* * *
Elena and Reinhardt.
The two walked side by side towards the inner castle garden.
'How annoying.'
Although the scenery of the garden with spring breeze blowing was peaceful, Elena's heart was not.
"Elena."
A voice that still sounds soft but somewhat chilly.
Elena thought he was finally going to talk about his business.
"Yes."
Answering briefly, Elena inwardly sighed.
Anyway, meeting this man was tiring.
"There was an order to allocate troops to you. Can you tell me what's going on?"
'Finally asking.'
He had the right to ask.
Not because he was one of the most likely successor candidates to the Marquis, but because he was one of the generals legitimately wielding part of the Marquis's military authority that had been allocated to him.
But Elena also had the right to refuse that question.
"It's still confidential. If you want to hear about it, I think you should ask Father."
At Elena's refusal, Reinhardt's face stiffened for a very brief moment, then returned to his characteristic gentle expression.
But Elena could tell. That his eyes had changed.
'This kid...'
Reinhardt didn't miss the passing thought.
The very fact that Elena could make military movements containing 'confidential' information meant that the family head had given her special trust.
'Has she won Father's favor...'
His gaze with a different color turned to Elena.
That gaze contained complex emotions.
What was reflected in his eyes now was a younger sister who should be drawn into his faction.
At the same time, someone who could possibly become a 'competitor's' subordinate.
'How?'
She was clearly a 'broter' who had no special ability until she ran away from the domain.
It's true that she had a level above average as she was of the Marquis's bloodline, but it was just the strength of an ordinary knight.
That's what he thought.
But she, who suddenly returned as a woman saying she was cursed, began to prove herself step by step.
'Interesting.'
That looked intriguing in Reinhardt's eyes.
"If you have no more business, I'll be going. I'm busy."
"I see. ...Elena."
Elena was about to move to gather her own troops again. Reinhardt's voice caught her ankle as she was doing so.
At the spot where Elena looked back, Reinhardt spoke again with that charming eye smile.
"You must have many difficulties. Come for consultation anytime. I'll be waiting."
"Yes. Thank you."
Elena's spine chilled as she politely greeted and turned around.
At the same time, her lips hardened in annoyance.
'Crazy bastard. He's really treating me like a woman.'
She had already made up her mind.
She had no intention of going under Reinhardt.
Even if she went under Reinhardt who had a lot of military power, she would only be able to achieve 'stable and ordinary merits'.
Her 'ladder' was going to be the eldest daughter, Adelaide.
* * *
"What kind of person is the Marquis's eldest son?"
To my question, Ran answered while lying down with her head and arms on my thigh.
"As I said, he's a person who handles most of the large and small military disturbances that occur in the Marquis's domain. He's known for being cruel on the battlefield, but gentlemanly in normal times."
"He sounds like the type of man young noble ladies these days would like."
"Perhaps because of that, they say letters never cease coming for him."
According to Elena's half-sister Michaela.
Recently in Heisen's noble circles, a character who seems perfect on the outside but slightly crazy on the inside is so popular.
It was ironic that the male lead type from Earth's romance fantasy had become the popular man in the current noble circles.
'Come to think of it, isn't that actually most noble men...'
That's how power is.
From shallow everyday hobbies to deep sexual preferences.
It tended to twist humans in one way or another.
That's what 'omnipotence' is like.
Of course, I'm not in my right mind either, but I should be wary so as not to become any more ugly and distorted.
'Well, most nobles would fail in terms of 'plausibility'.'
I inwardly understood like that and focused on Ran's next words.
"A political marriage is also scheduled, but it's said he doesn't have his heart set on that woman either."
"Is that so...?"
I suddenly became curious. What exactly would this person's distortion be?
I don't think mere 'madness on the battlefield' would be the entirety of that distortion.
'Well, that doesn't explain his normally clean private life.'
Those who are crazy on the battlefield are usually crazy in everyday life too.
The stress of killing lives can't be relieved just by mad behavior and slaughter.
Speaking on the same level.
The me in the future of my three close associates will probably be somewhat different from the current me.
The me at that time would have been trapped in 'loneliness in the crowd' among summons for a long time.
Dealing with the distortion of the mind that comes from killing lives alone, I would have slowly but more deeply gone mad.
'Then, I wonder if I recovered as children I opened my heart to appeared.'
The aspect of calmly accepting one's own end was the same as the current me.
Although I'm not a straight and upright person right now, it would be hard to say I'm not in my right mind.
'Like this, that person must have his own way of comfort or outlet.'
How corrupt would the true face of that person who doesn't even get close to women be?
Whether he's greatly rotten as I think, or conversely really clean as a reversal.
He's undoubtedly an interesting character.
Because he's still an unrelated 'potential enemy' to me.
"So. What happened next?"
-I'm curious too!
"I'll tell you now."
While twitching her tail that was being stroked while held in my arms, Ran smiled hard and continued her next words.
But these lush tails can't resist.
* * *
While Reinhardt was seizing military authority for the Marquis's successor position, there was one more successor candidate who was seizing all aspects except military power.
Adelaide en Sandota Ironfield.
That was the name of Elena's full sibling sister... no, now her older sister.
"It's a good afternoon. El...ena."
There wasn't a speck of kindness in Adelaide's eyes as she looked at her former full sibling brother, now sister.
It was exactly as her reputation as the 'Cold-blooded Minister' or 'Steel Rose' of the Marquis's domain.
'She's really still the same.'
Elena inwardly smiled bitterly.
She was that kind of person.
