Chapter 2: How to Handle a Munchkin - Part 2
Kinemia Leon was only ten when her dad died in, like, the lamest way possible.
That's when the rumors started flying about Kinemia Leon. Everyone was saying she was consumed by hate, and that she was "the Leon family's evil daughter" – a total monster like her grandpa, hot-tempered like her mom, but with her dad's looks.
It was total BS, but nobody wanted to stand up for her.
So the gossip just kept spreading, all over the empire and beyond.
Because of all that, Kinemia was basically blacklisted by all the nobles. She was such a pariah, she couldn't even get a decent coming-out party, let alone a single marriage proposal.
Kinemia's life was, like, totally miserable. Duh.
Screwed up as she was, Kinemia was headed straight down the supervillain path...
And how did it all end for Kinemia?
She became this infamous tyrant and got her head chopped off – all thanks to the hero, who finally listened to the furious villagers!
"The plague, the monster attacks, those insane taxes – it's all that evil witch Leon's fault!"
And then, chop—
The peanut gallery in the story were all, "Tsk tsk," and said:
That's what happens when you hold a serious grudge.
'Okay, sure, maybe the taxes, but the plague and the monsters? Seriously? How's that my fault?'
But those nasty rumors were so stuck, they could blame Kinemia for, like, leaves falling off trees.
'...Crap.'
Kinemia totally freaked as she remembered all this.
'No wonder everyone looked so bummed whenever I asked why we never threw any parties.'
It's because nobody would show up, even if we did send out invites!
Curled up on the bed, Kinemia wiped at her eyes.
'Ugh, my eyes are, like, sweating or something...'
It's not like any of this was Kinemia's fault!
But in this world, grudges were apparently, like, genetic or something.
Being a lord under these circumstances? Seriously?
Even being a lord in normal times would suck, but in this crazy world with monsters and dungeons popping up everywhere, she was stuck being a lord and had this reputation for being a total villainess.
She didn't need a crystal ball to see how that was going to end.
It was going to end with her getting murdered. Big time.
'I'm toast! Totally toast!'
And that's when...
Her nanny, Vanessa, got her this super rare doll from, like, who-knows-where, because Kinemia had been so down lately.
"Check it out, miss. Isn't it adorable?"
Kinemia was all, 'What's the point of a doll if I'm going to die soon?' but she took it anyway, sniffling.
"This totally looks like Pikachu."
"...Wait, Pokémon?"
Suddenly, it hit Kinemia like a bolt of lightning.
This is it.
Pokémon.
That show where you can luck out and get this super-powered, adorable Pikachu early on, and then it works its butt off and brings you fame and fortune.
'That's it! I've got it!'
Kinemia finally got it. This was her chance! A gift from the gods! She just needed to find her own Pikachu.
Since she'd read the original story, Kinemia knew exactly which characters were secretly super powerful and where to find them.
'If I can just get those powerhouses on my side...'
Kinemia could just kick back and rake in the rewards while they did all the work.
'Just like in Pokémon!'
It's like that show where the cute monsters do all the fighting, and the trainer just stands there cheering, but they both get the glory, and the trainer gets, like, way more loot!
It's like that saying, 'The bear does the tricks, but the guy gets the cash.'
Oh. My. God. That guy was Kinemia's idol.
'It's a total win-win!'
It's not like it's a bad deal for the powerhouses, either. Until they meet the main character, they're just going to be stuck hiding their talents.
'Okay, game on! I'm going to survive! I'm going to break this stupid cycle of hate and live!'
Kinemia squeezed the yellow rat doll tight.
'I don't have to be a great lord, just, like, a decent one!'
Just a place where you can get by without any huge disasters. If I can just be a nobody lord, I can ignore all the gossip!
Kinemia jumped up, grabbed a notebook, and started jotting down notes on all the useful people. Luckily, it was all still crystal clear in her head, like she was rereading the book.
'Gotta cross off anyone who's got a grudge against me.'
A powerhouse with a grudge? Nope. Terrifying. Just thinking about it.
As she was making her list, Kinemia paused and circled one name, like, a bunch of times.
Ahyan Kroitz.
Candidate for Head Wizard, this super mysterious guy who kept showing up whenever the hero was in trouble.
'Hmm, he's a powerhouse I could get to right away, but...'
Her mental scales were tipping back and forth between 'danger' and 'gotta have him.'
And then, thud! – the 'danger' side slammed down like someone dumped a ton of bricks on it.
