Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Dad's Aides Must All Be Super Kind and Innocent, Right?
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Exactly what it was I didn’t know, but I assumed the muscle maid sisters agreed with me.
“That…… Lord Matthias, well, he probably won’t, um, cry.”
No. I shook my head firmly once more. They wore some indescribable, subtle expressions. Maybe the muscle maid sisters were different after all.
‘They all look down on my dad like that……. But the sisters are different. They must see Dad’s potential for growth, right?’
Slightly touched, I opened my mouth again.
“Just remember their names.”
“You’re going to make a hit list…….”
“Yeah. I’ll kill them all later.”
The infamous Death Note, hit list, or whatever you want to call it.
‘Wait for it, you X-loving bastards. I’ll smash your faces into oblivion soon!’
I clenched my fists so tight not even water could seep through and glared into empty space.
“We’ll remember!”
From then on, the maid sisters and I resolved to carry a little memo pad everywhere.
To jot down the list of people who badmouthed our dad.
“Phew, now let’s try walking again. But why can’t I go to the succession ceremony…….”
The maids rolled their eyes.
They exchanged words cautiously.
“According to Lord Matthias, in this Mirmod place, there are occasionally—very occasionally—bad people, so it might have a bad influence on Lady Sien’s education.”
“So, during the succession ceremony, um, take a walk! Walk around or read books in your room!”
It would’ve been great to see the family members on sub-duke succession day, but that part was a shame. I squinted and said.
“Ugh…….”
The muscle maid sisters comforted me, looking a bit glum.
“Walking makes your body nice and strong.”
Right then, after shaking my body back and forth with my fists clenched tight for a good while.
Finally, the mansion wall, covered in enormous roses, appeared before my eyes.
But, but, but!
Surprisingly, wasn’t Dad standing right there in front of the mansion door?
Was it my bias? Dad looked paler and more haggard than usual. His face had gone cold, making him look terrifying—like a fierce king potato.
‘My dad might ruin his health like this.’
Feeling gloomy, I forced myself to run toward Dad with confident little steps: dada dada.
“Dad!”
“Sien!”
Fortunately or not, Dad broke into a huge smile as I approached.
Like the fresh blue roses filling the space in front of the mansion.
‘Luckily, Dad doesn’t seem sick!’
I could gaze at Dad happily, relieved.
“Dad, congrats!”
“Thanks, Sien.”
Maybe because the succession wasn’t grand. Or maybe Dad had heard the whispers too.
“Let’s go inside, quick.”
Seeing Dad who somehow looked downcast, I stopped in my tracks.
And whispered softly, just for Dad to hear.
“Dad, you know?”
“……Yeah?”
“You ever see puppies fighting before?”
“……Yeah, I did.”
“But the one that lost every single day suddenly went bam! And won. Everyone clapped super loud!”
“…….”
“Winning at the end is what counts! If we win in the end, it’s all good!”
“Sien…….”
Dad looked at me with trembling eyes.
‘How about that, epic speech, right, Dad?!!’
Look at those moist eyes on that kind face. He was definitely deeply moved.
I grinned triumphantly, about to say, ‘I’ll protect you so we can win big!’
But before I could even speak, Dad gripped my shoulders tight and said.
“Did you go to the dogfighting pit? Dad told you not to. Dogfighting pits are dangerous, sweetie.”
That’s all he had to say about my awesome speech? Pouting, I just glared at Dad. Then he stretched my cheeks and started in with the nagging.
Agh, mistake!
Sensing the incoming nag storm, I darted through the gap in the open mansion door and yelled.
“Wow! What a cool house!”
But I didn’t regret what I’d said to Dad.
To anyone looking, we were total underdogs right now.
Good ol’ Dad, the exile.
The daughter stuck to him like a wart.
And the dead mom with all those scary rumors—we didn’t even know her exact story……
Massive disadvantage.
But I knew.
‘Underdog comebacks are the scariest of all.’
I swung my arms as I scampered inside.
Finally, a pretty house of my own.
To make this my sweet home forever, I had to get strong fast.
***
The day Matthias Mirmod, the grand young lord, ascended as sub-duke. No noticeable changes occurred.
The holy knight agonized day and night between his sacred duties and family matters, Sien wheedled the duchess-wife into teaching her how to use attack artifacts, and Matthias handled his work without drawing attention.
At first glance, these were peaceful times—until night finally fell.
The hunting contest was a traditional event for the successor, a chance for their aides to bond. The Mirmods held them often, to flaunt their family’s power.
But for Matthias, it was perfect bait to provoke the elder council.
A chance to indirectly warn them by displaying the new successor’s—and his aides’—strength.
……Of course, he had other plans too.
Showing off skills in the hunt was just a pretext.
Matthias and his innermost circle met in an abandoned building on the border of family lands and territory.
A massive barrier conjured by a black mage enveloped it. Not even a rat could sneak in.
