TLWD 59

Chapter : 59. I Object to This Marriage! (2)

Altheron slowly walked up until he stood directly in front of Kai.

He curved his lips into a smile dripping with malice.

“Didn’t you say that an elixir from our house could heal your master?”

Elixir.
The crowning jewel of alchemy—renowned as a miraculous draught, capable of granting extraordinary effects, pushing the limits of body and mind.

More than that, some types had the power to instantly heal fatal wounds or diseases.
That’s why elixirs were widely hailed as the legendary “panacea.”

But—

“It hasn’t been confirmed whether it can heal Lady Seraphia.”

Even an elixir couldn’t guarantee her recovery. There were too many different types, each with varying effects and potency.

“So, what? Are you planning to just sit there and watch your master die?”

Altheron sneered.

“I am her husba—”

Chaaang!

A sharp metallic ring sliced the air.
Kai’s blade, drawn in a blink, was pressed against Altheron’s throat.

“Speak that word once more, and I won’t stand idly by.”

Kai’s voice trembled with killing intent.
Yet Altheron did not flinch.

“What’s wrong with calling my wife my wife?”

“I warned you—”

“Seraphia has already accepted the marriage proposal.”

Kai’s fierce, gleaming eyes widened.

“What… what did you just say?”

“Exactly that. At the last proposal, Seraphia already agreed to the match.”

Kai’s gaze darted to Bernard.
But Bernard’s bewildered expression made it clear this was news to him as well.

Which meant—Altheron was lying.

“Don’t try to trick us wi—”

“Here. The marriage contract.”

Altheron pulled a neatly folded document from his robes.

“Marriage contract…?”

“Read it.”

Kai snatched it reflexively and scanned its contents.

“T-This…!”

The contract did, in fact, state a marriage agreement between Seraphia and Altheron.

He wanted to believe it was a forgery.
But stamped at the bottom was Seraphia’s unmistakable seal.

“As you can see, Seraphia is my fiancée.”

Altheron snatched the contract back.

“So act like a knight and know your place. Don’t overstep and mouth off to your master.”

He lightly brushed Kai’s sword aside and tapped his chest with a finger, mocking.

“You’ll soon be my knight anyway. Even a dumb dog should know its rightful master.”

His eyes glistened with greed, his twisted smile brimming with ridicule.

But Kai could do nothing.
He clenched his fists so tight they nearly cracked.

…The powerlessness was unbearable.
Despair and rage at himself boiled within.

And then—

“What the hell is this nonsense?”

A voice cut into Kai’s ears.

* * *

Outside Seraphia’s chamber, people gathered.

Kai clenched his fists in seething frustration. Bernard’s face looked as if the world had ended.

And one arrogant stranger smirked smugly.

“What the hell is this nonsense?”

I asked as I strolled closer.

The thug-like man was first to respond.
“And who the hell are you?”

“I was about to ask you that. You’re not from this county. Who are you?”

“You—! Do you know who I am—”

“Would I be asking if I knew?”

The man ground his teeth and declared:

“I am Altheron de Veneron, eldest son of House Veneron!”

“…So it’s you.”

The pest who had kept showing up, pretending to be Ian and confusing Seraphia.
The very root of this mess.

“You’re the one trying to marry Seraphia?”

“How dare you call me ‘you’? To a noble? Who the hell are—”

“Her brother.”

In other words, your brother-in-law.
And more importantly, the heir of a count’s house—higher in rank than you.

“…What?”

Altheron froze, eyes wide.
Our appearances were nothing alike, so he couldn’t believe it.

Well, of course. Seraphia and I weren’t blood-related. We were step-siblings.
But step-siblings were still siblings.

“So I’ll say this up front: I oppose this marriage.”

As family, I had every right to give my opinion.
Especially now that Father had passed away.

Of course, that didn’t mean I intended to play the role of her brother.
I didn’t care who she married.

But—

“The Awakening of the Frost Monarch” must never happen.

That alone, I could not allow.
Even if Seraphia truly loved Altheron, I would never permit this marriage.

At the word “brother,” Altheron faltered. His bluster weakened a little.

But his insolence remained.
“Even if you oppose, Seraphia already signed the contract.”

“Contract?”

He thrust the square paper at me.

A typical agreement: in exchange for marriage, certain compensations.

I skimmed it—

Riiip!

—and tore it to shreds.

“W-What are you doing!”

“Don’t make me laugh.”

“…What did you say?”

“You think I’d fall for this forged contract?”

The seal was real, yes.
The same one Seraphia had once given me on her memorandum.