'Yeah, he's way too dangerous...'
When the hero sent Kinemia to get her head chopped off, he was one of the guys who helped out, saying he hated her guts, too.
When he was a kid, he got hurt in some fight at the Magic Tower and ended up getting captured and brought to the Grand Duke's castle. That's when Kinemia started going all evil, and he became her, like, personal chew toy. A total powerhouse with a major grudge.
'...Yeah, Ahyan's out.'
Even in the original story, he was this total enigma, and she didn't want to risk any, like, disasters.
'Best to just steer clear.'
So, down to the dungeon she went.
Right this second.
To cut all ties with that powerhouse.
"Presenting Grand Duchess Kinemia Leon. Prisoner, kneel and show some respect."
The shackles on his ankles clanked. The magic runes etched into them to control his magic glittered in the torchlight.
"This is him, Miss."
A boy sat there, right in front of Kinemia.
'Ahyan.'
Eyes as black as night, like they were sucking in all the light from the flickering torch, stared right at Kinemia.
'The original story went on and on about how ridiculously good-looking he was.'
Seeing him in person was something else.
Short black hair, sharp, intense eyes, and a face that still had a bit of a baby-face thing going on, but, like, in a sculpted way.
His hair was all messed up and dirty from being in prison, but clean him up and put him in some decent clothes, and he'd be a total head-turner anywhere.
He was that gorgeous. Even the nanny, when she saw Ahyan, couldn't help but gasp.
Their eyes met, and the boy blinked slowly, as if he were checking her out.
"Isn't the Leon family greeting, 'I behold the wings of Leon'? Grand Duchess Miss."
"......"
Shackled, with a nasty gash on his side – totally at a disadvantage. But even then, you could practically feel the arrogance and confidence radiating off him.
'This guy's trouble.'
Kinemia narrowed her eyes.
"Pick one: Grand Duchess or Miss. What's with the 'Grand Duchess Miss' thing?"
Even though she was totally calling him out, Ahyan just gave her this little smile.
"Trying to score some brownie points."
"Don't bother."
"So you're just going to kill me without even hearing me out? The Leon family is cold."
Not that he'd stay dead, but the guy sure had a way with words.
"I'm not a lord yet, and I'm not planning on killing you."
"......?"
Kinemia ignored the confused look on Ahyan's face and waved at the guard.
"Let him go."
"What? Let him go?"
Ahyan looked just as shocked as the guard.
"...Why?"
"Why the third degree? I said I'm letting you go."
"Oh, so you're going to let me escape and then hunt me down like an animal?"
What does this guy think I am?
"No."
"Seriously?"
I'm not into hunting people, so drop it.
Kinemia had to stop herself from bursting into tears. Had the rumors about her really spread all the way to the Magic Tower? So unfair.
"...I mean, if that's what you're into, I could."
"Do I look like I'm into that?"
"Maybe a little?"
"You're a liar, Miss."
Kinemia shrugged.
"I'm not gutsy enough to kill off a hotshot Ricasha (Magic Tower Lord candidate) just yet."
"......?"
For the first time, Ahyan's smooth talking hit a snag.
"How did you know that?"
He was still smiling, but his eyes were like ice.
"A... A Ricasha?!"
"What the heck?!"
The guard and the nanny, totally freaking out, started yelling.
Kinemia tilted her head, meeting those intense black eyes.
"You're full of questions, aren't you?"
"The Magic Tower's crawling with people like that, Grand Duchess Miss."
"Listen—"
Kinemia pointed at Ahyan's ear.
There was this intricate design, like a tattoo, below his earring. It's a mark they give to high-ranking mages. The more circles you have, the higher your rank. Three circles mean you're an elder, four is a Ricasha, and five makes you the Magic Tower Lord.
Ahyan's eyes flashed for a second.
"That's not exactly common knowledge, Grand Duchess Miss."
"Let's just say I have my sources."
Because she'd read the original story, duh. Kinemia waved her hand like it was no big deal.
Clang—
Meanwhile, the guard, looking totally lost, unlocked Ahyan's shackles and stood up with the keys.
Even after he stood up, Ahyan kept staring at Kinemia, like he was trying to figure her out.
But Kinemia just tapped the cell bars a couple of times and turned to leave, no regrets.
"Try to stay out of trouble, Ricasha."
That should be the end of that.
'Okay, finally some peace of mind.'
—Boy, was she wrong.
...It was just the beginning of a seriously messed-up, twisted fate.
