In Ark Simulator, why do I always start out as a ruthless person?

"--Um!"

Although Viviana, who was held in Chen Qi's arms, showed a little surprise at first, her cute face was soon filled with a sweet smile.

"Father, I'm busy lately. I understand."

"I complete the homework assigned by the tutor on time every day, and Mother Gertrude will also come to teach me how to read."

When talking about Gertrude, Viviana's mood became noticeably more cheerful.

She didn't even notice how subtle the expression on her father's face was when she addressed him as "Mother Gertrude".

"Also, Mother Gertrude would read me chivalric novels to put me to sleep."

"Mother Gertrude often brought me various dolls. These on my bedside table were brought by Mother Gertrude!"

"……Yeah?"

Chen Qi gently rubbed Viviana's little head, pretended to turn his head casually, and showed a rather serious expression to Gertrude.

Although he didn't say anything, Gertrude understood what His Royal Highness the Regent meant.

Did you teach me this name?

"Oh, my princess, it seems that your father really doesn't like me."

Under Chen Qi's wide-eyed gaze, Gertrude deliberately showed a rather hurt expression and said in front of Viviana:

"Alas, it seems that even if I take care of the little princess like this, in your father's heart, I am still not as important as your mace mother."

"But don't worry, Mother Gertrude still loves you as always. I will always be with you until you inherit your father's position~"

"--dad."

However, in Chen Qi's eyes, Gertrude's performance was perhaps the most fake of all.

However, Viviana, who was only three years old, took it seriously and said to Chen Qi in a serious tone:

"Be nice to Mother Gertrude."

"...Okay, I'll remember that."

Chen Qi, who was in a dilemma, didn't expect that only three-year-old Viviana could tell the difference between her feelings and those of Gertrude and Jian.

Especially since Gertrude had deliberately misled Viviana's perception, it would be useless for him to refute her.

Forget it, the child will be sensible in the future, so let’s just leave it like this for now.

"Okay, Viviana, I came back this time and brought you a gift."

"Gift?"

"Well, Dad is on the land boat that came here. Go and find him with the maid~"

"Dad, I have some small things to talk to your Gertrude...Mom."

"Good~"

With a few words, he asked Viviana to temporarily leave the room. Chen Qi kept watching Viviana leave with his friendly smile.

However, as the door closed, Chen Qicai turned around and asked Gertrude quietly:

"…What did you teach Viviana?"

"Ah, our Lord Regent has become a person who is second only to the emperor and above all others. Can't you be more philanthropic?"

"In Leitania, even the Earl has more than one mistress, or is my appearance just that unsightly?"

Gertrude, who was confident, admired her new nails as if nothing had happened, with her usual devilish smile on her face, and replied softly:

"Besides, Miss Jian and I are women under your control~"

"Viviana is not your biological daughter, and you are a very busy man. You haven't had time to spend with your daughter for a long time."

"Shouldn't I, 'your woman', give her some motherly love?"

"Otherwise, aren't you afraid of the future? If your adopted daughter knows that you are the culprit who killed her father and separated her from her biological parents, won't she want to kill you?"

"—I won't let that happen."

As for Gertrude's worries, Chen Qi, who had been prepared for it, couldn't help but look towards the place where Viviana left.

After a long while, until Gertrude felt strange, Chen Qi told her a truth that surprised her.

"Because I have already told Viviana about this matter."

"Varied--"

After a brief silence, Gertrude stood up from the bed in surprise.

But Chen Qi showed little interest in Gertrude's reaction. He just sat down and explained calmly:

"When Viviana was two years old, I felt that she had some ability to distinguish right from wrong, so I told her the news."

"Of course, Viviana can't understand this yet."

"But I think when Viviana grows up, she will slowly understand this truth."

"I'm not his biological father, but I've never lied to her, nor have I let her live in a false world."

Under Gertrude's slightly stunned gaze, Chen Qi, who rarely showed some true emotions, continued his monologue with a long sigh.

"In this way, she will be more receptive to the truth, and her hatred for me, the murderer of her father, will surely be reduced."

"I... don't expect her to respect and love me much in the future."

"But at least, I don't think she will betray me, and that's enough."

"...She will love you like her own father."

However, what Chen Qi did not expect was that Gertrude, who had been silent for a long time, said to him solemnly at this moment:

"I promise."

"……Thanks."

Although I didn't know why Gertrude's emotions fluctuated so much, I still accepted her blessing with a smile.

But then, Chen Qi couldn't help his curiosity and asked Gertrude with a teasing tone:

"To be honest, I didn't expect you to have such a good relationship with Viviana."

