Chapter 4

# 4

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Nikan, overwhelmed by uncontrollable rage, slapped his son for the first time in his life.

Smack!

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Even after striking Wood, his anger did not subside.

Nabia was the child who was to be made the Empress in place of his terminally ill daughter, to bear the prince who would inherit the throne.

His real daughter, Vivian, was a 'magic reflux disease patient.'

Magic reflux disease was an incurable illness that affected children born to wizard couples, causing their magic power to suddenly surge and kill them without any prior warning.

The longest a person with magic reflux disease had ever lived in history was just twenty years.

Since a terminally ill person could not become Empress, Nabia was brought in as a substitute.

'Especially at a time when everyone is scrutinizing Agnes for any flaws!'

There were countless people who wished for the decline of Agnes, who owned the best and largest magic stone mines.

'Especially the Empress, who must be coveting my magic stone mines.'

The Empress's family, the Lucia Dukedom, was running a magic train business, and the fuel for those trains was magic stones.

They had made a deal, each getting what they wanted.

The Empress wanted to monopolize the supply of magic stones for the trains at a low price, and Nikan wanted to place his adopted daughter on the Empress's throne.

What would happen if Nabia's commoner status were to be revealed?

'The crime of a commoner impersonating a noble is no small matter.'

At this moment, the royal family would surely demand that all the magic stone mines be handed over.

It wouldn't be so bad if it ended there.

Nikan had already killed the children from the orphanage he bought to hide Nabia's identity, making it look like accidents or illnesses.

The orphanage director, whom he had made his vassal to keep him quiet, was also being poisoned and would soon die.

If these crimes were to be exposed, the mines wouldn't be enough to cover it up.

'But there's no way it will be exposed.'

Nikan was naturally adept at such matters.

He had already set up a cover to ensure no one could trace it back to him, and if necessary, he could sacrifice someone else to cut off any leads.

Thinking this far, Nikan was able to calm down a bit more.

Still, there was a problem.

Recently, there had been a strong backlash against class discrimination among young nobles.

If a rumor spread that Nabia, known as the daughter of a lower noble, was being oppressed despite being an adopted daughter, what would happen? The hyenas from the lower noble families would not let such a tempting target from the Agnes family slip by.

They would denounce the upper nobles as corrupt.

'What a bunch of trash.'

Nikan wanted to sweep away the young progressive nobles, but he knew that even a worm will squirm when stepped on.

'If I draw more attention for no reason, it will really be a problem.'

Even now, too much attention was being drawn to the situation.

These people worked for Agnes, but it was unclear to whom they were loyal.

Nikan needed to defuse the situation.

"What kind of despicable act is this, Wood?!"

"A, Father..."

Wood, who had never been slapped before, was almost in a daze.

"Moreover, setting fire to the mansion? Philippa! How could you have managed Wood to this extent?"

Philippa, who had raised Wood like her own child, shed bitter tears and pleaded.

"It's all my fault, Master. Please punish me instead and forgive the young master... Sob!"

Nabia watched the scene, trembling slightly.

Seeing this farce, knowing the whole story, gave her a new sense of emotion.

When Philippa, on her knees, glared at her, Nabia almost laughed.

In the past, she would have tried her best to resolve the situation.

Nabia did nothing now. There was no need.

Now, their discord brought her joy.

Wood, holding his cheek, looked dazed for a moment before his face turned red with anger and he shouted.

"I didn't do it!"

He had only locked Nabia in the room; he hadn't set the fire.

More than the misunderstanding, he was angry that Nikan was defending a lower noble's daughter, whom he considered a worm.

"And what if I did? She's just a lower noble anyway!"

"Watch your mouth!"

Nikan sympathized with his son's words but knew it was dangerous to voice them now.

Wood redirected his anger at Nabia.

"Hey! Tell me, did you set the fire? If you lie, you'll die!"

Nabia looked at Wood, who was about to grab her by the hair, with calm eyes for a moment.

Wood felt a chill.

'What, what is this?'

The Nabia he remembered was a timid and weak child.

But the Nabia who met his gaze now was completely unfamiliar.

The Nabia he had once considered insignificant no longer looked like a small bug that would die if stepped on.

Instead, she looked like a white venomous snake about to strike.

