Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: My Little Sister Can't Possibly Be This Crazy (4)
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Yuria's first impression upon seeing Enoch lounging obliquely in his chair was one of conviction.
'So that's why Jevella sister...'
Only now did she understand why Jevela's letters, which arrived almost every week, had recently been filled with praise for Enoch.
Though Yuria hadn't manifested the Zahav bloodline ability, there was one thing she had inherited.
Her intuition.
She intuitively grasped the use of aura, intuitively knew who was necessary for her survival, and intuitively found the path to victory.
Following Jevela's advice, she disguised it as mere talentlessness, but her intuition surpassed that of the Zahav blood who had manifested their bloodline ability.
In a grand ducal house like theirs, exceptional spouses were chosen across generations, naturally leading to something akin to selective breeding.
It was possible because, excluding the bloodline ability, various talents were often inherited.
And based on this intuition, Enoch appeared to her as a sated beast.
He was half-reclining in the chair, his eyes heavy with drowsiness as if he'd just rolled out of bed, and he was even yawning openly.
His seemingly relaxed body maintained just the right tension, ready to move at any moment; his sleepy gaze scanned the surroundings ceaselessly; and the yawn... was just a yawn.
She didn't know he'd actually been rolling around in bed moments ago, but to Yuria, it looked like pure confidence.
'Like, "Come at me if you dare"?'
But anyone who judged by appearances and charged in sloppily would end up with their nape torn out by those fangs.
...From Enoch's perspective, it was merely a habit from living in Calypso Territory without letting his guard down, but to Yuria, who knew nothing of that, it appeared that way.
Her sharp intuition rang alarm bells the moment she saw Enoch. A dangerous being.
But it was just a warning. Not a signal to flee or keep her distance immediately.
Because...
'He's not dangerous to me. And he won't attack first as long as I don't shove my head in.'
Yuria had already heard from Jevela what Enoch had done in House Zahav and what kind of personality he had.
'I can trust what Jevela sister says. Yeah.'
Before attending the academy, back when she still lived in Zahav Castle, Yuria had witnessed it. How ruthless the Zahav blood could be, what they did to the half-imprisoned Jevela.
...And how frightening Jevela herself was.
Since her judgments relied on intuition, Yuria never imagined Jevela had killed all her siblings.
But she knew Jevela was resilient despite her delicate appearance. And ever since that day she'd sobbed uncontrollably behind the locked door, that Jevela cherished her.
So what Jevela said couldn't be empty words.
Her own intuition, combined with Jevela's discernment, convinced Yuria that Enoch was different from the other Zahav blood—a good person. Expectation swelled in her chest.
The hope that, despite meeting for the first time, she'd gain a proper family member beyond just Jevela.
But the moment her eyes met Enoch's as he scanned under the platform...
Her intuition screamed noisily at her reflection in those beast-like golden pupils.
And her lower abdomen began to heat up fiercely.
'...Ah.'
A sensation she'd never felt in her life. Yuria's mind was in chaos, but born with keen senses, she knew exactly what to do in such moments.
Simply entrust her body to instinct and intuition, acting as it guided.
'So this is love at first sight?'
In truth, no.
Yuria herself wasn't aware, but her intuition was fundamentally based on survival instinct.
It merely deemed that, for survival, the spot beside Enoch was most efficient—and to secure it, she needed to become his mate.
But life at the academy complicated things.
Obviously, the academy dorms were separated into male and female halls.
And after causing a few incidents that led to a one-year suspension, Yuria had spent quite a long time in the girls' dorm.
When only same-sex peers gather, especially at that age full of hormonal urges, interest naturally turns to lewd topics.
Besides, the academy was a place of learning for commoners and high nobles, but for lower nobles, it was a lifelong stage for marrying up.
Hearing various stimulating experiences or passing around secret books, Yuria... unfortunately developed somewhat twisted tastes.
The flawed early education from House Zahav, her habit of over-relying on intuition, the affection built from Jevela's praise-filled letters, and the forbidden knowledge(?) from the academy.
All these factors aligned perfectly. She became a fanatic chanting "defeat incest yass queen."
This didn't change even mid-sparring match while getting her butt spanked for losing.
'Wow! Public humiliation play!'
Family education is so important.
"Hoo."
After spanking Yuria's butt exactly ten times, he let out a short sigh.
Shaking off the lingering soft, sticky sensation on his palm, he opened his mouth.
"Yuria. Have you come to your senses now?"
"Hng... I-I was always in my right mind?"
