33 – Esther of Tanks

Porto watched his children struggling on the battlefield.

His eldest daughter, Uriel.

She raged across the field alongside the vagrant newcomers.

Blessed with Keneth’s swordsmanship, she was bold and fearless.

“Kill them all. It is time for bloodshed.”

She was an Aura User.

Though lacking in finesse and political acumen, she possessed the knack for swaying people.

The vagrants followed Uriel, who was leading the charge at the forefront.

What the family head required, above all, was strong leadership.

The charisma to present a vision to all, to inspire them to follow.

Uriel possessed it.

He didn’t know what she had promised the vagrants, but they fought as limbs, unburdened by the fear of death.

That overwhelming charisma, which could even compel such criminals to follow, was the reason he considered her a brilliant commander.

Any shortcomings could be naturally remedied by heeding the counsel of his other retainers, thus Porto considered her one of the suitable candidates.

In comparison…

“…”

Keneth, gifted with the same talents as Uriel, merely swung his sword with a vacant expression.

All he brought to this curse was his own body.

No doubt, it was because his spirit had been utterly shattered since that last duel with Esther.

They say failure is the mother of success, but a colossal failure, one from which there is no recovery, breeds only despair.

Keneth, in the end, failed to absorb that failure as nourishment; he had simply snapped.

Porto held no lingering attachment to Keneth.

If that was his limit, then there he would end.

Even the firstborn son, if a useless failure, held no significance.

Porto averted his gaze without hesitation.

“If you complete this task successfully, I will award 1.5 times the originally promised reward. Block them at all costs! The one who takes the most demon lives shall be granted a prize!”

Zephyr knew how to handle people.

One might say he read minds well; his social skills were excellent, and he also knew how to turn a profit.

Zephyr was currently making the greatest contribution among his siblings.

He had recruited renowned mercenary bands within the Kingdom of Justina and was effectively acting as commander-in-chief in Porto’s stead.

If Uriel seized people with overwhelming charisma, Zephyr cleverly grasped what people wanted and knew how to exploit it.

Furthermore, even at a young age, he was proficient in military strategy and tactics, possessing the qualities of a commander.

Surely, if he grew, he would rival Porto.

While his martial prowess was far inferior to Kennes’ and Uriel’s, it wasn’t a major drawback, as it wasn’t an essential attribute for the head of the family.

Zephyr, too, was a suitable candidate.

“Cough, cough…”

Haniel stood on the battlefield, leading her aching body.

Beside her were the escort knight Ian and Dalpi, Esther’s servant.

If only she hadn’t fallen ill.

The Successor Trials in Tristy would never have happened.

Haniel possessed everything except martial arts, from her reputation as a genius born of magical talent to her gentle charisma, virtue, intelligence, and political acumen.

In Porto’s view, Haniel was the most regrettable child.

“I will cast a spell…”

Even in a situation where it was difficult to control her own body, she had prepared for this curse.

The magical traps prepared at the final defense line and the devices that caused demons to slow down and weaken were all her creations.

Also, even with her sickly body, she could summon a pillar of fire that even the combined power of ten mages could not easily cast, so it was impossible not to feel regret.

“Lord Head. Urgent news.”

An adjutant approached Porto, who had been watching the situation, with an urgent expression.

“Lord Esther is reported to have appeared at the Tristy Academy. Professor Aria herself reported that he is defeating large demons and heading this way.”

Esther Tristy.

Until now, the incompetent youngest son considered the least promising.

Originally, he was planning to send him to the front lines in the first test along with Felix, but his evaluation completely changed after he solved the Millennium Problem.

-Lord Esther Tristy has truly done something great.

“Your youngest son spared us the worst. Please convey our gratitude on behalf of the Richter estate.”

“A talent embodying both martial and scholarly excellence is rare. Lord, we must spare no resources in supporting Esther Tristie from this moment forth.”

A peerless genius who has mastered the Necronomicon’s ward, even comprehending this recent in-Sanity anomaly.”

