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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 15
"Did you order them to slander the main family?"
"Y-Yes."
"!!"
As Kox spoke the truth under the Seal of Restraint, everyone's eyes widened as if they would tear apart.
Count Khazar, in particular, was struck with immense shock.
The person he trusted the most had schemed against his son.
"Why did you do it?"
"Th-That… That is… Kuaagh! I was ordered to."
Kox struggled desperately to resist the curse, but in the end, he screamed and spoke the truth.
"Ordered?"
"Th… Khhh… It was… Kuaaagh!! Someone who knew about the wrongdoings I committed against the Khazar Count’s family threatened me. That person ordered me to ruin the young master. Since his childhood, for a long time."
Each and every word was shocking.
Kox had been committing various offenses against the Khazar family all this time, and there was someone behind him who had instigated the downfall of Christian?
"The wrongdoings you committed—you're talking about the embezzlement you've been doing for years, aren't you?"
"…Y-Yes."
That much was already known.
The most crucial truth remained.
"Who is it?"
"!!"
"Who gave you that order?"
The butler, Kox, trembled violently.
"P-Please… If I say this… I… Kuaaaagh!!"
He tried to resist, but it was futile.
"Speak. Now."
With that command, Kox’s mouth opened.
"…It was Lord Ashid."
"…What?"
In that instant, Chris froze.
No, it wasn't just him.
Everyone present stiffened—no, they turned deathly pale.
That was how shocking the name was.
"The heir of the Demonic House, Lord Ashid de Baron."
* * *
Silence filled the hall.
Ashid de Baron.
A name known by everyone present.
The greatest genius of the next generation within the Demonic House.
Among the five princes engaged in the succession battle, he was the closest to becoming the 'Grand Prince.'
And such a man had ordered Christian's downfall?
‘This is absurd.’
Yet, it was the truth forced out by the Seal of Restraint.
It was no lie.
Kox collapsed onto the floor, his face blank with despair.
“L-Lord Ashid is a terrifying person… I-I… I’m as good as dead now….”
He was utterly consumed by fear.
Everyone realized it once again.
This was no lie. It was real.
But why?
‘Lord Ashid is an existence so great that he cannot even be compared to Young Master Christian.’
Comparing the two was like comparing the brilliant moon shining in the sky to debris on the street.
Regardless, the reason didn’t matter.
‘What happens now?’
‘This will cause an enormous ripple.’
The legitimate heir of the Demonic House had schemed against Christian, and that truth had been exposed before everyone.
With things as they were, it wasn’t Ashid who was in trouble—it was Count Khazar’s family.
The Khazar family was merely a branch family, whereas Ashid was the most likely successor to lead the main house in the future.
If their relationship soured, the ones who would ultimately suffer would be Count Khazar’s household.
‘How will the Count handle this?’
It was a dilemma with no easy solution.
Then, a sound broke the heavy silence.
Step—
Christian moved forward.
Towards Kox, who was collapsed on the ground.
All eyes turned to Christian, and what followed left everyone in shock.
Swoosh!
Christian raised his sword and struck Kox’s neck.
It happened so suddenly that no one could react.
Blood splattered, and Kox’s severed head fell to the floor.
Covered in blood, Christian turned to his father.
“I have punished the criminal on behalf of the Count’s authority.”
“…….”
A heavy silence filled the room.
A few sharp-witted individuals quickly realized why Christian had executed Kox so urgently.
But no one dared to speak.
Everyone simply watched Count Khazar and Christian.
Finally, Count Khazar let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“…Let’s talk in private, my son.”
* * *
Christian headed to the Count’s office.
Once they were alone, the Count let out a long sigh.
“Sit. Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“I see. It’s not exactly a situation for a leisurely drink.”
The Count looked at Christian.
“Today’s events. No, even your recent return to debauchery—was all of it intentional?”
“Yes, that’s correct. I suspected Butler Kox and deliberately showed weakness to lure him into a trap. I apologize for not informing you beforehand.”
“…No, never mind.”
The Count shook his head.
Apologize?
Christian had accomplished something great.
If not for him, they might never have discovered the butler’s true nature.
“Here, this is my personal investigation into the embezzlement the butler has committed over the years. He was incredibly meticulous in covering his tracks.”
He had obtained the records with the help of his maid, Banshee.
Banshee was a ghost that had lived in the Count’s estate for a long time, practically a native. She wasn’t suspected by anyone and had secretly stolen the budget ledgers the butler had handled every night.
Christian had reviewed the ledgers, pinpointed irregularities, and verified his suspicions using Tern’s authority as the successor.
“…Impressive.”
Count Khazar, after reading through the documents Christian handed him, let out a deep sigh of admiration.
Just as Christian had said, the butler had embezzled funds in a cunning manner. That was why Count Khazar and others had been deceived.
Yet, Christian had uncovered everything and investigated it thoroughly.
“When did you even study accounting?”
