24
Chapter 24
The culprit bold enough to disturb the window of the Northern Grand Duke's Residence was none other than a seemingly innocent pigeon. A small letter was tied to its leg.
Leonard knew exactly what that pigeon was.
"...A messenger pigeon? Who would send one of these?"
The appearance of the bird, known as a messenger pigeon, filled Leonard with an ominous sense of curiosity. However, that foreboding quickly shifted into a pleasant emotion.
This happened the moment he saw the sender's name on the letter tied to the pigeon's leg.
"Lilith Clanaein! The Grand Princess of the Western Duke Family!"
Leonard's red eyes widened as if awakening. Though he hadn't read the contents yet, he could guess the purpose of the letter just by seeing the sender. Likely, it was an invitation to associate in order to strengthen the ties between their families.
A relationship between the second son of the Lucifer Family and Lilith Clanaein was not merely romantic. It meant he could lean on the power of the Western Duke Family, which would be a massive advantage in the competition for succession. Most likely, the Clanaein Family had noticed the fierce power struggle within the Northern Duke Family and chosen him.
This was perfect. Truly perfect. There could be no greater celebration.
The passion and rage that had dominated Leonard until a moment ago vanished like melting snow in the face of this unexpected windfall. Though old grudges flickered occasionally, this momentous news instantly crushed those petty ill feelings.
While relying on the power of the Western Duke Family was somewhat humiliating, what did it matter? Even if he had to share the Northern Duke's power after formally becoming the Duke, it was a thousand times better than being pushed out of the succession race.
In the Demon Realm, the competition for succession is not merely a competition. Why else would none of the current Dukes have any surviving siblings? They were all purged under the guise of punishment after becoming Adult Demons. Naturally greedy, demons never wish to share absolute power with anyone else.
It is a choice between being the winner who has everything or the loser who is stripped of everything. There is only one path to pursue. Leonard wanted to be that winner.
Moreover... that wasn't the only thing fueling Leonard's hopeful fantasies.
'Sigh... Lilith Clanaein. I heard her beauty is enough to knock a wyvern out of the sky; I feel energized just thinking about it.'
With a flushed face, Leonard smelled the parchment and traced its surface with his finger. To an outsider, he would look like a creep. But anyone who knew the sender was Lilith Clanaein would surely nod in understanding.
Rumors of Lilith Clanaein had spread across the entire Demon Realm, claiming that the moon hides and flowers blush in her presence. Despite being around Leonard's age, she was famous for her haughty charm and was already considered a leading figure of the next generation.
Her status and power alone made her a worthy bride, and she possessed such beauty on top of that? He wouldn't find a bride like her even if he lived for another few thousand years.
Of course, there was no need to get ahead of himself. He hadn't actually read the contents of the letter yet.
"Phew... why am I shaking so much over a piece of paper?"
Tear.
Leonard's long nail tore through the seal. Immediately, the letter inside revealed its true intent to him.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the letter with a tense expression. A moment later, his face beamed with radiance. A feeling of supreme bliss, as if walking through clouds, washed over him.
Flutter.
The now-useless letter drifted aimlessly to the floor. It fell light and airy, like a falling cherry blossom petal.
What he had only imagined had become a reality. At least, that was how it felt in Leonard's head. Overcome with euphoria, the Young Demon covered his face with both hands and basked in the ecstasy.
Was it just his imagination, or did the sky of the Demon Realm look exceptionally bright today? He felt as if he could fly freely through that vast expanse. A bright future continued to fill the canvas of his mind.
And so, while Leonard was oscillating between heaven and earth over a mere piece of paper.
"Young Master, it is time for your meal."
The call of a servant echoed from outside the door. It was a dry summons, contrasting sharply with Leonard's current mood.
"Hmm? Ah, right, right. I should go. I must joyfully savor the precious meal my mother has prepared!"
For once, Leonard did not scold or belittle the servant. He had no desire to see blood on such a wonderful day. He didn't even feel particularly unpleasant when thinking of his youngest brother, who had gone as far as planning his murder.
