"All this time, I believed Rafard was the finest of my sons. He had an exceptional talent for managing land, and he was a decent fighter, too. My original plan was to leave Uxkhal in his care after I died. You, on the other hand, were always rather ordinary. Even your talent for combat was unremarkable. You only got into Harlaus's Order of the Lion because I pulled some strings. In truth, you never passed the assessment."
Dilinard calmly recounted the past. Allen said nothing as he listened. Instead, he stood up and filled the wineglass in front of Dilinard, doing his best to play the part of a son.
"But that war against the Rhodoks completely changed my impression of you. It was as though something suddenly clicked overnight, and you became extraordinarily powerful. You actually captured Graveth on the battlefield. That astonished me for a long time. I know I have always given you much less affection than your older brother. You may have resented that and refused to show your true abilities. I can understand. But there is no denying that I still fulfilled my duties as a father. I raised you and secured a rich stretch of land for you, making you a true noble. I think you know how many young people in our family envy you. And I have turned down more than enough marriage proposals on your behalf."
Dilinard drained his wineglass in one gulp and motioned for Allen to refill it, never pausing in his speech.
"Once you had land of your own, you showed exceptional ability. You managed Wincord Castle well, and that pleased me greatly. The leadership you showed while wiping out those scum made me see you in a new light yet again. Davis, I must admit that you