“Thank you for your hospitality, Baron Harrods,” I said as I walked to my carriage. “I hope you will visit my territory again, adviser,” he replied.

“Definitely,” I said and walked into my carriage, and a few seconds later, it is moved out of the gate.

I have one more barony to visit before I had to go the blain and deal with my dreaded family. I truly wish I could return to the Greltheven, but I had to go there for that bastard’s funeral.

I am still angry that he died such an easy death.

“How are the monsters?” I asked. “Good, the mutt is recovering well,” Zela replied.

I did not look at the monsters since yesterday and not because I don’t want to, but because I feared I won’t be able to keep myself away from them. Especially from the mutt.

It might be a mutt, but it is very cute, and it reminds me of the pets I had.

Since I was born, I was never been without a pet. My father was a trainer. We always had dogs in our house, including our own dogs. The only time I had been without a pet was the collage.

I will focus on the cute little thing after I finished my business here.

Two and a half hours later, I reached Barony of Laval and stayed there for two hours. More than double any of the five places I had visited yesterday. If it were up to me, I would have stayed the whole day and night.

It is much better than dealing with family.

From Laval, it took me another two and a half hours to reach Blain. When I looked at the castle, I wanted to vomit.

“Terrible,” I muttered.

My brother had repainted the castle, and he did it in a garish shade of green. It is bright and when I looked at it; I wanted to vomit.

I had heard people saying it is vomiting and felt it is an overreaction, but it turned out, it is not.

Soon, the carriage reaches the gate and entered inside it, before stopping. The door opened by Stone, and I walked out and saw quite a lot of people waiting to welcome me.

“Adviser, welcome to the Blain castle,” said the voice, I hadn’t heard since that day of will read, where I had lost everything.

“Thank you, Leila,” I said to my elder sister.

She is as well-kept as always, with shoulder-length blond hair, and an expensive tunic and pants, with her enchanted sword at her waist. It is not for a show; she could use it and is powerful enough to kill me.

She is a Mage Warrior, and over level 20; she is also a competitive merchant.

Though she focused less on that, despite my father’s dismay. Her passion was adventuring. She had visited many places and different continents and fought against many things.

Earning the levels and the wealth she has.

Her expressions did not change at my address, but the expression on a few people's faces twitched and anger in madam’s eyes rose further and she gripped her hands.

I saw her looking at me angrily the moment we stepped out, and now she had become even angry. I looked at her but turned to my brothers; whom now I hate just as much as Edwin or even more.

All the hate I felt for him now had transferred to these two.

It is not just the family here; others are also present, including my bastard uncle Raymond and Gerald. I have to talk to him. Invite him to my house; it is at least I could do. After the hospitality, he showered me in Namdar.

“You have appeared at the right time; in five minutes, we will start the cremation,” said Leila.

“I am glad I am not late,” I said.

Of course, I am not late; I have arrived on time. I had slowed down the carriage earlier. It is unbearable with family; anyone could tell by seeing how strange our conversation is.

It is even worse than talking to complete strangers.

Leila nodded and led me toward the funeral, where everything had been already prepared. I could see Edwin's body on the pier; he looked peaceful. I have never seen him, so peaceful as he is in death.

I have to say; the mortician had done a great job. Not only in serenating his expression, but also in connecting his head back to his body, making it look flawless.

The bandit leader had decapitated him, killing him with a single attack. He didn’t even feel pain, just shock, before death took him.

Soon, everyone appeared in front of the pier and the priest begin at Leila’s order.

The priest started rituals while I watched. They took part in it; Leila, madam, and my brothers, while I stayed away. They didn’t ask me, which is fine. I have no interest in taking part in the last rites of a man, whom I hate.

Also, I feel like it would have been bad. If I had participated in rites, seeing the way Madam was glaring at me.

She is still doing it.

Her anger is quite surprising, as Madam, is someone who hides her emotions really well, but now she is not hiding anything. Everyone could see how angry she was, and some were confused, including me.

She should be grateful to me. I have helped to kill her son’s killer, but all I got was the anger.

Hun!

Soon half an hour passed and finally, it is time to burn Edwin. Leila held the torch and went toward the pyre with Madam and her two brothers when suddenly Madam turned to me.

“You, it is because of you wretched bastard, I had lost my son. If you hadn’t stolen the protective amulet, my son would have been living,” she screamed at me, to the shock of everyone.

Even Leila seemed surprised by the outburst, while I got the answer to my question.

