By the time spring arrived, Isaac no longer worried.
The reason was simple.
――As long as I exist here, I cannot change the influence I have on those around me.
That clear, concise answer was enough.
Since Isaac, who should not exist, was here, his presence would inevitably affect the world.
He had no intention of dying just to preserve events as they originally occurred, so he gave up thinking about unsolvable problems.
It was a waste of time.
Isaac had a powerful weapon: knowledge.
Not only what he had learned as a student, but also the personalities of the princes.
He did not know about Tiffany yet, but he had not influenced the princes he had never met.
There was no point in worrying endlessly.
His main goal was the removal of Nathan and the overthrow of the hierarchy, leaving everything else to follow its natural course.
By mid-April, news arrived that those who had gone to the Royal Capital would soon return.
The staff gathered at the mansion entrance to welcome them.
"Finally, we can see Father."
"Yes," Lucia sighed.
During their absence, bureaucrats under Morgan had handled all duties.
But with Lucia remaining here, she was expected to make decisions as a member of the Marquis family in case of emergencies.
Nothing had happened, thankfully, but the responsibility of being on duty was heavy.
She seemed relieved to finally lay it down.
Led by cavalry, the carriage stopped at the mansion's front.
First to descend were Morgan and Margaret.
"Welcome home."
"Welcome home," said Lucia and Isaac, echoed by the staff who bowed respectfully.
"Thank you for your efforts while we were away," Morgan praised.
"And what is Isaac holding?" Margaret asked, noticing the bundle in his hands.
"This is a flower I grew. Welcome home, Grandmother," Isaac said, offering a bundle of about ten spring-blooming flowers.
Though originally nurtured for a scheme, he was still a child.
At first, he had wanted to give it to his family.
Having given some to Lucia already, he now intended to present the rest to the family returning from the Royal Capital.
"Oh, thank you. But... is it alright? These are precious flowers you've carefully grown," Margaret said.
"Yes. I wanted to give them as a gift to show my gratitude."
Isaac took additional flowers from a maid and presented them to Morgan as well.
"Thank you. I'll display them in my office," Morgan said, smiling.
The unexpected gifts brought smiles to both.
Just knowing their grandchild had prepared something for them seemed to wash away the fatigue from the long journey.
Then Randolph and the others descended from the following carriage.
"Father, what is that?"
Seeing Morgan and Margaret holding flowers, Randolph asked.
"Isaac gave them to us," Morgan replied.
Hearing this, Randolph turned toward Isaac, who had accepted the flowers from a maid and walked up to him.
"Welcome home, Father," Isaac said, smiling brightly as he offered the bundle.
Randolph, caught by the child's cheerful expression, smiled and took the flowers.
"These... are the ones you grew in the flower bed?"
"Yes. They are to celebrate everyone coming back," Isaac explained.
Randolph ruffled Isaac's hair gently.
"Thank you, son."
"Yes!"
Isaac was in high spirits.
He knew the gift had the desired effect on his family.
But that wasn't all—he wanted this calm, warm atmosphere.
(Now, the final step.)
Isaac took another bundle of flowers and approached Melinda.
"Melinda-sama, welcome home," he said, offering the flowers.
He loosened his grip slightly, just enough to show care.
"What is this? You think I'd be pleased with flowers grown by an amateur?"
Melinda lightly brushed the flowers away.
Truly lightly—barely more than a flick, like opening a curtain.
Yet the flowers slipped from Isaac's hands anyway.
"Ah!"
Isaac's own voice had exclaimed, though it might have been Melinda's too—it seemed even she did not expect the flowers to fall.
For some reason, they landed perfectly in front of Nathan, who stood beside her.
"Isaac, we've had a long journey. Unlike you, who stayed home, we are tired. Move it, it's in the way," Nathan said, smirking cruelly, stepping over the flowers as he entered the mansion.
The actions of Melinda and Nathan froze the room.
Even Melinda's attendants widened their eyes in shock, surprised by such tone-deaf behavior.
The temperature in the atmosphere shifted sharply from warm to icy.
"Nathan!"
Morgan shouted.
Sibling rivalry was understandable.
It was natural to have personal limits on what one could accept from another.
But even so, kicking away a gift crossed a line.
Morgan glared at Randolph.
――You, as his father, need to discipline him properly.
Randolph stepped forward, intending to scold Nathan, but someone stopped him.
――Isaac.
"Father, it's my fault," Isaac said.
