Chapter 137: 4-star (2)
tstfCrash! Bang!3Zym
HE3o“Ugh!”AH8
42VWhen the Grand Duke Beltus slapped the legal officer, the elderly high official fell backward, gasping for air.Qt0f
TCkgwjNIt happened when Denise had gone to her father’s office to pay her respects.kf6K
gc3cAt that time, Denise was just over ten years old.egYsihg
bnhxGThe legal officer Alderek had reported on the horrors of the famine in a village on the outskirts of the Beltus domain and insisted that the residents’ taxes in that area should be reduced that year.y5nw5BG
ILtPkA0“My lord, our duty is to protect the people. If we continue like this, we’ll be no different from murderers.”zJG
jF8Murmuring such words while holding his head, the old servant was trampled by Grand Duke Beltus until he was covered in bruises and blood.umn
BA63Gn“How dare you call me a murderer?”vnv8O
BeTGrand Duke Beltus despised subordinates who did not obey his orders, so it was no surprise that Alderek soon disappeared from the family.8GjzEth
CDME0wEven now, Denise did not know what fate befell the old legal officer, who had a family to support and was already too old to fend for himself.5WT3pTG
RS1DP4fSince then, the immense power of Beltus had seemed to Denise like a current—or a wall—impossible to overcome.1Whu
VpdVXThe noble lineage that had made Denise a distinguished young lady often became a weight that oppressed its members.eCQ7rB
QcLXLuxurious frilled dresses, pretty ornaments, the admiring gazes of servants, delicious food and the scent of perfumed candles, a beautiful garden filled with fresh plants and the songs of birds.BBP
QtZQSThe naïve girl thought to herself—UHNyX
vWDBorn as a daughter of Beltus and raised in luxury, she had to bear the responsibility that came with it.5UEPh
QwhXnrHowever, upon entering the social circles of Ebelstein, that thought began to fade little by little.zfmYYE
NRtylThe physical distance from the main Beltus estate was considerable, and the atmosphere in that land of opportunity was completely free.VqaKvuz
V3HrThlThe mansion built solely for her was always quiet and serene, making it a comfortable place.iHjZ
PXCAs if sinking into a soft bed, she became completely absorbed in the peaceful atmosphere of Ebelstein.IxOkmr5
QQZd6hhShe thought that, as long as she could stay there forever, without worrying about worldly problems or enduring external pressures, that would be enough.pM6GiZ
phDypPFor that reason, she had little interest in the changing trends of Ebelstein’s social circles and no ambition in the struggle for her family’s succession of power.jCxX
cSRShe simply liked things to remain as they were.CtKm3
AVsYOeIn the corner of a room where sunlight didn’t reach, occasionally playing with a quill or pretending to work—living like that, letting time pass, didn’t seem so bad.zL2v
fZZ9B6XHowever, even while thinking so, she had already unconsciously understood that such ambiguous and temporary peace was nothing more than a fleeting moment.631J2N
9k0dGrand Duke Beltus, one way or another, would try to take advantage of Denise, who had taken root in Ebelstein’s social circles.eXRnEQ0
eImlOne way or another, it would all end in her being used or betrayed.wfoR
MaZJBXpShe knew well that endlessly shutting herself away, blinded by that superficial peace, would not bring a good end.seqXd
pgvThat was why, the more she sank into that serenity, the deeper she fell into laziness and indolence.hIZgZfQ
pP6b4Doing everything halfheartedly, without ambition, merely observing others’ reactions.AX0
kn2FnGShe accepted living like a corpse in that comfortable cradle.Cg2q
mbWIuk1However, as if mocking such resignation, someone appeared who destroyed it all.pkn
L3TMBA man who came as a teacher pulled Denise out of her room to make her jog in the mornings, forced her to study magic books through the night, brought Diella to stimulate her competitive spirit, read without permission the novels she had secretly written, gathered the servants, somehow reignited her passion for magic, and finally kicked her out of that cradle.Ulk99An
