I Mistook The Genre And Became A Tyrant

✦  Chapter 21 –  Hel is Very Cute (3) ✦

「Translator – Creator」

Phoebe stormed into the storage room, looked around, and then furiously turned towards me.

“What should I do?  I’ve never met a high-ranking noble before! What were you thinking, actually winning the hunting competition?”

“Hey, don’t get so worked up. Somnia is a much nicer person than she looks. You’ll get along well with her, Phoebe. Wouldn’t it be nice to have more family?”

“Family?”

“Yeah. Just think of it as gaining a good older sister.”

“An older sister? What older sister! Daniel! Do you even know what the Paimon family does? They’re the ones the Emperor keeps his eye on the most! You’ll regret it if you get involved with the Paimons!”

“Phoebe, you’re thinking too much into this.”

“No! I’m sure that woman is just thinking of using you politically! She’s trying to get out of the Emperor’s clutches by using an engagement as an excuse.”

Phoebe accurately pinpointed the situation as if she had been eavesdropping on my conversation with Somnia. As expected of my intelligent little sister.

With such a clever head at the family’s helm, the future of Dantalian seems secure, doesn’t it?

“Think about it logically. Why would a great noble family like the Twelve Zodiacs, who practically rule this continent, want to marry a low-ranking noble like us?”

“Logically, it doesn’t make sense.”

“You’re being used! By that weird hat-wearing woman! I’m sure once she’s done with you, you’ll be dumped. You’ve always been used by women. It was the same with Nidi before.”

“Hey. Why are you bringing her up now?”

“Just stay put, brother. I’m going to go tell that woman off!”

Stomp, stomp—!

Phoebe stormed out of the storage room, walking with the furious strides of a formidable woman. If left unchecked, the two women might end up fighting.

If Phoebe was rude to Somnia, Somnia, who seemed soft but could be sharp as a knife, might slap Phoebe, or worse, challenge her to a duel.

I hurriedly followed my sister.

And soon I spotted the two women standing in the garden.

“Th-There… W-Well…. Um….”

“Miss Phoebe, what is it that you want to say?”

However, contrary to her loud outburst and valiant exit, Phoebe stood speechless in front of Somnia.

Come to think of it, Phoebe was extremely shy.

Moreover, her opponent was a high-ranking noble of the Twelve Zodiacs. And the head of the Paimon family, no less.

Even if you dress it up nicely, the difference in status between the noble house of Dantalian, essentially a low noble-mercenary family from the outskirts, and the grand Paimon family was like heaven and earth. 

That’s probably why Phoebe was frozen in front of such an illustrious lady. It must have been Phoebe’s first time meeting someone of such high status up close.

‘She was so full of confidence in front of me.’

Is this what they call a keyboard warrior?

On the other hand, Somnia, who had seemed so clumsy and absent-minded in front of me, was now exuding the confidence of a high-ranking noble lady.

“Lady Phoebe, where is your father’s resting place? As someone who might become part of the Dantalian family, I want to pay my respects.”

“I–um, well…over there….”

“Is that so? Thank you for letting me know.”

Step, step—

With an elegant stride, Somnia, her mantle flowing behind her, began walking towards the Dantalian family grave. Phoebe stood there, almost frozen, looking pitiful enough to evoke sympathy from me.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Do I look okay to you?”

“No.”

“She definitely looked down on me! She must have been mocking me! That’s what grand nobles are like!”

Phoebe bit her lip bitterly, tears welling up in her eyes as if she might burst into tears at any moment. I decided to offer her some consolation, however slight.

“Somnia might be strange, but she’s not the type to mock others indiscriminately.”

“No! She definitely laughed at me! Behind that helmet! I just know it!”

“I’m telling you, she’s not like that.”

“Whose side are you on, anyway? You’re my family! You’re a Dantalian! You should be on my side! Are you already trying to play the role of Paimon’s son-in-law?”

This was turning into a mess. Whose side should I take, caught between Phoebe and Somnia? Both were my family.

Napoleon once said that reconciling two women is harder than unifying Europe─I could definitely relate to that.

“When you get engaged and have a fiancé one day, you’ll understand my feelings, Phoebe.”

“I’m never getting married!”

“Hey, then who’s going to carry on the Dantalian family line?”

“You can do it!”

Despite her sharp mind, she was always stubborn in the oddest ways. She hadn’t changed a bit since she was young.

Yet in front of high-ranking nobles, she freezes like a squirrel in front of a snake.

“Ah! You’re laughing at me, aren’t you!”

Seeing Phoebe so riled up made me chuckle.

I couldn’t help but wonder how she would react if she knew she was throwing a fit at the Emperor, someone considered a tyrant by many.

Would Phoebe fear and respect the Emperor as she did the high-ranking nobles, or would she still see me as her brother?

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

“It’s a snowflower, which only grows in the Frost Ridge of the snowy mountains.”

Somnia Paimon placed the flowers on Nimrod Dantalian’s grave.

Her respectful demeanor pleased me.

However, Phoebe still seemed dissatisfied.

“If she truly had respect for the deceased, she’d take off that helmet. We Dantalian people never lie to ourselves. We don’t wear helmets or masks.”