While Reinhardt is considered gentle on the outside but fierce inside, Adelaide is evaluated as strong both inside and out.
On one hand to her father, on the other hand to this sister 9 years older than her.
The past Elias strived endlessly to be acknowledged by these two people.
Not knowing that what was important to her wasn't his growth 'or such'.
[It suits Elias to be given one village to be responsible for. If he's not interested in succession, drive him to the borderlands. Your Excellency.]
What came back from her was talk about this petition she had submitted to her father.
That's when he realized.
That for Adelaide, siblings were either allies or all competitors.
'But, not anymore.'
Even if she couldn't erase all the stains in her heart, she has now found her place.
She just needs to do her best for that...
That's what she thought.
However, human hearts are not so easily controlled.
"Hello, Sister."
"...Every time you call me that, I really get a headache."
(tl/n: Koreans have different terms for referring to their older brothers/sisters based on the speaker's gender. For males - hyung/noona, for females - oppa/unnie. Here Adelaide is implying that while her whole life she was called "noona" by at-that-time-Elias, now she is called "unnie" by that very person)
Even the woman called cold-blooded by people couldn't help but frown and touch her forehead, perhaps inevitably getting a headache at the current situation.
Although they had met a few times in the meantime, there was no time to adapt to Elena's current situation.
There was no place to formally face like this, except for family dinners.
"I didn't know Sister could make such an expression."
"What expression?"
"You always look expressionless, I thought you weren't human."
Words containing stains of the past.
It's something everyone experiences as a human, finding it difficult to control past trauma.
And it takes time for a scab to form on a wound that's been scratched once.
"I'm surprised to hear you say such things."
"What? Are you surprised that the guy who always went out and lived stupidly obsessed with women is saying this? You must have thought I came to my senses after becoming a woman."
"..."
Elena realized she had made a mistake only after pouring out all her words in an instant, facing Adelaide's silence.
'This wasn't the kind of conversation I meant to have.'
Her goal was just to get Adelaide's cooperation to obtain support for maintaining the military power she got from the Marquis.
And to enter her faction, erode power from within and solidify her own position.
To do that, ruining the relationship like this was unacceptable.
'What should I do...'
Although she felt 'oops' about it, there's no way to take back words already spoken.
She tried her best to regain composure and put the tea to her lips.
Contemplating which sibling she should target if not Adelaide.
'It's sweet.'
The tea was very sweet.
Unfittingly so for both the current situation and Adelaide's appearance.
And...
'I feel like I've tasted this somewhere before...'
Elena, who was trying to recall something, returned to her senses at Adelaide's sigh and looked at her.
She was looking at Elena with a face that seemed very tired in just a moment.
"You didn't come here to talk about this. State your business."
It was a very unexpected sound to Elena, who was thinking it would be fortunate if she wasn't kicked out right away.
As it's etiquette to drink all the tea served, she wouldn't be kicked out before that, but Elena hadn't imagined that the original business would come out here.
'Why...?'
"..."
Elena examined her sister's expression at that.
However, nothing could be read from Adelaide's face.
'It's like looking at Master's face.'
When facing her, Elena had succeeded in reading Libertas's disposition itself.
But that was reading the atmosphere she wore on her body and natural posture, not figuring out her intentions from changes in her expression.
Adelaide showed similar restraint to her.
'How dare.'
That, rather, made Elena uncomfortable.
For monsters and demons, the Demon King and Dungeon Lords who are candidates to succeed them are absolute objects of reverence.
Something that arises naturally from the heart.
It's a soul imprint that the Demon King designed and breathed into monsters, and some Dungeon Lords who realized this use.
Libertas was also using this somewhat actively after learning about it.
To kill as few as possible, and to possess many.
'But the mere daughter of a Marquis...'
For just the daughter of a human noble to wear an atmosphere similar to the one she serves.
Of course, her master is a much more gentle, cruel, great, and kind person, but it was hard to bear that someone she disliked had even a speck of similarity to such a master.
"If you have nothing to say..."
"You know I received military support from Father, right?"
Words spoken are spoken.
Elena talked about her business with a half-resigned heart.
Although her existence was unpleasant, it seemed she was willing to listen to her story anyway.
"Yes. I know."
"I need support for that."
"...You do know what it means to receive my support, don't you?"
'Huh?'
Elena felt something for a moment.
Some kind of 'worry' felt from those words of Adelaide.
She looked at Adelaide's face again at that, but no such emotion was visible in Adelaide's expression.
'Was it an illusion?'
"I know. I also know it's not the time for you to be picky, Sister."
"..."
Although Adelaide is recognized for her ability both inside and outside the domain, it was only half-baked.
Power without military force is bound to collapse in the current situation.
And most of the military power held by the Marquis is concentrated on her rival Reinhardt.
Adelaide was in a state where even the very small military authority Elena had was coveted.
"I'm fine. Even without your power."
A gentle but firm denial.
Elena looked at her face again upon hearing that, but there was no sign of her retracting those words.
But at the same time, Elena also realized that expression was unnaturally firm.
A subtle sign that would have been imperceptible if not for the increased senses from becoming a monster.
Along with the illusion she felt earlier.
'No way.'
"Sister. Are you... worried about me right now?"
Elena, who was inwardly tilting her head sideways, threw out one word with the mind to go for it since the relationship had become strange anyway.
"..."
She found Adelaide's eyes slightly widened, staring at her.
It was the moment when a crack in the emotion that had been perfectly hidden for many years was revealed.