"Isaac!?"
Randolph tilted his head in confusion.
By all accounts, Nathan was at fault.
He didn't need to step on the flowers—they could have easily been crossed over even at a child's stride.
Doing so intentionally showed malice.
Isaac bore no blame.
Isaac turned to Melinda instead, speaking not to Randolph but to her.
"Melinda-sama, I am sorry for causing you discomfort, as I did not know your or your brother's preferences. I would be grateful for an opportunity to speak with you at leisure in the future."
Isaac claimed responsibility, not Nathan or Melinda.
The one who had caused the disturbance was protected by a four-year-old.
A child's words left Melinda and Nathan utterly humiliated.
――Isaac demonstrated his maturity compared to Nathan to the servants.
――He cast Melinda and Nathan as the antagonists.
Isaac succeeded in accomplishing both simultaneously.
Repeating such actions would serve as groundwork for the future.
Small actions, accumulating over time, became the first steps toward greater achievements.
This was not something to be underestimated.
"That's right. It's your fault," Morgan snapped.
Nathan, likely frightened by the reprimand, left quickly for the annex, leaving a few servants behind.
"Grandfather, this incident arose from my misunderstanding. I apologize for causing you concern," Isaac said, bowing to Morgan.
To an observer, it might have sounded like he was asking them not to punish Nathan.
In reality, the opposite.
(Do I really want to give him the chance to learn from failure? No way.)
There was no need to make his heir rival stronger.
Better for the foolish to remain foolish.
If they grew from being scolded, it would only create trouble for Isaac.
"...Are you truly sure about this?"
"Yes. Even without scolding, I trust my elder brother will notice for himself."
――A younger brother placing faith in his older brother.
From an outsider's perspective, that trust was precious.
"Then I'll say nothing. Randolph, you're his father. You can't just spoil a child," Morgan said.
"Yes, Father," Randolph replied.
Morgan entered the mansion with Margaret, followed closely by Melinda.
Even if Nathan went unpunished, Melinda, as an adult, would likely receive a few pointed words.
Sensing this, she obediently followed.
"Isaac, I'll warn Nathan myself," Randolph told him.
"Don't be too harsh," Isaac replied.
Randolph embraced his son tightly, comforting the boy who worried for his older brother.
His clever, kind, prideful child was incredibly dear to him.
"Alright. I understand. See you later," Randolph said.
Once he released Isaac, Randolph hurried after Nathan, fulfilling his duty as a father.
Isaac watched his father's back and then looked down at the flowers that had been stepped on.
He picked up the bundle and checked the stems.
(Even if they were stepped on, it's just the stems. They should be fine.)
"Hey, Shelley. Could you put these flowers in Patrick's room?"
"Yes, Isaac-sama," the maid answered.
Isaac entrusted the flowers to a nearby maid.
If he had casually said, "Just throw them away," it would have implied the flowers had no value.
Since he had nurtured them carefully, he needed to show they were worth keeping.
After handing them to Shelley, Isaac grabbed Lucia's skirt and buried his face in it, hiding his joyful expression.
(Yes! Yes! The flower-bundle plan is a complete success.)
His goal had been to provoke that reaction from Melinda and Nathan in front of the gathered staff.
The staff were mainly younger children of Barons and Viscounts under the Wellrod family's protection.
If they asked about Isaac and Nathan, they would hear the truth from him.
If even a few felt sympathy for Isaac, they would speak well of him.
Of course, they were Nobles.
They might remain loyal to the advantageous side, Melinda's faction, without letting emotions guide them.
But if even some thought, "I want to side with Isaac" or "Nathan is no good," that would be enough.
Until the day he dethroned Nathan, Isaac intended to raise his own reputation while lowering Nathan's, gradually gaining allies.
This time, Nathan had acted recklessly in front of the staff.
Thanks to that, Isaac had likely earned a significant amount of sympathy points.
He struggled to hold back a laugh.
The slight tremble he tried to suppress only earned him more sympathy.
――He had intended to celebrate Melinda and Nathan's return, yet had been treated harshly.
――Yet he held back tears without showing them.
Lucia and the staff interpreted it this way.
If he had cried loudly, Melinda and Nathan would have become the villains.
Instead, he was seen as "a kind child who endures because he thinks of others."
All exactly according to Isaac's plan, though no one knew it.
Notes:
• Ran - She is a gentle orphan, appeared as Mobu's close friend, surviving the demon attack in their secret hideout.