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Episode 18 Raphiren, meeting my curious gaze, settled back into his seat. Adjusting his glasses with a soft cough, he began answering my question. "First, only ‌‌‌one person is chosen from among three Patriarch candidates. I imagine you're wondering what happens to the other two." "Yeah!" "Those not ‌‌‌chosen receive the title of Borderlands Count and are sent far from the Capital. If they have children there, ‌those children are sent to the Estate." So those children become the ‌‌‌‌‌successors of Driblyane. That's why it's an opportunity given fairly to both direct and collateral lines. Even if one couldn't become Patriarch, their child might—perhaps ‌‌‌that hope is ‌what suppresses resistance. "Of course, there have been cases where people rejected even this tradition and attempted to seize the Patriarch position by force." "Gasp!" "However, in such cases, the Paladins intervene to mediate the dispute." "Paladins?" "The Paladins are all Sword Masters, maintaining a number of twelve. If someone wishes to become a Paladin, they must defeat an existing one." "Whoa...!" That's so cool. In the original work, Dante was one of the ‍‌‌Paladins. "Moreover, the Paladins belong to no nation. Nationality, gender, ‌‌race—none of it matters to them. The only condition is being a dominant alpha. No matter how strong someone is, they cannot defeat them, and no matter how much one tries to sway them, it's useless. They're easily suppressed." So they're an international military dispute mediation organization. Understanding perfectly, I thought to myself how amazing that truly was. "I have another question. What about those who couldn't even become Patriarch candidates?" Those who couldn't enter the Main Residence. "Those who fail to become Patriarch candidates assume important positions within the ‌‌family. Provided they ‌‌don't cause various problems." "I see." Then perhaps failing to become a Patriarch candidate might actually be better. If I had to live my entire life in the Borderlands, it would feel terribly lonely. After absorbing what I'd learned, I carefully opened my mouth. Since Raphiren was taking the time, I intended to ask everything I'd been curious about. "So then, when did the daughter-in-law start choosing the Patriarch?" "That was the first Patriarch's will. ‌‌‌‌‌Through an environment of extreme competition, it was meant to ensure the strongest male would lead ‌‌‌Driblyane." "Only males?" What if a strong daughter were born? "Yes. Originally, only males could become Patriarch in Driblyane. It was an archaic notion, but it was maintained under the name of tradition—until someone broke it. That person was Ariadne." Raphiren's words faltered for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice trembled ever so slightly. "She was someone entirely beyond convention. Had she lived, she would have brought revolution." Ariadne was someone who despised being forced into any standard framework. When I read the original work as a reader, I thought Rahyun hated Ariadne. Rahyun was the ‌‌type to ‌‌‌adapt to her surroundings wherever she went. Perhaps she envied Ariadne, who was loved without even ‌‌‌‌trying. 'As for me....' Ariadne, you're so incredibly cool! 'I wish ‌‌you were still alive.' Raphiren took shallow breaths as if to calm his chest, then removed his glasses and began cleaning them. It seemed to be his way of managing his emotions. "If a young Patriarch designated as a candidate dies in an unexpected accident, the designated consort chooses one of the remaining candidates anew." "Yes." "However, as I mentioned, regarding the nineteenth generation... Ariadne was simply too exceptional, so there were no other candidates to speak ‌‌of. If we exclude Ariadne, ‌‌the next most outstanding was naturally Kirakserus. That's why Kirakserus needed ‌‌‌to inherit the position of ‌‌Minor Patriarch before talk grew any ‌‌‌louder, but...." "Didn't take it and ran away." "Precisely. He threw a fit saying he absolutely wouldn't take on the role of Minor Patriarch, and then suddenly he changed his tune like this." Raphiren laughed dryly while grinding his teeth. It seemed ‌‌Raphiren had endured quite a bit while Kirakserus was shirking his duties and gallivanting about. "Still, now that the young lady is here, he should settle down." Ah, so he thinks of me as some kind of weakness for Kirakserus— ‌‌‌'That's not it.' I chuckled inwardly. I already explained everything yesterday. 