Chapter 63: Drop of Blood (9)
ITUrEEllen maintained her composure as she quickly assessed the current situation.Zrmw7
MeTOkOThe fact that the Duplain mansion was being completely overrun by monsters was anything but natural. With a 5-Star level mage as the head of the family, this should have been resolved long ago.JCt
USuB43The fact that even the servants seemed to have been completely consumed by something, and that there were still no signs of a resolution, suggested that someone from within the family might be involved in this disaster.HgKY
dWuIt was also possible that this entire ball had been a trap from the very beginning.NjZD7YZ
XGr‘It’s unlikely that the entire Duplain family is behind this. The most powerful family in the southwest of the empire has no reason to engage in something so suspicious. It must be the unilateral act of someone within the family…’XI8jYp
f184After carefully checking the hallway again, Ellen looked at Aiselin’s expression as she tried to calm her anxious mind.XznfZ5x
wa1oIf the family really had caused this, Aiselin would have known. She wouldn’t be here with Ellen, and that trembling appearance of hers would be nothing but an act. Ellen’s intuition told her that wasn’t the case.m7lMhWu
rDI“Lady Aiselin, it seems you don’t fully grasp the current situation, do you? As you can see, the mansion’s servants are under the control of some sinister force and have lost their minds. Many guests have been dragged into the main hall, and it seems difficult to ensure their safety.”eJnWl
De9j“W-What are you saying? What’s happening in the Duplain mansion right now…?”XTR
tcVwx“If you need to see it with your own eyes to believe it, then do so.”u2llszc
XGplhWAJust looking at the collapsed outer wall was enough to understand the gravity of the situation.MmWo
hp9rCAiselin swallowed hard. She had only just regained her senses, but she had to think quickly. Ellen was in the same position.FR5j
PQpXRIIf things had really gotten to this point, the Duplain family’s name might be irreparably stained.knxP
vFDBkzThe imperial family might hold them accountable, or other noble houses might start making demands. In the worst-case scenario, they could lose their title and their land.kqwOv
wnkjBnAnd a noble who loses their territory often meets a miserable end.gveZk5T
7besMZ9If they managed to keep private troops or military strength, they might survive as mercenaries, but women without backing or refuge often ended up in tragic circumstances.EVm5e
vCCwm5BEllen silently observed Lady Aiselin.YvqtX
l3jrQREven as she bit her lower lip and looked out the window, her figure remained noble and beautiful. But she was standing at the edge of a cliff.wqGYC
pp8gc9lWhen Ellen had first entered the Rose Salon of Ebelstein’s social circle, she had felt jealous—and even went so far as to try and hurt that perfect girl.laXP
47vpDPgMany times she had admired Aiselin, who didn’t even flinch despite Ellen’s repeated provocations.YNfx1
SI9rk7Yet even now, with the fall she had long wished for right in front of her, Ellen felt no satisfaction. On the contrary, Aiselin’s serious expression filled her with a strange tension. It was truly puzzling.oXlI
ohueaw“Lady Aiselin, please listen carefully. You may feel overwhelmed, having just woken up, but it seems the Duplain family is facing an unprecedented crisis.”6D3D
2CT“…I need to go out and see it with my own eyes.”MCRlbS
sxEt“…”bZoQmW
zLYUM“Lady Ellen, you should look for a way to escape the mansion. Or you could hide in the cellar or basement library and wait for help to arrive. I know the mansion’s layout well—I can guide you.”H10o
oULLcEven now, Aiselin worried about Ellen and tried to ensure her safety. That kind of judgment was so characteristic of her.11QL
6r1Ellen’s mind raced.dD3Ko
