I was unsure of what exactly it was, but I inferred that the muscular maidservant sisters agreed with me.

“Er… Master Matthias might not, well, agree.”

No. I shook my head resolutely once more. They wore an inexplicable, peculiar expression. Perhaps, the muscular maidservant sisters might be different.

‘Everyone dismisses my father like that… The sisters are different. They do recognize the potential in my father, don’t they?’

Touched, I opened my mouth again.

“Just remember those guys’ names.”

“You’re going to write a death list…”

“Yeah. I’ll distribute it later.”

It’s like a Death Note, a hit list, and similar stuff.

‘Wait. You damn Xs, soon I’ll make you unrecognizable!’

I clenched my fists without a gap and glared into the air.

“I’ll remember!”

The maid sisters and I decided to carry a small notepad with us from then on.

To list the people who badmouthed our father.

“Whew, shall we start walking again? But why can’t I go to the succession ceremony…”

The maids’ eyes were spinning.

They cautiously shared a conversation.

“According to Master Matthias, occasionally, just occasionally, there are bad people in Mirmode that could negatively affect Master Cien’s education.”

“So, during the succession ceremony, um, go for a walk! Or read a book in your room!”

It would have been nice to see the family members on the day of the minor lordship succession ceremony. I felt regretful and spoke with my eyes wide open.

“Hmm…”

The muscular maidservant sisters consoled me, who seemed a little down.

“Going for a walk will make you healthier.”

As I was shaking with my fists clenched for a while, at that moment.

A large rosecovered mansion wall appeared before my eyes.

But, but, but!

Surprisingly, isn’t that my father standing at the mansion door?

Due to my bias, my father looked leaner and sicker than usual. His face seemed cold, terrible, and wrinkly, like an old potato.

‘My father, he might lose his health at this rate.’

Feeling gloomy, I ran courageously toward my father.

“Dad!”

“Cien!”

Fortunately or unfortunately, my approaching father gave me a broad smile.

Like the blue roses filling the mansion front.

‘Fortunately, my father doesn’t seem sick!’

I could also relax and look at my father joyfully.

“Dad, congratulations!”

“Thank you, Cien.”

Was it because the succession ceremony couldn’t be held grandly, or, my father might have also heard the murmurs of the people.

“Let’s go in, quickly.”

Seeing my somewhat gloomylooking father, I stopped.

And whispered quietly so that only my father could hear.

“Dad, do you know?”

“…Hmm?”

“Have you ever seen puppies fighting?”

“…Hmm, so what?”

“But the puppy that always lost suddenly won one day. People clapped really hard when they saw it!”

“….”

“Winning in the end is the real victory! If we win in the end, it’s all good!”

“Cien…”

My father looked at me with trembling eyes.

‘How about that, was it a great speech, Dad?!’

Look at those moist eyes in that innocent face. He must have been deeply moved.

Proudly smiling, I was about to say, ‘I’ll protect you so that we can win gloriously!’

But before I could open my mouth, my father grabbed my shoulder and said,

“Were you at a dogfighting pit? I told you not to go. It’s dangerous, my daughter.”

I glared at my father, disappointed that he could say nothing more in response to my awesome speech. Then my father began to scold me, pinching my cheeks.

Uhoh, I made a mistake!

Sensing the bombardment of nagging from my dad, I jumped through the opened door of the mansion and shouted.

“Wow! What a beautiful house!”

But I didn’t regret what I said to my father.

It’s clear to anyone that we’re the underdog right now.
An outcast turned doting father.

His daughter, attached to him like a comet.

And the mother, whose identity was unclear but who carried a string of ominous rumors, even in death…

A colossal situation of disadvantage.

However, I knew.

‘After all, the rebellion of the underdog is terrifying.’

I swung my arms and quickly entered inside.

Finally, a lovely home had been made.

To make this house my sweet home forever, I had to become strong quickly.

The day Matthias Mirmode, the Grand Prince, ascended to the role of a minor prince, there were no noticeable changes.

The paladins were in turmoil day and night between their sacred duties and their families. Cien learned how to use attack artifacts by courting the Duchess, and Matthias spent his time handling his tasks unnoticeably.

At a glance, during the peaceful times, the night finally came.

The hunting tournament, a traditional event held for the successor, also served as a place for camaraderie among the successor’s confidants. The Mirmode frequently hosted hunting tournaments, which served as a show of their family’s power.

However, for Matthias, the hunting tournament was an effective lure that could stimulate the council of elders.

It was an opportunity to indirectly warn them by showing the power of him and his confidants, the newly made successor.