"Nope."
I refused their offer straight away.
"What do you even mean by 'take over' the Fonias estate? Why would I take over an estate that can die anytime?"
"Die… anytime?" Marcin repeated my words. "How would it die?"
"I'll do that."
The two twins clenched their fists and bit their lips at the same time. It earned a satisfied smirk from the two of the Halls. What a strange situation.
"It's exactly because of that."
"Hey, dude," I called out. "Relax and get to the point, please. Why do you say what you say, what do you want from me, and what I get of it? Try in three sentences, I am getting really bored here."
"What an ass," Titania muttered from the side.
It was what it was, alright? I could bear listening to people, but why would anyone act all sappy in front of someone they've never talked to before? It was annoying put nicely.
Marcin looked troubled for a bit, so Meryl spoke up instead.
"Fonias' leaders and successors trash. We want you become duke. You get status, power, and money."
KO!
Three sentences, she even flipped the bird to grammar as a whole.
"Sounds interesting. Why?"
"They trash. Want kill many people, swindle lots. Fonias family once strong, righteous. We're not a ducal house for nothing. This is a stain on family name. We're ashamed to be associated with this."
Amazing. What efficient conversation.
"There something more."
"You join in!?"
Quiet Titania.
"Is," this time Marcin answered. "Can't tell. Not comfortable."
"Fair."
I nodded and crossed my legs. Interesting. So there was some major internal politics happening in here. It wouldn't be tough at all to figure out what had happened to them if I put the Dark Moon to it, but if I had to guess it would be something like one of their loved ones being targeted or killed in their internal conflict and now its probably just them trying to get their revenge.
It happened a lot, kind folks getting married into trashy families. If not their parent it could be a maid or a caretaker or even a sibling.
Legally, I was part of their family too. Even if Charlotte married into another family, I still had rights to Fonias' succession as Charlotte was the direct daughter of the family head. Special privileges.
"Don't listen to them, Eugene. They are tricking you. All the Fonias have been the same, honor and pride? If you care so much about that then say it before."
"Too wordy," Meryl said.
I agreed, there's a mood here lady.
"Eugene. Scam. Fonias, fuck you."
"She's a strong contender too!" Titania screamed.
What a surprise.
"No, fuck you. Eugene, become Fonias."
"No, he's Hall."
"Uh, um," Billy tried to intervene. "Me thinks, we do that you be that we do be do… is."
"What?"
"It's ok, Billy, just speak normally."
"What did you even try with that? Geez."
Billy bit his lips too and looked down again, crying almost. It's alright Billy, these guys stopped making sense a while back.
Seeing him like that, the two of the Fonias tried to cheer him up along with his sister as well.
"You tried, that's what matters."
"I agree. You'll get there soon."
I felt almost ashamed being associated with these guys. But it was actually worse than that, we were pretty much related. Two of these idiots even have the same blood—Had… the same blood?
"Titania," I whispered so no one could hear. "Aren't I free from the association now?"
"Huh? You mean now that you've got a demon's blood in you?"
I nodded to the voice that no one else could hear.
Finally! I was finally free of being these bastards' family. I didn't mind or dislike them nearly as much as I used to anymore, but well. I wasn't going to bring it up, though, they were clearly the type to fuss over it saying that family is not from blood, and then fuss some more over the change.
Were these guys actually good people?
No. People who leave a child far away are not good people. They were still just alright, only better than before.
"They seem to be getting along," Sophia said.
Almost as if all four of them had forgotten about us, they somehow started chatting about their classes. What in the world?
"Should we leave, Lady Sophia. Interested in some cats maybe?"
"You quite like that place, don't you?"
"I seem to be having some kitty withdrawals, it'll pass over."
"Don't indulge more if you want it to pass over."
Not wrong.
It seemed the group remembered us again as they sat back down and glared at each other once more. Come on, we had made some progress.
"Eugene, not just us, but all the people on our side as well would have your back." Marcin began again. "The Fonias needs someone righteous, they can't even kick you out of the registry because of all your achievements. You will also gain a lot of power as a duke, please, think about it."
"Not interested."
"Why?" Meryl asked. "Is there something else you seek? Something missing?"
"I don't like the name, Fonias sounds ugly."
"T-that's the reason…?"
"Half of it."
Power, huh.
"It sounds reasonable," Titania muttered, sitting on my shoulder. "Weren't you just talking about how you want to make everyone around you stronger?"
Power would be useful. For everything I was planning.
Fonias were also pretty annoying, having been a pain in the ass since Charlotte's time. I didn't even know her so there was no filial piety here, but I did think of it as a good reason to sock them.
"I won't take over the Fonias or anything, you do that yourself."
Managing a small place like that was going to be useless. After all, I was aiming higher.
They were about to interject, but I didn't let them.
"Depending on how I feel, though. I'd either get you there."
Having the Fonias under my thumb was a good starting place.
"Or raze it to the ground."
Since my goal before the outer gods arrived.
eαglesnovel`c,om Was to take over the world.
All three of them.