Chapter 4: Chapter 3- The Head of Grimm

"M-My Father?”u

“Yes sir. He’s awaiting your arrival in the office.”

“I see. Thank you. I’ll head over there right now.”

As I left my haven, verbally desecrated by the reappearance of my absent father, I couldn’t help but nervously ponder why he left the room he made into his sanctuary.

It’s been nearly a year since my father last left the manor. Did he leave his room to request it once again?

Although my father has biological authority being my parent and all, I still have authority as the acting duke, therefore anytime he wishes to leave the household, he is only allowed to with permission from me.

As I stepped into my office, I could sense the familiar presence of the man who had owned this office before me, who now presented himself to me with messy hair and a scruffy beard that reached down as far as his chest.

“...”

An awkward silence befell us for what seemed like minutes before I sat down and arrived straight at the point.

“What is the reason for your… reappearance?”

“...”

“Am I… not allowed to visit my children once in a while?”

“Such matters are made out to be as a result of your own decisions, father.”

“Don’t be formal with me. Talk to me how you usually would.”

“For you who’s been absent and left his responsibilities to his children, I believe a formal tone fits the conversation.”

“...If that’s how you see it, then very well.”

After tasting the tea that had been left on the table that sat between us in the wake of his sudden appearance, he finally began with the real reason why he was here- as if seeing his kids wasn't a serious reason.

He reached inside his coat and started to pull something out.

“!”

My eyes widened in surprise at what he now held in his hand.

Out from his coat pocket, was a black book about two inches thick.

The missing book!

“S-So you did have it.”

“Yes… I thought you would inquire about it. Seeing as the library was more your bedroom rather than your actual one.”

“Anyhow, I thought you should have it. See what’s in there for yourself. I’m done reading it… well, what I could read, anyways.”

What he could read? What’s he going on about?

I opened the book and immediately understood what he meant.

The book was completely unreadable. What should have been letters were instead a mysterious jumble of what seemed to be a completely different language.

“Is this… what is this?”, I questioned as I set the book down.

“It’s your great great grandfather’s. As well as his brother’s, if I may add.”

Arsene and Alain Grimm?

The brothers who slew the King of Demons nearly 87 years ago?

Although my father seemed to be telling the truth, the book seemed almost brand new.

“The book has been preserved after all this time. Passed down to each son of the family. To Arsene’s son, Alven Grimm. Then to Alven’s son— to my father— then to me.”

He put his hand on the book then slid it closer to me and said-

“And now… to you, my son.”

“W-Why? Why preserve such a useless item?”

“Because it isn’t useless. These are Arsene and Alain’s writings. This very book contains their thoughts, their intelligence, their minds!”

“If this book falls into the wrong hands and is somehow translated- our family could face serious consequences.”

Father once again reached his hand into his coat and pulled out a stack of papers.

“What’s-”

“It’s my notes. Don’t assume that I’ve been slacking in my room all this time. Once I got tired of reading and drawing, I decided to put myself on the path to the one achievement that we Grimms could never accomplish- solving the book.”

What was written on the papers that lay before in front of me revealed the effort father had put into studying the book. 

Father wasn’t lying. He had seriously been working all this time.

All that time… he couldn’t put it to better use? To work towards restoring the honor of the dukedom? To raise his kids properly?

“With that, I’ll be going now.”

“Wait, what? You’re leaving? Where to?”

“The capital… the neighboring kingdom… Arcenia, who knows? I’ll go whichever way the wind blows!”

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This poor excuse of a father! Is he out of his mind?!

“Y-You can’t leave! What about the dukedom?!”

He sighed, strolled toward me, and put his hand on my shoulder before responding with-

“My son. The dukedom. Havern. The family… it’s in your hands now. I realize this father of yours hasn’t been a parent for quite a while now- but I wish you the best for your future.”

“W-Wait!”

“Sorry Ashford, I’ve already prepared for my retirement. I leave everything in your hands, I trust you, the servants trust you and so does your sister. Don’t lead them astray.”

“Along with that book… you must learn to shoulder the responsibility for the sake of the future. Goodbye, my son. I hope we see each other once more in this life.”

We unconsciously held our conversation while I followed

father to his carriage that would lead him away.

As he left, I found myself dumbfounded in front of the manor.

Everything is going wrong nowadays. Shoulder the responsibility alone? How could a human do that?

Not even any of the other older nobles handles matters alone, so how do I have the strength to handle it myself?

As I complained about the situation in my head, I realized that I had left the household with the black diary in hand.

This damn book! It took away the time my father could have resumed his responsibilities, and by now I would have been living happily here in the manor.

I continued to stand silent in bewilderment with the book only getting heavier in my hand.

I wanted to throw it away- however, the fact that my father threw away most of his time just for this one book meant it at least has some significance.

I reopened the book to alleviate the burden on my hand.

But once I saw what was in it, I was convinced that my father wasn’t as crazy as I made myself think.

What was formerly a mess of words- now put me in a state of awe.

Because words in the book—were now comprehensible.

***

Were my eyes deceiving me? Did I simply misread the words back then?

No. If that were the case my father would have seen it.

So what happened?

I could only come up with dead-end conclusions as I stumped myself trying to solve the riddle that lay in front of me.

The craziest but most sensible solution I could find is that the book is involved in magic.

I’ve heard of magic books, as well as magic that can alter writing, but I’m sure father would have detected that as well.

Whatever this phenomenon is, it seems that there’s more than what meets the eye.

As for my father…

Now that I’ve officially succeeded him as the new head of the dukedom, that only means I’ll have even more responsibilities.

Events such as royal summonings, the royal court, as well as banquets hosted by high-ranking nobles— I won’t be able to put them off for long once the news of my father's departure reaches the capital.

At the age of 18, I may have possibly become the youngest son to become the head of a dukedom.

Ha. I wonder how Aisha will react to this.

I already know how society will.

“Ashford? It would have been better if his sister had taken over!”

“Don’t worry! Aisha will return to claim it for herself! She of all people should know better than to leave the dukedom in the hands of her pathetic brother!”

Tch. Just the thought of it alone upset me.

They’re not wrong, however.

If only I was like Aisha…

But dreams are dreams.

***

Meanwhile, in a dark room under the Grimm estate…

“...Hmm.”

“It seems this so-called prodigy of yours isn’t prodigious at all.”

“However… I won’t deny his spirit…”

“It reminds me very much like his…”

“Way back when…”

“How about we give him a little push?”

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