Chapter 61: Drop of Blood (7)
BDr6ZiwDereck gathered both of Leigh’s arms, which had fallen to the floor, behind his back and tied them tightly with a torn curtain.dNWCZ
DPCxsThen he wrapped the remaining fabric around his entire body and used the Star Level 1 transformation spell, Attribute Imbuement, to harden it like stone.bioNl
8MnThe sequence of actions flowed so naturally it seemed he had done it countless times before. Freya, seated in a corner of the hallway, watched Dereck wide-eyed.2lJg
1Vf‘The former student of Master Katia? I heard he was a commoner, and yet…’gxU
VrajFive minutes earlier, Lady Freya had tried to quickly flee from Dereck, but was instantly caught.RP1V
iMnGr6It was the first time in her life that her confusion magic had been detected so swiftly. She was so shocked that she had begged for her life, but the white-haired mercenary had recognized Freya and reassured her.fpps7v
r9mNswWithout mentioning her surname or affiliation, the boy, who briefly introduced himself as Dereck, said he knew Freya was the eldest daughter of Count Elvester’s family.hwvT
1otThe man who greeted her politely, following noble etiquette, exuded a calm completely unlike the monster who had just subdued Leigh.F29Ym6
dcLOTpe“You said your name is Dereck? Master Katia spoke a lot about you. She said you were exceptionally gifted in magic among commoners…”omn
AFgX“How is Master Katia?”XVs
9UnGpWP“…Of course, she’s doing well. Her position as the Elvester family’s magic instructor is admired by everyone.”UMFog
IH9PjDereck, who was firmly securing the bindings, responded without even glancing at Freya. Given the circumstances, he couldn’t afford to observe every formal courtesy with the count’s daughter.otFN5
Jf30D“Seems like we’re something like siblings. I also received great teachings from Master Katia. Knowing she’s well is a relief. But now isn’t the time for nostalgia.”CMJ
9EDZ5gAfter completely immobilizing Leigh, Dereck spoke.bkhMiDE
30iUoPW“The young lady from the Beltus family is hiding in the upper section of the VIP rooms. We plan to gather the survivors there, so you should head upstairs as well.”jIVS
aigk1H“No, I… was trying to escape the mansion.”EKaQ
lEItD“Outside the mansion is filled with moving corpses. If you try to escape recklessly on your own, you’ll regret it.”wsKianq
JgnC5“If I decide to escape, no one can catch me. I even escaped alone from the great fire at Roventer Castle caused by bandits.”OtPz6cO
nFtipH“Didn’t I just catch you?”Sbi8iN
Gpyte“…”owaxQ8
27cjuOCFreya couldn’t answer. But only because Dereck’s ability to sense magic was abnormally sharp.ob6IEB
oKNWIn truth, Countess Freya was so skilled at diverting others’ attention that even Katia had to search the entire mansion with all her might to barely find her.SuOy
MhoOPjDereck rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment.7ik3
d7d2Indeed, Freya’s level of illusion magic had reached a considerable degree. If he hadn’t been personally trained by Drest in magical detection, he might not have noticed her at all.f5SM5C
49s3JLIt seemed unlikely that ordinary detection magic would work on Freya.VDI
CrULA third-rate mage would hardly detect her presence, so she could easily avoid the corpse monsters.G2R
hnf27UYThe thought crossed his mind that it might actually be better to send Freya out of the mansion to seek help. It was a seriously viable alternative.Z9esW7
Sq1SBq4‘I’ve seen many people die… but why is this girl so calm?’dhnX36
PwiTXMeanwhile, Freya was watching Dereck like she’d discovered a magical unicorn. Even in a situation where the mansion was full of possessed people, he was searching for survivors, had subdued Leigh, and even stopped her—without showing the slightest bit of nervousness.9LJ5
uQqHis magical ability was excellent, his judgment precise, and he was linked to Katia by fate. Freya quickly reassessed her position.76X7
h7rwj‘It’s better to trust this guy for now. My gut tells me so.’IkB6Tz
tW3“Then I’ll head to the guest rooms and meet the young lady from the Beltus family. But… what’s your plan in gathering the survivors? Given the situation, wouldn’t it be better to focus on escaping first?”FARxyf
Aaq“Let’s save as many as we can. Every guest in this mansion is a key figure in the empire, aren’t they?”VO5
ESRZj“Loyalty to the empire?”da05
MfT“If someone from the empire asks, I’ll say yes.”CCKd
iMJFnbx“And the real reason?”Boijzk0
NHd“Half of it is the duty to save lives as a human being. The other half is that if I save the guests, I’ll likely be rewarded.”b9TI7
cIhgIt was said that nobles from the northeast would pay hundreds of gold coins for their lives without batting an eye. They’d generously donate that much even to rescue prisoners, so saving a noble’s life would be seen as a major achievement.nftenkG
o6Y“There’s no law that says a person’s motivations have to fit into one category, right?”UKS
