The Possessed Evil Woman Wreaks Havoc - Chapter 123

Lilith simply watched the conversation between Gabby and me with an intrigued expression.

“Gabby, this is an opportunity.”

“Opportunity, my ass. Are you crazy? Have you actually lost your mind?”

“Karolea is royalty. If we get adopted by her, we can become royalty too.”

“Hey, no matter what, how can you just swap out your family?”

“Aren’t humans the kind of beings who would even betray their country for their own gain?”

“That’s treason. I mean, I’m not exactly a patriot, but I’m not that kind of person, okay?”

“It was just an example. When did I tell you to betray your country?”

“Ha. Seriously, talking to you is impossible. And above all else, you think a princess would adopt us just because she’s crazy?”

As soon as Gabby finished speaking, we both looked at Lilith.

Then Lilith shrugged and said, “Well, I just so happen to have no successor. It doesn’t seem like a bad decision.”

“Wow… That princess really is crazy. Completely nuts.”

Gabby muttered without realizing it, shocked by Lilith’s positive response.

Lilith, not missing that comment, smiled slyly and said, “That’s not something you should say to your stepmother. Son.”

At the word ‘son,’ Gabby slowly blinked.

And then—

“Waaah! Am I the only one who thinks this whole situation is insane? Am I the only sane person in this room?”

Gabby began shouting, completely losing his composure in front of the princess.

‘Well, technically, the only human in this room is Gabby,’ I thought to myself.

Gabby probably didn’t realize just how close to the truth he was.

I asked him, “Gabby, I don’t understand why you’re rejecting the idea of being adopted by the princess.”

Honestly, I thought Gabby would accept my proposal without hesitation.

Don’t humans usually crave a higher status?

No matter how I think about it, royalty should be better than nobility.

Gabby shook his head firmly and said, “First of all, Her Highness is younger than me. Do you think it makes any sense to have a child older than their parent?”

“That’s a narrow-minded way of thinking.”

“Try being narrow-minded for once! Why is your thinking so absurdly open in every direction?!”

Gabby shouted in disgust, then started glancing at Lilith as if embarrassed by his outburst.

“Your Highness, as you can see, my little sister is just so naive—”

“Ah. Don’t mind me, continue. This is very entertaining.”

Lilith had made herself comfortable and was listening to our conversation. The clear smile on her lips showed just how much she was enjoying the situation.

Hearing Lilith’s words, Gabby muttered, “What a disgrace to the family.”

Now that he no longer needed to mind the princess, Gabby glared at me and started demanding answers.

“You, going on and on about family lately. Telling me to treat that old man as our father. But deep down, this is what you were thinking? Planning to switch to better parents if you find them? At this rate, you’d probably trade out your brother too if you met a better one, huh?”

Gabby looked somewhat hurt.

I was confused by that.

‘What part of what I said was hurtful?’

Given how much he usually hates the Duke, I thought he’d jump at the chance to switch parents.

“I thought you’d like my suggestion.”

“Me? Like that?”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Gabby, you’re an unfilial son. I mean, changing your parents, doesn’t that count as the ultimate act of unfilial behavior?”

“How am I unfilial—hmm. Now that you say it, I guess I can’t really deny it.”

Gabby shrugged and continued, “Anyway, Isabella, that’s not how a person should be. No matter how much you hate the old man, how could you even think of throwing away your family?”

“Family?”

“Yeah, family. …And besides, the old man has to actually be your and my father for us to be unfilial when we insult him. If he’s a complete stranger, then it’s just plain rude, right?”

Ah.

At Gabby’s last words, an exclamation burst from my mouth.

Unlike me, Gabby was someone who could see far ahead. He was even willing to maintain a familial relationship with the Duke for the sake of continuing his unfilial behavior.

Gabby, you’re someone who truly understands the art of being unfilial, aren’t you?

Moreover, come to think of it, Isabella’s wish was to make her family regret everything.

If the connection to the Duke was severed, she might not be able to fulfill that wish.

If not for Gabby, this could have been a disaster.

“I’m completely convinced. I’ll remain the Duke’s daughter.”

“…Right. Thank you so much for not changing your parents.” Gabby clicked his tongue as he spoke.

And just like that, my plan to be adopted by the princess was ruined.

“Hmm. What a disappointing conclusion. I was briefly looking forward to having fully grown children,” said Lilith with a tone full of amusement.

Gabby looked at her with an expression that said he couldn’t understand her at all.

“Your Highness truly… enjoys jokes.”

Even though he tried to speak politely, I could sense the thought in his head: ‘Is this woman out of her mind?’

[It’s been a while since I’ve seen such an interesting human.]

Seeing the curiosity in Lilith’s eyes, I tensed up for a moment.

Gabby was certainly an entertaining human.

But a demon’s curiosity is something no human can handle.

With any other human, I wouldn’t have worried, but Gabby was different.

[He’s just an ordinary unfilial son.]

I deliberately tried to paint Gabby as ordinary.

[Hmm.]

At my words, Lilith merely glanced at Gabby once more but didn’t add anything further.

I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

Still, just in case, I should get Gabby out of here.

“Karolea, I’ll be going now. I’ll return later.”

I led Gabby out of the room.

As soon as we stepped out, we saw the Duke pacing in the hallway.

The moment he saw us, he approached and asked, “Isabella, what did you talk about with Her Highness?”

Well… a wide range of topics, really.

From the reason Lilith made a contract with Isabella Dunkeld to a conversation about her possibly adopting Gabby and me.

I glanced at the Duke’s face.

Apparently, the rooms in the mansion were well soundproofed, as he hadn’t heard Gabby’s shouting from earlier.

Should I say it’s a relief?

I was a bit curious about the shock he’d receive if he had heard it, but since I’d decided to remain part of the family, it seemed better that he didn’t know.

Anyway, going back to the Duke’s question, there wasn’t a single part of our conversation that would be good for him to hear.

“Hmm. We talked about various things. The princess is very fond of me.”

I brushed it off casually.

“What on earth are you talking about…”

The Duke looked like he couldn’t believe me.

Then Gabby chimed in from the side. “Hey, old man. I think it’s true. That brat seems to have caught the princess’s eye.”

“Gabriel, is that really so?”

“Yeah. Maybe because both of them are equally crazy, they seem to connect somehow.”

“…Watch your mouth. What if Her Highness hears you? How will you deal with the consequences then?”

“If you knew what I just heard inside, you wouldn’t be saying that.” Gabby let out a hollow laugh as he spoke.

“…I suppose it’s a relief, in a way. That Her Highness likes you, Isabella,” the Duke muttered, almost to himself.

Well, from his perspective, he brought an important guest to the mansion, and I suddenly clung to that guest.

“So, old man. Why did the princess come to the ducal house anyway? Don’t state guests usually stay at the imperial palace?”

“Her Highness was strangely insistent. She specifically pointed out the ducal house as the place she had to stay.”

That’s because Lilith came to see me.

I smiled proudly.

“Hey, what’s with that look on your face?”

Seeing my smile, Gabby immediately picked a fight, but I just kept smiling, unfazed.

***

After that, Princess Karolea stayed at the ducal mansion for several days.

As for me spending time with Lilith every day… Not a chance!

Every time I went to visit the room where Lilith was staying, I only heard that she was out.

At this rate, it really seemed like Lilith had come to the empire for business.

Not to see me!

I walked around the room, clearly showing how annoyed I was.

“Hey, Jane. Say it again.”

“Well, Lady Lilith is currently at the palace.”

The female Jane said to me with a thoroughly frightened expression.

At those words, I frowned deeply.