A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 172

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

Side Story 11
Side Story 2. The Next Heir of Prelai
After returning to the capital, Father’s appearance improved by the day. With Joshua, he received every treatment deemed beneficial—his skin gleamed with vitality, and his well-groomed golden hair shimmered brilliantly.
He cycled through clothes emblazoned with brand logos morning and evening, exchanging rough banter with Alex in a friendly manner. Watching this, only Grandfather felt despair.
When I returned from the Levin Domain, Father’s face radiated even more brilliance. Yet there was one significant change.
“Kiki, think this through carefully.”
Father, as if pursued by something, gently coaxed me whenever an opportunity arose.
“The heir of Prelai is such a desirable position. Above the Duke Prelai family now, is there anyone but the Imperial family?”
“That’s true.”
I answered indifferently while reviewing the 【Imperial Magical Engineering Academy Establishment Plan】.
“By that logic, you’re saying the Empress stands above the Duke Prelai.”
“…But the Duke Prelai wouldn’t be drastically different from the Empress.”
“Either way, there’s a difference, isn’t there? Besides, I can’t use Imperial funds for something like this.”
I pointed at each character of “Magical Engineering Academy” as I spoke. Kitty sighed and tried to console Father.
【Just give up, meow. Your daughter’s eyes are dazzled by greater power, meow. There’s no particular reason Kiana must become the heir anyway, meow.】
“Kiki is the cutest anyway. Since everyone’s hopeless, it’s best to just let the cute one do it.”
Father sighed deeply and muttered.
“And there’s no reason the remaining ones should become heir either…”
Selecting an heir in the Duke Prelai family was a gravely important matter. This was because it determined who belonged to the direct line and who to the cadet branches of our house. Only those designated as direct line could summon their familiars.
“There were many generations where succession disputes turned everything into chaos…”
【Like you and Roki, meow.】
In any case, it was true that Alex, Joshua, and I were very unusual cases. All three of us had no interest in becoming heir and were interested in other things.
First, Alex was obsessed only with places where he could legally use violence. And these days, his interest was precisely the Duke Prelai Domain.
“Monsters can be killed without restraint, right? How did I not think of that? Now with dark magic and everything else handled, there’s nothing uncomfortable left.”
Alex’s eyes widened and he grinned grotesquely. It was quite eerie.
“Whenever I feel like swinging a sword, I can just go there.”
Julius was absolutely delighted upon hearing this news. He even sent a letter saying it felt like he’d found his successor.
I hope Alexei will protect the domain after you!
Of course, he didn’t quite remember Alex’s name correctly. Grandfather, furious, sent a reply.
Our Alex knows nothing about domain management. He only knows how to swing a sword!
Grandfather’s anger wasn’t because he cherished Alex so much that he couldn’t send him north. He simply disliked that Julius was in such a good mood.
However, Julius’s reply was nothing short of cheerful.
Me too! I only know how to swing an axe! I’ll have Daram hand over the succession to that wolf.
Grandfather took to his bed after reading that letter. While the Duke Prelai residence in the capital was troubled by the succession problem, he was pained that Julius’s worries had been resolved.
Of course, anyone could see that Alex was talent better suited to the north than the noble assembly of the capital. Julius made a brief proposal to Alex directly.
Alexis, you’ve never been to the north, have you? How about visiting sometime if you’re bored?
And a sentence like magic was added as a postscript.
P.S. While we’re at it, let’s meet Dolores and Hitten too.
“Wow, yes! This is it, this is it! That place is made for me! Yes!”
Alex immediately latched onto that postscript and jumped around, saying he’d depart at once. Of course, I didn’t bother asking what he’d do after meeting Dolores and Hitten. It seemed I’d know anyway without asking.
I grabbed onto Alex, who was mounted on Wolf, and barely managed to ask him to deliver a letter to Julius saying that I was doing well.
“It’s nothing special, just that I’ll visit later.”
“Oh, uh, ah, no, well…”
Alex was excited to depart, but when he saw my face, his expression suddenly turned reluctant to leave.
“Once I’m there, I won’t be able to have long conversations with Kiana…”
Whenever he asked to talk and I sat down, he’d spend half the time saying things like “uh, oh, wait…” So why did he have so much lingering attachment to conversation? Alex ran his hands through his hair in black gloves, lost in anguish.
“Sigh… Should I not go? But they’re family I’ve reunited with after so long…”
So I quickly resolved his anguish for him.
“I also left family I’d reunited with after a long time and went to the Levin Domain and came back, so what.”
Drawing on my memories from my days as a Professor, I didn’t forget to offer advice for his future.
“And this is an opportunity for career exploration that descended like a ray of light upon your hopeless future, brother. So of course you should go. We’ll have plenty of time to talk later, so don’t be impatient and come back.”
“Plenty of time?”
“Yes. We’re still young, and our real time together is just beginning.”
Still, Alex couldn’t easily take a step forward. It seemed he hadn’t forgotten the moment I collapsed right in front of him.
“Here, this is for you, brother. I’ll write something short right now and give it to you.”
So I quickly wrote another short note and handed it to him.
“Read it whenever you want to talk to me.”
