Beyond the tightly sealed vault door, much of the wealth stored within had been either maintained, managed, or newly generated by Iris herself.
“Useless daughter.”
That was what her father always called her.
He said it so often that his voice still echoed clearly in her mind, no matter how much time had passed.
She had devoted her entire life to cultivation, to building something of worth—
but the only thing that remained was that one title:
useless
.
Iris opened her mouth and quietly spoke.
“You’re right, Father.”
Since you always called me that… I might as well answer in kind.
“I must truly be useless.”
With those words, she turned and walked out.
She hadn’t resolved a single part of the original task—the matter of House Valentine’s unpaid taxes.
Soon, the Internal Inspection Office would send investigators to their estate.
And this time, the one who had always taken care of such matters—
the one who smoothed things over behind the scenes—would not be there.
Iris climbed into the carriage bound for House Valentine.
As she looked out the window, the setting sun reflected in her pale blue eyes.
Though it looked warm and gentle to the naked eye, within her sky-like gaze, the sun appeared to be crumbling—
as if even its last light were falling into ruin.
Closing her eyes, Iris reopened the book within her mind.
[They did not understand.
What it truly meant to stand against the master of the Sacred Sword.]
The episode on counterfeit spirit currency had completely vanished from the book.
In its place remained a single tale—
how the Sacred Sword had protected
Cedric
.
Still, my name isn’t mentioned…
But Iris was fine with that.
No, she was grateful.
Because last time, her mere
existence
had unraveled the ending.
It’s better this way—better if I remain nameless.
If she stayed in the shadows, unknown and unnamed,
then perhaps she could keep his ending safe.
When she opened her eyes again, her gaze fell to the brooch.
“Will you come out?”
She still didn’t know the proper method to wield the Sacred Sword.
But the weapon responded to her voice.
As she drew it from the brooch, it returned to its original form—
a divine dagger.
Since things had come to this, maybe she could ask it something directly.
“How do you awaken?”
It was a direct question—too direct perhaps—and she thought the blade shivered slightly.
But the Sacred Sword said nothing.
So there really is something more…
“Miss, we’ve arrived at the estate,” came the coachman’s voice.
“…Alright. Thank you.”
Nodding, Iris stepped out.
It’s time to act—starting today.
She had always been prepared to leave this place at a moment’s notice.
But perhaps because she’d moved around so much today, fatigue clung to her more heavily than usual.
She thought she’d rest for a bit in her room before doing anything else.
Just as she began to ascend the stairs—
“Sister!”
A figure blocked her path—
golden hair swaying, a commanding presence barreling toward her.
“Where have you
been
? Do you not even remember that Father returns today?”
Lilliana’s sharp voice rang out, full of indignation.
Father?
That word froze Iris mid-step.
She’d been about to walk past her younger sister without a word,
but now her feet would not move.
So it’s tonight…
The day the one person in the world who despised her the most would return to the estate.
She hadn’t even seen his face yet, but she could already envision it clearly.
The same contempt, the same disgust.
It had been like that since she was a child.
And it had never once changed.
“There’s never been a fool like you in the Valentine clan.”
Born without the innate ability to sense mana, Iris was flawed from the moment of her birth.
Even if she had some talent in swordsmanship, it meant nothing—not to her father, at least.
“Remember this well. Someone like you doesn’t even deserve to carry the Valentine name.”
“So strive harder. At the very least, live so quietly that no one notices how lacking you are.”
Her late mother always tried to comfort Iris despite these harsh words.
“Child, your father worries about you in his own way. If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t even say such things.”
“Really?”
“Where in this world is there a parent who hates their own child? Your father just doesn’t know how to show it properly.”
But Iris could never understand her father.
“Then why does he loathe me so much?”
The day never came when Iris could truly grasp her mother’s words.
Her frail mother passed away giving birth to Liliana after many miscarriages.
“Blonde hair, grey eyes, the child that looks just like you and me.”
Even in her last breath, her mother spoke joyfully.
“Please love Liliana so she never feels the emptiness I leave behind.”
Until her final moment, her mother worried about Liliana, searching for her father and elder brother.
Young Iris was so naturally overlooked that not even a last word was meant for her.
Now, Iris thought to herself,
“My mother was wrong.”
The claim that her father worried for her was a cruel lie.
If he truly cared, he would have treated Iris as he did Liliana.
“Didn’t you hear me? I’m having a hard time.”
Liliana rudely swiped at Iris’s arm.
“Don’t touch me carelessly.”
But her hand cut through empty air, missing completely.
Liliana, wiggling her empty fingers awkwardly, glared at Iris.
