Pamela Jean Degrosis.

To explain why she, the eldest daughter of the Degrosis family, attended this banquet, one would have to go back a very long time.

Pamela was the daughter of the Degrosis patriarch and a commoner woman. As a result, she inherited her mother’s brown hair and her father’s purple eyes, boasting exceptional beauty from a young age.

This was because she inherited her mother’s stunning looks, which had captivated the heart of the next Degrosis patriarch to such an extent.

The moment her mother realized she had conceived a child from a one-night affair, she had no choice but to seek out the Degrosis family.

Pamela knew it wasn’t solely due to maternal love that prevented her from terminating the pregnancy.

Pamela’s mother, aware that carrying the child of the next patriarch of an Earl’s family could provide an opportunity for her, a commoner, to rise in status, sought out the Degrosis family and somehow managed to become a member of the household.

The problem was what followed.

The Degrosis patriarch already had a fiancée, a noble lady he was promised to marry.

The fiancée who pushed Pamela’s commoner mother aside and became the legal wife couldn’t possibly favor the woman who entered as a concubine.

After all, Pamela was still the firstborn, no matter what.

At the same time, unlike the relationship with Pamela’s mother, which was merely a one-night affair, the love between the Degrosis patriarch and the noble lady was ‘real.’

The woman who was engaged to the patriarch became pregnant with a son. Pamela, already lacking in love, found her position growing smaller and smaller.

When Pamela’s father finally ascended to the position of Degrosis patriarch, the persecution from the legal wife began.

Leftover scraps of food were allocated as meals to Pamela and her mother.

During the cold winter, Pamela and her mother were forcibly confined to a room where the cold wind blew in, shivering from the chill.

The servants of the mansion, bribed by the legal wife, began openly ignoring and harassing Pamela and her mother.

Once her mother realized that for her and her child to survive, she had to make Pamela the Degrosis patriarch.

Regardless of the reason, she strived to make Pamela the next head because she was the patriarch’s eldest child.

However, the fact that Pamela was a ‘daughter’ and simultaneously born between a commoner and a noble held her back.

The conservative elder council of the Degrosis family did not recognize Pamela as the next patriarch.

But Pamela’s mother didn’t stop either. Perhaps it was because she believed she couldn’t stop once she had started… Or maybe she had been tainted by the noble family.

She did everything in her power to make Pamela the next patriarch. Pamela, too, moved to assist her mother.

They never dreamed it would lead to such a tragedy.

Pamela’s stepmother, originally a noble lady, disapproved of their actions.

She believed they had not only stolen her rightful place but also coveted the position her son should have naturally inherited.

So the stepmother asked her own family to ‘handle’ them. Disposing of a mere commoner woman was not a difficult task for them.

Thus, Pamela’s mother was erased from the world without a sound. And no one except Pamela could know that fact.

More precisely, ‘no one wanted to know’.

Because the Degrosis patriarch tacitly approved of it. To him, Pamela’s mother was just a ‘mishap’ from his youth.

When the opportunity arose to quietly dispose of her, as she was starting to hold him back, he didn’t let it pass.

And so, Pamela was left alone.

Naturally, she was far from the position of patriarch, and within the Degrosis family, she became a non-entity. At first, Pamela didn’t understand why she had survived.

She, too, was just a ‘stain’ to the Degrosis patriarch, so she couldn’t fathom why he had let her live.

And when she grew a little older.

Finally, she understood the reason.

[She’s pretty like her mother, so if we sell her off to another family, it’ll benefit our Degrosis.]

Unintentionally overhearing the conversation between her stepmother and father, Pamela made a resolution.

She would definitely become the Degrosis patriarch with her own strength.

And to those who killed her mother and treated her as a tool.

She would surely have her revenge.

“…Hah.”

Pamela exhaled deeply, erasing the surfacing memories.

It was all meaningless. Attending this banquet, the desperate measures she took to participate in, all of it.

The moment she realized she was merely dancing in the palm of the Degrosis patriarch… her ‘father’s hand,’ Pamela shook her head.

She couldn’t stop.

For her mother’s revenge, she had to do it.

She had to bring down Degrosis using every means possible, including friends and the emotion of love.

For the girl, that was her sole purpose in life.

***

Meanwhile, Cain and Sylvia.

By coincidence, they encountered the patriarch and heir of the Astria family.
“It’s been a while, Lord Astria.”

“Indeed it has, Lord Geyrus.”

“…Please, speak comfortably.”