“I never did. I just glanced at it and figured it out. As you know, I’m a genius.”
Count Khazar scoffed in disbelief.
‘He calls this something a genius can do? This is beyond that.’
Just how much was his son planning to surprise him?
Looking up, he saw Christian standing tall and confident.
It was real. His son had truly changed from the wastrel he once was.
Not only that—
He had become a completely different person, continuously accomplishing things that were almost unbelievable.
And with that realization, a fiery rage surged within him.
‘He dared to slander my son?! That damned brat, Ashid!’
Even worse, if Kox’s words were to be believed, Ashid had influenced Christian’s descent into debauchery during his childhood.
The very person who had ruined his son.
Unforgivable.
“Why did you do it?”
“…What?”
“Why did you cut off Kox’s head and cover up this incident? We did nothing wrong.”
“You believe I executed Kox to cover this up?”
“Isn’t that the case? By killing Kox, you eliminated the witness, making it harder to hold Ashid accountable. Of course, considering the position of Count Khazar’s branch family, covering this up might be the wise choice—but I don’t agree.”
The Count’s voice was thick with rage.
“To dare commit such a crime… I have no intention of letting that bastard Ashid off the hook.”
The sheer intensity of Count Khazar’s anger caught Christian off guard.
This level of fury was unexpected.
‘Was he always like this? No… actually, this reaction makes perfect sense.’
Count Khazar had always been a traditional demonic warrior. He valued strength above all else and despised deceitful schemes.
And as his recent actions had shown, he cared about his son more than he let on.
“You know full well that holding him accountable is nearly impossible.”
“I don’t care. If it comes to that, we’ll declare independence and sever ties with the main house.”
Chris was taken aback by Count Khazar’s reckless words.
Somehow, it didn’t seem like he was just speaking out of frustration.
‘Cutting ties is out of the question. My primary goal is to take over the Dark Demonic House.’
“Please calm down for now, Father.”
“Calm down? After they slandered you like that?”
Count Khazar furrowed his brows and spoke in a rough tone.
“I will never let this slide.”
“……”
There was a deep sense of denial within his anger.
Chris had noticed it before—despite being a demon, Count Khazar was a surprisingly good fatherly figure.
Compared to his previous life, he felt even more like a father than his real one had been.
Because of that, Chris didn’t dislike Count Khazar. No, he actually found him quite likable.
‘It’d be a stretch to consider him a real father, but maybe maintaining a close relationship wouldn’t be a bad idea.’
With that in mind, he spoke up.
“I never said I was going to let this incident go.”
“But just now—”
“I beheaded Kox. Do you really think that was to cover this up? Absolutely not.”
Chris spoke firmly.
“It was for revenge.”
“!!”
Chris smirked and continued.
“Let me ask you one thing. If Kox had been left alive, how would things have played out?”
“…The main house would have taken him in for interrogation.”
“And what conclusion would they have reached? Would we have been able to convict Ashid?”
Count Khazar couldn’t answer.
Chris changed the question.
“The current acting head of the Dark Demonic House, Marquis Langham, who leads in place of the absent Lord—do you think he is a fair and just man?”
Count Khazar was silent for a moment.
“No, he’s not. To protect the main house’s honor, he would have reached a verdict favorable to Ashid.”
“But since Kox is dead, what happens now?”
Chris grinned.
“They can’t cover it up with fabricated evidence anymore. The only witness, Kox, is already dead.”
Keeping Kox alive would have been no different from handing out an official acquittal.
Once he was taken to the main house, they could simply have him change his testimony. Ashid would be officially declared innocent, and only the Khazar family’s position would become difficult.
“But now that he’s been eliminated, the situation has changed. Ashid will never be able to erase the disgrace of trying to frame me.”
Of course, with no witness, they couldn’t officially charge him with a crime.
However, countless people had already heard Kox’s testimony—delivered under the Binding Seal, which compelled him to speak the truth.
Ashid would forever carry the stain of having maliciously framed a branch family member.
“And that disgrace will be a major weakness for him. A man aiming for the position of head of the house has been caught undermining his own kin. And, most importantly, the struggle for succession isn’t over yet. Ashid is in a far more precarious position than you might think, Father.”
Count Khazar understood the implications of Chris’s words and widened his eyes.
“Then… you intend to use this incident to interfere with Ashid’s succession?”
“Bingo. That’s exactly right.”
Count Khazar was impressed by his son’s words.
It was the most practical and effective form of revenge.
“Then, who should we support as the next heir? The First Daughter, who is the strongest candidate after Ashid?”
For reference, Ashid was the second son.
“No.”
“Then the First Son? No, that won’t do. The First Son is a bloodthirsty lunatic.”
“Not him either.”
“Then who?”
“I’ll take the position myself.”
“…What?”
Count Khazar blinked, not immediately comprehending.
“I’m saying I will become the successor of the Dark Demonic House myself.”
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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