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Chapter 7
For ages, sinister rumors had circulated through the Black Forest of the East.
Tales spoke of beings dwelling within the forest that defied divine providence.
Some claimed to have witnessed grotesque monsters of horrifying form within the Black Forest.
Yet because so ‌few ventured into the Black Forest, these scattered accounts were dismissed ‌‌‌as mere folklore.
Only an elite few knew the truth—that genuine monsters truly inhabited the Black Forest.
Creatures resembling beasts.
Creatures resembling humans.
And creatures resembling the nearly extinct ‌‌‌‌phantom races.
The Hilderd Holy Empire called such monsters "Demonic Beasts."
And managing these Demonic Beasts was an ancient duty of House of ‌‌Basilian.
"Gack, hack, gwuaack...!"
"Kieaack!"
The Demonic Beast was a ‌‌‌revolting sight.
Its skeletal structure vaguely ‌‌‌‌resembled that of a human or animal, yet its flesh hung loose, ‌‌clinging barely to ‌bone.
It was so grotesque that anyone with a weak stomach would retch upon seeing it.
Yet Kieran swung his blade without hesitation.
As the pitch-black sword sliced through, ‌‌the Demonic Beast was cleanly bisected.
Dark crimson blood sprayed belatedly from the smooth cross-section.
Kieran stepped back lightly to evade the spray, his eyes narrowing.
His crimson eyes flickered with a dangerous light.
"...."
Kieran ‌‌paused, steadying his breathing.
It was not from exertion or ‌‌‌‌fatigue.
A sweet voice echoed within ‌‌‌‌his mind.
"Kieran."
A voice beautiful and futile as a midsummer dream whispered words that drove him to madness.
"Kieran, I love you."
It was a dangerous sign.
He could not shed more blood ‌‌‌here.
Rational judgment dictated he must stop now.
Yet simultaneously, Kieran felt an impulse surge through him.
The urge to hear that voice again.
Even if I shatter and break....
He ‌‌‌ran his tongue across his parched lips.
His grip on the blade tightened, blue veins bulging across the back of his hand.
A smile both chilling and captivating bloomed at the corners of his mouth.
He was about to swing the blade once more.
Chirp!
The cry of a bird pierced the ‌‌air.
Kieran looked up at the sky.
A massive hawk circled through ‌‌‌the azure expanse above.
When the knight following behind him whistled sharply, the hawk immediately beat its wings and drew closer.
I could see a crimson cloth tied to the bird's leg.
The image of the small child left behind at the castle surfaced in my mind.
As I recalled those delicate pink eyes, like flower petals, gazing intently at me, ‌‌‌‌my hazy consciousness sharpened considerably.
I nearly lost myself to madness again.
Kieran scoffed at himself, shook the blood from his blade, and issued an order.
"We rest here for a moment."
At Kieran's command, the Knight Order drove back only the monsters they were engaged with and withdrew their weapons.
After handing his sword to a servant, Kieran immediately sought out the knight who managed the messenger hawks.
The knight reading the letter received by hawk startled and straightened his posture.
"There has been trouble at the castle."
"Trouble?"
Kieran asked with a faint smile.
The knight tensed further.
He swallowed hard, beads of cold sweat rolling ‌‌‌‌down his ‌‌‌face.
"There was an attempt to abduct Miss Chesa. Fortunately, it seems Young Master Ishuel found ‌her immediately."
Kieran raised one eyebrow.
"Unexpected. I thought Karha would have found her."
"Young Master Karha appears to have been ‌‌dining at the time."
"Ah, I see."
"The abductors have been confined to the Underground Dungeon, and Young ‌‌Master Karha plans to interrogate them personally."
Kieran nodded lightly and extended his hand.
The somewhat flustered knight belatedly understood what was wanted and handed over the letter from the hawk messenger. ‌‌‌
Kieran ‌‌‌chuckled softly and read through the message.
Since it was being sent by hawk messenger, it was naturally only a brief ‌‌summary.
He had already heard the full report from the knight, yet he deliberately confirmed it anyway.
He simply wanted to.
By the time he finished reading the letter, surrounded by those astonished at his uncharacteristic behavior, the fog ‌‌‌‌‌that had clouded his mind had cleared considerably.
Kieran tossed the letter to the ground.
The shadow beneath his feet swallowed it whole.
"We return to the castle."
At Kieran's command, the Knight Commander immediately stepped forward to dissuade him.
"But we have not yet reduced the number of monsters."
"A day's delay is acceptable. We'll return tomorrow. For now..."
Kieran's eyes drooped wearily.
He spoke with a sorrowful ‌‌expression.
"My youngest daughter left at home troubles me so that I ‌‌‌cannot focus ‌‌on anything else."

***
Scratch, scratch.
