Chapter 44
Chapter 44 – Julius Schwarzer
While I stood near the mansion gate… . I saw someone coming from the mansion’s direction .
It was Burton, the mansion head butler . He told me:
[Julius-sama . Sersama wishes for you to return back inside . ]
[……I want to wait for my elder brother here . ]
[Sersama said that Ares-sama probably won’t return today . ]
Mother’s intuition is very sharp . It’s probably true .
I put my hand over my right eye .
I turned around to see Alberto having a troubled look on his face . He also nodded to me .
What’s with that? Elder brother is coming back at last . We should at least put a welcoming party . Regardless if it’s just me alone…
[Julius-sama . Ares-sama isn’t someone who enjoys being welcomed like this . As lord mother said, please return to the mansion for now . ]
That’s true . Elder brother hates big receptions .
[… . . I know that as well . I’ll do as told . Burton, thank you for taking your time to come here . ]
Burton didn’t say anything in response to my thanks .
Then I went back to the mansion in haste . Behind me, Burton and Alberto looked at each other unconsciously… . then followed suit with a wry smile .
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I was born as the second son of Archduke Schwarzer .
Everyone would feel blessed if a son was born . But… I was not a normal child to begin with .
There were 2 reasons .
Firstly, I was born as a bad omen . The day I was born was when the sun went missing . Such a day only happened once every decades . Since a child born on that particular day will be heralded as a demon’s harbinger, people tend to hide their birthday .
As for me, unfortunately I was born during that exact timing .
Next is my eyes . My left eye is my mother’s blue eyes . But the right one… . is crimson colored . Odd eyes .
In the Holy Arcadia Empire, it’s said that a person with odd eyes will bring ruin to the royal family . Therefore, they shouldn’t be allowed to be brought up . A long time ago, a fortune teller told the emperor of generations ago as such .
However I’m a child to a great clan . If this fact was made known, the clan will receive a huge backlash .
Esteemed Father was quite troubled by this . So, for me… . he decided to keep everything shut so that no one will find out about me .
To that end, I was confined in a monastery secluded in mountain range to hide from the royal family’s eyes, spending my eight years there . Those who knows about me… . were father and mother . There was also Alberto, the great general serving the Archduke and his colleague Rouen .
Alberto was like a substitute father for me .
No one would dare to declare that they don’t know who Alberto is . A master of twin swords and a great general that make up the Schwarzer Twin General alongside his friend Rouen, who was currently guarding the northern fortress .
From Alberto, I learned how to wield swords and received letters from Esteemed Father and Mother .
The role of my mother was taken by a housemaid named Aly . She was an elderly woman who lost her family to war .
Sometime, I received cold looks from the folks and even bullied… . . but Aly would always protect me . Sometimes like a mother, sometimes like a grandmother… . . she’s an important figure to me . She’s the reason why I was able to hold on living in hiding for years .
I will spend my whole life here . I knew it already despite my young age . And so, I gave up .
But then…a great change happened to my life . And that was…a chance meeting with my elder brother .
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It was when I was reading a book that Alberto had brought for me in my room as usual .
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The sun was about to sink, wrapping the place in darkness .
[Can I meet him? My only brother?]
I heard a voice outside .
[He has received a pardon from the royal family as stated in this document . Make way . ]
I heard Alberto’s and an unfamiliar young man’s voice from outside . Apparently someone had come to see me .
Who would that be visiting at such time?
While I was pondering about that, the door to my room was opened .
And beyond that door, there stood Alberto and a young man… . . with black hair just like that of esteemed father’s, and a pair of black eyes .
He looked at me with gentle expression on his face .
I asked Alberto about this person .
[Ah… Alberto, this person is… . ?]
[Ah, sorry . It’s nice to meet you… . right?]
That said, he showed me a kind smile .
[My name is Ares… . your… . brother . ]
Yes, I didn’t even know that I have a brother . Neither father or mother…and neither Alberto ever told me about this .
He seemed to have learned about me only recently as well .
That day, I talked with my elder brother until late at night .
When I was born, my brother was bedridden with fever so he didn’t know of my existence . After recovering, he went to the Imperial capital, so nobody told him of me being here . He told me about many things that happened after that .
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[Julius…do you want to see the outside world?]
My elder brother asked out of the blue .
[Of course . I… I want to be free . This kind of life… . I hate it . ]
That’s right… . I hate it .
[But… . . I can’t afford to…my presence… . will only bring misfortune to esteemed father and mother . Therefore, I’m fine with staying here . ]
My elder brother stared at me as I replied .
And then…
Ah, right . He said he knew and proceed to ruffle my hair .
[Everything will surely be fine . Just be patient for a little bit more . ]
As he said so, he laughed… . that one scene I would never forget for the rest of my life .
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The next time elder brother visited, he informed me that I was free .
I heard that elder brother did something back at the capital…but I never knew about the details . What kind of sorcery did he use… . . ? This is really strange .
Of course there were some restrictions . One of them was to put on an eyepatch over my right eye . It’s something trivial if compared to what I’ve been through while living in the confinement .
And with that, I was allowed to return to Schwarzer territory, reuniting with esteemed father and mother . Afterward, I was sent to live in the capital alongside dear mother . Alberto and Aly were also with me of course .
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My brother once said .
[Nobody deserves to be bound . Everyone has the right to be happy . Should you let superstition such as fortune telling ruin your life?]
And .
[Julius . Do what you want to do . Your life is yours alone . If that’s considered abnormal, then there must be something wrong with the environment . One was born because they have something to do in their life . It’s our mission to carry it out . ]
My elder brother’s words that day were deeply carved inside my heart . That day, I gained my wings of freedom . That’s right, all thanks to my elder brother .
And then about what he told me
[What I want to do . ]
That would be to help his cause .
Elder brother is a strange person . He always led upfront, acting for someone else… . and surely he had given wings of freedom to many others, just like he did to me .
However .
There will be difficulties along his road .
I wish to smoothen his path . That… . is now
[What I want to do . ]
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Julius Schwarzer
The proud war general of Arestia Dominion who was widely known to many as [War God] as well as the [One-eyed Dragon] and feared by equally many .
The odd-eyes will bring ruin to Arcadia Empire…it wasn’t clear whether that superstition was correct or not . But after a decade, as if it’s a twist of fate, he would lead his army to face the Arcadia Empire .