Chapter 67
The time of splendid slaughter had begun.
At Jin’s gesture, the colossal Behemoths turned one by one into ash, and from Evan’s sword burst forth a brilliant, pure-blue light similar to what had once shone from Othello’s blade, piercing the hearts of the monsters.
And yet… this time did not last long.
Because Ricardo was there.
The black flames, moving as if each had its own will, erupted from the ground and rained down from the sky, tearing the Behemoths into pieces.
“……”
The reason why this scene felt more like a “massacre” was also because of Ricardo.
In his cold, lowered gaze, the Behemoths were no different from mere dolls being ripped apart.
With every step he took, another Behemoth vanished.
“Your Grace, the Duke…”
Rowen, watching from behind, muttered with a dazed expression.
Now it was clear why people called Ricardo the “Dark King.”
This was the power of a true king, one no one could dare to match…
By the time Ricardo stopped before us, not a single Behemoth remained.
“Shasha.”
At Ricardo’s voice, I could only stare blankly at him.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
More than ten monsters had been utterly crushed by just the three of them.
“…I’m fine.”
Evan’s deep blue eyes were fixed on me.
It wasn’t the Behemoths that had gotten him, but his face and hands were covered in scratches.
“Khff—!”
Just then, Othello coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth.
I saw the blood soaking his sleeve and hurriedly called to Ricardo.
“Othello is hurt…!”
“They laid a trap.”
Before my words could even finish, Othello’s rough voice came.
“……”
I looked up at him.
There was not the slightest hesitation in his fierce eyes.
In the mountains, the snowstorm stung my cheeks with its biting cold.
“I’ve found out… who planned all of this.”
In an instant, everyone’s eyes turned toward Othello.
Blood trickled from his lips in a bitter stream.
“By now, I think it’s about time you returned the young master.”
At the round table of Verus, Chenoa scowled with a frown.
“Not only do you refuse to take responsibility for the accident—”
Ricardo’s lips moved with a frigid look.
“Your shamelessness knows no end.”
“It was an accident caused by sneaking off without permission. Responsibility? Absurd.”
Chenoa’s brow twitched.
“Nonsense.”
Cold, black flame began spreading from Ricardo’s body, while Chenoa’s form glimmered faintly blue with the aura of clarity.
“Ahh, both of you, please calm yourselves, hm?”
Elysion Arkada shook his head.
“Strictly speaking, Duke Ricardo is correct. In the hostage exchange, the Taylors’ second son returned injured after an accident—it’s only natural he’d be enraged.”
“And shouldn’t the Winchesters also take responsibility for their child’s poor discipline? Countless Taylors’ men were wasted in the search for the missing hostage.”
“Well, Duke Chenoa isn’t entirely wrong either. After all, it was indeed the young master’s mistake to abandon his post in violation of the rules.”
Sweat ran down Elysion’s neck.
If Ricardo and Chenoa clashed here, the roof of the council hall would surely be blown away.
“So you’re siding with the Taylors, then.”
At Ricardo’s cold words, Elysion frantically waved his hands.
“No, never! Haa… gods above. My thoughts slipped out loud, that’s all…”
As always, the two houses were at each other’s throats.
“How I miss Duke Halo… It seems arbitration is too much for me after all.”
Elysion muttered under his breath.
Indeed, it was Vanessa who had always served as the mediator between the two families that treated each other like mortal enemies.
“I also have plenty of complaints against you.”
“Against me?”
“Lisonia, of all places. If that reckless Winchester girl had lost her life in the snowy mountains, my heir Evan would also have been doomed.”
“……”
A murderous glare burst from Ricardo’s eyes.
Elysion, the weakest in terms of sheer power among those present, felt as though he might suffocate.
“Doomed? If you value your life, you’d best watch your tongue.”
It was an outright threat, but Chenoa didn’t even blink.
“Do you think I’d fear war?”
He only returned the killing intent in kind.
The atmosphere of the monthly council was once again pushed to the brink.
