Chapter 62 …
‘Who is this damn system trying to screw over?’
When I use the skill “Sacred Breeder’s Touch,” the target becomes tamed to me.
Just like Lisian did.
‘You want me to tame Raul the way I did Lisian? Don’t say something so horrifying.’
I irritably waved my hand and forcefully dismissed the status window.
With my face twisted in irritation, I glanced around—
The knights of Winterberg were stealing confused looks at me.
I shot them a cursory glare and walked over to Dante and Lisian.
I was about to say we should head back when Lisian suddenly grabbed my hand.
“…!”
I was startled for a moment.
Then, feeling the damp touch brushing my palm, I quickly understood the situation.
‘He’s trying to clean my hand.’
Lisian scrubbed my hand vigorously with a towel soaked in clean water.
“……”
As if Raul’s blood were filthy grime, he wiped it away completely, then flung the bloodstained towel toward the knights.
He placed my now-clean hand on his palm and quietly examined it.
“Good… It’s clean now.”
Lisian smiled softly and naturally tugged my hand.
“Let’s go back.”
“Okay.”
The knights of Winterberg only glanced at me; not a single one offered thanks.
I hadn’t expected any, so I left without a shred of regret.
* * *
46 hours later, Winterberg Ducal Castle.
The man who had long been unconscious finally awoke from his deep sleep.
The moment sensation returned, he felt excruciating pain in his abdomen and waist.
“Ugh…!”
As he groaned and lowered his gaze, he saw a vivid scar across his lower abdomen above the pelvis.
It was large and gruesome—enough to show how deep the wound had been.
“Ha…”
Letting out a weak sigh, he lay his half-raised upper body back down.
“My lord! You’re conscious?”
The attending physician hurried over, carefully examined his condition, and reported with a grave expression.
“Your abdominal aorta was damaged. It has fully healed now. Fortunately, there is little internal organ damage, and there are no signs of severe sepsis. However, you must rest for the time being, and the pain may persist for about two weeks.”
After moistening his throat with a few sips of water, Raul asked in a hoarse, rough voice,
“How did I survive? The bleeding was severe… And it wasn’t a situation where I could be treated immediately.”
During the dungeon raid, several knights had been gravely injured by an unexpected trap, and Raul had exhausted all of the healer’s divine power and potions to save them.
Because he had believed that he and his elites would remain unharmed.
However, while hastily retreating to exit the dungeon, another irregular pattern appeared.
Along the straight garden path, a massive thorn vine sprouted—and mutated into a plant-type monster.
The vine was extremely savage and tenacious, with terrifying regeneration.
No matter how many times they cut it, it regrew instantly, giving them no time to breathe.
But they had to break through it to escape the dungeon, so Raul took the lead and fought personally.
After reaching the end of the path, he sent his subordinates out first and held off the monster’s attacks until the very last moment.
Once he confirmed the final subordinate had escaped safely, he moved to withdraw as well—
Whoosh!
One of the monster’s tentacles, which had been lying flat on the ground waiting for an opening, lashed out with sharp thorns and tore into his abdomen.
‘Ghk…!’
He managed to clamp down on the wound immediately, barely preventing his organs from spilling out—but the moment he exited the dungeon, Raul lost consciousness.
And when he opened his eyes, he was in his bedroom at Winterberg Ducal Castle.
“Th-that is…”
For some reason, the physician hesitated instead of answering right away.
The maid standing beside him also wavered, watching nervously.
Raul faintly furrowed his brow.
He couldn’t understand this reaction.
“Was there a healer near the dungeon? Or perhaps an adventurer with a top-grade potion.”
“Th-that… whew.”
The physician let out a heavy sigh, as if deeply troubled, then pressed a hand to his forehead before speaking.
“Please try not to be too surprised, my lord. It seems there happened to be someone there with a top-grade potion. But that person…”
After wetting his dry lips with his tongue, the physician continued, looking utterly disbelieving.
“It was Muriel Terni… that woman.”
30 minutes later.
After the physician left to prepare medicine, the maid stood pressed against the wall like a shadow.
And Raul, still in shock, stared blankly at the ceiling.
‘Muriel… saved me?’
…Unbelievable.
It made no sense whatsoever.
‘That woman should be barely clinging to life in a hut in the contaminated zone—how?’
Apparently, there had been two other people beside Muriel.
As if escorting her.
Even harder to believe was the fact that one of them was the master of the Veratis Guild.
‘This is ridiculous. Why would the Veratis guild master help that woman? For what reason?’
Muriel Terni herself had no particular value.
She wasn’t especially intelligent, didn’t possess outstanding abilities, nor was she a beauty capable of captivating the entire world.
So if there was value to be used…
‘Not Muriel—but her family.’
…Could it be that the Veratis Guild had joined hands with House Terni?
That guild was known for rarely cooperating with any faction…
‘Did Duke Terni promise them a substantial reward?’
Raul let out a hollow, humorless laugh and dragged a hand down his face.
“How absurd…”
Dante Veratis… he had thought the man was greedy for money, but still someone who knew where to draw the line.
‘Of all families to cooperate with—the Terni house?’
It was ridiculous, but there was nothing left to be disappointed about.
Most humans were inherently immoral anyway.
His deep-rooted misanthropy and distrust sprouted like poisonous weeds in his heart.
Terni, who aimed to claim the first conquest of the dungeon in his territory, and the money-obsessed adventurers—he was sick of them all.
‘Filthy lot.’
A sudden spark flashed in his pale blue eyes as he glared at the ceiling.
Letting out a chilling laugh, he soon forced himself upright despite the pain.
When he tried to change into outdoor clothes, the flustered maid rushed forward to stop him.
“My lord, the physician said you must rest for a while—”
“Move. I need to go to the contaminated zone immediately.”
“B-but…!”
Just as the maid stood there helpless before the now-unyielding Raul—
Click—
The door suddenly opened and someone walked in.
Very few people could enter the duke’s room without knocking.
Raul realized who the uninvited guest was without even looking.
“Raul, you’re awake.”
As expected, Sienna’s voice rang out.
Her pink hair rippled softly as she walked forward.
Her clear, watery eyes were filled with concern as she looked at Raul.
“I was really worried when you didn’t regain consciousness for so long… I’m so relieved you woke up.”
“……”
Raul stared at her silently, then sighed and rubbed his face.
“Sienna, I told you to return to Castello.”
“…Are you going to keep doing this? Raul, that hurts my feelings.”
“……”
“You know why I’m staying in Winterberg instead of going back to my dear hometown… Raul, who else in this world understands you better than I do? You need me by your side. It’s always been that way since we were young, hasn’t it?”
Sienna always spoke like this. On the surface it sounded gentle, but there was a subtle intent to control the other person.
Raul felt uncomfortable with her, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak harshly.
She had helped him greatly during the hardest period of his life.
As always, the answer was predetermined. Raul spoke in a resigned tone.
“…Alright. I’m sorry, Sienna.”
Sienna, as usual, responded with a bright smile.
“Okay, thanks for understanding. But where were you about to go?”
Her expression as she looked at Raul softened as if indulging a hopeless child.
“You were going to the contaminated zone, weren’t you? To confirm whether the one who saved you was Muriel.”