Lo9auzJust hearing those words, Freya felt she had glimpsed a side of Dereck’s character. Deep down, he was a good person, but not naive about personal gain.B7SyO
nC9pcHe was selfish where it counted and selfless where it mattered.mWlsU
4QqvhTFar better than someone obsessed only with one extreme. Freya removed the necklace she was wearing and handed it to Dereck.Hdhr
eiq8“…What’s this?”JIwqtBS
hwY3Rj8“It’s a magical accessory gifted to me by the Arendelle Academy at my coming-of-age ceremony. It’s part of a set with this ring; when worn together, they allow each wearer to detect the other’s location.”587fk7V
7xtXj“Isn’t this expensive?”Euu4
DXx“It’s better not to know the price. Either way, if we’re moving through this mansion, we should be able to track each other.”BUU
d972Dereck slipped the necklace around his neck quickly and tucked it under his clothes.zZ67A7M
Yt5il“If you go to the main hall, you’ll see many unconscious mages seated at the banquet table. Most don’t appear to be dead.”nCs
M2T“Banquet table?”dWhzqu
f9O“Yes. I don’t know why, but the servants of this mansion are still preparing the ball. In fact, it seems more like a kind of ritual than a ball.”AMgJpW
d9jeDereck’s brow furrowed.2bu
cBzpoA ritual where a banquet is served, music played, and mages are murdered was, quite literally, something only a necromancer would do.YQ9fuS
uF2oDBy worshipping the god of corpses or the god of souls, they would kill a high-level mage to absorb the magical power embedded in their soul, and transfer part of it to another mage.tc5m
yYdRUqxDisguising it as a ball was certainly a clever move. It allowed high-ranking guests to gather naturally, and the music and food wouldn’t raise suspicion.kQU
FQJ08yUsing Diella’s debut event as an excuse, the guests had completely let down their guard.U4D8
54qbIt was the mansion of the Duplain family, one of the most prestigious on the continent.eVRxwzR
2gvALgfNo one could have imagined something so atrocious would happen.5CYG
yroYC70The problem was, from Duke Duplain down to his subordinates, there wasn’t a single person who seemed capable of leading such madness. Especially Dereck, who knew the Duplain family well, was certain of this. Valerian, Leigh, Aiselin, Diella… none of them would dare touch such a taboo.TXTTK8X
W3L‘There must’ve been some shocking trigger. Someone provoked them… or maybe they were corrupted by a magical artifact with its own will…’ZpjjZeJ
wSyDNDereck quickly assessed the possibilities. It was impossible to hastily guess who in the Duplain family had turned to necromancy.EJfajp
BaPoduHowever, Dereck had enough reason to suspect someone.mcdzo8
CS2iPV— Before reaching adulthood, Valerian Duplain will become involved with necromancy.E7tbY6
HU93w— And when that happens, you must kill him.5s4Tw
NSB542Drest, who had foreseen it all, had already warned Dereck. He told him he must kill Valerian. No one else.b4POER
IcGaXHe himself, already a 6-Star mage, would not get involved. Now that events had unfolded this way, his intent was clearer than ever.oWlhh
7NMsJQMost of the continent’s distinguished guests were captured and at risk of death.sju0
w6tiZIf Dereck cleaned up the scene and captured the culprit, the merit would be immeasurable.CmKxHKF
ys2Saving the lives of numerous nobles would propel Dereck to a new level. The empire would have no choice but to reward him publicly.iGJg
C5SLRaDrest planned to hand over all that merit to Dereck.Hhgc
M9kEHe had trained him back then to ensure he reached the level necessary to subdue Valerian, who would one day be lured by necromancy.9DN7rei
5ofkJr‘It was impossible to know just how far ahead he had planned.’Ftx4j5x
t8SHaving a 6-Star scouting mage as backup meant that much. Yet, Dereck felt conflicted.SPV
V8ipo1The Valerian he remembered was a young man sweating buckets while clumsily sewing a doll to win his sister Diella’s favor.QD6vkr
DITQYHe had always been someone who thought only of his family—the most worthy candidate to lead the Duplain house in the future.wUQa47
nWigDereck, who rarely acknowledged others, had seen Valerian as a leader deserving of everyone’s respect.GCiQ
VZtIg‘Still… if he strays from the path, he must be eliminated.’3mR
gx9yBecause Dereck was a man of resolve. Even when emotionally shaken, he never hesitated to draw his sword when the moment demanded it.Ayvgs
UwuAnd so, Dereck advanced with steady steps toward the mansion’s main hall.m73I
Nt7NA33***2vJl0
NlYr2tIThe moon was approaching its highest point.deCC3W
UdOzuZ1Even near midnight, moonlight filled the main hall of the Duplain mansion.rUKsI2L
K7nPStep, step.iWMbux
chI6qNsAs he entered, a scene beyond description unfolded before him.lLDM9W
o8M6vISeveral banquet tables stretched in a straight line across the immense hall.sYwg
zluShLavish feasts were laid out temptingly atop them, and numerous unconscious mages were slumped on either side.czp
