Chapter 2: The Succession Ceremony

Lately, a certain piece of news had been the sole topic of conversation throughout the Klein Kingdom.

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it!"

Special editions of the paper were being scattered all over the royal capital.

"What...?"

"Hey, are you serious...?"

"No way...!?"

Those who read the news opened their eyes wide in astonishment.

I caught one of the broadsheets dancing in the air and checked the headline.

Zova Le Ainsworth, One of the Four Great Nobel Houses, Dead from a Magical Experiment Gone Wrong!

Excellent. It looked like they were following my instructions perfectly.

The day after I disposed of Zova, I sent a <Call> to Nia with three distinct orders.

One: announce Zova's death as an accident during a magical experiment.

Two: Inherit the headship of the Ainsworth family, no matter what it takes.

Three: if she ever found herself completely stuck, investigate the Room of Fusion on the lowest floor.

It was good to see her obeying my commands.

Upon receiving news of Zova's passing, His Majesty the King expressed his condolences and announced a five-day period of mourning starting today.

As a result, all kingdom-affiliated institutions came to a halt.

Redrick Magic Academy was also a royal institution, so classes were naturally suspended.

Which brought me to the present—dressed in a black mourning suit, I was attending Zova's state funeral at the Klein Grand Cathedral. Over a hundred nobles had gathered in the kingdom's largest funeral hall for the solemn ceremony.

...Ah, right, that's how it was...

My gaze was drawn to the magnificent portrait of the Elder set in the center of the altar.

Zova actually had a pretty dignified face, didn't he...

How should I even describe this feeling?

A strange mix of emotions welled up inside me—part sad, part amusing, part poignant.

The current Zova was working his heart out in Void Town with his eyes absolutely sparkling.

There wasn't a shred of his former dignity in the way he answered, "Yes, with pleasure!" within two seconds of every request I made.

Well, he seems surprisingly happy doing it, so I guess it all worked out?

Ultimately, Zova was a mass of pure curiosity, a researcher born and bred.

In terms of attributes, he was probably close to Entia, the Witch of Intellectual Greed.

In fact, when I taught him some knowledge from Japan, his eyes lit up with brilliant intensity.

"Electricity"... To think such an energy exists... My, how fascinating! Unlike magic, it is a dream power source that anyone can enjoy! As expected of Lord Void, what profound wisdom you possess!

He had happily racked his brain trying to figure out how to put my ideas into practical use.

It was much healthier than spending all his time conducting horrific experiments deep in the Ainsworth family's basement.

While I was lost in thought, sacred prayers were offered for the soul of the deceased, and the funeral drew to a close.

The ceremony smoothly transitioned to the memorial service, where the attendees offered their final farewells to Zova.

This was also implicitly a chance to show one's face, so those seen as the next heads of their respective noble houses took turns delivering eulogies.

Naturally, as the next head of the Heisenberg family, I also offered my condolences to Zova.

"The Elder Zova was a great man who dedicated himself to the prosperity of our kingdom. Upon his passing, I am filled with profound sadness and an immeasurable sense of loss. ...We have truly lost an invaluable figure. I pray from the bottom of my heart that his soul may rest in peace."

Well, I was the one who killed him.

While I read from my prepared script, Nia, the chief mourner, stared at me with her mouth hanging open.

That face probably meant she was thinking, How can he spout such shameless lies...?

Heh. You shouldn't underestimate my poker face.

It had been seven years since I reincarnated into the original world of Ronzorquia, and I'd been playing the part of a lazy, arrogant noble the entire time. I was quite confident in my acting skills.

But still, this really is 'just a ceremony'.

The funeral hall was filled with a somber atmosphere, but there wasn't a single tear to be found.

Unsurprising, really. No one here was actually mourning Zova's death.

The guy did whatever the hell he wanted for his own selfish desires, after all...

He abandoned his official duties as one of the Four Great Nobel Houses, never did a single act of charity, and rejected requests to help with the Royal Selection three times. He prioritized nothing but his own ambitions and his research on magic factors.

But he does have a mountain of achievements to his name.

The genetic conditions for magic factors, the potential for awakening magic factors, magic factor transplant surgeries... he left behind countless papers that contributed to the kingdom's advancement.

So, because of all that, he was getting a grand state funeral, but nobody was actually sad to see him go.

