Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Unwelcome Guest (2)
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“Our family’s son-in-law can’t be some nobody.”
Mother smacked Demian on the shoulder. Demian protested with a dissatisfied look on his face.
“It’s the truth. Compared to Sis, how many shortcomings does he have?”
“He’s kind, good-natured, diligent, reliable. What exactly is the problem?”
Even with Mother’s scolding, Demian’s complaints didn’t fade.
Father and Mother were of the mind that good character was all that mattered, but Demian thought differently.
Good character was a given, of course, but other conditions needed to be considered as well.
“I’ll go see Sis for a bit.”
“Hey! Demian!”
Before Mother could stop him, Demian vanished.
* * *
Demian arrived in front of the music room in the blink of an eye.
It was thanks to having memorized the entire layout of the castle while preparing for the celebration party.
“Luise, your playing purifies the soul.”
“You too… Do you think I’ll be happy hearing empty flattery like that?”
“I mean it. Your playing is so beautiful.”
As he approached the music room, he heard laughter from two people.
One was his sister Luise’s voice. And the other…
‘Even his voice annoys me.’
Hearing Ballad Wigo’s voice made Demian’s stomach boil.
It was a known fact that someone you already disliked looked bad no matter what they did.
He couldn’t leave the two alone any longer. Demian flung open the door to the music room and strode inside.
“Oh?”
“Huh?”
The two turned to him with startled faces.
“Demian!”
Luise ran over with a bright smile. She inspected his body all over.
“You’re back safe! Nothing happened at the Church, right?”
“Yes, nothing at all. How have you been, Sis?”
“I’m the same as always.”
Luise grinned widely as she spoke. Ballad Wigo approached from behind her.
“Right! Demian, say hi. Ballad’s here for once!”
“Demian, it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other!”
Ballad Wigo extended his hand with a friendly face. Demian shook it with a sour expression.
Luise’s beauty was incomparable in the West.
She didn’t go out much, but if her looks had been known even a little, the title of Western Beauty would have gone to Luise, not Olivia.
In contrast, Ballad Wigo was an unfashionable bachelor.
He wore shabby, worn-out clothes and outdated black-rimmed glasses. His shaggy hair covered his forehead and eyes, making him look unkempt.
One shouldn’t judge by appearances, but Demian believed Luise deserved a better match for true happiness.
His looks fell far short compared to hers.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. Your exploits are impressive, huh? Even our city’s buzzing with your name.”
Ballad worked as a bureaucrat in the port city of Osean.
Osean was quite far from here.
That was why, despite being engaged, Luise and Ballad couldn’t meet often.
‘Sis’s fiancé is just a lowly bureaucrat…’
A high-ranking official might be different, but Ballad was merely a low-level one. Demian knew he didn’t earn much.
‘No matter how I look at it, he doesn’t match Sis.’
Demian didn’t like Ballad Wigo. He thought Luise was too good for him.
The only reason he hadn’t opposed their relationship was because Luise truly loved Ballad.
Deep down, he hoped she’d meet someone better.
“Oh, Sis. I have a gift for you.”
Demian pulled a bracelet from the box and held it out. Luise examined it with curious eyes.
“It’s a holy relic that protects your body from external threats, so you should always keep it on you.”
“You’re giving something this precious to me? You’re the best little brother ever.”
Luise happily accepted the bracelet and slipped it onto her wrist.
“A holy relic… It’s really amazing.”
“Want to see it too?”
Luise held out the bracelet to Ballad. He examined it from all angles with an intrigued look.
‘Why are you playing with the gift I gave Sis?’
Demian glared at him even for that.
“Pardon the interruption.”
At that moment, a maid entered the music room. She spoke to the three of them.
“Madam says since it’s been so long since Young Master Demian returned, everyone should have tea together.”
“Got it. We’ll head out soon.”
The maid bowed at Luise’s words and left the music room.
“Ballad, why don’t you go ahead? I have something to talk about with Demian real quick.”
