I Became the illegitimate son of a duke

18 – Coronation (1)

“Welcome, Your Highness. Congratulations on your victory.”

“…Yes.”

Really, Leclerc can’t get used to it.

You showed a slightly surprised face before, so I thought you had humanity, but you’re still lowering your head with an expressionless face.

“The recruitment of mercenaries must have been completed quickly, seeing as Barr’s work was urgent and there was no Arras who had gone ahead.”

“Yes, the war with Carolingian seems to have been known quite far. There were even mercenaries from farther than the Holy Empire.”

I was worried that there would be no mercenaries to recruit because I had money, but I was worried for nothing.

Leclerc said that all the mercenaries who smelled the smell of money so badly rushed here as soon as they heard that there was a war, and Dijon was about to explode.

As a result, the mercenaries were oversupplied, so Leclerc said that he beat only the right ones and made them compete at the same time to cut all the money. Awesome.

…………

“Hello, Your Highness, Duke of Burgon. I’m Armand, a new dispatcher to the Dijon Diocese.”

“Nice to meet you, Armand. Are you from… Dijon?”

“Yes.”

I haven’t been with Neverga for a while, but maybe it’s because he’s just been enthroned, so a lot of things have piled up.

I had a lot of work to do, but first I decided to have a meeting with the bishop sent by the Holy See.

The Seonghwangcheong was notorious for dispatching bishops regardless of their nationality, but you’re lucky.

Armand, who greeted me politely, then began to tell me a message of prosperity.

“His Holiness expressed deep regret that a space to commemorate the dead created a new one.”

“…I got it.”

Can I take this word for word…?

That new dead doesn’t mean the old bishop I killed, right?

Ah, after I was registered with the ducal family, I felt like I was going to get a real mental illness because everyone around me was talking in circles. I’ll have to heal it later with Chloe.

“We also brought in donations to help rebuild the church.”

“Tell His Holiness that I am grateful.”

“Yes.”

…Can I trust this?

Even the clergy regard money as the most important thing, and when they gave the money to the church to rebuild, it seemed that Seonghwang was really sorry.

Well, how can you hate it when more than one person has died due to poor management?

After that, I passed the time by talking to Armand in a needlessly formal manner, and then, when the time was ripe, I brought up the main topic.

“And Armand, when will the coronation be held?”

Coronation.

It was postponed because of the death of the bishop, the invasion of Carolingian, and the rebellion of his uncles, but I should have done it as soon as I became Duke of Burgundy.

A monarch who has not been crowned is always exposed to the danger of rebellion due to lack of legitimacy.

Above all, I have a feeling that has faded a little because I won the war with Carolingian, but I am an illegitimate child. The more authenticity you can take care of, the better.

My two uncles must be really hungry to know that I’m having a coronation??

My eldest uncle, who must be rampaging in the middle of the bar, has completely lost his temper, so I don’t know, but I’ll have to call the eldest uncle to f*ck him.

…………

“aaa… I’m tired…”

“You worked hard, Duke.”

It’s too hard trying to get rid of the piled up paperwork all at once…

While I was away, Leclerc worked only on finance, mercenary employment, military supply, and counterintelligence, and everything that required a political decision literally maintained the status quo. That means I have a mountain of things to deal with.

From the schedule of the coronation ceremony, I had to meet the mayors of local cities, priests of the church territories, and minor nobles, and I had to do diplomatic work with numerous organizations such as the Duchy of Laurel, trials, and final judgments on death row inmates, and so on. Many without

I think I’m going to have to deal with it all week. If I went all the way to Bar with Arras… It’s horrible to even imagine.

The only thing Leclerc has done on his own so far is to send an envoy to the Duke of Laurel in the first place. You bastard, you did it on purpose to get a glimpse of my personality back then, right?

Wooddeukㅡ

“Uh… Press harder there.”

“Yes!”

Chloe climbed on top of my back as I lay face down on the bed and carefully stepped on my back. It’s just the right weight, so it doesn’t hurt and it’s very cool.

Other attendants will say it’s manly, but it doesn’t matter since it’s just me and Chloe in this room anyway.

“Duke, please tell me if it hurts.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, Chloe is light and doesn’t hurt.”

“hehehe…”

When I was little, when I lived with his mother in the city, Chloe often stepped on my back like this.

At first, [I can’t step on my brother…!] I was frightened, but… Oh, it’s just a memory.

Wait, brother?

“Chloe, will you still call me duke?”

Right, I forgot about this.

One of the reasons I cling to the Duke’s position is to make sure Chloe doesn’t notice others.

