Chapter 47
Marquis Rasven, who had been pressed flat to the floor as if by a press, lifted his head slightly at the response and continued speaking.
“Yes, that woman. They say she uses very strange powers. Do you know what she did after the Grand Duke went to the village? Not only did she somehow smash my son’s face to pieces, she even turned him into a cockroach!”
“So?”
Rasven Marquis, spitting as he recounted her every move in detail, made Lucian’s eyes narrow sharply.
“No, what do you mean ‘so’? Someone who uses such vile powers… I swear on Gestaf, that woman must be a demon! Ah, I should have killed her on the spot, but these fools were intimidated by her aura… tsk.”
Looking at the assassins lying side by side on the floor, Rasven Marquis clicked his tongue in frustration.
No wonder there was a suspicious presence near the bushes earlier in the day—it had been one of Rasven’s subordinates.
‘Good thing I gave the necklace to Zoe,’ Lucian thought, touching the necklace around his own neck.
It was the same necklace with a pair of butterflies that he had given to Zoe.
However, while Zoe’s necklace had a blue gem on the left butterfly and a purple gem on the right, his necklace was the opposite.
Though the two necklaces looked similar, their abilities differed slightly.
His own only slightly restored stamina, but the one Zoe wore could transfer fatal damage to another wearer and simultaneously summon the wearer.
It was one of only two artifacts specially created by the Grand Duke of Penlister from the Mage Tower when Lucian was kidnapped as a child.
After the kidnapping that shook his entire life, Lucian, who had focused solely on training, opened his aura at the age of eleven, the youngest ever.
‘Ha, you’ve gotten pretty good at controlling your aura, Lucian.’
One day, after enduring the so-called “hellish training” of the Grand Duke, the Duke handed him the necklace.
“Here, take this. Now that you have the strength to protect yourself, give this to the person who becomes the most important to you someday.”
“An important person… you mean?”
“Yes. Just as Leti is the most precious thing in the world to me.”
The Grand Duke of Penlister, famous for being devoted to his wife, would completely disarm himself whenever Leticia Penlister, his other half, was mentioned.
Lucian took the necklace, thinking he would never give it to anyone. It was a vow—he would never let himself care about something precious again.
But she had easily broken that vow.
Thinking of her, who matched perfectly with the butterflies symbolizing freedom, Lucian’s lips curved into a smile.
That was why he had given her the artifact—because he had finally found someone he wanted to protect with his life.
So, any impurities threatening her safety had to be eliminated.
Oblivious to the increasing killing intent in his expression, Marquis Rasven began to insist on his opinion.
“Right now, the Imperial Knights are searching for the Grand Duke, aren’t they? If you capture that woman and hand her over, the Imperial Court will clear up the misunderstanding and recognize the Grand Duke’s merits!”
“Ah… So you’ve heard that ridiculous rumor too, Marquis. Do I look like someone who made a contract with demons?”
“N-no, of course not! There’s no way the Grand Duke would ever make a pact with such filthy demons, hahaha. So I… I’ll personally capture that woman and hand her over! But before that, perhaps… just a little lesson for that… hehe.”
At that moment, Lucian’s blade, radiating blue aura, neatly severed Marquis Rasven’s neck, and his head rolled across the office floor.
“Bloodline or not, they’re just like bugs.”
Lucian’s violet eyes glowed more vividly than ever.
Observing his flawless swordsmanship, Ivan, deputy commander of the 1st Chevalier Division, looked on with admiration.
“As expected, Master. How shall we dispose of the body?”
“Handle it however you see fit. Ah, you could throw it to the beasts, that would work too.”
“Yes, that’ll leave no bones, perfect.”
Ivan kicked Rasven’s head to gather the body as if clearing out a package.
“By the way… Master, when do you plan to return to the Grand Duke’s residence?”
“I’ll return soon. Why, what’s the matter?”
“Well… the Grand Duke’s household is in chaos right now.”
“What?”
Ivan, with his tomato-red hair, reported the current state of the Grand Duke’s residence with an embarrassed expression.
“Master went to the capital for the Crown Prince’s appointment ceremony, went missing amid rumors of a demon contract, and the Imperial Court even sent documents blaming the Grand Duke’s household… it was complete chaos.”
“Ha… The work of the Emperor’s faction nobles, no doubt. Then what about Mother and Father?”
“Oh, don’t even ask. The Grand Duke openly declared he would oppose the Imperial Court, and is now leading the knights in preparation to attack the court. The Grand Duchess even collapsed worrying about the missing Master.”
While Lucian had been away, the Grand Duke’s residence had truly fallen into chaos.
‘So this is the “ruby-like” situation Zoe mentioned… quite Gerald-esque.’
Since the Crown Prince and a few maids had witnessed the Master’s transformation into a beast in real-time, the Emperor’s faction nobles would certainly use it to exploit the Penlister household’s weaknesses.
“What were you and the Captain doing? You must know his bulldozer-like temper.”
“I know all too well. Do you think he’d listen if I tried to stop him? Even the Captain joined in making the kids train rigorously. They even summoned me back from the garrison to the residence.”
Ivan’s voice, full of resentment, echoed through Rasven’s office.
“If everyone is called back to the Grand Duke’s house, who will guard against the beasts?!”
“This is going to be troublesome.”
“Where have you been that you only appear now? I came to the village to procure food, and then suddenly Master appeared… my heart is still pounding.”
Ignoring Ivan’s pleading eyes as he placed a hand over his chest, Lucian sank into thought.
He had to return to the mansion and set everything right before his father, if he acted rashly, actually attacked the Imperial Court.
“Wait for me at the village entrance at dawn. We’ll return to the mansion together… ugh.”
At that moment, a sharp pain surged in his chest.
This was undoubtedly a precursor to transforming into a beast.
“M-Master… what’s happening?!”
“Damn it… ugh… Ivan, what time is it now?”
“Does it matter? It’s close to midnight, but no one would refuse the Master. Should I summon Ascelon immediately?!”
“Ugh… damn it, I’ll lose it. Ivan, return to the mansion and tell Father… I’m fine, and the Imperial Court must not be attacked.”
“What? Where are you going all of a sudden, Master? Master!!”
Despite Ivan’s frantic cries, Lucian hurried out of Rasven Marquis’ mansion.
If he transformed into a beast now, this small peaceful village where she stayed would be utterly destroyed by his hands.
He had to go to the forest—the demon forest—before losing control.
As he fled toward the forest, his body was enveloped in a massive dark-red magic, and his chest felt as if it was being torn apart.
“Ugh… no… I’m not far enough from the village yet…”
“Temptation!”
At that moment, Ruby, spreading her wings, flew across the sky, and above her, someone now far from welcome peeked their head out.
“Zoe…”