"The Ministry of National Security is not idle, right? You came to see Viviana. Are you planning to build a good relationship with the next generation of leaders?"

“…I’m not born that vicious.”

However, Chen Qi, who tried to make his words sound more humorous, was greeted by Gertrude's faint murmur.

The resentment contained in this whisper even made Chen Qi wonder for a moment whether these words were uttered by the third person in the room.

But just as Chen Qi cast his horrified eyes at Gertrude, Gertrude also realized her own gaffe and turned her head away extremely unnaturally.

But Gertrude's rosy cheeks, which were hidden by her black hair but still showed a little bit of redness, still revealed her inner unrest at the moment.

"Okay, okay, let's get down to business!"

"Do you still want the information? If not, I'll go back."

Gertrude asked Chen Qi a little angrily.

But fortunately, Chen Qi is a considerate person, and he doesn't tease Gertrude too much about this.

Moreover, it must be said that this little accident just now also made Chen Qi re-recognize another side of Gertrude.

As a time traveler, he already has stereotypes about these familiar characters.

To him, even though Gertrude was a veteran who had been with him through thick and thin for so long, he was always wary of her.

After all, she has always been a vicious woman who is consumed by lust for power and greed in the plot.

But all that just happened caused a slight change in Chen Qi's thinking.

This is not a game after all.

The people here are all real and alive.

They will undergo earth-shaking changes because of their different life trajectories.

This was also true for Gertrude.

But now, Chen Qi has to put this matter aside for the time being.

What he was more interested in now was still the information in Gertrude's hands about the possible harm of the Twin Queens to him.

"Your Excellency the Duke, where is the information?"

"Oh, ah... here you go."

Looking at Chen Qi who had regained his kingly majesty in just one second, Gertrude rarely had time to adapt.

But fortunately, she still put all the information and evidence she had collected in front of Chen Qi.

"The Twin Queen sent her loyal dog, ah, the man named Brant whom we met before, to deliver a letter to me through my men."

Gertrude explained to Chen Qi the source and authenticity of the information one by one, saying:

"This letter contains a lot of information, such as my military power has been taken away from me and I have nothing to do now. It also says that the title of Duke has been sidelined for a long time."

"To put it simply, our twin queens seem to be trying to win me over."

"Then how did you reply?"

Chen Qi asked in a deep voice while quickly browsing the evidence in front of him.

"Of course, we should play the long game and catch the big fish."

An evil smile appeared on Gertrude's face.

"I didn't reject them, but I didn't agree immediately either. Instead, I negotiated with them for a while."

"It seems our twin queens have lost their patience. They actually promised me that if I help them get rid of you, they will let me take your position as regent~"

"With such a great temptation, I had no choice but to agree to them~"

"—well done, Gertrude."

Looking at the letters from the Gemini Queens in his hands, as well as the contents that proved that the Gemini Queens were planning to assassinate him, a sneer appeared on Chen Qi's lips.

"In that case, let's repay our dear Queen in our own way."

"...Go and call Fremont over. We need to discuss the final attack on the Queen."

today's

Chapter 32 The Final Plan to Overthrow the Twin Queens

"Assassination?"

At night, Fremont, as well as Chen Qi and Gertrude's small decision-making circle, gathered in a room on the top floor of the tower.

And when the old lich Fremont heard that the Gemini Queens were going to adopt such a despicable strategy to get rid of Chen Qi, he showed a rare expression of disbelief.

But soon, Flemont calmed down and said with a rather sarcastic expression:

"Tsk tsk, I didn't expect that even if it was a man-made creation, once it sat in that position, it would become a monster that would do anything to achieve its goals?"

"It seems that it's not just the Demon King of the Sarkaz, but the thrones of various countries have this kind of magic power."

"Humph, I really don't understand, what's so good about that damn position?"

"Brothers, sisters, fathers and sons... they all fought for that position and became crazy!"

Flemont's expression of extreme disgust can be described as a disappointment.

Obviously, his excitement was not just due to his disappointment with the Gemini Queens.

It was also because he thought of the current situation of the Sarkaz clan.

The differences between the two leaders, Tracys and Theresa, are growing, but the Sarkaz do not have the ability to run on two completely different paths at the same time.

Only by working together can the Sarkaz rebuild their homeland and rise again.

The disagreement between the brother and sister almost meant that only one of them could lead the Sarkaz clan.

Fremont was worried... Would this brother and sister also be corrupted by the huge desire for power that led all the Sarkaz?

Even, killing each other?