Porto unconsciously glanced behind him.

A grotesque machine was approaching from beyond, kicking up a cloud of dust.

“Hmm.”

Currently, he was the most brilliantly shining star in Tristie.

*

“It seems the young master has arrived.”

Suddenly, Ian and Haniel looked around at Dalpi’s voice.

Without difficulty, they spotted the Hell Tank advancing at a ferocious speed behind them.

“What on earth is that…?”

“It’s Esther’s new invention. It seems he successfully persuaded the Red Magus Tower Master.”

Before leaving for the Academy, Esther had shown Haniel the Hell Tank’s blueprints.

“-Aside from claiming I’m the architect, you can actually build this in half a month…?”

“-No problem. Sister just needs to produce fuel with the corpses and funds I provide.”

It was a near impossibility, but Haniel trusted her sibling.

And Esther did not betray that trust.

Finally, the Hell Tank, spewing forth infernal fire, appeared here.

KWAANG-!!

The overwhelming firepower literally swept away the demons.

Haniel’s silver hair fluttered in the whirlwind.

“Honestly. When did he grow into such a dependable man….”

Haniel wore a faint smile.

Her young brother, who once cried in her arms,

Had become a genius recognized by the world, freely spreading his wings.

“Indeed.”

Dalpi nodded.

“The young master is truly remarkable. That’s why I’m proud to serve such a master, you see.”

“Hehe, Dalpi, please continue to assist him well.”

“That is what I do best in all the world. I implore you, entrust it to me.”

As Esther’s personal maid, Dalpi offered a soft smile of her own.

‘A lackluster young master is fine, but a capable one is even better, isn’t it?’

Meanwhile, the soldiers were frozen, bodies locked in place by the sudden, fiery onslaught.

“W-what sorcery is this, pray tell?”

For a heartbeat, Zephyr assumed it was some hidden spell of Haniel’s.

But as soon as he identified the source of the bombardment, a defeated smile crept onto his face, and he shook his head.

“Ha ha, little brother. You never cease to amaze—and dumbfound.”

As if on cue, the Hell Tank began to rumble across the battlefield.

A rain of mana bullets poured from its coaxial machine gun, washing over the demonic hordes.

“If little brother keeps this up, my goal of becoming head of the family will be dismissed as the foolish delusion of an idiot who can’t grasp his place.”

Zephyr stared at Esther’s creation.

Even with the blueprints for such an incredible weapon, even possessing the technical skill to build it, the most crucial ingredient in creation was capital.

In this world, so much was impossible without money, and Zephyr knew this all too well.

His only chance of becoming the family head rested on his title as a son of Trist, and the considerable fortune he’d amassed running his businesses.

But gazing at Esther’s invention, Zephyr knew with certainty that his capital was no match for Esther.

If such a genius, capable of creating such remarkable inventions in short order, decided to make money, investors would come flocking in droves.

The Hell Tank was, in fact, born from Elph’s wholehearted investment, captivated by Esther’s designs, making Zephyr’s assumptions wholly accurate.

“Honestly. Such an unreasonable sibling.”

Zephyr had completed all his calculations in that single, fleeting moment.

His last hope had vanished.

He likely could never, in this life or the next, defeat Esther Trist.

Fortunately, Esther didn’t seem particularly ambitious for the position of family head.

His best course of action now was to somehow find a means to negotiate with Esther.

“Hmph.”

Uriel glared at the Hell Tank with unconcealed displeasure.

“I must devise a plan as soon as possible.”

She muttered, causing the wanderers beside her to look confused.

“This isn’t a matter for you to concern yourselves with. Focus on cleaving down the demons for now.”

The wanderers nodded their heads.

“Ester Tristi…”

Unlike the others, Kennet could not meet the Helltank’s gaze directly.

He was steeped too deeply in defeat and helplessness regarding Ester.

Uriel watched Kennet, head bowed in a posture of utter failure, with keen interest.