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

Merianah walked through the silent corridors of the Emperion estate entirely alone. Moonlight filtered through the towering crystal windows, painting long silver patterns across the polished marble floor. The quietness of the grand hallway offered a sharp contrast to the suffocating tension she had just endured during dinner.

The servants she passed bowed respectfully before quickly stepping aside to clear her path. They were careful not to disturb the young lady of the house, keeping their eyes trained on the ground. Merianah neither slowed her pace nor acknowledged their formal greetings beyond a courteous nod.

This quiet walk provided her with a rare opportunity to process her current situation. Since arriving in this strange world, she had been forced to react to constant scrutiny and unfamiliar surroundings. Now, she finally possessed a private moment to think about her impending future.

She entered the spacious bedroom that had once belonged to the original owner of this body. The room was absolutely immaculate, showing no signs of neglect or long abandonment. Towering bookshelves lined the walls, filled with perfectly arranged leather volumes and academic texts.

Fresh flowers rested upon the wide windowsill, their gentle fragrance filling the quiet space with a pleasant aroma. Every piece of furniture remained positioned exactly where the previous occupant had left it before her sudden exile. To an outside observer, nothing suggested that this room belonged to an unloved daughter of a noble house.

Yet the inherited memories lingering within her mind told a vastly different story. This space had never felt like a sanctuary to the girl who lived here before. A beautiful cage was still a cage, no matter how much gold or crystal decorated its bars.

Merianah closed the heavy door behind her and leaned against the polished wood, releasing a slow breath. She looked around the expansive chamber, feeling the heavy weight of the original girl’s tragic destiny.

"What now?" she murmured quietly to herself.

There were exactly two months remaining before the mandatory enrollment at the Imperial Sentinel and Guide Academy. According to the original timeline of the world, this period was supposed to be spent preparing to become a submissive partner.

The family expected her to focus entirely on learning how to support Crown Prince Cassiel Solaris as his official guide. Then, shortly after her grand entrance into society, everything would completely fall apart.

At the academy’s opening ceremony, the Crown Prince would publicly dissolve their engagement before the empire’s highest-ranking nobles. He would reject her in front of the entire court, leaving her socially ruined.

House Emperion would choose to remain entirely silent during the public humiliation, refusing to defend her honor. Merianah would instantly become the greatest laughingstock in the capital city, despised by her peers and abandoned by her bloodline.

That overwhelming despair would eventually drive her toward using another dangerous experimental serum that promised to boost her powers but would ultimately cause her agonizing death.

Merianah crossed her arms tightly over her chest, her expression hardening as she contemplated that bleak fate. She refused to let that tragic narrative dictate the course of her new life.

"Not anymore," she whispered, her voice filled with cold determination. "I’ve drank one deadly potion already. I cannot afford to drink more."

She walked toward the large desk positioned beside the window and activated the room’s holographic terminal. A glowing blue interface materialized in the dim air, casting a vibrant illumination across her pale features.

[Imperial Academy Enrollment]

[Status: Confirmed]

[Department: Guide]

[Division Orientation: 62 Days Remaining]

She stared at the digital text for several moments, evaluating her options. Then, without a single shred of hesitation, she selected the option to modify her current enrollment details.

The terminal chimed softly, requesting immediate identity verification to proceed with the changes. Merianah pressed her right thumb firmly against the crystal scanner embedded in the desk.

[Identity confirmed.]

A comprehensive list of academic divisions immediately appeared before her eyes, displaying the various paths available to imperial students. She scanned past the Guide Division, Medical Support, and Military Logistics. Her eyes skipped over Starship Navigation, Engineering, and Mecha Operations before pausing at the very bottom of the screen.

[Nexus Military Academy Exchange Program]

Unlike the prestigious Imperial Academy, Nexus accepted students based solely on their practical abilities and combat potential. Aristocratic titles and familial connections meant absolutely nothing within that brutal institution. Sentinels, Guides, and commoners all trained under the exact same harsh conditions, fighting to survive through personal merit alone.

A faint smile appeared on Merianah’s lips as she read the rigorous curriculum requirements. This alternative path offered the perfect escape from the political games of the capital.

"My kind of battlefield," she murmured, feeling a spark of genuine excitement.

Just as she reached her hand toward the flashing confirmation button, a series of deliberate knocks echoed through the quiet room. Someone was standing right outside her door, disturbing her privacy before she could complete the submission.

She quickly withdrew her hand from the holographic interface, her posture instantly becoming rigid.

"Come in," she called out, keeping her voice entirely level.

The bedroom door opened slowly, revealing the commanding figure of Grand Duke Alaric. He was still dressed in his formal black military uniform, the silver phoenix insignia gleaming brilliantly across his broad chest. For several seconds, neither of them spoke a word as they locked eyes across the dimly lit room.

Alaric’s sharp gaze eventually drifted away from his daughter and settled upon the floating holographic screen. He read every single word displayed on the terminal, including the highlighted text at the bottom. His blue eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized the dangerous program she had selected.

"You intend to change your enrollment," he stated, his deep voice carrying a tone of quiet authority.

It was not a question, but rather a cold observation of her current actions. Merianah met his piercing gaze without flinching, refusing to show even a hint of intimidation before the master of the house.

"Yes," she replied simply.

"The Imperial Academy is the finest educational institution in the entire empire," Alaric noted, his expression remaining completely unreadable.

"It is," Merianah agreed, acknowledging the fact without changing her mind.

"Then why choose to leave it?" Alaric questioned, demanding a logical explanation for her unexpected defiance.

A heavy silence settled between them as the Grand Duke waited for her to justify her choice. Merianah took a slow breath, formulating an answer that would not reveal her knowledge of the future timeline.

"Because I don’t belong there," she answered, her voice ringing with absolute certainty.

Alaric studied her serene expression for a long moment, searching for any signs of hidden resentment or underlying anger. He found no bitterness in her eyes, nor did he detect any trace of fragile self-pity over her past exile. There was only a quiet, unshakeable certainty that left no room for further argument.

"I see," the Grand Duke responded quietly.

He turned toward the open doorway, preparing to leave her to her thoughts. Before stepping out into the dark corridor, he paused and spoke one final sentence without looking back at her.

"Tomorrow morning, the family physicians will examine you thoroughly," he declared, his tone strict. "And after that, we will discuss your future options."

The heavy wooden door closed behind him, leaving her alone once more with the glowing terminal. Merianah looked back at the enrollment screen, her finger hovering directly over the confirmation button.

She knew that the upcoming medical exam would likely reveal the true extent of her transformation. Regardless of what the doctors discovered, she had no intention of remaining a pawn for the imperial family.

Tomorrow, everything will begin to change for House Emperion.