There’s an old saying.
It’s not that the strong survive, but rather, they are strong because they survived.
“The nobles of this world are the exact opposite.”
This world was rapidly changing thanks to the advancement of agricultural technology, magical circuits, arcane engineering, and currency.
Countless nobles who failed to adapt to the shift from the manor-and-territory-centered era to a market-and-city-centered one disappeared into history.
“Many of the dragon-blooded families collapsed then as well.”
Only nobles with foresight survived, and among them, families like the Mausoleum, blessed with exceptionally shrewd heads, not only endured but also spearheaded the transformation from behind the scenes.
Those great nobles who succeeded in leading the times obtained wealth rivaling that of the kings of the previous era.
“Simply owning a mansion isn’t nearly enough to be called a high noble anymore.”
I sat in a gazebo atop a small hill, looking down.
Below, beyond tall enclosing walls, lay an enormous mansion complex.
A cluster of a dozen or more manors built around the central main residence. In front of the main house sprawled a massive garden complete with a pond.
The sight resembled a small royal palace—or a modern Earth university campus.
“The Mausoleum Townhouse.”
This was the standard of residence for high nobles of this world.
A collective of mansions. With wealth in excess, both direct and collateral branches of the family each owned their own within the complex.
I sat in the gazebo, gazing at the townhouse and capturing the view in my sketchbook.
Scratch, scratch—
On the large sketchpad, a black-and-white depiction of the townhouse filled out under my pencil.
Once finished, I tore out the sheet and handed it to Lucis.
“Oh.”
Lucis made a delighted sound, pushing aside the sheet she had been holding and eagerly accepting the new sketch.
“Hmmmm…”
She folded her arms, pondering how to color it, then finally picked up her crayons.
Rustle, rustle—
Humming to herself, Lucis began coloring my sketch.
Small as she was, she lay half on top of the sketchbook on the table, her little body sprawled over it.
The sleeves of her white dress and her hands were smudged black with graphite, but neither of us minded.
“Heheh~”
Scratch, scratch— Rustle, rustle—
The breeze was cool as we worked on our drawing.
In my ears, only Lucis’s humming and the sound of pencil and crayon reached me.
My nose picked up the faint scent of baby, graphite, and fragrant tea.
My body and spirit felt not just at peace, but cleansed.
“This is what rest and healing truly mean.”
I was fully immersed in that healing moment when someone came climbing up the hill.
It was my younger brother, Simon.
“Brother. You called for me?”
“Yeah. Sit for a bit.”
“Hello, Aunt.”
“Yes, nephew.”
Lucis, happy to see Simon, stretched out her graphite-stained hand.
Awkwardly smiling, Simon leaned his head into her hand.
“Mm. Mm.”
Lucis patted his head, looking satisfied—as if wanting to shower affection on her nephew.
“Oh? Aunt, you’re wearing a new brooch.”
Indeed, in Lucis’s hair glittered a newly crafted brooch from earlier that morning.
“Ah, could that be…?”
At Simon’s gaze, I nodded.
“Correct. It’s made from Rocalium’s jewel.”
That time in the territory during the Black Dragon Assembly—
The progenitor dragon Infinium had ordered Rocalium to visit the Mausoleum family periodically to keep watch.
True to his lazy nature, Rocalium hated the command. So, in secret, he handed me a jewel and said:
— When you need me, just imbue this gem with mana.
It was no doubt a means of contacting him.
Though it was shameless of him to skirt Infinium’s command like that, I didn’t mind. I had no desire to see him often either.
“What an astonishingly pitch-black gem.”
Rocalium’s jewel, a black diamond, was darker than any stone Lucis owned.
That was why it ranked just behind topaz and amethyst among her favorites.
Conveniently, it also matched the dress code for the succession ceremony, so we had made it into a brooch.
“Looks good, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. It suits you.”
“Heheh.”
Lucis raised her chin proudly, fists on her hips—as if it were thanks to her that the jewel looked good.
“Hahaha. What sort of misplaced pride is that?”
At this rate, she might start claiming credit for her own birth.
As I laughed and stroked Lucis’s head, a maid arrived and served tea before Simon.
Taking a sip, Simon asked,
“Brother, I heard you had a request of me.”
Indeed, I had called him here for that reason.
As I wiped graphite from Lucis’s hands with a handkerchief, I replied,
“I want you to engrave me with a mana circuit.”
“A mana circuit?”
Simon’s eyes widened.
Mana circuits were a revolutionary invention that greatly advanced the empire’s magitech.
Not only knights, but adventurers engraved them whenever they could afford it. Even wealthy commoners had circuits like Ignition or Wind Gust to ease daily life.
And because of that, nobles disdained them.
