Chapter 60: Drop of Blood (6)
FxCEThe reason Lady Freya of the Freya family was able to avoid the disaster at the Duplain mansion was because the Mont Blanc she ate during afternoon tea was delicious.hkd5K
lkiIt sounds absurd, but in reality, she was sitting in a corner of the mansion’s kitchen, holding a beautiful Mont Blanc dessert on a plate in her lap.YOUT9
gTs8T2The servants, busy as if possessed while delivering food to the ballroom, didn’t even notice her hiding under a table in the corner.Pbd
c1n3HWhile silently watching the servants move like machines, Lady Freya was confused about what to do.eNh
Kkq5guf‘…’MtlBTo
BK0ePBIf you explained it, the situation wasn’t complicated.y18GZ
clada5nNormally, her strict tutor Katia kept a close eye on her back home, but she was delighted to be able to eat pastries freely at the southwestern ball, far from her tutor’s interference.xqD76y
ESiE6FSo, after sampling various drinks, she fell in love with the Mont Blanc that the Duplain mansion’s pastry chef proudly served.oW6
QvEOWtWhile the other nobles rested in their private rooms, she told her loyal maid she was going to the restroom, then headed to the kitchen to grab more Mont Blanc.yqb9HR6
XocIt was far too shameful for the eldest daughter of the prestigious Elvester family to sneak into the Duplain mansion’s kitchen just to secretly eat desserts. So she used her ability—Confusion Spell—to take food without the servants noticing.i4fiA
HZIk3yG‘What’s really going on?’wcNwc5
WNxpnIt was the kind of situation where most would tremble in fear, yet she looked perfectly calm, holding her Mont Blanc steadily.5OSt
eekOyFEven amid the chaos, she nibbled on a honey bun as if she were enjoying a picnic in this eerie place.ISBG
PcNSpFreya wiped the crumbs from her mouth and recalled the message her tutor had left before she left the mansion:q6rTf1
nSw“Lady Diella of the Duplain family will likely become the most influential person in the southwestern empire. So please, don’t be rude at her ball and, I beg you, don’t focus too much on the food. Mind your manners and make a good impression.”3l8J1pZ
t2Wv43p“Lord Kohella will also be at the Duplain mansion, so if you see him, make sure to greet him properly… Hmm… If there’s a ball at the Duplain mansion, my former pupil might also be there.”QWH
wlCBKTutor Katia, who constantly interfered and instructed Freya, was someone she feared.Kuo
QJrkShe had always been kind and warm when teaching Dereck, an exemplary student in every way, but knew how to be ruthless in disciplining and controlling her pupils.rXvMuvB
3Z90mTo manage Freya, who was weak to gluttony, and to hone her vague magical skills, Katia sometimes had to become a demon.CeqqK
OmY“Former student of Tutor Katia? What family is he from?”tYS2j7o
lZzb60B“He was a commoner from the slums. Very talented and passionate about magic, but I couldn’t bring him to the Elvester estate, so we parted ways in Ebelstein. We still exchange letters occasionally… He’s now working as a magic instructor in the noble society of Ebelstein. So if you attend any social events there, you might run into him.”k4OiT
IIcX“You teach commoners too? That’s surprising.”rZ5Ju0V
wZuLpWhen Freya, sitting on her bed, asked that, the elderly mage sitting at the desk with a quill gave a bitter smile.3A6z03M
Eluuj“Is there a difference in the way magic is handled? Sometimes, even among commoners, there are people highly knowledgeable in magic.”RZZ35wi
tzeo0Hs“Even if they dedicate their whole life, they’ll only become a 3-star mage, right? I wonder what the point is in trying so hard for magic. It must feel meaningless from a teaching perspective too.”4Rj
wZUA“…”T0YK
3OtWhen Freya spoke harshly, Katia made a complicated expression and gently placed her hand on Freya’s head.w531Yk
cL3After thinking for a moment, she finally replied briefly:EnMUeW
HIT“You’re right. No commoner can wield magic as well as nobles.”0Pa8
HD09Freya could tell from Katia’s expression that she was hiding something. She clearly knew something about her former student but didn’t want to talk about it.hIfsUh
