WWDNND Chapter 19

[Master!]
‘Hmm?’

At that moment, Desmond’s voice echoed in my head. He sounded utterly exhausted.

Sure enough, he started whining and pleading.

[I really can’t do this anymore. I think the Sword Master is going to notice me.]

‘Hmm, well… there’s nothing we can do, then.’

[I think I might have already been caught…]

‘What?’

[Ah, nothing.]

‘…….’

Desmond abruptly cut off his words, hastily brushing over them. Then, the black energy seeped back into the teddy bear. Desmond had returned.

“Caught? Are you serious?”

[Umm, I’m not sure.]

“Tell me in detail.”

[The Duke, the Sword Master, didn’t notice me. But, um… the other Sword Master kind of…]

“……”

I had a feeling I knew exactly who he was talking about. Did Dantalion catch him?

“So, were you caught or not?”

[I don’t know. That human… he’s terrifying. He looked straight at the spot where I was hiding!]

“Hmm.”

Desmond was trembling in fear. Seeing him do that while looking like a teddy bear made him seem a little pitiful.

The horrifying sight he had witnessed was probably closer to the Dantalion I knew. That would explain why he was so terrified.

Although, when he was around Veronica, he seemed like a completely different person.

“Well, whatever. He doesn’t know that I’m your master anyway.”

[Don’t worry about that. The Great Demon’s contract isn’t that flimsy!]

“Hm.”

Desmond declared with a surprising amount of confidence.

The contract with the Great Demon allowed the direct descendants of the first Duke of Winston to become masters of demons, and even a Sword Master or the Master of the Magic Tower wouldn’t be able to see through that contract.

That just meant the Great Demon was an incredibly powerful entity. As the ruler of the Demon Realm, he was probably as powerful as a god.

I nodded and lightly tapped Desmond on the head.

“Then don’t worry too much about it.”

[…Why are you letting this slide so easily? Aren’t you going to scold me for getting caught?]

“What… Just what do you think I am?”

[Master, at least try to have some conscience.]

“Ahem.”

I wanted to refute him, but when I thought about it, I really hadn’t been all that kind to Desmond.

Bibi was a pervert, so that was whatever, but Desmond had obediently followed my orders this whole time.

I had suddenly been thrown into this unfamiliar world, and knowing what would eventually happen to Veronica had left me on edge.

Thinking back, I really had been too harsh on Desmond. I nodded in acknowledgment.

“Alright, I’m sorry.”

[W-What?]

“You did a good job this time too. Thank you.”

[W-Why are you suddenly saying that? Master? I heard humans die when they start acting out of character.]

“……”

Even when I genuinely try to be nice…

I glared at Desmond, and Bibi, standing beside me, burst into laughter.

“What?”

[That terrifying Sword Master. Are you just going to leave him be?]

“Hm.”

I fell into thought at Desmond’s question.

But my concerns were slightly different from his. I was thinking about how useful Dantalion could be.

At first, I had planned to use Dantalion to force Cedric and Veronica to divorce, get rid of the Empress Dowager quickly, and bring down the protagonists.

But maybe I could slightly alter my approach.

‘A marriage alliance.’

Above all, the most powerful and binding alliance between noble families was marriage.

And if we weren’t talking about nobles but royalty, then that was even more true.

If Crown Prince Dantalion overthrew the Empress Dowager, who held a firm grip on the imperial and noble factions, it would benefit both me and the Winston Ducal House.

If Dantalion and Veronica married in that situation, it would become an even greater advantage. Maybe, unlike the original story, I could bring down the protagonists even faster.

‘But if Veronica doesn’t want it, it’s all meaningless.’

She had already been deeply wounded by her marriage to Cedric.

So, the thought of remarrying might be overwhelming for her.

And honestly, I also wanted to live here with Veronica and the people of the Winston family.

However…

“Haa.”

When I closed my eyes, scenes from the original story surfaced in my mind again.

The Duke of Winston, unable to bear watching Veronica’s execution, shut his eyes tightly. Her siblings, devastated.

To avoid repeating the original story, a drastic change in the narrative was necessary.

Dantalion’s warm voice echoed in my mind. A voice that was too kind to be directed at a mere childhood friend.

‘I’ll have to meet him myself.’

Who knows?

Maybe—just maybe—before he descended into darkness, Dantalion had simply been a benevolent man treating Veronica kindly.

That’s why I had to meet him in person and put him to the test.

‘I’ll choose my own… stepfather!’

I almost voiced my true thoughts out loud but quickly corrected myself.

Then, I smirked.

***

“Mom, I want to meet His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Oh my.”

Veronica looked at me in surprise.

At the same time, however, her cheeks turned slightly pink at the mere mention of the Crown Prince.

I stared at her intently.

“Where did you hear about that?”

“Uncle Brandon told me.”

“Oh dear, that Brandon.”

Of course, it wasn’t actually Brandon who told me first—I was just using him as an alibi.

Sorry, Brandon. If you’re going to blame someone, blame your own gullibility.

With that thought, I put on a bright smile and cheered.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is so cool!”

“Hmm, but His Highness is a very busy person.”

“Oh…”

“Día wants to see His Highness!”

“…!”

Take this—my ultimate weapon: adorable aegyo!

Veronica flinched as if her heart had stopped for a moment.

Good, just a little more!

I twisted my body cutely, my confidence growing.

“I even have a gift for His Highness.”

“A gift? You prepared a gift for the Crown Prince?”

“Mhm!”

“I’d love to receive a gift from Día, too… Ahem.”

“……”

Veronica quickly shut her mouth, realizing she had spoken her true feelings out loud.

But I heard it loud and clear.

I should prepare something for her too.

The gift for Dantalion was just an excuse to meet him.

I thought of the sloppy bouquet I had hastily put together from flowers I had picked in the garden and grinned.

Then, I looked up at Veronica with wide eyes.

Luckily, she had read me a childish fairy tale about a prince not too long ago, so my desire to meet Crown Prince Dantalion had a reasonable excuse.

“…Alright. I’ll ask His Highness.”

“Yay! I’m meeting the prince!”

“He’s the Crown Prince, not just a prince. You must be polite in front of him, okay?”

“Yes!”

Veronica kept reminding me to be on my best behavior, probably worried that I’d act improperly in front of Dantalion.

After all, Claudia had always been weak and sheltered, never socializing with outsiders.

But she didn’t need to worry.

I wasn’t the naive and fragile Claudia she thought I was.

So, I just giggled innocently as if I knew nothing.

***

The meeting with Dantalion happened sooner than expected.

Since he had to return to the west quickly, his time was limited.

I met him alongside Veronica.

When we entered the reception room, Dantalion, who had been staying in a secluded annex, rose from his seat.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Gweedingz, Youw Highnessh!”

I clumsily mimicked Veronica’s formal noble greeting.

If I wanted, I could have done it much better.

But no five-year-old child could bow gracefully with perfect etiquette.

As I wobbled while holding my dress, a bright laugh rang out from above.

“Haha, well, nice to meet you, Claudia.”

“……”

I lifted my head and stared at Dantalion.

This was the first time I had seen him in person.

And he was far more handsome than I had imagined.