Bd9bThroughout that entire process, he felt neither fear nor hesitation, having lived his whole life as a commoner from the lowest strata.fkJrqdk
WI0r7dThat man, who had lived a life full of hardship, seemed to speak directly to Denise, who lived running away, immersed in superficial peace.XhD0k5
yqVWhy do you settle for a path that leads to the cliff? Why not fight, even a little, to escape?9rfRV
nkR6uAt that obvious question, Denise would usually think he didn’t understand something.UOn
3rz1sShe believed he couldn’t comprehend how the greatness of Beltus crushed people, how the demands imposed on her as a descendant of a prestigious family had oppressed her.6kmvD
lgicXrjHowever, seeing him stride firmly into Beltus, Denise couldn’t help but hold her breath.8C5KcUl
1s6JfWhat Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw had fought against all his life was a world that divided nobles and commoners, valuing only blood.KyqMZc
YrZbdgThe weight of being a noble lady was nothing but a feather compared to what he had endured.9Kec3FJ
aafbFoThat was why his image, walking fearlessly into the Beltus domain, looked like Denise breaking with one hand the cage she had been locked in her whole life.lrhexx
dp7aVbdWithout showing agitation or doubt, he broke the iron bars and entered in his boots, looking at Denise with those indifferent eyes that never changed.3G1
ZaOE2xUHe always said the same thing.wo2Ou
zQyAre you going to keep sitting there like that?k7kj
kR9aClang! Clang!bCr
0fLiCrash! Bang!BuZTB
9ynWy“As you can see, many external forces have already arrived around the mansion. We’ll handle the matters inside the main building, so it would be best if Lady Denise evacuated to a safe place escorted by Captain Orel.”UUmDP5t
12gAY8Then Denise came to her senses.oH9i
oFBIt was an urgent situation. Though she had to act quickly, Ellen relayed the situation to her calmly.WrfbP9o
CHL7Amidst all the chaos, Denise was the person closest to the scene. Naturally, her body was exhausted, and it must have been difficult for her to calm her confused mind.mi0bG9q
39lZzuDThat was why Ellen tried to remove her from the scene.ptYDBT
EZyeKThere was concern for her, but also distrust toward Denise, who was practically an insider of the family, and she didn’t wish to leave her alongside Dereck.BrtXR
Hf1jWas it feminine intuition?EDsboE
4jvfSeeing Denise fidget shyly, Ellen felt that nothing good would come from keeping them close.4WSkM1
lD4hTherefore, she planned to create a suitable pretext to evacuate her to a safe place.IM1CHi
LrH“…”S1A63i
rSV9A2Denise hesitated for a moment after hearing Ellen’s suggestion.BRwecl
IuBICertainly, at this point there was no reason to take risks and go to the main building.Xg3
okMffFWhatever happened to Grand Duke Beltus, it would be enough to receive a report later.A5Qb5q
VnpNXJ6Although not everything was yet known, she felt somewhat convinced by Dereck’s attitude.YcqIWc
b3whHe wouldn’t harm her. Whatever the outcome, she had the conviction that, if she trusted him and left the task to him, she would be safe.gVWnV
3YeWas it time to withdraw?MxnJQ
qTGJPerhaps it would be wise to go to a safe place for a while, assess the situation, organize her thoughts, and establish principles on how to act afterward.Oub7
QA0Because it seemed clear that, once this matter was resolved, the power structure of the Beltus family would be deeply altered.Rcf2BTW
uBE88zHowever, she also felt that a strange intuition was beginning to arise.ZFnK
pkJRWas it also feminine intuition?hlE7v
TDJyyQShe sensed Ellen’s intent to keep her away from Dereck and held her breath.SXcD
VNX3Bt‘…’nRv744j
a31dCWBut what would happen even if she did sense that intent?4WG20P
RcqeQ7TWhat great consequence could possibly occur just because she was separated from Dereck for a while?6iw
xH6Her rational side tended to acknowledge what needed to be acknowledged with honesty. Indeed, she felt a certain attraction toward the man called Dereck. But that was all.yvUYs91
