Forced to Sell Myself to the Female Lead After Killing the Male Lead

There was no doubt that Marquis Xiumu-Duke was beside himself with excitement.

His heart was pounding so violently it felt ready to leap right out of his chest!

The moment he learned that Xia'er, who had been missing for years, had finally returned home, the Marquis was overwhelmed with joy. After quickly assigning the Blizzard Knights their post-battle duties, he ignored his adjutant's attempts to stop him and immediately unleashed his full power. Wrapped in brilliant azure battle aura, he shot straight back toward the Marquis's estate!

Afterward,

desperate to see his granddaughter, he questioned a maid before anxiously rushing toward Xia'er's location. He couldn't wait to embrace the granddaughter he had thought lost forever!

In his excitement, he didn't even hear what the maid behind him was trying to tell him.

Nor did he pay any attention to the other servants shouting after him.

At that moment, there was only a single thought in Xiumu's mind—

He had to see his granddaughter!

And so, the Marquis happily dashed straight into the bathhouse!

Unfortunately...

His overheated brain immediately earned him the righteous Iron Fist of his wife!

The instant he pushed open the bathhouse door, before he could even make out what was inside, Avnora's fist, wrapped in crackling lightning battle aura, rapidly filled his vision.

"BOOM!!"

With a deafening explosion, Xiumu was blasted backward!

His entire body embedded itself into a distant wall.

"You old fool! Have you never heard of knocking first?!"

Before the stunned gazes of everyone present—including Miss Yumo—the Lord of Wind Facing City was comically sent flying with a single punch from his wife...

Uh...

'She's... kind of terrifying... 0-0'

Stealing a glance at the imposing Avnora from the corner of her eye, Miss Yumo couldn't help sighing inwardly.

...

...

Several dozen minutes later,

after finishing her bath and being forcibly dressed by a group of maids in an adorable white noble princess dress, Miss Yumo was led by the hand by Avnora to what had supposedly been her "original" bedroom.

And, incidentally,

to meet her so-called "grandfather."

"Xia'er? It really is Xia'er!!"

His face bruised and swollen, Xiumu burst into tears the instant he saw the familiar pink-haired girl.

His joy was beyond words.

His entire body trembled uncontrollably with excitement.

The next moment, after receiving silent approval from his wife, Xiumu rushed forward without another word and tightly embraced the pink-haired girl.

"Welcome home, Xia'er."

Holding his granddaughter once again after so many years, countless emotions surged through Xiumu's heart.

Ever since Yuan'er's disappearance and the series of Abyss Demon attacks, he had been utterly exhausted.

Yet at this very moment, both that exhaustion and the pain in his battered face seemed to vanish because of the child in his arms.

For the first time in a very long while,

a sincere smile appeared upon the old Marquis's weathered face.

The surrounding maids, Head Maid Jiela, and the old butler Audite all revealed relieved smiles as well.

Feeling the goodwill radiating toward her from everyone nearby, Miss Yumo frowned slightly.

At this moment,

she was feeling rather conflicted.

What...

was she supposed to do?

After all,

Yumo knew perfectly well that she could never be their granddaughter.

She was merely an Abyss Demon borrowing their granddaughter's appearance.

The Xia'er they spoke of...

was probably already dead, just as they had feared.

As for Yuan'er...

what expressions would they make if they learned she had become an Abyss Demon?

Glancing at the Marquis embracing her so emotionally and at the equally delighted Marchioness beside him,

Yumo slowly closed her eyes.

Judging from the current situation,

it was only a matter of time before Yuan'er completely assimilated her power and advanced into a Demon King-class existence.

She merely lacked the catalyst to awaken.

Once that girl became a Demon King...

then, in a sense, she would also become one of Yumo's daughters.

After all, part of Yumo's very origin had merged into her body.

If that were the case...

then, out of basic morality,

perhaps she ought to take better care of the emotions of Marquis Xiumu-Duke and Avnora, Yuan'er's grandparents.

With that thought,

Miss Yumo abandoned her original plan of releasing the aura of the Shadow of Silence Power.

Sooner or later,

the truth that their granddaughter had become an Abyss Demon would undoubtedly strike this family with another devastating blow.

For now...

she would simply let them peacefully enjoy the happiness of their "granddaughter's" return.

Besides,

the identity of the Duke family's young lady actually seemed rather useful.

Mengxi wanted to take her to the Asumos Church.

If that happened, her previous identity as a slave would have to disappear.

Otherwise, it would probably be difficult for her to remain by Mengxi's side.

If she accompanied Mengxi as the daughter of a Marquis...

then someone like Kabanei, who valued status and bloodlines above everything else, would probably shut his mouth.

Oh, right.

There was something else, too~

If she truly became the Duke family's young lady,

she would apparently also gain the status of a candidate for Crown Princess.

Perhaps then,

she would even have an opportunity to meet that Child of Destiny.

Yumo was rather curious about this mysterious chosen one.

After all,

he too was someone selected by fate to "save the world."

And then...

she would have to arrange for Mengxi to meet the Child of Destiny.

If the two of them got along well,

they could work together to kill her someday...

Only...

somehow...

'Why does that thought make me feel a little irritated...?'

Forget it.

No matter what happened,

for now she'd simply continue playing the role of an "amnesiac" slave girl.

