As I realized the gravity of the situation, my expression hardened.

It was because I finally understood the nature of this place.

‘I finally get it.’

I figured out why there was jerky out of nowhere in the Secret Relm and why the partitions were made using a barrier.

This Secret Relm was made by the Bares family for the ‘training’ of their youngest daughter.

The Eye of Arrogance must have been a reward prepared for their youngest daughter after she finished her training.

‘Well, it’s not that unusual.’

The high-ranking families of the Demon World owned several Secret Relms like this.

It was to efficiently train those who inherited the family bloodline or their family members.

Fighting monsters recklessly was too dangerous, and there was a limit to improving one’s skills by training alone, so they resorted to this method.

To put it simply.

I unintentionally stole the Eye of Arrogance that might have belonged to the successor of the Bares family…….

I muttered in vain.

“My life is screwed.”

This isn’t a situation that can be resolved with just an apology.

At the very least, I’ll have to give up one of my arms.

Should I cut off my little finger like a Yakuza?

As I muttered in a suddenly empty voice, I heard Death Knight’s tearful voice.

- Please open the door……!

Death Knight was desperately appealing to me.

At the same time, I heard a sound like tofu being sliced from the front.

And then, a dull and heavy sound of something hitting the ground.

From what I could guess, it was clear that the regenerated guardian had been cut down and collapsed.

Probably next,

- Please…….

It’ll be that guy who’s begging me.

He’s an inanimate object and will be regenerated anyway, so I didn’t have the slightest intention of saving him, even though he was an enemy.

And.

It was already too late.

P-Please!

The merciless roar stopped, but Death Knight begged even more desperately.

The reason was simple.

S-Save……!

Thud-.

The culprit who shook the Secret Relm approached and cut Death Knight in half.

Death Knight’s neck and body separated and rolled on the floor.

She had subdued Death Knight with a single blow.

And the eyes of the one who was looking at Death Knight moved.

“…….”

She began to stare at me intently.

Blue eyes that seemed to contain the universe, along with short black hair and black horns on either side of her head.

The youngest daughter of the Bares family.

It was Rene.

Rene was sweeping me with a gaze that sent shivers down my spine.

After a while, Rene, who had been searching me, aimed her sword at my neck and asked.

“……Who are you?”

I did not answer Rene’s question right away and lowered my gaze.

My gaze was directed at the nape of Rene’s neck.

As expected.

There was a tattoo.

The ‘Black Dragon’ tattoo proved to be a blood relative of the Bares family.

I realized that Rene was the original owner of the Eye of Arrogance and the youngest daughter of the Bares family.

A character I didn’t describe in detail when I was writing the novel.

I had to use such Rene.

As a tool for surviving here.

……Okay. I’ll do it.

After finishing my thoughts, I opened my mouth.

“Congratulations on conquering the Secret Relm, Miss Rene.”

It was a sudden but natural remark.

An honorific that didn’t sound like my voice came out of my mouth.

Adel’s personality was assimilated with me, and a natural honorific came out.

Adel was cruel and brutal when he had to face an enemy.

However, when he had to bend over, he knew how to bend over to the point of being mean.

A setting based on the personality of Sima Yi, who appears in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Thanks to this personality, Adel was able to save his life until the latter half of the work.

Perhaps it was because the situation itself was awkward, even though it was natural.

Rene’s expression was tinged with vigilance.

“What are you talking about?”

“Haven’t you finally proven your ‘qualification’ to the Lord?”

“…….”

Rene closed her mouth as if those words hit the nail on the head.

The black sword that was pointed at my neck was not removed, but it was a satisfactory result.

The fact that Rene closed her mouth was proof that my guess was correct.

‘After all, Rene didn’t come to this Secret Relm to get the Eye of Arrogance.’

If Rene’s purpose was to obtain the Eye of Arrogance, she would have reacted as soon as she saw me.

The Eye of Arrogance were clearly in my left eye.

However, Rene did not.

She just looked at me with vigilant eyes.

That means Rene doesn't know about the Eye of Arrogance.

Then there are two remaining reasons.

First, it's about the position of 'successor.'

'But that's unlikely.'

I can say for sure that this Secret Realm has nothing to do with the successor position.

I had no choice.

I wrote the setting myself.

So it's natural that I know.

The successor of the Bares Family wasn't Rene but another 'man', so it could be said that conquering this Secret Realm had no connection to the position of the successor.

If the condition for becoming the successor had been based on strength, then Rene, who had conquered the Secret Realm single-handedly with overwhelming power, would have been the rightful successor.

However, in the original story I wrote, the successor wasn't Rene but someone else.

'So what kind of qualification is it?'

If it was for the purpose of training, the Bares family wouldn't have given the Eye of Arrogance as a reward.

The reason Rene challenged the Secret Realm must be to prove some kind of qualification by obtaining the Eye of Arrogance.

After finishing my thoughts, I opened my mouth and asked in a calm voice.

"You don't seem happy even though you have proven your qualification."

“…….”

"Is there a reason?"

"Yeah."

Rene, who had been silent, answered right away.

"You."

“……?”

When I pointed to my face with my finger, Rene nodded slightly.

"Yeah."

The moment Rene's blue eyes, which seemed to contain the ocean, met my gaze.

I froze for a moment.

Because Rene kept giving short answers, I had to guess the beginning of the sentence in my head.

...In short, she was dissatisfied and at the same time curious about my presence in this Secret Realm.

However, I already had an excuse prepared.

"Since you've proven your qualifications enough, the Lord has ordered me to escort Miss Rene from now on."

I mentioned the Lord and hinted that I was not an enemy but an ally, Rene's face hardened.

Oh no, did I make a mistake?

My palms were sweating profusely.