cpkDereck might be a good man, but there was no need to be swept away or obsessed with him.Oe7PRK4
xfDZYIt was absurd to let a man influence her and make foolish decisions amid such chaos. She wasn’t the protagonist of a romantic novel filled with sentimental longing, so there was no reason to act like it.iVE
luu2UW5However, something still made her uneasy.fTSBRHc
XUmZ53“…”dTFLhG
2yUhqKMFinally, Denise held her breath and met Ellen’s gaze.NLWXOM
zhcahn0Did she reach some kind of conclusion after a brief moment of reflection?uR5in7u
d4vDenise seemed to have regained some composure.USJMQoG
25gY“No. Of course I should go with you.”cReU
kMOrGThe meaning behind those words was significant, and a strange spark seemed to ignite in her eyes.49c4hQ
jLGxtDenise didn’t want to hand Dereck over to that red-haired girl who already had everything.qXmEfp
BrjLBecause she already had too much.WGMcKFy
5F6dfFor some reason, even amid the fire consuming her entire family, she felt she had to cling tightly to Dereck. Because he was the only person who saw Denise as Denise.xIB
BNo7w“…”iA9h
b4D2sZ6Not only Ellen, but everyone who had some connection with Denise could sense it.nhM
5pbKFddDenise, who had mastered all kinds of tricks and cunning, was the most troublesome kind of person to make an enemy of.85Eh
mehSVwAEllen narrowed her eyes and swallowed hard.bZNu
tbQm***pyCRt
WgSIVRThe great hall of the Beltus mansion was filled with the Archlich’s roar.t3vV6N
aWp4Three-star necromantic magic—low-level corpse resurrection.wuEk
3bJOuCorpses rose in every room of the mansion and attacked, but Countess Rodelia’s well-trained special forces systematically struck down those monsters.5edbu
yv9However, unless the Archlich, who continued to raise corpses without end, was defeated, it was impossible to reach the mansion’s core.MOd
Up6IShiiing.iEU
0vLKyCountess Rodelia, drawing the Sacred Blood Sword, spoke with wide eyes.JsnQ
Rgtlbfg“I’ll cut down the Archlich myself. Make way…!”Ozn
VUDSXsS“Yes, ma’am!”rgEp
wIfhThe mere presence of the Archlich radiated an overwhelming sense of menace.UuosCU
aOe5Q8The cadaverous mage, floating in midair and casting red rays from its eyes, seemed to spread the chill of death across the skin just by approaching.Ky7GZPu
lwWajHowever, Countess Rodelia, well accustomed to necromancy, knew no fear.VCoEq
1A9The crimson holy scriptures engraved on the blade of the Sacred Blood Sword glowed brightly.45CW
DsqHer silver armor shone under the moonlight, and her eyes gleamed even more.7beX7f
6CLlThe heroine of Rodentz Island, Rodelia, swung her sword and charged into battle.JcZgKy
LywL08QEach time her sword cut through the air, corpse monsters fell, spilling blood, and when she roared, the morale of her soldiers soared to the heavens.yV7D
WvwxhFKA leader who always stands at the front of the battlefield makes those who follow braver.gpfOYGe
3jnYWKnowing this well, Rodelia commanded everyone with her fearless presence.rmfBYp
tE5nSensing something unusual, the Archlich lifted its head and cast the three-star combat spell Petrifying Gaze.jO3Z
U1g7GBut Rodelia ascended the stairs with her eyes closed. She was an experienced warrior, so skilled that she had internalized countermeasures for nearly every spell.NSC1j2
g5hcvlShe rolled across the floor once, pushed off the railing, and reached the Archlich in an instant.R0x3
m0qNumerous corpse monsters blocked her path, but she reduced them to chunks of flesh with a few swift slashes.YX2U
vXaIt was the moment her Sacred Blood Sword was about to slice through the Archlich’s neck—w2C
2ShyBoom! Crash!juxa
DhdBBang!Zo3txp
D7eQECHowever, traces of advanced necromancy did not come from the Archlich alone.laaQ
nrZhhoyA giant fist broke through the mansion’s ceiling and struck with force.4ke
8tw2A beast-headed demon.hjIk
jsfdThe terrifying creature, born from the fusion of high-level summoning magic and advanced necromancy, shattered the main hall’s roof and slammed into the ground, unleashing a shockwave.SlE
hATHGqBoom! Thud!qxax
