Chapter 457: Dark Demon’s Invitation (4.5k)
For Darc obtaining the first place in the first year with a terrifying score of 793.
If Alvaraite hadn’t been mentally prepared, she would have jumped for joy, then retreated to her bedroom to secretly weep.
Olivia, the headmaid, was caught off guard, her small mouth forming an O shape, almost able to fit a large sausage inside.
She had not yet realized that her mischievous little brother was no longer so mischievous.
However, this excitement did not last long.
When Darc spoke calmly about the events inside the Mana Carriage, the atmosphere on the scene changed.
Claire was still curious about who the person pretending to be a forest ranger was, trying to peek into Darc’s secrets through dreams, but Alvaraite already had a deep frown.
“Chris!”
“Scorpio” Chris, serving as the headmaid of the “Scorpio Palace Maids,” responsible for intelligence gathering and… assassination!
As the second maid to receive recognition from the Twelve Golden Sacred Attires, Chris was already over twenty-five years old, but she had a petite figure and delicate heart, resembling a graceful young girl.
When Alvaraite called out her name, she silently appeared from the shadows.
Alvaraite’s tone turned stern, “Find out.”
“Three days,” Chris whispered, stepping back and retreating into the shadows again.
Alvaraite’s frown gradually eased as she took a sip of red wine, soothing herself, “Speaking of which, there are increasingly more restless people lately. Although I support the peace faction, peace indeed makes people forget easily.”
Claire smiled, “This is the flaw of human nature. Sometimes we can’t even control ourselves.”
Alvaraite said, “That’s why we need chains.”
Law is a chain, morality is a chain; they don’t restrict freedom, but rather the inner demons.
Alvaraite herself was not a paragon of virtue, but she saw things clearly enough.
…
After dinner, until the carriage guarded by the lion beast arrived at the Duke’s mansion, Darc bid goodnight to his mother and aunt, carrying a lot of luggage into his bedroom.
The familiar bedroom remained spotless, without any dust.
Olivia wanted to help him organize his luggage, but he smiled and closed the door on her.
Once the door was shut, Darc summoned the “Paradise” from his Mana Card Deck.
He then carelessly expanded the “Paradise” fully!
Olivia, still reeling from being rejected by her brother, was shocked to see surging mana from the bedroom, a web-like network instantly crawling under her feet, spreading throughout the entire second floor!
Then, buildings that seemed to emerge from a fairy tale began to appear one after another along the corridor.
These buildings did not damage the walls but made the corridor space seem smaller.
The well-placed facilities of the “Paradise” gave the corridor a dreamlike feel.
Darc stood in the center of his bedroom, tightly closing his eyes, controlling the “Paradise” expansion with his absolute knowledge of the surroundings.
When he stopped, the second floor of the mansion had been completely transformed.
Of course, he did not let the “Paradise” touch any rooms where people lived.
Bang Bang Bang!
Rapid knocking suddenly echoed.
Darc glanced at the door; Eevee, the fairy, ran over and unlocked the door with its ribbon antenna.
But when it saw that it was still Olivia standing at the door, it slammed the door shut instantly.
Olivia, shut out again, took a deep breath, feeling a bit inflated.
But when she saw Darc using the Mana Card, she felt relieved and finally turned to leave.
…
After successfully expanding the “Paradise,” Darc summoned the “Mana Book” to call forth other Mana Spirits.
As for himself, he and the summoned Mana Spirits packed up the luggage together.
First came the Grass Cat Plants.
The Grass Cat Plants, which had hibernated for three days in the box, urgently needed Cat Juice.
Darc carefully moved each Grass Cat Plant from the luggage box, then lit the potion to awaken them.
First, the short-haired Grass Cat Plant, followed by the Fox-eared Grass Plant, Dairy Cow Grass Plant, Dragon Grass Plant, and Lion Grass Plant.
Once all five Grass Cat Plants were awake, Darc’s bedroom became like a zoo, filled with lively activity.
Before long, the other Mana Spirits were summoned, making the bedroom even livelier.
His bedroom was several times larger than the dormitory at the Mana Academy. Even summoning the Baby Blue-Eye Dragon didn’t make it feel cramped.
Moreover, there were many partitions inside the bedroom, dividing it into multiple spaces.
He first planned a section and placed the Grass Cat Plants’ favorite mats.
Then, he moved experimental items and materials to another compartment, placing the Worm Tree on the spacious balcony.
