Published: January 22, 2026
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"...You endured well. I was nervous they might kill the two of them right there. Luckily, neither of them seemed to notice your killing intent."
After leaving the count’s office, Marius spoke as he moved to an empty small room.
"I feel like crushing Father right now."
Hearing Marius’s voice, Selma ended her Hide support magic and appeared.
Her expression was filled with an indescribable rage.
Earlier in the office, not only Marius, the count, and Aldo were present, but Selma had also been there, hidden by Hide support magic.
Since Selma, who adored Sophia, couldn’t find out what the count and others were plotting, Marius, who had earned a certain level of trust from the count, volunteered to extract the information.
"I’m the one who will crush that beast. I won’t allow even you, Selma, to steal that role."
"If I can save Sophia, that’s enough. But why would you, who have been indifferent to Sophia, cooperate with me?"
Thanks to Marius’s cooperation, Selma learned why Sophia was brought to Darane.
However, Marius had so far maintained indifference toward Sophia.
Therefore, his cooperation in her favor was unexpected to Selma.
"Sorry for answering a question with another question, but why do you want to save Sophia, Selma?"
"Because she’s my sister. I only need that one reason to want to save the only beloved sister I have in this world, don’t I?"
Selma answered immediately with a clear gaze to Marius’s question.
Receiving her words, Marius muttered with a gentle expression, "We’re alike after all. Of course, since we’re siblings."
His voice was filled with the same kindness as his expression.
"...Didn’t you hate Sophia? You even said, 'I don’t have time to deal with the stain on the family.'"
"If Selma really thought that about me, then my acting was quite convincing."
"What do you mean?"
"When I heard a servant was pregnant with Father’s child, I was happy thinking a new brother or sister would be born. But at the same time, I despised that man who drowned in lust. I couldn’t forgive that such a man, who couldn’t even control his own desires, ruled this land and led its people."
Marius spoke as if releasing the anger he had bottled up in his heart.
"So, from that day on, I moved with the goal of pulling that man down from the lordship throne as soon as possible. But the nobles of this country hold enormous power. Back then, I was just a small fry who would have been easily crushed if I rebelled."
"So that’s why you didn’t blame Father?"
"Exactly. To gather strength and crush that man. I know my own nature. If I got involved with Sophia, I’d spoil her just like with you. That wouldn’t please that man or Mother. So, I decided to remain indifferent to Sophia."
"…"
Selma’s expression was complicated after hearing Marius’s story.
While understanding the true intent behind his actions, they also contributed to hurting Sophia.
"But this ends now. I finally got the weapon to smash that man. Though it’s to save the people, secretly trading with the Empire, our enemy nation, is an unmistakable act of treason... Well, I no longer have the right to pretend to be Sophia’s older brother anyway."
◇　◇　◇
"The Count Claudel was trading with the Empire, you say?"
Together with my older brother, I decided to overthrow Father — Count Claudel.
If Father falls, the headship will inevitably pass to my brother.
If my brother becomes head, he can cancel Sophia’s marriage arrangement by his authority.
Normally, once a marriage is arranged, it’s hard to undo, but the other party is a noble of the Empire.
Since it’s an enemy nation, forcibly nullifying the arrangement is possible.
To justify our actions, we decided to inform Lucy of Father’s secret dealings with the Empire.
Listening to my brother, Lucy closed her eyes and pondered.
"We don’t want Princess Lucilla to immediately denounce your father. We’d like her to overlook your actions for a while."
My brother then explained to Lucy why he shared this information.