QjHogBGiven the situation, the Duplain family was at least in decline, and at worst on the brink of collapse. The mansion was half-destroyed, and neither the high-ranking officials nor key figures had shown themselves.8qO
t2wzxRIt meant that everyone was in crisis. The noble and beautiful girl in front of her—the very flower atop noble society—might cease to exist today.0Zbm
n4eShe would become a displaced noblewoman, useless as a connection and without family backing.o4s6l6
E8mzZynTherefore, the most logical choice would be to sever any unproductive ties. The fall of the Duplain family would be a seismic event in the southwestern nobility.kIuey
0yGxIf Ellen could escape safely, it would be best to report this immediately to her main house. If she could get out of the mansion and send a carrier pigeon, House Belmierd would receive the news first.lU3h
U62XXIn times of crisis, obtaining key information ahead of others was crucial.9ErUut
LtHIf the Margrave of Belmierd found out, he could dispatch troops to “resolve the disaster,” or even station private soldiers to legally occupy the mansion and its surroundings.IJ1K
g6PAnd once those troops were stationed, it would be easy to maintain their presence.MfrsTfV
Ss5At first, justifications are hard to make—but once they’re established, they tend to multiply.CJiUvfA
zWk9rtT‘…’QcZ4CT
Ju6hThe Duplain family had once been a mighty lion ruling over the southwest nobility of the empire.ShX
VETTRBut when any beast dies, no matter how majestic it once was, it ends up the same—carcass, to be picked apart by vultures and beasts.KThY4l
m9161aOHundreds of nobles would rush in to tear apart that corpse. Being the first to sink one’s teeth into it would be an immense privilege.O20
iIWFor the sake of the Belmierd family, Ellen had to escape and deliver the news as soon as possible.H4D
jScHer instincts, sharpened through years of struggling in the frigid world of noble society, told her so clearly.W9i
qIatEven so, Aiselin, who had risen from her bed without losing a shred of her elegant demeanor, had something unusual in her gaze.B0Xsl0P
1HdSu0R“Lady Ellen, please look for a way to escape. I’ll give you all the information you need. As the eldest daughter of House Duplain, I must go to the main hall and see what’s happening for myself.”AfQj
9S0dmuA“…Alright. Let’s go together.”XRViilQ
mEZVUQ3“…Pardon?”0ZBnchW
kPkR7rEllen hadn’t thought it over too much.UYRU1C
PD8S4Even in a situation where the collapse of the Duplain family seemed imminent, she chose the inefficient option.pya8gcq
F7gLIfAiselin had heard that Ellen was cunning in moments like these.
That’s why she couldn’t help but open her eyes wide in surprise.VXY
BI9BA“Why would Lady Ellen…?”n9DGo
ESiltnDEllen was just about to think of a response when—oAKhyA
y8n0zDNBoom, boom.SIm
38MIt felt as if the ground was shaking.1rShD
aFUavW8The entire mansion trembled. The rumble was so overwhelming it felt like the entire world was about to collapse.aXQarU
pu0Startled, Aiselin quickly ran to the window. The main hall, with its outer wall already collapsed, was clearly visible.j3hA
7kAqLidThrough the breach in the wall, a grotesque mountain of bones began to rise. Its body was so massive it pierced through the mansion’s main hall ceiling.Lv66
48Jya“W-What is that…?”8t4A9R
NNUA dark red, ominous magic seemed to envelop the entire world.uLk7ft
j6PwAIt was a 4-Star necromancy spell: Giant Skeleton. The bones of its palms alone were large enough to cover an entire room.V7Rk
ajoUBoth girls froze, paralyzed by the monstrously immense figure that appeared before them.vEEGObL
y16Booom, boom!eWT2Aup
kJf0PThe giant skeleton placed its hand on the roof of the west wing to push itself up. That alone was enough for half of the western building to collapse.vR5
f5WfH6Under the rainy sky, the fully upright monster began to run toward the garden and soon swung its body as if to crush the building where Aiselin was located.x6vd
