Koushaku Reijou no Tashinami - Ch 233

Brother and Sister II

"Excuse me, Your Highness, there is something I'd like to confirm... Leticia!??"

Feeling the atmosphere drifting in the room, Bern stiffens himself for a moment.

"... am I interrupting something?. Shall I go?"

"No, Bern, please stay."

It was Leticia who stopped him trying to leave.

"but…"

"I want you to listen to it, too"

At her serious voice, Bern has a troubling look.

He was trying to figure out our conversation, looking at her eyes narrowly to observe any signs.

"... Well, do you remember brother, I said I had met Bern before you introduced him?"

"Well, when I went to the Imperial Palace to give to the former king my father's report, I didn't know the Princess at that time and I discourteously began a casual conversation with her."

"You should have said that you're were a gentleman at that time, not?"

Letty smiled and said to Bern.

"... Hey, Bern, what do you think about Iris being in the position of Duke permanently?"

After that question came out of her mouth, Bern has a look that seems more and more confused.

By the way, Bern does not know that I used to work as Iris right arm in the Duke of Almeria.

It was miraculously that Bern was not there when I was in the Duke of Almeria.

That's why he can't understand the question asked in the first place.

"As a person engaged in national affairs ... I think that marrying her into another country is a loss of our country."

"... Ho?"

"My elder sister may be my family, but any person who knows her knows that my sister is an excellent leader, especially the ability she has to gather the hearts of the people and make them follow her ... My Prince you may be unaware of this but it's true."

Bern said so, with a bitter smile.

"I began to feel that my place is in the national government under His Highness... I am more knowledgeable than my sister in several fields, such as various precedents related to national law and national administration I am proud of it. "

"...... Your enthusiasm is being heard from others. If I had to recall on the mentions they did about you from the national library and experts outside, and when the meetings.. your performance as an officer under me is truly magnificent."

In fact, Bern changed.

He's acquiring knowledge with the momentum and reflecting it in practice.

That figure was enough to remind me the appearance of Iris at the government of her territory.

Even those who were first despising Bern are now trembling when hearing his name.

"... I'm afraid that's true, but I still can not reach my sister"

To my consent, though Bern did not show joy and remained with a serious look, I knew he was happy.

"Practice is based on knowledge, what is done, if there is no knowledge to a certain extent practice will not be possible, but even if there is knowledge conversely, whether it can be used effectively is another story"

Knowledge is a tool.

Even if it's necessary to utilize tools, not necessarily would one need to become the tool itself.

"My older sister understands the technique to utilize what she saw or heard, and the ability to create new things from her knowledge is also amazing."

At Bern's words, I agreed silently.

Anyway... I have been at her side for a long time, even more than him.

So I have seen that ability, more closely than Bern.

"Above all, the most talented people are gathered around my older sister, because.. my sister always says -human resources are treasure- and gives maximum support to them. It's because she is such a girl that the territory has developed so much. If there is something missing in her, they will compensate it. What she learns, and how much she can learn if she were alone... is not a problem for her, as... all sorts of things and any amount of knowledge is possible for her thanks for the people she has gathered. Because the time is not enough for her to learn all she wants, but under her people who knows what she wants to know are getting together more and more and continue to work hard jointly with her... I think the most important thing for a leader is the ability to find the practical solution to things rather than knowledge. And the charm to attract talented people. My sister is an excellent individual in that aspect. That's why I think she is very important for this country. "

"Well, then Bern, are you opposing her marriage?"

"That's a decision she must take and I'll respect her decision, but... I would like to keep her in this country, so for that I will give up the inheritance rights to the Duke of Almeria forever"

".. What???!!"

"Because of her work, is that there is now the Duke of Almeria. My older sister is the most suitable person as a lord... Surely, not only myself but also our people think the same thing"

"...... Although what you say is something I thought of considering before, I would like to ask you something, are you okay with that Bern, will you not regret it later?"

In this country, the firstborn inheritance is the basis.

In addition, it is common sense that the firstborn, if a man, will succeed the family.

A case where a woman is the only successor is for example when boys were not born in that family and only girls exist, or when the boy dies without leaving a next generation, or as a temporary family head until the next generation boy grows bigger enough for him to occupy the position. That's the only way of keeping it.

If there're healthy boys, girls rarely succeed.

If girls succeeded the position, no matter how good the girl is at it, the people will think that there was no male relative or that there was something wrong with the next successor.

If Bern abandoned his inheritance as Duke and gave it to Iris... Bern would be deemed "someone with problems" at the eyes of the population.

Even if it's not true, people will believe it anyway, because it's common sense.

Letty's earlier question was implicitly showing it.

"Well, that doesn't matter to me, what are those words around us, if you think about what's the best for the people, you do not need to hesitate, this is my opinion. That's why I still want to give this position to my sister."

However, Bern said that with a gentle smile.