I did not steal the amulet. I have a right over it as much as others. I even have bigger rights, seeing how her children schemed me out of my inheritance. I very much deserve it and I feel no shame about it.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Madam, cease your accusation. The protective amulet belongs to the House of Silver and after the death of hurty, the head of the house had bequeathed it to Remus,” said the voice filled with authority.

Everybody turned and saw the old man walking in.

Uncle Thompson. I didn’t know he was coming, but it was not surprising. He is the true representative of his grandfather.

Also, he is lying, but I appreciate his words, in front of all these people.

Madam wanted to say something and even opened her mouth, but seeing the expression on the old man’s mouth, she closed her mouth and instead glared at me again, before turning to the pyre.

The pyre burst into the dense blue flames of alchemical fire, they lit it.

This alchemical fire is for cremation purposes only and will turn everything to ashes in less than ten minutes, and those ashes wouldn’t be hot. So, we will be able to place it into the urn and bury it, with no problem.

“Your grandfather is very pleased with you, Remus.” Said Uncle Thompson, which surprised me.

“I thought he would be angry, seeing I had rejected his opportunity,” I replied, and the old man smiled. “Why would he be? You are making your own choices, following your path, without taking much help from family,”

“He is most happy when the members of the house try to chart their own paths and you are doing that,” said the old man.

“I am glad,” I said and relieved.

Some of the decisions I had made in the past few months could put a house in an uncomfortable position. Like becoming an adviser to Lancel, who is strictly in the camp of the fourth prince.

Till now, the house had not decided who they would support in the succession or will stay neutral like last time.

Seven minutes later, the alchemical fire disappeared, leaving only ash.

The four of them had collected the ash and placed it in the golden urn, before moving to the burial place.

The priest begins again, while I talked to the old man.

The funeral demanded silence and respect, but I have no respect for Edwin, and nor does the old man beside me. I used this chance well to ask a few questions, and I am grateful that the old man has answered it all.

I had also become sure who will be the next lord of Blain.

With the last prayer, they buried the urn, and the madam broke down.

Seeing her like that, I couldn’t help but feel pity for her. Her son had died, the person she loved the most.

A little anger I had toward her had disappeared. Though I hate the woman, after what she had done to me last time.

A few minutes later, it was all over, and we turned toward the keep, with Leila holding her mother, while my two brothers came toward me.

“Uncle Thompson,” they greeted, and the old turned to them. “It seemed like you were something important to talk to Remus; I will give you some privacy,” He said and walked toward Gerald with a knowing smile hanging on his face.

“Remus, it's nice seeing you again,” said Reed with a sugary smile. He had never used it on me before. “What do you want, Reed?” I asked him directly, as it is clear he wants something.

“He is our older brother. You should be respectful,” said Landan and I turned to him and just looked at him blankly.

He was always a minion. First of Edwin and now he is dead. He had attached himself to Reed.

“I will come directly to the point, Remus.” Said Reed and become slightly nervous for a moment before turning serious again. “I want you to recommend me as the new Lord of Blain,” he said.

“And why in the hell I would do that?” I asked him, looking at him incredulously.

“Because we are brothers, and I would owe a huge favor.” He said, and I laughed. It came out sudden and loud, that several people turned toward me, seeing me laugh, me laughing like mad.

It took me a while to calm myself up before I turned to me and saw him glaring at me.

“I don’t know whether my words hold any weight. Even if it did, I will never help you, ever.” I said, looking directly into his eyes, showing how much I hate him.

It shook him for some reason, and he took a step back. I smiled seeing that and turned to walk away.

“It will be Leila, who will take the title,” he said from behind. “Good, she will be a hundred times better than you,” I said, and this time he laughed.

“Do you know where that witch ritual we have used to bind you to the brothel had come from?” he asked, and I turned to him.

“It was Leila who had given that spell to Edwin,” he said, smiling. It stumped me, but soon a smile appeared back on my face, but this time, it did not have any mirth in it.

“I am not surprised. To you all, I was never a brother, always a bastard,” I said and found myself filled with more emotions than I like to be.

I may have said, I am not surprised, but I am. I am shocked.

I did not have much relationship with Leila. She is more than a decade older than me and had been at the academy since I was born.

When she came home, she would mostly ignore me and even when she talked, it was never more than a few words.

It was just that.

Unlike my brothers, she never bullied me or said any bad words. So, it is quite shocking to hear that she is the one who provided that ritual spell.

Though, I shouldn’t be surprised. She is a mage and graduated from one of the top mage academies in the world.

It isn’t a big thing for her to get a spell like that.

Still, I felt hurt by this information and felt my eyes tearing up, but I controlled myself and walked ahead with a smile on my face.

I could not show any weakness here, not in front of these people.