Chapter 105: Power and Love (10)
nFNW“I already heard about Sir Rodeia’s legendary feats on Rodentz Island at the last meeting. They told me she wielded the Holy Blood Sword and annihilated dozens of necromancers in a massive underground hideout in a single day.”vZvFWBv
J2w8OIn front of Ellen, who had just finished her explanation, the expression of Count Belmierd, seated at his desk with arms crossed, grew even more grave.jLP
fNvu“They say that each time she returned to the detachment covered in the blood of necromancers, she looked like a reaper risen from the underworld. She had spent her life chasing the necromancers of Rodentz Island, and it was said she could recognize the necromancy particular to the island just from its faint magical aura.”bcFi
ghL4There were various branches within necromancy, but at least when it came to the necromancers of Rodentz, they could never escape her keen eyes.TDJLN9
i73PhCount Belmierd closed his eyes softly.Resc0
3WBREezIf Leonard had truly left under the pretense of a pilgrimage in order to study necromancy, that too represented a tremendous disgrace for House Belmierd.79u9CJ
7QBThe situation had come to the point where daughter and son pointed fingers at each other, shouting that the other was a necromancer.QyazT
5tdDB9For Count Belmierd, who had to mediate between the two, his thoughts were inevitably complex—but in the end, he had to make a decision.PN72
Q1VZB8Even if they were his own blood, he had to cut them off when necessary.CEY3
C4w5That day, he had to cut either his daughter or his son. The weight of that truth pressed the Count’s heart down.RVs
y7y“Father.”Vke
Cr3Ellen, who bore the hostility of the mansion’s servants and vassals, spoke to the Count, who lowered his gaze under the burden of responsibility.FEXvp
FCz4zdn“Father, you have lived as a lord, leading armies, ruling sky and earth, and guiding people since your youth.”2jf
UWkQ3rr“…”rEOKy6
Hjyl“I admired your life. I thought that an existence dedicated to power, to victories, and to the respect of others was noble and wonderful. The most glorious and ideal life I could imagine was one like yours.”e7p
TzL8oXWere these words a flattery meant to win over the Count? No, they were not.RTnTo
4EMGvDNCount Belmierd knew Ellen better than anyone. No matter how cornered she was, she was not the type to use cheap compliments to curry favor.Apb
n3h“However, the life I imagined for you must have been very different from reality. You must have faced many trials and downfalls while maintaining the heights of Belmierd. Sometimes you were betrayed, lost companions you considered family, failed to achieve your goals, had things taken from you, were slandered, and fell by the envy of others.”WG560oi
B48She spoke softly as she played with the hem of her dress.igEx
o7QIn that hell where everyone in the mansion called her a witch, she seemed to have realized something new.wfC
GoKIWXThe dreamy girl who had blindly pursued the power she admired had matured, now reflecting on the rise and fall of life and her journey through it.8xBgD3
rgFZwrRThe Count’s eyes trembled as he looked at Ellen.KZT
bzg9sRThe child he thought was locked away in her room, going through a hard time, had met someone, broadened her view of the world, learned something, and grown from it.tPDvd
2q1zCThis must be how one teaches another.6it
Yrn0wEPEllen whispered with a calmer expression.qMuZ
IJLXO“That too is part of life.”8CuyEd
CpvCzvKAnd before continuing, she gently closed her eyes.A00
TuiJEven in that moment, the world was full of people walking their own paths in this roller coaster that is life.PeW7vV
d2A9MCXAnd as if she had made a decision, she slowly opened her eyes and spoke.Rbr
Dk9XVs“Father, I don’t ask you to trust me immediately. But I wanted to tell you at least this, for all the tireless effort you’ve made for me.”UcB
yHLVKLeonard’s scream echoed in the basement.fmCh
y82A white-haired mercenary summoned a magic arrow to subdue Leonard.0O0G
ZrWYxLeonard quickly pulled a small vial from his chest and smashed it against the floor. With a crash, the vial shattered and smoke began to fill the narrow underground laboratory.YDHWr9V
MvKDereck covered his nose with his sleeve and summoned wind magic to regain his vision.8bO8vX
7zcp6zWhen he could see again, the corpses Leonard had raised through necromancy moved grotesquely and lunged at Dereck.FGd