Swallow.

Wood swallowed hard, feeling an eerie tension.

It was unbelievable.

This fear was similar to the one he felt when he first met the Emperor.

No, it surpassed it.

When no one else noticed the change in her eyes, Nabia's expression suddenly became pitiful.

The change was so sudden that Wood rubbed his eyes.

The tension dissipated.

Nabia looked as weak and fragile as usual, as if the fear had been a hallucination.

'What is this... Did I see it wrong?'

Wood was ashamed that he had been afraid of Nabia, even for a moment.

"Ugh, you lowborn...!"

As he raised his fist in anger, Nabia immediately cowered.

Everyone's attention turned to Wood's clenched fist.

Wood, in fact, was afraid of Nikan's gaze and had no intention of attacking Nabia.

But Nabia's reaction made it look as if he had almost hit her.

Nabia, already convinced she would be hit, trembled and glanced around.

Please help me!

She moved her lips as if to cry for help, but the words never left her mouth.

Instead, she knelt on the floor and began to beg Wood with dead eyes.

"Yes, it was my mistake. Brother didn't do it..."

How could anyone believe such words in this situation?

They didn't believe her.

They were convinced, as she hoped, that Wood had done it.

Nabia didn't stop there.

Excessive punishment for a minor offense makes people frown.

What about punishment for something not done?

"I'm sorry, Brother. I'm sorry."

She bowed her head to the carpet.

Like a lowly slave.

To shock everyone!

"Ahem!"

"Mm..."

Sighs of sympathy echoed around the room, just as Nabia had intended.

'Wood must be satisfied.'

She saw Wood smirking arrogantly from her slightly raised gaze.

Fool.

Everyone else was too shocked to speak.

Nabia felt no shame in her actions. She could do this hundreds more times.

She had once stood outside the mansion in the freezing winter, wearing only a thin slip, kneeling all day.

'She died of frostbite and a cold.'

It happened in the fifth cycle.

"Enough!"

Nikan's bellow stopped Nabia from banging her head.

Her forehead, visible through her parted bangs, was bright red.

In the frozen atmosphere, Nikan sighed quietly.

Everything was going wrong, like a nightmare.

At the center of it all was his son, Wood.

'If only it were a dream.'

He wanted to grab his aching head and sigh deeply but maintained a calm expression, addressing his vassals sternly.

"It seems the fire has shocked Nabia quite a bit."

Nikan summarized Nabia's behavior this way.

He would not tolerate anyone suggesting a different reason.

"Philippa, take good care of Nabia for a while."

"Yes, Master."

He spoke sternly to Wood, trying to appear fair.

"Wood, you will be confined to your room to reflect on your actions!"

This seemed to have calmed things down.

But Philippa, hearing the word "confined," reacted before Wood.

"Confined?! The young master is only ten, and this is too harsh a punishment!"

"Silence!"

Nikan exploded.

"If you had taken better care of the children, this wouldn't have happened!"

"How can you say such things to me...?"

Philippa's shock was understandable.

She was one of Nikan's favored vassals.

Philippa had grown up in the Agnes family.

Her mother had been Nikan's nanny, and Philippa herself had become the next heir's nanny.

Nikan had a large scar on his arm from taking a beating in place of the former head of the family during his wild days.

Philippa considered this a mark of honor, and Nikan highly valued her loyalty.

Still, Nikan was displeased that Philippa had failed to control Wood to this extent.

Ignoring Philippa's distress, he continued.

"Move Nabia's quarters to the third floor."

At the mention of the third floor, everyone's expressions changed. Wood and Philippa's reactions were the most intense.

"Father!"

"Master, the third floor?!"

"Quiet! If you argue further, I will not be lenient."

Nikan's stern words silenced everyone. He glared at Philippa and gestured to the butler.

This was a signal for the butler to take Nabia away.

"Follow me, Miss."

Nod.

Nabia followed the butler with a desolate step, feeling the complex gazes of everyone behind her.

The third floor held a special significance.

'Such a sacred place, and she gets it just for setting a fire once.'

In fact, this move had a hidden purpose. It was a reward far beyond what she deserved, a way to silence her and prevent complaints.

Without a single word of concern.

Nabia's expression had already turned cold.

# 4

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