Chapter 57
Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Second Daughter and Youngest
"S-Sis! I'm sorry."
"……."
"I was wrong... Really."
Having hastily untied Uriel's bonds and removed her gag, Kairen began pleading desperately, grabbing her leg while breaking out in a cold sweat.
"…No need to apologize."
Uriel looked down at him impassively, then whispered in a low voice.
"I'll kill you with my own hands soon enough anyway."
"Eek…."
"No joke. I do what I say."
At those words, Kairen paled and trembled, then hurriedly spoke up.
"…I'll do anything, so please forgive me just once."
And in that instant, Uriel's perpetually half-lidded eyes narrowed slightly.
"Hehe… Interesting."
"…?"
"Truth be told, if you grant me one simple request, I'm willing to let you off."
As if nothing had happened, her face returned to normal, and she murmured with a smile in her eyes.
"What is it!?"
As Kairen perked up in response, Uriel quietly lifted the corner of her mouth and lowered her voice to a whisper.
"First, promise me one thing on your name."
"…?"
"…No matter what, you won't refuse my proposal."
Kairen tilted his head at the familiar phrase "promise on your name," then glanced at Uriel's expression before asking.
"What if I refuse…?"
"If you promise and then refuse… well, no choice."
Uriel warned him with a cold smile.
"Abandon the Belverk name and leave the estate."
"…!"
"If you can't even keep that, you're not worth treating as Belverk."
Watching Kairen agonize over the condition, Uriel gazed at him with a chilling smile, lost in thought.
‘…No need to agonize that much.’
Everything had been in her grasp from the start.
‘Your fate was decided long ago.’
From the moment she handed over the vial containing the parasitic threads—her personal maid's unique black magic disguised as her own hair.
‘No way she'd hand over a weakness that could permanently swap bodies if mishandled.’
In truth, Uriel's unique ability was "Predation." She never had the ability to be "Preyed Upon."
Thus, the humiliation Uriel suffered today was a meticulously planned operation based on her personal maid's unique black magic, "Parasite."
‘So soft-hearted, little brother.’
The moment she received word from her maid, Uriel headed straight to the secret garden's bushes. She had never actually been possessed by Peep.
The parasitic threads were targeted at Kairen's familiar rather than the highly vigilant Kairen himself—and for magical beasts rich in black magic, they made perfect bait.
As Uriel predicted, Peep naturally consumed the threads. It was merely mimicking its long-observed master's speech and mannerisms, briefly controlled by the maid.
Of course, speaking and moving through the dog's vocal cords and body made it indistinguishable if the acting was good—precisely as Uriel designed.
‘But a naive kid like you is easy to use.’
And from there, everything went exactly as planned.
Though there were unintended moments—like being bound by her young brother while pretending to be a dog or getting her head petted—the humiliation was worth it for the plan's success.
"Okay!"
"Hehe."
"I swear on the name of Kairen Nox Belverk!"
Kairen, his face etched with guilt, made the "promise on his name" right before her eyes—proof of it all.
"Contract established."
In truth, apart from the plan's perfection, it was a somewhat petty and strategy against a ten-year-old.
Yet Uriel knew this well and couldn't yield an inch.
"Then, my request…."
She had a reason to cling desperately to survival in Belverk, no matter the means.
"Oh, but do you know?"
"Pardon?"
"Actually, I…."
Recalling that reason, Uriel suddenly turned serious, staring coldly at the puzzled Kairen and dropping a bombshell.
"I'm on a death clock?"
A brief silence filled the room.
"…Pardon?"
Kairen mulled over her words in the quiet, then asked in shock.
"Let's see, I'm 17 now… so about 3 years left."
"…."
"It was shorter originally, but I've held on this long with my unique ability."
No longer hiding her expression, Uriel smiled chillingly and revealed something from behind her.
"…By devouring people."
A black maw sprouted from her back, swaying with a sinister smile like Uriel's.
"But by my calculations, even that's reaching its limit…."
"W-Wait a second!"
As if to prove it was her unique ability, Uriel reddened while Kairen stared blankly, then raised a hand to interrupt.
"Aren't we the vampire clan…?"
"Oh, right."
Uriel smiled faintly, then murmured with a somewhat contrived pitiful expression.
"But the vampires' longevity is a privilege granted only to the family head."
"…!"
"Sure, our lifespans are generally long, but I'm a special case."
Her expression grew serious as she revealed her true feelings.
"So, I must become the family head."
"Ah…."
"I can't yield to a stray like you—it's a reason I absolutely won't compromise on."
The room filled with killing intent, and Kairen unwittingly stepped back.
"Anyway, back to my request…."
Noticing, Uriel withdrew her aura in a blink and voiced her wish in her usual languid tone.
"Will you transfer your lifespan to me?"
"Pardon?"
"Not much, just about 80 years."
Despite the languid tone, the content was chilling.
"Assuming yours is around 100 years, you could live to 20."
"…."
"Human lifespans drain away quickly no matter how much I consume, but with fellow clan blood, it's different."
Finishing, Uriel sneered at Kairen, frozen with his mouth agape.
"Well? Simple request, right?"
Abandon the Belverk name and leave, or obediently yield 80 years of life.
A true dilemma from hell for Kairen.
"…Isn't it, my cute little brother?"
And Uriel could easily predict he'd choose the former.
No need to think hard. Having lived on a death clock her whole life, tormented by nightmares every night, she knew from experience.
‘Not really cute, though.’
Family bonds? Love? Need for recognition? None mattered. Ultimately, people value their own lives most.
And naturally, a kid who wasn't even blood-related wouldn't sacrifice his life for a stranger rival.
