Chapter 154

“Hm.” He frowned as he scanned it, as though it gave him displeasure. “Iona has the same thing?” He couln’t help but feel bouts of jealousy at his helpless half-brother. Iona missing had added to his fury—he was not himself this time.

“It contains defense magic and healing magic—” He broke off with another groan.

Ridrian took another cold look at the ring, then lifted him off the floor. The wound deepened with the sudden movement, worsened by the Lotuburu’s weight. Ridrian removed the sword and let it fall to the floor, Ravis’s groans grew louder.

“That doesn’t seem like everything.”

“T-tracing magic as well!’

Ridrian scowled, as though trying to evaluate Ravis’s answer. A second later, he let him alone. Ravis could barely make a sound at the excruciating pain he now felt. Ridrian slipped the ring on, and it instantly adjusted to his finger.

“The word?” he demanded.

“Ugh.” Ravis could hardly think through the pain.

Ridrian was running out of patience. Without warning, he brought his foot down on his stepbrother’s hand. Ravis’s face contorted with pain.

“The word?” Ridrian asked, louder this time.

His tone was laced with cruelty, as though this was the last chance he was offering his stepbrother.

“A…altarte,” Ravis croaked.

“Tsk.” Ridrian took his foot off Ravis’s hand and left the mansion.

“Are you alright, High Priest?”

People had come hurrying to meet Ravis, who was rolling in his blood. Their faces were contorted with horror at the tyrant’s actions. The butler began yelling at people to move him to the room. As Ravis’s eyes slid shut, his consciousness waning, he glimpsed the emperor walking away.

The people rushed him to a room right away.

Master, please be okay.

They hadn’t been serving her very long, but they were hoping that their master, the only person capable of taming the emperor, would return safely. Otherwise, everyone in the mansion would face the tyrant’s wrath.

***

A rustling sound roused me from unconsciousness.

“Ah.”

My eyes flickered open. I was in an old, dark room with a dirty bed sheet and creaky furniture. My first thought was that I was in some motel room.

I feel like puking.

My head was spinning, but I tried to keep myself from throwing up and instead tried to make sense of my current situation.

I’ve been kidnapped by someone.

I figured if anything ever happened, it would be an ambush by demons. But getting kidnapped? There were too many possible suspects. My arms and legs hurt as I tried to swing them. They’d been tied and wouldn’t budge. Something had been placed in my mouth. The smell made me want to vomit.

But that wasn’t all.

I feel a bit weird.

Clearly, something else had been done to me. A burning sensation filled my chest. Poison?

I don’t think it’s poison. It wasn’t aggressive enough to be. For some reason, the sensation was familiar.

Let me get out of here first. Everyone must be worried.

I tried to move my arms and legs again, and flinched. It felt weird.

Everyone…

I’d been alone when I woke up inside the slave market cage, but now there were people who cared about me, worried about me when I disappeared. The thought was a little relieving.

I didn’t know I’d get involved with the original book’s characters like that.

Shaking my head, moved my arms yet again, trying to get free. I’d been bound with some kind of rope. My face set in a frown. I should’ve carried a small dagger with me.

Ridrian doesn’t know. He won’t be able to save me. Can I get out of here by myself?

I tried to retrace my steps, recollecting the details of my kidnapping. My kidnapper had had at least a head on me, and through his hat I’d caught a glimpse of his chestnut-colored hair.

I didn’t see his face. Judging from his physique, he must be a man. No, I’ve seen him before. Who is it? Where have I met that person?

It was weird, this feeling of déjà vu. Before I could remember who the man was, the door swung open.

“What, you’re awake? I thought it would put you to sleep for half a day. That silver-haired bastard.”

It was the chestnut-haired man. The moment I saw him, I recognized him as my kidnapper. And I realized where I’d seen him before.

It’s that man from the ball who flirted with me! The one wear g the bright green mask!

It was that rude man, no doubt. I was already freaking out, thinking that maybe he was considering kidnapping me here, but then I noticed a shadow emerge from behind him.

H-he has an apprentice?

The moment my eyes landed on the apprentice’s face, they widened.

H-Hedin Russen!

From what I’d heard, the entire Count Russen family had been locked up for committing treason.

So why is that guy here?

All the blood seemed to drain from my body, replaced with more disgust than I’d felt when I met him at the ball. The smell of garbage seemed to waft from him into my nostrils.

“Iona…”

Disgust. It was all I felt hearing the same yearning in his voice.

The young count was staring at me with madness in his eyes. A bandage was visible around his neck. He made as though to stretch his hand, then seemed to realize his hand didn’t have an arm attached to it, so he stretched out his other arm.

“Iona!”

Hein, who seemed half-crazy, stumbled toward me, and the urge to run away filled my body. Luckily, the chestnut-haired man stopped him in his tracks.

“Oh no, young count,” he said. “I said I’d let you see her for a bit. You can’t touch her.”

The Count’s eyes blazed with indignation. “You look down on me as well? Father is done. Soon, I’ll be the Count!”

“But you’re not the count yet. I’ve made a deal with the current one.”

“I take it you don’t value your life?” the young count growled.

The other man gave a snort. “You want to fight me in that state? I’m a knight candidate—I’m pretty strong.”

The young count’s shoulders trembled with anger. “Have you finally realized your place?”

“Aside.”

He scowled. “What?”

“Step aside, now!”

“Ugh!”

With a burst of tremendous strength, the young count gave him a hard shove. The man was slammed into the wall, letting out a groan of disbelief.