Chapter 172

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Cassius’s voice contained a clear intent. There was a kind of accusation that the maximum number of people could hear.

Even the Marquis of Kellyden, who was completely unaware of the circumstances before and after, had his expression distorted.

“Cassius, watch your mouth.”

The Marquis sounded stern, but Cassius was unyielding. He stared only at Seria. She pulled out her hand that had been caught by the Marquis of Kellyden and asked back.

“What do you mean? Have you already forgotten who purified the magi that had invaded other people earlier?”

Cassius looked Seria up and down with a blank face and said,

“I thought it might be the power of the holy relic on your neck, Grand Duchess.”

“What?”

Immediately Cassius’s hand reached toward Seria’s neck. As if he was about to find the circlet necklace hidden under her dress…

Slap. 

But his hand was caught in mid-air. Alliot, who held Cassius’s hand with great strength, asked with a look that showed a clear intent to kill.

“Is the Kellyden declaring war on Berg?”

The clear implication was that Berg would answer this great rudeness with a territorial war. The Marquis of Kellyden also looked at Cassius madly.

“Cassius Kellyden! That’s enough. What in the world is that delusion about your sister!”

“Father, before you question my treatment of my sister, I expose her for the sake of the peace of the empire as the heir to the throne of the seventeen families.”

“…….”

“If the Grand Duchess exercised strong divine power through the Sacred relic, she deceived all the nobles. Therefore, it is only natural that the name of the Saint should also be collected.”

“Cassius Kellyden!”

But Cassius did not budge. Only the face of the Marquis of Kellyden turned red. He was so angry that he would have dragged Cassius by the collar right away if there weren’t many people around.

“It’s interesting that the next head of the seventeen families doubts Stern.”

Smiling like a viper, Seria removed the circlet that was hidden under the collar of her dress. 

“But this is just an ordinary thing. I got it as a wedding present in Berg.”

“Is there any chance that the artifact contains demonic power?”

“Master Cassius Kellyden! You must watch your language!”

It was the high priest by Seria’s side who shouted in anger. The Marquis of Kellyden was still boiling with anger. He clenched and unclenched his hands repeatedly.

But that was the situation.

The nobles immediately began to murmur at the bombastic statement.

“Demonic object?”

“Did the Grand Duchess really use the sacred object to generate divine power?”

“Many nobles collapsed during the purification ceremony last time.”

“That’s right…”

Still, the emperor was sitting there, maintaining his dignity even as much as he did, for he would have broken Cassius’s left wrist, which could have been far more noisy.

Seria cast her gaze toward the barracks.

The nobles, who had been making noise, freaked out and shut their mouths. Seria asked again, turning her attention to Cassius.

“So, according to your words, do I look like a fool who can’t even tell the difference between the demonic things?”

“Maybe you didn’t make a distinction.”

“Why me?”

“You’re trying to take the place of the Saint….”

Cassius’ words did not last. A dagger flew across his cheek. Both of Cassius’ eyes went wide.

It was none other than Seria who threw the dagger. When she saw him snatch the dagger from the air and twist his forehead, Seria said ferociously.

“Go and soak yourself in Magi.”

“What?”

“Yes, I will purify the magi in your body without any relics, so go immerse yourself in Magi, Cassius Kellyden.”

Seria stopped using honorifics. She stared at Cassius as she said it, chewing each word.

Cassius was surely tainted by Magi.

But was it Magi’s influence that made him drive her head into the lake when she was a child?

Thinking about it, before Seria met Lina in person, the men did not try to kill her, even though they also disliked her.

Neither did Kalis, nor Nissos.

Only Cassius, however, with his childhood malice, threw her into the icy water to die.

The nobles in the barracks were buzzing about. The servants who were standing outside the barracks, ran down the path toward the forest.

Seria hung the necklace on her finger and swung it around as she said.

“What if your accusation is wrong?”

“…….”

“As a price for daring to insult Stern so much, the young master will not be able to take his place as the head of the seventeen families forever.”

Both of Cassius’s eyes shook wildly at the demand that he return his successor’s position.

Surprisingly, the Marquis of Kellyden just stood there without saying a word. Seria thought he would stop her and tell her to calm down.

“Return?”

The thickly laid silence was shattered at once. Seria turned her gaze to the voice coming from behind her.

“Will that do?”

Lesche was approaching. Blood splattered everywhere on his hunting suit. His mood was very rough. While it reminded her of the heat of blood spurting out like a fountain, his expression was cold and chilly in contrast.

Even she was a little scared. Lesche paid no attention to the people looking at him.

He just stopped in front of Cassius.

“You deserve to be kicked out of Kellyden.”

Instantly, Cassius’s expression changed. It was as if someone had poured a whole bucket of ice water on his head.

Lesche did not take his eyes off Cassius and said in a stern voice.

“Or what would you wager as the price for insulting Stern of Berg? Your life? Oh, it’s your son. You choose, Marquis Kellyden.”

The Marquis of Kellyden’s eyes grew wide. After a pause, his suppressed voice came out.

“..I choose the former.” (*kick Cassius out of Kellyden)

“Father!”

Cassius’s jaw tightened. The shocked nobles opened their mouths in dismay.

It was then that Lina’s voice rang in the forest, breaking the silence.

“Kalis? Kalis!”