'I'm a conscience-preserving talisman for villains.' If he abandoned ‌‌‌‌even me, he'd be truly wicked, but by carrying me along, it feels like he's repenting a little...if that makes sense? "Then I'll see ‌‌‌you next time. Please give careful thought to the matter regarding Gerd." "Oh, wait!" ‌‌Just one more thing! I ‌‌scampered over and grasped Raphiren's ‌‌‌collar firmly. "So... where is Ariadne's wife?" In truth, I'd read the original work, so I ‌‌‌already knew who Ariadne married, but I deliberately pretended ‌‌ignorance and asked. This way, even if I knew that information later, ‌‌‌it wouldn't seem strange. Moreover, I emphasized that I was a pure-hearted child without any prejudices. Only a ‌‌‌truly young child could blurt out "wife" instead of "husband" without hesitation. "Ariadne chose and married the person she desired. It wasn't a wife, though even if it had been, no one would have objected anyway—but in any case, ‌‌it was a husband. Dien Glance." "I see. So where is that person now?" Dien Glance. In the story, the biological father of Dante Driblyane and Ariadne's only husband. "He departed together with Ariadne." "Ah, I see...." That was right. In ‌‌‌the ‌original work, Dien Glance was portrayed as someone with such delicate sensibilities—fragile and sensitive. And he couldn't accept that Ariadne had died. He ended his life while leaving his young son at the Military Academy, and I can't imagine how many Ariadne fans in the original work wept over that. "Well then, I really must go now. I'm already late for my next appointment." "Okay. Thank you, ‌‌‌Sammi." Soon after, I waved my hands cheerfully at the departing Raphiren. For someone who'd just conspired to have a successor removed from their position, it was quite a bright and lively farewell. "Now then, shall we study the family tree!" I opened my eyes wide and examined each squiggly character one by one. Then I found Kirakserus's name, but there was no one listed beneath it. 'Well, he made a chastity vow.' Actually, even ‌‌with a vow, I wouldn't have expected Kirakserus ‌‌‌‌to keep it...but it seems he really did. He has no children. Next, ‌‌‌I checked the names listed under Ariadne. Ian Driblyane Dante Driblyane Yuri Yerevan Helicoprion Driblyane "Huh?" Ian? "Was there a child like this?" I felt like I'd seen him somewhere before... but he wasn't a character from the original work. "Hmm, hmm." Something tickled the edge of my ‌memory, yet ‌‌‌it slipped away. But I didn't have time to ‌‌chase the thought further. "Young Miss! Young Miss!" Linda came rushing toward me in a fluster. ‌‌‌"What is it?" "The—the Duchess is calling for you!" "Huh?!" Seriously?! * * * "Where on earth could I accomplish something great enough to earn her favor?" Being a marten, no matter ‍‌‌‌‌how urgently I scurried, I could only manage one step for every three of theirs. So as the Governess hurried me along in her arms toward the Duchess, my small mind ‌‌‌‌churned with only one thought: what could possibly impress her? "If only I could reread the original work!" Was there some national catastrophe that would occur around this time? If I could prevent something like that, it would be an absolutely tremendous achievement. "I absolutely must secure the right to choose who stays and who goes." That way, I could eliminate not just Gerd, but all ‌‌those who'd aligned themselves with him. Not all the boys in the succession race believed they could become Patriarch. Some were quick-footed opportunists who'd attached themselves ‌‌‌‌to the most promising heir, hoping to secure positions within the family's highest ranks. I wanted ‌‌‌to clean house of them too. Not ‌‌‌for my own... future, but because I wanted to preemptively cut away any dangerous elements that could harm this family. "I should mention beforehand that the Duchess's health is not good. Please be careful not to upset her." The elderly head maid cautioned me ‌‌before opening the door. From her tone ‌‌‌‌‌and expression, she seemed neither particularly fond of me nor hostile—simply concerned. "She's just deeply worried about the Duchess." The Duchess's Bedroom, where all ‌‌‌the previous Driblyane Duchesses had resided, felt far warmer than I'd imagined. "Wow, there's even a stained-glass window shaped like a rowan tree set into the frame." Everything was grand, ornate, beautiful, and expensive-looking. It was strange how the moment I stepped inside, a sense of familiarity washed over me. I'd never been here before. Or perhaps... this wealth simply brought me comfort? "Could I actually be cut out for the wealthy life?"

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our ‌official site: valirscans.org

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