uSlr“I am a foolish and lacking daughter, so I still have much to learn. The only fortunate thing is that I met someone I can truly call a worthy master, something that will never happen again in my life.”SA4uv
DO4YzDereck’s unsheathed sword cut swiftly through the horde of corpses.1jBb4Z
Ij0However, Leonard used the momentary restriction in Dereck’s movements to unleash a shockwave of first-level combat magic, break down the wooden door, and escape to the surface.62ngpQ
02sDereck quickly neutralized the corpses and pursued him without hesitation. Leonard cursed as he looked back, seeing Dereck ascending the stairs.Ir3OPbN
EGQO5czA murderous gleam crossed his eyes. Even in the darkness, his hostility was evident.alU6jf
fHRmA single glance was enough to send chills down the spine, for he had clearly become a hunter.0SeF
eolGeAll the prey could do in the face of a predator was run with all his might.IBUYneW
FX3Pg“I am neither of noble birth nor perfectly just in everything, but… your life was noble, your conviction firm, and if you had a fixed goal, you never wavered.”oNrTyPz
ygtwvk9Leonard barely managed to escape from the basement and rolled across the floor of Ellen’s room.KHvukhq
PFu7KutThe darkness vanished and his vision brightened. As he caught his breath in the sunlit room, Dereck too climbed out of the basement stairs.BfeR
LobWg6dLeonard tried to flee quickly from the room, but Dereck grabbed him by the nape and hurled him into the corner.PhgU
qScZb4With a thud, Leonard rolled on the floor and groaned in pain.k8P96
z2KDereck, sword in hand, approached him, while Leonard trembled and raised his voice.wTO
lTsh“Fine. I lost. You won. I’ll give you everything you want. Just don’t hand me over to that woman Rodeia, who looks like a reaper. If you help me escape this mansion right now, I’ll do anything. I’ll give you money, I’ll restore Ellen’s honor.”gkE
fJdOHe tried to persuade Dereck with a long speech, but Dereck didn’t listen and kicked him in the face.lFQ1nql
aVoGypWith a muffled sound, something flew out of Leonard’s mouth along with fresh blood. When he looked at the object rolling on the floor, it was a white molar.mxL
5cNT“I think a good teacher is someone who walks ahead. There will be times of confusion in life, many moments when life feels like a maze… but seeing someone walk with steady steps helps you find your own path more quickly.”iPv
LWdNWLeonard, clutching his swollen face, begged for his life, but Dereck replied.UejN
fvrQN8N“Didn’t I tell you from the beginning? I can’t kill you now. But I can leave you on the brink of death.”Y2g8
vfmjLeonard, with a trembling voice, said,LDDcz
NrwE6“You can beat me all you want, you can leave me in tatters, but please don’t hand me over to Rodeia.”9ivUcjc
EDRThe necromancers who had witnessed that woman’s feats on Rodentz Island thought the same way.LKvq5h
egzThe woman who had lost her parents to necromancers had skinned and gutted those defilers on Rodentz, carrying out a great vengeance.36mOa
fRompThose who had witnessed the massacre up close knew very well what it meant to fall into her hands. Perhaps it was better to die beaten by Dereck.JCKIfZl
joKKPHowever, Dereck said,CpU4
xDqbl“I have no intention of killing you, Leonard.”AW8rYTk
klAG6Leonard saw Dereck’s indifferent face and gnashed his teeth, trying to push him away by force.idC1t
2GH7yWhile Dereck hesitated for an instant, Leonard smashed through the window with his whole body and jumped outside.GKNtCcN
y8JCrash!O8g0v4L
jmSThe sound of shattering glass from one of the rooms in the main building spread, reaching even the office where Count Belmierd and Ellen were conversing in private.AelmLRG
FSCqP“…?”N0x
53Tom5“The person who serves as a touchstone in my journey through life is someone I truly trust and follow as a mentor.”XgN
1iB4Something strange was happening in the mansion.Vvj
cH2WCHIHowever, Ellen continued speaking with a serene expression and her eyes gently closed.BWR
Bqp2ivs“As I said, I met an admirable and good mentor. Even if I wandered a bit, I learned how to find my way. Knowing who the true people are when you’re at the bottom—that’s what really matters.”eG4
mvu9“…”Habxc
I27“Father. I’m not sure if this is the right time to say this… but please, don’t be too surprised.”G42c
Dhg7Bang! Boom!kDhltc
uY5Noises echoed from the mansion’s central garden.lx5qz
XsqBIt was the sound of Leonard trying to escape and of Dereck chasing him.v50I
