Editing Tytania:Volume 5 Chapter 7 (section)

=== II ===
“You might have had the thought that if Fan Hyulick joined the four dukes, they could somehow oppose you alone. That’s why your attitude towards Hyulick was extremely lenient. He was a genius in tactics, but without an army to command, he was nothing more than a helpless civilian. If you had ordered all of Tytania to kill him, he would have been resting in a coffin long ago.”

The Clanner watched Doctor Lee, remaining perfectly still.

“Frankly, everything was filled with contradictions. Everyone struggled to discern the Clanner’s true intentions. That was the result of two hundred years of brainwashing.”

Doctor Lee wiped the sweat from his brow with his fingertips.

“We believed that one who holds the title of Clanner governs with the desire for the survival and further expansion of Tytania, regardless of the methods employed. Indeed, whether it was the Council of the Five Families, internal purges, or the expulsion of the incompetent, every system was designed to be constructed towards a single, certain direction.”

Within Tytania’s Clanner Estate, he was presenting the results of his research directly to the Clanner in person. For Doctor Lee, this might have been the realisation of a dream.

“However, you have walked that path in reverse. Yes, if one chooses the opposite of the necessary option with every timing and accident, one moves steadily towards a negative outcome. And now, you have almost reached your goal.”

Doctor Lee took a deep breath and fell silent. He looked like a student waiting for a supervisor’s grade after finishing an oral examination.

Clanner Ajman responded with an air of boredom.

“Clever opinions, when one listens to them, can serve as a decent way to pass the time. Very well, I shall concede one thing. This past year has been quite enjoyable. More so than the ten years preceding it. Now, Duke Jouslain, what is it you desire that has brought you all this way to see me?”

“I have but one wish.”

“Speak it.”

“To avenge Ariabert.”

Jouslain declared his intent, drawing a deliberate sigh from the Clanner’s lips.

“Such predictable answers produce nothing new. However… Ah, Duke Jouslain, you never cease to disappoint me. To be so obsessed with personal vengeance, what a small-minded person you are. If I grant you another twenty years, may I hope to see you mature even while still in the prime of your life?”

“Do not expect the latter, Clanner. I mean Ajman. I am well aware of my own limitations. The reason I have succeeded in politics and diplomacy until now is because the immense power of Tytania stood behind me.”

“What a cheap display of humility.”

“It is not humility. Had I been a commoner, I would likely be performing some mediocre job suited to my age at some corporation or public institution.”

“And you claim this happened simply because you were born in Tytania? That it is all due to the corrupt blood of Tytania? If so, then you are nothing more than a mere derivative of myself.”

“Who do you think you bastard are!?”

In his fury, Idris lost all sense of propriety. He realised it immediately, yet he felt neither the need nor the obligation to correct himself. As if half-shoving Jouslain aside, he stepped directly in front of the Clanner and rested his hands upon the edge of the desk.

“If you truly hated Tytania that much, you should never have set your sights on the position of Clanner from the very beginning. No—it is not too late yet. Abdicate this very instant. If you wish to live, that is.”

“Stop it, Idris,” reprimanded Jouslain, his voice heavy with fatigue and helplessness.

It was a strange thing, but as far as his memories went, it was the first time Jouslain had felt a sense of empathy and something akin to friendship towards Idris. In the end, it was likely Idris who had felt the greatest affection for Tytania. Had Jouslain known that, there would have been no need for him to oppose Idris.

Idris harboured hostility towards Jouslain because he viewed him as a rival and an obstacle. Had Jouslain taken a step or two back and accepted Idris’ superiority, Idris would have given Jouslain no second thought and would have instead charged straight towards the Clanner’s seat. There might have been no need for them to compete, and they could have coexisted.

''“No, probably not.”''

While it might have been possible if it were only Jouslain and Idris, had Ariabert and Zarlisch remained active, Idris would have ended up contending with them as well. Zarlisch, in particular, would never have yielded to Idris.

''No matter the circumstances'', thought Jouslain. With Ariabert gone and Zarlisch deceased, Jouslain was the only remaining obstacle for Idris. Even if Jouslain were to step down of his own accord, Idris would not be satisfied. Idris would find no meaning in being yielded that kind of victory. Both Ariabert and Zarlisch had vanished by hands other than his own. Unless he personally defeated the last of the Four Dukes, Idris would forever carry an emptiness within his heart.