Everyone was an adult, and they had appearances to maintain as nobles, so they were just begrudgingly showing their faces.

I feel a little bad for him... but this is the result of living however he pleased, so I doubt he has any regrets.

After the memorial service ended, Zova's coffin was carried out and respectfully buried in the Klein Cemetery.

He was currently living his best life in Void Town, so this was completely just a formality.

With that, Zova Le Ainsworth's funeral concluded.

The Elder's tyranny came to an end, and the Ainsworth family welcomed a new beginning.

And that new era started off... incredibly chaotic. The classic 'succession dispute'.

Technically, Nia was supposed to be the next head... but she was nothing more than a figurehead.

A pitiful existence whose only purpose was to have her Primordial Flame extracted by Zova and then be ruthlessly discarded.

That was the girl named Nia, and absolutely no one thought she would actually inherit the headship.

But now, Zova had suddenly died, leaving the seat of the head completely vacant.

Normally, Nia would naturally step up to become the new head.

She herself probably thought so too... but reality wasn't that kind.

With the seat of 'Head of the Four Great Nobel Houses' dangling right in front of them—along with its overwhelming status and honor—everyone ignored logic and scrambled desperately to seize it.

"My son is far more suited to succeed Lord Zova than a little girl like Nia!"

"Ha! If your ugly child takes over, it'll be the end of the Ainsworth family. My adorable son should be the next head!"

"You're all a bunch of fools! My daughter is the only one fit to inherit the family!"

The main branch moved to exclude Nia, the branch families started relying on other nobles... it was a free-for-all. A vicious power struggle unfolded over the Ainsworth family's legacy.

Well... the Ainsworths are a noble family with a ton of relatives.

This was all because Zova had encouraged them to have children left and right in order to get his hands on the Primordial Flame as soon as possible.

Exhausted by the bitter family feud, Nia followed my final instruction: If you ever find yourself completely stuck, investigate the Room of Fusion on the lowest floor. 

There, she found—

"N-no way... this is..."

—Zova's will.

The one I had forced him to write, anticipating this exact situation.

The will was immediately taken to a specialized institution, and based on the handwriting and magical residue, it was verified as Zova's authentic document.

It was a freshly made piece that I had him write right in front of me, so that was the obvious outcome.

The tables turned in an instant, and Nia officially secured the position of the family head.

■

Today, a week after Zova's state funeral, Nia's 'Succession Ceremony' was being held.

Nobles connected to the main and branch families were gathered in the main hall of the Ainsworth estate.

Incidentally, the Heisenberg family served as the witness for this ceremony.

My father Daphnes was busy with official duties, so my mother Layla and I were attending in his stead.

This succession ceremony was a very important ritual where Nia became the head of the Ainsworth family, and I placed the Ainsworths under my control. I had to keep a close eye out so no incompetent noble would get in my way...

Perhaps because we were in charge, the succession ceremony proceeded without a hitch, and the moment finally arrived.

"We shall now commence the 'Rite of Succession.'"

The three magical heirlooms of the Ainsworth family—the 'Staff of Heaven', the 'Crown of Eternity', and the 'Primordial Vestments'—were handed over to Nia by the head butler.

Holding the magnificent staff, wearing the silver crown, and clad in the pure white vestments... she looked so beautiful she could be framed in a painting, and I found myself involuntarily mesmerized.

"I hereby declare the succession of Nia Le Ainsworth as the twelfth head of the Ainsworth family."

Following the head butler's words, Nia bowed with elegant grace.

However—no applause broke out.

"..."

Cold stares pierced through Nia's entire body like sharp arrows.

To them, she was merely a 'figurehead', a 'pitiful sacrifice' meant to be offered to Zova.

The relatives simply refused to accept her taking the seat of the head.

...This is honestly pretty sad, even for her.

It was her big day, and she was all dressed up so beautifully, but no one was congratulating her.

I hated this sort of bullying behavior, where people made a public spectacle out of someone. It made me sick.

"..."

Left with no choice, I began to clap silently.

For some reason, my mother smiled very happily and gave a loud round of applause, as if she had been waiting for this exact moment.

The other attendees turned their eyes toward us, and with faces looking like they had bit into a sour bug, they began to clap in frustration.

Of course they did.

