episode_0056

“Did you call, Father?”

Just after Luke escaped through the portal.

Clavel, summoned by the Duke, came to the office.

“It seems like the story didn’t go smoothly.”

As soon as I entered the room, I frowned slightly.

Clear shoe prints on the floor.

A cool breeze that hasn’t completely disappeared yet.

Even Luke’s mana traces, as if he had quickly escaped through a portal.

It was a scene that made it difficult to see a moderate conversation taking place.

“Yes. Luke Bucklin. What a great wizard.”

A duke who praises Luke instead of telling him the clear results.

It was not difficult to predict what the outcome would be.

“Then, the story of Elin’s next head of the household… … .”

“He said he would go to war.”

Participation, not participation.

As the word suggests.

It was that important a position.

“Senior insisted… … .”

I felt a pang of regret.

I thought it wouldn’t be easy since he was a senior who had made historic achievements at the academy.

But I can’t believe you would break the Empire’s 5th Duke with your stubbornness.

“You really want to be my obstacle, senior… .”

Clavel had wanted to be the next head of the household even before Leo disappeared.

A natural talent that resembles a peacock.

An overly rational and dry personality.

Overwhelming family support.

The wall called Leo was so high that it was difficult to see over.

Finally the opportunity came.

Leo, who I always thought was a wall, suddenly disappeared overnight.

From that day on, Clavel sharpened his sword thoroughly.

I learned how to put on many masks by watching my mother.

He did not hesitate to use his good looks and high status.

Turning a minority into an enemy and creating a majority of allies.

With thorough networking and excellent grades, he graduated from the Academy without ever missing out on the top spot.

Some say he was lucky that he wasn’t a knight like one of the three great magic powers.

But isn’t luck also a part of skill?

It didn’t matter if others thought otherwise.

That’s what Clavel thought, and that’s how it ended up here.

In fact, it was almost like the next house.

Today, even Gerald gave up easily.

Now, all he had to do was take the next household’s lessons and prepare to comfortably inherit his father’s position…

Luke Bucklin.

A charming wizard whom you respect, want to be close to more than anyone else, and want to have.

The man who could think of endless ways to use something just by having it by his side ruined everything.

Of all people, it was to the youngest who didn’t even pay attention to me.

I’m sticking with the insignificant Elin Bertain.

Thinking about all the effort I’ve put in so far, I feel a little annoyed.

I couldn’t reveal it in front of the Duke, so I forced the corners of my lips to rise.

“What on earth did you say that made your father so stubborn?”

“You cleverly took advantage of Bertain’s weakness. It won’t be hard to deal with, but it’ll be a hassle to clean up. So for now, I’ll leave it as is.”

Actually, it’s not like the Duke is going to kill someone.

Luke was a wizard in a very tricky position to mess with.

He is from Berkeley, one of the three great magic families.

He is already rumored to be a legend at the Academy.

It’s too risky to kill a genius wizard who’s getting attention on the continent.

“Clavel. Don’t you want Luke Bucklin to die?”

“It’s a shame that a respected senior is dying.”

Besides, the eldest daughter doesn’t want Luke to die either.

It’s annoying, but there’s no point in getting rid of it.

From the Duke’s point of view, he was a very uncomfortable man.

“Then bring them to your side.”

So there was only one way.

Turning an invincible, troublesome enemy into our strong ally.

“Elin shouldn’t be known to the outside world anymore. The more famous she becomes, the more she will be a burden to the family. But the tutor doesn’t seem to want to let that happen.”

“Ellin shouldn’t be known to the outside world?”

“… Now that I think about it, I never told you about Bertain’s traditions.”

It is a tradition passed down from generation to generation in the Bertain family, the greatest family in the empire.

There was a secret that only the heads of the household could hear.

“Are you confident that you will definitely win the next competition for the position of the head of the household?”

“… Really?”

Clavel nodded, puzzled by the sudden remark.

Actually, I don’t know because there is a variable called Luke.

There was no reason to lose trust by showing insecurity here.

“Do you think I’ll lose to Elin, Father?”

“No matter what… … .”

A duke looking into the empty space where Luke opened a portal and disappeared.

“That’s not it.”

In the end, I thought that Clavel would be the next owner.

“Then I’ll tell you.”

This is the dirty story of Bertha that the world doesn’t know.

This is the reason why Leo could not endure the training and left the family.

“The curse that is upon Elin is… ….”

It was a tradition that had continued since the first Bertain.

* * * * *

“You get it by now, right?”

“… … Yes.”

Clavel answered a beat late.

“Are you going to keep making that stupid face?”

“… I’m sorry.”

He put a mask on his face, which had only just revealed its blush after being pointed out.

That means the ‘tradition’ passed down through generations of Bertains was shocking.

“Elin should not be exposed to the world. It is the Lord’s duty to keep her tied up here.”

Now I understand why the Duke has been so cruel to Elin.

“If you completely defeat Elin and lock her in the mansion, I’ll give you whatever you want. For example… the Magic Tower.”

“Is that the magic tower?”

All wizards have a desire to have their own magic tower.

Building a tower means developing your own school of thought.

It meant that one could study the magic one wanted and pass it down to future generations.

“Don’t you like it?”

“No! No way. I love it.”

But Clavel was in shock.

My eyes lit up at the suggestion.

“I will do my best. To fulfill the duties of the Bertain family.”

“Good resolution. Then go out now.”

