Chapter 79
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: The Delinquent Heir, the Villainess Lady, and the Stepmother (2)
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“Is Uncle Gordon still kicking around as lively as ever?”
“Gordon's still raising hell at the restaurant. Yesterday, he blew the place up experimenting with a new dish.”
“That guy's as hopeless as ever. What about Chart?”
“...Chart decided he had to grow flowers for you in this freezing winter, so he was out there swinging a pickaxe at the frozen ground. I told him flowers bloom in spring, but youth can be so hard to fathom at times.”
“...Tell him the flowers are fine—just take care of himself.”
“I'll pass it along, but whether he'll listen is another story.”
Basic info on the household staff was stored in my head, but no one could predict how much they'd changed in this world.
On the way to the dining hall, I asked Alfredo about everyone's well-being to gauge the situation.
“Good to see they're all doing fine even without me around.”
“They'll be thrilled you remembered them like this, young master.”
“We're here! Young master!”
By the time I'd checked all the key details, Emma flashed a cute smile and spoke up.
‘...Here we go.’
The door emblazoned with the Calliope crest loomed right in front of me.
In Academy Tamer, this was the screen that unfolded right at the start of Chapter 3.
A flicker of excitement stirred in me at the thought of a new chapter finally beginning. That's when Alfredo swung the door open.
Creak—
The Calliope family members were seated inside.
The first to catch my eye was Garcia Maisha, occupying the third seat in the pecking order.
Her flawless, wrinkle-free features and those alluringly long legs made it impossible to believe she was a married mother of two.
I offered Garcia a greeting, but she gave me a cursory glance before sipping her tea with obvious disinterest.
‘...No hostility, at least.’
There was zero sense of family warmth, but this was far from the worst outcome.
Ever attuned to power dynamics, she clearly saw the benefit in pulling me to her side rather than making an enemy of someone who showed no interest in the heir position.
A little to the right, and there was delinquent heir Cale, clicking his tongue.
“Tsk.”
Hostility radiated off him in waves.
I knew exactly why.
Cale's inferiority complex stemmed from me enrolling in far-off Carnea Academy.
But if he was gunning for family head, he'd need my backing eventually. This attitude was downright idiotic.
Sighing inwardly, I scanned for my seat.
‘...Someone took mine.’
By rank, the fifth seat should've been mine, but Reika had claimed it.
...I'd been away from the family for a while, and here I was, a successor getting shoved aside by a woman.
But unexpectedly, as I sat beside her, Reika greeted me with a warm smile.
“Eugene, long time no see. You holding up okay at Carnea?”
“...?”
I blinked in confusion.
‘...Was Reika ever this friendly?’
She was nothing like the character I'd remembered, leaving me at a loss for words.
‘...Did something already go down in the family?’
After a moment's thought, I dipped my head politely.
“Yes, Sister Reika. Have you been well...”
“Eh, actually, I'm not that curious. No need to bother.”
Reika cut me off, one corner of her mouth curling in a mocking smirk.
‘Bitch after all.’
My mood soured, but it was still better than some unknown shift in her alliances.
Creak—
Then the door swung open again as Erden Calliope stepped in.
Erden's glossy black hair and chiseled jaw were the stuff of women's dreams.
One odd detail, though: his entire body was drenched in blood.
I'd known from the original story that he showed up like this, so it didn't faze me.
‘Monster blood, anyway.’
The servants wiped him down with towels like it was routine, and in the meantime, Erden addressed me.
“...Eugene. Long time.”
“Yes, Brother. I hope you've been well.”
Erden gave a slight nod instead of a reply.
“Erden, what is that outfit?”
Garcia's voice cut sharp, irked that he'd greeted me first.
“...Straight from monster subjugation. No time to change.”
“Even so, this is an audience with Father. The least you could do is wipe off the blood.”
“...Father said not to be late, even if a bit messy... I'll mind it next time.”
“Hah. You didn't expect to come back this bloody, did you? And there's no need for you to swing a sword yourself, is there? That desperate for the soldiers' admiration?”
As Garcia jabbed with sarcasm, Erden—who'd been holding back until now—lifted his gaze to meet hers.
“It's not about admiration. It's a noble's duty. If wielding my sword saves even one soldier, I'll swing it a hundred times over.”
Erden and Garcia locked glares until the door opened once more. Alfredo announced,
“The family head is entering.”
At those words, the bickering ceased as everyone rose and bowed their heads.
“...”
In profound silence, Eddard Calliope strode in with dignified, measured steps.
Even with the weight of years on him, Eddard's physique was more finely honed than Professor Loreos's—truly impressive.
‘...Or maybe the reverse.’
A mage like Loreos holding his own against a knight? That was the real marvel.
“Sit, everyone.”
Eddard claimed the head seat naturally, and we all followed suit.
Luxurious dishes soon appeared. Once we'd eaten our fill, Eddard dabbed his mouth with a napkin and spoke.
“So, Eugene. Word is you did quite admirably.”
“...Thank you, Father.”
I had no idea what for, but thanks seemed safest.
Eddard pressed on, looking pleased.
“Her Highness the Princess sent me a personal letter. She sang your praises for saving her life. Even heard you got an invitation to the palace as a guest.”
“...”
I was genuinely taken aback.
I hadn't expected the princess to go quite this far.
I'd never planned to blow off the invite anyway, but now it was ironclad.
‘...Not a bad thing, though.’
I'd been planning to casually drop the invitation depending on the vibe, but her vouching that I'd saved her life locked in some solid trust.
“...Just got lucky.”
“Luck turned to habit becomes skill. And I hear you took on monsters yourself last summer. Weaklings compared to our northern beasts, sure, but you didn't flinch...”
Eddard's praise kept flowing, and the trio carrying Maisha's blood grew stiffer by the word.
“Indeed, Calliope prizes merit and demerit. Saving imperial blood carries weight—so name your desire.”
Garcia's eyes went wide at Eddard's offer. Rare for the family head to invite a direct request like that.
Refusing a demand outright would bruise the head's dignity, after all.
He'd grant anything short of outright lunacy.
...But what I wanted was set from the start.
“I request a private audience with the family head.”
I deliberately said 'family head' over 'Father' to emphasize the formality, even if one-on-one.
Clank.
Garcia slammed her utensils down hard enough to echo, while Reika and Cale shot me furious glares.
I got it.
To them, I must've looked like I was angling for the successor race.
Erden alone showed no reaction—he'd probably be the same if I'd demanded the seat outright.
Eddard closed his eyes, stroked his chin thoughtfully, then asked with keen interest.
“...A private audience. Your merit's worth a treasure from the family vault. You're truly content with just that?”
“Yes. That's all I ask.”
“Hahaha! Excellent. I'll set it up soon.”
Eddard bellowed with laughter, but a decent father wouldn't be cheering like this.
My jumping into the successor fray upped the odds of his kids turning on each other.
First-class as a warrior, third-rate as a dad—perfect fit.
“Then I'll take my leave. Enjoy the meal.”
As Eddard rose, piercing stares from everyone but Erden bored into me.
‘Do your worst.’
I ignored them, sliced into my food, and shoveled it in.
If things soured, this might be my last family meal without poison.
Better stuff myself while I could.
‘...The dice are rolled.’
No backing out now.
Just a matter of who devours whom.