VP2mA tremor shook the entire mansion.mhH
aHrPThe chandelier crashed down, dust rose, and many soldiers were buried beneath the debris as screams echoed.zoX5
1FUWhen the shaking stopped, the night sky could be seen through the collapsed roof.scWz
MF9Beneath the starry backdrop, the giant demon that had punched through the roof looked down at the ground.kcRnQR
dAunCrash! Clang!QC6
ZHJrCountess Rodelia, who had rolled across the floor, swallowed hard.QJTMPi
XxF9Even the Archlich, summoned through five-star necromancy, was a formidable foe—and now she had to face this unknown demon as well.9nIeEE
wZyDespair enveloped her for an instant. But she couldn’t stay still. Heroes never despair.80p
7ByLrD9At the moment she gripped her Sacred Blood Sword once more and stood—Qwwk
kxDAWhoosh! Whoosh!I8aC
UV9CnHbIn the shattered main hall, illuminated by moonlight, an old mage appeared on the grand staircase leading to the second floor.6PM1N
kj4Rodelia held her breath.8KJwh
iBijGIt was Duke Beltus.JOyB
CSqF6g5The arrogant and haughty noble who had always looked down upon his domain was now covered in dark magical patterns all over his body.6IxFF
3drw81IThe markings glowed with a faint violet light, emanating a sinister aura.oTm
lD6dThe crimson magic flowing through his skin was unmistakably a trace of necromancy.lFEOAZ
rjlQlc‘By God…’ACxc
Xt12GDuke Beltus writhed in agony, but madness flickered in his eyes.q5jRdDB
5A2xVZ‘He’s truly… been consumed by necromancy!’m6AnCD
bBuKIt was a scene all too familiar to her from Rodentz Island.9QUwR
CnPlKCvNecromancy was not something just anyone could handle. She had seen countless people who dared to touch it be devoured by madness in an instant.20k2A
wAtavThe only mercy that could be granted to such victims was the peace of death.VZSbLGv
YO9blWhen one is corroded by uncontrollable power, the end is always horrifying.VWUw
RHj0HxM‘Duke Beltus is a five-star summoner… If even a mage of that level can’t withstand it… what in the world did he touch…?’INNkxxl
mCn6AThe movements of Duke Beltus, writhing and groaning, suddenly stopped.SlASVp
PEUOThen he turned his gaze toward Countess Rodelia, lying on the hall floor.mtJC
uKBvThere seemed to be a trace of sanity left in his eyes—but it soon turned into pure murderous instinct.Awq
jBWvRZk“Everyone, be careful! He’s a five-star summoner!”A09CN
MWGCrackle!fXNu7Qt
ggmsASwords burst around him. It was the non-biological summoning magic Storm of Blades.S1m
tApBAxUnlike the earlier spells tinged with a bluish hue, now crimson swords imbued with ominous energy appeared.9vY
WNeDQEaAt the moment Rodelia raised her Sacred Blood Sword to respond—nQKz
wFenSwish! Thud!sPAjAm
fsFDuke Beltus, standing on the second-floor railing, was about to roar in madness when an arrow flew and embedded itself in his shoulder.lt1a
YdCvgTAt that distance, the shot was chillingly precise.Ywu5I
CfOUNo noble robes could stop a blade.gPpR
ccHAuS“Argh…!”69Cc1
dXHRxb1As the duke screamed in pain and staggered, a young woman performed acrobatics over the collapsed debris.1gJ
9LxZ9She wore a mercenary’s outfit and a cloak—an unfamiliar face.tJi6Lip
H35hBut those who knew recognized her instantly.RzUur
clKvEThough she rarely showed her face in the Ravenclaw Barony, she officially held the title of baroness.L8J
3wHxjPheline of the Beldern Mercenary Corps.hyS2y
VEhThe corps’ most renowned archer climbed up the rubble and railing, landing before Duke Beltus and kicking him squarely in the solar plexus.hiE
Mk5Crash! Bang!C5a
mkrUw“Well. Kicking a noble feels fantastic.”2f7Qh8Y
9qip9She said it as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.4zt
4rpStanding atop the railing, she drew her bowstring tight and smiled with the freshest expression in the world.cu0
fh6vThen she shouted in a ringing voice.5CEk4
bK4qz“Uncle Jayden! Over here! Over here!”bx3L
mJY0OVAt her words, reinforcements began storming into the mansion’s main building.KqxguE
YceCutting down the monsters pouring out, those who arrived were members of the Beldern Mercenary Corps—the former comrades of Dereck.rEP7pwA
