“Alright, if you were able to sign a personal contract with Noir Giabella, you probably would have gotten pretty strong,” Eugene admitted. “But what would you do with all that strength? Do you really think that you’d be able to become the Patriarch with the power of black magic?”

“I-I never,” Eward’s eyes twisted into a glare as he struggled to continue speaking. “I never wanted… to become the Lionheart clan’s Patriarch…!”

“Then what were you planning to do?”

“I… I wanted to become a bl-black wizard and go to Helmuth. In a place like that, I’d be free…, and my worth would be recognized…!”

“Hah, this son of a bitch,” Eugene’s face twisted into a grimace as he knocked Eward on the head. “Why would you want to receive the approval of demonfolk? Which do you think is better, being recognized by your family or being recognized by the demonfolk? And do you really think they would respect you? I think you’ve got something mixed up, big brother. Without your background as the eldest son of the main family, you really...