“How could I? Knowing the position our Lord Geyrus holds within the family.”

Chuckling with a relaxed smile, the Astria patriarch’s demeanor prompted a small smile from Cain.

The two families have already conducted multiple ventures together and were well acquainted.

“Now that Her Highness the Crown Princess has been appointed, the prestige of your family must have risen, so there’s no need for you to show me such respect.”

Faced with Cain’s persistent, polite attitude, Astria’s patriarch waved his hand and firmly declined his suggestion.

“Greetings, Lord Geyrus. I am Zenon van Astria, the eldest son of the Astria Early family.”

At the words of the young man who resembled Felix but with slightly sharper features, Cain slightly bowed his head in a show of etiquette.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Cain von Geyrus.”

As Cain and the Astria family exchanged warm greetings, Sylvia, unable to focus on their conversation, was looking around.

‘…Where is Felix?’

Felix, who had entered with Ashillya just moments ago, was nowhere to be seen.

As a commoner, Sylvia couldn’t join the conversation even if she wanted to, so she could only endlessly search for Felix.

“And this young lady is…”

“Sylvia Bersche. As a commoner, I don’t have a middle name.”

Startled by the Astria patriarch’s words, Sylvia greeted him with the utmost etiquette she could muster.

“Oh, so you’re Miss Sylvia. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Sylvia, worried that she might be disregarded for being a commoner, was surprised to see the Astria patriarch giving a small smile and returning her greeting without any indication.

“Ah, I… I’m also honored to make your acquaintance.”

“There’s no need to speak of honor. Miss Sylvia, are you perhaps an academy student?”

Nobles who showed courtesy to commoners were rare, but it somewhat made sense, considering he was Felix’s father.

“Yes, that’s correct. Felix and I are in the same class.”

“Oh…! So you were friends with our second son.”

At the mention of Felix, the Astria patriarch and Zenon’s eyes lit up as they looked at Sylvia.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Are you close with my younger brother?”

“…Uh, I suppose we’re quite close…!”

Sylvia answered Zenon’s question with a stiff posture. For some reason, she felt she had to.

“That’s a relief. I was worried about whether my younger brother, who lacks courage, would be able to make friends easily.”

“…Felix?”

Sylvia tilted her head slightly at Zenon’s words as he exhaled a small sigh of relief.

‘Felix lacking courage?’

Sylvia briefly pondered whether the Felix she knew and the one Zenon spoke of were different people.

“Of course. When he was young, he was so timid that wherever he went, he would only follow closely behind me.”

“…Really?”

Sylvia listened attentively to Zenon’s words as she heard a story about Felix that she didn’t know, her eyes sparkling.

He nodded, his eyes filled with a distant look as if reminiscing about that time.

“He was so cute back then, but now that he’s a bit older, he doesn’t follow me around anymore.”

“Haha, he must have been really adorable.”

“To think that the child who was like that has now grown up and even escorted Her Highness the Crown Princess, it’s so overwhelming.”

“You must be really close with Felix.”

When Sylvia remarked with a curious tone that it was common for noble families to fight over the position of patriarch, Zenon gave a small smile.

Thinking that smile was exactly the same as Felix’s, Sylvia noticed someone’s figure behind Zenon, and her eyes lit up.

‘… It’s Felix!’

With his red hair and black eyes.

Felix could be seen carefully eating a plate piled high with food.

“Of course. He’s still a younger brother I cherish greatly.”

Smiling back at Zenon’s words, Sylvia kept her gaze fixed on Felix.

‘Over there is…’

Sylvia knew Felix had been assigned as Crown Princess Ashillya’s escort. So it wasn’t strange for Felix to be on that platform.

“Regarding the business, our duchy is conducting this time…”

“Ah, please excuse me for a moment.”

“Of course…!”

As Cain and the members of the Astria Early family discussed business matters, Sylvia, who had been monitoring the situation, quietly whispered to Cain.

“Cain, I’ll be right back…”

“Ah, okay. Go ahead.”

With Cain’s approval, Sylvia took a step forward with a bright smile.

‘I should greet Felix!’

With that thought, Sylvia headed towards Felix, but she had to stop in her tracks when she finally saw where he was.

‘Huh…?’

There, she saw Felix affectionately whispering to Ashillya.

Translator’s Corner

I might start translating Flashing Genius with how bad the current MTL is.  The posting schedule of this novel is already slow, so it won’t be affected by it. I haven’t started yet, but it’s likely to happen.

-Ruminas