Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: The Second Heir Test
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"Everyone's here."
From early morning, the Tristy siblings had gathered in the family head's office.
It was all because of Family Head Porto, who sat in the head seat rolling an iron ball in his hand.
"I'll explain why I called you all here."
Porto scanned over his children and siblings, including me.
Everyone wore tense expressions.
Well, the reason Porto had summoned us was easy enough to guess.
"I'm now announcing the content of the Second Heir Test."
'As expected.'
It hadn't been long since I'd turned Felix into a soldier, and his impatience was showing in his personality.
Porto rose from his seat.
He then spread a map out flat on the table.
"It's a map of Tristy."
Porto nodded at Uriel's words.
The map showed everything from the grand mansion where we now sat, to the mining village of Charkonia, the trade city of Elion, Tristy Academy, and all other locations under the autonomous territory.
Porto pointed at the map with his finger.
Slowly drawing a massive circle, he continued speaking.
"The time when Insein's curse grows stronger is approaching."
Insein's curse.
It was a term no citizen of Justina could be ignorant of.
Insein was a follower of the Mad God Lunatic and a powerful demon.
Long ago in the distant past, it was said he had led the demonkin in invading the kingdom, claiming countless human lives.
Insein was ultimately destroyed by the efforts of the founding king and various heroes.
Even now, he remained a figure of terror in the memories of many.
Before his death, Insein had prayed to the Mad God, offering his life, profane blood, and soul as the price.
The content of that prayer was for all humans living in the Justina Kingdom to suffer eternally.
The Mad God granted the demon's wish.
As a result.
"Soon, demonkin will begin appearing in Tristy as well."
Though not in numbers as overwhelming as the swarms teeming on the eastern front like ants.
The count was certainly small, but demonkin had started appearing even within the Justina Kingdom.
"We must prepare for demonkin raids."
Insein's curse peaked for one month every twenty years.
Normally, it could be handled sufficiently by mercenaries who made their living slaying demonkin and claiming spoils.
But during the periods when the curse strengthened, they had to muster troops and devise separate countermeasures.
"This time, I intend to gauge how much you all can do for the territory amid this vile curse."
Porto set down the iron ball.
"The curse will begin in earnest four months from now. Prepare to counter Insein's curse by then. And use every means at your disposal to protect the territory's people from the demonkin. I hope you all show good results this time as well."
Furthermore.
"I plan to send the child who performs the most incompetently on this test down the 'Pilgrimage Path.'"
The Pilgrimage Path.
No one could receive help during the journey to set out on the Pilgrimage Path.
It was a rule set by the royal family and the temples.
It was an arduous trek alone to the goddess's temple located in the empire.
It was better treatment than the battlefield Felix had been sent to, but still.
Among the siblings, Haniel's expression darkened especially.
"There are no exceptions to this decision. Not the frail Haniel, nor Ester who just received her baronetcy. Devote yourselves fully to the territory, I pray."
As the word "baronet" slipped from Porto's mouth.
Everyone turned to look at me.
It was a burdensome gaze.
I shrank back slightly under the clearly hostile and wary stares from my siblings.
Of course, with Nob AI's help right now, it probably didn't show.
"Finally, I have one last piece of advice for you all. The siblings standing beside you now are your rivals. Sometimes, to win, you must not hesitate to use any means necessary. However..."
Porto warned us.
"Under no circumstances is killing among the heirs permitted."
It was the rule Porto had set for Tristy's heir tests.
It was unexpected if unexpected, and obvious if obvious.
'He seemed like the type who wouldn't bat an eye even if his own child died.'
Still, surely among the people gathered here, there wouldn't be any thugs scheming to kill their own family to become family head.
'The Pilgrimage Path...'
Last time it was the battlefield, this time the hinterlands.
Just what did Porto think of his own children?
He was a headache in many ways.
I had no interest in the family head position.
Honestly, for most of the people gathered here, whatever happened to them wasn't my concern.
"Cough..."
I looked at my frail sister.
