34 – Braised Short Rib Recipe

Weep, Infernal Cannon.

Small? Medium? Large? One shot from the Helltank and they’re as good as done.

The Helltank’s large and formidable cannon unleashed a merciless barrage upon the demonic hordes.

『Helltank’s current mana reserves are at 3%. Recharge required.』

Of course, there were far more demons here than at the Academy, which meant the Helltank had nearly exhausted its mana, but it was alright.

“Ester!”

My sister was here.

I opened the hatch and climbed down from the Helltank.

I wanted to offer a joyful greeting, but first, the Helltank took priority.

“Sister, are all the requested materials prepared?”

“Yes, Ian.”

Ian pulled forward a cart.

Inside, special containers were filled with tainted mana, extracted from the corpses of demons gathered by the Carlson and Johnson mercenary companies.

I connected the containers to the Helltank with a hose on the cart, injecting the mana.

Mana was the Helltank’s lifeblood.

All the ammunition needed for firing was also converted from mana, making it an immensely precious resource.

Nob AI had conceived an ingenious plan to utilize the demonic corpses, employing a core deep within the tank to purify the tainted mana before use.

Therefore, with mithril alloy to store large volumes of mana, and the ability to draw tainted mana from corpses after using it, the Helltank possessed what was, for all intents and purposes, near-infinite power, at least in the context of this war against the demons.

I finished the recharge and was about to have a chat with my sister about the current situation when…

“Young Master.”

Dalpi approached me, pressed close, and sniffed intently at my scent.

Because of Dalpi’s sudden switch to Pax mode, and with my sister present, I felt a slight blush creep up my cheeks.

“Which woman is it?”

“!!!”

A chill traced its way down my spine.

“Not quite perfume… a subtle scent of the body, suggesting the use of fine shampoos and bath oils. I heard you returned from the Academy, young master. Perhaps you spent a pleasant time with a young lady from a well-to-do family studying there?”

Dalpi felt unsettling today.

Her voice, as always, meticulously devoid of emotion, yet possessed a subtle, discordant quality.

There was no other choice. Nob AI, help me.

『!!!』

Nob AI, why the silence?

『I am currently calculating the optimal response to this situation. Please wait.』

『…….』

Quickly, tell me the best answer that won’t displease Dalpi!

『(˘･ᴗ･˘)』

『The galbi jjim recipe is as follows:』

『1. Cut the short ribs into 5cm lengths, soak in cold water to remove the blood, then drain and trim excess fat. Make deep incisions in several places to allow the seasoning to penetrate…』

Is this little b*stard for real?

“You’ve been silent for some time now. I am merely curious about whom you spent your time with, young master. Please, feel free to share.”

I decided, in the end, to forgo the AI’s assistance and overcome this situation myself.

“Dalpi.”

“Yes.”

“I distinctly instructed you to deliver the letter in secret. How then, does Erphs know that I observed a differing solstice?”

Dalpi’s body gave a slight jerk.

“Hm.”

With that single word, Dalpi and I were reconciled.

“Heh heh, *cough cough*, you two seem to get along so well.”

My elder sister emitted a mixture of coughs and chuckles.

I cleared my throat, scratching at my cheek.

“I thought you’d be at the manor, so I was surprised to find you here on the battlefield. Are you feeling alright?”

Haniel nodded.

“Everyone is prepared to die defending the territory. The heir can’t just be lying down, now can he?”

“But…”

“I’m managing my condition. Don’t worry so much.”

Haniele gave a thumbs-up, quick and sharp.

While worry for my sister lingered, Ian was by her side, and I was in the midst of the House Lord trials. I chose to respect her decision.

“Brother!”

“Young Master!”

Jepher approached, their conversation with Haniele concluded.

Alongside him were Johnson and Carlson, whom I’d encountered in Daebo Village before—Jepher must have brought them along.

I offered a light wave.

“Just what is that magnificent invention?”

Jepher stared at the Hell Tank, eyes wide with wonder.

“My sister designed it, and I built it from her blueprints. It’s called the Hell Tank.”

“Haniele designed this?”

Jepher offered a knowing smirk.

He already seemed to know who had truly designed the Hell Tank.

“Being on bad terms with your sister like this… you won’t be able to pass the House Lord trials, you know? Well, I’ll just keep that in mind for now.”

“Yes… well…”

Jepher clapped me on the shoulder, twice, firmly.

It didn’t feel unpleasant.

If there was anyone besides Haniele who felt remotely human, it was Jepher, my elder brother.

The emotional rift that had existed between us had lessened somewhat since receiving the necklace.

“Father calls for you. Go quickly.”