He then remade the bed where Olivia used to sleep, using it as a temporary bed for the Mana Spirits.
Though the Duke’s mansion had plenty of rooms, Darc had gotten used to keeping these things nearby and wasn’t planning to change that.
By the time all the luggage was organized, it was already late at night.
Darc happily picked up the Piplup and said with a smile, “I’ll take you somewhere nice.”
…
Next, he carried a large group of Mana Spirits out of the bedroom and soon arrived at the second-floor bathroom.
The spacious bathroom was equipped with everything one could need.
Darc turned on the water button, letting hot water slowly flow from the lion’s mouth, gradually filling the square bath.
“Momo!”
The Piplup excitedly charged into the bath.
It had never seen such a large pool before, naturally feeling thrilled.
Darc picked up the towel prepared earlier from the counter, undressed, and stepped into the bath.
Soon, all the Mana Spirits joined him in the bath, even the Solo Sword Sheath leaned against the corner—no fear of rust.
Steam gradually rose, filling the bathroom with mist.
Darc comfortably soaked in the bath, his fatigue dissipating.
…
The next day, June 6th.
The Duke’s mansion was bustling with activity from early morning.
Today was the birthday of the young master!
After nine months, the young master finally returned home, coinciding with his birthday, so they naturally wanted to throw a grand celebration.
However, the Duke’s mansion always kept private affairs low-key, rarely interacting closely with other nobles.
Due to being busy, Alvaraite seldom attended the tea parties of noble ladies.
This time, they maintained their usual practice, only inviting family members and close friends.
Of course, there would be a few exceptions.
Princess Eliza woke up very early to handle official duties. Soon after, a servant handed her an invitation.
She glanced at the family crest on the invitation and put it aside temporarily.
Naturally, she wouldn’t forget the birthday of the son of the Valkyrie, so looking at it later would be the same.
“Right.” She suddenly thought, turning to the servant, “Did the Second and Third Princesses send invitations?”
The servant immediately replied, “Yes.”
“Oh.” Eliza’s gaze shifted. She realized that sometimes the Valkyrie’s words weren’t meant to be jokes.
…
Gretbail Family.
Training Ground…
Poor Diana was dragged out of bed by her father early the next morning after returning home.
While she could sleep soundly until seven o’clock during school, upon returning home, she was forced to wake up at five.
Viscount Gretbail, under the pretense of “rehabilitation training”!
Did Diana need rehabilitation?
Absolutely.
In the academy, although she didn’t slack off much in her studies, she did cut corners in physical training!
Even if someone was born with great strength, if they didn’t maintain it, it would deteriorate.
And for a qualified warrior, strength alone was far from enough.
“Choose a weapon: sword, spear, halberd.”
Under the rising sun, Viscount Gretbail, looking like a lion, held four weapons in one hand and asked Diana.
“Spear.”
Diana expressionlessly accepted the spear thrown by her father and unexpectedly thrust it forward with a fierce motion, like a dragon coiling.
Gretbail casually blocked it with the handle of the sword, then grabbed the halberd, fiercely thrusting it towards Diana’s spear!
An inch longer, an inch stronger; a halberd was perfect for countering a spear!
In an instant, the sounds of spear and halberd clashed wildly in the training ground!
The family members standing around the edge of the training ground couldn’t help but focus intently.
After nine months apart, Diana’s spear skills were still fierce as ever, as if she was born for it.
But upon closer inspection, many sharp-eyed people noticed that Diana’s spear skills had changed!
Amidst the unchanged ferocity, there was now a hint of delicacy and agility!
This was unimaginable for the past Diana, who always thought “charge, charge, charge.”
“A young bear’s final exam was fifth place in the class. I felt something was missing,” a burly young man in his twenties muttered.
A more muscular woman said, “No wonder I heard a lion’s roar last night; it must have been Viscount Gretbail.”
“Who can tell me what’s going on?” a teenage boy with muscles groaned, holding his head, “Diana has changed!”
The murmurs gradually grew louder, buzzing like bees.
Until a tall woman with silver hair walked out from the shade, the murmurs quietly faded away.
Silver Wolf Knight Camilla, now the Viscountess and Diana’s mother.
She could tame Viscount Gretbail so thoroughly; it wasn’t just because of her looks.
Even among the Bear Clan, known for their bravery, few could match her.