Thinking this,

Miss Yumo completely gave up resisting and quietly allowed Marquis Xiumu-Duke to hold her in his embrace.

However,

a moment later,

she suddenly thought of something and frowned, beginning to question her own decision.

Come to think of it...

if she really became the Duke family's young lady,

there seemed to be another rather troublesome problem waiting for her...

—

Several hours later, at dusk,

inside Marquis Xiumu-Duke's office,

the battle-hardened Marquis couldn't help freezing for a brief moment as he looked at the incomparably beautiful silver-haired girl escorted there by the Blizzard Knights.

Only after Avnora fiercely pinched the back of his neck, the sharp pain snapping him back to reality, did he recover.

As expected of the Child of Destiny...

That beauty...

That temperament...

They truly weren't something an ordinary person could compare to.

Even the Empire's famed Fourth Princess, known as the Flower of the Empire, was probably inferior to her.

After regaining his composure, Xiumu silently reached that conclusion.

After pondering briefly,

he assumed the dignified bearing befitting the head of the Duke family.

Meeting the silver-haired girl's beautiful pale violet eyes with a solemn expression, he spoke.

"On behalf of the entire Duke family, I would like to once again thank you for saving my granddaughter, Miss Mengxi."

As he spoke,

he even bowed slightly.

"As our gratitude, I hope you will stay at the Marquis's estate for the next several days. We shall provide you with the finest hospitality possible."

Hearing the Marquis's words,

Mengxi remained silent for a moment.

The corner of her eye thoughtfully drifted toward the pink-haired girl sitting beside Avnora on the sofa.

A complicated emotion briefly surfaced in Mengxi's eyes.

But it quickly disappeared.

Then she gracefully lifted the hem of her dress and returned the courtesy.

"Thank you for your generous hospitality, Marquis. May I ask... how long would I be permitted to stay here?"

"As long as you wish."

Xiumu replied warmly.

"You are Xia'er's benefactor. The Duke family will always welcome you! We shall receive you with the highest honors! If there is anything you require, please don't hesitate to tell us. We will do our utmost to satisfy your requests."

"I see."

Mengxi smiled faintly.

"Thank you for your generosity, Marquis. As it happens, I do have one request. I hope you will be willing to grant it."

"Please, go ahead."

"In the future, would you allow me to take your granddaughter to the Asumo—"

However,

before Mengxi could finish,

Marquis Xiumu-Duke firmly shook his head and interrupted her with unmistakable seriousness.

"I'm sorry. I cannot agree to that."

The moment those words were spoken,

the smile on Mengxi's face stiffened.

Meanwhile, Miss Yumo, seated on the sofa, couldn't help covering her forehead with one hand.

That's right.

This was precisely what had been troubling her.

If she truly became the Duke family's daughter,

the elderly Marquis and Marchioness would almost certainly never allow her to leave so easily.

If it came down to it,

she would probably have to think of another solution...

While Yumo wrestled with those thoughts,

Mengxi quickly regained her composure and looked at Xiumu with a questioning gaze.

"May I ask why?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Mengxi. I know you intend to take Xia'er to the headquarters of the Asumos Church. But I do not wish for her to leave Wind Facing City."

Xiumu answered resolutely.

Having finally recovered the granddaughter he had lost for years,

he had already resolved to cherish and spoil her.

Naturally,

he had no intention of letting her travel thousands of miles away to the Crimson Leaf Empire.

Moreover,

although he sincerely felt grateful toward Mengxi,

at heart, Marquis Xiumu-Duke still looked down upon those fanatics of the Asumos Church.

Let his granddaughter join the Asumos Church?

Absolutely impossible!

He would never agree.

Faced with Xiumu's unwavering refusal,

Mengxi remained perfectly composed.

After thoughtfully glancing toward the visibly conflicted Yumo,

the corner of Mengxi's lips rose almost imperceptibly.

"I understand your concerns, Marquis Xiumu-Duke. However... what if your granddaughter—Xiaomo... ah, no, Xia'er—herself wished to travel to the Crimson Leaf Empire?"

?!!

"Xia'er... wishes to go?"

Hearing those words,

Xiumu pursed his lips in hesitation before looking toward the pink-haired girl now nestled in his wife's embrace.

A trace of uncertainty appeared in his azure eyes.

It's true...

The current Xia'er doesn't remember us at all.

If she truly wishes to leave with the Child of Destiny...

what should I do?

Should...

should I stop her?

But if I do...

what will Xia'er think of me?

For a moment,

Xiumu found himself speechless,

standing there completely at a loss.

"Go to the Crimson Leaf Empire..."

However,

just as Xiumu was struggling internally,

an untimely voice suddenly echoed through the room.

"My apologies, Marquis, but I don't believe your daughter will remain in Wind Facing City... nor will she be going to the Crimson Leaf Empire."

As the man's voice rang out,

the conference room doors were abruptly pushed open.

The next instant,

a white-haired man with sharp, piercing eyes, an ordinary-looking face, and a royal insignia pinned to his chest strode calmly into the office.

"Your daughter is a Crown Princess candidate personally designated by the royal family."

"The place she ought to go is the imperial capital—Skyvault."

"That is where she truly belongs~"

Before his words had even finished,

the expressions of everyone present instantly darkened...