Eracinis bloomed like golden forsythia, swaying like soft cosmos.
Around this time every year, the flowers blossomed in brilliant clusters around the estate, filling it with their dazzling beauty.
Their fragrance carried a hint of freesia.
It had already been four days since Othello was found in the snowy mountains.
And…
[Name: Shasha Winchester (LV.7)]
[Class: Sprout Savior]
[Trait: Key of Mecius]
[Stats: HP 26 / Strength 18 / Ability 8 / Intelligence 39
*Some stats remain locked.]
[Skills: Black Domination (LV.5/SS), Damage Reflection (LV.1/A)]
[Inventory: Healing Potion, 370 rubies]
[Due to Ability Awakening, you are immune to status effects for (3) days.]
My profile had changed considerably.
First, my class had switched to the strange, cringeworthy title of “Sprout Savior,” and my trait had become “Key of Mecius.”
It seemed to be an advanced trait that replaced my old one, granting a +8 boost to all stats.
The “Ability” section of my detailed stats had now been unlocked.
On top of that, I’d gained three days of immunity to status effects, along with increases in strength and health… The quest rewards were quite generous.
In any case, I had awakened my ability.
My power was different from the “Black Flames” wielded by Jin and Othello.
Could it be I had inherited my mother’s power from Quelln?
Normally, if a child’s parents possessed different powers, the stronger one would dominate. So why had I not inherited the stronger Black Flames, but instead powers of reinforcement and recovery?
By all logic, the dominant ability should have been the Black Flames.
When Othello was in danger, my awakened power had poured into him, granting him enormous strength.
Despite being on the verge of death, Othello had managed to kill a Behemoth in a single blow.
The effect had faded quickly, but it was both miraculous and fortunate.
The worrying part was the line: “Power in exchange for your life force.”
That was something I needed to investigate further.
— …So you’ve awakened an ability.
Ricardo’s expression had been terrifyingly cold, but he hadn’t imposed any additional punishment.
If he had, I would’ve felt it unfair—after all, it wasn’t as if I’d chosen to climb to the summit of the snowy mountains on my own. He didn’t look like he believed me, though.
In any case—quest completed. I survived. I awakened a power.
The problem now was Othello…
“Shasha.”
As I was lost in thought, staring at the flowers, a voice called out to me.
“……”
I turned my head.
Standing there was Vanessa Halo.
Her short, bobbed blue hair swayed gently in the breeze.
She wore a white dress that hugged the curves of her figure.
Vanessa Halo—like Ricardo and Chenoa, the head of one of the four great families, a woman with tremendous power.
As the leader of the House of Water, Halo, her temperament was fiery and bold.
“My Lady.”
“That’s too stiff. ‘Head of House,’ really?”
I gave her a faint smile.
Vanessa sat down beside me, looking at the flowers.
“You didn’t go to Verus?”
“Why would I? Going there only means cleaning up after your father and Chenoa. I’m growing tired of it.”
She shrugged.
Though the child-sized chair was a little too small for her tall, broad frame, it didn’t creak.
“How is life in the Winchester house?”
At her question, I answered simply:
“It’s good.”
I had plenty I wanted to say, but I kept my reply short.
At first, escaping the Winchester family had been my goal—but things had changed greatly since then.
“Ricardo might be a hedgehog made of blades, but it seems he’s kind to his daughter. Surprisingly so.”
With a small chuckle, Vanessa continued:
“Still, it must have been a shock. To suddenly open your eyes and find yourself on a snowy mountain.”
I nodded.
The incident with Othello and me being attacked by Behemoths had spread far and wide.
After all, Behemoths were supposed to be extinct monsters.
Arkada had eagerly taken samples of their corpses.
“To be honest, I still can’t believe it. May I check your memories, just a little?”
Vanessa asked me.
“It would help uncover the truth of what happened to you. Just as it did when you were attacked before.”
A gentle aura of water energy shimmered in her hand.
But I shook my head without a change of expression.
When I met her gaze directly, I saw her brow twitch faintly.
