Editing Tytania:Volume 2 Chapter 5 (section)

=== III ===
Even after assuming the post of Minister of Military Affairs, Idris had shown no intention of relinquishing his position as Commander of the Imperial Guard. However, in late September, he chose his successor. He appointed his younger brother, Baron Radmoth, as Commander of the Imperial Guard; however, since the individual in question was still only a seventeen-year-old boy, the appointment was met with disapproval not only at the Vardana court but also within Tytania herself.

Yet Idris haughtily asserted the legitimacy of his appointment.

“Some became senior aides-de-camp to members of the Five Families of Tytania at the age of eighteen. I do not believe this warrants any particular objection.”

Emperor Harsha&nbsp;VI of Vardana, though pale with anger and humiliation, could not refuse to sign the letter of appointment. The pen with which he signed trembled violently, the result of his hatred for Tytania as a whole and his hatred for Idris in particular amplifying one another’s vibrations.

Nevertheless, managing to maintain a tenuous hold on his composure, the Emperor pressed the nib against the paper and scrawled his signature as if scratching at the surface. The realisation of his own powerlessness must surely have afflicted Harsha&nbsp;VI’s mind and body more severely than any pathogen. It seemed that half-hearted ambition brought misfortune to no one more than to the man himself. What, then, must have been Idris’ state of mind towards Emperor Harsha&nbsp;VI at that moment? The general view is that he paid no heed to the Emperor’s feelings whatsoever…

As for the so-called “Baron” Radmoth Tytania himself, the unanimous opinion was that he was a mud puppet moulded from nothing but his elder brother Idris’ flaws. No, in terms of brutality, he clearly surpassed his brother.

To begin with, Idris had never been fond of this half-brother, but he had witnessed the example of Zarlisch, who, as head of the ducal house, had been called to account over the matter involving his younger brother Arses. As far as he was concerned, he needed to skilfully keep Radmoth under his thumb.

“Might not Lord Idris, through his excessive favouritism, end up tying his own hands and feet? Can that younger brother be of any use to his elder brother?”

A wave of such derisive whispers swept through Tytania, both inside and out, but Idris remained unperturbed. Ariabert and Jouslain, feeling no inclination to offer advice, simply watched the youngest duke’s actions; yet before long, they were forced to admit that Idris’ political acumen was beyond their comprehension. Idris had petitioned Clanner Ajman to select the vice-commander of the Royal Guard who would assist Radmoth among the senior officers directly under the Clanner’s command.

“As my younger brother Radmoth is still inexperienced and lacking in talent, I would like to entrust the actual authority to the vice-commander, and furthermore, I would like him to provide my brother with training as a military officer. I wish to ensure that he will certainly be of service to Your Clanner Highness in the future…”

In other words, by making the vice-commander the de facto commander of the Guard and entrusting him with the authority to instruct and educate the younger brother of the Fourth Duke, this was effectively the same as appointing an officer directly under the Clanner’s command to the post of commander of the Guard. At the very least, the Clanner could not help but acknowledge the thoughtfulness Idris as the new Minister of Military Affairs.

“Lord Idris’ proposal is quite commendable. Very well, I shall accept it.”

Naturally, Clanner Ajman had no choice but to agree. However, this personnel decision was by no means a simple matter.

By placing his younger brother in a prominent position at such a young age, Idris had, first and foremost, fulfilled his responsibility as head of the ducal house to promote his brother. However, Radmoth was an unworthy younger brother who, far from assisting his elder brother, might well end up holding him back. Idris knew he must keep a close watch on his younger brother and provide him with guidance to ensure he did not commit any blunders or missteps; however, Idris himself was extremely busy both in his official and private life, and, to be honest, he simply did not have the time to act as Radmoth’s chaperone. Indeed, merely acting as a chaperone would have been one thing, but the thought of being held jointly responsible for any blunders Radmoth might commit was unthinkable. Therefore, Idris decided to put a safety net in place.

Should Radmoth prove unable to shoulder the heavy responsibility of commander of the Royal Guard, the vice-commander would, naturally, assume the commander’s authority in practice. That position is defined as holding the authority to educate and guide the underaged commander, and a senior military officer directly under Clanner Ajman was appointed to it. In other words, the responsibility for Radmoth’s education and guidance was also placed upon the Clanner.

By arranging matters in this way, even if Radmoth were to cause trouble, Idris alone would not be held accountable. Furthermore, Idris had laid all the groundwork in full knowledge that Radmoth would, sooner or later, prove unable to bear the weight of such a heavy responsibility.

“Duke Idris is certainly shrewd. The one to be pitied for the time being is the person who will be saddled with the post of vice-commander. I wonder who will be the one to suffer the consequences.”

Ariabert made this observation with a wry smile. Jouslain nodded in agreement, yet could not help but feel that everyone was overlooking something important. Radmoth’s own state of mind.

Although Radmoth was described as immature, unworthy and incompetent, it was by no means certain that he viewed himself in that light. As he undoubtedly possessed ambition, desire and pride, might he not wield the power and influence he had acquired without his own merit, and use that very blade to wound others, his elder brother, and ultimately himself?

