I Became the Master of the Devil

Wow, what a temper. There was no time to stop the sudden turn of events.

 

“I brought this to give to Vallentin, but why did you break it?”

 

Then Redian let out a short “Ah.”

 

“I made a mistake because I’m not yet used to handling Astra.”

 

“…”

 

Don’t lie, seriously. I saw you earlier, piercing right through the eye of a 12th circle monster with the last bullet.

 

“Anyway, the trainers will take care of it. There’s no need for you, Princess, to bother about such things.”

 

I was about to retort that this is why I need to take care of it myself when…

 

“Ah. Did something…?” Redian kicked away the shattered Astra as if he had just remembered something. “Going on these days?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Although I’ve always been troubled by various things, it was the first time Redian asked like that.

 

“I happened to overhear while training here. About the skin disease because of the ointment…”

 

“Aah.”

 

Being close to the east building, it seems someone’s casual conversations reached Redian’s ears.

 

“That ointment I made supposedly spread a skin disease among the servants.”

 

“What?”

 

“I made a few extra while making yours and distributed them among the servants.”

 

“…”

 

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s funny, isn’t it? The ones I made for you were fine, but they got the skin disease. It’s ridiculous.”

 

I just thought it was rather childish than funny. But Redian’s expression while looking at me was calm.

 

“No, but who would blabber about it so loudly here?”

 

“Irik.”

 

Ah, it made sense if it was Irik.

 

“He was saying that the food they shared, not the ointment Princess gave, was the problem.”

 

…The food they shared? I was thinking about why Irik suddenly said something like that.

 

“Master,” Redian called me. “So, people here are doubting you.”

 

“It’s no big deal. Such things always happen here.”

 

Though it was normal for me, Redian might not understand.

 

At that moment.

 

“When I eventually leave this duchy…”

 

Our eyes met in the silent space.

 

“As expected, you should leave with me, Master.”

 

His languid smile, for some reason, seemed persistent.

 

* * *

“Oh my, Lord Irik.”

 

On his way to the east building, Irik ran into the head of maid, Jen.

 

“You shouldn’t be here.” Startled, Jen removed her handkerchief from her mouth and nose.

 

“I need to see for myself how the servants are doing. Especially…” Irik paused before continuing. “How are Luna’s servants doing?”

 

“Ah, Lady Luna’s servants are particularly in bad condition.”

 

Jen thought Irk was worried about Luna, so she reassured him. “Fortunately, the lady seems unaffected, so don’t worry too much.”

 

But Irik’s expression was odd. “No. I need to see for myself.”

 

“You can’t, Lord Irik!” Jen tried to stop him, but it was futile.

 

“Don’t worry. It’s not a contagious disease anyway.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Leaving behind those cryptic words, Irik entered the east building.

 

“Susan.”

 

“Oh gosh, Lord Irik! You shouldn’t be here. Cover your mouth with a handkerchief at least.”

 

Irik had come to see Susan, one of Luna’s close maids.

 

“Just a moment.”

 

“Why are you doing that/”

 

Irik quickly grabbed Susan’s hand to examine her skin. The reddish rash and small blisters covering her…

 

“Ha, damn it.” It was as if his suspicions were confirmed, and Irik bit his lip hard.

 

“Did it spread to the lady?”

 

“No, it’s not like that.”

 

“Ah, that’s a relief. We’ve been having meals together even before the symptoms appeared.” Susan sighed with relief, knowing Luna was fine. “How worried I was that it might have spread to her.”

 

Looking at Susan, Irik felt strange. A face covered in blisters and welts. It was unbearably itchy, scratched until bleeding, and would likely leave scars for life. And yet, they were worried about their master who caused this.

 

“Other maids are attending the lady, but please take care of her, Young Master.”

 

And so…

 

“You know how the lady can hardly eat properly in front of strangers.”

 

Irik couldn’t respond.

 

* * *

“Luna, Luna!”

 

“What’s wrong, Brother? Why are you like this?”

 

Irik, rushing out of the east building, urgently sought Luna. His carriage was badly damaged, but there was no time to worry about that.

