T/L: Those who didn't see the announcement on discord, the pr was off this week, so had to do the work myself and it got late. Btw, updates from now on will be on Sat or Sun.
Eri bit her lips tightly. She responded in a barely crawling tone.
“You want to state that I came back to Cloud–”
“Do you know why the family doesn’t accept you? Because the way you do things is half-hearted and pretentious. Ambitious, but attempting to hide it and wrap it up under your sleeves. You're someone who will even murder me if that means your addition to the family and even lording over it."
"No! I never did harbour any thought so sordid!”
Eri hollered loudly.
She was being sincere. She only desired to be recognized by her family, she had no intention of harming her own brother and taking over his position as the heir.
Seeing Eri scream out impetuously, Callion smiled brightly.
“One's thoughts can always change. But nature doesn't change. Eri. You are a monster hungered by your thrist for fame. And you will do anything for it.”
"You are spitting nonsense."
“Am I? So, if Hero Cloud weakens again right away. If he can't make a name for himself like the other heroes. Will you still be by his side, then?”
“Quit your nonsensical talks! Cloud forgave me. I swore I would never betray Cloud again!”
"Well… I don't think your dirty nature is going to go anywhere just by making an oath."
"Shut up! I won't take any more of your insults!"
The crystal inside Eri's staff began to shine brighter.
It looked like she was going to cast a spell at any given moment.
Callion raised both of his hands upwards and took two steps backwards.
"Alright. Our sister doesn't seem to be in a good mood right now, so let's stop here for today. The room's a bit messy, but have your rest anyway.”
Callion left Eri's room with the eldest daughter and the second daughter. He looked back with a reminiscent look as if he had forgotten to say something before he left pletely.
“Dear sister, you are both a dirty rat and a monster. You are still not going to get recognized, just as you weren't all these years. Nothing's stopping it other than your inner nature.”
With those lingering words, he disappeared from Eri's sight.
Even after they left, Eri's staff was still aimed where they had been moments ago as she stood there, heavily breathing.
After a while, she let go of her wand.
She plopped onto her bed and sat down with her arms around the knees.
– So, Eri. Why didn't you believe me?
A voice that had ceased to exist after she returned to Cloud's party echoed in her ears.
It muddled her mind again.
‘Sorry. I'm truly sorry for not believing you. Trust me now. I have no doubt that you are a hero greater than anyone else.’
– Eri. You are a monster hungered by your thrist for fame.
The voice in her ears changed.
An abhorrent voice.
‘Don't be ridiculous.'
‘It is you who is hungered by the honor of bloodline.'
‘I… I just wanted recognition.'
‘I'm not a monster!'
– So, if Hero Cloud weakens again right away. If he can't make a name for himself like other heroes. Will you still be by his side, then?
‘Of course. I made an oath that day, when Cloud came finding me.'
‘That I will never betray this man again.'
– I don't think your dirty nature is going to go anywhere just by making an oath.
‘Shut up.'
‘My nature is not dirty…'
– Dear sister, you are both a dirty rat and a monster. You are still not going to get recognized, just as you weren't all these years. Nothing's stopping it other than your inner nature.
‘…’
Eri buried her face between her knees.
Her body shook softly with a squeaking sound. The woe of sobs did not halt for quite some time.
* * *
Seeing Callion leaving Eri's room without any regrets, Marilyn took on a dissatisfied expression.
“Brother, are you just kidding me? Is that all you had to say? Making that b!tch a fool twice?”
Eri left the party of the Hero of the Kingdom of Prona, Cloud, and joined the party of a Hero from another kingdom.
For quite some time, the Duke of Oler was condemned by the king as well as other nobles.
The honor of the great Duke of Oler was tarnished.
That alone would have been worth a year to chew on, but things soon changed.
The disappearance of Hero Cloud.
The increasing achievements of Lorian, a hero that stood out day by day.
Judging that there was no longer any hope form the hero of their own country, the Kingdom of Prona decided to tie in their line with the heroes of other kingdoms.
As a result, not only the value of Eri but also the value of the Duke of Oler and his family rose vertically. If she had behaved properly, she could have promised the safety of the Kingdom of Prona by reeling in Hero Lorian.
But that stupid b!tch couldn't stay put and switched back to Hero Cloud.
How did she even make stupid choices twice in a row? How?
It made her doubt if they were really of the same bloodline, even though that b!tch was only half.
Taking in Marilyn's dissatisfied expression, Callion grinned.
“How is that possible? What happened was only entertainment. The real thing is after this.”
“After this…?”
“After consulting with our father, the Oler family has decided to support Hero Cloud.”
“You mean, sponsorship? Would that be alright?"
Even if the kingdom falls, noble families can survive.
This is a characteristic of the feudal society, which means that even if the Kingdom of Prona is destroyed by the other kingdoms, the Duke of Oler can survive if negotiations go well.
However, if they support Cloud, the situation changes pletely.
From the moment they hand over their support, they would bee the backbone of Hero Cloud, and they will bee deeply entangled with him.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the rise and fall of the family depended on Cloud's future moves.
“Where is there a risk-free investment? And our father mentioned that the Hero, Cloud, was different from before. You must have heard of the incident that happened at the Imperial Social Banquet, right?”
“Yeah, it was talked about so much back then…”
“He is a rising star. When no other faction's hands have touched him, shouldn't we be the first to reach out?"
“I understand what dear brother is conveying. But what does that have to do with Eri? As Hero Cloud rises—Eri, that bitch will make a name for herself too. I hate to see it go that way.”
“Marilyn, Marilyn. Don't you think the hero who is going to receive our huge support would listen to a small request of ours?"
“Ah? No way…"
“You got it. No matter how hard Eri tries, she will not be able to achieve what she wants.”
As soon as Callion finished speaking, the siblings chortled haughtily as they left the hallway.
And the next day.
"I don't need it."
The sponsorship offer was rejected with a snap.
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