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72 Chapter

“……I sense someone approaching. It’s best we start to leave.”

Worrying over Diego, who was making strange noises with his face buried in his hands, I raised my eyebrows at the sound of footsteps nearing.

“You go ahead first. I think I need a bit more fresh air…”

He mumbled while gazing at the night sky with a look of utter disappointment. If we were seen leaving together, rumors would surely spread again, so I bowed briefly to Diego and stepped out to the balcony as he suggested.

‘At this point, returning wouldn’t be rude.’

I pulled out my pocket watch from my uniform jacket to check the time. Since this was a royal ball, one had to stay for at least a couple of hours out of courtesy, and it was already nearing two hours since it started.

‘Arya must be busy… I wonder if Karl will accompany me back.’

With Arya establishing herself as the emperor of the social circle, she had become very busy every time such events came around. Karl, however, had no interest in socializing, ready to drink wine and leave the moment it was polite to do so, without looking back.

‘It’s a pity I didn’t get to meet Lewellin, but I should quickly return if I want to practice a little before bed.’

After we agreed to be friends, Lewellin and I maintained a fairly close relationship, spending time together at least once a week, so it was hardly surprising we grew close quickly.

I had heard Lewellin would be attending this banquet, but it seemed I had been wandering in only the most obscure corners, as I hadn’t seen her even once. I sighed at the missed opportunity, stepping away from the banquet hall to take Karl back.

“Let go! I said let go!”

I halted at the sounds of two voices coming from the opposite end of the hallway. This place was designed for nobles to enjoy secret meetings, dark and isolated. For a woman to be yelling to let go and a man responding with a gruff voice was a clear sign of trouble.

However, the reason my body stiffened was that the woman’s voice was incredibly familiar to me.

‘Lewellin!’

As soon as I realized the source of the sound, I bolted in that direction.

‘There she is!’

Peeking out from the wall where the corridor bent to the right, I spotted Lewellin being dragged by a man who had her by the hair. With her disheveled appearance, Lewellin was resisting, but unable to muster the strength to break free. I couldn’t suppress my rising anger at the brutal grip he had on her.

“You’re so utterly low, which is why you can’t be the successor!”

As she struggled, Lewellin spat out those words. The moment she said that, the man dragging her to a halt turned, furious.

“This crazy chick… what did you just say?”

With a menacing glare, the man released his hold on Lewellin’s hair and faced her. Even as his black eyes shone with rage, Lewellin didn’t flinch. Her green eyes were ablaze with a fiery spirit.

The man gritted his teeth in response.

“How dare you disgrace me in front of others and still remain unfazed…”

“Disgrace? That’s amusing, Märhen Deckardo. I only spoke the truth.”

Lewellin’s lips twisted into a slight smirk resembling a cold business smile.

“The successor of Deckardo is determined solely by individual capability, regardless of birth order or gender. Our father has yet to designate a successor among us, and how could you flaunt yourself as the heir in front of everyone?”

The man’s eyes blazed with fury as I quickly pieced together the situation from their exchange.

‘I suspected he resembled Lewellin… it must be Märhen Deckardo.’

With his fiery red hair and black eyes, he bore striking features similar to Lewellin, being born ten months before her and currently her greatest concern.

“Märhen is greedy and violent. He has a short temper and, though he’s my brother, he’s simply intolerable. What I can’t endure is that he has no capability. I know… if Deckardo falls into Märhen’s hands, it will surely choose the path of ruin. Father knows this, which is why he has been asking me since a young age if I wouldn’t consider taking the path of succession.”

At first, Lewellin was too scared of Märhen to speak openly about him. However, as she spent more time with me and gained courage, she finally opened up about her deepest worries.

“I suspected there might be something amiss given two grown children yet the current Marquis Chesler Deckardo still hasn’t announced a successor… but I never imagined it would be this kind of problem.”

Her brother, Märhen Deckardo, was not only a terrible personality but utterly useless, truly a piece of garbage. Moreover, he was vain and boastful, squandering the Deckardo family’s wealth, declaring himself a successor even without being designated.

In the Deckardo family, the designation of a successor comes down solely to capability, irrespective of all else. Due to Märhen’s lack of suitability, the current Marquis Chesler repeatedly asked Lewellin if she would consider taking the position.

“In truth, Lewellin is the perfect heir for the business family of Deckardo.”

The more I got to know Lewellin, the more I realized that she was truly a born entrepreneur.

“I heard the Hannes business is doing quite well. However, the recent event at the tailor’s shop seems to have been a bit of a misstep. The attempt wasn’t bad, but the targeted audience was off. Maybe suggest to Arya to reconsider the event’s target next time.”

In terms of cold-headed analysis and commercial intuition, Lewellin was even more of a genius than Arya. Despite viewing Arya as her rival, she respected the young lady for her successful ventures. During our time spent together, Lewellin casually dropped business tips.

Whenever I shared the insights I gained from talking to her with Arya, even Arya, who didn’t particularly like Lewellin, would nod in agreement. Clearly, Lewellin was born for business.

