History Lesson Seconds: Noble Bloodlines (1)

"… Naoto-san. With the S-Class Conference fast approaching, there is still material we ought to study in advance.

"… Specifically, the noble bloodlines of this world."

Lyuka raised the subject in a more formal tone than usual.

It seemed she meant to give me a full lecture today as well. Drinks were set out on the sofa, and we settled in for the long haul.

Well, Lyuka's explanations were always fun, so I welcomed it.

Today's lesson, it appeared, was important too.

"The word 'noble' exists in your world as well, doesn't it, Naoto-san?"

"Yeah. I don't really have a personal feel for it, but I get the general idea.

"Yuumi is from an old, distinguished Japanese family.

"So Kanan — the Kazami family — gets called 'new-money upstarts' or similar insults.

"Eclair, being European royalty — the Kingdom of Feradria itself only has about a hundred years of history, but the Feradria house itself is an old line passed down in Europe… so in terms of pedigree, hers is probably the highest of them all."

"I see… if you grasp that much, there's no problem.

"This world also has a noble system.

"Fundamentally, this world is meritocratic.

"Those who rise to B-Class Master or above are called nobles.

"And the children born of those nobles are also called nobles.

"However, since children born into nobility are advantaged from birth, they tend to attain noble status in their own right as well.

"Those who are thus born privileged are deemed to be of revered blood.

"That way of thinking, that respect, that deference…

"… Such customs exist in this world."

So Lyuka explained.

"… I see.

"Well, that isn't really any different from the original world, so it doesn't feel strange.

"But just because someone's the child of a noble doesn't necessarily mean they'll really become B-Class or S-Class.

"There's the person's own effort and talent at play.

"If they were born to high status and also produced results, then I suppose respecting them is fine?

"… Though being valued beyond one's actual ability seems off to me."

"… Yes. Unfortunately, when the parent is outstanding, the child sometimes ends up overvalued beyond their real ability, and it isn't uncommon for them to lord their status over others.

"… Of course, if the person himself is extremely capable, then there's no problem at all.

"That's simply behavior commensurate with ability.

"Among the S-Class Masters you'll be meeting going forward, Naoto-san, there will surely be individuals who demand, 'I am of revered nobility, so esteem me beyond my actual ability.'

"It is your prerogative to take the stance of valuing them only according to their actual ability.

"But please understand that this may make enemies of that individual and of the devotees who venerate their family line.

"… Naturally, I would never tell you, Naoto-san, to bow your head to someone you dislike.

"If you don't care for someone, please say so openly.

"But there is a great difference between acting in ignorance of the risk and acting with knowledge of it… so I am explaining this in advance."

"Thank you. I'll listen carefully."

If that was how it was, maybe I should ask a few questions.

"In a world where humans live 200 years and history is 300 years, there have to be cases without a generational changeover, right?

"Leonhardt-san is his own first-generation noble.

"If a noble who's had a generational changeover is more illustrious, would that make them more illustrious than Leonhardt-san? That'd be a strange story."

"Exactly so. Leonhardt is indeed in a class of his own in name and reality. And institutionally too, he receives special treatment.

"Fundamentally, Masters 'currently seated at S-Class 4th or above' are treated as the highest noble class, in a category of their own.

"Let me explain the noble ranks."

EX-Class — S-Class Highest Noble — currently seated at S-Class 4th or above, or experienced S-Class 1st

SSS-Class — S-Class Upper Noble — currently seated at S-Class 8th or above, or experienced S-Class 4th or above

SS-Class — S-Class Middle Noble — currently seated at S-Class 16th or above, or experienced S-Class 8th or above

S-Class — S-Class Lower Noble — currently seated at S-Class 24th or above, or experienced S-Class 16th or above

A-Class — A-Class Noble — currently seated at A-Class, or experienced S-Class

B-Class — B-Class Noble — currently seated at B-Class, or experienced A-Class

C-Class — Knight Class (even with higher-rank experience, C-Class and below are not nobles)

Lyuka had prepared this table for me.

"Let's see… I'm S-Class, then."

If I made the top 24, I'd be a Lower Noble at the very least.