“Why’ve you been like this to me since this morning?”
Her bright, seemingly loved face naturally accused Iris.
“Dad was coming today, so isn’t it your fault for being late? How could you treat me like this?”
Iris calmly retorted,
“Why do you think I was late?”
“I went to the palace to handle the mess you made.”
Whenever Liliana felt cornered, her voice rose higher.
“That’s different! Iris, Dad’s back home now—isn’t that what matters?”
Iris lightly dismissed her.
“Tell him I have a headache and won’t join dinner.”
Iris’s role at family meals was already decided:
scorn and ridicule.
Though they resented her presence, the family still dragged her unwillingly to the table,
like a criminal led to the execution block.
“What reason could there be?”
Even though there was no reason to keep seeing her, they always did.
Maybe it was because Iris never quietly became their scapegoat.
Liliana’s grey eyes rippled with shock at Iris’s uncharacteristic response.
“You’re refusing to see Father? He’s back, you know?”
“Just tell him exactly that.”
Compared to Lilliana—who stood blinking, clearly flustered and overwhelmed—Iris seemed utterly calm, almost unnaturally so.
She nodded quietly, then turned her back to ascend to her chambers.
“Sister, what are you even saying?!”
But Lilliana didn’t give up.
“Father’s here! He’s just returned after suffering outside the capital! How can you talk like this to him? This is
your
responsibility!”
“Why?”
Iris asked flatly, as if stating a simple fact of life.
“Aren’t you the daughter he loves?”
Her tone was indifferent, but her words sharp as a flying sword technique.
“You tell him in my place. You’ll do it better than I ever could—because you're the one he favors.”
Just enough to strike Lilliana’s pride, so she couldn’t back out.
“What? You don’t have the courage?”
Lilliana fumbled, toying with her luxurious golden hair, her lips pursing in hesitation.
She had always been the beautiful one, her features mirroring their mother’s.
Her expression, her voice, her manner—brimming with charm and youthful liveliness.
Yes, that very image.
The pitiable youngest daughter, who had never once known their mother’s touch—
yet who, as she grew, came to resemble her more and more.
The family treated her like a
wounded finger
—something small and delicate to be doted on endlessly.
If only they had ignored me altogether,
Iris thought,
perhaps that would’ve hurt less.
Her father never missed a chance to compare them:
Playful, affectionate Lilliana—versus cold, restrained Iris.
Beloved, motherlike Lilliana—versus Iris, the
defective product
who resembled no one.
Little by little, Iris had always been chipped away at.
And yet, Lilliana had the gall to stand in front of her and speak of “fairness” and “family.”
“B-but you’re still his daughter, you should at least go and—”
“Daughter?”
A stern, cutting voice interrupted from behind them.
“That’s enough.”
When Iris turned, she saw him.
Kaiderich
, her father—his face twisted in disdain.
He was glaring at Iris with eyes colder than steel.
“Like I wanted to eat with
that thing
sitting across from me.”
“Father!”
Lilliana scampered to his side.
For a moment, he looked down at her with affectionate eyes.
Then his gaze snapped back to Iris, once again full of scorn.
“Where were you wandering around this time?”
“I went to the Imperial Palace.”
“And who gave you the gall to walk those halls like you belonged there, you worthless thing?”
He clicked his tongue in disgust.
As if the very notion of
Iris Valentine
stepping foot into the palace brought him shame.
Iris met his glare with an expression as blank and serene as still water.
“Oh?”
she said.
“Are you actually curious about what I was doing?”
At those words, the color drained from Lilliana’s face.
“S-sister…!”
“Save it.”
Her father’s voice cut like a spiritual blade through the air.
His pale grey eyes pierced into her like a qi-imbued needle.
“If this is another attempt to brag about something useless, don’t even bother.”
“Is that so.”
“You should be grateful the family tolerates your
pathetic presence
at all.”
His words were always the same.
But unlike the past, today’s Iris had no intention of simply enduring them in silence.
“I see. Well then, Father—this works out perfectly.”
“…What did you just say?”
His brow lifted sharply, suspicion rising in his qi.
But Iris didn’t flinch, didn’t look at him. She simply continued—
“I was thinking the exact same thing.”
She had already prepared everything needed to leave the clan and start anew.
Even if there were shortcomings objectively, they could be easily filled with effort.
In truth, considering the troubles of her previous life, it was far more convenient to break free from the Valentine clan altogether.
“Disown me.”
Liliana stood there, mouth agape and unable to close it, while her father’s lips trembled silently.
Iris gazed at her family with a faint, resolute smile.
“I no longer wish to live as your family.”
Chapter 9