[WN] I Became the Genius Bastard of a Noble Dark Clan Chapter 67

 Chapter 67

When I finished my conversation with Duke Huam and stepped outside, Marisa was there.

“What did you talk about with my father?”

“About marrying you.”

“...What?”

“Don't worry. I firmly refused. He won't bring it up again.”

“...”

Marisa's face flushed bright red, then quickly cooled to an icy expression again.

“...Follow me. I'll guide you back to your lodging.” She spun around and strode ahead.

Chris gazed at Marisa's back.

...Preventing the Extreme Poison Demon Family's catastrophe wasn't in my plan. I only intended to minimize the damage.

It was impossible with his current strength. He had a year or two left, but even considering that, it was too much. He sighed.

Still, there's some time left, so let's think about what I can do. More than anything, I need to get stronger. Incomparably stronger than now.

Only by becoming stronger could he come up with any solution.

For now, let's return to the Dark Demon Family.

Another important event awaited. Chris was the main character. His Young Master inauguration ceremony was at hand. Finally, the moment he would become a Young Master.

Caw, caw.

On the southern border of the Southern Demonic Nation, where the Dark Demon Family resided, near the border with the Gold Cross. Crows cawed ominously. Beneath the crows lay countless corpses. Looking at their equipment, they appeared to be an elite mercenary group, but they were all dead in gruesome conditions. They hadn't merely lost a battle; they had been subjected to horrific torture before dying.

“How bland. Aren't there any more interesting guys?”

“Why don't we just go into the Alliance territory?”

Masked figures chattered idly among the piles of corpses. Their masks were shaped like ominous, blood-red shadows. At the far end of the group, a man gazed at the distant northern horizon.

“What are you doing, crazy Young Master?”

“Ah.”

The man had his mask half-slipped off, revealing an extraordinarily beautiful face. Long, flowing silver hair, shimmering like extracted moonlight. His features were delicate, almost feminine. Were it not for his prominent Adam's apple, he wouldn't appear male at all. His body was slender, creating an impression of extreme fragility that would awaken maternal instincts, but that was merely his outward appearance. The copious amount of blood staining his body revealed that, contrary to his delicate and gentle exterior, the man was an utterly ominous existence.

“Oh, I heard an interesting rumor.”

“A rumor?”

“Yeah, they say an intriguing younger brother has appeared.”

“Younger brother?” The person he was talking to tilted his head at the man's words. “Ah, Young Master. You were from a noble family, weren't you? The Dark Demon Family, was it?”

“It's not 'were.' I'm still part of the family. I haven't been disowned yet.”

“Still not disowned? Those Dark Demon Family folks are crazy. To still not excommunicate a terrifying madman like you.”

The masked figures chuckled. They were a group of madmen, but the man with the delicate appearance was the most uniquely insane among them. The delicately featured man smiled back, as if amused, then asked,

“Is it fun?”

“...Huh?”

“Am I fun?”

The masked man's laughter abruptly ceased.

“Oh, no, that's not what I meant...”

“It's okay. We're comrades, aren't we? A little joke is fine. But.”

Splat!

The masked man's head was torn off. As if he had no intention of avoiding the blood, or rather, as if he enjoyed it, the man with the delicate face smiled faintly, directly taking the blood that sprayed up like a fountain.

“Now we're not comrades anymore, are we?”

An awkward silence settled over the scene. No one said anything, even though he had killed a comrade on a whim. That was the kind of group they were, after all. A gathering of the lowest human scum. No, it wasn't right to include them in the category of humans. They were devils, less than human.

“This isn't fun either.” The man with the delicate face muttered softly. “I think I'll head back soon.”

“Going back to the family?”

“Yeah, I've been gone for a long time, so I should show my face. And see this new younger brother who appeared. His name is... Kring... what was it again?”

The man scratched his head and smiled brightly.

“Well, his name doesn't matter, I guess.”

If he's not interesting, he doesn't care. If he becomes interesting... he kills him. So his name didn't matter at all. That was the man's way of thinking.

“I hope he's an interesting younger brother. I'll give him plenty of 'attention.'”

And with that, the man—Sherard, the Mad First Young Master of the Dark Demon Family—vanished. The blood-shadow mask he had discarded lay on the ground.

Chris's inauguration as a Young Master was officially announced. For the first time in the long history of the Dark Demon Family, a collateral branch member had become a Young Master. The Dark Demon Family was abuzz.

“To think that ruffian, Young Master Christian, is now a Young Master!”

“We can't call him a ruffian anymore.”

“Yes, you're right. Look at the merits he earned during this incident.”

“They say he completely saw through the Extreme Poison Demon Family's scheme and ultimately defeated a 5-star demon in battle?”

“I can't believe it.”

The current location was the banquet hall commemorating Chris's inauguration as Young Master. Sounds of astonishment could be heard everywhere. In particular, many voices expressed admiration for Chris's achievements during this incident. If it hadn't been for Chris, the expedition team would have been annihilated.

However, not everyone felt that way. Only a few voices acknowledged Chris. The majority of the Dark Demon Family sneered at him.

