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~Chapter 31~
The Marquis stammered, looking flustered.
“That’s…”
The Grand Duke smiled calmly.
“If the people of the territory and outsiders find out about this, it would be fatal. It’s basically a reason to lose the position.”
He continued confidently.
“The reason the spirit family fell is because they depended on contracted spirits and ignored other efforts. The point of this test is each person’s skill and ability. Right now, we need someone who can lead a group.”
The Grand Duke’s dignified face turned to me. I thought I saw a faint smile on his lips—maybe I imagined it.
He spoke even more firmly.
“The other participants must help whoever wins first place in this family test and work to stop the spirit family from falling. This goes for every member of the spirit family.”
That’s why the amount of magic or spirit power you had wasn’t important now.
The Grand Duke’s sharp blue eyes shined under his white hair.
Even at his age, he looked strong enough to still be active.
“Anyone who opposes the test method clearly doesn’t care about saving the family. Steward, remove anyone who disagrees, and their children, from the list of contestants.”
Count Biern and Marquis Belmore looked shocked at this announcement.
“I’m sorry, Grandfather. I didn’t understand your intentions,” said one.
“…I’ll follow your words as well,” said the other.
They had no choice but to agree and watch him carefully.
“Tch, I guess we have no choice. If we don’t compete, our Elizabeth could lose her right to inherit,” Count Biern muttered.
Uncle Alec shook his head and spoke seriously.
“Is that really the problem? If the family falls, we’ll lose everything we have enjoyed. The former family head must have a good reason for this.”
So, the Grand Duke was trying to unite the family and rebuild the spirit family by taking such strong action.
“The first qualification test will be in three days.”
The Grand Duke put his hand down on the documents with a loud slap.
“Memorize all these materials. It’s just memorization, so it shouldn’t be hard, right?”
The contestants looked blank. Some looked ready to give up before even starting.
“Memorizing that much in just three days? That’s impossible.”
Just memorizing is painful, and you need some tricks to manage it.
Those who were born into the spirit family and got special treatment never had to do such hard work before.
Basilie barely even graduated and avoided being expelled.
But William and his mother, the Grand Duchess, looked confident.
“Is everyone against this because they’re not confident? William has never lost first place at the academy. He graduated top of his class and even finished his apprenticeship in a royal department, so I’m not worried at all,” the Grand Duchess bragged.
Elizabeth, not reading the mood, tilted her head and said, “He was only second place until second year, right? Before that…”
Count Biern quickly covered his daughter’s mouth and tried to change the subject by looking at me.
“There’s no reason to be in the same room as someone who didn’t even graduate the academy and is a dropout.”
Graduating the academy was a basic requirement for nobles. To them, I was just a failure.
The Grand Duke, still watching William closely, spoke slowly.
“This is just a practice test. The real test will start after this.”
I blinked at the stack of documents on the desk. For just “practice,” this was pretty intense—like the final trial of hardship!
“From now on, a central government official will supervise and judge the tests. He’s also an education committee member at the Raindry Academy.”
The Grand Duke introduced a man standing quietly like a screen behind him. He wore a mask and a central administrator’s uniform, hiding his face.
They must have requested support from the central government after so much disaster in the spirit family.
The man called the inspector was tall, with the sturdy build of a knight.
He didn’t look like someone who just sat behind a desk.
Maybe he secretly exercises under his desk?
He seemed to sense my gaze because his golden eyes inside the mask looked right at me.
I remembered how the main character prince in the original novel was described as having golden eyes—something about melted gold shining brightly.
But this man’s hair was brown, not flaming red, so he probably wasn’t the crown prince.
Still, just in case he was a royal, I needed to be careful.
I swallowed nervously and glanced at Edell.
“Why, do you want me to teach you?” Edell asked me with his usual blank face.
“No, I’ll try hard on my own,” I answered.
I glanced at William, who looked proud on the other side and quietly clenched my fist.
In the underground world of the capital, called Heldivers—
Lerazie walked through a hallway underground, wearing a black veil over her face.
A man in a cloak followed, carrying a bag of things bought from the black market—
potions to boost memory for a short time, cheating tools for Basilie, and illegal goods.
‘Why not just use this time to study…’
The hired mage following Lerazie grumbled inside.
Lerazie knocked nervously on a big iron door.
She had come to the underground information guild.
“Why did you fail? You took so much money! Was it really so hard to keep her out of the spirit family?”
The guild’s leader, a blond man in a wine-colored suit and a mask, just smiled calmly with silver eyes.
“Since the guild’s leader recently changed, I can’t be responsible for previous requests.”
“What? That’s just irresponsible!”
“Still, as the current leader, I’m doing my best to help you now.”
He snapped his fingers and a document with the request appeared.
Lerazie started yelling at Philip, reading the contract.
“You gave it to the head of the assassin office. You should have given it to someone better, not someone so useless!”
The man frowned, as if the insult was about him.
“Useless? He’s very skilled and handsome.”
Because he was the one being insulted—Philip Kilosikos, former head of the assassin office and now guild leader.
Philip smiled slyly and added,
“It was just too much to ask for the amount you paid.”
“Too much, for a girl who hadn’t even awakened? Maybe your people just aren’t good enough?”
Lerazie mocked him.
Philip suddenly stared at her coldly.
“Not awakened? Do you think I wouldn’t know that this girl has already awakened as a spiritist? Maybe you’re the one lying.”
Lerazie flinched at his sharp gaze.
So, the rumor had already spread that Marciela awakened as a spiritist?
If high-level inspectors visited and proved there was no black magic, Ciella’s true status as a direct heir would be revealed. They couldn’t just accuse her of dark magic anymore.
“It’s not a lie! At that time… I really thought she wasn’t awakened. And did you check out the kid always hanging around with her? You can’t say you’re not responsible—I asked you about him just yesterday.”
She was talking about Edell. Philip nodded.
“Yes, I checked.”
He knew better than anyone.
“Then why didn’t you report back right away? Did I have to come here myself?”
“You came before I could report. You’re just too impatient.”
He handed her a piece of paper.
“He’s just an ordinary orphan from an orphanage.”
Lerazie frowned at the answer.
“Are you sure he’s not a lost child from some noble family? With that attitude, I doubt he’s a commoner.”
If he was, Lerazie planned to frame Ciella as a kidnapper for ransom.
Then they’d have to investigate the estate, and if Ciella got locked up, it would ruin her chances in the family contest.
Philip shrugged.
“There are tons of noble families. Checking all their backgrounds would cost more than you paid.”
“Just use my failed request fee for this. You can be flexible, right?”
“Even that wouldn’t be enough money.”
Lerazie cursed him silently. He was just a greedy conman after all.
Philip, sitting cross-legged, laced his fingers together and leaned forward.
Then, he dropped a hint to catch Lerazie’s curiosity.
“Recently, a branch member of the imperial family who took over a duke’s house has appeared. They say he has purple eyes, just like that boy.”
“…Tell me more.”
Lerazie grew excited.
“Investigating the imperial family isn’t easy or cheap,” Philip said.
But if Edell really was royal blood, Ciella would be in big trouble—maybe even executed if the charges stuck.
Philip delivered the final blow.
“Oh, and apparently, that family lost a child.”
Lerazie’s eyes widened. She took off her bracelet and handed it to him.
“Tell me which family it is first.”
He caught her in his trap and smiled as he took the bracelet.
“It’s the Sinclair duke family. The one that was taken over by the Black Order.”