Ionor3“My former student is exceptional, but he could never become as skilled a mage as the nobles.”7PBi60e
QeVqThat expression was definitely the one she used when lying. Katia rarely lied, which made it easy to tell when she was keeping something secret.zvYq
vioVsL3Although Freya didn’t know who Katia Flameheart’s former student was, it was clear that person meant something special to her.IZIFiQW
8uQLV2Katia could be terrifying when angry, but she was the best teacher Freya had ever had. If Katia still cared about that person, then they must have had talent beyond Freya’s imagination.aqK7cs
HcJtThat’s why Freya kept her eyes open, even at the southwestern ball. The mage Katia had mentioned might be in attendance.oPPO1FZ
Lh3UDAfter asking around the ballroom, she learned that Katia’s former pupil, named Dereck, had been teaching Diella of the Duplain family.UxjjZvl
S4OEaSFor the Duplain family—so prestigious they’d hire a commoner as a magic tutor—he had to be exceptional at first glance.1fgLrOm
F48She spent the entire day sitting in the tearoom, observing anyone who looked like a commoner, but found no one who seemed extraordinary.uGjgv8T
LZvlFSg“Judging by the scale of this disaster, they were probably dragged off and killed.”yvQU
kwJPQNFreya chewed and swallowed the last bite of her Mont Blanc with indifferent eyes. Then she brushed the crumbs from the plate and placed it on the marble floor, stretching her whole body.DRk2
jNY1Pgp“Ah.”UX84
nLrKiEven with strange monsters wandering the hallway, she stretched her stiff body with soft movements, like a rodent waking from a nap.rymu
SobfAnd then, magic began to stir in her eyes.rLi4yf
bVLFreya, the countess, was an expert in illusions, having learned magic from Katia.6INPTAh
nJ8mllEven putting aside direct combat skills, she was adept at deceiving crowds and vanishing without a trace, moving back and forth undetected.4HH4v
cwBWHer confidence in her abilities kept her calm, even in the midst of chaos.ZAL
kywAt the Elvester family mansion, if she decided to hide, the only person who could find her was Katia. Among the ordinary servants, no one could perceive Lady Freya’s stealthy movements.kDli
5lWMq“Let’s get out of this mansion now. This is going to take a while… If I run into commoners, I can just reveal my identity and toss them a few gold coins, right…?”Ubn
BEOHer hair, swaying with magic, draped over her shoulders like a cloak. She was a girl strangely devoid of any sense of crisis.S3W3UZ
X5iGHer attitude wasn’t just bravery or strength in the face of danger. It was as if she had her emotions completely under control. She was so composed, it seemed like she might hum a tune even in the middle of a battlefield.zMEKyn
g87Quietly rising from the corner of the table, she peeked into the main hall, where the food was being prepared step by step.FMBAyOv
phiRThe servants were dragging unconscious guests and seating them at various round tables in the main hall. A lavish banquet was being arranged on the tables, and the band was tuning their instruments, preparing for the climax of the party.fxf3N4f
FoTyTAlthough the scene was strange and grotesque, Freya remained unfazed as she recited the level 1 confusion spell, Sound Barrier.htBU3MQ
KIaz7SpWhoosh.ju2zxl
NiUgA bluish magical energy enveloped her, beginning to erase all sounds.XIo
DqhThen she used the level 2 confusion spell, Illusion, scattering copies of herself throughout the hallway.u6tsN4
6N7Freya’s illusions, confidently striding forward, lacked vitality up close, but they were enough to distract the corpse-like monsters wandering outside.JNultj
OCk‘Next, I’ll use a presence-concealing spell and sneak around the mansion’s central garden to escape. If there are still horses in the stables, I might ride one and flee across the plains. Should I check just in case? Hmm… I’m not very good at riding—I always get scolded in lessons.’e3jsght
eGQ2N7lJust as Freya was stretching and moving toward the hallway—awFH
kKMM73Bang!L308
Q3CfzW“Hmm…?”hGSUB
7uwMB6Bang! Crash! Crash!koYmVmv
BeOsZA loud noise, as if something had slammed into the ground, echoed from the upper part of the hallway.vbZQi
