DBOFS 76

Chapter 76

“Mother.”

In the darkness, Lady Irene, who had been quietly polishing the blade of her axe, lifted her head.

“Reni.”

The face that always remained strict and cold as the head of House Laeyer grew gentle in her private space, before her daughter.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“What do you mean? This is only natural for me to do.”

And before her mother, Lenore’s face, usually playful, became even more mischievous.

Her normally carefree expression now carried a trace of excitement.

Because of that Guide, perhaps.

Baron Lian.

There is a saying that a person’s true nature is revealed in their most dangerous moments.

And Baron Lian—Harris Godwin’s Guide—had, at the very instant danger arrived, reflexively hidden Dimiad behind him and stepped forward to fight.

Even though just a second earlier, that boy had been hurling harsh words at him.

A temperament that believed in protecting the weak regardless of personal feelings was rare.

Now I understand why Lenore took a liking to her.

And the fact that such a child was Harris Godwin’s cherished Guide was a relief.

No matter what happened, Jade would serve as Harris’s check.

No matter how reckless he is, before that girl, he’ll have to hold himself back.

Lady Irene never trusted espers, especially the high-ranked ones.

After she had witnessed firsthand, through the Laeyer family’s sworn enemy, just how destructive an S-rank esper’s power was, her mistrust had only deepened.

And if that esper was Harris—someone certain to hold a grudge against her—she could trust him even less.

That was why Lady Irene had used the dungeon as an excuse to send Harris away from the manor.

She had planned this even before Harris ever threatened Dimiad, but after that incident, she had no choice but to advance the timing.

The situation was already too dangerous. She could not afford to keep her enemy close.

Besides…

Those eyes.

Even when suddenly ordered to the dungeon, Harris had remained silent.

But just before his departure, his blood-red eyes had met hers for a brief moment—chilling as blood itself, and his expressionless face had looked almost mocking.

…I had to send him away.

Lady Irene looked at her reflection shining back from the grim axe blade.

She did not regret ruining Harris’s banquet or setting traps. He was simply too powerful a being to leave unchecked.

But the thought that her children might one day inherit the consequences of that choice—this alone frightened her.

“Mother.”

Lenore carefully opened her mouth, intending to relay what Baron Lian—Jade—had said.

Harris Godwin… she said our cousin could help.

Though she had desperately tried to hide it, the two of them already seemed to know about Dimiad. Yet even so, she had spoken:

I know it’s hard to believe… but Lord Harris can become a powerful ally. I’ll vouch for him.

She had said that if Harris truly intended to harm them, it would already be over by now.

“…”

Arrogant words, but Lady Irene could not deny them.

The secretly imported measurement device had shaken violently, as though even the highest rank was not enough to classify Harris’s level.

“Yes, I see.”

“So, when cousin returns, I’d like to speak with him. Since we were the ones to offend first, we should apologize, and in return, offer him proper compensation…”

“But it’s already too late.”

“What?”

Still off guard in front of her mother, Lenore was suddenly grabbed by Lady Irene and shoved into a hidden passage.

“Uh—?!”

Looking past her mother, Lenore saw the soldiers of House Laeyer lined up, and realized.

No way, they’ve already arrived?!

When? How? Her mother had even sent the previous duke away on a journey…

On purpose?!

Just before the secret passage closed, Lenore cried out urgently:

“I can fight t—!”

“No.”

Lady Irene closed the door without mercy.

Once the door was completely sealed, she gripped her heavy axe tightly and strode out of the east wing.

—Sclang!

The sharp axe cut through the darkness, slicing the air.

At the same time, a scream erupted. “Ughk!”

Lady Irene, seeing the monsters pouring out from the shadows, roared:

“Kill them all!”

An earthquake?!

What’s happening outside?

Startled, Jade quickly stood up, and Camilo reached out to steady her.

“Lady Jade.”

“Ah, no, I’m fine. You don’t need to speak so formally to me…”

“Lord Adrian saved my life and gave me a name.”

“…!”

Jade froze.

Camilo.

A name derived from the chameleon—one who changes its colors to hide.

“He gave me a new life and a name. Thus, I rightfully belong to him.”

In the world of Si Cheongwi, granting someone a name was close to a master-servant contract.

Especially in House Isag, one had to be considered part of the family to receive a name. The second name was also a symbol of succession for that very reason.

“So for you to ask me for help in saving him is absurd.”

