Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Heir to the Silvesta Family
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"Not enough. Do you really think you can claim the top spot at the Imperial Academy with grades like these?"
Max, wearing glasses, was looking down at her.
Imperial Academy top student.
The greatest genius in history.
One of the finest talents who would change the future.
Helen had countless flattering titles attached to her name, but in front of this man, she was nothing more than a failing student.
"Student Helen has no talent. You're a failing student. No one would even notice if you dropped out right now."
Helen said nothing in response to his scathing words.
"You need to recognize your own shortcomings. Since your brain falls short, you'll have to make up for it with something else."
Max approached her.
As he drew closer, his presence felt all the more imposing.
"Service me with your body. Then maybe your grades will improve. At least you won't fail."
Max grabbed her breast roughly.
"Hnng!"
"At least your chest deserves an A+."
"I-I'm not going to do that kind of thing."
"Then why are all your clothes off?"
Only after lowering her head at his words did she realize, belatedly, that she was completely naked.
"I thought you'd come prepared."
Max twisted her hardened nipple as if pinching it, his lips curling into a sleazy smirk.
"Hnngh! I'm sorry!"
The intense pleasure made Helen's eyes fly open.
It was a dream.
"That dream again..."
Ever since that day, dreaming of Max every night had become her routine.
She would be berated as a failing student by Max, punished, shouting apologies—and before she knew it, she'd wake up with her body burning hot.
"Haa, haa. Wet again."
There was a stain on her panties.
It was a natural physiological response from being aroused the entire time she slept.
"That experience was intense, but..."
She hadn't expected it to manifest in her dreams for days on end.
"Am I pent up or something...?"
Helen pressed her flushed cheeks and composed herself as she got out of bed.
Today was an important day.
"Miss, good morning."
"Did you sleep well, butler?"
"Thanks to your grace, Miss, I greeted another safe morning."
Unlike usual, Helen received service from the butler and maids starting from the morning.
After bathing in warm water under the maid's guidance, she ate an early breakfast.
Normally, Helen would have quickly prepared for school on her own, but not today.
"When is Father arriving?"
"We received word that he set off earlier."
"I need to hurry and get ready."
Today was the day the head of the Silvesta Family—and her father, Luton Silvesta—would visit.
Once a month, he made time to personally visit Helen, who stayed in the capital for Imperial Academy classes, and Veron, who commanded the 2nd Knight Order.
It was also one of the rare days when her ironclad older brother Veron Silvesta, who barely returned to the estate due to knight order duties, would come home.
"And Brother?"
"We received a report that he greeted Sir at the main gate earlier."
"He won't be late today, then."
It was then.
"Our lovely little athlete is looking for her big brother."
She turned at the languid voice to see her three-years-older brother, Veron, approaching with silver hair swaying just like hers.
"Don't say creepy things."
"Is my little sister feeling shy?"
Helen swatted away Veron's hand as he reached to pinch her cheek.
"You've gotten cold."
"You're the one with no sense of personal space."
She looked at the grinning Veron.
His hair, still damp from washing, clung to his knight order uniform.
"It's a rare visit from Father, and you didn't even dry your hair properly?"
"Didn't have time."
"You just rinsed and came out without drying, huh."
"......"
Helen sighed and gestured toward Veron's head.
-Fulfill the contract.
A wind spirit popped out and quickly dried Veron's hair.
Whoooosh!
"Wow, having a spirit mage little sister sure is convenient."
"Watch your conduct. You know better than anyone that a Silvesta mustn't show even the slightest flaw."
"Hahaha, when you're out on the battlefield, there's not much time to fuss over yourself."
"That's why you keep losing to Yuris."
"Hey, are you rubbing salt in the wound?"
Helen clicked her tongue.
Though she called her brother incompetent, she knew full well he was one of the strongest in the empire, counted on one hand.
He'd just drawn a bad opponent.
Helen knew Yuris was a formidable knight.
One of the empire's finest.
Even the hero had learned swordsmanship from her, or so they said.
But even so, as a Silvesta, he should have won at least once.
No matter if the opponent was the Goddess of Victory.
"I went through so much trouble to help you, Brother..."
As she spoke, Helen clamped her mouth shut.
She remembered the time she'd gone searching for Yuris's weaknesses—and ended up learning her own instead.
Max the instructor, handling her roughly.
Her own figure, unable to grasp even a bit of the illusion magic lesson.
Held in his arms, panting apologies as a failing student...
Her face burned.
"It's because of you, Brother!"
"W-Why are you snapping all of a sudden?"
"I don't know! Do you know how much I struggled?!"
"Sorry for losing last time even though you came to cheer me on."
"...Got it."
Helen sighed.
It was all in the past anyway.
And the experience with Max hadn't been unpleasant.
As she and Veron enjoyed a rare sibling chat...
"The family head has arrived."
With the butler's words, the estate's main gate opened.
As the doors parted, the head of the Silvesta Family, Luton Silvesta, revealed himself.
"We greet the family head."
"We greet the family head."