HqrSensing something was off, Freya sharpened her senses.wpB
RUp2HBang! Crash! Smash!jwv
tnazPpCrack!UHmcR
JcSzAfter a series of crashes, the ceiling above her suddenly collapsed.8Gb
noOce3“Ahhh!”Cqy
SgjBVdFreya cried out in surprise and quickly backed away. But with her small steps, she didn’t get far.LC23
edr9itWhile conjuring protective magic, chunks of marble and dust began to fall.1Rr
bb7PBoom! Crash!gFW
lMN2JysScream! Bang!2KoL
jJLWhen Freya, who had fallen back in an awkward posture, looked up, she witnessed an unbelievable scene.5Lhnn
nVqmHt9A white-haired boy, who had fallen along with the rubble from the upper floor, was pinning down a man in armor beneath his knees. Both were covered in dust and scratches.U219
svxf8I7At a glance, it was clearly a fight to the death.1G3
MH5lJa“Wh-What is this…?!”rUZ4oG
hDvClang! Clang!PZNE5
WHaBang!kCjpwD
XHTXFrom the hole in the ceiling, more furniture—tables and chandeliers—continued to fall noisily.JR2X
1xjuAmid the chaos, the white-haired boy who was stomping on the armored man quickly turned to face Freya.bbwX
bn7rMip“….”szplML
c3tIa7“What…? A… survivor…?”TPI
IAdAThat was the moment when Freya barely managed to get a sentence out.GhgXZ
E70The man pinned beneath the boy pushed against the floor, using magic to fling him away.MEDble1
jz7Bang!H0vjv
qLDKjFThe white-haired mercenary was hurled against the wall by the impact. It all happened in an instant.Jl5
VzUzRWhen the wounded man stood up, Lady Freya furrowed her brow.WzX
BeLToUlRumble.HQu6a
MvZgThrough the dust falling from his body, a pair of red eyes gleamed.eiwq
UlMZbo“That man… he’s the second son of the Duplain family…!”r4FjL
ib4Leigh’s eyes were filled with madness, his body torn and exhausted, barely able to stand. He was panting like a starving beast.2Akrubg
FknHe had lost his mind.lRQTTNM
cc4p2NMThe way he recklessly unleashed magic in all directions, ready to destroy anything that moved, reminded Freya of the enraged bull she had once seen in an arena.G59e
pxfBut unlike a bull, Leigh used magic. And that was far worse. Freya tried to hide immediately, but the monster—foaming blood at the mouth and with bulging eyes—was already radiating magical energy.n4Y8kIG
ALUZcv0“Oh no!”XZa
OssEv8gIt was then that Freya, unable to keep up with the speed of the events, clenched her teeth tightly.F3P8V9
VuMmrppCrack!Z4L
CepGcM8Before she realized it, the white-haired boy had risen from the debris and was gripping Leigh’s head tightly.89iY
UNxMoving like lightning, he smashed the madman’s head into the ground.XCaBA
cd3c8Crack!SDsY
nVoiR8Leigh’s head hit the floor with a dry, grotesque sound, and his body rolled over once again.lHi
zgzhdXBefore he could get back up, the boy kicked him hard in the abdomen.4JKV
ibZgyCrunch! Splash!kCDNg
OlaBlood gushed from Leigh’s mouth. Each of the boy’s movements was fluid and precise. It wasn’t his first time subduing a monster like this.awqgYYx
5DRCyNb“U-uwah…”jbG
JZ28U“If you stay there, you’ll die. Get as far away as you can…”9Kkr
9F9UKi8“Behind you! Behind! Behind!”UV7SbY
XG4smAs the boy warned Freya, Leigh had already stood up and was swinging a wooden chair.tpdpW8
jFFl8The boy quickly lowered his stance and recited a spell, blasting the chair apart with a magic explosion.sN9Ak2J
UPq2His movements were like those of a seasoned duelist. If this had been a duel with weapons, things might have been different—but in a real battle requiring skill and magical control, Leigh couldn’t beat Dereck.GqLTG
4vZmEven though his strength and ferocity had been enhanced by necromantic magic, he still couldn’t match Dereck.j7G1c
XDCUStill, even the winner of this clash wouldn’t escape unscathed.FUHYH
QoEzfJ1Every blow from Leigh left visible marks on Dereck’s body. A direct spell or a hit to the cheek drew blood, but Dereck didn’t flinch.YFzuVg
rxMyBjmHe was used to pain. To Freya, both Dereck and Leigh looked like monsters.RrFJQJs
C5vR“Who is that man…!”u00yJi
SKbcz9Leigh, no matter what people said, was the second son of the Duplain family. Although he had always been overshadowed by his older brother Valerian, he was known for his exceptional skills.xR2gOsl
