Whistling a casual tune, I descended.
Even as I made my way down, the servants eyed me with excessive caution.
“They say you utterly crushed Young Master Jerome?”
“I heard she grabbed him by the hair from the start and beat him senseless.”
“He’s supposedly half-paralyzed, ugh.”
“Has she been hiding her power all this time? But why?!”
A myriad of speculations flourished around me, a development I rather welcomed.
This was precisely the atmosphere I desired.
I wished for this household to descend into further chaos.
‘This damned family deserves to fall. Honestly, aside from the current head, there isn’t a single competent soul among them, is there?’
Just seeing how the child of another family was revered as a young master, openly running rampant with no one to stop him, spoke volumes.
This family was practically in a state of anarchy. While I felt a pang of pity for the family head, burdened by relentless work, some places are simply destined to fall.
‘Only when this place crumbles can the Protagonist truly…’
Thump, thump, a decisive step.
I arrived at a storage room located in the basement of the main mansion.
Cautiously, I pushed open the door.
A barrier, allowing passage only to those with the family’s bloodline, shimmered into view.
Click, creak.
Stepping inside, I switched on the light.
Dust motes danced in the air, having accumulated in patches, suggesting few had trod this path recently.
As I let out a deep sigh, pristine white dust scattered in every direction.
‘Look at the state of this noble family’s basement storage.’
Nevertheless, I had ample reason to be here.
A serendipitous opportunity, a chance to gain immense benefits.
Now was the time.
While I needed to seriously cultivate my power, it was better to monopolize what was immediately attainable rather than focusing solely on ability growth. Anyone would agree.
My target was singular.
‘The family’s treasured sword, the Imperial Gaze (TL Note: 보검, ‘bogum,’ refers to a precious sword or saber), a symbol of the lineage, attainable only by the true master of the house!’
While the Origin Divine Art could be deployed through martial arts alone, it truly became formidable when accompanied by a weapon. This applied to various combat forms, including swordsmanship, spearplay, staff arts, and even archery or gunmanship.
It was only possible because it combined the best elements extracted from diverse techniques and weapon arts.
“Ugh, look at this dust.”
Naturally, befitting a treasured heirloom of a prestigious family, no one had managed to claim it until now.
This held true even for my younger brother and rival, Holland.
‘That boy, who received every possible education from a young age and flaunted his talents. The one who completed the Akashic Academy in the shortest time — what was the reason even he couldn’t claim it? I know!’
Grinning slyly, I stepped forward.
Surveying the basement, I cautiously tapped the floor with my foot.
Thump, thud, clang.
A hollow spot resonated beneath my touch.
I immediately went to that spot and located a handle. It was a foldable metal handle, just as I’d anticipated.
I lifted the entrance upwards.
A staircase leading downwards was revealed.
‘In the original story, the Protagonist’s rival had stolen it this way.’
Shrugging, I descended.
‘Though it’s mine now.’
Upon reaching the bottom, a single golden chest lay isolated.
It was a chest of the size one might expect to find after pirates plundered a treasure island.
Unsurprisingly, it was old and heavily coated in dust.
‘Meaning no one, apart from the current family head, Blaken, has been able to touch it.’
Heirlooms are typically presented during the family head’s inauguration or when one proves their worthiness to become the head.
While its intrinsic performance was excellent, its symbolic significance was even greater, preventing a family head from using it as their primary weapon.
But I was different. We had already discussed my departure to the outside world.
Tap, tap, thwack.
I gently brushed the dust from the chest, and soon, characters materialized in the air.
[You have made contact with the heirloom chest. It will open once you solve three riddles!]
“Bring it on! I’m confident in all of them!”
Up until now, even those who strained themselves to become the family head had failed to find the answers to these riddles.
But I know all of them.
[First, what is the spell to dispel the fog?]
The author of this novel used to play Age of Empires 3 frequently. That makes it easy.
‘The answer is X marks the spot.’
The chest emitted a faint glow and vibrated subtly.
[Second, what is the way to become rich?]
‘Easy. Show me the money.’
The chest glowed once more. This was the final question.
[Third, what is the qualification that allows one to become the master of dragons?]
‘Now it’s Heroes of Might and Magic. 32167!’
Immediately, the chest glowed with an intensity that suggested it might explode, trembling violently.
The chest, which had been rattling so boisterously, suddenly sprung wide open.
Click, creak!
I peered inside. There it was.
A blade gleaming with a faint sky-blue light, its width placing it somewhere between a two-handed sword and a greatsword.
Though it’s officially categorized as a greatsword.
‘It’s certainly better than an ultra-greatsword, which is ridiculously massive and has a huge attack delay.’
It’s rather amusing, though. This is a novel, not a game, yet it has classifications like greatswords and ultra-greatswords.
As I grasped it with both hands and lifted it, its specifications appeared.
[Imperial Gaze]
Rarity: Masterpiece
*Unique Effect ‘Compound Transformation’: Transforms into a single greatsword or two longswords.
*Unique Passive Effect ‘?’: Requires Unlocking!
*Unique Passive Effect ‘?’: Requires Unlocking!
*Unique Passive Effect ‘?’: Requires Unlocking!
*Unique Passive Effect ‘?’: Requires Unlocking!
「If two are one, they are strong. – Gwalhaid Wednesday」
As expected, there was still much to unlock. If fully unlocked, it would become an astonishing artifact.
Well, I’ll just consider it growing alongside me.
“Haaah, this is it, this is it, haaah…!”
I was now filled with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, more so than ever before.
