Home/I Am the Youngest Granddaughter of the Monster Duke Family/ch 10

Chapter 10.

“Ah, yes. I don't quite recall the name of that lesser monster, but they say it's a truly insignificant creature.”

‘An insignificant creature?’

This human dares to speak such nonsense?

“And?”

“Uh, and also... they said it's very small and unimpressive. A ‘perfect form’... they called it, but that can't be right. A lesser monster being a perfect form? As expected, that couldn't possibly be the case, could it?”

At Kallen's prompting question, the man's voice began to swell with confidence, growing louder by the moment.

“Of course not! The heir of the Rusman household being a lesser monster? This is a disgrace, a disgrace!”

How delightful. You're making the lesser monster listening feel even worse!

As the man's words continued, anger rose within me, and my body grew hot.

My head began to spin as well.

Whether it was from rage or simply because my body wasn't feeling well, I had the illusion that a searing heat was steadily rising within me.

[garbled text strings]

“A disgrace... do you intend to keep prattling on?”

“Yes, a disgrace! If a lesser monster is born, it should be disposed of immediately—!”

‘I can't take this anymore!’

In the same instant I leaped onto the table, I opened my mouth wide toward the man who was passionately spouting his tirade, spittle flying.

“KUUWAAAH!”

Then, something hot burst forth from my mouth and engulfed the man.

Kallen forced down his seething anger and turned his thoughts to the man before him.

‘Jinagar Joe.’

The Joe Barony was the lowest-ranking among the lifelong vassal houses. The former baron had possessed a decent character, but he knew the son had caused considerable trouble.

A pathetic fool who, oblivious to his own standing, boasted of being a vassal of the Rusman Ducal House.

After the meeting, Kallen had intended to quietly erase the house, but Joe had crossed the line.

Kallen was about to snap at Joe, whose hair and composure had both been singed away.

But Tish's actions were quicker, leaping onto the table.

“KUUWAAAH!”

[garbled text strings]

It was a thunderous roar, hard to believe could come from that tiny body.

But more shocking than the sound was the flame that erupted from Tish's mouth.

After a moment of stunned silence, Joe, who had taken the full brunt of Tish's flames, leaped up from his seat.

“AAAAH! Fire! Fire!”

Joe, whose already half-burned hair had now caught fire, ran about frantically.

Kallen, momentarily dazed, gazed at Tish.

“Gurk.”

Despite his worry, Tish let out a small, satisfied belch, looking refreshed.

His body temperature had returned to normal.

Kallen let out a chuckle, scooped Tish up onto his palm, and raised him high.

“Behold! The proud heir who will lead Rusman!”

---

After the succession announcement, Morus and Wens carried the sleeping Tish out.

The meeting room, which had been in an uproar, fell silent.

[garbled text strings]

“So. Anyone else have complaints?”

Even if there were, his voice was so chilling it would force anyone to shut their mouths.

The heads of the vassal houses averted his gaze, feigning indifference.

“Uh, no, my lord.”

“Y-yes! Of course not! How could we possibly have any complaints?”

They stammered, sweating coldly, and Kallen's expression seemed to ease slightly.

“Um, but my lord. I have a question.”

“What?”

“Who are the parents of that... young one?”

“I don't know. I only suspect they are from a branch family. Ah, for reference, they were adopted as Lars's child.”

“Ah, I see... Wait, what?”

“Is there a problem?”

Well, there isn't a problem, per se...

But after that, the question that arose in all their minds was, ‘How did he accept that so readily?’

Lars Rusman had left the household five years ago for no apparent reason and never returned.

As for the reason, only vague, unfounded rumors circulated that he and Kallen had a major falling out.

[garbled text strings]

There was also talk that Lars Rusman might never set foot within Rusman's domain again.

Kallen, perceptive as ever, caught their bewilderment.

“When the head of the house gives a command, you accept it.”

In other words, he had forced it through without even bothering to ask for Lars's opinion.

“Furthermore, there is something to discuss regarding the expedition. As you all know, a contaminated zone appeared in the forest of the World Tree in the North two months ago. We have decided that we will undertake that expedition.”

At Kallen's words, everyone's eyes went wide.

Monsters can exert their greatest power in contaminated zones. That is why, when a contaminated zone appears, purification work must be carried out immediately to prevent major problems.