"Young Master, has something pleasant happened?"
"Hahaha, does it look that way?"
"Yes, you don't usually smile this much..."
"You needn't know. Nothing is certain yet."
'Though it will be certain very soon, kuhahahaha!'
Leonard recalled Endros' Cliff, which he had seen in the final line of the letter. It was a cliff rumored to be quite eerie, but the thought of having a secret rendezvous with Lilith Clanaein there made Leonard's mouth water.
"Come now, let's hurry. The food will get cold."
"Yes. Oh, and the youngest master will not be attending the meal today."
"The youngest? Hmm, well, that could happen. I heard his head was messed up after I beat him; perhaps it's a side effect? Haha, I'd really love it if that were the case."
'If he's become a fool like my sister... I'll stop the Scattered Demon Poison I've been pumping into him and put him to work as my subordinate. I happened to need a stupid but strong puppet. Since he carries our father's blood, his talent shouldn't be poor.'
Now that he was in a good mood, his mercy grew. Leonard bestowed a kindness upon his pitiful brother—one that could be revoked at any moment.
Engaging in idle chatter with the servant, Leonard walked steadily into the dining hall. Aside from the head of the family's seat, the long table was filled with demons brimming with ambition.
Leonard noticed that, unlike usual, there was one more empty seat. Given the nature of demons, who consume high amounts of energy due to their high activity levels, it was generally better to attend meals. Leonard inwardly mocked his absent brother.
"Leonard, come and sit."
The eldest son, Retavis, spoke to him. For some reason, he was smirking.
"Hyungnim, has there been some good news? You look to be in a great mood."
Leonard repeated exactly what he had said to the servant. At that, Retavis tried to hide his smile and replied solemnly.
"It is nothing. Just eat your meal."
"Yes, the food looks especially delicious today."
"Aunt's cooking skills are improving by the day, after all."
"Oh my? Retavis, this is the first time I've heard a compliment from your mouth."
The female demon, the head's second wife and Leonard's mother, smiled while covering her mouth. It was a gentle smile that didn't suit their bellicose racial traits, yet it fit perfectly in the peaceful dining setting.
Clatter.
"By the way, why can't the youngest come today?"
When Leonard asked, his mother replied while gesturing with her fork.
"He said he isn't feeling well."
"The youngest is sick?"
"Yes, he said he has a severe fever, perhaps from being brushed by some poisonous herb, and simply cannot come."
"Hmm... well, that is certainly possible. One cannot stay perfectly healthy every single day. Perhaps falling ill once will be a good experience for him."
'Mother must have put a new poison in yesterday's meal. Hehe, as expected, a mother should be the one to handle a son's revenge!'
Rattle.
While Retavis was privately gloating, the eldest daughter, Adela, who had been eating silently, suddenly stood up. She looked anxious, sweat beading on her forehead.
"I'll be leaving now."
"Adela? Your aunt put so much effort into this meal, and you're leaving without even eating half?"
"I'm sorry. But I'm so worried about Oscar that I can't swallow another bite."
"It's just a little fever; what could possibly happen? Sit down."
"......I'm sorry. I must go. I feel the most responsible for Oscar's condition..."
Despite the Aunt's insistence, Adela pushed back her chair and left the dining hall. Everyone present knew this was informal behavior, but given Adela's nature of showering her brother with endless affection, they let her go.
Besides, no one had the courage to stand in the way of Adela, the strongest person at the table.
Clatter.
Clatter.
Clatter...
Today's lavish spread made the dinner last longer than usual. Leonard was not pleased with this.
He had to reach Endros' Cliff before nightfall. He couldn't be late. He refused to be a fool who threw away a god-given lifeline.
"Mother, I believe I've had enough to eat, so I'll be leaving now."
Rattle.
Thus, he accelerated his eating and emptied his plate as quickly as possible. Standing up before he could even wipe his mouth, Leonard spoke.
"Ah, then I'll head out as well. I'm far too full, haha."
Rattle.
