episode_0070

Elios calmly explained the current situation to Katlena.

When she said that she might be forced to take over the ducal title, Katlena asked cautiously with a face full of anxiety.

“Then, what should I do, sis? I might have to be forced to take the position of duke even though I don’t like it… That’s just too horrible.”

“So, Catlena..”

Katlena speaks while trembling with fear.

To this Elios spoke in a clear voice, placing a hand on her shoulder.

What she and her mother will do in the future.

And… in the meantime, about what I want Katlena to do.

After the story ended, Elios slowly let go of the younger brother he was holding in his arms.

Although my brother’s eyes were swollen from the tears he had shed just now, his face looked much more relaxed than just a moment ago, when he had looked so pitiful that he looked like he might die at any moment.

“Then you should go back and get some rest. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Yes, Sister. Then Katlena will only trust you. Cheer up, Sister.”

“Okay, I got it.”

My younger brother’s appearance reminds me of a cute puppy.

Then Elios gently patted Katlena’s head, and with that, his younger brother carefully left her room.

And then, right after Katlena left.

Elios’ face, which had been smiling, suddenly began to take on a cold aura.

“Then, what should I do next…”

The first thing she must do in the current situation.

It occurred to me that meeting my mother would be the greatest source of strength in this situation.

But, before that, one thing.

Now that the topic of succession has come up, Elios had a personal matter he had to deal with.

That’s… a problem I had forgotten for a moment while comforting Katlena.

Issues that are directly related to her life.

‘It may be meaningless, but I have to make sure of it. It’s not too late to start working later.’

After finishing his thoughts like that, Elios immediately went out to visit for this purpose.

*

Duke Dragona was caught in a state of confusion due to the unexpected turn of events.

I had anticipated to some extent my wife’s opposition to the appointment of a successor, and I had prepared for it.

But Rosetta’s resistance was more intense than he had expected.

I really never thought that Katlena, the person involved, would be so opposed to it.

This was far beyond the Duke’s expectations, and was a huge obstacle that shook the Duke’s plans to somehow pass the title to Katlena.

‘Was it really too early? I didn’t expect the young one to fully understand the value of the Duke’s position… but I didn’t expect him to reject it so quickly.’

Even the Emperor said that if he didn’t like the throne, he could just leave it.

No matter how good the Duke of Dragona wants to give it to her, what can he do if his daughter, the person in question, refuses to accept it?

But that did not mean the Duke could wait for his daughter to change her mind.

‘From the moment I brought it up, the issue of the successor became a matter of public discussion. And now that it has come to this… I’m sure my wife, Elios, and the lords of each region will never stay still. In that case…’

Honestly, Elios’s resistance itself wasn’t that big of a problem.

Although the child was doing a good job as student body president, she did not yet have her own support base in politics and her power was not strong.

The problem was Duchess Rosebetta, who supported Elios more than anyone else.

Beyond the fact that she actively supported Elios herself, the power that Rosebetta possessed was something that even Duke Dragona could not ignore.

Her authority as a duchess was fundamental, and above all, she enjoyed the full support of the witches, magicians, and demons, who were the main forces in the duchy.

If she were to use her connections with the Empire, the worst case scenario would be to split the duchy in two.

If such a Rosebeta had started to move in earnest, it would have been entirely possible to push Elios as the next Duke at this point, when the story of the successor had become public knowledge.

And this was a picture that Duke Dragona did not want more than Katlena not becoming his successor.

‘We must stop it.. no matter what happens.. even if Katlena refuses it to the end.. that much must be done..’

Thinking like that, the Duke began to ponder over a way to overcome the current situation.

Not only his power, connections, and support base, but also all the means and methods he can use in the current situation are kept in mind.

at that time..

“Duke Dragona.”

“What’s going on?”

The peacock was suddenly struck by a voice coming from outside, making him pause in his thoughts for a moment.

And then, a somewhat unexpected story began to ring in his ears.

“Princess Elios has requested an interview.”

“… Elios?..”

A peacock who automatically frowns the moment he hears that name.

But on the other hand, he gave permission to interview Elios, as he seemed to know why the child had come.

Then his eldest daughter Elios slowly came into the room.

Even at first glance, it seemed like he had a lot to do, but the Duke didn’t show it and just turned his gaze to the documents in front of him.

“How have you been, Father?”

“You came to me. What a strange thing. It seems like you have something to say. Say it.”

Elios sits down after greeting

And the duke answered in a blunt voice without even looking at Elios.

Seeing her father like that, Elios felt like she was getting hot flashes, which was unusual for her, but she held it back and opened her mouth.