The note’s contents were simple. It was exactly what I’d said to comfort Alex earlier.
Alex carefully put my note in his pocket, nodded once, and set off on Wolf. He had ultimately accepted Julius’s invitation.
As I watched Alex’s receding figure… I thought of the Prelai Knights in the North, always preparing for battle against monsters.
‘Ah… Alex…’
And I imagined Alex drawing his sword excitedly before them. It suited him perfectly.
‘Why hasn’t anyone thought of this until now? Alex’s place isn’t in human society.’
He would probably even accept Julius’s proposal to become his successor. That would relieve Julius of a great burden. Julius had never married and thus had no children.
And since Julius’s joy was Grandfather’s sorrow, afterward Grandfather constantly pestered Father, the next heir. So Father, suffering, began trying to persuade me first. The reason Father was already talking about successors despite his young age was all because of this.
“Kiki, what if you just did both? Hmm… no. Empress and Duke both… no, no. That would be way too much work. That would be too demanding…”
“Well, I don’t mind having a lot of work.”
Honestly, thinking back to when I lived sleeping only three or four hours at the Academy, having a lot of work wasn’t much of an issue.
“That’s something you can manage with effort. Of course, it would be best to leave it to someone who’s good at it, but anyway, if it needs to be done, you just do it, right?”
As always, I had little fear of things that could be managed with effort. But that didn’t mean I was saying I’d do both.
“But regardless of whether it’s difficult or not, I’m simply not very interested in the Duke position, Father.”
I spoke firmly with the resolve to burn away all of Father’s remaining hopes.
“It just looks like something where you’d have to move politically for the family’s sake and deal with all sorts of tedious things, and that’s not suited to me at all.”
Sadly, Edmund’s 【Imperial Magic Engineering Academy Establishment Plan】 was far more attractive to me than the Duke position Father had offered.
“When I saw Grandfather back then, he went to all sorts of social events even though he wasn’t interested. I just want to spend that time researching magic engineering instead.”
“Sigh, Kiki.”
Father furrowed his brow and shook his head.
“You don’t understand, but in that sense, wouldn’t the Empress position be even harder? Honestly, just because you’re the Crown Prince’s fiancée, how much have you been caught up in the tedious power struggles of high society until now…”
“That’s not it?”
I shrugged and immediately denied it.
“That never happened at all?”
“…That can’t be right.”
“Edgar abolished the imperial concubine system entirely, and as Father said, I’m the youngest daughter of the mighty Duke Prelai—who would dare touch me?”
“Hmm?”
Father’s eyes narrowed.
“Kiki.”
And he shook his head very seriously.
“That’s impossible. Rather, because you’re the youngest daughter of Prelai, there will be far more cunning vultures lurking in the shadows, waiting to bite at you.”
【Oh, Hyde.】
Kitty wagged her tail with a pleased laugh.
【Even though he lived in the wild for seventeen years, it seems he still retains memories of his time in the capital’s social circles.】
Now that I thought about it, I’d forgotten because his appearance had changed so drastically, but Father hadn’t suffered amnesia or anything like that. The man who was once renowned in high society as the most perfect gentleman spoke with utmost gravity.
“You must be truly careful. Your reputation is frankly a mess as it is. There’s no way nothing has happened. The Empress isn’t stepping in from anywhere right now, so she’s not protecting you either….”
“Mm.”
“Of course, the Crown Prince is cunning as a fox. But you can’t rely solely on the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince doesn’t know everything, and that position is naturally busy.”
Father’s sharp observation was quite reasonable. But there was only one answer I could give.
“But truly, nothing has happened so far.”
Really… nothing at all had occurred. Looking at my innocent face, Father crossed his arms seriously and muttered.
“Could it be that our Kiki is just a bit oblivious… the strongest type who doesn’t understand no matter how many times you explain? But that’s a problem too. At some point, you could fall victim to a sudden scheme….”
“Well. I’m not interested in others, so my intuition is sharp. Really, nothing has happened.”
That’s when a knock sounded, and Joshua’s servant entered.
“Duke, it’s time for your appointment. I’ve come to escort you.”
“Already? Understood. Let’s go.”
Father stood up abruptly—he must have had an appointment with Joshua. Then he placed his hand on my shoulder and spoke.
“Think it over carefully, Kiki. I have a private fashion show to attend with Joshua, so I’ll be going.”
“Oh… um… yes.”
One thing was certain. Father’s favorite child was me, his youngest daughter, but the child whose tastes matched his best was Joshua.
“Anyway, I’ll be back soon, Kiki.”
Father let out a shallow sigh and stood up quickly. Then, with a grave look in his eyes, he added.
“Even if it’s not the heir’s business, think carefully about matters of high society. There’s no way nothing has happened to you. If that’s truly the case… then it’s something far more sinister and frightening.”
Having spoken with solemnity, Father stroked my head once. Then, with a parting remark of “See you later, Kiki. I’ll buy something for you too,” he left my room.
【He certainly cherishes his daughter, but it really shows he never raised her.】
And the moment Father left, Piyak, who had been quietly listening, shrugged and muttered.
【There’s no way anything more sinister and frightening than Kiana exists in this empire.】

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————