Editing Tytania:Volume 3 Chapter 9 (section)

=== IV ===
Under the laws of the clan, Ariabert and Jouslain were no longer dukes. They had been stripped of all public offices and positions, reduced to mere commoners. However, the soldiers and officers of the Tytania forces deployed on the planet Bargash continued to call them dukes just as they had before, and both men accepted the title without shame.

“Do not worry, Lord Jouslain. While I cannot grant you wealth, the Kingdom of Elbing shall bestow the titles upon you. The same goes for Lord Ariabert.”

Princess Lydia spoke with such certainty that the two dukes offered their thanks with utmost gravity.

By the end of April, Ariabert had completed his hospitalisation and appeared before the troops, where he was met with great cheers. He visited Jouslain’s quarters to offer his greetings upon his discharge.

“Please, Lord Jouslain, take care of your health and safety as well,” he said while shaking hands. “I cannot fight the Clanner with my own authority alone. I shall have to rely on your popularity and political prowess, Lord Jouslain.”

“The opponent we must fight is not the Clanner, but Idris.”

“Fair enough. It would be unwise to let the soldiers overhear that. I shall keep it in mind. However, it seems that very resolve is exactly what is needed against my own person.”

Ariabert had already delivered a sermon to the entire Tytania army stationed in Bargash. He had issued a severe criticism of Idris’ tyranny, stating that Idris was holding the Clanner under house arrest while he was hospitalised, and that they could not condone such lawlessness, thus resolving to take the daring step of admonishing him.

He declared that the enemy was not the Clanner, but rather Lord Idris himself. Only four percent of the entire army had desired to secede from the command of Ariabert and Jouslain. Had there been confirmation that Clanner Ajman was still alive and well, that figure would likely have increased twentyfold. However, in reality, the theory of the Clanner’s survival was only ever spoken of by Idris himself, so ultimately, it all came down to whether or not they chose to trust him.

“Is it not the case that His Clanner Highness has either already passed away or is in critical condition?”

Rumours to that effect were circulating through the army. Furthermore, when comparing the personal popularity of Idris alone with that of Ariabert and Jouslain, the latter were overwhelmingly superior. It could only be attributed to Idris’ lack of virtue, yet the narrative that he had attempted to oust the two dukes because his thirst for becoming the next Clanner throne had made him too ambitious was a concept the soldiers found easy to accept.

While they did not go so far as to actively hate Idris, the vision of a future where Idris ruled Tytania as a despot after the passing of the two dukes was not a pleasant prospect for them. If they were to be subject to Tytania’s rule regardless, weren’t the two dukes far preferable to Lord Idris?!

Amidst such movements among the troops, a few deserters proceeded with preparations to leave Bargash. Although this was done with the official sanction of both dukes, on the 15<sup>th</sup> of May, Count Elman, acting as their representative, visited Jouslain to offer his farewell.

After receiving the formal greetings, Jouslain enquired calmly.

“So, Count Elman, did the negotiations with Fan Hyulick and the others go well?”

“I suspected you might already know.”

A flicker of an expression, something less than a bitter smile, crossed Count Elman’s face, but he immediately veiled his true thoughts behind a veil of etiquette. Maintaining the demeanour of an exemplary middle-aged gentleman, he addressed Jouslain:

“As a nobleman of Tytania, I have nothing to be ashamed of, neither towards myself nor others. However, if you find the existence of these knaves to be so objectionable…”

Count Elman proposed the terrifying suggestion of attacking them after putting them together in a single ship. It was, however, something that Doctor Lee and the others had already pointed out as a possibility.

“I see. So this is the Tytanian way. Nonetheless, I shall decline.”

Jouslain dismissed Count Elman’s proposal with a light laugh.

“I shall ask you to convey my regards to Fan Hyulick and his men. Tell them I pray for their safe entry into Uraniborg.”

Jouslain’s generosity, which was beyond what could be described by a single word like gentlemanly, seemed to have provoked Count Elman’s suspicion. The Count persistently searched Jouslain’s expression with eyes narrowed in a seemingly mild manner, but he gained nothing from the effort.

