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Chapter 5
It was well-known ‌‌that Basilian Count had fathered three sons with his deceased wife.
However, the three brothers of the Basilian household remained unknown to the outside world.
They had never revealed themselves in public.
Even before I infiltrated the Basilian estate, I had scoured the Underworld for information, but to little avail.
I had managed to uncover only their ages, names, and vague descriptions of their appearances.
The eldest was thirteen this year.
And the twin brothers beneath him were said to be eleven.
I opened my eyes wide and studied the distant boys intently.
'Each one seems ‌‌‌‌to have their own distinct personality.'
The twins didn't even seem particularly similar to each other.
Wanting a better look, I leaned my body toward the window when Kieran exhaled a low sigh.
He closed the window and seated me back ‌‌at the desk.
Then he suddenly retrieved a sword that lay in ‌one corner of the Study.
With a soft, chilling metallic ring, the blade was drawn—a sound that sent shivers through the air. ‌‌‌‌
The deep black blade was striking, as ‌‌‌if it absorbed even the sunlight itself.
I blinked, my gaze momentarily captivated by the unusual sword.
It ‌‌was because Kieran, holding the blade up to the light, seemed somehow unfamiliar.
Those were not the languid eyes like afternoon sunlight that I had ‌‌‌seen clinging to him these past days.
His crimson eyes, now gleaming with a sharp, piercing light, were unsettling.
An instinctive chill swept down my spine.
Yet the strange atmosphere vanished just as quickly.
"Chesa."
Kieran turned to me ‌with a gentle smile.
"Father will be quite busy for a while...."
He asked, his eyes narrowing into crescent moons.
"You'll be able to manage on your own without Father, won't you?" ‌‌
It was exactly what I had hoped for.
"Yes!"
I nodded eagerly in response.
That was when it happened.
Measured footsteps echoed through the corridor.
At the end of each successive step came a crisp, deliberate knock—knock, knock.
"Come in." ‌‌‌‌
The door opened at his permission.
A boy in Knight Order uniform stepped into the Study. ‌‌‌
He was completely different from Kieran, who carried a leisurely and composed air.
Sharp as a honed blade, the boy's gaze fixed directly upon me.
In ‌‌‌his crimson eyes, bright as pigeon's blood, a small figure was reflected.
His cold, sharply defined eyes narrowed slightly.
A brief silence fell.
Chesa, ‌‌who had been meeting his gaze steadily, tilted her head in confusion.
'...What?'
Wondering why he was glaring at me, I pouted my lips, but Kieran let his sword ‌‌‌hang to one side and offered a casual greeting.
"Welcome home, Belzeon Basilian."
The boy was the Count's eldest son, Belzeon Basilian.
Rather than returning his father's greeting, Belzeon reported in a clipped voice.
"You should visit the Black Forest."
His voice carried no warmth whatsoever.
Having delivered nothing but an emotionless report, Belzeon Basilian ‌‌moved to leave the Study immediately. ‌‌‌
Had Kieran not spoken, he surely would have departed without ‌another word.
"You're alike, aren't you?"
"...."
The cryptic question hooked the boy like a barb.
With his back still turned, the boy's body went rigid.
His shoulders trembled slightly, as if he had drawn in a sharp breath.
Belzeon Basilian turned around slowly, letting out a short, hollow laugh.
His sharp eyes narrowed ‌‌with menace.
Over ‌‌‌‌the boy's vacant gaze, a chilling fury began to swirl.
"If you're going to lose your mind, please do so gracefully on your ‌‌‌own."
The words cut like a blade, cold and precise as frost.
"Don't drag innocent people into it."
And ‌with that, Belzeon Basilian left the Study.

***
"Did the eldest brother's coldness startle you, Chesa?"
Coldness was putting it mildly—he'd been like an ice ‌‌sculpture.
If he'd been any colder, the Castle of Serpents would have transformed into a fortress of ice.
Yet Chesa answered with the ‌‌composure of a dignified child.
"I ‌‌wasn't startled."
"Mm, my daughter. Quite brave, aren't you?"
Kieran fastened the buttons of his hunting coat ‌‌with a loose hand, speaking in a soothing tone.
"The eldest is like that, and the other brothers ‌‌aren't exactly sane either... but ‌‌‌they're ‌not bad people. They'll all come to like you soon ‌‌‌enough."
"...."
Not exactly sane, he said.
That was certainly a reassuring thing to hear.
