After the Satanail incident, the Somerset family seemed to be sailing smoothly, like a ship with the wind at its back.

Now elevated to the rank of marquis, the Somerset family had not only become one of the top three families in the southern region but was also recognized as one of the most influential houses across the empire.

However, Bradley, the Marquis of Somerset, found himself deeply troubled.

"The royal family and the Bluewell duchy..."

Since his elevation, invitations to parties and gatherings seeking to establish connections with him were frequent. Bradley, often busy attending those events that would benefit the family, was recently unsettled by matters discussed at two of these prominent gatherings.

‘Isn’t your second son, Rupert, about the right age to consider a marriage arrangement?’

Marriage proposals for Rupert weren’t exactly new. His rapid rise to fame had attracted the attention of both local and prominent noble families interested in forming an alliance through marriage.

So far, Bradley had politely declined, citing Rupert’s young age and the need for careful consideration in arranging a marriage for the family’s future.

"But this time, I can hardly refuse."

He recalled the imperial palace banquet he had attended to celebrate his promotion to marquis.

‘Are you enjoying the banquet, Bradley?’

‘Thanks to Your Majesty’s grace, I am honored and grateful.’

‘Haha, it’s I who am fortunate to have a loyal vassal like you.’

Rumors about a change in the emperor’s demeanor seemed to be true. Normally, he would have spoken about responsibilities and duties to a newly-promoted noble, but instead, he praised Bradley warmly, surprising those around them.

‘I happen to have a fine wine; care to join me for a glass?’

‘It would be an honor, Your Majesty.’

As the banquet continued, the emperor eventually invited Bradley to a private room.

What followed was a discussion about his children.

‘Your eldest son’s efforts have strengthened our relations with the elves. That alone has relieved a major worry for the empire.’

‘I’m grateful my son could be of service to the empire.’

‘And that’s not all. Your second son, Rupert, from the Cult of the Abyss incident to the Night Followers affair… He truly seems like a blessing from the goddess herself.’

The emperor’s continuous praise for his children, paired with more wine, gave Bradley an uneasy feeling.

‘And as for your youngest daughter, my son is absolutely smitten with her. He tells me she’s so charming that, had he married sooner, he would already have a daughter her age.’

‘I’m certain the crown prince will soon find a suitable match.’

‘Yes, I once felt impatient, but I’m trying to be more relaxed about it now.’

Bradley felt that the emperor, despite his title, understood the concerns of a father well.

And then, the emperor dropped a bombshell.

‘Your second son is nearly twenty, isn’t he?’

‘Yes, he’ll be nineteen soon, so he’s almost there.’

‘In our time, it was customary to start a family at twenty, though today’s youth don’t follow that tradition. It’s quite concerning.’

‘Indeed, back in our day, you weren’t considered an adult until you married after twenty.’

‘While I have a marriage arrangement in place for my second, it’s my only daughter that worries me.’

‘Your Highness means the princess?’

‘That’s right. She’s at the age to marry now… if only I could find a suitable match.’

‘…’

‘Not a family with too much power, nor one that’s too weak… The Somerset family seems just right.’

‘…Is that so?’

As Bradley listened, he realized why the emperor had invited him.

‘Of course, it’s not just about the family’s status; I would hope the individual is also capable. Haha, am I being too presumptuous?’

‘Not at all, Your Majesty.’

‘Haha, speaking of which, your second son is approaching marriage age as well. I think he’d make a fine match for the princess.’

Realizing the emperor intended to propose a marriage between his daughter Iolin and his son Rupert, Bradley’s mind spun.

"Agreeing to this could hinder Rupert’s future."

Many families would eagerly accept a marriage into the royal family, but Bradley felt differently.

Rupert had already achieved enough, and he feared that marrying into the royal family would only bind him, limiting his freedom.

A royal connection meant constantly scrutinized actions, and a single misstep could entangle him in scandal.

While a family as powerful as the Seven Great Nobles might gain strength from such a union, the Somerset family wasn’t quite at that level, so they’d likely be pulled along by the royal family instead.