zJdM***s6We
uw5kjEJValerian admitted it instantly.XFkHw
IW6bIn a duel where victory was determined by experience and speed, he could never win against Dereck.egwdX
ps9Against a veteran mercenary who had honed his senses to the limit, he had to force the situation into a contest of pure brute strength.HWF
kunThat’s why Valerian raised his staff and unleashed his magic at full power.xzJ2VAZ
dd8NPure, overwhelming power. His intent was to crush Dereck with such a brutal impact that he couldn’t block or deflect it.oRiK6Y
1LRSoon, the giant skeleton, following Valerian’s orders, looked down at the ant-sized Dereck below.iMiOIB
1mZJaWhoosh… Boom!4GJrkI
KXBDespite its size, its movements were fast.sctv
2sFKThe foot that crashed down in the rain crushed the spot where Dereck had stood just a moment earlier. The marble floor shattered, and shards of stone scattered in every direction.85HmeE
WbhDereck used magic to shield the unconscious guests who were about to be buried by the rubble.kTyJ
5kMpbRIt was a 2-Star combat spell: Large-Scale Shield.D8z7QbM
BCdIts coverage was broad, but it consumed a lot of mana.QrSpnBK
6DSYevwThud, thud, thud.HiT1
fulPAfter repelling all the falling debris, Dereck stood again and sprinted toward the central garden.uTY
zDBcIf the battle continued in the main hall, the guests would inevitably be caught up and killed.V914d
sWt0Before that happened, Valerian had to be stopped. Dereck jumped over the fountain in the center of the mansion and launched himself toward the annex.sLn
K6N0h1KIt was impossible to subdue the giant skeleton with firepower alone. Unless the mana source was cut off or the caster neutralized, there was no way out.qTTY1
9QsSq‘This fight can’t be drawn out. If we give him time, Valerian will kill all the guests and try to save the Duke.’xHeVTX
dsS1mtDereck understood Valerian’s guilt and desire to atone for the Duke’s death, but his method was wrong.0wRlLp
5jgBBHThere was no guarantee he could complete a 5-Star necromancy spell, and even if he did, the Duplain family would be branded as butchers who broke taboos and sacrificed dozens of mages.Nm3
edUzYIn the end, the Duplain family’s future would be utter darkness.Uicf
3IBFrom Valerian’s madness-driven perspective, this was his only way to resist. But from Dereck’s perspective, it was absolutely unacceptable.UD7T0R
JRJQX7jBoom! Boom! Boom!B3gQOK
BWGemKThe fully upright giant skeleton advanced toward Dereck in long strides.xpOjv
CS7The distance Dereck had gained by running was closed in a single step by the giant. Just as its massive fist came crashing down—sS05
Zqd9TBang!IG1KW
3JxFThe garden fountain exploded, half of it obliterated by the impact of the strike.qZy
cR3Dirt flew everywhere, and even the trees in the manicured flowerbeds were flung into the air.pUAKf5
KXE2In the midst of it all, Dereck planted a fireball on the weakest point of the skeleton’s center of gravity—its left big toe.SH75ag
QYO2tcNThough the rain weakened the firepower, it was enough to destabilize the monster’s balance. The giant skeleton toppled and managed to stay upright only by grabbing onto the roof of the Duplain mansion’s east wing.spmU7ex
fMcRsFCrash, crackle, crackle!ledDR3B
tPpBut in doing so, the east wing building also began to collapse.UqCqt5G
KVx81WDereck, now running toward the annex, widened his eyes at the sight.scEX
sjuN8Behind the east wing were several guest rooms. He had tried to minimize casualties, but if the giant kept destroying structures so recklessly, deaths would be unavoidable.8mDw
pB1GQnThat’s when he saw a girl being swept into the collapse at the corner of the building.Dzrne
IU4o6“Kyaaaa!”uBesreB
OIwPIThe girl, her elegant hair flowing in the wind, was Aiselin. She had been in the guest waiting room, where the outer windows and walls had already caved in, and she was about to be swallowed by the collapse.yWUIrT
