Chapter 09
Unlike the lush blue lands of humans, the Demon Realm was stained a pitch-black color, steeped in corruption.
Every creature there was born of that tainted soil.
The man who had once been the Demon King was no exception.
“Lord Blanche.”
But no one called him Demon King anymore. He himself had rejected that title.
“How is it this time? Have you found it?”
“Yes, it seems we finally have.”
At his subordinate’s report, Blanche’s eyes gleamed.
“Found it? At last?”
“Yes. I’m certain it has awakened.”
“Ha… at last! My king!”
Blanche clenched both fists tight.
Their long, arduous search had finally borne fruit.
“So, where is it?”
“Well…”
The subordinate, who had delivered the good news with such excitement, now hesitated.
“It’s… the Winter Manor.”
“What?”
“We sense the Demon King’s aura coming from the Winter Manor.”
“…What kind of nonsense is that?”
2
“What? Grandpa?”
Baratheon burst out laughing—pffft!—when he heard what had happened while we were dining with the Grand Duke.
“Wow. So the old man said that? Guess having a true granddaughter really is different, huh.”
Even though I was the biological granddaughter, most people would probably feel a little conflicted in a situation like this.
But Baratheon showed not the slightest hint of discomfort.
Lucas or Sheshe would probably react the same way.
They’re all so… matter-of-fact, I thought.
We might not share blood, but in that way we were similar.
“But the manor feels a bit… busy today, doesn’t it?”
Marina and Hedin stayed at my side as always, yet the other servants were moving around more busily than usual.
I hadn’t been paying special attention, yet the change was obvious.
“Oh, that.”
Baratheon waved his hand lazily, as if the subject bored him.
“Once a year the entire Ashinoff family gathers. There’s a tedious meeting called the Elders’ Council.”
“Elders’ Council?”
“Yeah. All the heads of the main and branch families meet to discuss important matters—like choosing the family heir.”
“If it’s about the successor, isn’t that already decided?”
Baratheon gave me a look as if to say, Well, would you look at this kid.
“So you’re more ambitious than I thought, huh?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Isn’t it obvious? ‘I showed up, so of course I’m the heir. No need to discuss it.’ That’s what you’re thinking, right?”
“What? Absolutely not!”
I flailed my hands and shook my head at the absurd suggestion.
“The heir is obviously Lucas. He’s the eldest, and the Empire follows primogeniture.”
Originally, my father was the Grand Duke’s successor.
But he had abandoned the family and died long ago. Naturally, that meant Lucas was next in line.
Baratheon just stared at me, mouth agape.
“You’re surprisingly clever sometimes, but then you say the dumbest things.”
“Coming from you, that feels especially insulting.”
“But listen carefully this time, young lady.”
He tapped my nose with a finger and spoke in mock-polite tones.
“You’re the Grand Duke’s biological granddaughter. How could an adopted child with not a drop of Ashinoff blood compete with you?”
“Is… that how it is?”
“Yes, that’s exactly how it is, miss.”
“But I’m the youngest. I only just joined the household, and Lucas is a genius who’s already been acting as heir…”
I’d always assumed Lucas would remain the heir, so I’d never thought about it deeply.
Ah, so that’s why they said the Grand Duke’s successor had appeared when I collapsed!
The realization dawned late.
Then the ‘accident’ on the way to the manor—when I nearly drowned—must have been because I’m the heir, too.
One near-death experience over an unwanted position was enough for a lifetime.
I’d had that in my previous life already.
I won’t die so easily this time.
After ruining the Ashinoff family, I planned to enjoy the life I’d been denied before.
But heir to the family, huh…
I had no intention of working hard as their successor.
Still, being the heir might make it easier to bring the family down.
To think I’d become the heir of the very house whose descendant killed me—it’s absurd.
But for my goal, I could bear wearing an unwanted crown for a while.
Oh, but…
“Will Lucas hate me?”
I didn’t need to become heir badly enough to create a dangerous enemy.
Better to make the scary guy the heir and have him on my side than to become heir myself and turn him against me.
“My brother? Hate you? Why?”
“Because I showed up and stole the heir’s position from him…”
Baratheon laughed uproariously.
“Nah. Lucas will probably thank you. He almost had to marry someone he didn’t even want, just to become Grand Duke.”
“What are you talking about?”
“There was talk of marrying him to a woman from a branch family to secure the bloodline. Problem solved, right?”
On the surface, that sounded perfectly reasonable.
But deciding someone’s future like that…
“That’s awful.”
“Sure is. But that’s how nobles work,” Baratheon said matter-of-factly.
Surprised by his unexpected attitude, I blinked and poked his cheek with my finger.
“What was that for?”
“It’s weird.”
“What is?”
“You don’t sound like you. I didn’t know you could say something like that.”
Realizing what I meant, he rubbed the spot I’d poked and bristled.
“Hey! Do you think I’m an idiot? I know plenty, okay?”
“Then explain Robencretz’s multidimensional equation.”
“…What’s that? Something you eat?”
I burst into laughter at his blank expression. As expected.
Baratheon sprang to his feet, indignant.
“Hey! How do you even know that?”
I couldn’t reveal that my old master had taught me such advanced knowledge in my past life.
I just shrugged casually.
“I read it in a book.”
Suspicion narrowed his eyes.
“Really? It’s actually in a book?”
“Yep.”
“You’re not lying?”
“Want to bet? If it’s really in a book, you have to write your name with your butt in front of the Elders’ Council guests.”
He flinched.
“Ugh. Write my name with my butt in front of those stuffy old geezers?”
“Well, back out if you’re scared.”
I deliberately needled his pride. As expected, he leapt to the bait.
“What? Me, scared? Baratheon lives on confidence!”
“Of course! That’s the Baratheon I know—never backs down!”
“Exactly! I never back down. You’re on, you cheeky brat!”
“Excellent!”
I matched his energy and then flashed a grin at Hedin.
“On that note, Hedin.”
“Yes, miss?”
“Could you fetch the book for us?”
“You mean the one about Robencretz’s multidimensional equation?”
“Precisely.”
Even as Hedin left to find it, Baratheon clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes.
Naturally, such a book existed.
Defeated, Baratheon kept muttering, “Impossible…” as he slunk off to his room.
Once he was gone, I went to find Lucas.
Baratheon said Lucas would be grateful to me, but I wanted to confirm it myself.
I knocked softly on the door.
A voice from inside invited me to enter, so I carefully opened it.
Lucas was bent over a desk piled high with documents.
Probably the duties of a sub-duke, I guessed.
Marina had told me that since his coming-of-age at eighteen, Lucas had handled the sub-duke’s work.
“Dana?”
He turned when the silent visitor didn’t speak, eyes widening when he saw me.
His expression said he had no idea why I’d come.
“Lucas.”
I forced an awkward smile as I stepped toward him.
