The Unfilial Heir Who Tries to Kill Me Tempts Me - Chapter 42

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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 42

I tore open the letter in haste.
The contents were remarkably brief.
It stated that a Family Head’s Representative would soon be sent to the Territory, and alongside a warning that if the enclosed Steel Golem and Black Steel Stone were fakes meant to deceive him, he would exact a fitting price for such treachery.
I couldn’t quite tell if this was cooperation or coercion.
Well, House Vulcan’s fiery temperament had been legendary for generations, after all.
I’d succeeded in piquing their interest enough to receive a reply, but truthfully, I couldn’t call this a complete tactical victory.
Given House Vulcan’s long history, whether they’d accept a request for cooperation depended entirely on the mood of the day.
If I rubbed them the wrong way, there was a non-negligible chance they’d seize every excuse to fault me and abandon the whole affair.
Still, they were sending a Representative instead of the Family Head himself—was he recovering and unable to come in person? Given his temperament, he wouldn’t send just anyone; it’d be a close relative at the very best.
In that case, I needed to prepare on my end too.
“I’m stepping out for a bit.”
“Where are you going now?”
“To prepare for our guests?”
I slipped out of the office and headed straight for the kitchen.
There was still plenty of time before dinner, so the kitchen happened to be quiet.
“Pepe!”
“My goodness, the mage has arrived! Do you need a snack?”
Pepe, wiping her hands on her apron, hurried over from where she’d been placing bread in the oven.
Thanks to my frequent visits to the kitchen, I’d come to regard the staff here almost like family.
“Is there any chance I could get some rice and yeast? And I’d like to borrow the kitchen for a bit too.”
“Rice and yeast, you say…. Are you making bread with rice flour? If so, I can—”
“No, not bread. It’s something I need to make myself.”
Pepe cocked her head quizzically, then called over to Peter on the other side of the kitchen.
“Peter, fetch the mage a sack of rice and some yeast powder, would you?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I was shown to a corner of the kitchen and rolled up my sleeves.
Shortly after, Peter appeared with a sack of rice balanced on his shoulders, poking his head in curiously.
“Here’s the rice. But what exactly are you planning to make?”
“Fermented alcohol.”
“…Alcohol? From rice?”
Peter blinked his wide eyes, wondering why rice instead of barley. I merely offered him a knowing smile.
“There’s a way to do it.”
No negotiation was complete without alcohol—throughout all of recorded history, every great and small affair had been sealed with drink.
Naturally, this wasn’t a plan I’d concocted carelessly. The people of House Vulcan had been unable to resist spirits for generations.
The problem was that most noble families were wealthy enough to be absurd, which meant they’d tasted nearly every alcohol that existed in this world.
To tempt House Vulcan, ordinary spirits simply wouldn’t do.
So I intended to make an alcohol they’d never tasted before.
I would show them the brilliance of Korean fermented alcohol.

