Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are So Hot! [BL]-Chapter 63: Noble Burdens

Damien waved his hands frantically. "No, no! I’d never ask for something like that. I want you to be able to do what you love." He thought privately, though, that if Theo did lose his place as the heir, maybe that would mean he wouldn’t have to worry about any arranged marriages either. A selfish thought, but it crossed his mind.

"So, then... there’s no problem, right? Is it just your stepmother making a fuss over nothing?" Damien asked.

Theo and Sebas exchanged a look and shared a wry smile, though Sebas’s face remained as stoic as ever.

"It’s not that simple, unfortunately," Theo sighed. "While my stepmother and brother are enthusiastic about the idea, well... how should I put this...?"

"It is a delicate matter for Master Theo to express," Sebas interjected, stepping in to explain. "Allow me to offer a more objective view. To be blunt, the current situation deems both the madam and the young master unsuitable to assume the position of heir. The madam, first of all, is overly influenced by her family and lacks the resolve needed to make independent decisions."

Damien nodded thoughtfully. Theo had mentioned that his stepmother’s family was overbearing, and it made sense that the mother of a future head of a noble house couldn’t be easily swayed by outside forces.

"As for the young master himself," Sebas continued, "he is, unfortunately, somewhat frivolous and easily influenced by those people around him. He also has a tendency to become excessively emotional and reactive. Additionally, when it comes to academic and other necessary skills, it is, regrettably, difficult to see him as suitable for the role of head of the family."

Frivolous and quick-tempered? Damien thought it sounded like Theo’s brother was a bit of a hotheaded, immature kid. It wasn’t hard to imagine how someone like that might cause problems if given too much power.

"Father and I would be much more at ease if either my stepmother or my brother could be more reliable," Theo added with a sigh. "Though, my brother is only a year younger than I am, so there’s still hope for him to improve."

Damien couldn’t help but admire Theo’s calm and patient attitude. For someone only a year older than his brother, Theo seemed worlds apart in maturity and wisdom. It was no wonder people leaned toward supporting him for the position of heir.

"That sounds pretty tough," Damien said, managing only a wry smile as he imagined the various possibilities.

"But is there any danger involved? Like... assassination or anything?" The thought of blood-soaked dramas often seen in fiction flashed through his mind.

"Oh no, nothing like that happens in our family, so you can rest easy," Theo replied, smiling reassuringly. "Neither my stepmother nor my brother is that wicked or foolish."

Damien felt a bit more at ease seeing Theo smile like that, and Sebas nodded in agreement, which seemed to confirm there was truly no cause for concern. Still, Damien decided not to delve too deeply into what "in our family" might imply.

"The main concern of my stepmother and brother right now seems to be gathering scandalous information about me. That’s why I’ve been attending school properly like a noble," Theo explained.

Hearing this made Damien’s heart race a little.

"Um... the scandal itself is sitting right here, so is that really okay...?" he said hesitantly, raising his hand as if he were a student in class.

He was referring to himself, the embodiment of a scandalous relationship with another man—one that involved sexual activities, no less.

"Haha, you don’t need to worry about that. No one cares," Theo reassured him, laughing as if it were a funny joke.

Damien, however, turned to Sebas for a more serious take on the situation.

"I believe it’s not unheard of, so there’s no need to worry too much," Sebas said, maintaining a professional demeanor. "However, as a precaution, I would advise that you both refrain from excessive displays of affection in public places."

"Understood. I’ll be careful," Damien replied, nodding obediently at Sebas’s warning.

He resolved to be the one to take care in public settings.

"Damien... sometimes it seems like you prioritize Sebas’s advice over mine," Theo said with a pout, his eyes narrowed.

Damien could do nothing but avert his gaze.

...

Theo had pouted for a while, but now he was resting his head on Damien’s lap, and he was gently stroking his hair to comfort him. Despite having looked upset just moments ago, he now seemed content while rubbing his head against him happily.

He looked adorable.

Just a moment ago, Damien had resolved to refrain from any public displays of affection, but since it was just him and Sebas in the room, he decided it was okay. After all, Sebas said nothing while preparing tea for them.

"By the way..." Damien started.

"Hmm?" Theo replied, his face buried in his lap.

He felt a subtle thrill from the closeness and wished he’d stop.

"I realized I hadn’t properly asked this before: Theo, you’re a noble, right? Um... how high is your rank?"

"The Dalehaven family is a marquis family," Theo explained while lying on Damien’s lap, looking up at him. "I personally hold the title of viscount as well, but that’s just a bonus, so you don’t need to worry about it."

Damien understood that being a marquis meant he was quite high-ranking among the nobility, but he still couldn’t quite grasp how significant that really was. He had only heard of viscounts in passing.

"Um, sorry about this," he said, slightly embarrassed. "I get that marquises are important people, but I don’t really know how important."

"Oh, I see what you mean. Hmm, how should I explain this..." Theo closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts before speaking again. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Different countries have various distinctions, and there are countless exceptions, so please consider this a general overview for kingdoms."

"Got it," Damien replied.

"First, at the lower ranks of nobility, you have barons and viscounts. Generally, titles are granted for some sort of achievement when land capable of generating income, like a village or town, is bestowed upon someone. The difference between barons and viscounts isn’t very clear, but it’s mostly based on the size of the settlements they control."