MGst8wWhile Ellen spoke calmly with Count Belmierd, the chase between the two had already reached its peak.WIaDer
4uEELeonard fell to the ground and ran back toward the main hall.WuM
9WRsSDereck was chasing him as well.6wE
sefKZsThe servants in charge of managing the mansion were shocked and froze upon seeing the scene.gez
htKs6Leonard shouted,iPmY
2HK9T“What are you doing?! Stop that intruder! He’s attacking me and trying to frame me!”0Ia
NDDDespite his screams, the cleaning staff only trembled, unable to comprehend the situation.LKmLHr
crZLeonard’s steps stumbled as he advanced down the corridor. After receiving multiple beatings from Dereck, his vision wavered and blurred.A8EUr
8VLEven so, he bit down hard on his bloody lips and kept running through the hallway, kicking furniture and toppling shelves. He tried to slow the pursuit with desperate movements, but every obstacle was destroyed by Dereck’s magic.MqfDo
PGt7hHe couldn’t overpower a veteran mercenary in physical strength. Nor could he surpass him with magic.vXW8cFn
RDI3I5XIn the end, if Leonard wanted to fight him, he had to rely on trickery and luck. Without resorting to forbidden necromancy, Leonard couldn’t even touch Dereck.36ve4u
eMT5GoKDereck’s hand, closing in step by step, reached Leonard’s back.SuYtb
vzs2UfsLeonard clenched his teeth and shoved that hand away, rolling across the floor and unleashing necromantic power once again.hE0E4
A5SZNumerous vengeful spirits gathered around his body, taking form, and when he clenched his fist, they transformed into magic.wIwX
dqi7YsThe spell he cast toward Dereck was “Life Drain.” Among forbidden spells, it was one of the vilest, as it directly drained the opponent’s vitality.eS5CVfK
8MoMJxHowever, before the magic could fully manifest, Dereck grabbed him by the collar and began striking his face over and over.1Y3w
PBv46ziThud, thud!7HWBjI
UmeB5ZRThe sound echoed through the entire hallway.YUYYn4
XyJA20His face twisted horribly, unable even to let out a groan. Blood splattered across Dereck’s face, but his expression remained impassive.w5GcUYS
9q8XDereck was recognized as a skilled mage.U80s
A7o0dS4However, he used almost no real magic against Leonard.ozKf
NGUUhResponding to an opponent’s magic with magic only made sense when both were on similar levels.EITkyRl
hajlNHLeonard’s magical skills were no match for Dereck.dxXx3U3
5wdThere was no need to even use magic to subdue him.oLH
3mfvoinBut Leonard didn’t give up. While chanting another necromantic spell, a skeletal hand emerged around Dereck’s feet and made him stumble.nqDrp
gEzDereck quickly regained his stance, but Leonard slipped from his grasp and ran down the corridor again. Staggering, he managed to put a little more distance between them.djYvyY
5q30xxJHe could escape.kcDmr
VZfcUyGDereck was a highly skilled mercenary, but he wasn’t impossible to shake off.PjtG
hoKDAIf he obstructed his path using necromantic magic, in which he felt most confident, and managed to leave the mansion, he might survive.l5Mtsi4
rgT7Once his safety was secured, the time for revenge would come.U1u
h4aSGsYHouse Belmierd would scold and excommunicate him, but as long as he kept his body alive, he could always find an opportunity to kill that ignorant mercenary.zRqsCJD
yngpWith that thought, he clung to the thin thread of hope and ran again toward the garden.rIU2uua
0ShBe0Running through the garden lined with labyrinthine hedges, he shoved gardeners aside and pushed through them.IXpAYf
LClhBoom!r1MBG
xXBJZDereck entered in long strides, smashing through all the hedges in the garden, and found him.6xz
qEbLeonard, once again, surrounded himself with spirits and used basic necromancy to hinder Dereck’s movements.03fBm8h
SqASeeing Dereck slow down more and more, a smile spread across his face.NoHRy
gXHClearly, Dereck was struggling due to his interference.2h4ajS
dXhg1lAllowing the escape from the basement had been his mistake from the start.j74XeU
zVToThis mansion was where Leonard had played since childhood. He knew every escape route and hidden passage by heart.vQkziY
rCVLIf he made proper use of the environment and necromancy, getting rid of that slow mercenary was no big deal.sxJ
YIzBefore the servants or soldiers arrived, he had to escape the mansion quickly.IYiIxxg
D14If he took a horse from the stables and galloped away, he could reach the plains before a real pursuit began.fh08
