Trying to comfort Delia would be futile; gestures like that meant nothing to someone like her. Instead, I opted to speak the truth. "Many people won't accept you as the clan head simply because you're a woman."

"Yeah, I know that. Do you have dementia or something?" Delia snarked. I disregarded her words; she was intoxicated, and I wouldn't take them to heart.

"But as long as you're strong enough, you can silence all those voices," I said, patting her head. She turned to look at me, and I noticed a dangerous glimmer in her crimson red eyes. Ignoring it for now, I continued, "Become even stronger than our fathers and the elders combined. Claim what is rightfully yours and obliterate anyone who stands in your way. You're my cousin, and I have complete faith in you. Show those old fools that messing with you won't be a walk in the park. Become so formidable that no one would dare utter a single word against you. Make them tremble in fear, afraid to even think ill of you!"

A chill ran down my spine as the spark behind Delia's eyes flared and then settled into a chilling, empty stare. Her face turned emotionless, and a smile emerged, though it didn't reach her eyes. She appeared unsettling.

"Thank you," she said, startlingly calm.

"That's what family is for."

Her transformation from a mental breakdown to a calm calculative person worried me. Had I just unleashed something far more dangerous? Whatever it was, confronting her about it now wouldn't be wise. "By the way, if you ever need discreet financial assistance that the family isn't aware of, just give me a call."

"I have my own savings," she stated, preparing to walk away. But then, she looked back at me, her mind churning with thoughts. "By the way, the clan's plan was to marry you into the royal family and turn you into a puppet king by killing your relatives-in-law. Then, they would’ve killed your wife and made you marry the third wife candidate to form an alliance with the Raion Clan to take down the Kuro Clan, before eliminating the weakened Raion Clan. Father would become a special exorcist, you would follow suit, and our clan would rise to greatness. After that, well, I don't know the details."

What the fuck is wrong with my family? She just described multiple large-scale massacres!

I took a deep breath, trying to avoid doing something reckless. "Do I even want to know what they had planned for you?"

"Surprisingly, very little," she said, shrugging. "They had all their hopes pinned on you. You were the favorite child and all that, especially with all the stunts you pulled."

She continued, "Hey, at least you technically had a harem of women. Your father's original plan was to marry you off to as many people as possible and kill the wives when they had a child. That way, our clan's position would be secure with blood relations everywhere."

The Dark Sword Clan appeared to be led by individuals who were content with ruling over the ashes of what they would leave behind, as long as they were in charge.

I contemplated whether to go full-on Itachi on the clan, but a part of me hesitated, despite everything. Additionally, my survival was uncertain due to the barriers surrounding the clan's compound.

As she walked away, her demeanor changed. It was as if I was peering into an endless abyss that wasn't supposed to exist, sending shivers down my spine.

"Hey," I called out to her. "Try not to harm innocent civilians."

She raised a questioning brow, finding my request peculiar, but I pressed on. "Do it for my sake. After all, I'm your favorite cousin."

She smiled, her red eyes gleaming with madness. "You're my only cousin, jackass. Don't worry, innocent people aren't the ones I'm planning murder."

***

Yara of the Hebi Clan, also known as the Clan of Snakes, possessed a unique ability among her clan members. She had the inherent power to see someone's Ord, their truest form. Although this ability was not uncommon in her clan, it was limited to only a few individuals. However, being from the branch family, Yara had no chance of inheriting the clan head title despite her ability. Instead, she settled for a well-paying job and had been serving as the princess's royal guard for over four years.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

But at this particular party, Yara's confidence was dampened. First, there was Delia, an incredibly skilled individual with an abundance of Ord that surpassed Yara's abilities threefold. Then, a local exorcist named Nok, the Water Exorcist, caught her attention. Yara had never heard of him before, but his appearance didn't stand out much. It was his overwhelming Ord that struck her. It felt like a tidal wave crashing over her, causing her to avert her gaze in discomfort. He didn’t even seem to be trying to exert pressure when that happened.

How could someone so young possess such a tremendous amount of Ord? Yara speculated that he must be a Master with exceptional affinity for water, perhaps exceeding 60%.

The princess's words snapped Yara out of her thoughts. "Thank you, Lord Babylon," the princess said with a tinge of disappointment, covering her mouth with a glass of wine.

They moved to a corner, and the princess sighed. "Jeez, wherever I go, these nobles are too greedy."

She nudged Yara and whispered, "But there's an interesting tale. The governor disowned one of his nephews, despite his reputation for doting on family. The nephew will be thrown out onto the streets with nothing. What could have caused this?"

Yara offered her opinion, "Probably a public display to appease someone powerful, maybe an exorcist given how swiftly it happened."

The only viable candidate here would be Delia. Maybe he annoyed her when he was drunk? Even spoiled teens knew better than to mess with the Dark Sword Clan, especially since they were in a position of power with their monstrous genius amongst them.

Thinking of crossing paths with the Dark Sword Clan, Yara glanced at her mistress. The princess was her best friend, someone she would protect.

But that same princess harbored her own dark secret, one that, if revealed, would jeopardize her chances of becoming the ruler of the country. Yara even doubted the Dark Sword Clan would support someone like the princess, potentially nullifying her arranged marriage to the monstrous genius.

Just as she contemplated the Dark Sword Clan, someone placed a hand on Yara's shoulder.

"I spoke with the local Elite Exorcist. He will take charge from now on," Delia's voice rang out near Yara's ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Yara hadn't sensed anything! If it had been a knife, she would have been dead before she could react! Yara had traveled with Delia while escorting the princess. Though Delia was strong, she shouldn't have been able to sneak up on her so effortlessly!

Turning around, Yara looked into the devil's eyes. Delia's calm crimson gaze seemed inviting and almost friendly, but Yara could see through the act, directly observing Delia's Ord, which represented her true nature.

Yara's stomach churned, her legs weakened, and cold sweat dripped down her cheeks. It felt like she was staring into the embodiment of evil, as if Delia were some kind of royalty of vile viciousness... like a Queen of Killers… Delia's Ord exuded such malevolence! As though she wanted to slaughter everyone present, although it would be inconvenient to do so! The intensity of her Ord felt boundless.

"Sure, thanks for keeping us company," the princess said, not noticing Delia's changes even as the devil smiled and gracefully walked away.

"Yara, are you okay? You're sweating profusely," the princess looked at her with concern.

Yara nodded. "Yeah, I might need a break from this party."

"I'll come with you. This party has already drained all my energy," the princess said as she followed Yara to the back of the mansion where the bathrooms were located. Here, there was no one else around, so Yara entered one of the bathrooms and vomited.

Amidst her vomiting, tears streamed down Yara's face. If she were to confront someone like that, she would never stand a chance! Just by looking at Delia, it felt as if she could dismember Yara and devour her while enjoying the spectacle.

She felt like she would go crazy if she had continued looking at Delia. The air in the bathroom felt heavy with the stench of fear and anxiety, mingling with the harsh scent of disinfectant. Yara's heart pounded in her chest, the rhythmic thumping reverberating in her ears like a war drum. The acrid stench of fear mingled with the floral fragrance of the princess's perfume, creating a disorienting mix of scents that assaulted her senses.

Delia's smile, as she walked away, had revealed a glimmer of something sinister. Yara couldn't help but remember the sharpness of her teeth, reminiscent of a predator hiding beneath a beautiful facade. It sent a shiver down her spine, as if she had caught a glimpse of the devil's true form.

Amidst her vomiting, tears streamed down Yara's face, blending with the cold sweat on her cheeks. She clutched the edges of her dress.

‘I stared madness itself in the eyes and lived to tell the tale…’