Thanks to that great prophecy, the six families are already showing unusual signs.

Didn’t they openly talk about the ‘six families’?

Anyone could see that it was referring to them, the six meritorious families.

The Fondo of Kelpie, the Ardor of Pegasus, the Aquila of Eagle, the Lupinus of Wolf, the Venenum of Snake, and the Sano of Conifer.

Among countless powers, only they possessed their respective divine beasts and divine trees, and were powerful enough to have no rivals except for the first king.

The six monsters, who were already busy showing off their pride and self-esteem, were now going to fight each other with their heads held high.

Mariette Venenum, one of the monsters who unexpectedly got caught in the middle of it, already had a headache.

“Grandmother! I heard you were here, I know everything!”

A loud voice rang out from a distance. It was Karla’s voice.

Mariette, who immediately frowned, clicked her tongue and shook her head.

“Let’s go. I have something to say to both of you anyway.”

As soon as the three of them gathered and sat in the office, Mariette immediately threw a letter onto the table.

“It’s from Ardor. It says they want to visit this place.”

“Ardor? What business does the lofty Ardor have in coming all the way to this far-off Venenum?”

“Watch your mouth. I told you to watch your mouth, Yonsuk. What kind of successor uses such an ill-mannered tone?”

Mariette, holding the envelope, immediately slapped her granddaughter’s mouth.

Karla, who was rubbing her lips with a wronged look, straightened her back and retorted.

“There’s a successor who’s far more ill-mannered than me, you know? Why are you only doing this to me!”

Karla’s finger poked Merche.

Only after seeing that angry face did Merche realize who that ill-mannered successor was.

“Right, Merche? You know. That Rude Lupinus who was head over heels for you! Compared to him, I’m very dignified.”

“Mouth, mouth! I told you not to talk frivolously! If you don’t have the confidence to speak in a way that’s worth listening to, just shut up, Karla!”

Karla turned her back and closed her mouth, looking sullen.

As if the conversation partner was already set anyway, Mariette looked at Merche in the most natural way possible.

“Merche. You understand what this letter means, right?”

“…It’s a faction, isn’t it?”

“Yes. That’s it. It’s a faction, Merche. They’re finally going to see it through.”

Six families, one throne.

The prophecy said ‘among the six families’, but in fact, there were only two families capable of taking the throne.

Fondo and Ardor. Oddly enough, their powers were also water and fire.

No matter how powerful the six families’ abilities were, there was a hierarchy among them.

If ranked by absolute power, Fondo and Ardor, the two families, should stand at the front.

Anyone could see that they were incompatible, and it was difficult to determine who was superior, so they were the two families that clashed unusually often in the kingdom’s history of over 700 years.

So it was more efficient for them to form their own forces and fight as factions.

Rather than having all six fight to the death individually, it was better to be divided into two, fight, and have the winners take the spoils.

It was easy to see what the other family heads were thinking even without looking.

Mariette, who let out a sigh like smoke that could sink the ground, slowly rubbed her eyelids.

“Although the news hasn’t been publicly announced, Fondo and Aquila have already joined forces. So what can we do, there’s only one way. Venenum will die if we don’t side with Ardor. We have to form an alliance or coalition with them, Merche.”

Mariette’s gaze kept sticking without falling.

Merche carefully straightened her posture without rushing.

For some reason, tension made her body tense up. Why? What are you going to say to me?

Mariette’s fingers gripping the sofa tightened.

It was a strong force that made the thick leather heave. After a long silence, Mariette opened her mouth.

“Merche. As you know, an alliance is… ultimately an uncertain gamble. For a more definite alliance, something must be exchanged. What’s suitable for that is marriage.”

“…Marriage? Marriage, grandmother?”

Karla, who had been out of the conversation the whole time, widened her eyes and intervened.

She glanced at the letter stamped with Ardor’s insignia and then blinked at the air again.

“As far as I know, the Ardor heir is a man. But I’ve already become the heir and have to continue the family line, so the only remaining Venenum woman besides me is…”

Her words trailed off and her body turned to one side. Naturally, it was the direction where Merche was sitting.

“It’s her, right? …Me, Merche. You’re the only one? You’re the only woman in Venenum who can marry.”

Thud! Another piece of paper flew onto the letter on the table.