I’m sure Chloe knows that too… It’s a bit sad that she still doesn’t call me oppa like she used to.

…Isn’t it possible that some nasty guy is harassing Chloe?

“Yes?”

“Now you don’t have to look at me. As you said then, I’m the highest person in this place now. Is someone bothering you?”

“That’s not it…”

If it’s not bullying… What should I do?

Chloe must still think of me as her older brother.

Although they call me Master or Duke, other than that, they have never distanced themselves from me in terms of words or actions, and they have always treated me like family.

In this castle, the only person I can confide in is Chloe, and Chloe will think of me that way too.

…I don’t know what happened to Chloe when she was young, and she’s been stubborn all this time, but it’s time to put an end to it.

“Chloe, don’t call me duke.”

“Then… Boy?”

“No, not even the young master. You’re my little sister, right? You know what to call me?”

“…”

Chloe, who had been stepping on my back, stopped moving.

“If it’s not the boy or the duke.”

“Yes, oh”

“Yes, sir.”

“…?”

“Can I call you master?”

This isn’t it.

As if it were natural for Chloe to call me master, very lively.

“Chloe, don’t play around—”

“Master.”

“…”

Chloe’s tone, which had been lively until just now, suddenly becomes resolute. Her weight is light and her voice is thin, but the feeling of weight behind her back is no joke.

It’s as if I’m warning you that if you say more than that, something terrible will happen.

…I’m sick of golf.

…………

“Master, I brought you something to drink.”

“…?”

Yes, you must be dumbfounded, I understand.

[Eyes wide open] Is not a metaphorical meaning.

“Your Highness, there is a reply from the Duchy of Laurel.”

Among the attendants who are confused when they see that Chloe’s title for me has changed from duke to master, Leclerc is the only one who is working calmly. Also pro.

“Master, here.”

“Ugh… Yes.”

In place of me sitting in the chair, Chloé approached Leclerc and took the letter he was handing over.

…I’ve gotten quite used to using others as limbs. Of course I was waiting for Chloe to bring it.

“Let’s see…”

[We have decided to send Ines, the Laurel family and your fiancé, as a representative for the coronation ceremony. Also, Ines wants to stay in Dijon and not return to Laurel since she attended the coronation ceremony, as she is about to come of age.]

Is it like this?

Ines, who is 18 years old, will soon pass her birthday and she will turn 19, the age at which she is recognized as an adult in this world. I don’t like it because I have memories of her previous life, but the aristocrats of this world, no, all people have a strong medieval color, so 19 is a very good age for marriage.

In a word, Duke Laurel is trying to get rid of any variables in her by getting Ines and me married as soon as possible. So… Roughly the same variables as finding a better wife.

Well, you can think of it that way. The engagement was made when I was a registered illegitimate child without any title, and now I am the duke of Burgon.

Because I even conquered Bar, the Principality of Laurel has become surrounded by our Principality of Burgon from the south, west and north. Of course you will be desperate.

“ㅡPlease reply to the delegation. Ira.”

Among the members of the delegation, there is a person who can exercise the diplomatic authority of the Duchy of Laurel, so it means to consult with that person.

“Hmm…”

A wedding… A wedding.

I’ve never been married in my previous life, but I can’t believe I’m getting married so quickly here. hahahaha…

It’s a flaw that the other person’s age is too young, but since a marriage alliance with Laurel is absolutely necessary, it can’t be helped. Because this is the only way to respond to the invasion of the Holy Empire.

‘But you’re too young. What is 19 years old?’

Even if we get married, Ines will not touch her until she is at least twenty.

I don’t know what Ines will think… Eh, the only thing I can do is convince him to understand. Please, she shouldn’t be offended.

“Count Leclerc, I’d like to ask you to prepare for the wedding following the coronation. Would that be all right?”

“I will gladly fulfill my duty.”

…As expected, he’s a bit reluctant.

How could you seriously say something like that… Ugh…

“Oh, make Chloe a dress for her coronation and wedding.”

“…Your Highness.”

“I will raise Chloe’s position to valet and give her an appropriate title. I can match her rank.”

“…Yes, I will.”

Leclerc asked me back with a serious face when I said that he would officially take Chloe, who is a commoner and a commoner, to her wedding hall, but he understood my answer and backed off.

It’s a wedding, so shouldn’t we call all the family members we can call?

“Chloe, if you don’t like her dress, don’t look at her and ask her to change it to something prettier, okay?”

“…Yes.”

Chloe nodded her head slowly, her face resolute.

It looks like she’s finally stopped noticing. As her older brother, I’m very impressed.