Bloodline is a Cheat Code - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 19
At my questioning look, Deneb clicked his tongue and continued speaking.
“The Delpoi side sent a marriage proposal to House Faneshula first, but in their desperation to avoid tarnishing the honor of the knight family and House Genevre, they were trying to ignore and postpone it when the oath was suddenly formed.”
“What? Why on earth would Delpoi…”
“If we must assign a reason, it would be a man’s heart, wouldn’t it?”
Ansen Delpoi, the current head of House Delpoi, was an extremely meticulous man with strict standards regarding honor.
Even though the Emperor had refused to receive him and left only a ceremonial knight’s title after not visiting the Imperial Palace, he still hadn’t lost his loyalty toward him.
Everyone knew that he would cast out and even kill his own child rather than sully the honor of knighthood and the Delpoi name.
“Is that even possible?”
“In truth, one cannot ignore the influence that outward beauty exerts. It’s not for nothing that she’s called one of the most beautiful women in the Empire.”
So the crux of the matter was that Jade Delpoi had been captivated by Lillian’s beauty and sent a marriage proposal on his own whim.
It was a rumor that anyone could see was full of holes—the kind you’d scoff at and forget if you heard it in passing.
“In your opinion, who is more beautiful—the young lady Lillian or the young lady Hailey Genevre?”
“No, what are you suddenly saying…? Isn’t that terribly rude to the ladies?”
Yet Ethan’s voice rose slightly at the unexpected question.
Even as he protested, his mind unconsciously began to contemplate which of the two was more beautiful.
They were both ladies with different kinds of charm.
He had never once considered either as a marriage prospect or even as someone to exchange words with.
He hadn’t even realized that such a thought itself was improper.
“You’ve thought about it too, haven’t you? If forced to choose one of the two, wouldn’t it create conflict? That’s exactly it. Even deep love can be shaken easily.”
Deneb chuckled as if he’d made his point.
Exhausted by such crude behavior, Ethan decided to end the conversation with the man and let out a sigh.
“I’ve spent a reasonable amount at the auction, so I should head to my carriage now. I have quite a distance to travel.”
“Did I ask you a question that was too difficult to answer? Well, it could become a problem if I’m not careful.”
Yet he spoke so carelessly despite knowing it could cause trouble.
“But don’t worry. The young lady of House Genevre wasn’t invited to this place anyway.”
“What did you say?”
House Genevre had been consistently invited to this place as an influential family from long ago.
Since there weren’t many families connected to the Magic Tower in the first place, openly excluding them like this wouldn’t be wise.
‘Does House Faneshula wield such influence? If so, then why? Should I reconsider my direction even now?’
Natural questions and unresolved concerns began to fill my mind.
I had thought Vincent Advein was not someone easily swayed by others. But if House Faneshula had already seized real power within the Crown Prince’s support faction…
‘What family could possibly check them?’
If such a place existed, there was only one: Rosena, which always maintained silence yet never hid its presence.
“Your voices seem to be carrying beyond the door, gentlemen.”
Then an ice-cold voice cut through the darkness of the night.
The two men started in surprise and looked ahead. A lady stood with her head held high, her brilliant silver hair catching the moonlight directly as she brushed it back slightly.
“I heard this was a place where precious items are auctioned, yet it seems people here also buy others’ honor and diminish its value at will.”
“R-Rosena, young lady. I…”
Flotie Rosena, with Hailey Genevre standing behind her, regarded the two men with a cold gaze.
“Then I shall purchase both of your honors myself. How much would that be? I suspect I have more money than either of you.”
* * *
‘When I’m angry, any amount works! This is the best approach.’
‘Any amount?’
‘Yes, your family has plenty of money.’
‘We do have quite a bit.’
Minabell had said this was the ultimate way to seize the initiative back home.
In fact, as I listened to the conversation, I nearly jumped in several times before Hailey Genevre personally stopped me.
“Young Lady, please calm yourself. We agreed to listen to everything together and move past it.”
Serpina Rosena had obtained a magical artifact for us that could record other people’s voices.
I’d heard that acquiring magical artifacts from the Magic Tower wasn’t easy—I wondered what means my sister had used.
“How can I stay silent when Hailey Genevre’s honor is being tarnished right now?”
I spoke her name without the honorific, completely unaware of my own rudeness, and Hailey Genevre’s eyes widened in surprise.
Only after I’d spoken did I realize my mistake, but there was no taking it back now.
“I’m sorry. I got too worked up for a moment.”
“No, it’s fine. You can call me Hailey. It was always fine—you were just being considerate toward me.”
Of course, as the youngest of Rosena, I could call someone by their name without explicit permission. It would just be a bit impolite.
But if I told Hailey Genevre, ‘You can call me Flotie too!’ it would burden her.
“There’s no need to mention consideration. Anyway, Hailey should be the angriest, so I’m embarrassed at how worked up I got.”
“No, I’m not really angry.”
“What?”
“It’s true that I’m not as beautiful as Liliana. I’ve already known that people compare us that way.”
Her expression was calm, as if she’d grown tired of hearing such things.
“At first, I tried to imitate that beauty and made some effort, but at some point, I started to find myself pathetic and strange for making such efforts.”
I had no words to offer.
The very fact that she’d overcome that anxiety and the process of diminishing self-worth felt genuinely remarkable.
“So from that moment on, I stopped. Beauty is ultimately subjective, and Jade Delpoi said he loves me regardless of what face I have. Besides, whether his love exists or my beauty does, the fact that I am Hailey Genevre doesn’t change.”
She continued quietly, listening to the voices drifting from beyond the terrace.
The more she tried to emulate Minabell, who set trends, or the beautiful Liliana, the more she felt she was losing herself.
“I truly felt my confidence in myself disappearing. Once I realized that, I decided to live like my former self. Of course, now… well, it’s difficult not to care about rumors at all.”
Hailey Genevre laughed, saying she felt embarrassed despite speaking so boldly.
Her voice asking if effort and results don’t always match, didn’t they, sounded careful, as if seeking my agreement.
Just as a fire kindled within me, the men’s conversation ended.
“I shall settle this with money.”
“Pardon?”
I would punish these shameless men with infinite wealth.
And now.
I burst onto the terrace boldly.
But my surprise was brief—they seemed to have already decided where to direct their efforts.
“Young Lady of Rosena, it is an honor to meet you. I am Deneb, second son of Laud. I have come here thanks to the great favor I received from the Young Lady of House Faneshula.”
One side was flaunting their connection to House Faneshula.
“Rocks Ethan of the Imperial Knights Order.”
The other was deliberately maintaining distance from the entire situation.
As if he wanted me to understand that Deneb and he were complete strangers.
“How delightful to meet you, Lord Raud, Sir Rocks. I’m Flotie, the second daughter of Rosena. My father and elder sister are occupied with various matters at present, so I’ve taken their place here today.”
I received their greetings with proper decorum.
Generally, people become flustered when someone of higher standing displays excessive humility.
The question of ‘What attitude should I take when she’s approaching me like this?’ left both of them scrambling to read the situation.
“My lady, why do you find yourself in such a place? If I’m not mistaken, you received an invitation—”
“It seems Lord Raud has misunderstood something. I assuredly received an invitation written in the Imperial Household’s own hand.”

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