It Seems the Demon King Has Returned to a World Where Gender Roles Are Reversed - Chapter 34

 Chapter 34 :

"……"

With a reluctant expression, Karen sat across from Ragna in silence.

Ragna, facing her, took out an empty teacup and said:

"You’ve worked hard. How about a cup of tea, big sister?"

"…Sure."

Karen’s response was awkward.

Ragna smiled, picked up the teapot that had been kept warm on a lamp, and tilted it toward the cup.

With a soft *glug*, a translucent brownish liquid filled the teacup.

"Here, have some, big sister."

"…Thanks."

Karen, still wearing a reluctant expression, took the teacup in front of her and brought it to her lips, sipping lightly. Watching her, Ragna also raised his teacup to his mouth, took a sip, and spoke.

"From the look of you, it seems you’ve had quite a day. Did you go to the academy because of Seria again?"

"…Something like that."

"Hm, as I thought. By the way, how’s Seria doing? Is she holding up okay?"

"…No need to worry. She’s too busy with her daily training to think about anything else. Speaking of which…"

"…?"

"Can’t you do something about that way of speaking?"

Karen let out a sigh. Ragna tilted his head, looking puzzled.

"My way of speaking? Is there a problem?"

"I’m telling you to stop talking like that! Drop the formalities and calling me ‘big sister’—it doesn’t suit you!"

Karen’s face flushed as she snapped.

It seemed she couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Ragna looked at her with a troubled expression and said:

"…Hm, is that so? But, Lady Karen, it’s a fact that the Steiner family has become my guardian. And as a result, I’ve taken on the Steiner name. Given that, isn’t it only natural for me to use formalities with you?"

"That may be true, but…"

"Even if you don’t like it, I hope you’ll bear with it. You may not care, but to others, I’m just a lucky upstart who wormed his way into the Steiner family. If someone like me doesn’t show respect to Lady Karen, the likely next head of the family, wouldn’t I draw criticism?"

Ragna’s words were reasonable, but Karen still looked unconvinced as she stared at him.

"…Is that really the only reason?"

"Yes, is there any other reason needed?"

"No, it’s not that, but…"

Karen hesitated, deep in thought. Ragna, watching her, hid his mouth behind his teacup and smirked mischievously.

"…If that’s the case, can’t you at least drop it when it’s just the two of us?"

"Hm, and what if someone overhears us?"

"I’d appreciate it if you didn’t underestimate a knight’s senses. I can easily pick up on someone else’s presence in advance."

"Is that so? Well, if you say so… fine, I’ll do it."

With a *thud*, Ragna leaned back on the sofa, responding in a casual, almost cheeky tone.

The sudden shift, as if shedding a formal facade, made Karen sigh and touch her forehead lightly.

Enjoying her discomfort, Ragna asked lightly:

"By the way, is everything really okay with Seria? It’s been weeks, and I haven’t seen her even once. I’m starting to think it’s about time we heard something…"

"I told you, there’s no need to worry about Seria."

"I’d prefer if you didn’t get the wrong idea. I’m not trying to make a move on her or anything. You know, don’t you? How she feels about me."

At Ragna retort, Karen’s expression twitched.

A troubling memory surfaced.

It was about the relationship between the two.

It was beyond what she’d imagined.

Karen had thought they were just acquaintances, perhaps close at best. But their relationship had progressed to a stage far beyond her lukewarm views on romance.

Recalling the moment she’d learned of it and accidentally spat out the water she was drinking, Karen gave an awkward expression.

And to her, Ragna said:

"Even if I use magic to suppress rumors, that only works if I’m by her side. In this situation, if she acts recklessly or spreads word about me, there’s nothing I can do. I’d appreciate it if you’d consider that."

"As I said, there’s no need to worry. Right now, she’s so consumed with personal training that she doesn’t have the energy to think about anything else."

Karen shook her head as she spoke.

Indeed, with such grueling training bordering on cruelty it would be impossible to think of anything else.

A sparring session so intense it tested the limits of a knight’s body, with flesh torn and bones ground down without hesitation. Even with healing mages on standby, it was hardly a normal ordeal. To have the mental space to think of other things in such conditions would be remarkable.

"Hm, is that so?"

Ragna nodded skeptically at Karen’s confident demeanor. He wasn’t fully convinced, but seeing her certainty, he didn’t press further.

"And I have something to ask you."

"Hm, what is it?"

"I said I wouldn’t ask before, but no matter how I think about it, it’s bothering me. What exactly is going on in this room? Why do all the young ladies who come to meet you leave without a word?"

"…I believe I told you not to ask about that."

"Even so, how can I not when it’s eating at me? The women you’ve met for these matches are all carefully selected. Some are even set to become the next heads of their families."

"Is that so?"

"It’s not just ‘is that so.’ For them, it’s a desperate matter. They’re determined to marry a man who can control golems to carry on their family’s legacy. Isn’t it strange that all of them, without exception, abandon the match without a second thought?"