In the abandoned building’s dusty, silent, cavernous meeting hall.
From the head seat, Matthias surveyed those who’d pledged loyalty—half with sharp eyes, half languid.
‘Only the already loyal ones.’
His true goal was crystal clear.
Seize the duke’s seat. Control the family’s power.
Then lead a rebellion to wring the truth from the empire’s top brass—snapping their necks if needed.
That was it.
All for Sien’s happiness and safety. He didn’t want her dying like Yuella. More than anything, he wanted the day to come when he could tell her properly about her mother.
“Greetings, Lord Matthias.”
Gathered were men who thought nothing of murder, robbery, or threats.
Matthias had won their loyalty—saving lives under pretense of chance, or crushing them with overwhelming force.
So far, it had all gone too smoothly, like treading a scripted path.
“Delphia should arrive soon.”
“Killed the spy Delphia sent. He was trying to get close to Lady Sien.”
“Kill them. Do whatever. Anything.”
Anyone daring to touch my daughter could die for all he cared.
“But not in front of one person.”
His languid gaze sharpened.
“Then…….”
“Be good in front of Sien.”
“What do you…….”
“Exactly—lie flat like a good dog.”
In that instant, not even the followers’ breaths could be heard.
Matthias chuckled low.
“Tomorrow, Sien’s joining the hunting contest.”
“…….”
“Be extra careful then. Evil deeds—.”
In the silence, the biggest villain in the room drawled lazily.
“Are bad for raising kids.”
Matthias didn’t want some flimsy excuse of a hunting contest messing with his daughter’s emotions.
Everyone here was his aide.
But also the faithful hounds he’d tamed.
Ex-cons whose hobbies were murder, robbery, and threats began prepping the hunting contest… in a rather odd way.
On hunting contest morning, the villains buzzed with frantic activity.
Take this example.
‘Hessian Continent’s Mad Dog’ Melle had devoted himself to Matthias, who’d saved his life once.
So he vowed to carry out this order perfectly.
But……
“How’s this ribbon?”
‘Ruthless Dragon Slayer’ Mont stared at Melle—body covered in tattoos, delicately tying a red ribbon on his head—and barked low.
“Utterly hideous.”
The dragon slayer’s own cheeks sparkled with glitter.
On Matthias’s orders, his villainous underlings were doing their utmost to look non-threatening. At a glance, they were still plenty hideous.
“What do we do? I’ve never played nice before.”
A man with a hideous scowl raised a finger and poked his cheek.
“They say this is a cute pose. Whaddya think?”
Another grotesque brute nearby snapped coldly.
“Revolting.”
“……Damn it. I don’t wanna get put down!”
“Put down” made every face in the room turn fierce on the spot.
Matthias Mirmod had warned them……
‘Anyone who looks hideous to Sien gets put down.’
“This seems kinda nice…….”
Men with rock-bottom morals started floundering in confusion.
***
Clueless about the villains’ chaos, I was busy prepping for hunting contest day.
A happy, meaningful hunting contest day!
I neatly packed the delicious ham bento the maid sisters made into my bag.
‘I’m gonna get super strong!’
Grandma’s body-protection artifact had me buzzing with energy.
I darted around the room like a flying squirrel. The maid sisters—standing guard at the door like knights—clapped and said.
“You’re so nimble, Lady Sien!”
Nimble?
I skidded to a halt and toddled over to them.
“……I’m visible?”
“Yes!”
Tch. Grandma said the shrinking-earth technique meant moving so fast your feet vanished.
“But for a six-year-old kid, you’re seriously fast! Congrats!”
“No way.”
“Yes?”
“Ah, uh. Never mind.”
It wasn’t never mind.
I had to get strong in a month.
I balled my fists and glared.
No choice. Had to show off at today’s hunting contest.
I remembered the attack artifact Grandma had slipped into my pocket during our last lesson.
‘Grandma said she’d help me use artifacts perfectly, even without magic power!’
She’d handed over pricey artifacts galore as “lesson materials,” and this attack one was among them.
Sure, my magic power sucked, and I hadn’t learned much from her yet, so I’d probably lag behind others. But just trying it out would mean something.
‘Alright, time to unleash Grandma’s attack artifact!’
With a super pumped voice, I told the maids.
“Let’s go! We’ve got tons to do!”
“Yes. Lady Sien’s carriage is ready—and Lord Matthias’s aides for the joint hunt are gathered out front!”
“Wow, Dad’s friends?”
“F-friends! Y-yes, exactly! Friends!”
The Mirmods were total villains, so I hadn’t expected Dad to have aides here already. Pretty weird.
But it hit me—maybe this family had pure-hearted folks like Dad too.
“We’ll help you get dressed right away!”
Buzzing with excitement, I bolted to the waiting carriage out front.
But……
But here’s the thing……
The state of Dad’s “friends”—er, aides……
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