“If you loathe the power of Tytania that much, why not try to dispose of us using your own strength alone?”

As Idris spoke those words and exhaled, Jouslain resumed the interrupted conversation.

“You merely sit in the safest place in the universe, pretending to suffer. You issue orders without dirtying your own hands, have reports brought to you, and incite competition between us. And then, you murmur that it is all so hollow, while in truth, you are mocking it all. To you, the Four Dukes were nothing more than toys to stave off your ''ennui''.”

Ajman directed an unfathomable gaze toward Jouslain.

“A childish provocation. Furthermore, you have misperceived the facts. Look beyond the canopy. Look within. Can you truly say this is the safest place in the universe?”

“Do not attempt to divert the conversation. This is your own doing, a consequence of your excessive games.”

Light and shadow swayed greatly outside the window, casting dark stripes across the faces of those present. For a moment, the shadow caused Idris’ eyes to glint like those of a nocturnal beast.

“I see.”

The Clanner placed a hand against his strong jaw.

“In that case, let me make a proposal. Duke Jouslain, Duke Idris, why not indulge in a traditional duel before me? Naturally, the victor shall be granted the right to challenge me.”

Jouslain and Idris exchanged glances without thinking.

“It is not such an extravagant suggestion. There is always a semi-final before a final, after all. Or perhaps you lack the confidence to defeat your opponent?”

“That’s just a cheap provocation.”

“Do you think we would take such a bait?”

Jouslain and Idris both simultaneously rejected the Clanner’s proposal. ''That’s a passing grade'', thought Doctor Lee to himself.

“Haven’t you become the Clanner and have, for all intents and purposes, come to rule the universe? What are you even dissatisfied with?”

“It’s insignificant,” dismissed Ajman coldly. “I merely inherit what others have ruled over and passed on. There is nothing creative about it. My emptiness is no pretence.”

Doctor Lee spoke, as if it had been a long time since they had last conversed.

“It appears that Your Clanner Highness dislikes relay races. However, if the intermediate runner drops the baton, the race itself cannot proceed. Well, I too believe there is no act more foolish than inheriting power through lineage, but that is merely the thought of a mere pirate. It would be unnatural for someone in your position to think so.”

“No, it is not entirely unnatural.”

Because it was Jouslain, rather than Clanner Ajman, who voiced his disagreement with Doctor Lee, the pirates turned their eyes toward him as if looking at a strange beast.

“I can understand the feeling of being dissatisfied with a life that consists of nothing more than passing on what was handed to you to the next generation.”

Idris yelled:

“Are you going to believe what that bastard says, Jouslain?”

No one noticed immediately, but Idris had referred to the Clanner as “that bastard<ref name="ftn23">Strictly speaking, Idris said “this one” (こいつ), but it is derogatory nonetheless.</ref>”.

“That bastard is nothing more than a pervert who enjoys throwing the world into chaos and watching blood spill. Wasn’t that exactly why he killed Ariabert? If he had let Ariabert live, he could have been able to step down from that unwanted position before long. He is actually reluctant to let go of his position as Clanner. Even you should be able to understand that much, right!?”

“I understand. But there is a grain of truth in what he says. Setting aside good and evil, I too had grown weary of my lineage and status. Because I lacked the capacity to be a Clanner, I felt I had had enough the moment I became a Duke. That said, because I felt the responsibility of being a Tytanian noble, I tried to thrust that burden onto Ariabert… My methods and ultimate goal may differ from the Clanner’s, but I am certainly a coward.”

“Both of you, stop fooling around!”

Once again, a roar of anger exploded. Clad in an aura of fury, Idris slammed his hand against the desk. His eyes were blazing. He pointed his sharp fingers alternately at the Clanner and at Jouslain.

“You say your means and ultimate goals are different? They are the same. Both of you are seeking the destruction of Tytania. No matter what logic you spin, the result is the same!”

At that moment, it seemed as though the Clanner, Jouslain, and even the pirates were all overwhelmed by Idris alone.

“I am different. I will make Tytania stronger. I will make it wealthier and more prosperous. So that not a single person will dare to rebel… I am the only one who truly loves Tytania.”

Idris’ voice rang out with great clarity, drowning out the noise from outside the window.