"No, that's not it. Let me explain."

Oh, off the mark. What was going on?

"Commoner S-Class Masters who do not possess a family name take a surname corresponding to their rank. This is, in a sense, an honor…

"But it is also a mark of commoner origin.

"Upon reaching 4th or above, they stop using a surname. This is because they become Highest Nobles, and their very existence serves as proof of nobility.

"As an easy example, when Sairas fought in the S-Class Tournament as 23rd, he used the 23rd-rank title… he called himself Sairas Wifgard.

"When he was eliminated at 3rd place, he didn't use the 3rd-rank title Sairas Aingrast — he was simply 'Sairas.'

"That's how the system works.

"This practice of treating 4th and above as special is said to have arisen at the end of the Kaiser era.

"In Kaiser's time, only Kaiser stood overwhelmingly above the rest, but alongside him were Sirius and Gaius, plus — I omitted this from my previous lecture — an exceptional Master named Stein. Those four were valued as especially important.

"So please understand that the back-and-forth jockeying over noble versus non-noble status only matters up until you reach S-Class 4th.

"Once you reach 4th, in terms of treatment you are equal to 1st.

"… From the next S-Class Tournament onward, you, Naoto-san, will be S-Class 4th or above, so you won't need to concern yourself with it."

Lyuka spoke as if it were a settled matter.

Of course, I intended exactly that, too.

"Leonhardt-san is currently 4th and has experienced 1st, so he's at the top on both counts, then."

"Yes, that's right.

"… Now, the word 'experienced' in this table… that's the tricky part.

"It applies not only to the person themselves but to their ancestors as well.

"This is what breeds the warped sense of noble entitlement."

"… Meaning…?"

"If there's an experienced S-Class 1st somewhere in one's ancestors, then regardless of the person's own rank, they're treated as Highest Noble.

"When non-noble individuals appear in the line, the record breaks off, but as long as one of them attains B-Class or above, the noble status carries on.

"Such individuals can become arrogant beyond their merit, looking down on those not of noble birth as being from lowly stock… regrettably, this kind of attitude does exist.

"A person who is themselves Lower S-Class might mock a Middle S-Class from a lowly family, for instance.

"It's absurd, but this petty noble squabbling is, you might say, the other face of the S-Class Conference."

"… Well, Naoto hath absorbed our Belzebute family. The peak rank of our mother, Esta Belzebute, was 8th. That is to say, S-Class Middle.

"So thou needst not engage in petty jockeying, at least. Rest assured."

"I see. So that makes me…"

"Yes, you become SS-Class. You may call yourself not only Akai Naoto, but also Naoto Ernest, or Naoto Belzebute."

So that's how it works.

… To completely absorb the pedigree too is no small thing.

"W-well, I'll stick with Akai Naoto…"

A surname that sounded too cool would be a little embarrassing.

"Now, on the basis of all that, let me explain the bloodlines of the current S-Class Masters.

"From there, I'll speculate about what kind of person each of them might be, and explain accordingly.

"… Let me say in advance: I do not know the S-Class Masters personally.

"I'll merely be explaining on the basis of publicly available information.

"What sort of person each S-Class Master actually is, Naoto-san, please confirm by meeting them yourself."

So Lyuka said.

"Mm. Of course, I know the personalities of the S-Class Masters.

"I could explain in great detail to thee…

"But that would be only my impression of them.

"That would give thee unnecessary preconceptions and, moreover, rob thee of the joy of meeting them firsthand.

"Therefore, I have decided not to explain from my side."

So Ursula added.

"I see… yeah, that's true. Thanks for the consideration."

Indeed, the actual personality is something you can't know without meeting, but pedigree is something you can't know without being told.

That may be its own kind of preconception, but if I don't know, I'll just come off as ill-mannered.

"Yeah, please go ahead with that approach."

Trusting their judgment, I urged Lyuka to continue.

"Naoto-san, in your history lessons so far, how many historical figures' names do you remember?"

