I Became the Master of the Devil

“Now that the servants are gone, let’s speak comfortably.”

 

Upon Ash’s remark, the woman seated before him slowly removed her robe.

 

“It’s been a while, Grand Prince.”

 

Shiny pink hair cascaded down.

 

“Thank you for agreeing to see me despite my sudden visit.”

 

“I did the same before. Besides, it’s natural when Lady Luna Lev personally sent a letter.”

 

Ash, leaning back on his chair, exudes innate softness and ease.

 

“What brings you here all of a sudden?”

 

An awkward silence hung between them. From Ash’s visit to the duchy and Benio’s welcoming party, they hadn’t exactly left a great impression on each other.

 

“There’s a problem at our duchy.”

 

“Really?” Ash tilted his head, seemingly unable to grasp what Luna was saying.

 

“The servants are suffering from a mysterious skin disease, and my older sister is under suspicion.”

 

“Suspicion?”

 

“Yes. It started after they used an ointment my older sister made herself.”

 

Ash let out a sound, then fell silent. He had an expression that it’s hard to tell what he was thinking.

 

“I see.” He finally spoke with a calm voice. “So, what do you want to tell me?”

 

“Yes? This is what I want to say.” Luna appeared taken aback, not expecting this reaction.

 

“My older sister is in such a difficult situation. Shouldn’t Lord help her?”

 

“…”

 

She naturally assumed that Ash would take an active role. Wasn’t he Ash Benio, who couldn’t even pass a beggar begging on the side of the road? Moreover, Siani was his ex-fiancée.

 

“Lord, you know very well how lonely older sister had been in the duchy.”

 

If he came forward, the situation would be buried quietly without any need to investigate the truth or anything. It’s also beneficial for Luna, leaving only suspicions about the ointment.

 

“I’m sure my older sister didn’t mean it that way either. She’s a human being, so her emotions are momentary—”

 

“No.” Ash cut her off. “Before talking about suspicion and help, let’s properly establish the cause and effect, Lady Lev.”

 

He gazed at her with a detached look, unlike the gentle and kind Ash Benio she knew.

 

“Is it really something Siani did?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Lady Lev must have been with Siani for quite some time, but you don’t seem to be very close.”

 

Ash smiled softly. The only problem was that only one corner of his mouth rose from that smile.

 

“I wonder if Siani would do such a thing herself to the servants…”

 

Luna realized. There was much meaning in the words ‘such a thing’.

 

“Siani is the only descendant of the Duke Felicite’s family and almost became the Grand Princess of Benio.”

 

“…”

 

Luna felt increasingly parched under his arrogant gaze.

 

“That means she doesn’t have to deal with her servants directly. If they bother her, just punish them or kick them out. Why would she stoop to such childish…” Ash kept chuckling, cutting himself off.

 

“Spreading skin disease with ointment, that’s something even the servants of a lowly baron wouldn’t do.” He asserted confidently as if he knew Siani better than anyone.

 

“Besides, that place is Duchy Felicite. Such silly pranks won’t work there.”

 

Luna’s ears reddened even more.

 

“I understand your concern for Siani, Lady Lev.”

 

Even Luna, unfamiliar with the speaking style of nobles, knew Ash was humiliating her.

 

“But the saying that Siani made the ointment herself and tried to harm the servants with the ointment…”

 

“…”

 

“I can’t believe it.”

 

Of course, Ash was confident he knew Siani better than anyone else. No matter how much you change to look like someone else, your original blood won’t change.

 

“Could there be some misunderstanding?”

 

“But, even if she grew up in the duchy, would that change her natural origin?”

 

“Siani was right. You can never compare to her no matter how much you try.”

 

Luna’s mind was flooded with countless thoughts. Despite her flushed face, she felt oddly calm.

 

“Ah, Lord’s trust in my older sister is really remarkable.”

 

“Of course. We’ve been close friends and fiancés since childhood.” Ash’s tone hinted as if there was something between him and Siani that no one could invade.

 

“I just wanted to help my sister,” Luna muttered, lowering her head. “I was presumptuous. It wasn’t even my place to ask you.”

 

“What…”

 

“Now, Lord can’t even intervene with my older sister’s matters anymore. Because you’re not in a relationship anymore.”

 

Ash’s smiling lips twitched at her words.

 

“I’ve taken too much of your time. I should leave now.” Luna stood up from her seat as if she had nothing more to say.

 

“Well, even if there was a misunderstanding, it’s really true that my older sister made the ointment.”

 

“…”

 

“And Lord knows, right? Knights under the direct order of my older sister will be attending the monster hunting competition.”

 

Ash didn’t stand; just looked up at her.

 

“Among them, there is a knight that my older sister really cares about. You don’t know how much she cares for him.”

 

His expression became increasingly cold.

 

“Older sister even made ointment for him and went out to the festival together…”

 

Unlike Ash, Luna flashed her characteristic bright smile.

 

“I’m so jealous. I also wanted to solve this problem to earn my older sister’s love.

 

Love. Luna uttered that word with more emphasis.

 

“Well, now that you won’t be hearing from my older sister, you have no choice but not to know.”

 

“…”

 

“Excuse me, then. I’ll be going.”

 

Having politely excused herself, Luna turned to leave and thought to herself. A pretentious and arrogant b*stard. Indeed, such a guy is…Unattractive. No wonder older sister hates that b*stard.

 

Certainly, he was not a man suitable for her or Siani.

 

* * *

“… What’s with that woman?” As soon as Luna left, Ash muttered to himself.

 

He knew why she had come all this way. Just like at the welcoming party, she must have intended to slander Siani and show how different she was. Modest, kind, and sweet, unlike the arrogant Siani.

 

He had no intention of sympathizing with such transparent pretense… If she had been even slightly humble, he might have considered helping her.

 

But then.

 

“Was I not her goal?”

 

He couldn’t understand Luna Lev’s attitude. If her intention was to seduce him, she wouldn’t have mocked him so openly. Every woman in the empire wanted to speak even a word with him…

 

Was she really just trying to use me? Why were the women of that family like that?

 

“A knight, huh.”

 

The remark Luna left behind bothered Ash.

 

“Sigh.”

 

So, really… Siani had made that ointment for him. For the guy she had hidden behind her.

 

“It looks like the princess took the wrong medicine.”

 

It seemed he would get a chance to confront him again as he had expected.

 

“Did you call for me, Milord?” As Ash irritably rang the bell, his aide entered.

 

“Have all the knights to send to the monster hunting competition been assembled?”

 

“Yes. They are currently in the midst of training.”

 

“We need to rework the strategy.”

 

“Yes? We’ve gathered only the elite knight, so of course we will win the—”

 

“No, whether we win or lose doesn’t matter.”

 

The aide’s eyes widened. To be indifferent to the outcome of a competition representing Benio’s family was uncharacteristic of Ash.

 

“Get someone from the underground guild connected to us. Someone with quick hands.” Ash said with a low laugh.

 

After all, no one but the participants could enter the arena where the monster hunting competition was held. Therefore, if anything happened during the competition, Siani couldn’t protect him.

 

“And it doesn’t matter how much it costs.”

 

His eyes fell on the painting of Siani on the shelf.

 

“Buy a magician. Someone who can create mutant monsters.”

 

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