Chapter 36
Malice, who had become the next head of House Edvaughn in Elymas’s place, moved from the branch family’s residence to the main house after the commotion surrounding Elymas’s expulsion during the 〈Blessing Ritual〉.
The day after Elymas’s expulsion, Malice accompanied Aizasu, the current head of the family and Elymas’s father, to a village in a remote part of their domain, where she underwent a leveling method known as 〈Life Transfer〉.
〈Life Transfer〉 was a leveling method secretly used by certain high-ranking nobles and members of the royal family.
They would slash the arms and legs of high-level prisoners to weaken them, then have the low-level heir of a noble family kill them and transfer their experience points.
Although the experience points gained were greatly reduced because it wasn’t genuine combat, it was more than enough to level up a child who had just undergone the 〈Blessing Ritual〉.
After finishing 〈Life Transfer〉 and returning to the count’s main residence, Malice sat alone in her room, wearing the faintly sinister smile peculiar to her.
“Elymas lived here for fifteen years. Ah, if only they hadn’t thrown away Elymas’s things. What a waste.”
Malice ran her tongue along the wall, her face rapt with pleasure.
Though it was her room now, it had originally belonged to Elymas.
The current head, Aizasu, had ordered all of Elymas’s belongings thrown away, so not a trace of him remained in the room.
Ever since she was old enough to understand such things, Malice had admired the boy from the main family... Elymas.
Elymas was strongly guided by his sense of justice, honest and cheerful. The retainers adored him, and the head of the family had high hopes for him.
He was the polar opposite of Malice, who had lived in the shadows as a member of the branch family.
“I never thought things would turn out like this... Still, that look on the head’s face, and what Mother told me—it was true after all. I never really doubted it, and, well, it doesn’t matter much anyway.”
Since she was little, Malice had possessed an unusual inclination... a troublesome bad habit.
She no longer knew what had started it.
She simply knew that the more precious something was to her, the more she loved it, the more she wanted to ruin it with her own hands.
“I don’t care much about inheriting House Edvaughn, or about that man who’s its head. But I have to make use of whatever I can. Even though he was thrown out, I know Elymas isn’t the sort of person who’d calmly watch his family be destroyed. I’ll take my time... and corner him carefully, slowly. Don’t you think?”
Malice touched the full-length mirror and spoke as if reassuring herself, gazing at her reflection.
“Is it true that Elymas is throwing his family name around and doing whatever he wants in the city of Rondalum?!”
Just then, an angry shout came from outside.
It was Aizasu’s voice.
Apparently, he was yelling at one of his subordinates, a private soldier, in his office.
Malice rose from in front of the mirror, left her room, and headed toward the office.
“I don’t know whether he’s been using the Edvaughn name... but I have heard that someone who looks very much like Elymas-sama has been accomplishing extraordinary things...”
“He must have thrown the Edvaughn name around at the Guild and forced the staff to do his bidding! I thought he had at least enough sense to know better, but even after leaving the family, he dares to disgrace me like this! Did he think I’d let him get away with it? After betraying my expectations and so foolishly tarnishing the name of House Edvaughn... Elymas, you’d best consider our father-son bond severed!”
“It’s still only a rumor, and we don’t know the details. Besides, Elymas-sama is wise and noble... I served him for a long time, and I can’t believe he’d resort to such outrageous behavior. Please, we must first confirm the facts, Aizasu-sama!”
“Tch. Tomas, take two men and go to the city of Rondalum. If Elymas has indeed done anything foolish, order his expulsion from the Adventurers Guild and prohibit him from registering again!”
“Thank you, Aizasu-sama... I swear I’ll prove Elymas-sama’s innocence!”
After hearing their conversation, Malice twisted her mouth into a smile.
Then she composed her expression and knocked on the office door.
“Head-sama, it’s me.”
“Ah, Malice. Come in.”
Unlike the way he’d just been shouting at his subordinate, Aizasu welcomed Malice in a fawning voice.
Malice opened the door politely and entered the office.
“You’re being so formal, Malice. You’re the next head of the family—my heir. You may call me Father.”
“About what you were just discussing, I think the proposed response is too lenient. Tomas is too biased in Elymas’s favor. And... expelling him from the Adventurers Guild is a half measure. If Elymas loses his means of making a living, he may become even less particular about how he gets by and commit more foolish acts that tarnish the name of House Edvaughn. If he became a bandit, it would be a great stain on the family.”
“Hmm... You make a fair point, Malice. Then we’ll take Tomas off the matter for now.”
“No, if we mishandle this matter, the consequences could linger for a long time. We shouldn’t leave it to the discretion of mere private soldiers.”
“What are you getting at, Malice?”
“You and I should go inspect the Adventurers Guild in Rondalum. We ought to judge the situation firsthand.”
At Malice’s suggestion, Aizasu’s expression turned sour.
“What are you talking about, Malice? That would only make this whole affair bigger than it needs to be. He’s no longer a member of House Edvaughn. Neither you nor I should waste our time on him. Why are you so fixated on this?”
Malice bowed deeply to Aizasu.
“Please! I’m worried. I’m from a branch family, and I’m a woman on top of that... I was never given the education befitting the next head of House Edvaughn. I’m afraid you may still care about Elymas...”
“What nonsense, Malice. When have I ever given you reason to think that?”
“If you’re willing to make someone like me your next heir... to treat me like your own daughter, then please grant me this selfish request. I need you to reassure me that you no longer feel any fatherly affection for Elymas. You may think it’s ridiculous, but I can’t stop worrying that someday you’ll change your mind, call Elymas back, and cast me aside!”
“That will never happen! Don’t worry, Malice. Elymas... no, that man trampled on my expectations. A class is a mirror that reflects a person... The Sword Saint is the clearest proof of a noble spirit. That man, who received the cowardly, lazy class of Heavy Knight, was never fit to be the next head of the family.”
With that, Aizasu rose from his seat.
“If that man really is up to something strange, I must punish him severely so he never does it again. I can’t let Malice, who is as good as my own daughter, suffer any more. I’ll go to Rondalum myself.”
“Thank you, Head-sama... no, Father!”
As Malice bowed her head, the usual wicked smile spread across her face.
To Malice, Elymas was precious. Very, very precious.
That was exactly why she would take her time and ruin him carefully.
Knowing that Elymas was still trying desperately to make a living as an adventurer, unbroken even after being cast out of the count’s family, filled Malice with delight.
She would take away Elymas’s reason for living in front of his own father.
That was Malice’s goal.
She would find an excuse to cut off the arm that was an adventurer’s lifeline.
But it would be a waste to take his dominant arm right away.
This time, she would start with his left arm.
“Wait for me, my Elymas.”
Malice murmured softly.