Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 109
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 109
However, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Leo, who was speaking with sparkling eyes, that it wasn’t a name worth treasuring so much.
‘But I also can’t force a new name on a child who likes their own name…’
Unable to do either, I quietly fidgeted with the item I had kept stored in my drawer.
[Item] Adoption Document Imbued with Special Power
This document is imbued with special power.
If you write the name of the ‘Hero’s Star’ on this adoption document, the temporary guardian can become the official guardian.
*The written name of the ‘Hero’s Star’ cannot be changed and will be permanently fixed.
*However, intimacy with the ‘Hero’s Star’ must reach 100.
*Intimacy: 98/100
The ‘Adoption Document Imbued with Special Power’ that I had received as a reward for obtaining Belinda’s memory fragment.
Though it looked unremarkable on the outside, judging from the item description, if I decided to adopt the Hero’s Star through this document, I could become the official guardian instead of Ophelia, the player of 【Hirome】.
Moreover, the fact that the written name couldn’t be changed also meant that the name could be changed as much as needed before writing it down.
After hesitating for a moment, I ultimately didn’t show Leo the adoption document.
Though Leo was precious to me and I considered this child family, adoption was a different matter.
‘I’d gladly provide support, but adoption is…’
It wasn’t that I was worried about the game or the original story at this point. It just didn’t seem like something to decide so lightly.
Besides, it said intimacy needed to reach 100, and it was still lacking.
‘For now, let’s focus on dealing with Schubel first.’
In the end, instead of calling Leo’s name, I had to settle for giving the child a tight hug.
* * *
Though I had inherited all of Belinda’s memories, there were still several things that weren’t clear.
Who had possessed me into Belinda’s body.
How much Uncle knew about Schubel.
‘And finally, why Schubel had to kill Uncle.’
As Chaser said, Belinda had never touched any suspicious objects, nor was she a dark mage.
She had simply despaired enough to wish for her own death.
The same went for matters concerning Uncle. Now I needed to know more than what Belinda had known.
I had a feeling that investigating Uncle would eventually lead me to the reason why Schubel had to kill him.
So while having Terry investigate Uncle, I also thoroughly prepared to reclaim the position of family head that Schubel had stolen from me.
I spoke to Terry, who was looking at me with a slightly frightened expression, while wearing the gentle smile I had practiced in the mirror.
“Terry.”
“Y-yes?”
“Report.”
“Yes… So, Jerry has willingly promised cooperation, and all the vendors have completed their items on schedule. Master’s new dresses are also finished.”
I couldn’t hide my smile at her continued report.
Though the preparations took quite a lot of time and money, everything was going according to my plan.
When Terry heard my plan, which I had carefully crafted even before acquiring the last memory fragment, she asked with a troubled expression.
“Why don’t you just use the free assassination voucher I offered? It would cost no money, be faster, and I’d enjoy it more.”
Terry wasn’t wrong. But that would be too easy.
The same went for revealing that I had awakened my abilities and using the Ability Inheritance Law to announce that I had priority succession rights.
What I wanted was to take away everything Schubel had, one by one, with ‘my own hands.’
In that process, I wanted Schubel to feel powerless and ultimately be crushed by the weight of the crimes he had committed.
‘I need to finish everything before the succession ceremony in March.’
I fiddled with the cards I had kept by my side for days until they became familiar in my hands, and praised Terry for her efforts in helping prepare my plan over the past two weeks.
“Good work. I’ve been wanting to say this for a while, but thank you for always carrying out my unreasonable requests without complaint.”
Ah, now that I’ve said it, I feel oddly embarrassed.
It’s nothing special, but living as Belinda all this time, harsh words have completely stuck to my tongue…
“Master, what did I do wrong…?”
“What?”
“Please don’t speak so kindly. It’s not like you, Master, and it’s really scary.”
Terry’s words sounded quite sincere, so I spoke coldly like the usual tyrannical employer who works people to the bone.
“Stop talking nonsense and go find that stupid notary who thinks disappearing is part of his job, then drag him before me.”
“That’s right, this is it! I’ll be back!”
Finally reassured, Terry left the study with a much more peaceful expression.
I had barely managed to deactivate the translator.
Before I knew it, Belinda’s way of speaking had naturally stuck to my tongue, and it seemed the same was true for others.
After checking my plan until the very last detail, I finally took the first step to devour the Blanche family.
* * *
If you were to pick the most famous person in the Kingdom of Jenos, the first would be the founding king, and the second would be, surprisingly, Adelia Blanche.
It wasn’t strange that the founding king who established the nation and brought peace to the continent was famous, but it was surprising that someone who was merely the head of a count family was so renowned.
The reason was quite simple: she had built the massive Red House, a casino that led the Kingdom of Jenos to be called a land of luxury and pleasure.
People who came from far away to visit the Red House would often be mesmerized by its splendor and overwhelming scale.
The Red House included not only a casino but also hotels, upscale restaurant districts, luxury shopping malls, and even a racetrack, where famous opera singers performed 365 days a year without a single day of rest.
Baron Holio Rechel, the head of the Rechel family which served the Blanche family, was in charge of all the various performances and shows operated in the casino.
Calling himself a hedonist, he was deeply versed in music and arts, having discovered many opera singers, but unfortunately, he was also a terrible gambling addict.
That day too, having clocked in at the Red House, Holio looked up gloomily at the portrait of Adelia Blanche hanging in the center of the casino hall and prayed earnestly.
‘Lady Adelia, please have pity on this humble servant and grant me the fortune to strike it big this time.’
After offering earnest prayers to Adelia, who was called the goddess of fortune, Holio passionately kissed his 100-gold chip and jumped into the gambling table.
Today, his intuition felt good for some reason. He even felt as if Lady Adelia was watching over him from behind.
He poured all of today’s entertainment money and shouted boldly.
“Call!”
And he lost all his money.
Sighs of pity for his situation erupted from here and there.
Since it was a game with such high stakes, many spectators had gathered, and they cast sympathetic glances at the middle-aged man who had become penniless in a single round.
Holio hung his head gloomily.
However, it wasn’t because he had lost money, as everyone thought.
‘If the previous Marquess Blanche were here, he would have laughed heartily.’
Holio sipped champagne while watching the card bundles being shuffled brilliantly in the dealer’s hands.
He knew well enough that all the money here would eventually flow into the casino anyway.
Nevertheless, the reason he enjoyed gambling was to test his luck and enjoy the thrill.
His best companion for this was the previous head of the Blanche family and Belinda’s biological father, Danis Blanche.
He too was a terrible gambling addict, but he was wealthy enough that losing money had no impact on him, so when they went around the gaming tables together, there was nothing more enjoyable.
Today especially, he missed that gentleman Danis and his hearty laughter.
Just as Holio, having lost interest in the game, was about to leave his seat.
“Baron, leaving the table already?”
Someone placed a 1000-gold chip in front of him and gently pressed his shoulder to make him sit back down in his chair.
“Why don’t you stay and enjoy yourself with me, just as you did with my father.”
Holio’s eyes widened as he turned toward the owner of the voice.
There stood Adelia Blanche, who couldn’t possibly exist in reality.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————