 

“…You.”

 

As he opened her room door, there was Luna.

 

“Why are you so agitated?”

 

Irritated by her soaking her hands in rose water, Irik frowned.

 

“Ah, Brother. Older sister loves to use rose water, so I tried it too, and it’s really effective, you know?”

 

Luna smiled sweetly. The room was filled with the sweet scent of roses.

 

“Everything older sister uses seems good.”

 

“Are you out of your mind?”

 

Irik couldn’t suppress his sudden anger.

 

“Your maids in the eastern wing are suffering, scratching their blistered bodies. But now, rose water?!”

 

“Why are you being like this just because of something like that?” Then Luna looked surprised.

 

“…What? Just something like that?”

 

Only one thought crossed Irik’s mind. Who was the Luna he thought he knew?

 

“Ha, what about the ointment? Saying all this happened because of the ointment Siani made.” He felt his voice getting choked up and forced himself to ask. “…Did you spread that rumor?”

 

“Hmm.” Luna chuckled.

 

“I wondered why you were so mad.” She wiped her wet hands on a towel and continued. “You were angry because older sister was being misunderstood.”

 

“What?”

 

“Of course. My brother wouldn’t be so kind to the servants.”

 

Irik’s eyes became increasingly colder as he looked at Luna.

 

“All this time, you didn’t care about them suffering, but now…” Luna shrugged, her pink hair swaying. “Is it the same as back then?”

 

“What’s different?”

 

“…You.”

 

Irik felt a surge of anger but suppressed it and opened his eyes again.

 

“Ah, is it because your feelings for them and for Siani are different?”

 

“You’re really insane.”

 

Unlike the cold Irik, Luna maintained her usual demeanor.

 

“It’s helpful for you too, right? If older sister causes trouble and the old vassals come back, it’s good for you.” Luna rebuked him as if it was obvious. All the old vassals who had been on his side were cut off by Siani.

 

He couldn’t push through thinking of this as his last chance…

 

“Is Felicite’s successor position what you really want?”

 

Rushing over just because Siani was being misunderstood seemed absurd.

 

“Ah, are you planning to marry older sister or become her lover and continue staying in the duchy?”

 

“…”

 

“Oh my, is it really true?”

 

Luna burst into laughter.

 

“Will older sister accept you?”

 

It was a loving smile.

 

“Wake up, Brother.”

 

But it’s hard to believe that cold words come out of that mouth.

 

“No matter how desperately you try, you’re different from older sister. You can’t have her.”

 

Luna had been pretending not to know that fact all along.

 

“Do you think you, from an orphanage, can match the great Siani Felicite?”

 

But she couldn’t stand to see Irik harboring such vain hopes any longer.

 

“Let’s join forces against older sis—”

 

“What…” Irik, who had been just watching her, spoke up. “What if I blow up everything you’ve done?”

 

Luna’s hand, lifting the towel, paused. “…What?”

 

“Your petty street tricks won’t work here. You haven’t changed at all.”

 

“…Are you done talking?”

 

“It’s not me who needs to come to my senses. It’s you, Luna Lev.”

 

Irik’s voice turned icy. It wasn’t the face that would fall for anything his sister said.

 

“I can’t stand to see her broken, even if that means we fall to rock bottom again.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

But Irik just turned and walked away.

 

“Brother, brother! What are you talking about?” Luna ran after him, but it was futile.

 

What exactly? Was he going to tell everyone about what she did?

 

No. It can’t be. Luna shook her head, but anxiety crept in. But what if…

 

Right. It’s possible.

 

Irik wasn’t aiming for the successor position, but Siani’s and Duke Felicite’s recognition. Then he’d do anything to get their attention. Even betraying his own sister!

 

“No, absolutely not.”

 

Luna’s breathing quickened.

 

“Lilli, Lilli!”

 

“Why are you doing this, Milady?”

 

“I need to send a letter.”

 

“Yes? To whom?”

 

Luna, clenching her fist, spoke slowly. “Grand Prince Benio.”

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