‘No one would dote on a rival gunning for their life, right?’
Thus, Kairen Nox Belverk would be eliminated from Belverk this moment.
Of course, stubborn Lilien, the prominent eldest daughter as a top candidate in her 50s—plenty of mountains ahead.
‘Still many questions, but… farewell.’
But eliminating this unpredictable variable early—different from the others—satisfied Uriel.
"Um… sorry."
"Yes, go ahead."
Smiling coldly without restraint, Uriel tilted her head as Kairen finally spoke, offering a final sisterly smile.
"…Is that really all?"
But what came from Kairen's mouth was….
"Pardon?"
Even she—who had perfectly simulated every development from Mother's letter announcing the youngest son to this moment—hadn't anticipated this response.
"Why didn't you say so earlier!"
In that instant, Uriel's black maw—confirming the contract—lunged mercilessly at Kairen.
"Ack."
As Uriel's black maw burrowed into Kairen's chest, he staggered briefly but gritted his teeth, tears in his eyes, holding his ground.
"What are you—"
Simultaneously, Uriel yanked back the unconsciously extended maw in panic.
"…Stay still."
But Kairen, hugging the maw tightly before it could retreat, spoke firmly.
"I'm transferring the lifespan."
"What?"
"Ugh, feels weird…."
As life force slowly flowed from the black maw, Uriel paled and spoke with a chilling expression.
"Do you know what you're doing?"
"…."
"Don't get cocky."
But as Kairen hugged tighter, Uriel tugged roughly.
"…Let go now, or you'll regret it."
"No!"
Yet her frail physique since birth barely couldn't overpower him.
"I want Sis to live long!"
"…Are you insane?"
"No, perfectly sane?"
In that situation, as his skin grew deathly pale, Kairen mustered his strength to convey his sincerity to the incredulous Uriel.
"I'll become family head instead, so it's fine!"
"…."
"My dream is to be Belverk's 50th head like Mother!"
In that moment, Uriel was speechless.
- Rwoong….
The black maw tore slowly from Kairen's chest, smacking its lips quietly as it vanished into her back.
"How's that? Feel more lively?"
Clutching his chest from the aftermath, breathing raggedly, Kairen looked up at his dazed second sister with a weak voice.
"Hehe, good!"
"Wait…."
"Um… Sis."
Glancing hesitantly, he blushed and asked as cautiously as possible.
"…You won't hate me now, right?"
But Uriel couldn't respond to that.
"…I'll head out now, Sis."
"Ah…."
"Good night…."
Before she could reply, Kairen's head drooped, eyes slowly closing.
- Thud….
Drained completely, Kairen collapsed limply to the floor. Silence filled the room long after.
How much time had passed since transferring his lifespan to second sister Uriel and losing consciousness?
"…Ugh?"
Forcing open his heavy eyelids, a familiar sight greeted him.
"Duke! The Young Master is awake again!"
"…What?"
"R-Really? For real?"
It was exactly like last time after collapsing from running away.
"Kairen!"
"You've been out for a week!"
"Umm…."
Well, transferring 80 years would do that.
But no worries. I'm Belverk too—no bad deals here.
User's Remaining Lifespan (9910/10000)
Even so, please don't do this again.
‘…Hehe.’
I still remember the conversation between Mother and Lilien sister when she bit my neck absorbing the frenzy last time.
According to it, my ability's source is monstrous vitality that naturally heals curses or injuries.
With that, losing 80 years was no big deal—I'd anticipated it.
Even if only 10 years left, my goal is family head anyway—no issue.
"…Good thing, Kairen."
"Hey, kid. Abusing power like last time?"
"Ah, well…."
But even with abundant lifespan, draining 80 years at once was a huge burden, apparently.
I wanted to ask if Mother and Lilien bribed a harsh doctor like before, but my mouth wouldn't open properly.
"Still, waking on your birthday is lucky."
"Yeah, almost missed it, you."
Fortunately, I learned what I most wanted to know right away.
Honestly half-given up, but I'm lucky!
"Ehehe…."
As I smiled thinking that, Mother suddenly turned her head.
"By the way…."
"…?"
"First time seeing Kairen, right?"
Someone quietly stepped into view beside her.
"Belverk's second daughter, Uriel Nox Belverk."
"Ah."
"Your second sister."
Seeing her, I beamed innocently again.
"She arrived at Belverk yesterday leading her retainers, so introduce yourself briefly."
"…Hehe."
Anyway, lifespan issue solved—no more murder by second sis?
"Pleased to meet you, Second Sis!"
"…."
"Just as I heard, you're so pretty!"
Great, this should restore relations with second sis.
"…."
Smiling at the thought, Uriel's expression paled as she looked down at me.
‘Ah, maybe worried about my lifespan?’
Tilting my head, I cautiously covered my mouth and called to her.
"Uriel Sis, ear here…."
As she tilted toward me quietly, I whispered reassuringly.
"Don't worry about my lifespan."
"…."
"Kairen actually has a lifespan of ten thousand years!"
Uriel stared silently.
"So, I'll live happily with Mother and sisters forever!"
But after hearing it all, her face twisted as if she couldn't bear more.
"Stop… talking."
"…?"
"…No way that's true."
Why say something so heartbreaking? Uriel Sis just needs to live happily with us now.
Ah, maybe not worried about lifespan, but thinks I'll tattle to Mother about what happened?
"Ahem, no worries."
But now free from death clock, Uriel Sis has no need for such fears.
"…I won't tell our secret to anyone!"
I'm pretty tight-lipped, after all!