I’m Not Doing This With A Friend – Chapter 68

Author: Nikss

My eyes squinted with suspicion.

“How can I believe that?”

“Believe it or not, I have no interest in the position of Marquis at all, but rather I’m trying to help Fjord become a capable Marquis.”

“…You’re even trying to help Fjord?”

Lou smirked. It was the brightest smile I’d ever seen on his face.

“Yes. I want Fjord to become a Marquis.”

“May I hear why?”

“Why…”

It’s a long story, he trailed off, lifting his teacup to clear his throat.

“When I first came to the Marquisate after my mother, who had raised me alone, fell ill, I was petrified.”

Of course, you were.

Alone in a strange place, without a mother to lean on.

“On the other hand, I was also glad, because I knew I’d be labeled a bastard, but my stomach wouldn’t be in knots.”

He lowered his lashes in a somber expression.

“But that thought was shattered within days.”

Has he been discriminated against and ignored by the people of the Marquis?

It was not uncommon for illegitimate children to be discriminated against, and fights between half-brothers were common.

Erhan’s case was a little different, but he accepted me into the family until the end.

“The people of the Marquis were very kind to me, and I was overwhelmed by the excessive generosity I had never experienced before.”

…and then this twist?

I stared at him with a dubious expression.

Why the hell was he batting his eyelashes as if he had a horrible backstory?

“The Marchioness had no qualms about accepting me, an illegitimate child, and I was able to quickly integrate into the household.”

Well, the Marchioness was quite a lady…

If my husband had been out there making children, I would have divorced him in a heartbeat.

Lou saw my clouded expression and added, “Lest you misunderstand, I was born before the two of them were married. The Marchioness knew of my existence and married my father.”

…She knew and married him, then it’s not a problem.

I asked with a puzzled expression, “Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem is that everyone’s expectations were directed at me, not Fjord. Everyone was happy to see a good heir.”

Why?

Well, I don’t want to get into a blood feud, but technically, the Marquis’s position belongs to Fjord.

Normally, the title would go to the last man standing, unless there was a major corner cut.

Fjord had a good personality and a quick mind.

Why did everyone’s expectations shift to Lou instead of Fjord when there were so many advantages?

I couldn’t hide the puzzlement in my face, and Lou laughed heartily.

“Miss Leen doesn’t seem to know about Fjord’s childhood, which, admittedly, was quite a while ago.”

I looked for someone who could tell me this without falsehood.

Surely, Carson had said that he and Fjord had been friends before he entered the Academy.

“What was Fjord like back then?”

Carson had been diligently following my instructions to do nothing and stay still.

His lips twitched as if he’d found an interesting topic.

“He had a reputation as a rascal. No, I think they called him the Little Devil, and by the rumors, he was worse than I.”

Fjord was a rumored troublemaker…?

Really?

Lou spoke up, still in shock, “Fjord didn’t hate me from the start; in fact, he was thrilled to have an older brother.”

“Then why is Fjord keeping you in check now? If you had made it clear that you weren’t interested in the title, things wouldn’t be like this.”

“I didn’t let him know on purpose.”

Lou didn’t deny that he was to blame.

“I wanted Fjord to be aware of me, to keep me in check so that he would correct his wrong demeanor.”

“Are you saying you intentionally incurred Fjord’s hatred?”

“Yes, on purpose. It was as easy as breathing for us to fall out.”

Lou said with a sigh, “My parents covered whatever Fjord did with love, not bitterness. It was natural for Fjord, so you’d think I’d be the same way.”

His shoulders shrugged lightly, his mouth set in a determined grimace.

“But I didn’t. I felt I had to set Fjord’s character straight.”

…Oh, my.

“So you’re saying that everything you’ve been doing to Fjord has been for his benefit.”

“Yes. I used his competitive nature to keep me in check, and to force him to develop his abilities.”

“Then why did you send Fjord to the Academy…”

“That’s why I sent him to the Academy. The Academy is like a small society, and I thought it would be a good place for him to learn.”

In the end, it was Lou who had molded Fjord into a person.

But I didn’t think his methods were good.