My body trembled with a thrill so intense it sent shivers down my spine.
I caressed the Imperial Gaze as if it were a beloved woman.
As much as I wanted to kiss it, I didn’t have a hobby of doing such things to a lump of metal.
Smiling, I slipped it into my ring.
‘In the original work, the rival managed to contend with the Protagonist solely with this. Well, I won’t use it immediately. I could if I had to, but I’ll save it for a more dramatic moment!’
I ascended, desiring to return to the annex mansion and rest.
That’s when I ran into Holland. Ugh.
He approached me, his face grim.
“Sister, your performance was incredible, wasn’t it…?”
“Why? Feeling nervous?”
“Oh, come on, it probably wasn’t a trick like everyone’s saying. But that’s why I’m curious. Tell me, how did you, a useless cripple who couldn’t even wield mana despite having it, defeat Jerome?”
Even though he was supposedly a ‘perfect genius’ by design, this was why he still seemed lacking.
He lacked insight. Though he might have graduated top of his class from the academy, his limited practical experience meant his ability to read a situation was shoddy.
I deliberately offered an arrogant smile.
“Well, it’s not exactly a trade secret.”
“So you’ll tell me?”
“No. It’s not a trade secret, but rather something you could figure out just by watching, so I won’t bother explaining.”
“A trick, then?”
“Wow, you really lack conviction, don’t you?”
“…Anyone would be suspicious, just like me. The weakest cripple in the family suddenly defeated a 3rd-circle mage?”
Holland sneered, much like a Joseon Dynasty nobleman might mock a competent servant.
“Even if he was arrogant and had significant weaknesses, is it truly plausible to defeat someone like that?”
“Why? Are you implying you couldn’t defeat him?”
“Hey, why are you like this? You know the answer.”
In any case, I had to answer carefully here. I clicked my tongue.
‘Go on, play along, you bastard.’
“Whether you’re foolish or simply impatient, the answer lies in the tonic.”
“Tonic? That poison Alonzo supposedly gave you, Sister?”
I nodded. I might as well make use of the dead man one more time.
After all, dead men tell no tales.
“Even though it was poison, it surprisingly had some effects, didn’t it? That’s why I didn’t notice it either. I don’t know why Alonzo did what he did, but after drinking it, an odd strength started surging through my body.”
“Strength, you say…”
“It doesn’t seem to be mana, but a similar energy. Well, I was lucky.”
“…Then is it qi (TL Note: 기, ‘gi,’ refers to a vital life force or energy in traditional East Asian philosophy)? But from what I can tell, it’s different from qi.”
“If you’ve achieved your objective, perhaps you should step aside? We’re not close enough to banter back and forth and coddle each other, are we?”
I walked past Holland without a glance. His voice reached me from behind.
“I’ll be watching you from now on. It seems to me you have many secrets, Sister.”
“Are you a stalker with voyeuristic tendencies? I didn’t realize you had such hobbies.”
“You’d do well to watch your words. I’m the next family head, the next family head. There should be no secrets among family, right? Don’t you even know that much common sense?”
‘Family, my ass. More like a f*cked-up family.’
“Don’t you know the saying that secrets make a woman a woman? That’s why you’re still a virgin.”
“…What?!”
I scoffed lightly and walked out. I went to the annex mansion and entered my room.
I let out a heavy breath.
“Ugh, just looking at that guy makes it hard to breathe. How can such a young punk exude such intense pressure?”
Despite his lack of experience or perceived foolishness.
Holland was the one who had inherited the most of his father, the family head’s, blood.
Thus, he was a truly difficult individual to face alone, solely due to his oppressive aura.
If Jerome was merely a talented rookie, facing Holland felt like confronting a monster who had been perfect from the start.
Well, I’ll surpass Holland eventually.
‘It’s time to transition to that phase. Holland, I apologize, but I won’t be taking a straightforward approach to dealing with you.’
A laugh escaped me. Everyone believed Holland would become the next family head.
He was even referred to as the ‘next family head’ by title, wasn’t he?
But what if I were to utterly shatter the expectations of all those family members?
What if I were to make Holland half-crippled like Jerome, and then ‘show and prove’?
The mere thought sent shivers down my spine.
Opening the window, I gazed down.
I could hear the family members bickering amongst themselves.
“Queen, that woman is a swindler; she must be expelled!”
“If her skills are genuine, we’re all going to hell. Watch your tongue.”
“If we only consider the succession order, Queen…”
“When is that Miranda going to disappear? She’s utterly unbearable!”
Their reactions are all over the place. It’s more entertaining than a comedy concert, which is great, isn’t it?
Now then, shall I start planning for the future?
After all, this is just the beginning.
****
Evening fell, beneath a dark night sky. By a window where moonlight shattered as it streamed in.
“Ahh, haah… Anghaang♥”
Winz, clad only in lingerie, was breathing heavily.
Her pointed ears flushed red as she bit her lower lip.
“Mmm, haah, Young Lady, ahh, Young Lady Queen’s appearance. I want to see it again, it’s exactly what I imagined…!”
She swayed her body slowly back and forth within the head maid’s quarters, a room granted exclusively to her.
The atmosphere within the head maid’s quarters had become strangely thick and sensual.
Winz, recalling Queen delivering the decisive blow to Jerome.
A fleeting expression of ecstasy crossed her flushed face.
“Haaah, heh-haak…! Ahh, my Young Lady. That appearance, becoming a madwoman with just a slight provocation—I love it so much! I want to possess it, forever…!”
Shedding tears of ecstasy, Winz slowly collapsed onto the bed.