“Just for achieving merit in a childish operation involving only those below 3-star.”

“Defeated a 5-star demon? That Extreme Poison Demon Family fool must have been careless. How easy it is to become a Young Master.”

They disparaged Chris's achievements. And that wasn't all.

“What's the point of becoming a Young Master without any foundation?”

“If he were from the Marquis Shuufen Family, the foremost of the three collateral families, perhaps, but what can someone from the Count Kazar Family, the youngest of the three collateral families, do?”

“I wonder if he knows he's walked into a lion's den. Overreaching won't do him any good.”

The senior figures of the Dark Demon Family clicked their tongues. Becoming a Young Master didn't just mean gaining higher status. It meant stepping into a fierce battleground of life and death. Now, Chris had become an enemy to all the Young Masters. No, if you included the factions supporting various Young Masters, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the entire Dark Demon Family had become his enemy.

Indeed, despite being the protagonist of the day, Christian stood alone in the center of the banquet hall, quietly tilting his glass. No one dared to approach Christian. They feared being marked as Chris's faction by the other Young Masters.

Tsk, how pitiful. He's going to walk a thorny path and meet his demise.

It would be a wiser choice to give up now and return to the Count Kazar Family.

Did he sense his own fate? Christian's expression wasn't good either. As he tilted his glass, his face was grim, as if he were drinking poison.

What Chris was thinking right now was, Damn it, I hate ginger.

He was cursing the ginger ale in his glass. He had asked the attendant for alcohol, but they had strictly brought him ginger ale.

Why is it ginger ale again, when I'm the protagonist of the banquet? These damn old-fashioned demons.

He had always felt this way; for beings supposedly without blood or tears, these demons were surprisingly more honest and old-fashioned than the Alliance folk.

Anyway. Hmm.

Chris surveyed the banquet hall.

The atmosphere is just as I expected. Perfect.

He smirked. An unexpected thought. Everyone was shunning him, yet he was pleased?

I hope the banquet continues to unfold exactly as I've planned.

Here's the question. Chris's goal wasn't just to become a Young Master; it was to take control of the Dark Demon Family. So, what was important for that?

First, his own strength. Second, a faction that followed him.

No matter how strong I am, it's impossible to rule over everyone as a lone wolf.

That's why Young Masters were officially permitted to form their own factions. Leadership, after all, was an indispensable quality for a family head. The problem was that Chris, being from a collateral branch, was naturally at a disadvantage in terms of factional power compared to Young Masters from the direct lineage. Unlike direct descendants, who would naturally attract people like clouds, Chris had to build his faction his own way.

But I have someone who can help me.

An unexpected thought.

I hope 'he' moves as expected.

Chris glanced, like a fisherman casting a bait. Far away. There was a young man looking at him with an arrogant gaze. Third Young Master Myisac. The youngest son born to Marquis Langham and currently the Young Master with the most 'noble bloodline' in the Dark Demon Family.

Marquis Langham had four children in total:

First Young Master Sherard.

Second Young Master Ashid.

First Young Lady Yulian.

And Third Young Master Myisac.

Among them, Myisac was special. Even more so than Ashid, who was considered the next in line for family head. This was due to his maternal lineage. The first three were born to Marquis Langham's deceased former wife. Myisac was from a different mother. Precia of the Silver Snow Flower. She was currently the mistress of the Dark Demon Family. More importantly, she was the daughter of the head of the 'Destruction Demon Family'. The head of the Destruction Demon Family was an absolute demon, comparable to Nordian. Furthermore, the Destruction Demon Family's power was strong enough to contend for a spot among the top five of the 12 Demonic Noble Families. With such a powerful background from his mother, no one dared to treat Third Young Master Myisac carelessly.

Thanks to this, he's said to have an extremely arrogant personality. He can't stand anyone who annoys him and only feels satisfied after crushing them.

Myisac would definitely make a move. At that time, Chris would turn Myisac's scheme against him, flipping the situation to his advantage.

He's still quiet.

Did Myisac think someone as insignificant as Christian wasn't worth his time? He was just drinking, sending contemptuous glances.

Should I provoke him soon? That way, things will unfold as I intend.

Chris contemplated how to attract Third Young Master Myisac's attention. More precisely, he thought about how to get under his skin.

Then, unexpectedly, there was unintentional help.

“Want a drink?”

“!!”

It was Jupien. Was she trying to congratulate him on becoming a Young Master in her own way? She appeared with a sullen expression.

“It's not that I particularly like you, but I came because you looked pitiful standing alone.”

“I'm fine.”

“...You're not using honorifics?”

“Now that we're both Young Masters and Young Ladies, why would I use honorifics with you?” Chris said brazenly.

Jupien frowned, then held out a glass.

“Just have a drink.”

“Alright.”

However, she looked at the glass Christian was holding and sneered.

“Ginger ale... Now that I think about it, you're still a minor.”

Chris felt a sense of defeat. For reference, Jupien was eighteen, barely an adult by Demonic Empire standards.

“Such a baby. From now on, you should call me older sister.”

“...”

In terms of age, she was right. But calling Jupien, who looked and acted like a child, 'older sister'?