If Haniel set out on the Pilgrimage Path in her current condition, it wouldn't be strange if she died on the road.
Our eyes met.
Then, Haniel quietly smiled.
"......"
Porto dismissed us.
I left the family head's office with my siblings.
"Last time it was the battlefield, now the Pilgrimage Path—what on earth is Father thinking...?"
"People tend to bring out their true strength in extreme situations, don't they? Maybe that's the intent?"
As Kenneth grumbled, Uriel laughed and replied.
"Still, attaching such penalties to every test doesn't make sense."
"Why doesn't it?"
"The first test had defective goods mixed in, so..."
Kenneth and I made eye contact.
Then, the guy shut his mouth and left down the corridor.
"Hmm~"
Uriel looked at me.
"Do you have business with me?"
"No. I was just staring because it's fascinating."
She always maintained that bright, beaming smile.
Even when I was being bullied, at Mother's funeral, and now.
"I'm just really curious these days how our youngest sibling escaped from being defective goods."
I'd always thought Felix was the worst of them.
But looking back, that wasn't true.
Kenneth and Uriel were just as bad.
Unlike Zephyr, who had bowed his head in apology, these two showed no sign of remorse.
"I see."
I faced Uriel directly.
It was something I couldn't have imagined as a child, but now the situation was completely different.
"As your youngest sibling, may I offer you one piece of advice?"
"Yes, of course."
In the past, I had been weak and incompetent.
So timid I couldn't even speak properly in front of the bullying Uriel.
But now, at the very least.
"Now isn't the time for you to be pondering your little brother's thoughts with that foolish brain of yours—you need to focus on the heir test."
I had the courage to bare my fangs at an enemy.
"You've wanted to become family head since you were little."
"......"
"I understand you're feeling anxious and resentful about being overtaken in the test by a sibling you thought was worthless, but wouldn't it be better to use your head in a more honest direction?"
I explained that this was the way Uriel could gain even more recognition from Porto.
I conveyed it to Uriel without missing a single word.
The genius mage concept was pretty good, but watching her expression rot in real time right in front of me was quite amusing.
"Of course, having already assessed Uriel's overall capabilities, her limits are clear to me, but there's no such thing as 0% probability in this world, right? As your brother, I truly hope you achieve what you desire."
Uriel was definitely scratched.
"Heh heh..."
She always kept that seemingly friendly smile, so people often misunderstood.
But among the siblings, she had the filthiest temper.
"Thanks for the advice."
Uriel knew how to pick the time and place.
I turned my gaze away as she left.
"Little brother."
Zephyr glanced around stealthily before approaching me.
"I sincerely congratulate you on receiving your baronetcy."
"Thank you."
He extended his hand in congratulations.
I took it and shook slowly.
"If you need any help with the heir test, feel free to ask me anytime. It might be trivial to you, but I'll provide what assistance I can."
After talking with Kenneth and Uriel, Zephyr was starting to seem like a saint in comparison.
Still, this brother at least had a conscience.
Or rather, keen instincts—anyway.
Zephyr smiled and waved as he shook my hand.
"Ah, to avoid misunderstanding, I'll say this upfront. What I just said wasn't aimed at getting your help, little brother. I'm worldly, but not so oblivious as that."
"Yes."
The second brother earnestly warned me not to misunderstand and then left.
Then I should head back too.
Maybe because of the staring contest with Uriel earlier, I felt a sugar low.
I should ask Dalpi to make me some sweet dessert.
It was then, as I turned to return to my room to prepare for the second heir test.
"Ester."
A familiar voice called out.
These days, I spent the most time with Dalpi, but before that, I'd always tried to stay with my second sister.
From childhood, I'd relied on my frail sister for so much—looking back now, I felt truly sorry.
"Cough... Do you have time? There's something I want to talk about briefly."
Haniel had called me.
There was no reason to refuse.
She was the only one in the family who was undeniably on my side.
The fundamental reason I hadn't left the Tristy estate to begin with was related to Haniel.
"Yes."
I quietly nodded.