"Let's see,

"First Champion Rasty

"Legendary Masters: Augusta, Kaiser, Leonhardt, Silvana

"From the Kaiser era: Sirius, Gaius

"Four Heavenly Kings: Wallace, Hamasu, Yucas, Faren

"Leonhardt-san's rival: Altair

"… About that? Plus the one you just mentioned…"

"Stein. Wonderful.

"Historically, those who have held S-Class 1st — Garumon Master — besides them, there is only one more.

"A figure named Vega is the only other.

"Vega was a strong, excellent Master in his own right, but he tended to be overshadowed by Leonhardt's presence.

"Since he lacked any especially noteworthy feats, I omitted him from the previous lecture.

"… Their bloodlines are the S-Class Highest Nobles that require particular attention."

"I see…"

Vega, huh. Would he come up in today's lecture?

"Then let's draw it out and start from the parts that aren't important.

"- Commoner-Born

"1st Satoru

"3rd Sairas

"4th Leonhardt

"6th Duras Heidrich

"17th Eclair Feradria

"22nd Shaina Fervey

"First, 1st Satoru, 3rd Sairas, and 4th Leonhardt are commoner-born.

"However, as I explained earlier, they themselves are already Highest Nobles, so they're in a class of their own. I mention them just for the record of their origins.

"6th Duras Heidrich and 22nd Shaina Fervey are also commoner-born.

"What sort of people they are, please confirm by meeting them.

"There aren't many commoner-born S-Class Masters, so I can't really cite any 'they tend to be like this' parallels.

"17th Eclair Feradria is also a commoner in this world. However, the fact that she was a princess in her original world is known, and she commands a certain amount of respect. She seems to be given somewhat special treatment.

"The current S-Class has a fairly large proportion of commoner-born Masters, I'd say.

"All other S-Class Masters are of noble origin."

"Mm-hm, mm-hm."

"Now then, let me continue.

"… But before that, let me first cover the Highest Nobles who have no successor among the current active Masters."

• Rasty Bloodline

"First… the Rasty bloodline does not remain.

"It may actually remain in reality, but not to the extent of leaving a name behind.

"They were thoroughly slaughtered by Tiari, after all…

"Rasty is, as I explained, a Master with the worst reputation, but he's accorded some respect simply for being so ancient.

"So there are several who claim to be of the Rasty line. But most of them have no real basis — pure fabrication."

"I see…"

Well, he had died only a few months after becoming Garumon Master.

But in the ten years before that, if he'd left children behind, descendants might have survived.

• Kaiser-Gaius Bloodline

"Next, the Kaiser-Gaius bloodline also does not remain, because Gaius died young.

"It's possible Kaiser himself survived and has left children in the Magical Beast territory, but…"

"I see…"

• Silvana Bloodline

"Silvana hasn't left a bloodline yet. If I had to name one, then again, there's Yuria…"

"Cut it out. I'm not exactly Silvana's bloodline.

"… I was a Garumon when I was born.

"A bloodline strictly refers to those born as Masters."

Yuria cut in.

"Of course, Silvana-san herself is alive and well, so there's every chance she'll leave one going forward."

"Mm. And the father, perchance, may be Naoto."

Ursula said something like that.

"Ahaha… if that came to pass, it'd be wonderful… but right now it's a dream within a dream."

In that scenario, I'd be Yuria's lover and Silvana-san's husband… hmm, that got confusingly tangled.

• Leonhardt Bloodline

"Then, in terms of the successor still not being decided, Leonhardt-san himself is the prime example.

"Leonhardt-san's bloodline will be determined not merely by blood relation but by the current successor-candidate contest.

"Whoever wins through will be treated as Leonhardt-san's son-in-law."

"Yeah, I fully intend to aim for that. Wait, if that happens, what's the deal with Garland and the others?"

Like sworn brothers? Hmm…

"They'd be treated as collaterals — not direct line.

"Only the single direct heir may take pride in an ancestor's deeds as their own.

"You may boast all you wish about being collateral, but it won't earn much respect."

"I see…"

So they'd be desperate to become the official heir, then…

"Those are the bloodlines without successors."

Oh, so the other bloodlines did have successors.

That was something to look forward to.

At which point, since this was getting long, we took a break.