Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? - Chapter 114

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

Chapter 114
* * *
‘I’m not doing this because I’m worried about Deborah Simour. My intellect simply craves investigation.’
Beleck Simour conducted a meticulous search of the space near the Academy with the investigation team until dawn.
Duke Simour, who had spent a sleepless night consumed by worry, appeared and inquired about the investigation’s progress. The Duke could endure only until dawn, before the sun rose—he understood that Deborah Simour, lacking magical power, would find it increasingly difficult to survive within the Subspace as time elapsed.
“Beleck. Disregard my feelings and speak objectively.”
“The person inside the Subspace destroying the internal core is currently the fastest and most realistic method.”
Knowing this wasn’t the answer his father desired, Beleck spoke with an uncomfortable feeling.
“What of entering from the outside?”
“The spatial distortion field currently exists only as traces. Based on these, I attempted to locate the Subspace’s coordinates, but the margin of error is far too wide….”
While carefully explaining that external entry was dangerous, Beleck sensed something unusual. A peculiar light flickered in Duke Simour’s eyes.
“…Ancient mana fluctuations.”
The Simour father and son, blessed with keen mana sensitivity, could detect the slightest shifts in the surrounding mana flow.
“It appears Knight Isidore succeeded in destroying the core with his aura.”
“Even that muscle-brained knight occasionally proves useful.”
“Ancient mana cores possess high density. Knight Isidore must rank at least among the upper echelon of Sword Experts.”
“Still just a swordsman, nothing more.”
“Even so, swordsmen generally possess better temperaments than mages.”
Frankly, Beleck Simour had no interest in a mage as a brother-in-law.
“Sensitive and finicky types make terrible husbands.”
“When will you ever develop any tact?!”
As the two conversed, the spatial distortion field, which had existed only as traces, began reforming and expanding. Soon, a strikingly beautiful man with an otherworldly appearance emerged slowly from the abyssal darkness.
‘What’s the timing of dawn?’
The golden hair suffused with twilight and the exquisite profile of the man created an illusion of gazing upon a masterpiece painting. Every remaining member of the investigation team stood transfixed by the sight.
“Knight Isidore… huh?”
Beleck Simour, about to acknowledge that the young man was quite capable, froze with a subtle expression.
“Drag him out immediately.”
Duke Simour commanded with eyes blazing with fury. Knight Isidore held Deborah Simour, who lay exhausted and sleeping, cradled tightly in his arms like a princess.
“….”
“….”
“Mm.”
At that very moment, Deborah Simour furrowed her brow and nestled deeper into Knight Isidore’s embrace.
Three pairs of eyes clashed sharply in the air. As Duke Simour’s murderous gaze fell upon him, Knight Isidore’s throat suddenly went dry, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.
‘I never expected to meet him like this.’
In any case, he wanted to make a good impression on his father-in-law… no, the Duke.
“I humbly greet the head of the great House of Simour, resplendent with wisdom and resonance.”
He offered a respectful greeting while wearing the charming smile that High Society noblewomen had praised as captivating.
“Perhaps you should put my sister down first before offering your greetings.”
Beleck Simour spoke with a displeased expression. Duke Simour was in a state where his rising blood pressure prevented him from speaking coherently.
“How dare you touch my daughter… in such an unbecoming manner…! Men and women must maintain propriety!”
In an instant, Knight Isidore became a shameless man, and he wet his parched lips once.
He had embraced Deborah Simour multiple times, but I swear there was no ulterior motive. A shield spell could block physical attacks, but it couldn’t stop the mana fluctuations caused by spatial distortion. The only way to minimize the impact on Deborah Simour’s body was to wrap her as much as possible with his aura-clad form.
“I was only trying to protect the lady from the fluctuations….”
Knight Isidore’s excuses fell on deaf ears, and the more he spoke, the more pathetic he sounded.
“Are you finished talking?!”
Faced with the murderous aura emanating from Duke Simour, Knight Isidore finally carefully set Deborah Simour down from his arms and apologized.
“I apologize. My judgment was lacking.”
“If you know you’re sorry, then don’t do it in the first place!”
“I will be more careful.”
“Good. See that you don’t loiter about and interfere with my daughter’s studies when she’s finally putting her mind to it. Do you understand?!”
He thundered. Though it was obvious that Knight Isidore had rescued Deborah Simour from the Subspace, Duke Simour was resolute. The Simours had always been known to repay grudges tenfold but rarely repaid kindness.
“I will never interfere with Lady Deborah’s studies. I will do my best to assist in any situation, Duke.”
At Knight Isidore’s bold response, Duke Simour’s sharp eyes twitched. The man recited plausible words while carefully avoiding any promise not to loiter about, and he subtly reminded the Duke of his help in this matter.
