Droit du Seigneur: His Lordship's Right of the First Night - Chapter 6
No Plans of Getting Married
“Well, Richard, how do you find life here?”
The grand hall of the lord’s residence, adorned with a red curtain embroidered with a golden lion’s crest, was the largest in the castle. The dazzling light from elegant silver candlesticks illuminated the dining table. Silverware filled with special dishes for the distinguished guests stretched across the white tablecloth. It was an impeccable feast.
“I initially intended to grant you a larger and more fertile land. There are many better fiefs, so why did you insist on this barren place?”
“Even this is more than I deserve, Your Majesty.”
“No need to be so modest. Thanks to your efforts in the recent war, the empire’s territory has expanded by thirty percent. We’ve almost reclaimed the lands that were annexed during our grandfather’s reign. But sending you to such a place would make others think I’m treating you poorly.”
The well-seasoned roast quail, marinated for over a day, was almost as large as a medium-sized chick and looked delicious. The man at the head of the table savored the roast quail and wine, speaking in a somewhat discontented tone.
“Everyone knows Your Majesty holds me in high regard. I am deeply grateful for your kindness.”
Richard, seated diagonally from him, responded calmly, bowing his head. The man clicked his tongue and took another sip of his wine, still not entirely satisfied.
“I hope there haven’t been too many inconveniences since you had to come down here so suddenly.”
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s consideration, everything has been very comfortable.”
“Don’t be so stiff even in moments like this, Richard.”
The man raised his glass again, smiling as he looked at Richard.
“Am I not your older brother?”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Now, have a drink with me.”
“I am grateful. Please accept mine as well.”
Richard accepted the full glass offered to him and downed it in one go. Perhaps it was the informal nature of the gathering, free from the scrutiny of others, that made the conversation between the brothers continue late into the night.
The man, who bore only a subtle resemblance to Richard, was the young emperor of the Grandis Empire, Leonhart. Although they shared the handsome and masculine features like finely crafted sculptures, Leonhart was a more strikingly handsome man than his younger brother.
With bright hair close to the color of wheat and blue eyes reflecting his maternal lineage, he had a slender build unlike Richard, who, with his tall stature, dark hair, and deep-set eyes, exuded a more rugged, warrior-like presence.
“I didn’t want to send you so far away. I wanted to keep you in the capital as much as possible. You haven’t been back from the battlefield for long, and I thought it would be nice if you could stay with your brother for a while.”
“You’re always busy with state affairs, Brother. What would I do alone?”
“If you want, I can make you a wooden horse again.”
“If you plan to do that now, you’ll have to cut down a lot of birch trees behind the Imperial Palace.”
Recalling the small birchwood horse his brother had made for him as a child, Richard’s eyes softened slightly. Leonhart, pleased to see his usually stoic brother make a rare joke, responded cheerfully.
“For my only brother, that’s a small price to pay.”
The emperor laughed softly and took a swig from his glass. Richard waited until his brother had another bite of the roast quail before speaking quietly.
“I’m quite content here, Brother. You don’t need to worry. If a grown prince stayed in the capital during peacetime, it would surely lead to rumors.”
Immediately after the long seven-year war ended and the rewards were distributed, Richard had requested a fief from the emperor and came down to Evron. Although there were other fertile lands available, he chose this remote, barren place to avoid unnecessary gossip.
There had always been factions trying to drive a wedge between the emperor and his only sibling and staunchest supporter. He saw no reason to give them any ammunition by lingering too long.
Leonhart, regretful about sending his younger brother away without properly celebrating his return from the battlefield, decided to visit him personally after some time had passed. This unofficial visit was a personal matter, but it had unexpectedly significant outcomes.
“Evron has always had issues, especially with Marquis Liberti, the former lord. The report showed that his hidden crimes were even more severe than expected. Thank you for your efforts in investigating.”
“Thanks to Baron Hans, who was one of the Marquis’s cronies, we uncovered much. We kept him alive to extract further information, which led us to find the Marquis’s hidden assets.”
Baron Hans, who mistakenly thought he had escaped punishment, was imprisoned as soon as the investigation into the former lord was completed.
Richard had planned to enter the fief quietly, disliking noisy receptions. However, recalling how the road had been blocked and flower petals thrown around by the man who orchestrated the welcome ceremony, he couldn’t help but feel irritated.
The castle had also been decorated for the reception, with dancers and musicians hired and neighboring lords invited. It was clear what kind of lord the previous Marquis had been to employ such a man.
Moreover, it was common for Baron Hans to take bribes to alter the order of audiences for the residents to voice their grievances or to create fake ledgers to embezzle funds for purchases.
Due to the corruption Baron Hans had covered up for the former lord, Richard had to spend many nights in the office catching up on the administration as soon as he arrived at the fief.