“Good night, Father.”

Clavel came out of the office with a gentle smile.

The door is completely closed.

The smile that had appeared completely disappeared.

“Where is Luke Bucklin’s room?”

I asked the maid who happened to be passing by the office.

“Yes?”

“Ellen’s tutor. Where is Luke Bucklin’s room?”

“Ah, if you go over there… .”

Guided by the maid, we arrived at a small room in a remote part of the mansion.

Sometimes I wonder if this is the right way to treat Luke.

It was understandable that she was Elin’s tutor.

“Sigh.”

A sigh escaped.

There was no particular reason for harassing Elin until now.

Because she’s just a soft, stress-relieving being, not suited for Bertain.

but.

Now that you’ve heard the family secret, you need to change your mindset.

“… More definitely.”

More vicious and thorough than ever before.

I had to break Elin’s heart, trample on her, and make sure she wouldn’t take another step out of the family.

Of course, that was an area Clavel was confident in.

Because isolating someone is something we’ve always done.

Knock knock.

I steeled myself and knocked on the door.

The first step to instill despair in Elin.

That was to take Luke away.

“Senior, are you there?”

An answer that doesn’t come back from within.

“I’d like to talk to you for a moment.”

I don’t think it’s okay to fail.

I felt anxious without realizing it.

Are you sleeping already?

When I was wondering if I should come back again tomorrow.

Click.

“What is it?”

Bad attire.

Bad facial expression.

Bad attitude.

He is the epitome of a gangster.

“… …Senior Anne?”

The being I feared during my academy days.

Anne poked her head out of Luke’s room.

“Senior, what? You didn’t even pretend to know me before.”

“Ah, earlier… .”

“Don’t make excuses because I don’t want to hear them. I ignored you because you were a dirty commoner.”

A bad tone of speech that mixes informal speech with rude speech.

But I couldn’t quite open my mouth.

Dirty commoners.

When I was a freshman at the academy.

It was something I said to my commoner classmate who lacked skills, but it was overheard by Anne who was passing by.

That day, Clavel beat Anne to the point where she felt her life was in danger.

They were so fear-instilled that they never even dared to spread rumors.

But after graduating from the academy, I thought I would never see you again.

Why on earth did I end up becoming Elin’s exclusive maid?

“… … ”

Without even asking why he was coming out of there.

Clavel’s mind went blank and he froze.

“What is it? So why did you come here?”

“Huh? Oh, yes? I have something to tell you, Senior Luke… .”

A posture that naturally becomes polite.

He desperately tried to hide his trembling hands and raised the corners of his mouth.

“Huh?”

Anne frowned and answered without hesitation.

“I don’t think that will work.”

“Are you sleeping now?”

“No, that’s not it. I feel like my balls will break if I move the wrong way.”

“… … I see?”

I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I nodded.

Maybe it was Luke’s fault that Anne grabbed him by the neck and shook him.

I was just making a guess.

“Still, let’s go in and talk for a bit… .”

Of course, I couldn’t just go back.

We must change Luke’s mind as soon as possible to achieve victory.

I’m trying hard to keep a smile on my face.

“Sup, I said no. Why do you make me say it so many times?”

Anne’s legs almost gave out when she showed her shark teeth.

It’s a good thing some time has passed.

If it was three years ago, I would have wet my pants and cried right away.

“Why is such a smart person like this? When I say something nice… …Huh? What did you say, Your Highness?”

Anne, who had been frowning fiercely, turned her head away.

And then it seemed like he was talking to someone.

“Uh… Princess Elin has something to say.”

I turned my head back to Clavel.

“… Elin?”

Why is he here?

Before I even thought about it.

Squeak.

The gap in the door opened a little wider.

“Sister.”

All I could hear was a voice in the air.

No, it was because I was short that I couldn’t see it.

When I lower my head, I see Ellin with an annoyed expression on her face.

… Are you annoyed, Ellen?

For a moment, a question occurred to me.

The Ellen Clavel remembers is always scared or expressionless.

When did you get to make such human expressions?

“Elin? Isn’t this your senior’s room? Why are you here… … .”

Clavel asked with a confused expression.

“… … ”

Instead of answering, Elin opened her eyes wide and glared at Clavel.

“From now on, you’re going to sleep with the teacher, so get out.”

thud.

The door was closed.

“… … ?”

For a moment, my head went blank.

All the plans that had been made were put on hold.

I thought I misheard you just now.

“Um, get out. Got it?”

Anne was there to kindly hammer the wedge in.

Suddenly, only Anne and Clavel were left in the hallway.

“Why did you come here now of all times? You’re just irritating the princess.”

Dragging and dragging.

Clavel is dragged away by Anne with a blank expression.

“, you’re sleeping together? What did you just say… .”

“Hey. Let’s just leave him to sleep for now, Ga. Be thankful you weren’t hit by magic.”

Two years since Clavel left the family.

A lot has changed for Elin.

It’s not about external things like health or magic.

Luke’s confidence growing up.

I kept watching and learning from Anne’s sharp tongue.

A cozy time with my teacher on a day when I felt like I would collapse from exhaustion at any moment.

If you dare interrupt this sweet moment that has been so long coming… … .

Even my older sister who bullied me terribly when I was little.

No, even if the Duke comes looking for you.

There’s no way to stop the poisoned Elin.

Elin was no longer a fragile child who could be easily broken.