RlSQuickly channeling her magic, Aiselin clung to a decorative structure jutting from the outer wall to avoid being swept away.8Axr0E
KR7But the rain-soaked exterior was far too slippery.cGPuMgc
RHRDSHSThud!GJG0BUP
gR9Aiselin’s weak hand slipped. Her body began to fall through the night.uU1HO
JdicZSShe immediately tried to invoke wind magic to soften the fall—but she had no experience with such spells. Still, she attempted to release some mana to prevent fatal injury.MtL
pLkbZhbThud! Crash!Kzo5
L7p7Dereck, who had quickly climbed up the exterior wall, caught her in midair and rolled with her across the muddy garden bed.bnm
4E5QrThey tumbled several times through the mud before Dereck gently laid her down on the grass.sng8p
YcYW“D-D-Dereck…! Huff…!”vxZ
ina2Rkl“Get up. There’s no time for greetings.”VyqwT
GphdspI“W-What?!”Iu5Ns
605j2kvJust as Aiselin was about to ask Dereck—whom she hadn’t seen in a long time—if he was okay, the giant skeleton chasing him threw another punch their way.GFKM6c
IDMfdBoom!yF4W
iLyEach strike was a critical hit. If even one landed, they’d be crushed instantly.MiMOl1S
ZW0zQC0Dereck wrapped his arms around Aiselin’s waist and launched himself off the ground, rolling once more through the mud.Tkpa
MXKpIBThe giant’s fist struck the spot where Dereck had just been, smashing the window beyond the garden bed and reducing an entire room to rubble.rsLKTIN
awvQfCrash! Boom!YhxX
pFH1WP“Ugh…!”TSO
YKlWhen Aiselin finally managed to stand, she was a mess.iJd9atR
Is0V0kIHer hair, normally clean and sleek like ebony, was caked in mud. Her elegant dress had torn on one side, exposing a scratched-up leg.Cst9D
ooYPanting and struggling to rise from the mud, the mixture of rain, sweat, and grime made every step feel like carrying lead.KYP
TU3nb“D-Dereck…! Lady Ellen was with me… we have to check if she’s okay…”LNnJiRs
QHa1TZ3“Keep running! There’s no time for that now!”yVMsa0m
7ZU9Dereck stood and shattered a window beyond the flowerbed. He was signaling her to go inside the building.XGhRkoW
VIGEs5They planned to circle around from the interior to escape the giant skeleton’s line of sight. They’d keep running until the building completely collapsed.ZjjfuK
GOvgcyAiselin quickly climbed through the window frame. As she did, she realized it was the same room Diella used when staying at the main house.KaVgigh
xvK6cIt was the room Valerian had once shown Dereck when he first arrived at the Duplain family.9rp5k
JnE4AsD“Dereck, get in! Hurry! Ah!”jeAwnil
CyZJjLAs she called out and climbed through the frame, Aiselin felt a sharp pain in her hand. Shards of broken glass had embedded into her skin.eK8X
hnxShe quickly removed the larger pieces. Meanwhile, Dereck also came in through the window.hQwAW3
fgx1ZrDWhen Aiselin saw Dereck’s battered appearance, she caught her breath.iS4PdS
PIAm“D-Dereck… your wound…”bP1
xG43Dereck’s right shoulder was covered in large shards of glass.WHnCLiR
DYO8It seemed to be an injury he had sustained while rolling through the garden, shielding her with his own body. Aiselin’s body, in his arms, was unharmed—but he hadn’t been as lucky.MZPdryl
1pZYZUBlood dripped down, mixing with the rain and hitting the floor.Ieu8
eKgCle“D-Dereck…”fbO
OWFISnap!Xrq
uu5QglAs Aiselin approached in a panic, Dereck wrapped an arm around her waist again and pushed her toward the corner of the room.Tgq
oynAiselin fell onto the bed Diella used to sleep in—and just then, the giant skeleton’s fist smashed through the window frame she had been at only seconds ago.kvt
FSwOYBoom! Crash!Jjl
9KKNThrough the collapsed wall, the skeleton’s face appeared. It let out a grotesque laugh, as if pleased to have found its prey.ez1
1gxhEXIAs soon as Aiselin saw it, a cold sweat ran down her entire body.AkvZ
nkgHBoom! Boom!wctv