The Heisenberg family—none other than us—was acting as the witness for this succession ceremony.

If they didn't celebrate Nia's succession and poured cold water on the mood, it would mean making us lose face.

It just went to show that there was a limit to their childish harassment.

But still... heheh, this is quite a 'nice view'!

Watching the nobles clap begrudgingly, bending to my will... it was incredibly satisfying.

Whoops, no, no, those 'evil thoughts' are coming back...

Something like the consciousness of the original Hollow would occasionally float up faintly to the surface.

It never controlled me, but a 'dark pleasure' would start to well up.

A lazy and arrogant disposition + extremely evil thoughts + intensely strong lust. Are these the 'debuffs' attached to the original Hollow...?

I replaced the lazy and arrogant disposition with humility and sincerity.

The extremely evil thoughts were something I could control.

Which means the problem is the intensely strong lust...

Countermeasures against beautiful women were an absolute necessity. I needed to do something about it immediately.

Anyway, the succession ceremony was now over.

The headship of the Ainsworth family had safely been passed down to Nia.

Heheh, with this, the Ainsworth family is mine in both name and reality!

I had acquired another powerful weapon for conquering the main route.

And I won't let my guard down just because I've won. I would continue to push forward with my 'Chapter 2 Walkthrough' without slacking off.

■

The moment the succession ceremony ended, the attending nobles practically climbed over each other to form a long line.

Not in front of the new head, Nia, but in front of my mother, Layla.

"It is a pleasure to see you looking so well, Lady Layla! I am honored to meet you!"

"How is your health? Please accept this highest-grade potion as a token of our new acquaintance."

"Lord Heisenberg is not present today, I see. I was hoping to offer my greetings..."

They called us the worst nobles, the darkness of the kingdom, the untouchables, and threw all sorts of other nasty names at us... but in reality, there were plenty of nobles desperate to cozy up to our family.

In the end, those with power always attract lowly parasites looking for scraps.

"Hehe, thank you for your concern."

With a soft smile, my mother gave harmless answers to the rapid-fire greetings and questions—and for just a split second, she shot a glance my way.

It seemed she was telling me, "Go see Nia first."

I returned a small nod and headed to Nia's dressing room, knocking lightly on the door.

"It's me."

"Hollow? Come in."

When I opened the door, Nia was sitting in a chair, her eyes wide with surprise.

"What, is there something on my face?"

"No... you actually knocked. I fully expected you to kick the door down..."

"...What exactly do you think of me?"

My lazy and arrogant demeanor was just an act.

And kicking down the doors in other people's houses... Actually, the original Hollow used to do that all the time.

"Hehe, I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

Nia smiled softly and waved her right hand dismissively.

"Thank you, Hollow. Really... I was so happy."

She was probably referring to me taking the initiative to clap.

It wasn't anything worth being thanked for, so I just snorted and vaguely brushed it off.

"But still, I never dreamed the backlash would be this strong. Ever since I was little, everyone told me I'd be the 'next head'... But when the time actually came, their eyes completely changed and they attacked me. I was so shocked."

Staring off into the distance, Nia let out a small but heavy sigh.

"If you hadn't given me those instructions, Hollow, I definitely wouldn't have been able to act so calmly. ...You saved me yet again, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Make sure you feel thoroughly indebted to me."

"Hehe, you've got a foul mouth as always. But right now, your straightforward words are incredibly reassuring."

Nia smiled fleetingly as she said that.

Man... she's really worn out.

She took a concentrated barrage of character assassination from her relatives, acted as chief mourner while surrounded by enemies, and became the family head without anyone's blessing.

It was pretty heavy stuff for a fifteen-year-old girl to experience. I genuinely thought she was doing her best.

The Ainsworth family's power is useful for conquering Hollow's route. I need Nia to keep working for my sake.

I had no choice. I'd offer some follow-up support here.

"Don't let it get you down so much. Succession disputes are like this everywhere."

"Even in the Heisenberg family?"

"Unfortunately, I'm the only child. We have a few branch families and the like, but... if they ever even thought about getting in my way... right?"

I created a pitch-black vortex on the palm of my hand and crushed it with a sickening crunch.

"Ah, uh... yeah... I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

Nia smiled wryly with a troubled look on her face.

