The Unfilial Heir Who Tries to Kill Me Tempts Me - Chapter 46

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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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Episode 46.

I flinched and quickly shoved the Black Crystal into my pocket.
Kaius approached with a playful quirk of one eyebrow.
“You look exactly like someone caught plotting a rebellion.”
“A rebellion? Why would you say something so violent?”
“Never mind, then.”
He gave a casual shrug.
Thank goodness.
He didn’t see the Black Crystal.
I eased back a step and wedged the stone deeper into my skirt pocket.
Kaius asked Arthur, “Are you leaving now?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve had a wonderful time, thanks to your hospitality. The wine especially was magnificent. My father will be delighted to hear of it.”
“Hmm.”
Kaius shrugged indifferently.
I forced a smile while desperately ignoring the weight of his gaze on my cheek.
“I’ll send the armor as soon as it’s completed. A month should suffice — do review the first piece when it arrives and send any adjustments you require. We’ll modify it to fit your needs as closely as possible. And…”
Arthur looked at me shyly.
“If there’s anything else you need, please send word at any time. I’ll help however I can.”
“Thank you so much.”
I’m not sure why, but it seems I’ve won his goodwill. If Vulcan becomes an ally, that’s nothing but gain.
“…You’re certainly busy with smiles all around.”
“Pardon? Did you say something?”
“No.”
Kaius shook his head and turned to Arthur. “Do you need an escort?”
“No, I’ll depart immediately.”
“How fortunate. I was only asking out of courtesy.”
He grinned and suddenly pulled me close by the shoulder.
“Your Highness?”
What is this sudden behavior?
“Off you go, then. And you—stay a moment.”
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
Bewildered, I let him lead me inside the castle. Just before we climbed the stairs, Kaius released my shoulder and abruptly turned around.
“…Why are you—”
“Wait, don’t say anything.”
He cupped my cheek gently in one hand.
What is this?
Unable to make sense of his strange behavior, my eyes darted about uncertainly.
Meanwhile, Kaius studied me intently and spoke. “Smile for me.”
“…I’m sorry?”
“Smile. A real one.”
Is this some new form of torment?
I had plenty to say, but his piercing golden gaze left me far too uncomfortable to protest.
In the end, desperate to escape this uncomfortable moment, I forced my lips upward into an awkward smile.
My cheeks were compressed so tightly that my whole face felt distorted.
“Is that good enough?”
Kaius didn’t answer. Instead, his golden eyes swept across my face with relentless intensity, clinging stubbornly to every detail.
“I… can’t… breathe… properly…”
Just as I thought I might suffocate from the discomfort, Kaius’s hand finally relaxed.
The face that had been mere inches from mine suddenly pulled away.
“So that’s it, then.”
“…Pardon?”
“It was just a misunderstanding after all.”
What?
If you’re going to do something strange to someone, at least have the decency to explain yourself.

Kaius answered lightly when he saw the bewildered expression on my face.
“I checked my mental state. Just confirmed I’m perfectly sound.”
“I… beg your pardon?”
“But you should refrain from smiling, if possible.”
What on earth was he talking about?
A hundred question marks floated above my head, but Kaius seemed to have no intention of elaborating further.
Instead, with an unburdened expression, he turned away without hesitation.
“Come along. I have something to show you.”
After we arrived at the study, Kaius held something out before me.
It was a black crystal, its surface ringed with sharp spikes.
“This is….”
“Do you know what it is?”
I couldn’t conceal my shock.
“Where did you find this?”
“Just as I thought—you’re familiar with it.”
Kaius nodded as though he’d expected nothing less.
“A report came in from a knight this morning. He happened to visit the port near Saldwich and discovered something like this there. It’s outside my territory, but given the circumstances, it seems to be connected to Dark Magic practitioners.”
The man was uncanny.
He’d grasped it immediately.
This was a Black Mana Crystal.
It was the product of dangerous Dark Magic—when implanted in a human body and infused with magical power, it caused mutations.
The problem was….
“Why was this discovered by Lusiphenia’s knights….”
The Black Mana Crystal was a crucial clue that Leoni, the female protagonist, was supposed to find.
When Leoni visited Saldwich to recuperate and happened upon this crystal, it was through this discovery that she would come to recognize the existence of an evil Dark Magic faction.
‘The Gal-kkamakwi’.
The shadow mastermind of this novel, and the name of the Dark Magic faction that served him.
They had implanted these crystals into people’s bodies, turning them into Mutants. Those transformed lost even their sense of self, thoroughly exploited and then discarded.
In short, this was the opening signal that the main narrative was truly beginning.
But why in the world was it here?
“Charlotte Schmidt?”
“Yes?”
“What are you thinking?”
“Well….”
I gauged his reaction before speaking.
“I think it would be better to return this to where it was found.”
Without this crystal, Leoni would never learn of the sinister forces’ conspiracy lurking in this world.
Who would protect the world? Who would uncover the truth?
Households would crumble.
Society would crumble.
The world would crumble.
And my plan to retire quietly would crumble along with it.
Kaius’s eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean? That it’s unrelated to Dark Magic?”
“Well, that is to say….”
It shouldn’t be discovered by us….
Those words rose all the way to my throat, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak them aloud.
And if Kaius decided to test me again after that, what then? I’d only just escaped the shadow of that murder threat.
I seriously considered how to phrase this so that I could return it to its original location.
Then Kaius, who had been staring at me intently, nodded.
“Yes, do that.”
“Pardon?”
“Let’s return it as you suggested.”
…What?
That easily?
“You’re certain, sir?”
“In my territory, you’re the one most knowledgeable about Dark Magic. Surely you wouldn’t deceive me at the cost of your own life. I should follow the judgment of an expert.”
Good heavens.
Our Kaius has truly changed.
Unsure whether I should be shocked by this sudden shift in attitude or moved by it, I simply gazed up at him with shining eyes.
“Your Highness….”
“What’s with that look now?”
“It’s nothing. I’ll find the exact location where it was originally. With Tracking Magic, it won’t take long.”
Kaius tucked the crystal into a leather pouch and pushed himself to his feet.
“Then get ready. We leave in an hour.”
Huh?
“…I’m going too?”
“You just said you could find the location, didn’t you?”
“I was only planning to draw you a map….”
“Guide me there in person.”
“Forgive me, but couldn’t you go alone this time?”
I really didn’t want to go.
It wasn’t simply a matter of mood.
If I went to Saldwich now, I’d almost certainly run into Leoni.
I’d discovered the Black Mana Crystal about a week after she’d arrived in Saldwich.
Which meant Leoni was already there, still lingering in that city.
The last time I’d seen her was in that prison cell, and our parting words had been “let’s never see each other again”—and here I was, about to run into her less than six months later. What did that make me?
And I’d made my peace with the fact that I didn’t want anything more to do with the protagonists. I wanted to vanish from their memory for good.
I pleaded with Kaius.
“Think about it carefully. Saldwich isn’t that far from your domain anyway. Besides, the domain’s court mage is stationed there—you can’t even infiltrate it with Teleportation Magic.”
“Ah, I see.”
“You’ll leave me behind, won’t you?”
“Hurry and prepare.”
“Why!”
Why must he torment only me!
I stamped my foot in frustration, but the narcissistic sociopath before me didn’t budge an inch.
“Well.”
Kaius smiled faintly.
“The journey would be too lonely otherwise.”
What in the world was he saying.

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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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