The siblings bowed to Marquis Luton in perfect unison.
"Long time no see. I heard the news. You didn't let the top spot slip away this time either."
Marquis Silvesta patted Helen's shoulder as he spoke.
"It's all thanks to Father's teachings."
"No, it's your effort. What did I do?"
Helen felt elated at her father—the family head—praising her with a smile.
This moment of praise from the head made her feel anew that she was truly part of the Silvestas.
Was it because of the illusion Max had shown her?
The family head's praise felt even better than usual today.
[I'd never abandon my daughter.]
It was as if the family head were saying that.
"Veron."
"Yes, Father."
"You lost again this time, I see."
"I am ashamed."
"...Your opponent was unfortunate. No one in history has ever beaten the Goddess of Victory."
"I apologize."
Veron bowed his head.
He couldn't wear his usual sly expression in front of Marquis Silvesta.
Even a slick operator like Veron knew when to read the room.
If it had been the usual her, she would have smirked at Veron bowing and squirming.
She would have looked down on him for tarnishing the Silvesta name.
But not now.
['I tarnished the Silvesta name too.']
Her face flushed again at the memory from the illusion, where she'd been trampled by Max and called herself a failing student.
Slap! -I'm sorry.Slap! -I'm sorry for being a failing student.Slap! -I'm sorry for being a stupid idiot who can't understand...
The illusion of herself, buttocks burning from the spanks, shouting apologies.
Even if it was a secret only she knew, that experience wouldn't vanish.
"Let's go inside."
"Yes."
"...Yes."
Lost in fantasies of being toyed with, Helen reacted a beat late to the marquis's words.
Once ignited, her imagination ran wild, growing ever larger.
-"It's a Rotor. Put it in your panties."
-"Don't even think a failing student like you can defy me."
Max, glasses on, pressuring her.
His coldly impassive face looking down felt far more terrifying than her father's now.
Helen's body trembled powerlessly at Max's hand spanking her buttocks—territory even the family head had never touched.
Max's sturdy frame.
His chilling gaze from above.
His thick fingers.
His commanding baritone.
And tying it all together: the glasses.
-"Say it. Tell me what kind of student you are."
-"I'm a failing student. A dumb student who can't understand even the simplest things."
-"Good. Receive your reward from the professor."
The throbbing heat in her lower belly.
Her breath grew ragged.
The memory was so vivid she nearly forgot she was with the family head.
Someone called her name.
"Helen?"
"...Y-Yes?"
"You must be tired."
Snapping to her senses, Helen bit her lip.
What was she doing right now?
Imagining such things during time with her father...
"I'm sorry, Father."
Face red with guilt and a hint of taboo thrill, Helen bowed her head.
"No matter. You're busy with academy work at this age. How are your classes going?"
"Yes. I don't think I'll lose first place in this exam either. If I graduate at the top next year, I should be able to join the Imperial Spirit Division right away."
"I see."
Forget the illusion.
She had more important things now.
Helen took a deep breath, steeling herself.
"You said after graduation, you'd enter central politics and build influence?"
"Yes."
"Don't stay in the capital. Return to the territory."
"Pardon?"
"There's much to learn in the capital, sure. But now it's time to prepare. For inheriting the family head position."
Helen's eyes widened at the marquis's words.
"Inheriting... the family head position?"
"Yes. Among my children, the most outstanding should succeed me."
It was completely unexpected.
Marquis Silvesta wielded great power in the empire despite barely dipping into central politics, thanks to fertile vineyards producing top-grade wine, gold mines, and a territory larger than two average duchies combined.
Becoming head of the Silvestas meant managing the source of the family's power: the territory.
Helen had never once imagined herself as family head.
After all, she had three older brothers above her.
Even above Veron, the 2nd Knight Order Captain, there were two more.
They were said to be gaining practical experience in the Silvesta territory to vie for the head position.
Excluding Veron, who'd practically given up, it would go to one of those two—so Helen had planned to enter central politics and think of her future.
"And the brothers?"
"They're preparing diligently too. But we must give you a chance as well. It wouldn't do for the empire's greatest prodigy to be denied one."
"......"
"You don't look pleased."
"N-No, it's great. It's what I wanted. Just caught off guard."
She was more stunned than anything.
Utterly unforeseen.
"I'm expecting great things."
At her father's pat on the shoulder, joy at being named a successor candidate was overshadowed by something else that surfaced first.
Namely...
['If I leave the capital, I won't be able to go to that theater anymore?']
Max.
"Congratulations. Father's acknowledged you."
Even Veron's congratulations failed to make Helen happy.
She just smiled awkwardly.
She should be thrilled.
It was what she'd always wanted—she ought to cheer.
-"What a failing student. How do you expect to follow lessons properly?"
Her chest ached faintly at the thought of never hearing that voice or seeing that face again.
"Of course, with a year left, focus on your studies for now."
"Understood."
As Helen bowed her head, endless visions of Max in glasses filled her mind.
"Do you think a failing student like you can become family head?"
Even now, berating her.