“Sure. I’ll let Mother know you two will be a bit late.”
“Thanks.”
Luise saw Ballad off with a smile. But the moment he was gone, her face turned serious.
It was completely unlike her usual bright demeanor. Demian asked her worriedly.
“Sis, is something wrong?”
“Well… Sigh.”
Luise let out a deep sigh. He’d never seen her looking so downcast.
“Sit down first. Your legs must be tired.”
Luise led Demian to a table in one corner of the music room.
“Actually, I need to consult with you about something.”
“What is it?”
Even to Demian’s question, Luise hesitated to speak.
“Well… As you know, Ballad’s really popular.”
It was news to Demian. That hick was popular with women?
“So when he was sent to Osean, I was so worried. Other women wouldn’t leave him alone.”
“Sis, no matter how I think about it, that doesn’t add up. Who would like a guy like that…?”
“I think Ballad might have another woman.”
Crack.
The edge of the table in Demian’s grip crumbled.
It wasn’t just shattered—it turned to powder and poured to the floor.
‘He dares to cheat on Sis… with another woman?’
He already thought Luise was too good for him, and now this guy had the nerve to meet someone else?
Demian couldn’t tolerate it. He ought to grab Ballad right now and punish him.
“Ah, it’s not certain yet, so calm down!”
The panicked Luise soothed him. But Demian’s killing intent didn’t subside easily.
“How did you start suspecting that worm… I mean, Ballad?”
“Remember when I went to Osean to meet him last time?”
Demian recalled. Around the time the corpse play dungeon was discovered, Luise had left the territory to see Ballad.
“Did you see something then?”
Luise nodded at his question.
“He used to come pick me up near the city. But when I got to the meeting spot, he wasn’t there.”
“What did you do?”
“I waited. Then after a long time, he comes running up, saying something urgent came up and he was late.”
Demian took a deep breath.
Daring to miss a meeting with Sis—he felt the urge to rush over and crush him right now.
“After checking into the inn, I asked about his schedule for our date. But every time I mentioned a time, he said he had work and dodged…”
Blood vessels bulged on his forehead at those words.
Sis had gone all the way to Osean for him, and he’d left her hanging?
“We finally set a time and met, but then he got a note from some guy, said something urgent came up, and left.”
Grind. His teeth ground together on their own. He wanted to smash Ballad’s face right then.
He barely held back since Luise wasn’t done talking.
“If that was all, I might’ve let it go… But once, when he was working, I brought lunch to his office.”
“No way…”
“But he wasn’t there, so I asked around. They said he’d gone out with another woman a while ago…”
Demian clutched the back of his neck. His blood pressure skyrocketed; he couldn’t listen anymore.
“Sis, you don’t need to say more.”
“Huh? What?”
“I’ll grab that bastard right now and interrogate him.”
“W-Wait, what?”
“I’ll make him spill every truth, so don’t worry.”
Demian opened his subspace and pulled out a hexagonal club. Luise’s eyes widened at the sight.
“D-Demian, what is that…?”
“A very useful conversation tool.”
“T-That’s a conversation tool?”
“It even reformed Oliver, the delinquent crown prince. It’s guaranteed to work, so no worries.”
Demian stood up. His grip tightened on the club.
“Then, Sis, I’ll be back. Wait an hour, and I’ll bring back the truth… I mean, not his limbs in pieces.”
“Ah, it’s just suspicion for now! It’s not certain, so calm down!”
Luise hurriedly grabbed Demian. Reluctantly, he sat back down at her plea.
“So I want to check if it’s just my imagination or real… Would you tail Ballad with me…?”
“If that’s the request, of course I’ll do it.”
“Really? You’re the best little brother!”
Luise beamed and hugged him. In her embrace, Demian thought to himself.
‘I was hoping Sis would meet someone better… This is perfect.’
Ballad was handing him an excuse on a platter. Demian had no intention of letting it slip.
‘I’ll definitely get the evidence.’
Demian burned with determination inside.