q1tAnThe one-armed mercenary Jayden, commanding at the front, burst into laughter and shouted.Stl7NPD
uDCm“All right, let’s go! Time to slay some monsters!”VIiLic5
Ut3With cheers, the mercenaries charged into battle to aid Rodelia’s army, trapped amid the rubble.U6JV
EEEHlGIn an instant, the tide of battle began to turn.iSkdtxh
X1RUU“Are those… Baron Ravenclaw’s reinforcements…?”ybQRB0w
zBTAt that moment, Countess Rodelia, who had barely managed to stand, looked up at the archer on the railing.365
w0sWr3Lightly tugging her skirt, worried her undergarments might show, Pheline smiled confidently at the world.uQ2o4RG
kEBCwRHowever, it lasted only for a moment.5NeKg8
gN4Snap!nU5jke
r8cmdA first-class combat spell, Shockwave, emanated from Grand Duke Beltus, who had fallen.QexK
fKCVhnThe scale and power of a first-tier spell cast by a five-star mage were colossal.n0e
tViGbyIn an instant, Pheline screamed and was blown off the railing.ku1
K9V“Ahhh!”h6czVH
YNEc– Crash! Bang!fPN
LMx– Crackle!z1cAm6o
7SGnXPKPheline, who had just enjoyed the satisfaction of kicking a noble, tumbled down the main staircase, revealing the figure of Grand Duke Beltus rising from the debris.EbowmL
WMutUHe bled profusely. Trying to cling to his sanity, saliva already dripped from his mouth.kwi
XHIGYGGThe deranged mage staggered to the railing and looked down at Pheline.DdzDh
zRyQxOHIt was said that a five-star mage could face an entire army alone.b3F
s9UtAs if to prove it, the demon in the sky began spewing fire—its target was Pheline.bOUTlII
GRmSK0– Snap! Whoosh!maI
TjYUBut a man dropped down amid the shattered wreckage, stepped on the railing, leapt forward, and grabbed Grand Duke Beltus’s arm.sdob
fysSJ6eHe hurled him backward and rolled across the floor with the momentum.12ZLFYI
ckgD– Crash! Bang!dz2E
GFHuEBeltus, who had been about to finish off Pheline, was knocked down once again, and the man rose beneath the moonlight.VeMn
rVfIt was Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw—the young mage, already badly wounded, his body covered in cuts, stepping onto the battlefield.rNP
m0M5“Baron Ravenclaw!”y10Yn
3GngBThe moment Rodelia shouted that, the Belmierd forces began joining in from the mansion’s main building.c9fv
dZSZSDUAt the front, mounted on horseback, were Ellen of Belmierd and Denise of this Beltus domain.lAJV
G7aThe tide of battle was shifting, and the situation was reaching its climax.tY2
kJYPkWAnd at the peak of it all, Dereck, who had rolled across the floor, rose once again.6PzOzG
zXbR7The enemy buried beneath the debris was Grand Duke Beltus, now completely consumed by madness.FLF
o4vkThe ruler who had dominated the world, wielding everything at his whim, stood gasping, necromantic magic enveloping his entire body.Cikuh3I
H4NKThe dirt and dust covering him slid off with a faint sound.Yeatfl
9WkqWUvThe only thing left in him was madness and hatred toward Dereck—the cause of it all.Wfjes
uExGQZA wild, murderous intent filled his eyes.E9KfzA
c8Y8mOhThough it had been Beltus himself who first drew his sword and declared war, he had never imagined his opponent would strike back so thoroughly.lH4wTkQ
VPbuCOrBut now, they were in the middle of the battlefield.W09qQa
pHFGrand Duke Beltus, bleeding, stood tall as sinister magic began swirling around him.dksGqN1
fq6In the end, they faced each other with their blades—and having reached this point, the only thing left was a battle to the death.yzjd
FV4The enemy was only a three-star mage at most.V2J
jnNsSnThough two ranks below, he did not let his guard down. Baron Ravenclaw’s abilities were already proven.qr7A
Nd0hAll kinds of monsters emerged, covering the main building, and a giant demon descended from the sky, creating a hellish scene.plJXjed
FWH5yVAmidst it all, two men bound by ambition faced each other.HU8Fn5K
DOlIt was a path of no return.ieFgRcy
mN7baTo move forward, one of the two had to fall.g7er3E
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