CHAPTER 45: PANDORA AEGIS OBLIVION

During these last few days, I’ve been holed up in my room studying as much as I could. I’ve read all sorts of books on various topics I may be a terrible villainess, but I won’t neglect my education.

Thud!

I toss the book onto the growing pile of books.

"Maid, bring me another one," I call out to the maid outside to bring me another book.

"Grand Duchess, I believe it’s time for you to start getting ready for the party. Besides, you’ve already read 597 books of all kinds this week. I believe that covers about 87% of the basic subjects necessary for conversation."

I ponder this I hadn’t even realized I had read so much. The content itself wasn’t all that interesting, mostly stuff about the magic system, politics, and geography things I already knew thanks to Calypso and Freya. And the rest were just things I had learned around the castle, so reading all that was almost a waste of time. For the most part, the only new thing I really learned were the names of all the nobles and their history.

’They’re a bunch of fucking bastards.’ This kingdom was essentially built on thousands of piles of corpses it’s completely rotten. I’m not an ally of justice, but even so, destroying it all would be the most righteous thing I could do.

"I suppose you’re right. I’ll start getting ready. Call the other maids to help me with my dress," I say as I get up from the bed. During these past few days, I haven’t seen the tentacle girl.

Apparently, she’s been receiving intense maid training, which takes time and it takes even longer because that girl can only say the word "mommy."

"Maid, that girl’s name will be Shogo. Inform the other maids to call her Shogo from now on," I thought of a name, since I can’t keep calling her "the daughter" it’s weird.

Shogo seemed like a good name a nickname based on "shoggoth," which I think is perfect for a tentacle girl.

The maid curtsies and leaves to call the others. I noticed that everything seems to move more slowly in this mansion than in the castle, where the maids would appear in seconds.

The reason for this is to maintain the human facade after all, there are many who would be suspicious if the maids were inhumanly fast in their tasks and responses.

This mansion receives illustrious guests, so there can’t be anything that reveals non-humans living here. Plus, sometimes certain "rats" might show up.

Apparently, Shogo is indistinguishable from a human thanks to being a tentacle girl, so as long as she doesn’t randomly reveal her tentacles, no one will realize she’s not human.

Of course, anti-magic recognition items have been given to her, so she’s 99.99% indistinguishable from a human.

"Grand Duchess, we’re ready to begin," a maid knocks on the door.

’Finally, I’ll get to see more of the human world.’ I haven’t left the house this whole time, and now I’m excited to reveal my name to everyone nothing can dampen my excitement for this first step towards the absolute destruction of this kingdom.

...

...

...

"Saint Rosaline," one of the servants comes to speak with me as I pace back and forth in the room.

"Speak what you want... tsk," I’m very nervous. Today there will be an important party with various important figures of the kingdom, but what makes me even more nervous is that the Grand Duchess will appear and, even more, reveal her name, which has been completely secret until now.

"The king wishes for you to attend this party in his stead."

’Tsk, that damned pig...’ It doesn’t matter if my authority is high, it’s still not good to pick a fight with the king, and worst of all, I knew that this damned pig would ask me to go in his place.

Just the thought of having to encounter that abomination fills me with dread. For some reason, she was gone for a while at the worst possible moment, since a new demon king has now emerged, but I’d prefer if she had stayed hidden.

Worse yet, I know she has become a student at the academy. I can’t believe I’ll have to be that thing’s teacher what are the chances I’ll still be alive by the end of the school year?

I’ve tried my best to avoid her for years, and now I’ll have to see her constantly in one of the few places I considered safe.

"Tell the king that I will go..." I’ve already prepared the dress. Even the king doesn’t want to see that girl I don’t doubt she’d have the courage to kill the king in front of everyone.

The Grand Duke must be crazy to have created that assassination weapon.

’Maybe it’s not all bad...’ The Grand Duke’s family normally doesn’t get involved in the war with the demons, but now with a new demon king, we can force the Grand Duchess to go into battle.

She may even be able to compete head-on with a hero, so she would be a valuable asset on the battlefield.

Because of this new demon king, all the monsters and demons have become much stronger, which has interfered with our plans to exterminate these pests.

