“……”

Valentin naturally nodded at those words.

“So you must have felt that the members of the social circle were just ordinarily and commonly planted trees next to you. It’s natural that you didn’t feel the specialness of those great nobles.”

Moreover, we spoiled and raised you so much, Dalton added as an explanation.

No, I’m also someone with memories of a previous life, so I know well how much greater benefits I receive compared to ordinary citizens in this class society…! Before Valentin could protest like that, Dalton’s words continued again in an even more serious voice than before.

“But even among those people, the Dennox ducal family is an even more tremendous big shot. Perhaps even more than the imperial family.”

“Why?”

“Don’t you know that he has an excessively dangerous ability?”

Dalton’s voice was solemn.

Rarity and danger…

Certainly, although the peerage was just a viscount family, Valentin, who was born in a family with such a large influence that they had a tight grip on the Heston Empire’s economy, was in a position to easily meet imperial family members from a young age. And he was someone who grew up frequently interacting with the imperial family as part of the Viscount’s early education.

But as Dalton said, it was the first time facing someone from a ducal family.

Why was that?

“Before talking about that individual, shall I talk about their family first?”

Is it time for Dalton’s history and society lesson again…? Before the main story began, Valentin swallowed the salmon drenched in sour cream that Dalton was gulping down and also swallowed his saliva.

“You know that the ducal family is a founding meritorious family that has been with the empire since its establishment, right?”

Seeing Valentin nodding, Dalton continued his explanation.

“Have you heard about Inherent Abilities, Valentin?”

“Inherent Abilities?”

Why is the story suddenly jumping there? He tilted his head.

“Yes. It may sound unbelievable if you hear it now, but at that time, there were quite a few people who still had that power. People with Inherent Abilities. You must have learned in history class that they really existed around 500 years ago during the founding.”

Valentin nodded and opened the lid of the bowl containing onion soup. And he dipped the moist baguette and Gruyere cheese inside while extending his thoughts.

It’s a fairy tale-like story, but it was something really recorded in history.

Although everything here was almost the same as the culture and history of Earth where he lived in his previous life, if there was one difference, it was the existence or absence of ‘Inherent Abilities’.

When seeing people with small Inherent Abilities like psychokinesis to move objects or kinetic energy, it was also thought to be close to supernatural powers, but according to historical records, Inherent Abilities were also related to natural elements and were closer to abilities related to human healing and psychology.

No one knows why abilities that could be rarely seen until a few hundred years ago gradually disappeared. There were also sayings that it was an ability possessed by the bloodline of the sons of God, or it was just God’s gift given randomly like a kind of luck, and that power had run out as time passed. By the way, Valentin thought the story that it naturally disappeared over time was more credible.

It couldn’t be logically explained, but in the past, as if appearing in the Bible, those who received God’s grace performed miracle-like Inherent Abilities in the name of God, and as time passed and science and technology developed, the population increased, and people gradually moved away from such supernatural things. To him, it just felt like a natural flow. Of course, from the perspective of Valentin, who had memories of his previous life, the Inherent Abilities in myths were still hard to believe as they were, and at the same time, the science and technology here now were still in a poor state.

Certainly, Inherent Abilities in this period of industrialization where railways are being laid, printing technology is developing, and mechanization is gradually progressing. It couldn’t be anything but a fairy tale-like story. Or inside a fantasy novel.

‘Oops, this was a story inside a novel, right…?’

Valentin unknowingly hit his forehead. Wasn’t he the one who directly experienced the most absurd and Inherent Ability-like thing in this world…?!

Dalton wouldn’t have brought up the story of Inherent Abilities to talk about something insubstantial either.

It’s time to get serious.

“I learned it. But why are you suddenly talking about Inherent Abilities?”

“The first Grand Duke of Dennox was someone who had that Inherent Ability. And a truly tremendous one at that. You must have learned this in history class too.”

“Right.”

He might be the most famous historical figure among those who had Inherent Abilities in the past. He even appears in fairy tale books set in the founding.

“The first Emperor Aristeo Leopold and his half-brother, Grand Duke Luthion Dennox, were the sons of a noble family located in the western region of the current continent. They were just the sons of a lord, but they unified the cities and countries that were divided into small kingdoms at that time and established the empire, and in that conquest, the Inherent Ability possessed by the Grand Duke of Dennox played a crucial role in determining victory or defeat. It is said that he particularly demonstrated his ability in naval battles.”

“History books described it as a type of power to control the sea and water.”

Dalton nodded while drinking coffee at Valentin’s words.

Could it be that Colonel Reynard Dennox is also related to that? That’s why Dalton is pulling from historical facts of previous generations and giving a long-winded explanation like this?

It’s probably absolutely not just a small power. If it’s not a wide-ranging power that can be used in battle to the extent of determining victory or defeat, it wouldn’t have been described as such.

“Are you thinking about something else? Should I stop talking?”

“No, no, Dalton. Please continue.”

It was an interesting story. And isn’t it a story related to the person I was intimate with until just yesterday?