"You might be surrounded by enemies right now, but in the end, results are everything. You inherited the Ainsworth family and gained absolute status and power. All you have to do is use it properly to silence the opposition. With the power of the Four Great Nobel Houses, you can easily crush those insignificant nobles."

"...Yeah, you're right! I'll do my best to become a proper head so everyone acknowledges me!"

Her bright, forward-looking nature was one of her best qualities. Just being around her filled me with energy.

I guess this was what made her a 'heroine'.

"By the way, Hollow, about that will—"

"—I believe I told you before, no snooping."

"Mmm... stingy."

"I'm not being stingy."

As I joked around with Nia, who had completely regained her cheerfulness, a knock echoed through the room.

"This is Layla Toa Heisenberg. Is my Hollow bothering you in there?"

"Ah, p-please, come in!"

Nia stood up in a panic and straightened her back.

The door slowly opened, and the moment my mother entered, Nia immediately offered her greetings.

"N-nice to meet you, Lady Heisenberg. I am the twelfth head of the Ainsworth family, Nia Le Ainsworth."

Anyone could tell she was incredibly nervous.

My mother, on the other hand, smiled gently with perfect composure.

Layla Toa Heisenberg, thirty-eight years old.

Standing at 170 centimeters, she was characterized by her crimson long hair and her beautiful, gentle features—a true 'Ageless Beauty'.

Her appearance didn't look like someone in her late thirties at all; she could easily pass for someone in her early twenties.

Known as the 'Fastest Sword Saint', she boasted top-tier swordsmanship skills and overwhelming physical strength, even in the original story.

However... because of her kindness, she was defeated by the Sky-Eater and had been bedridden until very recently.

Nia and my mother are almost equal in status now... but there's way too big of a gap in their 'history'.

On one side was a young girl who had just assumed the title of family head.

On the other was the Lady who had wielded power for a long time within the infamous Heisenberg family.

It was only natural that Nia would be on edge.

"Hehe, you can just call me Layla. In exchange, may I call you Nia?"

"Eh? Ah, yes! Please take care of me, um... Lady Layla...?"

When Nia fearfully addressed her in a more casual manner,

"Yes, it's wonderful to meet you, Nia."

My mother smiled softly and nodded in satisfaction.

With the introductions out of the way, Nia corrected her posture and bowed elegantly.

"Once again, thank you so much for agreeing to act as the witness for the succession ceremony this time. I cannot find the words to express my gratitude."

"It's fine, it's fine. Don't worry about it. When my adorable Hollow asks me for a favor, there's no way I could refuse."

"Hollow did...?"

"Yes! He told me, 'A friend of mine is in trouble, and I'd like you to lend a hand!'"

"So that's what happened. Hehe, Hollow really is so twisted. But I... I really love that kind side of yours—"

Ignoring Nia's heated gaze, I glared at my mother in protest.

"...Mother?"

"Jeez, don't glare at me like that."

She waved her hand dismissively in a joking manner, then put on a complicated expression as she spoke to Nia.

"I was bedridden for a long time because of the Sky-Eater's curse. I wasn't able to do anything for Hollow as a parent. When I woke up, he had grown so big, and he could do everything by himself, so he never relied on me at all... I felt a little lonely."

"Lady Layla..."

"But then, for the first time, my boy asked for my help! As his mother, I was just so, so happy! I dumped all my official duties onto Daphnes and forced my schedule open!"

Ah... I see.

The reason my father had been working himself to the bone lately was because he was shouldering my mother's workload.

That was just like him, the devoted husband he was.

"I see. Please give my thanks to Lord Heisenberg as well. Lady Layla is the wife of that evil noble, so I was wondering how terrifying she would be... but she's so bright, cheerful, and kind. She might not be very similar to Hollow at all?"

Just as Nia gave her reply, a knock sounded at the door.

"It is Olvin Dankelt."

"That's our head butler. May you let him in?"

"Yes, please come in."

With Nia's permission, Olvin stepped into the room.

"Good work. Sorry for dumping the troublesome aftermath onto you."

"Not at all. Please do not worry about it. More importantly, Madam, how would you like to handle the matter at hand?"

In response to Olvin's meaningful question, my mother's eyes instantly narrowed.

