After I died, Everything Changed - Chapter 46

Everyone had something to say about the remarriage.

It had been a long time since Mother passed away, and Father had shown no interest in remarrying—until the day he first spoke of Chloe.

Grandfather permitted Father’s decision.

After overcoming waves of gossip and resistance, Chloe and her two sons entered the mansion. But at first, there was no place in this household where they could truly stretch their legs.

“Now though, it’s their world.”

In that sense, I must admit that Chloe’s rise and consolidation of power is impressive.

And under her, Abel, who must’ve been nursing great ambition, was… a little terrifying.

Compared to him, Nehrzhu just seemed foolish—but in a way, endearingly so.

“Your brother is quite popular.”

“Well, he’s a hero. Everyone worships him.”

“Hmm.”

I’d only recently begun to understand the frustrations of being the second child. For some reason, I felt like Nehrzhu and I shared that strange sense of being overshadowed.

“But I’ll become someone just as great as my brother.”

That made me chuckle.

“Sounds like you’ve become a true Mergen.”

Even I found Abel’s power unsettling.

When I looked into his eyes, it brought back the same feeling I had the very first day we met.

Beneath those indifferent violet eyes—it felt like there was a void, a deep abyss.

“Congratulations, Lord Mergen!”

“Please accept this gift!”

The hall filled with noisy celebration.

“He said he’d announce the successor today.”

Another drink—who knows the count by now—found its way into my hand.

Beneath the dazzling chandelier, Irene appeared with soft pink hair and a simple white dress, drawing every gaze in the banquet hall.

She had a presence that lingered longer than even the most intricate sculpture.

But she paid no mind to the attention and quietly took a seat in a corner.

“She’s not afraid of their eyes, yet she chooses the corner?”

Henry understood well how difficult it was to not shrink under the weight of others’ attention.

Only someone used to being the center of focus could carry herself with such calm composure.

And so, it was clear—she wasn’t ordinary.

She laughed softly while speaking with a man beside her.

A person unaccustomed to expressing emotion smiling like that—it was oddly contagious. Before he realized, Henry found the corners of his own lips rising in response.

Did she know the whole room stirred when she smiled?

Henry’s gaze lingered, sharp and unwavering, like a hunter eyeing his prey.

“His Highness the Prince has arrived as well.”

“Well, it is Lord Mergen’s birthday. How could I miss it?”

Chloe approached Henry and struck up a conversation.

“Your gaze seems fixed in one direction,” she said with a slight nod toward Irene.

To that, Henry answered with a bright, fresh smile.

“She is quite beautiful, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Oh my, if beauty alone could move you, you wouldn’t have been so indifferent toward Deborah.”

The topic was an uncomfortable one for Henry.

And Chloe surely knew that.

“I admit—I require something beyond that.”

But Henry remained poised.

“Irene is… a special girl.”

“I agree with that sentiment.”

“Do you desire her?”

Chloe swirled her glass of red wine and asked calmly.

“There are rumors His Highness wishes to be engaged to Irene.”

Henry observed Chloe carefully, trying to read her intent.

“If that’s your wish,” she said with a smile, “I’ll see it granted.”

“And why would you do that?”

Henry asked, sounding mildly arrogant.

“If my son becomes the heir, I’ll have reason to dispose of her. Besides… she’d be of more use to you then, wouldn’t she?”

Chloe’s smile was serene.

An elegant look, completely at odds with her talk of discarding people like merchandise.

“Well, this is troubling.”

Henry shook his head with a smirk of feigned exasperation.

“A wicked offer… yet one I find myself tempted by.”

“My, aren’t you honest.”

They laughed politely—ha-ha, ho-ho—but both of them inwardly seethed at the other’s shamelessness.

“My son will become the master of this household,” Chloe said, her eyes fixed on a figure in the distance, where silver hair glinted under the light.

But her gaze, despite being directed at her son, was devoid of warmth.

It wasn’t a mother’s affection—it was raw, gleaming ambition.

At that moment, Henry felt a flicker of pity for Abel.

“He’s the hero of the Empire, isn’t he? I’m sure he can have anything he wants.”

Henry gently tapped his glass against Chloe’s.

“The most brilliant position suits him perfectly. I believe he was born with that purpose.”

As Chloe spoke with admiration, Henry scoffed inwardly.

