Dalia's predictions of Duke Artus were mostly correct.
The Duke of Artus could not hide his nervousness when he heard that Beolde had returned.
He recently heard that Beolde was leading a criminal organization. So he went to threaten her using that excuse.
However, when he went to visit her at her base, Beolde was the one who threatened to burst open his head.
On his way out, he even bumps into the worst mistake of his life.
Given the circumstances in which Beolde returned after the meeting, it seemed that the two had already met and were determined to take Artus.
Although he had been pretending to be a good man, Duke Artus was not a good person, even for a joke.
Even though he had a wife, he had several illegitimate children. When no transcendent was born from her, his wife slowly began to suspect his infidelity.
But he did not admit it until the end. No matter what happened, he continued to feign ignorance.
However, the moment one of his illegitimate children was born with the transcendental trait, he was already doomed.
Unlike his wife, all his children knew of his infidelity.
It's because Meldon had turned the house upside down the other day. It was to give up the position as Verix's adopted son and raise funds for his business.
Duke Artus boldly offered him a large sum of money and urged him not to appear before his eyes again.
Unfortunately, Meldon was not a conscientious person who will really disappear just because he received the money.
Rather, looking at the current situation, he was someone who managed to sweet-talk Beolde to swallow the position of Duke of Artus because he could not get enough money.
'I can't lose my family like this!'
However, a ducal family that did not produce a transcendent is no longer meaningful as a ducal family.
Recently, he felt that the Artus family was clearly inferior to the other families.
That was why he began to communicate secretly with the Holy Empire.
A minor leverage. A sense of crisis that can no longer be pushed back.
But a real successor has appeared. It was also an unwelcome heir who harbored a grudge against this family.
As soon as Meldon is officially incorporated into the Artus family, he will succeed the family, then he and his children will be treated less than the collateral family and will be kicked out of the local estates.
'If I get pushed here, it's over.'
He had to use all means.
Thanks to this, Duke Artus held a family meeting with the rest of his family, except for his wife, with a splint on his hand.
The second daughter, Merida Artus, who listened to the story while trimming her nails, urged the Duke to commit suicide quickly.
"Isn't it better to die than to live so pathetically? If it were me, I would rather die."
Turning 19 this year, she was the number one contributor in harassing Adrisha with her venomous words in several routes in the original story.
Among the original fans, her nickname was 'The Viper's Mouth'.
She knew that whoever became a duke in this family would not be her anyway.
So instead of coming up with productive measures, she chose a route that would scratch the temper of her father and brother.
However Felix, the oldest son, had a different idea.
He had a firm belief that he would be the next Duke of Artus.
He was seriously shocked that another person could become the duke instead of him.
"You must not let that damn illegitimate child even set foot in this family!"
"He already came a while ago."
"Shut up, Merida."
"You need to think about this realistically. Without a transcendent, we have no weapon against that illegitimate child."
The only thing that can recognize a transcendent is another transcendent.
Currently, there is no transcendent in Artus. If all the other three transcendent families acknowledge that Meldon is a transcendent of Artus, they had no other choice but to incorporate him into the family.
Felix shut his mouth.
He was a little more stupid than Merida, but this time he had to admit what she had just said.
After much contemplation, he came up with a new plan.
"How about this?"
"Let's hear what other nonsense you want to talk about."
"Hey!"
Felix yelled at her.
Although Merida didn't know about anything else, his temper when he flipped out was terrifying. She quietly shut her mouth.
"If that illegitimate child has joined hands with the Mershain family, then we are also joining hands with the other Ducal families."
Duke Artus thought that it was not a bad idea. But there were some doubts.
"But the Blueport Ducal family has always been neutral in any matter, hasn't it?"
"There's another family left, isn't it?"
"...…the Pesteros?"
He recalled Hikan Pesteros, the current head of Pesteros.
He was a cold young man who seemed like he would not bleed even a drop if he was stabbed with a needle.
"Are you confident that you can convince him?"
"No, not him."
"Then?"
"Rumor has it that he will listen to anything his sister, Dalia Pesteros says. I'll make her be on our side."
"Oh."
Duke Artus nodded his head.
Other than that, Felix Artus was an outstanding good-looking man who would not lose anywhere as far as his face was concerned.
The young ladies around Dalia Pesteros's age always followed him whenever they made eye contact. Obviously his persuasion will work.
However Merida thought differently.
Dalia Pesteros's partner at the banquet is the Second Prince.
She doesn't know what is the relationship between Cedric and Dalia, but that is the first time Cedric, who had never brought a partner to any banquet, brought someone with him.
At least they're friends.
Sadly, Duke Artus thinks his child is the most handsome in the world.
But objectively speaking, no matter how handsome Felix is, it was nothing compared to Cedric Michelio's appearance.
'I'd rather stick with that illegitimate child than this family.'
Merida quickly set her course.
Her expectations for this family have long been gone since the time she discovered that they were in contact with other countries with the excuse of expanding connection.
Not knowing that his younger sister had given up on him, Felix had already begun to shape his plan.
'As expected, if I want to make her fall for me, it's better to create a disruption, right?'
He was deeply engrossed in his thoughts.
The consequences of that troublesome thought were now beginning in the second part of the banquet.
* * *
Dalia stared blankly at the person who appeared in front of her. Then, she hurriedly bowed her knees and waist to greet him.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Pesteros'..."
"That's all right."
The Empress cut off her greetings.
Dalia, who was still having a hard time saying a long greeting, got up happily.
The Empress spoke with an awkward look on her face.
"I just came here because I thought I did something wrong just now."
It was something that she never expected to hear from the Empress. Dalia waved her hand hastily in bewilderment.
"That's not true. How, how impudent of me to hear such words!"
"Thank you for bringing back my insufficient sister. Even though I wrote dozens of letters and begged her, she was the type of person who would not even lift an eye."
The Empress lowered her long eyelashes and had a gloomy expression.
'Ah.'
Dalia seemed to understand why the Empress was particularly coy with her.
"I'm very grateful to young lady Dalia for many things. You're my son's first partner....I'm here to tell you this, so don't worry too much."
The Empress looked somewhat dispirited.
Dalia didn't know what to say, so she only managed to give a formal gratitude.
At that time, a young lady around Dalia's age appeared. Their conversation wasn't over yet, but it was a rather surprising appearance.
She gave the Empress and Cedric an exaggerated courtesy.
Lady Eridon Mars of Mars county.
She was the Empress's lady-in-waiting last year. The Empress hastily dissuaded her. It feels awkward.
"Stop it. What's going on?"
"No, I'm just here to give greetings because I'm glad to see Your Majesty after a long time.…."
"Yeah, nice to meet you too."
The Empress seemed to want to leave immediately, but she paused for a moment when she saw Dalia.
Then she looked at Eridon awkwardly and said.
"This is lady Dalia Pesteros. She is the younger sister of the Duke of Pesteros. Have you greeted her separately?"
"N, no."
"Then you can greet her now. Since you are about the same age, it would be good to become good friends."
For the lady of the Count, the position as the Empress's lady-in-waiting took up a somewhat large position in the social circles.
Even though she wasn't on par with Dalia, she was a good person to be acquainted with.
Dalia was grateful for the willingness to do anything for her. Dalia bowed slightly toward the Empress.
"Thank you for your kindness."
The Empress accepts her greetings. She hesitated because it was ambiguous to leave immediately. Then, Eridon bowed to Dalia.
Translator note: enjoy your day!! Don't forget to add it to your library.