These heroes are also a bunch of lazy people they think they can live the good life with minimal training, and most of them haven’t evolved at all since coming to the academy.

’It’s all the king’s fault for not instilling any discipline.’ Because of the king, the heroes haven’t had a single practical fight, so their levels are still low.

’Maybe I can ask the church to convince the king to give me control over the heroes’ routine...’ This damned pig who only knows how to eat doesn’t realize that as long as the heroes aren’t strong, they’re useless.

"Mikael..." There’s also that "hero," the strongest human, who has been away from the kingdom for years and has finally decided to return. It would be a great idea to have him fight the demon king he might even die, which would be wonderful.

He’s a difficult variable to control his fanatical personality for battles makes him a threat to the kingdom, so as long as he causes enough damage to the demon king before his death, that would be perfect.

I finish putting on my dress and head to the carriage. On the way, I can only think about the flood of problems we have.

"The princess... she’ll also be entering the school on the same day as the Grand Duchess... what is that false, manipulative girl planning?" The only person I fear is the Grand Duchess the others are easier variables to deal with.

After hours in the carriage, I finally arrive at the castle where this "important" party will be held, although it’s just a vanity project of that pig to show off.

’At least with the Grand Duchess at the party, he won’t show up.’ He spent so much on the party, but he won’t appear out of fear how ironic.

I soon enter the gates, am presented, and join the social circles. I act as I must polite and respectful towards those of high status, and I put those who are useless to me in their place.

Soon, the guards at the door call for attention, indicating an important guest.

"Presenting the Grand Duke Veritus von Lügenberg and the Grand Duchess." They open the doors as I see the Grand Duke entering, but the one who truly catches the eye is the Grand Duchess, who holds the Grand Duke’s arm. Her dress is black with red details, adorned with elegant accessories, and her high heels form a mature, elegant beauty.

However, this beauty is quickly distorted by the dark aura that emanates from her, like a predator not to be disturbed. Coupled with her blood-red eyes with spiraling black pupils, she is simply terrifying if she weren’t the Grand Duchess, she would surely be called a monster or demon.

She soon scans the room, as if looking for someone, and her eyes fix on me. I feel shivers, as if she’s looking directly into my soul. She detaches from the Grand Duke and calmly walks towards me.

"Good evening, Saint Rosaline."

And there it is, that damned phrase, as if haunting me. Her cold expression when she says "good evening" only masks the hatred hidden in her eyes.

I look into her eyes.

"G-Good evening, Grand Duchess." Her eyes seem even more disturbing than last time.

’Did I do something?’ I notice her gaze has deepened further in that dark hatred, and my body trembles as I struggle not to piss myself here with this oppressive aura.

"W-Well, I’ll be going now, Grand Duchess." I try to turn and leave.

’I need to escape, I want to get out of here, I can’t stay near this abomination.’ I shudder just looking at her I’ve never been able to overcome this trauma, and I’ll never have the courage to do so.

"I heard you will be my teacher," she speaks, preventing me from fleeing. If I turn my back and leave while she starts a conversation, I will be disrespectful, and I don’t want to give her any reason to kill me.

"Y-Yes, I will be your teacher." I confirm this fact that I hate having to teach this girl is terrifying. How am I going to teach her anything when I’m afraid she’ll see it as an insult and kill me?

Fortunately, the Grand Duke calls the Grand Duchess to him, and I let out a sigh of relief that she’s left me alone for now. Soon the Grand Duke goes to the stairs with the Grand Duchess and draws attention by clinking a knife against a glass, and once he has everyone’s attention, he begins a speech.

"I first want to thank all of you who have decided to pay attention to this announcement. After years of secrecy, I have decided to reveal more about my daughter, as she will now be entering the academy." His tone is animated, which contrasts with the Grand Duchess’s cold expression.

"And if I want her to have a good education and colleagues to be her friends, the others must know her at least a little, so I can see my daughter grow as a person, maybe even find a fiancé, who knows?" He makes a small joke.

’As if anyone would be crazy enough to want to marry that abomination.’ I think something I would never dare to say out loud.

"My daughter is 18 years old, her birthday is on October 21st, and although her mother passed away when she was born, I decided to honor her with the mother’s surname."

"My daughter’s name is... Pandora Aegis Oblivion."