The quill glided smoothly across the parchment.
Elegant cursive script bloomed from the pen's tip.
I watched Belzeon process documents with fascinated eyes.
'He seems to work harder than Kieran?'
He genuinely looked more like a count than Kieran did.
"Brother."
A ‌‌thin, delicate voice called out to Belzeon.
Ishuell, who had been cradling me in his arms, approached ‌the desk.
Then he set me down on the desk with a gentle tap.
"I want to have this one."
Belzeon, who had been staring at ‌‌documents until now, finally ‌‌‌turned his gaze.
Ishuell broke into a grin.
I thought Belzeon had cursed me with his eyes.
Belzeon inserted the quill back into its holder.
"You've done something ‌‌‌pointless."
Ishuell paid no mind to the cold rebuke.
"It would be nice if our house had something this pretty and cute too. Look. ‌‌‌It's as pretty as me, isn't it, brother?"
"...."
"This one has no fear. It suits House of Basilian perfectly." ‌‌
Ishuell grasped my hands, one on each side, ‌‌‌and moved them back and forth.
As he pulled, ‌I flailed about and let out a displeased sound.
Then Ishuell giggled.
"You don't like it?"
"I don't like it."
The moment I answered ‌‌‌‌‌curtly, a finger poked my cheek.
It was a ‌‌‌‌mischievous touch, like poking at soft bread.
I furrowed my brow and made an angry expression.
'Do you have a death wish!'
But it lacked any real menace.
Ishuell laughed as if I were adorable and spoke.
"So you can talk. I thought your tongue had been cut off."
"...My tongue is here."
"Really? Stick it out for me."
I couldn't fathom why ‌he was being so irritating.
Still, since he had saved me, I stuck out my small tongue to show him.
I made a playful face, and Ishuell chuckled again.
I narrowed my eyes.
Though ‌‌‌he carried himself loosely, ‌‌‌‌‌‌Ishuell possessed considerable strength.
I couldn't see properly while buried in flowers, but....
Morgan and the One-Eyed Man were completely subdued without a sound by an eleven-year-old boy.
Chesa examined Ishuell with a scrutinizing gaze.
Then Ishuell brazenly thrust his face closer, as if to ‌show her more.
"Ugh."
Chesa recoiled in disgust, pulling her body back.
Belzeon, who had been watching the two of them, let out a hollow laugh and spoke.
"Are you planning to participate in the Count's repulsive antics ‌‌as well?" ‌‌‌
"Well... I'm not entirely sure about that yet."
Ishuell, embracing the ‌‌‌‌fleeing Chesa once more, shrugged his shoulders.
"I simply like her. Enough to take her as a younger sister."
"Ishuell."
"Yes, brother."
"You're not saying this without understanding that this isn't merely a matter of taking in a foster daughter."
"I understand."
The two boys' gazes collided.
They stared at each other without yielding, and then Ishuell smiled softly.
"But it seems like it will be fun."
Perhaps Belzeon thought there was no point in continuing the conversation.
Having abandoned the discussion, Belzeon simply shifted his gaze to regard Chesa.
"You there."
At his cold summons, Chesa flinched as if startled. ‌‌
"Leave the Castle. I will help you."
'What is he talking about? I haven't even conducted a proper investigation yet.'
I absolutely could not be driven out like this. ‌‌‌‌
Chesa earnestly expressed her intention.
"I ‌‌like it here."
At Chesa's ‌‌‌response, Belzeon blinked.
He asked again, visibly perplexed.
"Why on earth...?"
"Father likes it."
As she stated her intention clearly and deliberately, Belzeon sprang to his feet and pressed his hands against the desk.
Then he leaned his body forward sharply. ‌‌‌
Crimson eyes ‌‌‌peered directly into Chesa's from mere inches away.
With breath close enough to touch, Belzeon scrutinized her meticulously and murmured.
"...It doesn't seem like she's been subjected to mental manipulation."
Praised Kieran, and now suspected of mental manipulation—what irony.
It was a moment that revealed Kieran's usual reputation.
Belzeon settled back ‌into his chair and wiped his face with his hand.
He furrowed his sharp, straight eyes and murmured.
"Count Basilian, you say? As if I understand what he's truly scheming...."
That's precisely why I've come all this way to uncover it.
Chesa gazed at Belzeon with eyes that screamed innocence—I know nothing.
At her guileless expression, ‌‌Belzeon's pupils trembled briefly.
He examined her diminutive frame anew, small enough that her very ability to walk seemed remarkable, before turning his gaze toward Ishuel.
"What exactly do you intend to do?"
"What do you mean, brother?"
"I'm asking whether you'll aid the Count."
Belzeon's eyes sharpened to the edge of a blade.
"This vile endeavor to resurrect ‌‌‌‌the dead."

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