A week had passed, and the weekend had arrived. It had been a whirlwind of a week.
Even now, I was still reeling from everything that had happened, particularly my encounter with the Duke of Dimensions.
“Wow! Crescent, I heard you’ve officially become the Lady of the Pluto Ducal House! That’s incredible!”
“So now Cardinal Reuben is your grandfather? Bishop Miles is your father? And Sir Meteor is your brother? This is like a cheat-code setup straight out of a novel. You’ve hit the jackpot!”
“Hey, everyone, stop using informal speech with Crescent. From now on, address her as Lady Crescent. I’ll start: ‘Greetings, Your Grace!’”
“Hahaha... You can stop now,” I replied, exasperated.
Every single colleague I met couldn’t resist teasing me, and this had gone on for the entire week.
The news of me being formally adopted into the Pluto Ducal House had been a massive shock to everyone.
Even the events at the Winter Domain of Duke Winterly were a popular topic among the knights.
After all, it had been one of the most spectacular and large-scale battles against high-tier demonic energy in recent memory.
And the mysterious opening of the Demon Realm’s exit only added fuel to their curiosity.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
But the thing that had shaken me the most, without a doubt, was the Duke of Dimensions.
Before I could even fully process what it meant to be a part of the Pluto family, my life felt like it was falling apart again.
‘Something’s off. Seriously, what’s going on?’
Was it possible that demon bastard was so envious of Meteor’s looks and status that he decided to cosplay as him?
I mean, Meteor’s beauty was dazzling enough to make even demons jealous.
And that Holy Sword? Maybe it was a well-forged fake meant to deceive me.
As ridiculous as the thought was, it crossed my mind.
Ding!
<‘Yuri-loving Druid Gabriella’ chuckles, “Pfft.”>
<‘Dragon Slayer Sylvester’ bursts into laughter, “Puhaha!”>
“Why are you laughing? You didn’t even tell me anything about Prima, so stop mocking me!”
I grumbled internally.
I had tried asking the Saints about the Duke of Dimensions, but they refused to divulge anything, claiming it was classified.
But seeing them laugh at my thoughts made it clear—the demon wasn’t just cosplaying.
If he really was a Demon Realm version of Meteor, a crazed fan imitating him, it would have been less serious.
‘Ugh. This is giving me a headache. Please, let it just be a disguise.’
I sighed deeply, staring out the window.
It was the weekend, and I was on my way back to the Pluto Ducal House by carriage.
“What’s got you so deep in thought?”
“Huh? Oh...”
The sudden voice made me realize I wasn’t alone—I was riding with Meteor.
I shifted my eyes slightly, fumbling for a half-decent excuse.
“I was just thinking... Since we went to a freezing part of the Demon Realm this time, maybe next time we’ll be sent to a scorching hot area?”
“At least you won’t freeze to death there,” Meteor replied dryly, turning his attention back to his newspaper.
I couldn’t help but stare at him. The more I looked, the more Prima seemed identical to him.
Could there be some kind of connection between the two?
No way. That’s ridiculous.
I shook my head, forcing a small smile.
“By the way, Meteor,” I started.
“?”
Meteor glanced at me.
“It’s been ages since we’ve ridden home from the Holy Palace together. For the past six years, I’ve always taken this carriage alone.”
“True,” he said simply.
But unlike him, the other knights couldn’t contain their excitement over his return.
When Meteor came back after his long training, the morale of the holy knights had soared.
His standout performance in the Winterly Domain, where he found the Aurora Orb, only added to his reputation.
Of course, I was also one of the people glad to have him back.
I smiled warmly.
“I was starting to feel a little lonely, so it’s nice to have you back.”
“‘Brother,’ huh?” he repeated with a sigh, looking resigned.
“I guess I’ll have to get used to that title now.”
“Well, it’s only natural to feel awkward. I mean, it’s not every day you gain a perfect little sister like me,” I joked, grinning.
Meteor shook his head in disbelief.
Though, honestly, having a perfect older brother like him wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence either.
For a moment, I clasped my hands together, hesitating. There was something I wanted to say to him.
I debated for a bit before finally speaking.
“By the way, going to the Demon Realm with you this time really helped a lot. I’m glad you’re back—it makes such a difference.”
“Don’t mention it,” he said dismissively.
“I mean it. I totally understand why the other knights admire you. Just having you around is inspiring. It’s especially reassuring in a place like the Demon Realm.”
“Well, I don’t feel particularly inspired by the other knights,” he quipped.
“Understandable. I apologize on their behalf.”
Hmph.
I cleared my throat awkwardly, feeling a little embarrassed.
But honestly, it was true—having Meteor around gave me a sense of hope, even in the darkest places like the Demon Realm.
Of course, it would be better if we didn’t have to go there at all....
A little while later, the carriage arrived at the Pluto Ducal House.
Lady Rearwin was already waiting for us at the estate’s porch.
As soon as I stepped out of the carriage, I rushed toward her with a bright smile. Even though it had only been a week, I was thrilled to see her again.
“We’re back!”
“Welcome home, both of you! Oh my, the two of you coming home together is such a lovely sight!”
“We’re back,” Meteor greeted plainly.
Lady Rearwin clasped her hands together, her expression filled with emotion.
“How was the Demon Realm this time? Honestly, it would be so much better if that blasted Magi gave us a heads-up before showing up. At least I could pack you some lunches.”
“That would definitely help,” I replied wistfully.
“Exactly!” she said, nodding.
These days, going to the Demon Realm was starting to feel like nothing more than visiting a neighbor’s house.
Lady Rearwin didn’t seem as worried about us as before—though I was sure she just hid it better now.
“For lunch today, I’ve prepared an especially lavish feast. There’s someone I’d like to introduce to both of you. Take your time getting ready and come down.”
“Someone to introduce?”
Who could it be?
I was curious but decided to focus on getting ready first. With a lively reply, I headed to prepare myself.
Meteor seemed curious too but only nodded before retreating to his room.
A little while later, I came down to the dining hall wearing a dress Lady Rearwin had prepared.
The dress was far more elaborate than what you’d typically wear for a casual lunch, hinting that the guest might be someone special.
I hope I’m not late....
As I stepped into the dining hall, my eyes immediately landed on a stranger.
The young woman had lush, flowing pink hair and vivid green eyes that sparkled like a forest on a clear day.
She was so stunning that I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
She seemed to be about my age, maybe a year or two older. Her beauty was almost otherworldly, like a doll come to life.
“Ah, you’re here, Centi!” Lady Rearwin’s voice brought me back to my senses.
Who is she?
A relative of Lady Rearwin, perhaps?
I smiled politely.
“I hope I’m not late. I see we have a guest I haven’t met before.”
“Meteor isn’t here yet, I see. I wanted to introduce you both together, but I suppose we’ll make do. Meet Sienna Tudor, the eldest daughter of the Tudor Ducal House.”
“Oh, I see!”
I looked at Sienna warmly. She rose gracefully from her seat and greeted me with a smile so angelic it almost took my breath away.
But why was she here at the Pluto Ducal House?
“Sienna will soon be engaged to Meteor,” Lady Rearwin added with a cheerful laugh. “You’ll be like sisters soon!”
“...?”
Engaged?
E-Engaged?!
“Who’s getting engaged?”
A deep voice sounded from behind me, filled with even more shock than I felt.