“Yes.”

I prepared to head to Porto, accompanied by Dalpi.

I had news I needed to deliver anyway.

“Ester, be careful of Uriel, sister.”

Suddenly, Jepher’s voice cut through the air, a warning from behind.

Turning, I saw his expression was graver than I’d ever witnessed.

“The reason?”

“Just a hunch. She isn’t one to be overly concerned with methods and means, so there’s no harm in being careful.”

I glanced toward the wanderers flanking Uriel.

*They all have criminal records.*

Uriel, it seemed, had a penchant for keeping company with the unsavory sort, as was the case with the last exam as well.

“Thank you for the information.”

I bowed my head to Jeper and started walking away.

“Young Master.”

“Hmm?”

“If anything happens, I’ll protect you, so don’t you fret.”

“Alright.”

That insolent maid was certainly a reliable one.

“Father.”

I came face to face with Porto, who was engrossed in reading a map.

“You’ve arrived. Esther, I have something to tell you…”

“Before that, I have something to say to you, Father.”

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“After this exam, I will be leaving the manor.”

Only then did Porto lift his gaze from the map and look at me.

Parents, they were supposed to love their children.

At least, that was how it was in my previous life.

Now, with the memories of my past and present life intertwined, it’s all a bit hazy.

But at least, my parents from my previous life tried their best to give me everything until they were taken from me in an accident.

Of course, I know that not all parents love their children.

I must have just been fortunate to have met good parents in my previous life.

Like Porto standing before me now, there were also parents in this world who were trash, not giving love to their children, but trying to obtain something from them.

-Haniel is outstanding, but you…it’s simply astonishing.

-Don’t tarnish the Tristy name, Esther.

-Incompetent son of mine, get out of my sight.

I was not Porto’s son.

I was merely a thing, a product of mating with his second wife, Priya, to continue the lineage.

Among all of his children, I was the lowest-rated defective product.

That’s how I felt, from what I had experienced living until now.

He doesn’t see me as his son.

Even though I’d never loved someone enough to have a child with them, I knew I wouldn’t want to be a father like Porto. The worst kind, truly.

Just as he didn’t seem to think of me as a son, I didn’t see him as a father.

In the past, I lacked the strength to change things; until now, I’d only stayed at the estate to look after my sister.

But he would eventually send even poor, sick Haniel away to some far-off place, all in the name of preventing a succession struggle.

So I went straight for the jugular.

“Is that so?”

Porto stared directly at me.

“I thought you wanted to be the next head of the family, but it appears I was wrong. You don’t desire the estate?”

“Well, the position of head of Tristi isn’t all that appealing to me.”

Unless I could turn it all into money, I wouldn’t want the lord’s position even if you gave it to me, with all its bothersome problems.

“Ester.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know why I’m putting you all through this succession trial?”

I didn’t particularly want to know, nor was I curious.

I simply gazed at the darkening sky.

The sun was obscured, making for an unpleasant sky, but the clouds still drifted lazily by.

“To eliminate unnecessary competitors and potential dangers.”

Porto continued his explanation, whether or not I was paying attention.

“If a treasure that grants absolute power can only be possessed by one person, then that person will kill as many others as necessary to obtain it.”

Porto said he understood the nature of humanity.

Even if someone were to fairly win the treasure through competition, those who didn’t would wait in the shadows, plotting to take it, because that was the vile nature of humankind.

“I consider the position of head of Tristi to be that treasure. And you are the ones who are qualified to obtain it.”

Porto wanted to give the treasure to one of us.

Tristi was a family that firmly believed in meritocracy.

For Porto, the way to obtain the treasure was simple.

Prove, through skill, that you are the most capable of all your siblings.

“Tristi must prosper forever. It is only right that the most capable of the qualified children takes it.”

Neither age nor gender mattered; it was the most rational method for the sake of the estate.

“But to ensure the safety of the one who obtains the treasure through just procedures, certain measures are necessary.”

“……..”

“The reason you all undergo the successor trials is not for selection. It’s to weed out the danger.”

Porto was wary of a child, dissatisfied with the result, murdering their siblings to seize the seat of the head of the family.

Therefore, he said, the successor trials were meant to make them realize the difference in skill between themselves and their siblings, and send them on a pilgrimage or to a battlefield—any place where they could never influence the territory or the family.

“Ester. Continue to take the successor trials. If you do, all dangers will naturally be sorted out, and this territory will come into your hands whole and safe.”

Porto promised me that if all the trials ended, he would pass the title on to me.

I couldn’t help but burst out in a dry laugh.

Because the reward he presented as a proposal was utterly ridiculous.