***

“Your Highness, I must beg once more—please remain quiet.”
“That’s the seventh time. How much further does that attitude intend to go?”
How much further, indeed.
Until scabs form on your ears.
We absolutely could not fight this time.
“I merely mean that this devoted servant shall handle all troublesome and vexing matters, so please, Your Highness, rest at ease.”
Caius let out a soft laugh at my humble excuse, deflating like a punctured bladder.
“Well, look at that.”
“You never do manage a polite answer, do you?”
“What did you just say?”
“Only that you’re in fine spirits today, sire.”
I averted my gaze from Caius’s piercing stare and held Golsuni tightly in my arms.
When would they arrive, anyway?
They ought to be coming soon now.
Thump.
Thump, thump.
Suddenly, a faint tremor began beneath my feet.
Squeak?
Golsuni, startled, burrowed into my arms with a soft thump.
They’ve arrived.
“Looks like they’re here,” I murmured.
I shaded my eyes with my hand and gazed across the horizon.
A brilliant procession glimmered into view from the distant skyline.
The first thing that caught my eye was the towering antler of an Elk. A herd of deer draped in steel armor walked forward with grand bearing, scattering the blazing sunlight in every direction. Behind them came a glittering Metal Carriage flanked by an honor guard.
“…Are those the Vulcans everyone keeps talking about?”
“According to Merry, the Family Head took to the Polar Region recently for recuperation, but I guess he’s developed a taste for Elk this time.”
Even as I spoke, I felt beads of sweat gathering on my brow.
I’d expected a grand entrance, but Elk and a Metal Carriage—that was something else.
There was a palpable determination in the display, even with the Family Head absent: a refusal to yield the advantage.
This won’t be easy.
At last, the procession passed through the Grand Duchy Castle’s main gate and halted before the keep. The guards in gleaming metal armor moved in perfect unison, and the carriage door swung open. Out stepped a towering figure.
A muscular man with shaggy red hair hung low, easily over two meters tall.
Wow.
Good heavens.
Taller than Caius—a rarity on the Continent. So House Vulcan produced one.
The man’s long bangs shadowed his face as he looked down at Caius with arrogance, then extended a rough hand.
“Arthur Vulcan. I’ve come in my father’s stead.”
“Yes! Hello!”
I cut in before Caius could respond, seizing the moment to pump his hand enthusiastically—though his palm was so massive I ended up grasping only a single finger.
“So you’re his son after all! How wonderful to meet you. I’m the mage who sent the letters—Charlotte. And this is our Grand Duke.”
But something was off about Arthur Vulcan’s reaction.
He’d turned toward me with indifference, then suddenly went rigid. His eyes widened, and his thick lips moved silently.
“…An angel?”
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“Ah, I—well, yes, I—m-met, pleased, to meet you….”
Arthur seemed to snap to his senses and staggered backward. Then he scrubbed his hand vigorously on his tunic before taking mine again and shaking it with utmost care.
……?
What’s this?
Why has he suddenly become so gentle?
“Arthur Vulcan, are you all right?”
“Yes? Yes! I’m fine.”
Are you, though?
I stared at him openly, unable to hide my bewilderment. When our eyes met, Arthur flinched and his gaze scattered before he finally turned his head away.
…Ah, could it be?
Does he have difficulty with women?
House Vulcan had long practiced Strategic Marriage to preserve their lineage. Like many obsessives devoted to their craft, many of them had never met someone of the opposite sex before marriage. If Arthur hadn’t yet wed, it was entirely possible.
Hmm.
Whatever the reason, it seems to be working in our favor.
I turned back slightly and shot Caius a thumbs-up.
“…Heh.”
And why are you smirking like that?
I sent Caius a silent warning not to tease, then flashed Arthur a warm smile.
“The journey here wasn’t too taxing, I hope? It must have been quite far, traveling to the edge of the Continent. You’ve gone to considerable trouble. Thank you again for your kindness.”
“Not taxing at all!”
Oh my.
His ears are turning red.
“I—I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. I’m just glad it wasn’t difficult for you.”
Get a grip.
This is business.
“Would you like to rest first? Or we can go see the helmet right away if you’d prefer.”
“Rest isn’t necessary. I’d like to see the helmet at once.”
“Of course. If you’ll come this way, I’ll show you.”
Squeak, squeak!
Golsuni led the way, practically bouncing with excitement as we arrived behind the castle.
The Steel Golem Helmet loomed between the towering structures like an enormous dome.
“It’s here. As I mentioned in the letter, I haven’t touched anything except for the sample portion I sent you.”
Squeak!
Golsuni bounded forward and rubbed himself frantically against the helmet. Perhaps the Steel Golem’s essence still lingered in it—whenever Golsuni approached this helmet, he seemed to grow visibly cheerful.
“As you can see, this is no counterfeit. It’s an actual fragment of the Steel Golem, last sighted thousands of years ago.”
I stepped back and gestured to him, inviting him to examine it as closely as he wished.
Arthur moved nearer, studying the helmet with careful attention. He nodded slowly.
“This metal is truly unlike anything I’ve encountered before. And the shape of the helmet itself…it’s beyond what any ordinary craftsman could achieve. I’ve seen references to it in old texts. Yes, this is definitely from the Steel Golem.”
Gone was the hesitant, hunched demeanor from moments before. His eyes gleamed now, his voice steady with conviction.
“You’re right. Which is why we cannot work this material with the techniques available to us. That’s precisely why we’re hoping House Vulcan will take this on.”
He stepped back, avoiding my gaze as he spoke.
“I heard from my father that this armor was meant for the Flying Knight Order. We need to be precise about that detail. I still don’t understand how horses could possibly fly….”
“I never mentioned horses.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Look—they’re arriving now.”
A vast shadow fell across the sky above us. I lifted my head and saw five pairs of enormous wings cutting through the heavens—a Griffin, its silhouette unmistakable.
Screeeee!
The Griffin descended from the sky in a brilliant aerial roll, stirring fierce winds before landing hard upon the earth.
Wonder flooded across Arthur’s face.
“Let me introduce you.”
I smiled.
“Luciphenia’s most classified project—the Griffin Knight Order.”

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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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