ASSUaThat was when he looked back to gauge the distance between himself and Dereck.DmAx0f
Lzh5RRnThud!6hzJ
GECjPjAThe magic in the surroundings fluctuated, and his movements became so fast they couldn’t be followed with the eye.jQmdNr
I9733pxIt was 3-star transformation magic: “Acceleration.”soJS
XKaNXmDereck, with his natural talent for magic, had been able to completely replicate the acceleration spell Siern had used, just by seeing it a few times.wNqs
Rx37Leonard couldn’t have known. When Dereck decided to move with speed, it was impossible to follow his movements.Bz1uC
NZqBefore he knew it, he was lifted by the neck, caught by Dereck’s arm.QtyZ
bCfevLeonard clawed at the hand gripping his throat, choking out a sound.F7Z
YJIBut Dereck didn’t care.HW4Df
78ihIn the middle of the garden, where the hedges had been smashed down and the ground lay in ruins,bVmwJ
eDLY3Dereck held Leonard by the neck and spoke.Ul1
Lqz0“Do you want to continue?”jkP
0r8xOJAs he said that, Dereck’s calm eyes looked at Leonard.V0JXnaq
h501MR9“Gu… ugh… gu…”i7f5
lQfIt was then that Leonard realized.wKOF5
yeZEFrom the beginning, in the basement, Dereck had not lost him. He had let him escape.BQ8Koj
iwssLOIf he had used acceleration magic from the start, there would have been no such chase.NrmR9
r0JP5But he gave Leonard hope that he could escape, made him believe he could outpace him if he gave it his all, and forced him to struggle desperately to break free.iLgnr
4gkpYWhy had he gone to such trouble?Lvh
FmuRThe reason was clear.UvdEJM
iJWU“It’s necromancy…! Young master Leonard used necromancy…!”y3oGzZ
Yjwv“Call the Count…! And the chief steward…!”URRujfn
POpeuu“Aaaah! Aaaah!!”b27V1m
O3UaAs chaos broke out within the mansion, Leonard bit down hard on his bloodied lip.NbosKDK
uJH7DjHe felt as though everything was moving according to Dereck’s plan.Sd2w
O5oV“It’s noisy outside the mansion, father.”vzC
7VWZJEllen spoke softly.FYTWU
uUdzs1xWhile the Count and Ellen held a private conversation, what was happening outside?7YHFG2g
UkaZsAlthough Ellen could not know the details, she spoke with her usual calm.YLhf1a
7DfdaShe laughed gently, brushed a hand through her beautiful red hair, and smiled seductively.j4pmaI
z8D6G9MEven in that moment, when she was the object of everyone’s hatred and scorn, she remained as composed as if nothing were happening.GIT
IgUYSeeing her, Count Belmierd spoke.9SYWm8r
mNwZhY“Yes, Ellen. Then, what is it you want to say for the last time?”Rnh6
Kl2bdW“…Please don’t misunderstand me, father. As I said, I, Ellen, was born an ordinary person with many shortcomings, I dreamed of power, I met an unbeatable rival and felt frustrated, I fell to the very bottom and lost all confidence and faith.”bjUJ6
vS2Q6Ellen’s gentle tone seemed to conceal a deeper meaning.0B8
wDrsCount Belmierd, hearing his daughter’s confession, felt something was amiss.4HLK
6NP78q“Even so, I believe all those processes had meaning. Because I met a good person.”kdI0
v9M“…”x5tdbht
Tt3“Yes. In every trial, the one who stood by me was, in the end, Baron Ravenclaw. What more can I say? I have come to believe without a doubt that he is truly trustworthy, worthy of faith, and that he will be a great ally for life if I keep him by my side.”Npl3c8M
MboCount Belmierd nodded and finally replied.5hXW
lOmmvW“I agree that he is a good man. Many people wish to have him as a mentor, but that lone wolf would never swear loyalty to another.”LhGah
5uS“Yes, father. But I am not saying I want that man as my mentor.”CspHti
8CwyY“…Then what do you mean?”XjxWn
3kKpAt the new question, Ellen fell silent.uLqeR5
OJLLJtAs their eyes met for a moment, she lowered her gaze awkwardly.kOFQT
j4dHer strangely flushed face and her entwined fingers made her seem more like an ordinary girl than a noble lady.05Bns2
Yp87YEDThe difference was unsettling.igT2
ygmMWhat image came to mind when one thought of Ellen?0F2
ddOOAt the height of power, commanding her vassals, exuding such a noble aura that it was intimidating to approach her… She was like a rose blooming on a cliff.wHSw4gd
rpsCBut now, who was this unmistakable girl before him?7yraMl
A6FSeeing her like this… the expression of the bewildered Count Belmierd began to harden little by little.syGJhr
rOOaZdSoon, drops of cold sweat began to run down his neck.HOK
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