‘A cunning fox.’
One way or another, Knight Isidore displeased him.
“Knight Isidore.”
“Yes, Duke.”
“I cannot say you had no role in this incident. I acknowledge that part. You did well.”
“Thank you….”
“However! I doubt someone unfamiliar with magic like yourself will be of great help to my daughter’s research.”
“…I…”
As Knight Isidore opened his mouth as if to say something, Duke Simour quickly cut him off.
“Still, you seem intelligent for a knight, so I trust you understand what I’m saying. Now I’ll go see to my daughter’s comfort. You should rest as well since you’ve exerted yourself.”
Duke Simour issued an order of dismissal to Knight Isidore and checked on Deborah, who slept peacefully.
“Rest well. I will have a restorative tea sent to you.”
The Duke’s eyebrows twitched.
Offering tea as a gift was customary parting words exchanged between nobles. But what Knight Isidore had just said sounded like he intended to continue contacting Deborah Simour despite the Duke’s warning.
If no one else had been present, he would have cursed the man thoroughly. Bearing, speech, appearance, posture, expression—everything. Looking at Knight Isidore, who had no particular faults, the Duke thought.
‘Why does this man lack all humanity.’
Watching Knight Isidore bow respectfully, the Duke clicked his tongue inwardly before turning sharply. The Simours vanished in an instant through a teleportation scroll. Left alone at the scene, Knight Isidore fell into deep contemplation.
‘I… have a feeling I’m already marked.’
* * *
As soon as Deborah Simour returned, Duke Simour and Duke Montes held a meeting. It was essentially a discussion about compensation for damages.
“What do you want?”
“This won’t end with one or two things, so write it down carefully. Do you understand?”
Duke Simour issued a threat toward the scribe. The Simour side demanded not only practical compensation for damages but also psychological compensation beyond that.
Currently, the Montes were sandwiched between the Simours and the Visconti, and if war broke out, they would have to fight both families. They had no choice but to comply and extinguish the immediate fire. Moreover, since this incident had drawn the attention of High Society, it was difficult to end it with mere confinement or internal punishment.
“We will send Philaf Montes to the Outer Region for a while, where conflicts are most severe and remote. Can you overlook this much?”
“Why should we overlook anything? Make sure the man never comes to our attention on the Montes side.”
“How….”
“If you intend to continue grooming him as your heir, then for the next five years, I don’t want to hear his name in my presence, and I absolutely will not see his face.”
“….”
Though it was unreasonable, given the circumstances, Duke Montes could only grit his teeth in shame.
From heirlooms to honor—he had already lost so much, and now even his pride was crumbling. He was considering abandoning his son entirely, even contemplating elevating a distant relative as his heir. The Montes line was not so abundant in talent that such a thing was unheard of.
“And one more thing.”
Duke Simour produced a contract stipulating that the moment Philaf appeared before Deborah Simour again, his custody would be transferred to Simour.
“This is far too excessive….”
Duke Montes spoke in a hoarse voice, his jaw trembling finely. Transfer his son’s custody? It was as if he were saying that should Philaf appear even once more before his daughter, Simour would seize him and execute him! The contract appeared simple on its surface, but signing it would be equivalent to killing Philaf twice over.
In truth, it was impossible to avoid all events in the Capital connected to Deborah Simour. One had to seek suitable matches for the family, recruit talented individuals, and build solid relationships—yet to forbid all social activities under threat of death was political execution.
‘That vicious viper!’
Observing Duke Montes’s expression, filled with contempt and fury, Duke Simour’s eyes gleamed with cold light.
“Did you just say this was excessive?”
“….”
“Philaf Montes danced with my daughter and attempted a heinous crime against her. My daughter was trapped in the Subspace and nearly died there—if you find merely barring him from the Capital so excessive, then Simour will return the favor in kind.”
“….”
Confronted by Duke Simour’s killing intent, as if he would not hesitate to wage war itself, Duke Montes kept his eyes tightly shut for a long moment before finally signing the contract.
* * *
“Father! Where are you sending me!”
Upon hearing the order to depart for a region he had never heard of, Philaf thrashed about in a fit of hysteria.
“To that desolate, filthy Outer Region with nothing! I refuse, Father! I cannot! This is the time to build connections in the Central Social Circle—this is madness!”
Philaf convulsed in the Underground Prison, still shackled, but everything had already been decided. He was cast out from the glittering High Society of the Capital, banished to a harsh region no different from a convent.

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