The gazes of both Karla and Merche were drawn to it.

Mariette read aloud the letters filling the top of that paper, replacing the two who couldn’t utter a single word.

“It’s an ‘engagement letter’. The names are written there, so you’ll know if you have eyes.”

Fabio Ardor, Merche Venenum.

The names of the two men and women were listed side by side under the word engagement letter.

Karla, covering her ever-widening mouth with her hand, jumped up from her seat.

“Grandmother! Are you going to sell her off? How can you make such a cold-blooded calculation, that’s absurd!”

“…Phew. Karla…”

“If I had known this would happen, I shouldn’t have registered her in the family. I registered her as a branch family member for nothing… In fact, it’s not even certain whether she’s a real Venenum or not…!”

“Karla! I’ll shut that mouth of yours right now! Can’t you shut up?”

The fight between the grandmother and granddaughter was so intense that it was hard to take my eyes off it, but Merche was lost in her own thoughts and had no time to look away.

Yes, that was the problem. Bearing the name Venenum and being labeled as a branch family member again.

– Since you control snakes, of course you’re a Venenum.

It was what Mariette said a few days after the succession battle ended somewhat blandly.

Mariette wrote Merche’s name in the family registry as if there was no room for doubt.

– There’s no way I could have inherited the blood of Venenum. I’m really…

– Your biological parents?

– …Pardon?

– I’m asking if your parents are your biological parents.

No. They’re not biological parents. They’re just a couple with a strong sense of responsibility who adopted and raised Merche.

– No? I thought so. In my eyes, your face doesn’t show a single piece of the name Lupinus. …Well, it’s not like it shows Venenum either, though.

– ……

– Anyway, what’s most certain above all else is the power. You have the power to control snakes. That’s enough. With that, you’re already a Venenum.

While hesitating, the name was written in the registry and the family head’s seal was stamped with a bang.

So ridiculously easily, Merche became a branch member of Venenum.

…Was that the problem? Becoming someone’s family so easily.

Looking back, on that day, the day Merche became a branch member of Venenum, she was so excited that she couldn’t even sleep.

Because Venenum is different from Lupinus. Because Mariette is a different person from Genovefa.

Genovefa, who is two-faced and unrivaled in being sinister.

Merche, who had seen Genovefa for over 10 years, couldn’t have mistaken someone similar to her.

Mariette was far from being called sinister.

She could be called somewhat strict and fierce, but the more you looked into her, the warmer and more upright person Mariette was.

Karla was not much different either.

Although she has a playful and childlike side, she’s not sinister or has an eerie side to her.

She even feels more like a sister than Christine, whom I’ve known for a long time as a sister, so that familiarity is surprising.

The embrace of Venenum. The time I spent in it for a year was so peaceful.

So that was the problem.

Because it was affection that I shouldn’t dare to be allowed.

The one who was always like a mismatched fragment, the one whose side should have remained an isolated island forever, was filled with people who were too overwhelming.

If I was told to bear the consequences of having what I shouldn’t have had, I should have rightfully accepted it.

Merche quietly stood up, holding the engagement letter in one hand and a quill pen in the other.

As I was about to dip its tip in the dark ink and bring it down on the paper, a thunderous roar erupted.

“Stop!”

Mariette, with unusually blazing eyes, glared fiercely at Merche.

“Don’t you dare! Who told you to sign there?”

“…I will do what I can if it benefits Venenum…”

“Nonsense! You’re making a bigger fool of me than that wretched thing!”

She called me a wretched thing again… Karla muttered softly, but it was drowned out by Mariette’s angry voice that followed.

“It’s just a proposal. Even if it’s not that engagement letter, I can make any other price.”

The engagement letter that was about to be completed slipped out of my hand like grains of sand.

Only after neatly rolling it up like when it first arrived here and sealing it with beeswax did Mariette soften her voice and arch an eyebrow.

“You foals. Get out of here. Now!”

Why is she doing this? She’s the one who brought up the engagement letter first.

Karla, who was grumbling, was finally slapped and driven out.

As Merche, who was caught by the request to be scolded as if her soul was about to leave, tried to turn around, Karla, who curled the corners of her lips, grabbed her wrist and clung to her.

“Merche. Do you know that?”

“What?”

“About Fabio Ardor. He’s quite good-looking, you know?”