These were people who refused to wear the same clothes as commoners. To engrave circuits identical to those of commoners was an insult to their pride.
Needless to say, Seymour embodied that “chosen elite” mentality. He had even killed the technician who once engraved him a circuit, just to silence him.
“Engrave the Blessing Circuit I created.”
A syringe-like circuit that assisted with absorbing and applying mana. Its official name was settled as the Blessing Circuit.
Accumulating mana within the body was, after all, much like building fortifications for battle.
In the original work, it had been called the Absorption Circuit, but I had tweaked it slightly.
“….”
Simon silently looked at me, then nodded slowly.
“Alright. Where do you want it engraved? Left arm?”
“No. Here.”
I pointed my thumb at my heart.
The exact same location where Seymour had engraved his in the original story.
Several days later, the day of the succession ceremony finally arrived.
The Mausoleum family, having bathed, dressed, and prepared since dawn, boarded their carriages.
Though not quite as large as their journey to Grenium, the procession still numbered over a hundred, including retainers and knights.
“Snore—”
As soon as Lucis climbed into the carriage, she sat on my lap and dozed off.
Her breathing wasn’t the usual gentle purr, but a snore.
It seemed waking at dawn to prepare had tired her out.
To ease her fatigue, I massaged her little hands.
Knead, knead—
As I worked those tiny, plump hands—like autumn leaves—I felt my own weariness from the early morning melt away.
“…Wait, am I massaging Lucis, or am I the one getting Lucis therapy here?”
When I was done, I draped my coat over her and gently patted her to sleep.
Just then, as the procession was about to depart—
“Young Master.”
One of the knights approached the window and spoke.
“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor is arriving.”
“…?”
The sudden words made me blink.
“That man… no, why would His Majesty suddenly come here?”
“He said he wishes to accompany the young master, the star of today’s succession ceremony.”
A moment’s thought clarified the situation.
“Ah… he wants to establish dominance.”
On the surface, the imperial family and the nobles maintained good relations.
But beneath, they constantly schemed to topple the other and seize all power.
And now, on the day when a new count from the infamous Mausoleum family was to be inaugurated—
Since a succession ceremony itself was a show of sovereign authority, the emperor clearly wanted to imprint his presence upon me.
“How troublesome.”
I tried to set Lucis down on the sofa so she wouldn’t wake.
“Mm…?”
But the moment my hand left her, she opened her eyes like a ghost sensing movement. Resigned, I held her in my arms and stepped out of the carriage.
Everyone else had already disembarked to greet the emperor.
Ahead, the imperial knights—virtually the emperor’s very body—stood at the front of the line.
“Brother.”
“Big Brother.”
Simon and Sia approached from their carriages. One by one, other relatives joined.
Holding Lucis, I stepped forward to the head of the procession.
An imperial knight, still mounted, announced:
“His Majesty will arrive shortly.”
I nodded, glancing back to ensure our people were in order.
All blood relatives, knights, and servants stood lined behind me.
Rows perfectly formed like a military parade. Satisfied, I turned forward.
In the distance, a group of mounted figures approached.
At the front, astride a white steed, rode the emperor himself.
“The Sun of the Empire, Grandal Dux Grenium II.”
True to his epithet, the man with brilliant cropped blond hair, towering physique, and bold, heroic features exuded charisma.
“Wahahaha! Who is this if not the next Count Mausoleum himself? Congratulations!”
His booming laugh was loud enough to hurt ears even from afar.
Following imperial etiquette, I knelt on one knee. With a great rustle, all behind me did the same.
The clattering hooves drew close, then stopped before me.
“I greet the boundless sun of the Empire, His Imperial Majesty.”
“We greet His Imperial Majesty!”
At my lead, the others echoed.
“Keheh… hmm?”
The emperor chuckled approvingly, then voiced puzzlement.
“Little one. Why are you not kneeling?”
Among those kneeling before the emperor—
There was one still standing tall. Of course, it was Lucis.
Her short stature made her barely noticeable, but she stood with folded arms, frowning deeply as if gravely displeased at having her nap disturbed.
The emperor eyed her curiously, as though at some strange beast.
“Why do you glare at me with such disrespect? Do you have nine lives to spare?”
“….”
“No answer? Ha! How bold. Someone might think you’re the emperor.”
Abandoning hope of a reply, the emperor turned to me.
“Hey, Seymour. What is this impudent creature?”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but she is a child who need not kneel before you.”
“Extraordinarily bold words. And why is that? A secret granddaughter of the previous emperor?”
“She is a dragon.”
“…Ah.”
That brief exclamation from the emperor carried a world of thought and emotion.
“Heheh.”
Meanwhile, Lucis tilted her chin upward—
As if to say, You’re the one who should be kneeling.
