The Duke's Worthless Daughter Awakens an SSS+ Guide Core

The journey back to House Emperion was eerily quiet. Merianah walked through the brightly illuminated streets of the Imperial Capital, following the route her inherited memories guided her along. Every step felt unfamiliar yet strangely natural, as though her body remembered the path even if her mind did not.

She kept her hood pulled low to shield her face from anyone passing by. For now, attracting attention would only invite unnecessary trouble. She needed time to process the sheer weight of her situation before dealing with the politics of this world.

After nearly half an hour, the magnificent silhouette of the Emperion Estate appeared beyond the city’s inner district. The massive structure resembled a palace more than a residence, dominating the landscape with an overwhelming aura of authority. Towering silver spires stretched toward the heavens, cutting sharp figures against the night sky.

Countless floating gardens surrounded the estate like emerald islands suspended in the air. The Emperion family crest, featuring a regal phoenix beneath nine stars, was engraved upon enormous obsidian gates. The sheer scale of the architecture spoke of a lineage that held immense power in this realm.

Even after surviving the apocalypse on Earth, Lyrina could not help but pause in front of the grand entrance.

So this is where she lived...

It was a place grand enough to inspire awe in any traveler. Yet, filtering through the residual emotions left behind in the body, she realized that not once had the original Merianah ever considered it a true home.

As she approached the gates, two armored Sentinels standing guard immediately straightened their postures.

"Lady Merianah."

Both men bowed respectfully, their movements perfectly synchronized. Neither questioned her delayed arrival, nor did they show any outward curiosity regarding where she had been.

One of the guards pressed a heavy hand against a glowing crystal terminal embedded in the wall. The massive obsidian gates groaned softly as they slowly parted inward, granting her access to the private grounds.

"His Grace is waiting inside."

Merianah gave a slight nod before continuing forward, her boots clicking softly against the polished stone path.

The estate grounds were peaceful, but it was an artificial sort of tranquility. Servants moved quietly through the marble corridors, lowering their heads the moment she passed into their line of sight. Some greeted her politely in hushed tones, while others discreetly avoided looking directly at her altogether.

The atmosphere felt incredibly heavy, suffocating even. It was almost as though everyone in the household was anticipating a sudden catastrophe. She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, refusing to let her internal unease show on her face.

As she rounded a long corridor lined with grand portraits of the Emperion bloodline, a passing maid suddenly froze in her tracks. The silver tray in her hands trembled violently, causing the delicate crystal chalices on top to clink together.

"My... my lady..."

The young woman’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief, her breath catching in her throat.

Merianah stopped, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly at the helper’s intense reaction.

"Is something wrong?"

The young maid stared directly at her face, her expression a mix of awe and terror.

"N-No..."

The answer came far too quickly to be genuine.

"I... I simply wasn’t expecting..."

The maid abruptly lowered her head, cutting herself off before she could finish the thought.

"My apologies."

She hurried away down the intersecting hallway before Merianah could ask another question.

Lyrina frowned, watching the girl’s retreating figure disappear around the corner. That reaction was not born out of simple fear or standard subservience. It was pure, unadulterated shock.

She continued walking until she reached an ornate mirror standing between two towering crystal pillars. Stepping closer to the reflective surface, she looked up to see what had caused such a stir.

Only then did she understand the reason behind the maid’s panic.

The woman reflected in the mirror was undeniably Merianah, yet completely transformed. She possessed the same delicate features and the same elegant bearing as before. However, her physical appearance had changed dramatically during her time in the alleyway.

Long strands of shimmering silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, catching the light of the palace fixtures. Her once sapphire-blue eyes had become a deep crimson, as vivid and piercing as fresh rubies.

She reached up instinctively, her slender fingers threading through the unfamiliar silver locks.

...So that’s why.

The transformation had happened so gradually during her awakening that she had not noticed it beneath the darkness of the city alleys. According to Merianah’s memories, her father possessed silver hair and sapphire-blue eyes. Her mother, on the other hand, had raven-black hair and crimson eyes.

Now, she carried one distinct trait from each parent. It was almost as though her bloodline had finally awakened its true latent potential. No wonder the maid had looked at her as though she had seen a ghost return from the grave.

Merianah quietly lowered her hand, her expression hardening as she stared at her new reflection.

This is going to raise questions.

She could not tell anyone about the mysterious interface that had appeared before her. Nor could she explain to the household that another soul now occupied this physical vessel. Even the truth about the experimental serum had to remain buried forever in the depths of her mind.

To everyone else, Lady Merianah had simply left the estate for a routine afternoon stroll. There could be no other explanation offered to the public. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Whatever had happened in that dark alleyway would have to die there. She would carry the secret to her grave if necessary to ensure her survival.

A senior butler suddenly approached from the far end of the corridor and bowed deeply.

"Lady Merianah."

She turned away from the mirror, her composure returning instantly.

"His Grace and your brothers are waiting in the Azure Hall."

The old man hesitated briefly, his eyes flickering toward her newly altered features before he quickly composed himself to deliver the final piece of news.

"...Her Grace has awakened."

Merianah met the old butler’s steady gaze, refusing to show a single flicker of surprise. Then, with firm footsteps and the calm composure of a commander walking into enemy territory, she followed him deeper into the estate.

Whatever awaited her beyond those grand double doors, she would face it with the resilience of Lyrina Ashbourne. But to the rest of the galaxy, she would remain Lady Merianah Emperion.