddenly would also became bridegroom into the vassal’s family that belong to the relative lineage after several months later.
Vassal’s family is my father’s uncle’s parents’ family who previously led our Boumeister knight territory army that was sent to Demon forest.
Of course at the time he was killed in action, father male cousin who is the heir son also has been killed in action.
Elsewhere, the remaining male heirs also have one misfortune after another, the person who related to granduncle’s granddaughter now barely maintain the house.
Helman nii-san is married to that granddaughter to succeed the house.
I mean the story is look like the drama in NHK.
Though the place is pitifully small.
Back to the topic, with our Boumeister family decide many plan like that, though we supposed to be busy for the wedding, the reason why Erich nii-san and me was in the forest.
Though the reason can be imagined easily, father ordered me to gather ingredient for the dish served at the wedding.
And I end up partnering with Erich nii-san for some reason.
I don’t want to show magic in others presence, and now I have a companion for some reason.
And that partners is Erich nii-san which I talked first.
He was the closest to me so I can’t be deceitful to him. But it was impossible for a 7 years old like me to harvest without magic.
Erich nii-san come talk to me when I wondering what to do.
“Do not hold back, you may use magic.”
“Err…”
Erich nii-san suddenly remarks that I may use magic but in fact I didn’t think I can conceal it to others that I can use magic.
Thinking about it normally, a child that still 7 years old entered the forest alone which wolf and bear appear, since he has obtained the result of hunting and gathering that can put an adult in shame.
Magic that usually to strengthen the muscle strength and speed for powerless people, and although this magic had a difference in grade, it also relatively popular magic.
One of the reason that I was not worried about entering the forest alone because I had imagined that my families might laid out a gag order or connivance of using magic at minimum.
“Vel was smart enough that it was unthinkable for a 7 years old.”
The day I have incarnated into Baumeister house as Wendelin the eighth son, it was possible to know his state before six-year in a dream.
Before I was reincarnate into Wendelin, he didn’t show talent as mage but he always read book staying in father’s study room, apparently have shown unsuitable behavior for his age.
That common point seems to be also many with me now.
“Right. Father, mother and also brothers. The whole family knew expect Vel. About Vel having talent in magic.”
I had such premonition but one question appear.
Why can’t I make the best use of my magic to develop the territory more.
And as if Erich nii-san noticed my question, my question was answered at once.
“If the young Vel decided to demonstrated his talent in magic to the territory people. It will be the beginning of family feud.”
The family succession which included the noble in this world, the eldest son is basically given priority.
And this also for royal family and noble, the standing position of wife who gave birth to the child is important.
The village headman is not a noble, Leila’s children who is father mistress basically have no rights for inheritance.
If anything, it’s when the boys were not born in the legal wife.
In case when the legal wife’s child is only girl, the judgment divides by the noble.
Some case by taking bridegroom to the eldest daughter to make him inherit it or the eldest son from the mistress to inherit it.
In short, the legal wife’s child was given priority, there a custom of eldest son as priority but in the end the father decision as the family head was prioritized.
Because of this, family feud that often occurs with both sides reach to bloodshed, when known by royal families, their territory is reduced as punishment if they can’t get the uproar under control by their own, and finally received punishment as far as change in rank.
“Vel want to leave the house just like us right?”
“Yes, I want to make my way up as an adventurer in my young day.”
“Don’t bother then. Father also understand that.”
“Really?”
“He can’t read kanji but he was pretty much the family head of a noble.”
Father on the assumption that I grandly demonstrate magic for territory people, as the territory would benefit by this, the vassal and territory people irresponsibly will make a commotion such as “Since Wendelin can use magic, isn’t he more suitable for Baumeister family current head?” and it would likely unbearable once they create a suspicious faction.
“Even if that didn’t happen, the failure of sending troops five years ago will pull the string.”
For this, not only land clearing to expand the agricultural land, there’s not enough manpower to manage the normal agricultural work.
Even in the name of temporarily raise the tax slightly until the damage is recovered, that can become the reason of territory people’s dissatisfaction.
Above all, victim does not come out even one person from Baumeister head family in that sending troops.
Perhaps by the matter that did not send troops at all, there certain portion of territory people who are holding distrust superfluously.
“In fact, there also the grand uncle of the vassal lineage and the three son in the branch family has been killed in action.”
And due to this, the eldest son who was killed in action in grand uncle’s family only leaving nothing but girl, because of her that the second son Helman will take over the house as bridegroom a few months later.
It would be a lie to say now if there is no dissatisfaction from grand uncle’s families.
“So Vel magic don’t have to be openly advertised.”
There is definitely human who will come out to make a fuss that I am only the one suitable as Baumeister house’s next family head.
“Though there might be a person who has noticed it indirectly. That’s doesn’t mean they have the evidence unless Vel show the magic to everyone.”
“Got it, I’ll stay tacitly in the forest for that.”
“You can leave the house without hesitation when you turn 15 ages.”
“Personally, I want to leave home earlier.”
I from the Erich nii-san know that there is a bud of family feud in small-scale, I have thought seriously to grow up faster to leave this territory.