Balamy escorted Count Elman to the Central Spaceport on Jouslain’s behalf. At that time, he had hoped to catch a glimpse of Fan Hyulick’s party, but as that did not come to pass, he returned to the quarters feeling dissatisfied. He completed his report to Jouslain, who was pacing the courtyard lost in thought. It was an early summer afternoon, and under the light of the stars, the greenery was lush, and the very vitality of the plants seemed to emanate a fragrance.

“I feel hesitant to ask such an unprepared question at this late stage, but…”

Balamy plucked up his courage and asked:

“Do you truly intend to fight His Clanner Highness?”

He regretted it immediately after the words left his mouth. He dreaded being thought of as cowardly or indecisive. To express it as accurately as possible, Balamy had simply wanted to hear words of reassurance from Jouslain.

“Lord Balamy, both you and I were born in Uraniborg. In that place, even the mere thought of such things was terrifying. Perhaps it is only because we are now hundreds of light-years away that we are able to contemplate them.”

Jouslain gave a short laugh as he looked back at Balamy.

“I hold no personal grudge against His Clanner Highness. I believe that is precisely why we are able to fight. Both Lord Ariabert and I.”

Balamy felt a flush of shame, thinking how foolish it had been to question his will to fight at such a late stage.

“Not only Count Elman, but even Fan Hyulick’s entire faction managed to escape this planet safely. I am sure you allowed this for a reason, but if you would be so kind, please tell me why.”

“Indeed. If we were to merely employ the traditional methods of the Tytania, there would be no meaning in fighting, nor in victory. I believe it is better that we present a stance that suggests, at least to those outside of Tytania, that some degree of reform can be expected.”

A draft of air swept through, a sudden gust of wind dishevelling Jouslain’s and Balamy’s hair.

“In truth, this is nothing more than a private conflict within Tytania. Or rather, all wars are nothing more than private conflicts, yet even so, they can sometimes possess a certain historical value. By challenging the traditional methods and values of the Tytania this time, only then will this battle acquire a public significance.”

Even if that, too, may be nothing more than an illusion, it can appeal to the frustration lurking beneath the surface of the minds of the majority of citizens, who, while passive, are content with the ''status quo''.

“If outsiders see it that way, our war could gain a great deal of sympathy. There is no need for them to become active allies. Allies are something that increases in number as long as one wins.”

As Jouslain spoke the final part of that sentence, his expression remained indifferent.

Unlike Idris, who remained sequestered within Uraniborg, Jouslain had travelled to various parts of space to handle matters regarding diplomacy, trade, and security. He knew that the passive supporters of Tytania desired some degree of reform and absolute safety. As long as he did not force them to “fight alongside us at the risk of their lives,” they would refrain from harbouring any ill will towards Jouslain and his companions.

“And what of actual combat?”

“Ariabert will win. In a grand, open field battle, there is no one who can defeat him.”

“Yes, I believe so too, but…”

Balamy reserved his full endorsement.

It was a fact that Ariabert had twice allowed Fan Hyulick to make a name for himself. There was every possibility that the latter might use his irregular troops to drive Ariabert to defeat a third time.

“Even so, he cannot annihilate us in a single battle. And it is rather the aftermath that concerns me. Whether Idris can remain at peace while Fan Hyulick and his men accumulate further military exploits is the real question.”

A harsh light dwelled in Jouslain’s eyes. He was a gentleman, but he was also a Tytania nobleman.

There were perfectly sound political reasons why he had turned a blind eye to the escape of Count Elman and Fan Hyulick from Bargash. Jouslain had foreseen that they would enter Uraniborg and become major sources of instability, both militarily and politically. This was not mere expectation, but a prediction. To increase the accuracy of his predictions, Jouslain intended to employ various means in the future.

“Lord Jouslain, they were outlaws from the very beginning. Is there not a risk that they might plot from within to seize Uraniborg?”

“I could not care less what happens inside Uraniborg!”