"Hmm, let's see... The Neck Baron family who deliberately wore mourning clothes to this joyous occasion, the Taylor Viscount family who was spreading malicious rumors during the ceremony, and the Barendorf Count family who refused to clap until the very end. Cut off all ties with those three families as of today."

"Understood."

"I absolutely detest that sort of bullying behavior. I will not forgive such childish stunts at an event our family is overseeing. Just thinking about it makes me sick."

"Yes, I shall make the arrangements immediately."

Olvin bowed and silently left the dressing room.

My mother was fundamentally bright, kind, and treated everyone the same regardless of whether they were a noble or a commoner. She was like the sun, but...

She despised anything underhanded and absolutely refused to forgive bullying.

Now that our family has set our sights on them, those three families are probably done for...

Noble society required a maddening amount of social awareness.

Who attended which family's evening party, who was close to whom, who was feuding with whom... they kept a sharp eye on these 'inter-family relationships'.

To put it bluntly, they read the room to a pathological degree.

The Neck Baron family, the Taylor Viscount family, and the Barendorf Count family had incurred the displeasure of the Heisenberg family. This information would quickly spread through the upper echelons of kingdom society, and the nobles associated with those three families would scatter like spiders.

They would be isolated politically, economically, and socially. They would lose their say in politics, no one would trade with them, and they wouldn't be invited to social gatherings. They'd be treated completely like untouchables.

Once it came to this, it was all over. Their downfall was inevitable.

How do I put this... tough break.

Karma's a bitch. That's what you get for doing stupid, petty harassment.

As I let out an exasperated sigh,

I-I take back what I said... That ruthlessness is definitely the mark of Hollow's mother...!

Nia was trembling uncontrollably.

"By the way, Nia, how far have things progressed between you and my Hollow?"

"Eh... um...?"

"Oh, don't play dumb. You two are 'dating', aren't you?"

"N-no, no! Nothing like that! We haven't, yet... I mean, we're still... gah!"

Nia accidentally let a slip of the tongue escape, and my mother smirked knowingly.

"... 'Yet'? You just said 'yet', didn't you? Doesn't that mean you're open to the idea!?"

"That's, um..."

Blushing furiously, Nia cast her eyes downward and looked over at me.

No... if you spectacularly blow yourself up, don't look at me for help.

Deal with it yourself.

"What do you like about Hollow? Is it how incredibly handsome he is? How surprisingly strong he is? How ridiculously smart he is?"

Faced with the rapid-fire multiple-choice questions, Nia shyly muttered a 'phantom fourth option'.

"Because... he's kind..."

In that instant,

"O-oh my..."

My mother's face froze.

"You understand him perfectly! That's exactly it! He has a bit of a foul mouth, so people often misunderstand him, but deep down, he is a very, very kind boy!"

That must have been the 'correct answer'. My mother was in a better mood than ever.

"Hey, hey, how far have you two gone? Have you kissed yet?"

...Hey Nia, you know what you're doing, right? You aren't going to feed my mother anymore, are you?

Sometimes you have to lie. As the head of the Ainsworth family, you have that much flexibility, right?

However, my hopes were in vain...

"...Yes..."

Honest to a fault and incapable of lying, Nia nodded with her ears blushing beet red. My mother shrieked in delight, "Kyaaah!?"

"Who initiated it!? I bet it was my boy—no, wait, judging by your reaction, was it you, Nia!?"

"I kind of... pressed him into it..."

"My, how bold! But I actually like girls like you!"

My mother made a fuss like a child, squealing with joy, while Nia looked like her head was spinning.

...She's a lost cause. No saving her now.

Poor girl. Even if she brought it upon herself by being so clumsy... she probably never dreamed she'd be subjected to such a humiliating ordeal on the joyous day of her succession.

"Hollow, Mommy is going to take her 'future daughter-in-law candidate' out for lunch. What are you going to do?"

"I'll pass."

"Got it. Let's go then, Nia! We're going to have a very fun lunch today!"

My mother firmly grabbed Nia's left hand and triumphantly headed for the exit.

As they passed by, Nia desperately reached out her right hand toward me.

"Please, Hollow, help me..."

"Give it up. This kind of socializing is also the duty of a family head."

"H-how could you..."

And so, Nia was dragged away by my energetic mother like a helpless calf.

Well, whatever... stay strong.

----

Toc