But if she had truly agreed, the quest would have triggered immediately.
It hadn’t.

Which meant the seal was stolen and stamped without her consent.

“You stole her seal and stamped it yourself, didn’t you?”

Altheron trembled violently—hit dead on.

Kai’s eyes blazed with fury.
The kind that would make him strike down Altheron on the spot.

But killing the son of a viscount here would be disastrous.
Noble murder was a grave crime, possibly sparking war between our houses.

That was the only reason Kai restrained himself—barely.

Sensing the danger, Altheron blurted desperately:

“But the elixir is real!”

“…Elixir?”

“Yes! I truly have an elixir that can heal Seraphia!”

So that was why Kai hadn’t cut him down yet.

But I only scoffed.
“No need. I already have what’s required to heal her.”

“What…?”

Kai’s eyes went wide.
“Is that true!?”

“Why do you think I went to Frece?”

—I guess I hadn’t told him.

“In time, a cure will be ready.”

Kai’s eyes trembled. His gaze suddenly turned strange… unsettling.
That bastard—he might do something reckless.

I quickly barked at Altheron:
“Get out of my sight. Now.”

The last thing I needed was him getting himself killed here and making a mess.

But Altheron wouldn’t back down.
“You really think you can heal her? Do you even understand her condition?”

“And you act like you do.”

“Of course I—!”

He shut his mouth abruptly, glaring at me instead.

“Don’t come crying to me later.”

He spun on his heel and stormed away.

◆ Sub-Quest [I Object to This Marriage!] Cleared!

◆ You gained 486,440 EXP!
◆ Level up!
◆ Level up!
◆ Level up!

Not bad.
It wasn’t as much as the 950,000 EXP from the sudden werewolf quest, but plenty for the difficulty.

And then—

◆ How dare that thug covet my little sister?!
◆ Over my dead body!
◆ Kai’s affection for you has greatly increased due to your brotherly actions!

…Not exactly the reward I wanted.

◆ Kai’s affection status has changed to [Friendly]!
[Conflict] → [Friendly].
Meaning he would now act supportive, willing to help me in fights or crises.

Still, that wasn’t the real issue.

It was Altheron.
Something about him had been wrong from the start.

He didn’t recognize me, though he should have.
He somehow had Seraphia’s seal.
He seemed to know more about her condition than he should.

And most suspiciously—the moment he left, the quest cleared.

Which meant he was the trigger all along.
The quest whose failure penalty was none other than “Awakening of the Frost Monarch.”

Just who… what was he?

I activated Predator’s Instinct [S] and gazed at his retreating back.

==<Entity Information>==

• Name: Altheron de Veneron

• Classification: Artificial Lifeform, Chimeric Beast, Homunculus

• Sex: Male

• Age: 1 year

• Trait: Replication-type Homunculus

Kai was in turmoil.

Watching Altheron depart in rage, he realized once again—Adrian had protected Seraphia.
Adrian had made the impossible possible.

But gratitude clashed with resentment.

He could never erase the old wound from Adrian.
Yet without him, Seraphia would not be safe now.

Conflicting emotions tore at Kai’s heart.

And then—

“Wait.”

Adrian called out to the departing Altheron.

He halted.

“…Changed your mind already?”
His tone was mocking.

But Adrian said nothing, only stared. His crimson eyes glinted.

Finally, he spoke.
“What did you say your name was?”

“What? Why suddenly ask—”

“I asked your name.”

The killing intent behind his gaze made Altheron gulp audibly.

“I-I told you. I am Altheron de Veneron!”

“Altheron de Veneron…” Adrian repeated softly.
Then, staring into the void, he murmured:

“…Are you sure?”

“What are you—”

“Not… Avarus?”

Altheron’s eyes went wide in shock.

“H-How do you know that name…?”

His face twisted in disbelief.

And Adrian—

“Avarus.”

The name slithered from his lips, chilling the air.

In that instant, Adrian’s entire aura changed.

Kai shivered violently.

It was the same as back then—
That time, when Adrian’s scarlet eyes glowed amidst the freezing cold…
When he laughed madly as he devoured the werewolf’s heart.

“I never thought I’d meet a worshiper of Corrupted Souls here.”

Adrian’s lips curled in a sinister grin.
His crimson eyes blazed with madness and ecstasy, mingled with rage and hatred.

It was the same terrifying presence as before.

…Dangerous.
Kai had to stop him.

He didn’t know why—only that he had to.

But before he could act—

Crack!

Adrian had already torn out Altheron’s heart.