lUTSoon, the roof—already lacking support—caved in completely.rS1
FxSNR8***jYA9iX
Dm2oDrip, drip.DyOv7
rr3XU“Ugh… ugh…”ldmv
pNCodWhen Aiselin opened her eyes again, Dereck was on top of her.0S0a
mHU5The pain coursing through her body came from the shards of marble that had fallen on her. And yet, she had no fatal injuries.TEVZ3
yXSoZIt was because Dereck had shielded her with his own body. Beside Aiselin’s head, Dereck’s hand, propped up to hold himself, was trembling.EVKkro
uP1Blood dripped from his snow-white hair onto Aiselin’s cheek, then fell to the ground.WzDDW
JnCCDS“D-Dereck…”LNJs
T0bbP“Listen carefully, Lady Aiselin. As you can see, the situation is dire.”otPl05x
I1ePushing aside the debris covering him, Dereck got up as best as he could and looked directly at Aiselin.lTF
NHKL0B4As she tried to sit up, he grabbed her by the shoulders and met her gaze.e6mhx
ikd0sH“Take a deep breath.”tnLIk
8KUDy8“O-Okay… Hah… Hah…”kUKV
Qo8pQ“There’s no time for long explanations, so I’ll get straight to the point. The Duplain family is facing a life-or-death crisis. If we stay here, we’ll be annihilated.”FYBU
EQZxUb“W-What do you mean…?”hxXr
cBm8W“Valerian is gathering the guests in the main hall. He’s planning to perform a ritual to kill them all.”nKR0wER
6qP7Au“W-What… what did you just say…?”fmbwc
O7BHflShe needed time to process it. At any other moment, Dereck would’ve given her space to grasp it, but not now.IH9
ZXMMR5“We have to stop him before he goes through with it. In the worst-case scenario… we must be ready to kill him.”3isQvJ
1PpYU4“V-Valerian… my brother…?”BHlmoD
M90BWIThousands of questions must have raced through Aiselin’s mind in that instant. She wanted to know why Valerian, someone who would never do such a thing, had come to this. What had happened while she was away. Why everything had gone so wrong.dZzvUCg
H5nhhBut Aiselin was quick to understand. She accepted, faster than anyone else would, that there was no time to answer those questions.cGdB
8zeOoP“…So, what do we do now?”uxw
zuURUCovered in mud, the two of them exchanged a look under the rain.OlD
oEsn20“If it comes to that, Lady Aiselin… you must kill him. I’ll help you.”mCh
J1glbQ“…”ULU
0UMrOZ2‘What the hell are they talking about?’ Holding back that thought, Aiselin looked at Dereck with tear-filled eyes.Sf7
lx8He wiped the blood from her cheek and spoke firmly.rqnK
Q6iMw“Now that it’s come to this… we won’t be able to stop the fall of the Duplain family. But you don’t want its name to disappear from history altogether, do you?”xJaG
xN0ytw“Then…”kOvp
yyHH“The Imperial family will never forgive a house whose eldest son killed the head of the family, turned to forbidden necromancy, and massacred its guests. So… while we still can act quickly, we must be the ones to end this.”q6bC
7tXmVq8“Did he kill the head of the family?? What are you talking about…?”PbqC
GnFbo“I know it’s hard to accept. But that’s exactly why you need to stay focused.”beQ
HGqVDQ7The unconscious guests in the main hall weren’t dead yet. The ritual hadn’t started. If they stopped Valerian now, it would all just be a failed attempt.pvgN
FNAidThe difference between an attempt and a completed act is everything. The core of the damage was the lives of the guests.cYLdO
dZq7The ruined mansion was still just a material loss. The head of the family’s death, a blow to the Duplain name.FPJV
kuUtBut all of that was Valerian’s doing, under the influence of necromancy. If the family intervened, stopped him, and cleaned up the mess, they might avoid total ruin.DiR
ybtAs long as the guests survived, they could manage the aftermath with apologies and compensation. Of course, the family would never reclaim its former glory.hnTLv
jtj3They had lost the family head, their high-ranking vassals, more than half of their soldiers, this grand mansion, the honor and trust of the Empire.qW3ql
