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Chapter 79
“…!”
Dante reflexively took a step back but managed to stop himself just in time.
Red mana flowed from the hand that touched his neck, enveloping him completely.
‘He’s trying to gauge how much mana I have.’
At the same time, it was a simple test of how wary Dante was of the duke.
Infusing mana through a vital point was not something to allow casually—it could cost someone their life in an instant.
‘A sudden test like this… he really has no mercy…’
Dante had come to Duke Cervantes out of necessity for survival, but he still preferred a master who was easier to appease.
As Dante swallowed his tears inwardly, the duke’s hand withdrew from his neck.
“You possess remarkable talent and ability. It’s unfortunate that you wasted your time under idiots like the Cescent de Bahar, but perhaps it’s fortunate that you’ve come to me at last.”
“It’s an honor, Your Excellency.”
Dante calmly stepped back and bowed his head.
In his tense mind, he recalled the advice of the man who had brought him here.
“Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘kill the hunting dog after the hunt’?”
On the shabby ship heading toward a small port in the Belgesty Empire, the man spoke to Dante.
“It means that once the hunt is over, the hunting dogs are boiled and eaten.”
“…”
“It means that someone is used as long as they are useful, and once their usefulness ends, they are mercilessly discarded.”
For Dante, who had been feeling relieved to be moving away from Elberk, this was a sobering reminder.
“The talented are like awls, naturally revealing their presence.”
“…”
“An awl that is useful for piercing an enemy will return to its owner’s pocket once the enemy is gone. But every time the owner reaches in, the awl will inadvertently prick their hand.”
“…”
“Now, imagine an awl that has served its purpose and continues to prick you. If you were the owner, what would you do?”
Though the man spoke calmly, Dante’s heart chilled more with each word.
He was right. Even Dante, after completing a grand achievement, would likely eliminate anyone who could threaten him immediately afterward.
Of course, even if that person had no ill intent, there was no guarantee their loyalty would remain forever.
History was full of examples of subordinates betraying their leaders after great accomplishments.
“…Why are you telling me this?”
Dante kept the man’s words in mind but remained wary of his intentions.
The man, whose name Dante didn’t even know, was acting on behalf of Marquis Hasseluna, bringing Dante to Belgesty.
Yet he gave such a potentially troublesome warning?
The man replied calmly:
“I am employed by the Marquis. My task has been to rescue people in your situation and bring them to Belgesty. In the end, they were all abandoned and died.”
“…”
“This time, I only hope that the person I save will survive without being discarded.”
Recalling those words, Dante slowly clenched his fist.
‘This place isn’t safe either.’
Unlike Elberk, which seemed hopeless, this place at least offered a chance.
Yes, talented people were often discarded after a grand achievement, but only when there were enough people around.
If there were no one around, there would be no one to abandon you.
‘First, I need to create my position here.’
He also needed to determine a safe place to establish that position.
As Dante’s mind raced, a chilling voice pierced his ears again:
“Now that you’ve arrived, I can finally curse the reincarnation of the fallen emperor.”
Dante regained his composure.
“By the way, I still haven’t heard… who is the reincarnation of the fallen emperor?”
“…”
“Who is it?”
The duke’s cold golden eyes stared directly at Dante.
Dante gathered himself and slowly lifted his head.
“It’s the sorcerer Harnen.”
“Harnen? …I see. A few years ago, at the Atlanta Academy, two commoners tied as the youngest co-valedictorians.”
The duke’s red lips slowly curled into a smile.
“I never paid attention to the water spirit user, but could it be that he is the reincarnation of our Bellarisian emperor?”
The duke’s red mana surged violently with murderous intent.
Even Dante, who had experienced one regression, flinched at the sheer intensity.
“Harnen, the sorcerer… he is the chief sorcerer of Grand Duke Serenia, whom you warned me about. A close friend of the spirit user as well.”
The duke tapped his fingertips on the armrest, muttering sharply.
“If the spirit user despises His Majesty of Bellaris, I should use that to my advantage.”