Chesa sat on the sofa, watching Kieran don his plate armor with wide, round eyes.
After adjusting his appearance in ‌‌‌the mirror, Kieran approached Chesa one last time. ‌‌‌
He pressed a kiss to her forehead with a soft sound.
"I'll probably return by tomorrow morning, so get ‌‌‌some rest first."
"Yes, Father. But..."
Chesa looked up at him and asked.
"Who does Chesa look like?"
I'd already heard this from Kieran twice before.
Once at the Orphanage, and once today in front of Belzeon Basilian.
I couldn't help but ask what he ‌meant.
Kieran's smile deepened as he gazed down at those large pink eyes.
"I'll tell you when I return."
His long fingers gently pinched Chesa's plump cheek before withdrawing.
"So be good and wait for Father, yes?"
"Yes."
Chesa stood by the window, watching Kieran depart.
Where the three brothers had been moments ago, Kieran now stood beside Belzeon Basilian, the eldest, conversing with the Knight Order at their backs.
Belzeon was composed.
His expressionless face resembled not a son speaking with his father, but a subordinate reporting to his superior.
The ‌fierce emotions he'd glimpsed in the Study had vanished without a trace.
Observing them, Chesa clicked her tongue softly.
'Whatever it is, this family's a complete mess.'
Then again...
It would be stranger if a dark sorcerer living in this gloomy castle and his sons were actually sane.
After conversing for some time, Kieran mounted his horse in one fluid motion.
He lifted ‌‌‌his gaze toward where Chesa stood.
Despite the distance between them, their eyes met precisely.
He must have known from the ‌‌‌‌‌start that Chesa was watching.
Kieran smiled crookedly and made a gesture of blowing a kiss with his hand.
'How childish.'
Even as I cursed inwardly, I mimicked ‌Kieran's gesture, blowing ‌‌‌a kiss with my small hand.
Kieran laughed with genuine amusement and urged his horse forward.
Then he led the Knight Order out of the castle.
I ‌‌watched the orderly procession until it disappeared completely.
Once the Knight Order vanished entirely and the servants dispersed from their farewells.
After confirming that Belzeon Basilian was gone as well.
I moved with ‌‌‌‌swift purpose.
Waiting patiently? Not a chance.
At last, I was alone.
I couldn't afford to waste this precious opportunity.
'Today is the day I thoroughly investigate ‌‌‌‌the Basilian estate!'
With solemn determination, I stretched ‌‌‌‌my hand toward the empty air.
My hand—no larger than a maple leaf even when fully extended—moved with purpose, and colorful flowers began blooming across the ordinary carpet-covered floor.
Small butterflies took flight from the freshly ‌‌‌blooming flowers.
My short hair fluttered gently in a breeze from nowhere, and my clear pink eyes sparkled like stars.
Just as ‌‌‌I was about to exert my power in earnest ‌‌‌‌within this fragment of fantasy.
"...!"
I immediately withdrew my strength.
The flowers and butterflies that ‌‌had been displayed so brilliantly ‌‌‌‌vanished in an instant.
Only the fragrance of flowers lingered faintly in the room.
I pressed my lips together firmly.
There was an intruder.
A malevolent presence—unfamiliar and hostile—was approaching, targeting me.
The Castle of Serpents, located deep within the Black Forest, was not a place one could easily find.
It seemed to be an outsider who had entered with the Knight Order ‌‌‌upon their return today.
I couldn't fathom why they were targeting me, but it was ‌‌infuriating.
'Why now of all times!'
I was about to lose the opportunity I'd barely gained.
My eyes flashed with intensity.
'Should I just feed them to the carnivorous flower?'
A faint creaking sound.
While I deliberated on punishment, the door opened cautiously.
Through the gap, I heard labored breathing.
The moment I saw who appeared.
"...Huh?"
Forgetting all thoughts of killing or sparing, I let out a genuinely startled ‌‌‌‌cry.
The cautious footsteps suddenly rushed forward.
A large ‌‌‌hand clamped over my mouth.
A ‌‌‌‌young ‌man's voice growled in a low tone.
"Make a sound, and I'll kill you."
Chesa's eyes widened as she stared at him.
And for good reason—she recognized his face.
The man trembling as he shoved a cloth gag into Chesa's mouth and bound her body tight was....
a resident of the Underworld.
And the ‌‌‌man who had spotted Chesa's face went rigid with shock.
"L-Lichesia?"

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team ‌‌and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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