BhWVhLaNeighboring nobles would seize the chance to devour their weakened lands. They would lose control of their resources, their tax revenue, and most of their servants would leave. The mansion would be cut in half.9NsFYd
ea5uMnIn Ebelstein’s social circles, Aiselin would be treated like an outcast. She might not even be able to enter the Rose Hall anymore.Zg9tfDM
LuYUaEverything that was once perfect, beautiful, and noble… was now reduced to a single thorny path.aeYiU
xT5Z21kEven so, Dereck spoke.pH5
JysfVZ“Still, you must not become a fallen noble.”lJlPxVF
f9TDereck’s mentor, Katia Flameheart, had lived half her life as a fallen noble.vPV
k6iHe knew well how miserable that path could be.GcXiHc
CRZy6a7Even if you must sacrifice everything and give up your glory, you must hold firmly to your family’s name.b9mpiH
fHFaHuIf you endure, if you persevere… someday, the sun will shine again.7Lq
8ZfSo even if it’s only in appearance, even if it’s stained and humiliating, you must not abandon your life as a noble.QLqy60
3OBqP“Even if you have nothing, even if they circle you like hyenas, even if they all mock you… hold your head high and carry your house’s name with pride.”LHvc1
BBvocThat is what it means to be a noble lady.dLi5Cpl
LTywDThat pride can become poison and turn people arrogant… but you must not deny its true meaning. It’s pride in the life you’ve lived.oIO3z
KoKpjXEThere are no such things as ‘bad’ nobles. In this cold society, everyone has learned to survive in their own way.rcjdaZ6
8mQSv1Aiselin, who had always looked down on the world from above, now had to understand it.p8biS
AT4“Who can take responsibility for the Duplain family in this situation?”Gkv
wngARIEven a sinking ship needs a captain. And Dereck could feel it deep in his bones.gvsDf1
iM6cIf anyone could hold that shattered vessel together, it was Aiselin.2lNhs
gINMwShe could do it. And people never forget who helped them when they hit rock bottom.0oqFHb
GGhL8pThose who have fallen know best: in the midst of laughter and scorn, the ones who reach out their hand are the ones who truly matter.Qpo
DEWDereck gripped Aiselin’s trembling hand tightly in the rain.QoQrZcx
JMo9“To let the world know that it was the Duplain family who stopped Valerian’s actions, one family member must rise as the sword. Lady Aiselin… that person is you.”i2zgRK
WwFhybeSwooshR57
UiPU“D-Dereck…”pjbzw
QB8“If you choose to do it, I’ll help you.”fos2f
5RYy1Dereck’s face, under the rain, hadn’t changed. Even in the middle of this chaos, he remained as steady as ever.EUUjemK
FHn9wTdAiselin’s eyes trembled as she looked at him, but there was something she could trust in.Uxaqeqx
mKYDEveryone else would run from the sinking Duplain ship to save themselves.Sshg
bZWQ7lBut that boy was still sitting firmly in place, not moving an inch. As steady as a mountain. That was the reason girls from the three great families clung to him so desperately.kBjrJb
UajRhbNAnd just as Aiselin, still trembling, was about to speak—GxuxGS
wX5dcj3Bang!qED3PjB
RXw3With a thunderous crash, the building’s outer wall collapsed again. Dereck instantly unleashed his magic and rushed to block the falling debris.wEe
Kg6WnARumble! Thud!uwnG8Yp
K3iT7ZuFrom the shattered wreckage emerged a giant skeleton, now clad in massive armor. Valerian was riding atop it.pBsR
yPN“…”RY78a49
VnUDTDiella’s old room, half-destroyed.x4ygbr
mCG2WJbWatercolor paintings were scattered across the soaked floor, and Aiselin, utterly worn out, was there.oC8l
I1MSwoosh.geltRU3
wYbumkbThe rain poured down in torrents.A5T1I
CXpVZQbAnd in Valerian’s eyes, now landing in the room, burned a madness deeper than before.RRrsW
8StcHe had already crossed the swamp of mistakes. There was no path back for him.6Eu
pLq78ETEverything had to end here.VCSr955
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