episode_0002

“…Although it may seem impudent, would you allow me to step back?”

“Permission granted.”

Contrary to the eldest daughter’s expectations of not easily being allowed to retreat, permission was granted without hesitation.

Why on earth…

Why did Father suddenly appear like this?

More fierce and formidable than the notorious blizzards of the North, it was the aura of this man named Rhaeos.

“Furthermore, today’s events will spread like wildfire. If this is not upheld, then it is indeed acceptable for someone to take my life.”

“…!”

Is this person truly the cruel demon of the North?

It feels unfamiliar. Extremely unfamiliar.

The fact that he doesn’t even lower his commanding tone implies that he won’t even inquire about the price of betrayal.

Such hidden benevolence of the Grand Duke felt incredibly awkward to the eldest daughter.

“Hmph…”

Laura, gripping her throbbing forehead.

Her emotions towards her father are tumultuously conflicting.

Her heart is overwhelmed, her mind burning hot, making it impossible to continue thinking.

Perhaps Father is now trying to seize control of my mind through some kind of manipulation or sorcery.

No, even if that were the case…

“…I sincerely apologize for the rudeness the girl displayed today.”

There is no way to escape from his grasp at this moment.

“If you change your mind later and decide to administer punishment, I will accept any consequences.”

With those words, Laura lightly bowed and turned away.

However…

“On the off chance that you truly managed to drive me away.”

The following words from the Grand Duke halted her steps.

“What actions do you think the crowd that incited you would take?”

“…!”

Surprised, Laura turned around.

—The chilling gaze of the Grand Duke swept over her.

Though she had assumed it was an arbitrary decision, it seems the Grand Duke is completely convinced that someone instigated the first lady.

“Do you know, Laura? The social circles of this country are no different from the nature of demons. The voices of the nobles that sound familiar to your ears are mostly illusions, each and every one of them whispering useless and wicked temptations.”

“….”

“Honestly, speak up. How dare a fearless group of demons possess the daughter of the Duke?”

The eldest daughter, Laura, pondered for a moment, repeatedly.

Should she speak carefully or remain silent?

“I am Count Phelain…”

It is right to speak up a hundred times.

There is no point in keeping an eye on it here; it will not benefit me in any way.

“What did you hear from Phelain?”

“That, that…”

When the Duke asked again, the eldest daughter continued her trembling voice.

“The current northern region is plagued by strange incidents one after another, and every day is filled with disasters. However, Duke Roengreen remains indifferent and incompetent…”

As she spoke, Laura discreetly observed the Duke’s reaction.

Normally, sharp criticism would have immediately flown at her, but for some reason, he had an expression of indifference.

“…Using this as a pretext, I, as the eldest daughter, suggested taking over the family and setting everything right. In doing so, not only the residents of the territory but also other nobles and the royal family would undoubtedly support it.”

“Have you fallen for such a laughable notion?”

The Duke immediately rejected the daughter’s words.

Even the soldiers who overheard it thought it was beyond naive and could be dangerously excessive.

Forced succession. If harm is done to the reigning Duke for such a reason, they would be immediately relieved of their position as a knight. In that case, the privileges guaranteed directly by the Emperor, as well as the right to absolution and exoneration, would be nullified.

And ultimately…

“Even if you become the new landowner, do you think you can wield the full power of the family?”

“…”

Literally, the foundation for exercising one’s abilities is lacking in many ways.

Indeed, not all of Roengreen’s subordinates would turn against him, but those who covet the power in the northern region are by no means weak. At best, they are like a lighthouse before a storm.

…Roengreen, the most prestigious family in this country, from the northern region.

In just a few days, it was on the verge of disappearing completely into the back alleys of history.

“Phelain…”

The Duke muttered so quietly.

Until just now, he had the momentum to eliminate anyone who revealed themselves as the mastermind, but now he wore a more cautious expression than ever before.

“…Considering the seriousness of the matter, I can’t give you two chances.”

Laios continued speaking, emphasizing that it was truly the last opportunity.

“You must never be swayed by the devil’s whispers and raise a sword against your father.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Are you not the rightful successor to Roengreen, who will continue in my footsteps?”

“──.”

At the Duke’s words, the eyes of his youngest daughter, who was pinned to the ground, widened in surprise.

It was an unexpected remark.

Father must have already given up on me and considered my other sisters, the second or third daughters, as his successors.