Even if he had left, Camilo was still raised in House Isag. His loyalty to Adrian was only natural.

“On the contrary, it is only right that I beg you to use me, no matter what happens.”

Jade knew this. That was why she had summoned Camilo…

But still, isn’t this a little too loyal?

He was practically a doormat.

Jade, who had once considered herself Harris’s doormat, felt a sudden crisis.

So this is what true doormat loyalty looks like? Was I actually just a lousy doormat?

“Especially if the request comes from Lord Adrian’s younger sister.”

“…!”

Jade’s eyes widened.

Hooked him!

She had casually referred to Adrian as her “brother,” and Camilo had fully believed she was really his sister!

Considering how alike they looked, it wasn’t too strange.

But he’s the head of an information guild! I thought for sure he’d cross-check the facts.

If that happened, Jade would be in trouble—since even she wasn’t sure she was truly Adrian’s sister.

Fake sister, fake Guide… even the soul isn’t the original one.

Sure, she lived however she pleased—but was it okay to be this fake in every way?

Lost in such worries, Jade glanced out the window to check the source of the sudden shaking.

Ah! My eyes—!

Had she stayed up all night again? Jade squinted.

Outside the window, the sun blazed bright, white clouds floating in the clear blue sky. And there…

“…Dimiad?!”

Damn it!

The plan had been to capture Dimiad Laeyer alive, no matter the cost.

That was all that mattered. No matter how many died in the process, it was irrelevant.

The priority was to kidnap Dimiad Laeyer intact—and second, to secure some weakness that could be used to control the boy.

But this—!

Sevrik, the mage who had joined the Dimiad abduction team, clenched his teeth.

I, the aide to the great Tower Master Elysius, am reduced to this… working with filth, doing such lowly deeds!

Up until now, Sevrik had always acquired experimental subjects through slave traders. Such a savage kidnapping was hard to stomach.

Even if it was an imperial order, under normal circumstances he could have refused—or delegated it to lower-ranked mages.

But then—

My son escaped, didn’t he.

“…”

You boasted so much about the Tower Master’s designs, and this is the result?”

Under Norman Godwin’s interrogation, he had been caught. And Elysius, the Tower Master, annoyed by the complaints, had simply sent Sevrik away with the order.

Bring him back. He looks like a specimen worth studying.

B-But kidnapping Dimiad Laeyer is the Imperial Family’s…

If you succeed in kidnapping him, just kill everyone else. Bring him to me.

Sevrik knew the truth—that although the Empire outwardly pretended to honor espers, in reality they sought to suppress them even more than mages.

They can’t touch the Tower Master, so they’ll just crush the espers before they can bloom.

And the Empire must have judged Dimiad Laeyer as the most effective tool to restrain espers and other “filth.”

That was why they were going this far.

But Sevrik still wondered:

What on earth is the power Dimiad Laeyer possesses?

Alongside his fear of the unknown, his instincts as a mage stirred with curiosity.

But when he met the gaze of the Tower Master, Elysius—

Sevrik.

All thoughts of curiosity vanished.

Before an overwhelmingly powerful being, humans had only two choices:

Worship them as a god, or fear them as a devil.

To Sevrik, Elysius was both god and devil—someone to whom he must submit and offer reverence.

Sevrik bowed his head, daring not resist, and devised a new plan.

The Empire said any means would be acceptable, as long as we captured Dimiad Laeyer.

So Sevrik exploited the Empire’s disregard for human lives to orchestrate the scheme.

“Ghk!”

“U-Aaahhh!!”

First, he had pitted the Empire’s secret strike force against Lady Irene and her knights.

They’ll be hard-pressed to survive this.

Forcing them into a head-on clash meant that even Lady Irene couldn’t afford to hold back.

Sevrik sneered as he watched her axe cleave into the enemies.

As the mistress of House Laeyer, she surely realized this was a trap.

But some traps, even when known, can’t be avoided.

Still sneering, Sevrik scattered Godwin’s blood across the east wing.

Then, with magic stones infused with the Tower Master’s spell, he cast a double-layered spell that disrupted the old wards protecting Godwin’s estate.

—Woom!

An ominous purple aura spread through the eastern halls at dawn.

As sunlight slowly broke across the sky, a sound like shattering glass echoed.

And then, in the late morning—

“No!”

The secret passage of the east wing twisted apart under the breaking of the ancient protective wards, and from within it, House Laeyer’s young heir was forced out.

“Dimiad—!”