Chapter 08
That was why, even when he was suddenly attacked, he felt no real sense of danger.
The man had leapt out as Vasilisa was walking along a cliff, as if he had been waiting precisely for that moment. He was probably a Tilet user especially skilled at hiding his presence.
Still, Vasilisa wasn’t surprised.
For him, it was just another dull day.
‘Die, Vasilisa! You monster bastard! Today’s the day you go into your grave!’
‘Now even trash like you is making a fuss.’
‘Yeah, you’re always like this! Has there ever been a person you properly acknowledged? Do you even know how sickening your arrogance is, treating human lives like flies?’
‘If you’re going to attack, do it properly. Why are you babbling with your mouth?’
What a joke.
The man—likely a half-brother his father had sired elsewhere—had unmistakable jealousy burning in his eyes. Along with fear. And disgust.
If someone is stronger than you, are they a monster?
Simply because his strength was on a level they could never hope to reach, people around him seemed to label him a monster.
Life was unbearably boring.
Vasilisa didn’t even feel like using his ability, so he raised his bare fists instead. When he smirked at the trembling man, the man pulled something out.
‘I’ll kill you today! There’s no place for you at the top!’
‘Really? Father will be pleased.’
‘Y-You bastard!’
‘I’m looking forward to it. Come on, then.’
‘You damn youuuu!’
Everyone looked at him the same way that man did—with horror and fear in their eyes.
What was funny was that despite that, they also gazed at him with longing, as if dazzled.
Did they realize how disgusting that hypocrisy looked?
‘Perverted bastards.’
After a brief fight, Vasilisa fell from the cliff.
In truth, he had gone easy on him. The man’s bloodshot eyes and desperate determination to attack were almost admirable, so Vasilisa let himself be hit by whatever he had thrown.
If that fool presented proof that he had eliminated Vasilisa, Father might even name him heir.
That would be amusing.
‘When I return, things will be interesting.’
As his consciousness drifted, it seemed the man had used a powerful sleeping drug—strong enough to knock out even a giant monster in one shot.
He must have spent quite a bit of money.
Now this was getting fun.
His body dropped swiftly through the air.
‘Not bad.’
When he opened his eyes again, what kind of situation would he face?
Would he be on the verge of death?
Or would he wake up gravely injured?
When he opened his eyes again, he felt the softness of an unfamiliar bed.
He had slept on hard surfaces since childhood to maintain tension, so the melting softness felt strangely uncomfortable.
‘Did I fall asleep?’
He felt like he had dreamed something unpleasant, but he couldn’t remember clearly. Keeping his eyes closed, Vasilisa sharpened his senses.
He needed to confirm where he was and what condition he was in.
He didn’t sense much danger.
‘Alone.’
Perhaps a passerby had saved him.
Or perhaps someone who recognized him had kidnapped him.
Unfortunately for them, thanks to his inborn Tilet, he seemed completely unharmed.
Just as he was about to curse and sit up, he realized someone was nearby.
And he was startled.
He hadn’t sensed the presence beside him at all.
That had never happened before.
‘What? Since when were they there?’
His nerves snapped taut.
Someone was definitely there.
Because he could hear a voice murmuring beside him.
It was small and faint—like that of a young girl.
He, who could react even to the sound of an ant passing by, hadn’t noticed?
The moment he realized that, his guard shot up. Perhaps the owner of that voice possessed a remarkable Tilet.
‘Who is it?’
The person muttered something incomprehensible, like unconscious self-talk.
When he opened his eyes slightly, he saw a small girl sitting there.
The tension drained at once.
‘Just a child. But why didn’t I sense her?’
She looked like a doll—like she couldn’t even properly hold a dagger.
A pretty child who had clearly been raised with love.
Her clothes were wrapped in layers of rich lace.
Her silver hair was so radiant it made one wonder if such hair could exist in reality.
Her round blue eyes shone vividly.
Everything about her sparkled excessively.
‘A noble girl raised with doting affection.’
That was his only impression.
He was sick of noble girls.
If he poked her, she would probably burst into tears.
Like all highborn nobles, she might have picked him up off the street like a stone on dirt, simply because she liked his appearance.
So, just to tease her, he moved his hand.