That’s why I, the enemy of the Roengreen Ducal House.

I, who had worked tirelessly to fulfill my role when I eventually inherited the throne.

I, who stayed up all night studying your imperial doctrine, trying to understand it through mathematics…

Yet, I was simply driven away like a lowly knight who dared to touch someone else’s poem, banished to the Knight Academy of the Order.

“Can this Laura truly follow in Father’s footsteps?”

“What do you mean?”

“You deemed her unfit as a successor… Is that why you reluctantly sent the girl to the academy?”

Instead of answering with words, Laios approached Laura until he was right in front of her.

Though his steps were leisurely, his momentum was like that of a fierce charging beast.

“…!”

In an instant, Laura became frightened and flinched, her shoulders trembling.

The imposing presence that seemed capable of swallowing even the sky had disappeared, leaving behind nothing more than a delicate teenage girl.

However…

“I sent you to the academy because there were things you needed to learn there.”

The Duke gently embraced his eldest daughter.

“Though I may have neglected you afterwards, it was only because I firmly believed in you. If it’s my firstborn, no matter what adversity you face, I believe you can overcome it on your own.”

“…”

“But in the end, it has come to this.”

He murmured softly as he calmly stroked his daughter’s head.

“I was complacent. I was too complacent. In truth, everything is this father’s fault.”

The rough and rugged hands that always held a weapon were remarkably smooth in their movements.

“For the past ten years, every single day must have been an incredibly harsh winter for you.”

“…”

“But still, you bloomed as if you had never experienced a winter even once… I am truly proud of you.”

In the tender embrace of the Duke, the eldest daughter sobbed with a lifeless voice.

“T-then, is that truly Father’s true intention…?”

There was no answer to such a question.

However, Laura could no longer doubt it.

The intense pounding sound echoing in her ears was something even the devil of the North couldn’t control.

“──.”

What sprouted within her was a fierce self-loathing.

Now, how do I appear?

A foolish being driven by jealousy, attempting to harm the one and only father in this world.

And yet, even that failed, and now she found solace in her father’s embrace, whom she had tried to kill…

Such a foolish girl.

…That’s right.

What does it matter if I was appointed as a knight immediately after the agreement?

Even if the appearance is strong, hasn’t the core rotted away like a rotten fruit?

“…”

If my perspective is so lacking.

I might end up carrying an enemy on my back that should be heavily guarded against.

I might end up pointing a sword at the very place I should protect.

With that realization, Laura deeply lowered her head.

“…I will return to the academy promptly, Father.”

A calm and resolute voice resounded.

Laura seemed to have made up her mind. In her determined figure, there was no trace of her previous weakness.

“May you be well.”

As she stepped out of the chamber, the soldiers who had been waiting followed suit.

Soon, with a creaking sound, the door connecting the chamber and the corridor closed.

“…It seems to be settled.”

Thunk!

Laios remained seated in his place.

Seeing him brushing his hair with trembling hands, as if shaking like a bamboo tree, one could question whether he was the same person as the Duke from earlier.

“Oh, I really thought I was retiring from this damn world… No, seriously, what a fucking tone. Pfft─”

***

The first power helmet that was the first death flag for my eldest daughter. After barely blocking it with a quick response. “Hoo…” I immediately collected the audience’s applause, neatly finished dressing, and went to the office. To be honest… I really have no idea where the Grand Duke’s office is, so I wandered around the Yeongjuseong for about 30 minutes. If I hadn’t glanced at a passing maid, I would probably have been lost in the palace for an hour. Anyway. “…Ahem.” Since coming to this world, my mind has been filled with question marks. Where am I, who am I, why did this happen, what should I do from now on? With these unanswered worries, I just eat, go to the bathroom, space out, and sleep… As I repeated those actions, two weeks had already passed. However, I still don’t know why I’m here. It’s not some high-quality hidden camera prank. Seeing that nothing wakes me up no matter what, it’s definitely not a dream. The most likely possibility is that I had an accident and died while sleeping on the bus that day, and somehow got dragged into the world of Kildadu… How can I explain that “somehow”? “Um…” Forget it. Trying to logically think about fantasy only gives me a headache. Looking at my appearance between left and right, I was undoubtedly “Laios Endika von Roen Green.” To put it simply, Laios, the Northern Grand Duke. The worst main villain of Kildadu, a scoundrel born with the fate of being hated by the heavens. Because of that, he eventually meets his inevitable doom. And at the scene of that doom, there are always Laios’ three princesses. Therefore, what I’m most worried about right now are none other than the three princesses—currently my three daughters. A mother-daughter relationship that should be filled with love and respect. But it only functions as a factor of death itself. “…What should I do?” It doesn’t matter that the world I’m living in has changed. The parents who should have raised them ran away when I was young, and life wasn’t particularly enjoyable either. But why of all things, Laios?