It was a fierce tone, and for a moment, Balamy caught his breath. He had glimpsed a fragment of the emotions Jouslain had been harbouring for a long time.

“Having left Uraniborg, I realised it anew. That place is neither a castle nor a palace; it is a prison. When you are inside, you are severed from the universe, and you fall into the illusion that the conflicts and conspiracies of one’s own kin reflect the entirety of the human world. Those involved believe it to be the centre of the universe, but it is not. An isolated place of exile, this is the true nature of Uraniborg.”

Jouslain gazed at the small fountain in the modest garden as if it were Uraniborg itself.

“Idris is but a single prisoner left behind in his place of exile. It is only because he remained that we were able to escape.”

“If that is the case, then it seems you shall end up fighting your benefactor.”

It was likely the difference in their evaluations of Uraniborg that prompted such a remark from Balamy. As he had stated previously, Balamy believed Uraniborg to be the source of all authority and power. Perhaps he had harboured an unconscious desire to drive a wedge between himself and Jouslain’s differing perspective.

“Indeed, in the end, I too am a Tytania. Rather than accepting infamy and being killed only to evoke tears of pity from posterity, I choose to defend my rights in the real world. There is no meaning in becoming the protagonist of an epic poem. I shall fight alongside Ariabert and emerge victorious.”

Balamy stared silently at Jouslain’s profile as he spoke in such a detached manner. For no scientific reason, his breathing felt laboured.

“And so, I shall force the retirement of His Clanner Highness Ajman, exile Idris, dismantle Uraniborg, and serve as an aide to Ariabert, the new Clanner. Then, while he and I are still well, we shall peacefully downsize Tytania. It is my desire that Tytania’s future vision be to prosper modestly, as nothing more than an ordinary noble house.”

It was the first time Jouslain had spoken so clearly about his vision. Balamy felt overwhelmed. Although it differed greatly from his own ambitions and designs, hearing it voiced by Jouslain, it felt as though it had already become something nearly established.

Balamy was suddenly seized by a powerful impulse. He could not help but phrase as a question a secret he had once heard during his father’s lifetime. A few seconds of inner conflict passed. He finally succumbed to the impulse.

“Your Grace, do you intend to entrust the Clanner’s throne to Lord Ariabert because you are brothers of the same blood? Please forgive me for such an insolent question.”

“Did you hear this from your father?”

“Y-yes.”

“That was indeed an insolent question, Lord Balamy.”

There was no noticeable change in Jouslain’s voice or expression, yet Balamy could not help but straighten his posture, both in mind and body. With a detached manner, Jouslain cast the heavy truth upon him:

“Ariabert and I are cousins. But at the same time, we are brothers.”

“…?”

“To sum it up, Ariabert’s mother is my mother’s sister. And Ariabert’s father is also my father. On our mothers’ side, we are cousins, but on our fathers’ side, we are brothers. This is the exact truth, Lord Balamy.”

“Then…”

Balamy was rendered speechless. Jouslain’s father had been intimate with two sisters at the same time. Furthermore, these sisters were married to different men. Balamy knew that Ariabert and Jouslain shared a birth month. This meant they had been conceived at almost the same time.

“This is what Tytania is. For the primary objective of ensuring the continuity of blood, even basic human ethics are ignored. I believe that Uraniborg is the symbol of that distorted value system.”

Jouslain fell silent. Possessing no words to utter, Balamy stood on the verge of being frozen in an unbearable silence. It was the lively voice of a young girl that rescued him from those intangible shackles.

“Lord Jouslain, Bal, come and have lunch with us. You can’t fight or study on an empty stomach.”

Watching Princess Lydia running through the green garden, Jouslain smiled at Balamy.

“That Princess is always right. If you sit there brooding with a serious face while hungry, you’ll never reach a proper conclusion. Shall we, at the very least, follow the advice of a sage?”

Jouslain waved in response to the Princess, and a moment later, Balamy followed suit. It was the day before the deadline that Idris Tytania had given to Ariabert and Jouslain, on 19 May, SY&nbsp;447.

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