Chapter 23
I ignored their trembling figures and began to walk away.
“Y-you’ll regret this…!”
Puppy No.1 barked angrily.
“That’s right! Do you think you can defy the branch families like this and still walk an easy path?”
Puppy No.2 rattled on, dragging in his family name as if it meant something.
‘Yeah, sure. Bark all you want.’
I let their yapping pass through one ear and out the other as I strode out of the hall.
When I returned to my room, I immediately spread the necessary documents across the table.
Today’s chaos had been deliberate—a calculated disruption.
Even if Grandfather had ordered this outcome, the resentment of the eliminated children’s branch families would inevitably fall on my father and me.
‘But really, even if I played nice, wouldn’t they still try to check me?’
After all, I was a strong successor candidate, one who had awakened in a process strikingly similar to Grandfather’s.
Instead of generously forgiving the Tower’s children and mending wounds, the smarter path was to strike first, knocking rivals off balance.
There wasn’t a single flaw in my reasoning.
We were simply following the rules. Who could accuse us of wrongdoing?
And besides—I had Father standing firmly behind me.
“It’s fine… Even if they want to spew nonsense… living creatures shut their mouths once they’re dead…”
During yesterday’s discussion, Father had said something along those lines.
In short, if they valued their lives, no one would dare to act out of line.
There weren’t many people who could stand against Father when it came to black magic.
Not even across the entire Empire.
Cheap assassins, taking pocket money to carry out jobs, were beneath notice.
Even if they tried, it would be meaningless.
‘They won’t waste their time on that. To break me, they’ll look for another angle.’
The soonest chance would come during the upcoming regular assembly of Hallroren.
There, the question of whether I would be sent to the main house would be raised.
If possible, they’d try to block me from going.
And if that failed, they’d aim to crush me before I could take root.
‘The clearer their goal, the easier it is for me to counter it.’
I skimmed through the agenda for the assembly.
And as expected, I found just what I was looking for.
I smiled, satisfied.
“As I thought. My memory wasn’t wrong—‘The matter of the Behe Family’s Young Lord.’”
The conflict surrounding the position of Behe Family’s heir.
That would become my weapon in the assembly.
Another chance to stir the board.
I began preparing to write a letter.
“I-is that true?”
“Yes, my Lady.”
Hearing the servant’s report, Lila’s thin hand clenched tightly.
She drew a deep breath, calming herself before rising and brushing off her modest gown.
She looked every bit the plain daughter of nobility—dark, subdued clothing, freckles across her bare face, her thick brown hair neatly tied up without adornment.
Yet in her mid-twenties, her eyes held a weight of experience that belied her youthful age.
Without delay, Lila made her way toward the Lord’s chambers.
“Father, I have something to report. From the Tower of Sorcery—”
But she never finished her words.
Slap!
Her father, the Lord of Behe, stormed across the room and struck her hard across the face.
“Lila! I hear you’ve been tormenting Susanna again!”
“What…?”
“That delicate girl was weeping miserably! All over a dress and some trinkets—what could that possibly matter!”
Suppressing a sigh, Lila steadied herself.
“Father… our domain’s budget this quarter is not so generous. It is only natural to tighten spending in areas of lesser importance—”
“Ha! Don’t try to mask your jealousy! You’ve lost your senses with envy, and now you dare spout such insolence!”
“But…”
Just then, the door burst open and a girl entered.
She was about Lila’s age, yet a perfect contrast—glamorous, radiant, clad in fine dresses and dazzling jewels.
It was none other than Susanna, Lila’s half-sister.
She ran forward, clutching their father’s arm, tears sparkling in her eyes.
“Papa… please don’t be so harsh. You’ll hurt Sister.”
“Ah, Susanna. You’re too kindhearted. Always so soft.”
“No… If it were a dress I could share with Sister, I’d have gladly done so. Perhaps I chose too bright a color… I wasn’t thinking.”
“Hmph! As if there even exists a dress that would suit something so gloomy as her!”
“….”
Ignoring the insult, Lila pressed forward.
“I will accept your rebuke, Father. But I must speak—this is a matter of grave importance.”
“What nonsense now?!”
“This concerns the very future of our family. As the eldest daughter, it is my duty to advise you.”
Her gaze flicked briefly to Susanna, a silent plea that such matters should not be discussed before her.
For a fleeting moment, the girl’s gentle eyes turned cold.
But she quickly masked it, bowing her head with a pitiful expression.
“Papa, if Sister insists so much, it must be important. Please don’t be angry. I’ll step out. Let’s have tea later.”
“Ah, my sweet child… You’re too kind for your own good. Very well. Go on, then.”
Once Susanna was gone, the Lord’s expression twisted into something dark and cruel.
“If this turns out to be worthless, you’ll pay the price.”
“We have received urgent word. Lord Feydel has abolished his Dark Core… and has been cast out of Hallroren territory.”
“…What?”
“And that is not all. At the recent trials, Kalmia Halohren has been exceptionally chosen for the main house.”
The more Lila explained, the paler her father became.
The Behe Family had long attached themselves to Feydel’s faction, feeding off its scraps to maintain their modest status.
But now—his entire faction had collapsed in an instant.
And worse, some of Feydel’s children had been training at the Tower.
If one of them had been called to the main house, even if success was not guaranteed, their future would shine regardless.
Recognition by the Grand Patriarch meant opportunity and power.
It was only natural that Hallhoren’s territories were filled with main-house elites occupying key posts.
For families like Behe, that glory was everything.
But with Feydel disgraced, the blow was devastating.
“What… what kind of disaster is this!”
“….”
“Damn it! Are you lying to make a fool of me?”
“Have I ever spoken falsely to you about matters like this, Father?”
“Ugh…”
The Lord of Behe sank into his chair, clutching his head as reality closed in.
Though Lila had warned it was urgent, even she had not expected him to crumble this far.
After a long silence, she spoke again.
“Father, this is not the time to sit idle.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“A crisis can also be an opportunity. We must rally Feydel’s scattered followers, offer them a new path, and seize leadership before anyone else.”
“You mean… I should act as if I were Feydel himself?”
“Not Feydel. You, Father—the rightful Lord of Behe. You will become the head of a new faction. Not Feydel’s, but the Behe Faction.”
The Lord’s eyes glimmered greedily.
Just as she expected.
She calmly added the final push.
“To succeed, you must align with Silvan Halhoren and his daughter, Kalmia. Support them—and the new faction will be born under your name.”