The girl was light as a feather and fell onto the bed so easily it almost startled him.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Eyes that had likely never seen a drop of blood.
Her round face was right beneath him, framed by fluttering hair.
“……”
For a moment, Vasilisa felt like a truly terrible person.
Of course, by most standards, he already leaned heavily toward the “bad” side of humanity, but…
Those clear blue eyes looking up at him pricked at his conscience.
Even someone like Vasilisa—who had thrown away any sense of conscience at birth—felt something stir under that innocent gaze.
“What are you?”
When he lowered his voice threateningly, he expected the well-bred girl to burst into tears.
Then the knights would rush in, and he’d have to cause trouble again.
Given where he grew up, he occasionally encountered noble children.
Every time, it was dreadful.
He had never met a calm, kind noble child.
Those raised to have everything were arrogant.
They were used to being loved and always wanted to possess what they desired.
The younger they were, the more cruel they became, lacking restraint and manners.
Some of them, finding Vasilisa pretty, wanted to own him like a doll.
They didn’t even know who he was.
If he refused to obediently become theirs, they threatened to kill his family.
That was why he hated noble brats.
Surely this girl would be no different.
Looking at her pale, smooth skin, a dark urge flickered inside him.
If she screamed loudly, should he just snap that fragile neck?
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
“Hey.”
The bold, indifferent call.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
The anger in her gaze was obvious.
Only then did Vasilisa notice something different about her.
She was different.
Because her eyes were not filled with fear.
Instead, they spoke plainly.
“I get that you’re a wandering teenager, but drop the idea that the whole world revolves around you. Why would I kidnap you? Is your face plated in gold?”
“……”
You foolish, immature brat.
Her eyes insulted him.
Ha!
For a moment, he was dumbfounded.
Who dared to look at him like that?
But the girl’s gaze was sincere—fierce and genuine.
“Do I look so poor that I’d kidnap someone for money? What is this? I’m rich!”
“…What did you say?”
“For reference, my carriage was specially commissioned from the Mage Tower. You’d better be ready to pay at least a thousand gold. So how are you going to repay it?”
Her voice was calm and quick, as if she felt no fear at all.
It was a strange feeling.
Listening to her, he felt like a scolded child.
Apparently, he had fallen from the sky and wrecked her carriage.
He didn’t need to see it to know what state it must be in.
And that made it even harder to understand.
If she had witnessed that destruction, she shouldn’t be reacting like this.
‘Is she not afraid of me? Why?’
The girl kept talking earnestly.
As if she had forgotten that her neck was in his hand.
Perhaps she was confident someone would save her at any moment.
Or perhaps she simply didn’t realize that if he tightened his grip even slightly, her neck would snap.
Ignorance often gave courage.
‘…Interesting.’
Oddly enough, her chattering voice amused him.
Her unwavering gaze, as if she truly felt no fear, stirred his twisted curiosity.
How far could she endure?
Was she truly not afraid of him?
No matter what he showed her?
But what happened next was even more absurd.
Even Vasilisa was startled.
He stared blankly at the scene before him.
“Hey.”
The bold girl from moments ago—her eyes suddenly unfocused within seconds.
Then, as if drifting into sleep, she fainted.
After saying everything she wanted to say.
“Hey.”
“……”
“Hey.”
Bright red blood spread across her pale face.
More red liquid seeped into the pillow.
He was bewildered.
How could someone have that much of a nosebleed?
He hadn’t even flicked her forehead.
Why was she in that state?
“Ha, damn it. What kind of situation is this?”
What did I even do?
He felt completely cheated.
As he stared blankly, unease crept into his chest at her pale appearance. His heart thudded.
He reached out to check if she was breathing—
Just then, a cold, sharp presence touched the back of his neck.
“Stop. Unless you want that neck sliced.”
“……”
What now?
Rolling his eyes slightly, he saw a woman with a cold expression.
Perhaps in her mid-thirties.
It was hard to judge her age, but she resembled the girl before him.
Perhaps her mother.
Vasilisa’s mind worked quickly.
A noble.
A powerful Tilet user who wielded a sword.
Red hair.
That intense killing intent.
There weren’t many nobles who fit that description.