"Who in their right mind says they'll marry their own brother? You're not a kid anymore; you're all grown up."
"You're gonna do it with sister anyway, so why make a fuss."
"This isn't about that... is it?"
She was raised in House Zahav, dubbed the Incestuous Noble House. No retainer except me, not even Jevela, would find marriage between us strange.
Yuria probably saw incest driven by necessity as natural too.
And it was true that House Zahav was in an emergency.
But even setting aside her "defeat incest yass queen" remarks, there was more to say.
Following the wriggling whispers of the Confucian dragon within him, he sternly admonished her in a grave tone.
"But striking your instructor carelessly is wrong. Especially in Zahav's main stronghold."
"...You. Don't know?"
"Know what."
"What happened after all the other Zahav men except Jevela sister and me died."
"I heard the succession struggle intensified, and they killed each other."
"Yeah. Not how they died, but what came after."
As he blinked, Yuria, draped over his lap, wriggled and flipped over.
Now lying on his lap and looking up at him, she continued.
"House Zahav's power comes from the overwhelming strength to manage the dungeon alone. And that power is inherited through the bloodline ability. But news spread that all Zahav men were dead."
"...Rumors must've spread that House Zahav would soon fall—or already had."
"Right. No matter how big the beast, no one fears a dead one, right? Lots of people approached to pick at what was left of Zahav. Wealth, land, interests, titles... and me, pretty, cute, lovable, and talented too."
"That last part seems exaggerated."
"Fine, fine. To be honest, it was like prime broodmare stock hitting the market cheap. Who wouldn't covet that?"
"...That's too self-deprecating, so forbidden. Exaggerate instead when you talk about yourself. Patriarch's order."
Her calling herself a broodmare made him frown, and Yuria's expression turned odd.
She soon chuckled and nodded.
"Got it. Anyway, too many people targeted pretty, cute, lovable me. With a bit of threats mixed in."
"So that's when the trouble started."
"Yeah. In a fit of anger, I chopped off a few limbs."
"...Ah, so that's where the problem arose."
The guys targeting the now-backboneless Yuria apparently got reversed by her... not exactly weaklings, then.
"It being the academy, they could reattach limbs quick, but..."
"Their families stepped in. Threats were involved, but words turned to swords, so they had justification."
"What? You knew?"
"No. But it's obvious. Anyway, I get it. That incident led to your suspension. And the instructors... were bribed and ignored you being threatened?"
"Yeah. Jevela sister, Cornelia, and a few other friends helped end it at suspension. I thought I'd be expelled at first."
Yuria shrugged nonchalantly.
Mm, mm. Yeah. Perfectly understood.
"Any other bribed instructors besides the one just now?"
"There were, but... only one instructor accompanies practicals. Why? Mad 'cause your cute little sis got bullied?"
"Yeah."
"...Yeah?"
As Yuria tilted her head, unable to process what she'd heard...
He picked up a chunk from the broken wall and flicked it with his finger.
Whiiing... Thunk!
"Aaaagh!!"
A scream echoed from afar. A stone shard had embedded in the instructor's arm—the one who'd tried to stop Yuria and gotten hit instead.
"Instructor Delvin."
"Y-Yes, Your Grace."
"Looks like a serious injury. Unfortunately, Zahav's resident priests are busy treating dungeon surge victims, and potions are all out. Best send him back to the academy... what do you think?"
"Your Grace is right. We'll send him to the academy immediately."
Delvin, who'd been eyeing him, nodded, and the guy rolling on the floor wailed.
"Gr-Great Duke! This is unjust! Some misunderstanding...!"
"Aaron."
Thus, cutting him off, he called the head butler.
"Guest says he's in too much pain to walk. Escort him out instead. ...Politely."
"As you command."
Aaron dragged out the pale-faced instructor.
Watching his back for a moment, a playful voice came from his lap.
"So? Why'd I just get my butt spanked?"
"..."
After brief contemplation, he flicked Yuria's forehead.
Pop!
"Hyak!"
"How you address me."
"Wh-What?"
"No more cheeky 'you.' Call me 'oppa' properly from now on."
"Uh..."
Yuria, clutching her reddened forehead, nodded blankly.
"Got it, orabang."
He shook his head at her refusing to say it right even on pain of death.
But then...
"Hey, orabang. My butt hurts so much. Can't you rub it?"
"...No way, you crazy bitch."
He shoved Yuria off his lap.
Her beaming like she'd succeeded in a lifelong investment irked him oddly.