“Did you see?”
When I used [Predation] on the Demon’s Shard, Rodelin once pointed a sword at my neck.
Dark magic entered my body, or so they say.
Lucia was grinning.
Whether she saw it or not, I couldn’t tell.
First things first, greetings.
“Keke, hello? It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Oh? You know me?”
“How could I not? You’re one of the empire’s ten swords. Well, it’s partly because of Senior Rodelin, though.”
Lucia disappeared, then suddenly appeared in front of me.
She grabbed my hand and her eyes sparkled.
“What? What did she say about me? A reliable big sister? Someone she wants to see? It must have been something along those lines, right? Oh my, my Rodelin is really cute, isn’t she?”
“…”
Two things were clear.
She hadn’t seen me use [Predation], and
‘She’s a pervert who only has eyes for her sister.’
I knew Lucia was a bit of a klutz from playing the game, but I didn’t expect her to be this bad.
In the game, she was a character I really liked because she was cool.
This is a big disappointment.
“Huh? Huh? What did you say?”
I was annoyed.
So, I decided to tease Lucia a bit.
“She said it’s annoying.”
“…Huh?”
“Lying in bed all day long.”
Thud!
“The way you eat so many snacks, looking at the crumbs scattered all over the bed makes her furious.”
Thud!
“Saying you might end up not getting married, worrying that you won’t be able to fulfill your duty to prosper the empire.”
Thud!
Lucia’s body gradually collapsed, and she sprawled on the ground.
“Sniff… What’s that about? How can my Delin say that about me?”
Not everything was true, but what does it matter?
It shouldn’t be a problem.
Lucia cherishes Rodelin a lot, but after all, it’s a fact.
I felt slightly better, but it wasn’t over yet.
I needed to console my disappointed heart.
“But having met you in person, my thoughts are different.”
“Huh?”
I took the hand of Lucia lying on the ground and whispered pitifully.
“You are truly a beautiful person.”
“What, what, what!?”
Lucia’s face, which had been heating up, exploded with blush.
She’s in her mid-thirties, never having met a man before, so she’s not immune to such things.
That was in Lucia’s character introduction.
‘It’s similar to Rodelin in this aspect.’
The difference is that Rodelin looks at men as if they were stones.
And Lucia does notice men, but pretends not to, right?
In other words, Lucia has no immunity to men who approach her actively.
That’s why she’s so embarrassed.
Murmur-murmur-.
Behind the bushes. Someone was murmuring there.
When I turned my head, I could tell who it was.
It was the nanny, Lucia’s personal maid and the one who spares no effort and support for her marriage.
Lucid’s legendary nanny.
She was busily scribbling something in a notebook.
“Hmm, tall, healthy body, confident courage not to be daunted even in front of the lady, eyes a bit small but with charming speech, presumed to be a commoner. Could possibly be swayed with money?”
…I can hear you, nanny.
“It’s meant for you to hear.”
What, mind-reading!? Indeed, the legendary nanny is different.
The nanny emerged from the bushes, pushed up her glasses, and looked at me.
“Are you Zero? It seems our lady takes a liking to you… How about dating her?”
“Na, nanny! What are you saying! He’s still a child!”
“Did you forget what I told you?”
“Huh?”
Lucia recalled her memory.
The night before arriving at the academy.
“Haah… I’m tired. I’m really going to die at this rate.”
Lucia, glued to the bed, pounded her back.
A month from the resort to Annwood Academy.
During that month, she attended noble parties every single day, sometimes twice a day.
Lucia wanted to become one with the bed, but because the nanny was literally murderous, she had no choice but to hop from one noble party to another.
“Well, today is the end of it anyway!”
Lucia settled in bed and scratched her belly.
This is the life.
No one to see, comfortable, and I can do whatever I want.
The bed is indeed the best.
“Nanny? Give me some food.”
“…Get it yourself.”
“Ah, why! I’ve been attending parties every day just as you asked!”
“Men…”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t catch any men!!!!”
Aaack! She’s a demon obsessed with marriage!
Lucia flopped to the side of the bed.
Struggling to get back up, but Lucia had no room to argue.
“What can I do if no men come? If I approach them first, it causes all sorts of problems.”
“With the eyes of the continent’s ten swords glaring like that, who would dare approach? If someone tries to speak, you’re like ‘Is it a duel?’ ready to dismember them!”
“It’s know-how for choosing a good man. Not even being able to meet eyes. The youth these days really lack spirit.”
“Ah! There’s no bigger old fogey in this era than you! And it’s not for choosing men, it’s know-how for driving them away!”
Sneak-sneak-.
Lucia hid beside the bed.
The demon obsessed with marriage has gone completely mad.
When she peeked out with just her eyes,
“Keep an eye out for a good kid at the academy.”
“Huh? Why? We already have a lot of good kids. There’s no need to mark them early and nurture them.”
The reputation of the Lucid family is tremendous.
There are plenty of people coming to work under them, no need to take initiative.
“You need to get married.”
“Huh?”
Why is that topic coming up again?
What does marrying and the academy kids have to do with anything?
After a moment of thought, Lucia realized the nanny’s intention.
“Hmm, so you’re saying… you’re not suggesting I find someone to marry there, are you?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“But, the age difference! It’s a crime!”
“It’s fine. Everyone enrolled at the academy is an adult. Besides, with the lady’s family background and assets, it should be more than enough.”
“You’re insane, for real!”
“It’s about raising them to eat them! Kidnapping sounds good too! You raise each one to fit the lady’s tastes!”
Lucia thought the nanny had truly lost her mind.
Or perhaps, possessed by a demon.