Jouslain had met Radmoth on several occasions, but had never felt any fondness for him. He seemed more the brother of Zarlisch than of Idris, with his imposing frame and well-developed muscles, he had already outgrown his boyhood. His eyebrows were thick, his jaw strong, and his gaze defiant, so much so that he appeared older than the eighteen-year-old Balamy.

In a different sense from the late count Arses, he seemed to embody the impurity of the Tytania bloodline. It seemed certain that, sooner or later, he would inevitably cause no small amount of trouble.

However, the catastrophe befell them in a manner and at a speed that defied everyone’s expectations.

It was the last day of September, a time when the Duke Zarlisch Tytania was still unable to re-arrest his prisoner and, naturally, could not yet make his triumphant return to Uraniborg. Viscount Balamy Tytania was engaged in the task he found most distasteful amongst his various official and private duties. Acting as a companion to Princess Lydia, the princess of the Kingdom of Elbing.

Balamy disliked fussy children. He was well aware that Princess Lydia was not merely fussy, but serving as a companion to a young girl was hardly a task befitting an ambitious man who aspired to rule over the entire universe. He also recognised that periods of lying low were necessary in life, but he would have preferred to be entrusted with a somewhat more rewarding duty at this juncture.

Balamy himself was unaware that Princess Lydia’s presence acted as a vent, sustaining his mental well-being to such an extent. Since the sudden death of his father, Marquis Estrade, it would have been no surprise if his nervous system had been frayed to the point of collapse by grief.

Princess Lydia was keen to see every corner of Uraniborg, so that day Balamy took her on a tour to the Second Spaceport. A shuttle from planet Ryutehi had just docked.

Lydia was delighted to be shown the docking procedure from the control room, but a problem arose immediately afterwards. As the two left the control room and were about to step onto the walkway, they came face to face with a passenger disembarking from the shuttle. It was Baron Radmoth, who had just left the Vardana court.

“I’ve seen your face somewhere before. You’re Duke Jouslain’s ''aide-de-camp'', aren’t you?”

By addressing him neither by name nor by title, Radmoth was, of course, seeking to wound Balamy’s pride. Although the two had never been on good terms, this was an unthinkable act of discourtesy. Balamy outranked Radmoth in both age and title. Even if Radmoth had now been appointed commander of the Guard, the hierarchy within the family had not changed.

Without a word, Balamy kept walking. From his perspective, it was a natural reaction to such discourtesy. Radmoth, however, did not see it that way.

Radmoth resembled Idris in that he reacted excessively when ignored, but he was far more brutal and thoughtless when putting that reaction into action. He strode towards Princess Lydia and suddenly seized her by the arm.

“Well, well, so this is the Duke Jouslain’s ward? Allow me to have a good look at your face. The face of a poor princess, no better off than a beggar.”

As he yanked her upwards, Lydia found herself half-suspended in the air.

“Be quiet, you insolent wretch! Let me go!” retorted defiantly Princess Lydia to his abuse.

To remain silent in such a situation would have been to accept an insult not only to herself but also to her guardian, Jouslain. As Radmoth held fast to the young girl’s arm and showed no sign of letting go, Lydia took a great step back and resorted to force to regain her freedom.

Radmoth let out a discordant cry and clutched his groin. Lydia’s small foot had sprung up with such force that it had dealt a severe blow to his privates. Having freed herself, Princess Lydia leapt swiftly away, escaping her opponent’s grasp.

Rather than a tragedy, this incident undoubtedly belonged to the realm of comedy. However, it had occurred at the very heart of the clan that ruled the entire universe, and those involved were young men occupying positions close to the very top of the clan hierarchy. Authority was an entity that rejects comedy, and matters invariably tumbled down a slippery slope towards escalation and gravity.

“You little wench! You dare lay your hand on the Tytania clan. I’ll teach you a lesson.”

It was Balamy who seized Radmoth’s raised arm. He had always aspired to be a cold-blooded schemer, but it seemed there was simply too much hot blood coursing through his veins for him to remain thoroughly calculating and far-sighted.

As he seized Radmoth’s arm, he swept one leg out to the side; thrown off balance, Radmoth fell face-first onto the floor under his own weight. There was a muffled thud, and the body of the commander of the Vardana Imperial Guard lay sprawled on the floor. Balamy spoke for the first time:

“Show some respect for this place. You are in the presence of His Clanner Highness. Do you think it is acceptable to resort to violence indiscriminately?”

It was a valid point, but as a remark made after resorting to force, it lacked persuasiveness. Radmoth rose from the floor, fury swirling in his eyes. Blood trickling from his nostrils scattered dark red spots across his grey military uniform.

Just as he let out a groan like the rumbling of the earth and lunged at Balamy, the circle of onlookers parted and a tall young nobleman stepped forward. It was Ariabert.

“Both of you, hold your ground! Is it the behaviour of a noble of Tytania to come to blows in full view of everyone? Have some sense of shame!”

At that moment, Duke Ariabert Tytania displayed his character as a warrior, and both Balamy and Radmoth were so overwhelmed that they froze in their tracks. Already, the inhabitants of Uraniborg, mostly clad in grey military uniforms; were crowding around them.

Balamy, shielding Princess Lydia’s petite body behind him, could do nothing but stare in astonishment at the sheer scale of the commotion that had unfolded.