The eldest son, Retavis, stood up as well. Though he hadn't actually eaten much.
"Everyone is so hasty today. Well, I did make a lot of food, so I suppose it's understandable."
The Aunt accepted this surprisingly readily, and as soon as permission was granted, Leonard and Retavis immediately left the dining hall. Both seemed to have urgent matters to attend to.
The Aunt stared blankly at the backs of her biological son and adoptive son. After waiting patiently until they completely vanished from sight, she stood up as if she had been waiting for this moment.
When the others at the table asked why she was leaving so abruptly while still eating.
"I'm just going to the restroom for a moment."
Answering curtly, she walked confidently out of the kitchen.
Step.
A female demon walks through the halls of the Northern Grand Duke's Residence.
Step.
She is a middle-aged female demon with a slightly slumping back and two wrinkles etched into her face.
Step.
Despite her age, her hair has not lost its deep, dark luster. As she unfastened her hairclip, her glossy locks fluttered powerfully.
Step.
She has two red eyes. They shine brilliantly, as if two ruby crystals had been embedded into her sockets. Within them, a blazing euphoria, longing, and expectation blossom.
Step.
The female demon continued her stride without hesitation until she reached the end of the hallway. Her footsteps were as playful as a fox and as light as a water strider. She had passed the restrooms long ago, but she paid them no mind.
Step.
At the end of the long corridor was a single, antique window. Moonlight streamed freely through the glass. Standing under the ethereal glow, the female demon cast a long shadow down the hallway and smirked.
Swoosh.
The shadow slowly begins to change. The frame shrinks, and the height decreases. While the shadow's mouth remained torn wide enough to reach both ears, the facial features shifted in a colorful array. It was a transformation that felt more like degeneration than evolution.
Swoosh.
White smoke billows out like a cloud of cigar smoke. The long hair shortens, and the wrinkles on her skin tighten and disappear. With every change, the smoke rose as if evaporating, decorating the high ceiling of the residence.
Pop!
At the end of this process stood a young boy. He wore white gloves that covered his hands. His hair was cropped so short it barely covered his ears, and his back was straight.
Bathing in the blue moonlight, the boy basked in the thrill.
'Whew! I almost got caught! Thank goodness I finished my meal right before the transformation technique wore off, or I would've been exposed. Isn't that meal taking too long? They say short meals are bad for the body, but overly long meals are just as bad!'
Unlike someone who had just narrowly escaped a crisis, the boy beamed brightly like a sunflower in full bloom.
'Haaa... this is fun, so much fun. What would have happened if I were caught? I would've been dragged to a demon trial, wouldn't I? Then I'd be thrown in prison... good thing I wasn't caught! I'm sick and tired of being locked up! Though it might have been okay if it wasn't Tartarus! Maybe I should have put on an escape show while I had the chance?'
No, it seemed he actually enjoyed the thrill and danger. Muttering to himself in a way no ordinary demon would ever relate to, the boy hurried to change his clothes.
"I put so much effort into that last supper, I wonder if it suited their taste? Kyahaha-."
After changing, he placed a white mask over his face. Under the blue moonlight, the mask appeared more blue than its original color.
His movements were clumsy, evidence that the boy was excited. Moving his legs as if performing a frivolous tap dance, he pulled on new trousers and donned a white suit that fit his youthful frame. He placed a stylish white magician's hat on his head, though where he got it from remained a mystery.
Having finished his preparations, Oscar began to move. Those glinting eyes under the moonlight filled the corridor with madness.
The cheerful tap dance harmonized strangely with his swaying upper body. It was completely out of sync with the humming and whistling coming from his lips. Chaos walked forward, dancing with joy.
The destination was Endros' Cliff. The place where a villain had summoned a young man and a boy. Tonight, it was also where that villain's favorite magic show would unfold.
Given the circumstances, he felt a bit disappointed that the scale of the magic show might be small.
But it was enough to deal with two demons. There is no need to use a sword meant for orcs to catch a goblin.
"Showtime is back."