“Lou. Fjord preferred to spend time with his family estate, not at the Academy.”

“…I know. But I don’t think I made the wrong choice.”

“Why?”

“Miss Leen. What is Fjord’s image at the Academy right now?”

“Impeccable looks, status, good studies, good personality… an elite image, beloved by students and professors alike.”

Lou’s eyes relaxed as he listed Fjord’s public image. He looks pleased.

“That’s what I wanted. Fjord had such a nasty nature that he didn’t have any friends, except for Lord Carson.”

“It’s not that he didn’t make friends, it’s that he couldn’t?”

“He beat up kids his age with a wooden sword like he was a daredevil, so…”

Lou’s gaze fell on Carson for a moment.

“The only one who didn’t fall victim to him was Carson.”

I wonder how you two became friends… were you just playing with each other…?

Then I realized that there were no normal kids around me, starting with Carson.

Suddenly, I remembered hearing that children born in my generation were particularly spoiled.

After the long war between the two empires, we had become more stable and prosperous.

The younger generation, who had lived through the war and had a hard childhood, raised their children…

They say that the children who grew up are the youth my age now.

At the time I heard that, I thought it was a snide remark, like, ‘That was back in my day.’

But then I thought about it and realized that it’s true that my generation has a lot of peculiar personalities.

I stared straight ahead, shoving my diverting thoughts into the corner.

I sighed as I looked into his stubborn eyes. It was a good thing Fjord’s brother wasn’t as twisted as I had thought.

But I still had something to say to him.

“I knew that Lou was there for Fjord,” I said.

“I’m glad you understood.”

“But Lou, you know what?”

Looking him straight in the eye, I said, “That Fjord wasn’t interested in the Marquis’s position at all, just like you, Lord Lou.”

“…That’s ridiculous, and no matter how much Fjord wanted to get back at me, he couldn’t have gritted his teeth and gotten a good grade like that.”

He spoke at length as if he wanted to prove me wrong.

“Do you know that Fjord has never missed a first or second class, except when he first entered the school, and if I were to list all the awards he’s received, I could fill a room, just from what I can remember…”

As if he wasn’t joking, Lou began to rattle off all the awards Fjord had ever received.

As he rambled on, my eyes grew wider and wider.

Wow, he really likes Fjord. How could he think he could be hated for loving something so much?

When there was no end in sight to his boasting, I cut him off mid-sentence.

“That’s why I said ‘wasn’t interested’ in the past tense.”

Lou stopped talking and stared at me. He gestured for me to continue.

“Right now, the rivalry and vengefulness you’ve created is what’s keeping him from being the next Marquis.”

“I can’t deny that.”

“But what Fjord wants isn’t a Marquis’s seat; it’s a family that loves him.”

Lou’s eyes fluttered at my words.

“And… Fjord is happiest when he’s holding a sword, not when he’s holding a pen.”

“I knew he liked swords, but that doesn’t help him inherit the title.”

“Lou. Once again, it’s not the title that Fjord wants, and he told me he didn’t want a Marquis’s seat.”

“He’s too young to realize how valuable the position is.”

I was dumbfounded. This stubbornness…

I wiped my forehead and replied coldly, “Then I guess you’ll have to take that valuable seat, Lord Lou.”

“Miss Leen. The Marquis’s seat belongs to the child.”

“No, it doesn’t. Lord Lou is just as deserving as the Marquis of Ananas, so why are you insisting that it’s not his place?”

“It’s…”

He trailed off as if it had never occurred to him.

“If it’s really for Fjord’s sake, I think it’s right to let him shape his future.”

I said, pressing on, not missing his hesitation, “Sure, thanks to you, Lou, Fjord has become a man beloved by all, and at this rate he’ll be a respected Marquis, but if you ask me if he’s happy… well.”

I shook off the last of my words as I rose from my seat.

“The reason I didn’t want to stop you earlier was because I was wary of Lou, and I think we’ll try to convince Fjord, but I hope you’ll think about it.”

I tore my gaze away from him and tugged on Carson’s sleeve.

“Let’s go, Caon.”

Carson smiled slowly and willingly followed my hand.

“Yeah.”