“Support Abel. If you do, Your Highness will surely get what you’re after.”

Chloe added with emphasis.

“A tempting offer,” Henry replied, neither too eager nor completely indifferent.

Just then, someone announced the arrival of the head of the Mergen family.

Chloe gave Henry a graceful smile and stepped away from his side.

Henry’s lips flattened as he watched her walk off.

Where there had once been a polite, crescent-shaped smile in his eyes, coldness had quickly taken its place.

“Whether here or elsewhere, it seems parents all treat their children like tools.”

His quiet remark was drowned out by the grand music signaling the official start of the banquet.

His gaze naturally returned to where it had been before.

In the end, the wild boar was set ablaze in a grand spectacle.

Watching the flames rise reminded me of the ripples caused by throwing a stone into a lake—simple, yet stirring.

The banquet had moved to the garden, and the hem of my dress felt heavier with each step.

“This banquet is turning out to be more interesting than I thought.”

“You’re here.”

By now, I wasn’t even surprised by Grand Duke Lahan’s sudden appearance.

Honestly, I had expected him. There was no way he’d miss an event like this.

Lahan casually popped a small, delicious-looking pastry into his mouth—where he’d picked it up from, I didn’t know.

After taking a sip of his drink and savoring it, he glanced over at the burning wild boar.

“Is that your handiwork?”

He was talking about the boar.

“Well… let’s just say it was a complicated collaboration.”

As I exchanged pointless small talk with Lahan, the atmosphere suddenly shifted.

All eyes turned in one direction.

It was Grandfather.

“I want to thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate my birthday.”

He was about to give a speech.

I folded my arms and silently watched him.

Fingers resting on my arm couldn’t stop twitching.

“You look anxious,” Lahan said as he observed me.

“I think we should pay attention now.”

I cut him off.

Right now, I had to focus entirely on what the head of the family was about to say.

“Isn’t it a wonderful evening? I’m delighted to see that Mergen’s glory remains as strong as ever.”

The crowd responded with cheers and applause.

It felt like everyone was enjoying themselves—everyone except me.

“On a night as special as this, I have something important to announce.”

Finally.

“I know very well that the members of our house have been concerned about the matter of succession.”

Gradually, the noise faded as everyone turned their full attention to him.

All around the room, tension was thick in the air.

“I’m sure each of you has someone in mind. But the next successor of Mergen will be…”

My heart started to beat faster.

“…the one who successfully defeats the monsters. Regardless of bloodline, firstborn, or legitimacy—none of that will matter.”

Grandfather’s words, spoken so calmly yet so boldly, sent a shockwave through the hall.

His eyes locked onto mine.

It felt like a direct warning—like he was daring me.

“……!”

“Did you hear that?!”

The guests were stunned. Confusion and murmurs quickly rippled through the crowd.

“So cousins are eligible too?”

“Oh, come on. That was clearly aimed at Sir Abel.”

“Right? He’s the only one capable of taking down monsters anyway.”

“Then what about the one who succeeded in the drought ritual?”

No one had expected this.

A wave of dismay hit me.

There was never a guarantee that Grandfather would side with me, but I was sure he had no reason to support Abel either.

He was the one who urged me to become the successor—and now he was turning his back on me?

My mind was spinning with conflicting thoughts.

Maybe… maybe he’s testing me.

Old foxes always play the cautious game.

“Your Grace,” I said, turning to Lahan, who stood beside me.

Lahan looked over with mild curiosity.

I glanced toward Grandfather, still standing in the center of the crowd, eyes locked onto mine, before speaking again.

“Is that offer you mentioned before… still on the table?”

“Offer?” Lahan tilted his head.

“I think it’s time you and I do a little business together.”

“Ah… business.”

A curious smile appeared on Lahan’s face as he glanced briefly at me.

“You’ll need to do some monster hunting.”

What I’d once dismissed as meaningless chatter had suddenly become very relevant.

Even if the weapon Lahan held in his hand would one day turn against me, that was a problem for the future.

Right now, I needed a way to crush Chloe and Abel, who were already raising their glasses in premature celebration.

“Do you have any interest?” I asked, looking up at him.

As if he’d been waiting for the question, Lahan answered without hesitation.

“Plenty.”

Somehow, it seemed that Duke Lahan and I were about to become far more entangled than I ever expected.

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