Lina’s face, which had been standing quietly for so long, turned white. Seria turned around. The forest road stretched out behind Lesche.

Along the way, a considerable number of aristocrats were busily coming in the carts. All of them were covered in blood and thickly contaminated with Magi.

“Wait a minute.”

Seria sensed something strange and approached Lesche. Immediately her eyes went wide.

Lesche was also contaminated with Magi. As soon as she noticed, she reflexively used her sacred power. Lesche looked at his arm, his forehead twitched and he laughed.

“I’m glad Stern is here.”

“Why didn’t you come closer?”

“There’s a lot of blood on it….Seria?”

Lesche’s eyes widened at the light hug. Seria smiled and fell away.

“This dress is so expensive, it’s a bit of a waste.”

Seria looked down at the bloodstain on her dress. Then she stepped toward the aristocrats contaminated with Magi.

The beautiful golden circlet was already in Lesche’s hands. She could feel people’s gazes drifting in that direction, pretending to be different.

Poof!

She used her sacred power on those closest to her and immediately took a deep breath.

“What is it?”

It was strangely difficult, even though she hadn’t used her power many times yet.

She tried to purify them all at once and clean them up, but she thought she would faint if she did that, so she divided them into two or three and purified them.

The nobles’ eyes stared alternately at Seria’s hands and the circlet in Lesche’s hand.

Reluctantly, Kalis was last.

“…….”

Up close, Kalis looked really gaunt. Hollow cheeks. The black eyes that stared blankly at her did not stay long. The eyes that shook like waves were covered by the eyelids and disappeared.

Seria stood up. Her legs wobbled and she felt like she was going to fall right over, but she squeezed the last of her strength.

Then she lifted her chin to the stiffening Cassius.

“Congratulations on being stripped of the family name of the Kellyden, Cassius. Are you a commoner, then?”

“……!”

At the same time, a noisy commotion was heard from the barracks.

“Marchioness of Kellyden!” (*Cassius is her beloved son, and now he’s a commoner, so she fainted.)

“No way, she fainted!”

“Doctor! Doctor!

‘Fainting? I am the one most likely to faint now.’ (Seria)

Swallowing her cynicism, Seria glared at Cassius, who was shaking crisply.

“But it’s strange, Cassius.”

“…….”

“As far as I know, there is only one outsider who is aware of the fact that this gift is sacred….”

At the same time, her eyes moved toward Lina. Seria kept her gaze fixed on her and continued talking.

“Who asked you to do this?”

Both of Cassius’ eyes shook momentarily at the words.

Of course, Seria deliberately asked him the question while others were listening, and it was easy to guess who did it.

Lina.

Lina refused Seria’s offered hand. Firmly.

The sacred power would be wasted on her, but it was something Seria could manage to solve by bringing the last jewel to Tuban.

It was only a matter of time before the fact that Lina was a false Saint would be revealed.

So as Stern, she had to start drawing the line with Lina in advance. She didn’t want Stern’s status to drop to the bottom.

“What the Grand Duchess just said…”

“Is it the Saintess?”

The nobles were well aware of the fact that Seria’s eyes were focused on Lina. They also seemed to immediately grasp the implication of her gaze.

“The Saintess….”

“But why? Is it possible that the Saintess can’t even distinguish between holy and demonic objects?”

‘Perhaps she was attempting an insidious attack?’

On the one hand, it was funny.

Did Lina know about the fact that Seria could use sacred power without the circlet?

Did she know before …. Lina who also knew Liegel’s name.

Why did Lina, who must have known everything, fight a battle that was obviously going to be lost?

Of course, even in Lina’s calculations, Cassius would not have been stripped of his status.

Seria was so angry that she even threatened Cassius that he could not inherit the title of the head of the seventeen families.

And thanks to the Grand Duke of Berg, Lesche’s vehement encouragement, Cassius’s status was put in jeopardy.

While thinking, her body was very tired. She felt like she was going to fall back any moment.

‘Damn it. Is it because I used too much divine power without the circlet?’

It was true that her body produced sacred power, but sacred power was not the perfect power for the human body to begin with. If there was an excess of sacred power, her body would be full of bruises.

It seemed that the circlet was a kind of medium that supported the huge sacred power so that it would not run out of control….

‘…is that right?’

Did Lina aim for this?

‘Why?’

It was a moment of doubt.

“Your Majesty! There is urgent news from the Great Temple!”

One of the knights hurriedly came running and reported.

“The boundary between the demon border and the 4th palace has collapsed!”

***

Pang!

Cassius, who came to the Kellyden’s barracks, was struck on the cheek with a fist by Nissos as soon as the door was closed.

“Did you really lose your mind? Why?”

His father went to tend to his fainting mother, and a streak of blood exploded from Nissos’ eyes.

“Do you hate Seria that much? Yes, I hated her too. But wasn’t that when she was little? What is so detestable about the child who had avoided us on her own? What is so horrifying that you are in such a hurry to kill a child who has now become the Grand Duchess of Berg!”

Blood flowed from Cassius’ parted lips.

“What on earth are you going to do now? And why did father accept that? He’s the one who made you!”

“Watch your language, Nissos!”

Nissos was furious.

“Shut up, brother!”

Nissos’ thin cheeks shook with anger.

“Is it because Seria is illegitimate with a commoner mother? What about brother, then?”

“What?”

“Brother is also a commoner now.”