“Father, I heard you were planning to appoint Katlena as your successor. Is that true?”

“The news is quick. Yes, that’s what I was trying to do. Although it failed at first.”

“… Why is that?”

At the sight of his father speaking indifferently, Elios barely suppressed his emotions as he asked.

“Why… why did you appoint that young child, that child who is barely 10 years old, as your successor?”

“There’s no reason why Katlena can’t do it. You must know better than anyone how capable that little girl is, seeing as you were right next to her.”

“… ..”

“If you’ve said everything you wanted to say, then go out. You’re both busy, so don’t waste your time in a place like this.”

“… I just have one question.”

Elios speaks with a trembling voice.

Then the Duke slowly put down the documents and looked at her.

Her face showed the anger and disappointment that the Duke had expected to be hidden.

However, apart from such feelings, there was one more thing that stood out about Elios’ appearance.

It was her white clothes that looked stained and soaked with something.

Elios slowly revealed the hem of his sleeve that still had marks on it and opened his mouth towards the duke.

“Do you know what this mark is?”

“..what is that.”

“… The daughter my father loves so much. My beloved sister. These are the tears that Katlena shed.”

“What?”

The Duke’s face began to stiffen at the unexpected story. Looking at the Duke, Elios spoke in a cold voice.

“Just now, he ran to me and cried and said that he didn’t want to do anything like a peacock. And he didn’t want to see his mother and father fight because of it. That little kid…was trembling with fear as he told me that.”

“… .”

At Elios’ words, the duke slightly turned his head.

Although I saw Katlena express her intention to refuse, there was no real competition other than someone else.

I didn’t know that I would run to Elios and immediately start telling him the whole story, shedding tears like a surrendered prisoner.

“I thought that child would gladly accept this. But I never thought that he would run to the enemy commander and kneel without even putting up a fight..”

A truly cruel story told by a peacock with a bitter voice.

The moment he heard this, Elios began to feel the last bit of self-control he had left in his heart slipping away.

“… ..ha.. haha..”

Elios lets out a hollow laugh.

The tears she had been holding back finally began to well up in her eyes.

“Do you hate me that much?… ”

“… ”

“I… have really tried my best so far… to be a great daughter, a child who is not ashamed in front of anyone. Hoping that, just once, my father will look at me. Just once… I hope that you will give me a warm smile. ”

Elios’ voice mixed with tears.

Hearing this, the Duke remained silent, and seeing his father like that, Elios felt his emotions explode and began to pour out the words he had been keeping inside.

“But… it was no use. No matter how hard I tried. No matter how much I tried to please my father. My father only showed me a cold face.”

Elios, tears starting to flow from his eyes.

However, the Duke still looked at his daughter with cold eyes, and looking at the Duke like that, Elios spoke in a voice that seemed to be breaking.

“Still, I tried to understand. As my mother always comforted me.. But my father still loves me, and he did that simply to raise me as a strong successor. I believed that and endured until now. But… But… You…”

“Haa…”

At Elios’ words, the Duke let out a small sigh and looked at his daughter’s face.

The sight of a daughter trying to suppress the emotions that she had been unknowingly pouring out.

Seeing this, the Duke opened his mouth in a quiet voice.

“Elios.”

“… Yes.. Father.”

Elios answered in a cold voice. The Duke spoke to his daughter in a calm yet extremely dry voice.

“I know very well that you have lived hard up until now. But at the same time, I also know very well that because of that, you are not the material of a king.”

“… Why?”

The Duke looked away as he continued speaking in a dry tone, seeing his daughter responding to her father’s words in a voice that felt cold.

“Being a monarch is not something that can be achieved simply by being born first or by having outstanding abilities. It requires the appropriate compassion, tolerance, and patience.”

“… ”

“But you don’t have that kind of quality. You are the kind of person who laughs and kills those you perceive as enemies. And if we hand over this position to someone like you, it’s obvious what will happen to our principality.”

A father’s words that he can say because he knows his own personality exactly.

However, Elios could feel it.

That what he is saying now is nothing more than an excuse.

There must be some other reason why he hesitates to nominate himself as his successor.

“If you have the answer, then go away. Don’t waste your time on useless things.”

“… ”

However, Elios did not try to dig into this further.

Maybe the answer really is just that he really hates Elios.

Above all, she didn’t want to even talk to this person anymore.

“Yes, then I will go back now. And next time, I will not come alone. Duke Radu.”

With those words, Elios left the room, and the Duke stared at the back of his ‘daughter’ as she left with cold eyes.

‘It can’t be helped… If it’s for the country… I must…’