Phoebe muttered quietly.

Of course, Somnia’s ears were sensitive enough to catch even the faintest sounds.

“Miss Phoebe, is that so?”

“Y-yeah! And in front of my father’s grave, you’re supposed to bow twice while kneeling.”

Was there such a custom?

This was news to me.

I glanced at Phoebe, wondering if this was true, and she defensively responded.

“Daniel, you wouldn’t know because you’re adopted! In Dantalian, there’s a custom to bow twice at our graves. How about that? I bet it’s impossible for a high noble like you to lower your head in front of others!”

Phoebe finally smiled triumphantly as if she had won. She was confident that Somnia would never be able to follow her instruction.

“Can’t do it, can you? If you can’t do even that, you can’t be part of the Dantalian family.”

After all, nobles of Pandemonium were known to prize their dignity above all else. Many would rather die than bow to someone of lower status. The Barbatos family was one such example. And surely the Paimon family would be no different.

An eagle only lowers its head to an ant when it’s about to eat it off the ground.

However, Somnia calmly removed her helmet and, with graceful precision, performed two bows in front of the grave.

“Please accept this humble daughter-in-law.”

“Grrr…!”

Phoebe seemed at a loss for words, stunned by Somnia’s flawless and respectful actions.

Nonetheless, Somnia asked me calmly as if nothing had happened.

“Daniel, where is your mother laid to rest? While we’re here, I’d like to pay my respects to her as well.”

“My mother?”

Where could my mother be resting?

I didn’t know. I wanted to find out. I only had a vague hope that she was somewhere to the east, where the sun rises. Every time the east wind blew, my heart would flutter more than usual.

Pointing east, I said,

“Probably over there. But you only need to bow once.”

Gracefully, Somnia bowed towards the east.

Watching her, I was reminded of another home I longed for.

“Somnia, my mother would’ve loved you.”

“Do you really think so?”

The atmosphere grew warmer and friendlier.

Phoebe, however, still pouted like a duck.

“Well…it’s a barely passing score. But I’m surprised, Daniel. You’re really making an engagement. Have you already forgotten about Nidi?”

“…….”

I felt a heavy thud in my chest.

Phoebe, are you really going there?

Somnia, who had just been acting demurely like a model daughter-in-law, slightly furrowed her brows.

“Who’s Nidi?”

“Nidi is a very nasty girl and a liar. But she’s also my brother Daniel’s first love. They were inseparable in Ardan, right?”

Damn it, Phoebe.

When did you get so fearless, from being a squirrel frozen in front of a high-ranking noble to chattering like this?

“Daniel probably still hasn’t forgotten Nidi, Lady Paimon. I mean, Sister-in-law. Are you okay with that? Engaging with someone who might still have another woman in his heart?”

“…First love? Daniel, you told me you didn’t have anyone in your heart.”

“That was a long time ago. So long I hardly remember it anymore.”

“Five years ago isn’t that long ago, is it?”

Swish— Clack—

Unfazed, Somnia calmly put her helmet back on.

“It’s alright. Daniel is an incredibly capable person who has reached heights comparable to a Swordmaster despite being unable to sense mana. It’s only natural that he was popular with women.”

Just a while ago, I felt like I could read Somnia’s expressions through that helmet. Now, it felt like a complete mystery beneath that helmet.

The atmosphere was becoming awkward. How am I going to resolve this?

“Indeed, I don’t know much about Daniel. I don’t know how he was born, where he grew up, or what kind of life he has lived.”

“But I know. I also know the Paimon family plans to use him. A war might soon break out. Lady Paimon, if you stay with my brother, he’ll be dragged into war again.”

Phoebe’s voice was clear and assertive.

The once timid, reclusive Phoebe had mustered up incredible courage.

“We’ve only just reunited as a family, and we might face danger again. This time, he might not come back. Lady Paimon, can you promise not to put my brother in danger?”

“……………….”

Somnia remained silent beneath her helmet.

Then, she slowly shook her head.

“…Honestly, I can’t promise that. Being with me will certainly put him in harm’s way.”

“Of course. The northern Paimon family, along with some of the other Twelve Zodiac families, are planning a rebellion against the Emperor. You’re thinking of starting another war!”

“…That’s…”

What? The Paimon family and some of the Twelve Zodiac Houses were planning a rebellion? This was news to me. Barbatos hadn’t mentioned anything like this.

They probably didn’t know either.

No wonder my heart was pounding as if I had just uncovered a monumental secret.

“I know. Somnia Paimon, you will end up leading my brother to his death. Because of you, he’ll be caught in the crossfire of those terrifying Ascension Knights or under the watchful eye of the monstrous Emperor.”

Somnia fell silent at Phoebe’s severe accusations.

The tension was palpable.

It seemed pointless to try and stop their argument, so I decided to ask about what piqued my curiosity.

“Somnia, what do you mean there might be a rebellion?”

For two years, the empire had managed to survive, if not prosper, although it wasn’t exactly a period of peace.

Discovering the spark of rebellion from an unexpected place felt like uncovering a hidden treasure.

It was like a stroke of luck.

— End of Chapter —

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Translator’s Notes :-

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