“I’ll be caught! Caught and brought before a noble court! It would be a huge stain on my honor!”
“Just bear the disgrace. At least you’ll be able to marry!”
“Na, Nanny! Calm down, first! You’ve lost your mind!”
“Muwahahaha! You must marry! Even if it means selling off the entire Lucid estate!”
Aaaaaah!!
Lucia’s scream echoed.
“Ah, that happened.”
After recalling her memory, Lucia returned to the present.
To seduce a kid from the academy. Was that really her intention?
‘So the part about selling off our entire estate was true…?’
Sweat beaded on her back.
The nanny might really do it.
The nanny grabbed Zero’s hand.
“Zero, what do you think? Despite appearances, she’s a remarkable person. Someone who can control everything while lying in bed, a person with tremendous abilities.”
“Ho… So it means I could live a comfortable life forever. Interesting…”
The boy named Zero licked his lips.
“Does it pique your interest?”
The nanny and Zero started slowly moving towards her.
Both of their eyes looked crazy. Ah, one’s eyes can’t be seen, but anyway.
“Oh, don’t come closer!”
Lucia trembled between the nanny and Zero.
It was only after Rodelin arrived that she was able to escape from there.
“Make sure everything is packed! Check everything thoroughly!”
While preparing to return to the academy.
Luna, who had been staring at me, spoke up.
“What’s up, what did you do?”
“Excuse me?”
“No, your skin suddenly looks better. Did you secretly eat something delicious?”
Hmm, I did eat something very delicious(?) named Lucia.
Of course, that’s a joke.
Like Rodelin, Lucia was also quite fun to tease.
“It seems everyone is ready. Shall we head back then?”
“Just a moment, senior!”
Luna raised her hand.
“Huh? Luna, what is it?”
“Since we’re here, how about we take a photo together?”
Luna pulled out a camera.
“Ah, nice. Memories are precious, after all.”
The camera was promptly handed to the nanny.
We huddled together to pose.
There was a minor incident with Luna and Raymon fighting over the spot next to me, but.
It was quickly resolved by standing one on each side.
Seeing Rodelin adjust every angle of the kids made me think of something fun.
“Keke, can I decide on the slogan?”
“Slogan?”
“Yes, the slogan we use to smile for the photo.”
Like saying cheese or kimchi. That’s what I was referring to.
Rodelin nodded, accepting my suggestion.
Everyone got ready.
When the nanny signaled she was ready, I announced the prepared slogan.
“Delin~.”
Rodelin, who was posing conventionally, stiffened up.
At the same time, her neck turned bright red.
“Delin? What kind of slogan is that.”
“Keke, isn’t it cute and nice?”
“Is it? Well, it does seem so.”
Now, let’s all say it together.
“Delin~.”
With Rodelin’s face turning bright red, the photo was taken.
Thus ended a chapter full of various events.
After the kids left to receive treatment.
Lucia, who had been exploring Lérang’s private training ground and the forest, called for the nanny.
“Nanny.”
“Yes, miss.”
“Do the kids these days surpass our generation in strength?”
“Impossible.”
The current generation at Annwood Academy is dubbed the ‘Golden Generation,’ receiving everyone’s expectations.
However, from the perspective of the real powerhouses, that wasn’t the case.
Because the strongest era in the history of Annwood Academy was…
‘Miss Lucia’s generation.’
It’s not about being a 3-star or 4-star knight. It’s not about the rank of stars.
In terms of pure combat power, Lucia’s generation was overwhelmingly stronger.
Lucia’s generation had experienced war.
Not war against demons, but amongst humans.
Perhaps that’s why their combat power and judgment, as well as their killing techniques, continuously improved.
Above all, they had no hesitation about killing.
They would plunge a knife without a second thought and kill the opponent.
Sometimes they were even thrown into battlefields before graduating from the academy.
Under the guise of midterms and finals.
‘1 point in the store for every soldier of the kingdom killed!’
They received medals. For killing people.
Because they killed more than anyone else.
“…Tsk.”
A single academy student was far superior to dozens of ordinary soldiers, so it was an inevitable situation.
It was truly a dreadful generation.
Yes, Lucia’s generation was.
Not the best generation, but ‘the worst generation.’
Lucia was a jewel born from the worst generation.
A blood-stained jewel.
Lucia was well aware of that fact.
So, she thought the so-called Golden Generation was merely an academy marketing strategy to hype up the students.
That’s what she believed. But…
“Can the new students fight a demon of the fourth hierarchy?”
“…Normally, that would be impossible.”
If the [Demon Magic] belonged to a support rather than a combat demon, they might somehow manage to fight.
But that’s just managing to fight, not fighting on equal terms.
Higher demons are a different class of beings.
“…Hmm, interesting.”
Lucia calmly surveyed the remnants of the battle.
Lucia was an 8-star knight.
From the remnants left behind, she could roughly deduce how the battle went, what happened.
Most of the traces were erased by Zero’s [Demon Slave] at the end.
It was evident that it had been a fierce battle.
‘Fought on equal terms? Is that even possible?’
But that wasn’t all. A few particularly irritating sword marks.
‘…Lester family?’
The nanny seemed not to have noticed, but Lucia saw them.
After subtly rubbing her foot over the marks to erase them, she spoke to the nanny.
“Nanny, arrange a meeting with the principal for me.”
“Yes, miss.”
If there’s something curious, find out about it.
If there’s something you want, obtain it.
If there’s something in the way, destroy it.
Usually a bit of a klutz, but when it’s time to act, she does.
That person?
Lucia de Lucid.
–TL Notes–
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