Water and Reynard… Thinking about water and him, instead of him in battle and at sea, the image of Reynard naturally came to mind, immersing his naked body in bathwater together with Valentin. The water droplets flowing over his firm skin and muscles that seemed about to burst…

And the movement of lightly pulling Valentin’s body across the current and sitting him on top of himself, and that breath…

Click.

At the sound of the coffee cup finding its place, Valentin quickly returned to reality.

‘Is it because it’s my first experience… Or is there a lewd demon possessing my head….’

Swallowing a sigh and rubbing his flushed cheeks with both hands, he listened to Dalton’s continuing story.

“You would know the story right after the founding too from learning it. I mean the story of when the Grand Duchy and the Empire were separated.”

“Ahh. The public opinion of the nobles was tremendously divided at that time.”

“Right. The noble faction kept dividing into two in the period right after the war when imperial power should have been the strongest. Into the imperial faction and the grand ducal faction.”

“Because it was such a tremendous ability.”

Valentin shrugged his shoulders.

“Yes. It’s understandable that the gazes of the nobles who helped with the founding together were always drawn there during the period of unifying the country and establishing the foundation of the empire. Especially in an era when there were people who treated humans with Inherent Abilities as the children of God, how would it have been?”

“Right. And on the contrary, the first Emperor didn’t have an Inherent Ability.”

Valentin nodded, recalling what he learned about the early history of the empire. He also knew the exact conclusion of that story.

‘The blessing God gave is only on the battlefield.’

‘I rule over water, but I don’t have the ability to rule over the people.’

They were famous phrases from the words of the first Grand Duke of Dennox.

The Grand Duke, who thought he was just someone with an Inherent Ability and not fit to sit on the emperor’s throne like his brother, knew that the allegiance of the ministers would lead the country to division. So he requested the Emperor to bestow him the current Grand Duchy bordering the empire’s sea and completely left the imperial palace.

Meaning that he and his descendants had no intention of ever replacing Leopold’s bloodline, permanently renouncing the right to the throne.

The Grand Duchy was guaranteed complete autonomy through the treaty made at that time. Although it was the same country, in a way, it was not actually the same country. The territory and scale were at the level of a kingdom.

And Colonel Reynard Dennox, the heir to such a tremendous place…

“With the treaty at that time, the ducal family doesn’t substantially participate in the empire’s politics.”

“But they have a noble seat in the congress according to imperial law, right?”

“Although they do have voting rights as a senator, it’s very weak.”

“So both the Grand Duke and the Colonel are soldiers? Because they can’t participate in politics, they have military power?”

“Rather than that, it’s one of the treaties made with the first Emperor that I mentioned earlier. ‘The Dennox ducal family has the duty to protect the empire’s sea.'”

It was a really grandiose duty for one family to take on. But it must be a treaty that has been maintained until now because they have that level of ability.

“Then the ducal family can’t engage in any activities in the empire at all? In other aspects too?”

If they can’t be involved in politics, what about commerce? Would that also be blocked to maintain distance?

“Not necessarily. If you’re asking if they can do business like us, there were hardly any nobles who jumped into commerce at the time of the founding, so there isn’t even a relevant treaty. But for a long time, most people from the ducal family have a military background.”

“Military? Soldiers?”

“Right. As I said earlier, that’s the ducal family’s duty.”

The duty to protect the empire’s sea was not just a matter between the first Emperor and the Grand Duke, but a duty that had continued until now, 500 years later…

“Is that definitely established?”

It’s not just a legendary thing that’s only verbally passed down? He asked again because the content was hard to believe.

“Yes. The rights and duties related to the sea are in the treaty between the first Emperor and the Grand Duke. It has continued until now without a single amendment. So in order to engage in maritime trade in the empire, approval from not only the imperial family but also the ducal family is needed. The procedure is a bit complicated.”

And we are also involved with the ducal family through various dealings for maritime trade with third countries. After all, more than half of the empire’s coast belongs to the Grand Duchy. Dalton continued explaining while drawing a map with his hand.

Aha, so that’s why he knows so well?

“Then are all the children of His Excellency the Grand Duke soldiers?”

“Although it’s hard to say ‘children’ when there’s only one, yes. As you know, he is a soldier.”

“He only has one child?”

Valentin’s eyes went round. It’s his trademark rabbit expression.

I thought our family was the only one raising a single son, but I guess not. Reading the question in Valentin’s expression, Dalton added more explanation.

“It’s a case similar to our family. I heard the Grand Duchess also had a weak body. And it’s a family where an heir is precious to begin with.”

Valentin nodded as if he understood at Dalton’s added words that it had been a family with few and precious descendants since the first Grand Duke.

‘Certainly, giving birth to a child is no ordinary matter.’

Indeed, recalling the handsome face and physique of Colonel Reynard Dennox, Valentin thought that if the son they gave birth to was that person, the parents might have less desire for other children. He blushed slightly, recalling that excellent appearance. Isn’t he a truly perfect person whichever way you look at it?

“Anyway, the story got a bit off track, but that’s who they are. Those with Inherent Abilities.”

“What?”