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Chapter 93
In that moment Hider understood.
The value he would gain by taking Dania in as an ally.
By contrast, Karte felt threatened. While Hider and Taibern were away, there was no one in the capital to stand up to Karte — not until they entered the imperial palace.
Karte was swept up in a heady sense of being master of the world. He decided to nip the threat that Dania might grow into before it sprouted.
What harm could killing a single maid do?
“Have you seen a crazier wench than this? A mere maid daring to raise a sickle at her mistress? Do you want your head lopped off, you brat?” Karte drew his sword. Before the glittering blade could be aimed at Dania—
Ching—!
Hider struck Karte’s sword aside. A sharp sting ran through Karte’s wrist. Karte glared at Hider with bulging eyes.
“You have no right to lay a hand on a Katieron’s maid.”
Rani quickly pulled Dania behind her. Until then Rani had been holding her breath.
“If you’re not the one who’ll become Katieron’s master, then who do you think has any right? No one does.”
Karte stared at Hider with eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
His clenched fist trembled. A voice he could not place echoed in his head. Black energy crept into his skull and filled him with hatred.
“Kill him. Show him your skill now! Make him kneel and crawl at your feet! Punish the one who dared hurt you! You can do it! I’ll give you power.”
Karte shook his head slightly. The world before his eyes seemed to redden.
“You were kicked out of Katieron and you talk too much. I warn you, Karte. If you lay a hand on any guest or servant of Katieron, I won’t stand idly by.”
Karte tilted his head and coldly scanned Rani and Dania. He let out a high, mirthless laugh.
“Worm-like brat. Need we wait?”
At Karte’s gesture, his retainer fetched a sword.
Karte pointed the blade at Hider.
“They say the heir of Katieron proves himself with the sword — Grandfather said so — so you can’t disobey. Come on. I’ll teach you how weak your sword has become!”
A black aura rose around Karte.
Hider and Karte moved to the training grounds. He ordered the frightened servants to fetch Taibern, then gripped Dania’s shoulder.
“Dania, are you hurt anywhere?”
“It doesn’t look like Dania was nearly hurt — it looks more like someone almost hurt someone else, Miss.” the long-absent maids said.
Well, that was true. Karte had truly tried to kill Dania.
As they checked Dania over, tears welled up in the eyes that had been staring at me so insistently.
“Uh, uh, Dania?” I called in surprise and tears began to fall, plopping down onto my arm like drops of chicken droppings.
“Dania!”
“Where did you go, Miss? How could you leave me alone?” Dania mumbled with a blank expression as tears slipped down…
This is a little scary. I swallowed and rubbed my gooseflesh-covered forearm.
“From now on, don’t go anywhere. I’ll follow you wherever you go. I’ll never lose you again.”
“Dania… I was wrong. There was a reason for it…”
I explained what Karte had said, what threat he’d made, and what had happened at that time, but Dania seemed not to be listening. Everyone around took Dania’s side.
“You should apologize. Definitely apologize.”
“Don’t go anywhere again. Do you know how worried we were? Would Katieron even function without you, Miss?”
In the end they all told me how much they’d missed and worried about me. My heart tightened.
Dania hugged me tightly. I felt my shoulder get wet. Whether she was corrupted or anything else… she was still my friend Dania.
“…I’m sorry, Dania. Truly.”
Dania gave a small nod.
“Ugh, ugh, damn it!” Karte grabbed his trembling legs. But in the end he dropped his sword and collapsed to the floor, letting out a string of curses.
‘I told you I’d make you win. I said you could win!’
His mouth filled with a fishy taste. Hider stood relaxed before him, the Hider that always wriggled at his feet.
“You filthy bloodline scum!” Karte spat blood-mixed saliva at Hider. After only ten exchanges, Karte had no choice but to submit to Hider. He felt a wall he could never overcome.
Hider was solid, yet supple and practiced.
“If you grew up eating Katieron’s bread like a miserable mutt, you should bow to your master,” Karte snarled through clenched teeth.
“Kneel! Apologize! Admit your mistake!”
“To whom should I apologize? And who is master, anyway?”
Thunder struck.
Taibern appeared, accompanying the household staff.
Taibern glanced between Karte and Hider and clicked his tongue.
“You should have kept it reasonable.”
“Reasonable or not, he’s not someone who would listen,” Hider shrugged and sheathed his sword.
“If he had been of that sort, he wouldn’t have dared to attack. He wouldn’t have touched my people. Still, I didn’t cut his wrist, Grandfather.”
Hider smiled mildly. The slight curl of his lips proved that what he said was the truth, but his eyes were ice-cold.
Taibern shook his head.
“If this had been a battlefield, he would already be dead.”
“This is not a battlefield,” Taibern said, pressing his forehead with his fingers. Somehow it felt like there was no respite even back home. Really — this one and that one.
Taibern stuck his tongue out.
Karte lurched up and rushed at Hider, but Hider stopped him with a flick of his hand. A hand wrapped in aura pressed Karte’s shoulder down and pinned him to the ground.
Hider glared at Karte with a frigid look.
Karte’s knees buckled again.
“Stupid brat.” Hider muttered coldly.
“If you don’t know your place and keep acting recklessly, you won’t have anyone to blame even if you die. Isn’t that so?”
Karte screamed.
“Aaaah! What are you doing! A rightful blood of Katieron is being oppressed! Kill this one and make him pay for insulting me!”
“Shut up!” Taibern barked.
“You should come to your senses after such reckless behavior! Bloodline? Hider is also a rightful blood of Katieron! I told you, if you want to be master of Katieron, speak with your skill!”
The weight behind those words was something Karte could not overcome. He eventually sank down, his body shaking.
“Cough!”
Karte coughed up blood and trembled.
“G-Grandfather!”
Taibern realized he had been lenient with Karte until now. The difference in power that could have crushed the pup who thought himself high and mighty was undeniable.
Black aura crept into Karte’s head again.
“Need more power? Then take the medicine. That drug will give you strength. I can help you.”
Karte squeezed his eyes shut against the dizziness.
“Drink lots of blood. My power grows the more blood you drink. We’ll rule this world. You’ll get everything you want!”
Karte gagged, coughed up more blood, and collapsed with a thud.
Taibern clicked his tongue as he watched that sight.
“Carry him to my room.”
The servants rushed over and carried Karte on their backs.
Hider watched quietly. His gaze was filled with the tenacity of a predator who had just missed its prey.
Taibern blocked Hider’s gaze. He knew — if he had intervened differently, Karte would already be on his way to the afterlife.
“Hider.”
“If it had been a battlefield, he would have died already.”
“This is not a battlefield.”
Taibern pressed his forehead again. It truly felt like there was no rest after coming home. Really — this one and that one.
Taibern stuck out his tongue.