1mgf8But now, under the influence of strange magic, he had become a beast… and even so, he was being overpowered by someone who appeared to be a mere commoner.G4sK4
APJHoCrash! Bang! Crash! Crash!en3Vko7
KRKThe magic forming in his hands took the shape of a giant flaming spear.0IMY1Po
0LvbcOWBang! Scream!ACG
o5l8y6But in terms of reaction speed, Leigh couldn’t match Dereck.mFJCWKV
1H0DJb1Dereck’s specialty was firing magical arrows that interrupted enemy spells before they were completed.xqc0J
QkkDpFEven though Leigh was a formidable mage, his magic lacked precision. Dereck, who had fought countless types of spells, stood like an impenetrable wall.2ZKw
NIQwauMNo matter how furious the bull, if it charged at a wall over and over, all it would do was break its own skull.Rq9ek
g9LTThe man, beyond reason, didn’t know how to give up, even when his magic failed. If spells didn’t work, he punched, bit, clawed—anything to kill Dereck.JOy5cSl
8OP5LCrack!OvBBt
axTA blow landed on Dereck’s side, but he tensed his abdomen with a deep inhale and withstood the hit.sDhFTE
h6RPjWithout staggering or losing ground, Dereck stretched out his hand and gripped Leigh’s entire head.YhdfKI
9XxM7Y“Ra… hahaha.”GX465M
xk942At the moment Leigh, bloodied, tried to bite Dereck’s hand—3SXuIei
vXDXjPCrack!pkMSmyH
gatEStar Level 1 Spell – Electric Shock.lb4sdA
VTYeElectricity surged from Dereck’s hand, running through Leigh’s head.a35aDs
HntBfCrack!T0n
JBnNo matter how strong you are, taking a spell at that range would knock you out.n3e
yBZSoon after, Leigh’s movements, halted by Dereck’s grip, began to weaken.4Dy8c
hQIPvTSssss…38Ogny
HkanTgALeigh’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the marble floor with a heavy thud. A small cloud of dust rose. Dereck shook his hand and loosened his wrist.qJAr
BlQThe end came in an instant.Lp7R
g4UqE“My god…”Qye9pcX
0mcsiwDespite the vast physical difference, Dereck had subdued the giant man with ease.SsN6Fr
wXSYNp9Standing over the man sprawled on the ground, Dereck simply breathed heavily, none of his wounds appearing fatal.1diVVm
UtNGUo“What… what was that…”E5lZuw
SKkN8DFreya, lying on the ground, swallowed hard.4UaG
e7neIAt that moment, Dereck turned sharply to look at her.NdV
IjrqgkUHis face was covered in dried blood. His eyes, blood-red. He looked like just another monster—one who had subdued the giant without any effort.G1HN0k
MdzVZThe killer instinct still gleaming in his eyes after defeating Leigh was enough to make anyone’s skin crawl.p6qH8n
cTJKFreya forgot to breathe and quickly released her magic.0PIk9
otiHd‘If I use illusion magic to hide, I can escape! No matter what, I shouldn’t face a monster like that!’XbJ
CP9a3MShe released her magic and used the highest-level illusion spell she could handle.iQEnNP2
4j1ea2kStar Level 2 Illusion Spell – Momentary Invisibility.L7S
6VbIt was a spell that made her completely vanish from her opponent’s sight for a moment. The duration was short, but it was enough to gain time and run toward the exit.ou6
DxyUJust as she was about to kick open the window and dash into the central garden—UBAF6Gs
kO9CBang!dZDPLQN
V949aH1But something unbelievable happened.K3iYTqL
qYHWThe guy grabbed Freya by the back of the neck just as she was about to fully disappear.zWTCDO
L6Fk3LFreya nearly stumbled on the hem of her dress but managed to avoid falling thanks to Dereck’s grip.znjuf
LsVP9“Ugh, pant…”U8bsEur
3g2VoFreya swallowed dryly.CBiSBm
4UzRL‘Detection magic…! Magical or lifeform detection…! At least Star Level 2…!’nBsC5O
NpvkrThis commoner was at least a 2-star level. She realized that—but it was too late to process it while being held by the nape of her neck.g6KrC
eK6IAtYWhen Freya turned her head, there he was—the blood-covered monster, staring at her with red eyes.es1
CQov7BIn the end, there was only one thing Freya could do.SU4mRBn
5n0Uip“Please… save me…”AMVGXmc
o5S8It was a plea from the depths of her being, casting aside all noble pride.HfjpG9
0JztoKYIn moments like this, she was a clever girl.MgRUbE4
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!