“…I’m afraid that will be impossible.”
“Hm?”
The duke’s gaze shifted to Dante.
Dante hid his trembling hands behind him and spoke.
“Do you know why the spirit user destroyed the Grand Duke of Bahar’s estate?”
“…No.”
The duke’s golden eyes narrowed.
Dante continued, bowing his head:
“Because he was caught trying to curse the former Bellarisian emperor.”
“…Hahaha. To think someone blessed by the King of Water would support the fallen emperor.”
The duke twisted his mouth in a cold laugh.
The red mana, attuned to the duke’s emotions, surged explosively.
“The biggest obstacle to the curse will be the spirit user. He won’t let his close friend be harmed.”
Spirit users, especially those contracted with the Spirit King, wield tremendous power.
Historical records even show a single spirit user contracted with a Spirit King conquering the entire continent.
Moreover, the Bahar Duke’s estate collapsed overnight due to a spirit user’s wrath not long ago.
It was impossible not to be cautious.
“…There is a way.”
The duke’s tapping hand froze suddenly.
Dante raised his head in curiosity.
“A way… you say?”
“Yes, a way.”
The violently surging red mana gradually subsided.
A spirit prioritizes its contractee’s safety and commands; the farther a spirit is from its contractee, the exponentially more affinity it requires.
Since a spirit user’s natural affinity is limited, a spirit separated from its user can only use limited abilities.
In other words, it’s impossible to have a spirit protect someone far away.
The duke tilted his head lazily and murmured:
“It seems the emperor has a task to perform.”
Though it was daytime, the room drawn with blackout curtains was as dark as night.
Harnen sat on a couch in the living room, swirling a glass of red wine.
Documents about emotions and curses were scattered beside him.
“Curse…”
He murmured absentmindedly and chuckled softly.
Emotions served as a medium connecting the past body and present soul; curses also proceeded via this ‘emotion.’
And initially, this connection wasn’t strong.
A vast wall of death existed between past and present.
Naturally, curses proceeding through such weak connections weren’t very powerful.
They could be countered if one managed their emotions properly.
Even if the caster possessed immense mana.
The statement that he couldn’t fully block it was more of a displeased sneer than a fact.
‘I can easily block that.’
He had long since been hardened against emotional disturbances due to past betrayals.
After a close friend had betrayed him at the end of his previous life, Harnen could no longer feel such disturbances in anything.
If not for someone suddenly barging in, he would have thought so without a shred of doubt.
“Harnen―!”
Suddenly, the window flew open, and a strong wind blew in, bringing a figure along.
Behind her, a large bird dissolved into light.
Through her wind-tossed bronze hair, her silver-white eyes met his.
Harnen murmured her name, stunned:
“Einra…?”
“Harnen!”
Einra shouted and ran toward him.
“Harnen, are you okay? You’re not hurt, dizzy, or nauseous, are you?”
“Einra, wait a moment…”
“You don’t have a fever, right? Nothing coming out, no cough or runny nose, no chills or anything?”
Her white hand gently pressed against Harnen’s forehead.
Blinking in confusion, Harnen soon smiled softly and removed her hand.
“I’m fine. Nothing like that.”
Reassured by his gentle reply, Einra sank to the ground, tension released.
“But, but because of me…”
She muttered tearfully, stumbling over her words.
“I thought I could capture Dante, so I couldn’t tell you about the curse. I should have told you earlier… I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Einra.”
Harnen interrupted gently.
Einra, mouth closed, looked up at him cautiously.
Meeting her silver-white eyes brimming with tears, Harnen paused, taking a deep breath.
‘…Ah, perhaps.’
He thought blankly: if he were to fall under a curse, it would likely be because of her.
“Harnen?”
She called him, noticing his momentary daze.
Snapping back, Harnen instinctively smiled and gently stroked her bronze hair.
“Don’t worry, Einra. I’ll make sure you have nothing to fear.”
He spoke tenderly to the only person capable of cursing him.