xhlAn orchestra, seemingly entranced, sat silently near the grand staircase, clutching their luxurious string instruments to their chests, their eyes vacant.VsbIPuc
OWHbEach chandelier held flickering candles, and the center of the hall—where the host of the event should have been—was empty, bathed in moonlight.NeiM
5bUgHad there been cheerful chatter, it would have been no different from a real ball. But the silence was absolute.2usR
6JaMwmZAs Dereck crossed the hall, only the echo of his footsteps disturbed the air.dJfwxaF
GgKZHe frowned as he looked around. The mages lined up in front of the tables were unconscious, but still alive.WfK
HfllThere had been no intention to kill them before the ritual. Sacrificing so many mages to rise in rank wasn’t something a sane mind would do.osUj
hSyZHnAll the famous necromancers in history who had attempted such feats had ended up beheaded and erased from the records.Daf33
40AThat was the nature of touching the forbidden.SuCK
mOCAAs he walked through that unnatural place and turned his gaze toward the center of the hall, he saw it.VZeGa
UyURMoonlight filtered through the stained glass of one of the walls and lit up that very spot.82Tj
JIHIt was likely the seat where the host of the ball was meant to be. Right across from it, a man slouched in a wooden chair, his head deeply bowed.dg4
qaZekUzHis blond hair, now shoulder-length, was longer than before, with streaks of gray woven through it. His skin was pale, and his frame appeared more solid.yzOqUvi
UjuX2VOnce dressed like a distinguished noble, he now wore steel armor adorned with ornate engravings.uilD
xUR0mjaAlthough his appearance was more fitting for the next head of the family, there was a dark and unstable aura around him that hadn’t been there before.Soq
6qjDereck stopped, keeping his distance.9e6ToC0
xyTRQkt“…”teh
MefeMmA“Who is this? Dereck. You’ve come to witness Diella’s debut.”veXA
SY9NTn“…Lord Valerian. You’ve changed a great deal.”9TdX
sVdz“Yes. Time changes people. Still, I’m sincerely honored that my dear little sister’s most respected teacher has come in person. As the host of this ball, I thank you.”Qdl
zYJaJValerian raised his head to look at Dereck.EU0NW
pLbzHis pale, ominous figure came into full view. His pupils trembled as if shaken by an earthquake.VgfJKuv
9mAcJX“However, as you can see, the ball has been canceled due to certain circumstances. If Diella returns to the mansion… could you take her back to Ebelstein?”8i8
SvzrOH“…”AUgSn
TIW“In my current state, there’s no one I trust enough to entrust that request.”zfxV
JGmG90CBehind Valerian stood the grandest, most majestic chair in the entire hall.jZ4Vz
bZtjpIt was the seat reserved for the highest-ranking figure at the event.fiCex
z13While Valerian’s seat was well lit by the moonlight, that other chair remained partially hidden in shadow.xpHvxGe
FzZslNDereck took a few steps to the side and slightly adjusted his angle of view.6cfPOfd
1Rh4axOGradually, the figure seated on that throne became visible.Hnwj
8ADCjcsThe moment he recognized who it was—head bowed—Dereck narrowed his eyes even further.Duk
RVe0wARaymond Oswald Duplain, the duke.w7b6
4vfw4orThe head of the family was slumped in the seat, a dagger buried in his chest.3Lq
SQx0VHpThe dagger bore the clear emblem of an eagle—the symbol of House Duplain.6DP
ponz“…”3wKL
lnawfeValerian’s expression softened when he saw that Dereck had identified the duke.3js
BZyjPY“As you can see… I’m now busy picking up the pieces of my mistakes.”FHwKU
Z0oPqi6Valerian stood with a bitter smile. The metallic sound of armor echoed through the hall.o45
3hqw“…What are you doing here?”VjLiJ
0djjAeI“Didn’t I just tell you?”JArc
STYjfV8Valerian responded with a faint, unreadable smile, lowering his voice softly.tTXUoB
AcuJ“I’m picking up the pieces of my mistakes.”VRqatXN
jbVNUEDereck remained still, silently watching Valerian without blinking. Sometimes firm, sometimes compassionate—his gaze now was resolute. There was no need to ask his intent.cqOGH
IB6Ws5Valerian looked at him in silence, then finally lowered his gaze, defeated.x5VQH5
spm“I see…”vh81A
86McfWith that resigned gesture, he kept his eyes fixed on the floor for a moment.I1Um7pQ
u6mrNdThen, he raised his hand, wrapped in magic. A wave of dark, reddish, ominous energy spread through the hall, concentrating at Valerian’s fingertips until it took the shape of a staff.n9gI
hk7UqNcIt was known as the relic of the five-star summoner Rozin. But contrary to popular belief, Rozin was not a summoner.UUu9zc
Iydy5Dereck silently furrowed his brow.gVc9
ceaHWhoosh.qt2YLZL
qlfKZlHThe hall, bathed in moonlight. Its master, now standing, looking down at Dereck.byhf570
NmYbThe necromancer Valerian.gdYn5mN
FHUQdPCHe was now the Master of that mansion.h1oP05N
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