Chapter 35: Go for it, Brother-in-law 12

"It is a pleasure to meet you." Xining curtsied slightly, a gesture that was perfectly decorous. Su Yun was merely the second daughter, not the head of the house. Even if Elsa’s family was not as prestigious as the Von-Valder line, she was still a matriarch; for a first meeting, one had to observe the proper hierarchies of age and status.

While Xining maintained a polite, faint smile, she was on guard internally. *You dare try to snatch the original owner’s future brother-in-law? Try it, and I’ll tear you apart!*

Elsa gave a slight nod, acknowledging the greeting. Her eyes, naturally flirtatious and perpetually brimming with languid charm, swept over Xining’s black robe. "I heard that the second daughter of the Von-Valder family has no talent for magic."

"That’s true!" Xining admitted with refreshing candor. Everyone in this world knew that Su Yun lacked the aptitude and could not wield magic. "Perhaps my mother was in poor health when she conceived me, and my father, unwilling to see her suffer, wanted her to recover fully before trying for a little brother. But before they could, they both passed away."

*Look at the original owner’s father—so doting. He was far better than Elsa’s father, by a long shot.*

During the Great War, every magical family had suffered casualties. Most of the adults had perished, leaving behind either children or those who, like her, were magicless. In this magical world, conflicts sparked at the slightest provocation, and there was no one to answer for the dead. Might made right. A child from a magical family with no gift was at an absolute disadvantage, and without the protection of parents, life was undoubtedly difficult.

Slan’s expression held a look of pity.

Xining, however, wore a smile, looking perfectly content despite the adversity. "Fortunately, my sister is a powerful mage. She has always taken such good care of me, never letting me suffer the slightest grievance."

Maria was kind, but she was naive and struggled to control her immense power. According to the original plot, the owner would have died long ago, and their estate would be nothing but a crater. Now, even the smoke from that crater had cleared, waiting for the weeds to take root.

Xining continued to needle Elsa. "She is breathtakingly beautiful, with violet eyes—the greatest beauty in the magical world. She wields the Archmage’s Scepter. Only Slan could ever hope to rival her. My sister is the best!"

*With your garish, cheap beauty, even if you’re as seductive as you like, you don’t hold a candle to my sister. Give it a rest. Get in your carriage and go back to where you came from.*

Sure enough, Elsa’s face tightened, and a flicker of resentment appeared in her eyes.

Xining deliberately covered her mouth with her hand, feigning a touch of alarm. "I’m so sorry, Miss Elsa. I shouldn't have praised my sister in front of another woman. I hope you aren’t upset? Actually, you are… *ahem*… quite pretty yourself."

One was "breathtakingly beautiful," and the other was "quite pretty." Anyone with a brain could tell which was the superior compliment. And what was with that cough? Was it that painful to say?

Elsa’s mouth twitched, though she managed to keep her smile fixed. "Not at all. Miss Maria is a renowned beauty; her reputation is like thunder in our ears."

Xining smiled with naive, innocent charm, looking completely harmless. "The Von-Valder family has always been filled with handsome men and beautiful women. We are known for our high standards, loving marriages, and life-long unions. We are all so magically gifted—it seems I am the only one in hundreds of years to be born the ugliest and most useless of the lot."

She belittled herself to elevate her family. Let the original owner, who had survived so much, gain some residual benefit. In truth, praising the family did no harm to the owner. Look at Maria’s family—a picture of harmony. Then look at the Antilia family—a complete mess.

Slan walked over and affectionately patted Su Yun’s head. "You haven’t grown up yet. When you do, you’ll surely be a great beauty too."

The intimacy of the gesture, performed right in front of her, made the venomous hatred in Elsa’s eyes almost impossible to conceal. Yet, Elsa maintained her alluring smile, stepping forward to hook her arm through Slan’s. "Indeed, Cousin. Look at Miss Su Yun; she’s a budding beauty. In three or five years, she’ll certainly be stunning."

*Speak properly, why are you pawing at him? 'Cousin'? You have no blood relation at all. It was only through your father’s second wife that there was any distant connection to Slan.*

And that stepmother was the one who had blown Elsa’s own mother to bits. To cozy up to someone, she would even ignore her own enemy. Was she shameless? Absolutely.

Watching Elsa hook her arm through Slan’s, her ample E-cup chest brushing against him repeatedly, Xining sneered.

In her last mission, she had shredded a black-hearted white lotus; it seemed she would have to tear apart this 'cousin' now. Even if it weren't part of the mission, she could not let this garish, cheap woman hook such a fine man.

"Cousin, please accompany me to my room. I’d like to stay in the same one as last time; it overlooks the garden and is closer to you." Elsa’s words were a blatant suggestion. As for the garden view—half the rooms in the house looked out over it, and those that didn't looked out over the forest and lake.

"Very well." Slan tried to pull his arm away, but Elsa held on tight. A polite mask remained on his handsome face. "Butler, have someone bring Miss Elsa’s luggage to her room."

As Elsa dragged him off toward the guest rooms upstairs, Xining immediately spoke up. "Molly, go and see if there is anything you can do to help."

In reality, she was telling Molly to keep watch! Even with the door open, there was no telling what this cheap, seductive woman might do to lure Slan. Even if Slan was a man of integrity, he was still a healthy, red-blooded man. If he mistook a physiological reaction for love, Maria would be left crying for help.

With a pair of eyes watching, she didn't believe Elsa had the nerve to pull any tricks in front of a maid.

"No, there’s no need to be so polite." Elsa refused, of course, a charming smile on her face while her eyes practically breathed fire.

"It’s no trouble at all!" Xining kept her smile, looking innocent and sweet. "I was so bored all by myself; it’s wonderful that Miss Elsa is staying with us. Molly, go and help!"

Molly kept her head down, curtsied slightly, and followed Slan.

After shooting a glare at Xining, Elsa hooked her arm tightly through Slan’s again, lifted her chin, and headed toward the guest room.

Once Elsa was gone, Yeyu leaned in close.

Xining snapped, "Stay away from me. I don't have breasts to rub against your arm."

Yeyu laughed. "Jealous?"

"Hmph!" Xining rolled her eyes. "Jealous of my own brother-in-law for my sister? Your brother wouldn't like a woman like that."

"That’s hard to say," Yeyu said, posturing as he hugged his scepter and stroked his chin, his tone heavy with implication.

Xining piled on a fake smile. "Oh, so you want her to be your sister-in-law? Then congratulations! She has eleven younger siblings. One plus eleven—anyone can do that math."

There were no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. Just thinking about eleven younger siblings was enough to give anyone a headache.

The Von-Valder family had a history far deeper than the Antilia family, their lineage was untainted, and their magical power was on an entirely different level. Maria was beautiful, and beyond that, she was sweet-natured; once married, she would be a devoted, virtuous wife who lived only for her husband.

Yeyu’s mouth twitched. Clearly, he was swayed. No one wanted a complicated family, a horde of step-siblings from different mothers, and a messy set of in-laws that could field a football team.

Just then, Molly actually came back downstairs.