"But, of course, the benefits are considerable…"

The advantages were undeniable.

Becoming part of the royal family would bring immense, intangible benefits. Most nobles would be reluctant to engage in conflicts with the Somerset family, and if Iolin and Rupert were to have a son, he’d enter the line of succession, albeit distantly.

"And to think the same offer would come from the Bluewell duchy."

Had the royal family been his only option, Bradley might not have been so conflicted. But somehow, a similar proposal had arrived from the empire’s most prestigious noble house, the Bluewell family.

The proposal was even more surprising: rather than Rupert joining their house, Amelia of Bluewell would come to Somerset as his bride—a groundbreaking offer.

"Rupert, what on earth have you been up to…"

Bradley was baffled at how Rupert had managed to attract marriage proposals from two of the empire’s most eligible noblewomen.

"My eldest is marrying an elf, and my second has options between the royal family and the Bluewells."

Both of his sons’ marital paths were anything but ordinary.

‘I could hardly expect to inherit the family title now.’

Richard, the eldest, had claimed he lacked the right to inherit, choosing instead to marry Sifris, an elven woman who had been a comrade in the Crimson Warden, and resided in Sleepy Manor.

There, he taught swordsmanship to the children and occasionally trained the knights at the request of the baroness.

"And my little Ada will stay with me forever."

With his children now of marriageable age, Bradley found himself holding on to his youngest, Ada, even more dearly.

"Welcome back, brother."

"…Yes, Ada. Did you have fun today?"

"Oh my! Fun? Ada spent the whole day studying!"

Rupert had to stifle a laugh at Ada’s attempts to speak like a noble lady.

‘But that’s how servants talk…’

Pleased with her own efforts to speak properly, Ada beamed, unaware of Rupert’s internal amusement.

In truth, she had made remarkable progress. Normally, she would jump onto Rupert’s shoulders, complaining about his late return and demanding he play with her.

"How is learning etiquette and social manners going?"

"It’s hard…"

When Rupert, hugging his little sister, asked her, Ada buried her head and whimpered.

Her motivation to improve her behavior was, unsurprisingly, because of Rupert.

‘This isn’t a noble lady’s schedule… it’s a local ruffian’s.’

Since the Satanail incident, Rupert had realized the need to rein in Ada’s boundless energy.

He’d asked the butler, Alain, for a detailed account of her daily activities.

‘The young miss begins her day early with breakfast and then makes her rounds of the manor with Rasshu, raiding hidden snacks.’

No matter how cleverly the maids hid them, Rasshu’s keen nose always found the snacks, and Ada, now able to leap over anything a grown man’s height, would seize them before disappearing into the grounds.

‘Afterward, she heads to the village to play with the children. Sometimes, she even leads excursions to neighboring territories.’

Her “excursions” consisted of leading village children on raids to neighboring estates, defeating troublemakers and ruffians—a revelation that left Rupert feeling quite helpless.

‘She returns to spar with Sir Owen or train with me until your arrival.’

Even Owen, who now focused solely on defense, found it increasingly challenging to fend her off, Alain explained with pride, much to Rupert’s exasperation.

‘Ada is a noble young lady!’

No one could mistake Ada’s daily routine for that of a refined noblewoman.

With Bradley and Alain endlessly doting on Ada, praising even her acrobatic feats, Rupert realized he needed to intervene.

Yet controlling Ada was no easy task.

‘Ada, don’t run around the manor.’

‘I don’t listen to orders from those weaker than me!’

‘Ada, if you don’t listen to your brother, the ghost will come for you.’

‘Is the ghost stronger than Owen?’

Scaring her proved ineffective, as Ada had already become fearless.

The “Ada Reformation Project” was in danger of collapsing just as it began.

‘Now that I think about it, Ada was really influenced by fairy tales, wasn’t she?’

Recalling Ada’s fascination with the fairy tales he’d created, Rupert decided to write a new story just for her.

And so, The Fables of Rupert came into existence.