Despite this, Yuuto shook his head. “As far as her potential as a ruler goes, there’s no one better, it’s true. But if I’m going to take all my other wives with me, I can’t just leave her here in the lurch. It’d be too sad.” He scratched his cheek, embarrassed. Jörgen felt the corners of his mouth loosen in amusement.
“Popular as always, eh? After being your most trusted advisor for over ten years now, I would’ve thought that you would have at least divulged some of your techniques to me.”
“If I’d had any techniques to speak of, I would have. If I’m being honest, I have no idea why they’re all so fond of someone like me. That’s the biggest mystery of all in my eyes.”
“There you go again with the whole ‘someone like me’ shtick. Humility is in your nature, it seems.” Yuuto had ascended to the rank of reginarch in a matter of years, and he’d always been surrounded by a bevy of women. However, in Jörgen’s opinion, while Yuuto certainly had spirit and ambition, he still had aspects that were lacking, especially when it came to his personal life and taking care of himself. “Perhaps his unreliability in those areas stoked the girls’ maternal instincts, and they felt like they simply couldn’t leave him alone,” Jörgen thought. The fact that Yuuto was able to attract them like a magnet without even trying couldn’t have made Jörgen more envious.
“At any rate, it looks like we’ve gotten off topic. I trust Sigrún and Kristina will be joining you as well?”
“Yeah. I asked them, and it seems like they want to follow me wherever I go.”
“My, you would take all the suitable candidates for reginarch with you and leave us high and dry?”
“In my opinion, I think you’d be the most suitable candidate of all, Jörgen.”
“Are you serious? What could an old fart like me accomplish?” Jörgen cracked a wry smile. He was already pushing sixty. Given his age, he’d quit being the advisor to the Steel Clan, relinquished the position of patriarch of the Wolf Clan to his successor, and was now taking it easy in retirement. He had already tied up all the loose ends in his life, and he had neither the desire nor the stamina to take the stage once more.
“I figured you’d say that. Well, who would you nominate, then? No need to hold back, give your honest opinion.”
“Lady Homura, I’d say. With the blood of Nobunaga running through her veins, I believe she’s got what it takes.”
“Homura’s a no-go. She doesn’t have my Chalice, first off. And if she became the reginarch, she wouldn’t hesitate to use gunpowder and steel weaponry.”
“I suppose you’re right. Well, that leaves only three more that I can think of. Mustafa, Barr, or perhaps Babel...” Over the past ten years, each of them had shown great promise, at least.
Yuuto gave a small smile. “I noticed you didn’t include Gendo.”
“Regrettably, my grandson has a long, long way to go before he’d be reginarch material,” Jörgen explained.
“Now who’s the humble one?” Yuuto replied teasingly.
“No, I’m being serious,” Jörgen said solemnly. From an objective, unbiased standpoint, he could at least acknowledge that his grandson Gendo had an uncanny knack for politics, a talent perhaps inherited from Jörgen himself. Unfortunately, however, he lacked the necessary grit. Jörgen’s honest assessment was that he might do well under a capable patriarch, but he just didn’t have what it took to shine brightly enough to become the sun itself.
“I see. So, who do you think is the most capable out of those three?” Yuuto asked.
“Probably Babel. He’s got some work to do on the political side of things, but he’s got the fighting spirit and drive for sure. He’s also an Einherjar, so that puts him at the head of the pack,” Jörgen replied.
“...Hmm.” Yuuto crossed his arms in thought, seemingly unconvinced.
“Is there a problem?” Jörgen asked.
“Well, it’s just that he can be a bit...ambitious. That concerns me,” Yuuto replied.
“Is ambition not a necessary trait for a king? I would think it’s further indicative he’s fit for the position. In fact, unselfish rulers like you are few and far between,” Jörgen said.
Indeed, kings such as Yuuto were rare. Botvid of the Claw Clan, Yngvi of the Hoof Clan, Steinþórr of the Lightning Clan, Hveðrungr of the Panther Clan, Hárbarth of the Spear Clan, and Oda Nobunaga of the Flame Clan had all been possessed by the burning ambition within their hearts to dominate and conquer Yggdrasil. Anyone without that ambition was simply unfit to lead their people.
“The previous patriarch of the Wolf Clan, Fárbauti, was a kind and benevolent man. However, I daresay that magnanimity of his made him too soft,” Jörgen noted.
Yuuto had no rebuttal to that point. He understood all too well...
Jörgen continued, “It was that vulnerability that led to other clans usurping his territory until the Wolf Clan was nearly extinct. More than generosity, strength is what is necessary to stand above others, and ambition is what fuels that strength.”
“...I can’t argue with that.” Letting out a sigh, Yuuto gazed up at the ceiling. Although he still had some reservations, he understood that what Jörgen was saying was right. It made him doubt his own thoughts on the matter. However, it was a ruler’s duty to make swift decisions. “When I look into those determined eyes of his, I can’t help but feel concerned. However, it’s as you say—the Steel Clan needs a harsh but powerful ruler more than a gentle but weak one.”
“I’ve announced that there’s no doubt the severed head belongs to Suoh-Yuuto, just as you ordered.” Jörgen said.