Why the hell did it have to be this damn bastard who would kick the bucket within a few years at most? And on top of that, his body moves like some kind of machine following a program, strictly enforcing the appearance befitting a Duke. In reality, I can’t afford to run according to the plan. Even if my back feels like it’s breaking, I have to stand tall. If I hunch my back like a hunchback, I had the impulse to gouge out my eyeballs with my fingers. Each and every one of these fucked-up obsessions engraved in my body is denying my true identity with all its might… “The biggest problem is.” Even Laios’ fucking personality is subtly seeping into my thoughts. The moment I saw the tearful face of my eldest daughter lamenting to me. ──So what the hell am I supposed to do about it? If that had slipped out of my mouth, it would have been a disaster. Game over from that day on… Anyway. “What matters is the future.” Laura said that what impelled me was the Pyrenees family. “Pyrenees…” I definitely remember that name. A prestigious magical lineage rooted in the system where various noble families have taken root. Especially in a prominent position. Elisha, the current owner ─ under the command of the protagonist, enjoying unprecedented glory, a distinguished prestigious family… That seemed to be the setting. “Elisha.” As the unique protagonist of Kildadu, she monopolizes the admiration, envy, and love of the entire universe. The eternal nemesis of Laios, who will inevitably plunge Roen Green of the North into the abyss of destruction. From the hostile perspective, she is like a runaway dump truck, an insane and untouchable lunatic sister… “We need to come up with a plan.” Elisha glanced at my daughter and dropped her off at the main base, but somehow I managed to stop it. …But this is just the beginning. The relationship with my three daughters has already hit rock bottom and been pushed into the basement below. Given even the slightest opportunity, there is a high possibility that my eldest daughter will once again turn her sword against me. It goes without saying that under Elisha’s manipulation, other noble ladies will also join the rebellion like flowing water.

If you want to survive in this situation, there is only one way. You have to break and destroy all the death flags with your own hands.

“Even if you stay still, you’ll get caught in the middle…”

That’s nonsense.

I don’t know who started it, but how dare they try to kill someone with such a stupid joke.

As I am now, my life is in danger the moment my limbs stop moving…

“Work has piled up like a mountain.”

Indeed, on the desk in the Grand Duke’s office, documents were piled up as high as one’s head.

If I keep procrastinating like this, I’m likely to invite unnecessary suspicion. It’s a situation where the day when a knife comes back to my neck is approaching.

…It’s so annoying.

Muttering softly, I spread out official documents on the desk.

“Hmm.”

Detailed adjustments regarding multiple land lease contracts within the territory.

Some nonsense about efficient supply of grain and stable management…

“…What is all this?”

Naturally, I can’t understand a single thing.

It’s not that I don’t understand the language, but it seems like a foreign language to me.

For example, being good at counting numbers doesn’t necessarily mean being good at math.

“It’s not easy.”

In a situation where Show and Proof are needed, I don’t have the confidence to do either properly.

“…”

If I knew even just one thing about those fantasy territory stories, like magic or something, everything would be a breeze.

With a few strokes of the pen, I could revive an abandoned territory that had been praised as a sage born after a thousand years and was on the verge of collapse.

Unfortunately, this world doesn’t seem to be that bright.

“Hmm.”

I don’t understand this, I don’t understand that…

I spend time aimlessly rolling the pen around.

Knock knock─

─Father, it’s Senna.

After a sudden knock, the voice of a lively girl echoed.

Senna, the seventeen-year-old second daughter of the Roengreen Grand Duke’s family.

Unlike her older sister, who still holds a strong position within the world, Senna, as the second daughter, hasn’t triggered a death flag yet.

Therefore, there is no reason to be on guard right now.

“Come in.”

Creak─

As soon as I gave permission, the door opened noisily, revealing the figure of my second daughter.