However, the northern World Tree forest had been discovered only after the contamination had already spread considerably.

As a result, its expanse was significant, and it could easily escalate into a major crisis, so everyone had been highly reluctant to undertake the expedition.

The Rusman household was no exception. No, they had to be even more cautious.

Even if they were unaffected by the contaminated zone, there were still many in the world who harbored suspicions.

Those who believed that the Chosen Ones would transform into monsters upon contact with a contaminated zone.

[garbled text strings]

“My lord, that is far too dangerous.”

“It will be a large-scale expedition, so the things you worry about will not happen.”

“By any chance, does this expedition involve Lord Lars...?”

“Correct.”

“Had you already discussed this in advance?”

“When the head says jump, you ask how high.”

Kallen wiggled his eyebrows and said with an innocent expression.

“If you don't like it, why don't you become a duke yourself?”

Who told you to refuse the position of heir? Kallen muttered his favorite saying under his breath and clicked his tongue.

The vassals watching him could only frown, feeling certain that the father and son would soon be at each other's throats.

---

‘How did this happen?’

I stared blankly, assessing the situation.

Judging by the jolting, I seemed to be in a carriage.

“Shh! If you scream, I'll burn you with fire, so be quiet.”

[garbled text strings]

...And I think I've been kidnapped.

To understand the situation, I have to go back just a few hours.

I had breathed fire and, exhausted, left the meeting hall with Morus.

Wens, who had been in the meeting room, examined me and, after confirming nothing was wrong, I returned to my room.

Thankfully, the heat in my body had completely subsided and I felt fine.

‘Why did I suddenly breathe fire?’

Aside from my color, there wasn't much difference from my previous life, so this sudden ability was bewildering.

I tried opening my mouth wide and recreating that earlier feeling, just in case.

“KWANG!”

But this time, only a cry came out; not even a tiny spark appeared.

I tried several more times, but every attempt ended in miserable failure.

I didn't feel that sensation of heat welling up from my throat like before, so I quickly gave up and fell asleep.

Then, as I slept, I woke to the sound of someone approaching.

A large hand clamped over my face.

[garbled text strings]

“Shh! If you keep screaming, I really will burn you, so be quiet.”

‘Sophie!’

Her threat didn't seem like a lie, as I could feel scorching heat right beside me.

Frightened, I held my breath. Sophie scooped me up, stuffed me into a small cloth pouch, and ran off somewhere swiftly.

When I came to my senses, I was already in this jolting carriage.

“Is this it?”

“Yes.”

I heard an unfamiliar man's voice, and then I was tumbled out of the pouch.

“Wow, so this is a slime?”

The man, whose entire face except for his eyes was covered by a black mask, stared at me with curiosity.

“But is it really a perfect form? If it's just a regular monster, that puts us in a real bind. All the trouble of getting that suppression device would be for nothing.”

“I told you, it's true! Do you think I've only been lied to all my life?”

Sophie glanced nervously at the carriage window and replied irritably.

“Can't we go any faster? Isn't there a shortcut or something?”

“Hey, miss maid. The shortcut goes through a contaminated zone, are you sure about that?”

[garbled text strings]

Sophie's shoulders flinched, but she eventually nodded.

“It doesn't matter. It's not at the stage where monsters appear yet.”

“Hah.”

The man let out a hollow laugh and knocked four times on the carriage wall.

Immediately, the carriage veered sharply and began to pick up speed.

“From now on, it's best you don't cause any trouble. Unless you want us all to get caught by the knights and die.”

The man warned with a menacing tone.

But his words barely registered in my ears.

‘Contaminated zone...?’

A phrase I'd read in a book came to mind.

<Monsters are not greatly harmed by contaminated zones. However, lesser monsters are an exception. Because they are too weak.>

Instantly, a wave of anxiety washed over me.

‘No way... surely not?’

I looked up at them desperately.

“Anyway, I guess even a lesser monster can become a perfect form. Fascinating.”

[garbled text strings]

“That's precisely why it's rarer than just a perfect form. You haven't forgotten the promised money, have you?”

‘They don't know! They don't know I'll die if I enter that contaminated zone!’

There was no time to process the strange details about purification or anything else; fear simply overwhelmed me.

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