She squinted at the father-daughter duel, unsurprised by her daughter’s sudden increase in intelligence—she had already been surprised last night!
“Madam, what’s in your hand?” the muscular woman asked curiously.
Camilla raised her hand, revealing a meaningful letter, “Just an invitation.”
…
Violetta Viscount Mansion.
Viscount Violetta and his wife looked at the invitation on the table, especially the conspicuous family crest, remaining silent.
Viscount Violetta had an ordinary appearance, slightly overweight, and his curly hair was more yellow than gold.
Lady Violetta, once unveiled, had a stern face but concealed a playful glint in her eyes.
As one of the most noble surnames in the kingdom,
the Violetta family had experienced absolute glory, but that was in the past.
The Violetta family had historically separated the main house from the branches.
The main house had only one lineage, and any branches outside the heir were demoted to sub-families, unable to access any true heritage.
Thus, when the main house’s bloodline was cut off midway, the entire family’s inheritance system collapsed instantly.
Moreover, only the Violetta Viscount line remained.
Although the Violetta Viscount received part of the main house’s remaining wealth, money alone couldn’t help him enter the true elite circles.
Among viscounts, those with power and those without differed greatly.
The Violetta Viscount often hovered around the elite circles but wasn’t truly accepted.
Lady Violetta, though frequently invited to attend noble ladies’ tea parties, was merely a supporting role.
Despite her efforts to socialize, her lack of depth only added to the humor.
She was very unwilling, but there was nothing she could do.
The world was cruel.
Now, an invitation from the most dazzling family today—the Diemon family—lay quietly in front of them.
An easy opportunity to open the gates to heaven had presented itself.
What was the price?
Gold doesn’t fall from the sky; gain comes with loss.
Lady Violetta swallowed, asking, “Simon, should we attend tonight’s birthday banquet?”
Simon? Violetta looked puzzled, “We should go, but why would the Duke suddenly invite us to her family banquet?”
“Probably because of Rose,” Lady Violetta recalled last night’s events, whispering.
“Rose?” Simon? Violetta’s gaze shifted, “Because of the bad boy from the Diemon family? I remember he was also invited to Saint Maryann Academy last year.”
Lady Violetta nodded, “You’re right, they were classmates.”
Simon? Violetta sighed in relief, “Just a birthday invitation between classmates.”
But Lady Violetta said seriously, “Do you really think it’s that simple?”
Simon? Violetta frowned, “Could it be that he likes Rose, or does the Diemon family want our lost heritage?”
“I don’t know,” Lady Violetta sighed, “We haven’t paid enough attention to Rose recently. Do you know she ranked thirteenth in the genius-filled Saint Maryann Academy?”
Simon? Violetta Viscount visibly expressed surprise, “Thirteenth isn’t low. Shouldn’t we give her a reward?”
Lady Violetta helplessly said, “That’s not the point. I’ve heard some rumors, but I’m not sure.”
“What rumors?” Simon? Violetta asked.
Lady Violetta said, “The bad boy seems to have reformed.”
“Is it the result of Saint Maryann’s education?” Simon? Violetta said, “If it’s Saint Maryann, it’s normal.”
Lady Violetta added, “Last night, Rose told me he also got first place in the first year.”
Simon? Violetta’s mouth formed an O shape, “No wonder he’s the son of the Valkyrie; once on the right path, he has boundless potential.”
Lady Violetta nodded with a hint of envy, “If only our treasure could be invited to Saint Maryann Academy. Anyway, Rose and that bad boy seem to have a good relationship.”
“I didn’t believe it last night until this invitation appeared in front of me. How do you think their relationship stands?”
Simon? Violetta frowned, “To be honest, our Rose is very beautiful. It’s hard to say whether that boy might develop inappropriate thoughts.”
Lady Violetta asked again, “Should we go with the flow, or…”
Simon? Violetta’s expression turned serious, “Madam, this isn’t as simple as you think. Without sufficient capacity, you can’t support heavy responsibilities. Getting too close to the Diemon family brings more than just opportunities.”
“I may not be capable, but I won’t let the Violetta family’s bloodline end in my branch. We must plan carefully. Let’s first ask Rose for her opinion.”
Lady Violetta instinctively said, “What does she understand?”
Simon? Violetta Viscount countered, “Didn’t she rank thirteenth in the genius-filled Saint Maryann Academy?”
Lady Violetta: “…”