Of course, not all the women at these matches were heirs set to inherit their families, as Karen suggested.

In fact, such women were in the minority. Most were second or third in line, aiming to use a marriage with a male knight to claim the headship of their family.

As mentioned, in this world, succession rights were determined solely by birth order and bloodline hierarchy.

Thus, it was common for someone lower in the hierarchy to overturn the order and claim the crown of succession.

But such a reversal couldn’t happen without something extraordinary.

In that sense, a marriage with a male knight held immense significance. Even if only for one generation, a male knight guaranteed exceptional golem-handling ability.

Some families even used male knights as studs, having them impregnate multiple women to secure their lineage.

Marrying a male knight was the ultimate way to leapfrog the succession hierarchy and assert one’s position. So when Ragna’s existence was announced to noble families under the royal name, countless marriage proposals flooded in.

"…But three in a row no, four now, with this one. When matches keep falling apart so cleanly, anyone would start talking, wouldn’t they?"

Typically, a male knight’s match is finalized on the first or second try.

This is because male knights, regardless of their background, are in a desperate position. For a man from a lowly family, it’s a chance to gain status overnight. For women, it’s an opportunity to solidify their position or aim for the heir’s seat.

In that sense, Ragna’s string of failed matches was nothing short of extraordinary. Karen’s unease was understandable. But—

"Hm, so what?"

"…?"

To Karen’s question, Ragna responded with a calm expression, turning the question back on her.

"So, has anything problematic happened?"

"…No, not exactly…"

"Then have the women complained? Maybe about our side being rude or something?"

"…No, if anything, they’ve come to apologize for their unilateral cancellations."

That was the strange part.

The women were the ones breaking off the matches.

If so, the problem should lie with them.

Yet, no negative rumors or complaints had reached the Steiner family.

In fact, as mentioned, they’d received apologies for the other side’s rudeness.

"If that’s the case, then there’s no problem, is there?"

"…Well, there’s no problem per se, but still…"

"Then there’s no reason for me to explain. I told you from the start not to ask about this, didn’t I?"

"……"

"Nothing special has happened, and no complaints have come. So there’s no need for us to show our hand."

"……"

Karen fell silent at Ragna's measured response.

Then she recalled something she’d forgotten.

The relationship between her and Ragna was nothing more than a dry, contractual arrangement.

"……"

An awkward silence followed.

With the conversation stalled, Ragna and Karen simply sipped their tea.

As he did, Ragna thought to himself:

*Pretty well deflected.*

He couldn’t exactly spill the truth. It’d cause a huge mess if he did.

After all, he was using mind manipulation magic to subtly influence the noble ladies.

*‘If she found out, all hell would break loose.’*

Even if it was mind manipulation magic, it wasn’t about forcibly controlling memories or emotions. It was more like simple hypnosis something that, in normal circumstances, would never be used to foster negative feelings toward someone.

But magic was magic.

If Karen found out, she’d likely go ballistic and try to kill him.

But there was no way she’d figure it out.

After all, he hadn’t done anything obvious.

No chanting, no hand signs.

The magic Ragna used relied on a magic circle, drawn in chalk under the carpet of the table they were sitting at. It was activated by channeling mana from his seat.

That’s why Ragna insisted on holding the matches in the estate’s parlor.

An isolated space, perfect for one-on-one meetings.

The ideal conditions for activating the magic circle.

And so far, across four matches, Ragna had smoothly sabotaged them all.

'Smooth, if I do say so myself.’

If word kept spreading that his matches were falling apart, other families eyeing him would start backing off.

Even if the fault lay with the women’s unilateral cancellations.

The results were clear. After three failed matches, the number of proposals had noticeably dropped.

And now, with the fourth.

Even with a royal decree, it’d be hard to keep pushing matches at this rate.

If that happened, the matchmaking would stop.

Ragna would be left in limbo.

And in that situation, he’d have Karen sponsor his admission to the academy.

Pleased with his plan, Ragna sipped his tea again.

A flawless plan with no issues, he thought.

_______

That night, after most of the Steiner estate had fallen asleep.

Under the cover of darkness, a black shadow scaled the estate’s walls. The figure moved with agility far beyond human capability. Sneaking into the estate, the shadow glanced around as if searching for something.

Then, as if finding it, the figure sniffed the air with a covered nose and sprinted up the stairs, racing down a hallway. It stopped in front of a door at the end.

The intruder’s eyes gleamed as they checked the nameplate on the door.

It bore none other than Ragna’s name.

___________

Author Notes:

Regarding ages, I’m deliberately avoiding specifics due to legal concerns.

But by medieval standards, 14 and up is considered adult, early 20s is mature, and by your 30s, it wouldn’t be strange to have grandchildren. Of course, things are a bit different here…

With that in mind, Seria is somewhere in her teens (officially an adult, by medieval standards). Karen is in her early 20s. And Noel, who appeared earlier, is in her early 30s.

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Translated by Reversalnovel.web.id