Noticing this early on, Marquis Chesler worked tirelessly to ensure Lewellin was trained as a successor since childhood, yet Lewellin hesitated to assume that role.

‘Because of Märhen.’

Lewellin was very cautious in discussing herself, and I only learned this story when she finally opened up to me.

“Since childhood, Märhen was terrifying. Whenever I tried to do something productive… he’d drag me to the mirror and yell that my only useful feature was my face. He wouldn’t let me go unless I agreed. Even when I was supposed to be learning succession, he’d disrupt the lessons. I vowed I wouldn’t be swayed by Märhen, but then, as I grew, I realized one day that I was living in accordance with his snide remarks all along. Out of fear of Märhen, I couldn’t seek the position of successor, and I became obsessed with my beauty.”

This was undoubtedly emotional abuse, yet Lewellin received no protection. Her mother died giving birth to her, and Chesler was too busy to notice the turmoil between the children, while the Deckardo servants maintained silence. In the perfectly meritocratic family of Deckardo, one had to navigate everything on their own.

Due to Märhen’s brainwashing, Lewellin grew to obsess over her beauty. She learned that beauty was her only value.

Not long after entering the social circle, Lewellin soon began to crave power within it. Her wide social circle was the only power she could wield as someone who couldn’t become a successor.

Having finally claimed the title of social circle empress, Lewellin still found no happiness thereafter. What she truly desired was the position of a businesswoman, where she could fully showcase her strengths.

Those surrounding her were either men entranced by her beauty or merchants drawn in by the Deckardo family’s wealth.

‘She lived with an endless thirst, not even aware of what was lacking in her life. Terrified of facing her fears, she chose to live as a flower while never ceasing her grievances about life. Her discontent made her character sharper and sharper. At the very moment her doubts about life and increasing obsession over her accumulated power in the social circle peaked, I came into her life.’

On the day I saved Lewellin, she mentioned it was the first time she truly cared about another person.

“In the original story, it seems this interest morphs into a misguided love for Rainer that leads to Lewellin’s complete downfall… I’m glad I managed to save her.”

Lewellin couldn’t help but become curious about who I was, as I had vanished after saving her without being greedy for her appearance or the wealth of Deckardo.

“I envy your forward attitude, Shu Shu, caring little for others’ opinions. I worry that being so straightforward might draw unwanted attention, but… that’s precisely why I like you. Shu Shu, I won’t merely stop at envy. You’ve instilled in me the confidence that if you can do it, so can I. You said you would protect what you love with your sword? I love my family and business. I can’t stand to see them fall under the foolishness of Märhen. With my own abilities, I will protect what I love from Märhen.”

Lewellin truly shone like fire. She claimed that her determination was all thanks to me, but my view was slightly different.

Lewellin was born as a flame. The moment I looked into her eyes, burning with chill and ambition, I understood. I had merely tossed a small log onto that flame; all her resolutions and actions came from within her.

“Lewellin, why have you changed so much? You used to obey so well, didn’t you? Are you mad at your brother?”

Though I sensed shouting at her wouldn’t sway her, Märhen approached Lewellin gently. Lewellin smiled coldly.

“I haven’t changed. I only pretended to listen because you were scary; I’ve always been this way. And we’re the same age, so stop acting like an older brother. You should quit claiming to be the successor.”

Märhen’s expression crumpled at Lewellin’s sharp tone. Was he displeased that Lewellin didn’t comply with his will? He gritted his teeth.

“The successor of Deckardo is me! You acknowledged that, didn’t you?”

“No! I’ve never once acknowledged you as a successor! You cannot even control your feelings, throwing punches at the slightest provocation, yet you claim to be capable? How could I recognize someone like you as a successor? It’s like wishing for the ruin of our family!”

The atmosphere grew intensely charged, on the verge of explosive. Perhaps it was the first time Märhen heard such direct words from Lewellin; his surprise widened his eyes as he glared in fury. The fierce clash of his stormy black eyes and Lewellin’s fearless green orbs was riveting.

“……I understand now. What’s ruined you is that you must have met the eldest daughter of Krisis, right? That insane girl who wears men’s clothing.”

Lewellin’s face hardened in anger. With fierce eyes, she growled.

“Shut up. That name shouldn’t pass your filthy lips.”

“Right, it’s all because of her! Has she poisoned you with her corrupt influence? It’s utterly laughable! That girl of unknown origin has tainted you!”

“Shut up!”

This was the first time I saw Lewellin so enraged. With tears streaming down her dress, shaking as if she might slap Märhen, she looked ready to strike.

“That girl planted false hopes in you, saying you could become a successor? I’ve known she was insane the moment I heard she brandished a sword! How could a woman wield a sword?!”

Lewellin’s face turned pale with anger, yet I remained unfazed by the insults directed at me. On the contrary, I felt concern for Lewellin.

‘When Lewellin gets this angry…’

 

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