Chapter 52
“Let’s go now”
Seth took one last look at the burnt remnants before starting to walk again.
The Elmaier family mansion, where he had been born and raised, came into view. Unlike the grotesquely charred annex, the main building stood tall with an air of antiquity and authority.
‘What would she have said if she saw this?’
He imagined her glaring at him with wide eyes, accusing him of planning to lock her up here. She would likely pout in indignation while gripping his arm tightly.
“Good grief…”
Lost in thought, Seth found himself missing her terribly. The intensity of this sudden longing startled him, and he furrowed his brows in confusion.
Noticing his master’s unease, Maurice cautiously asked,
“My lord? Is something the matter?”
But Seth couldn’t answer.
Cain Elmaier was staying in an old and worn hall.
Despite the weather not being particularly cold, the lit fireplace made the air inside unpleasant.
The walls, covered in tapestries and deer trophies, gave the room a stifling atmosphere. Every item in the hall had once been glorious but now appeared faded and aged.
Cain, seated by the fireplace, was no exception. Though only in his middle years, his emaciated frame made him look like a wrinkled old man.
Glancing at his son with amber eyes, Cain spoke in a cracked voice,
“The crow has arrived.”
And that was all. Cain returned to staring at the flames in the fireplace. There was no invitation to sit or inquiry about why he had come.
A young man attending to Cain awkwardly gestured for Seth to take a seat.
“The lord is not in the best of moods today. Please, have a seat. I’ll bring you something to drink.”
Without a word, Seth sat down. From his position, he could see his father’s profile directly.
His gaze fell on the scripture lying on the table. Decorated with pearls and silver foil, the scripture too bore the marks of time, appearing worn and aged.
When Seth was born, Cain had personally chosen his name from that scripture. His mother often recounted the story, saying it was proof of his father’s love for him.
After being banished to the temple, Seth learned that his name was derived from the term for “substitute,” signifying a replacement. His mother had naively believed that because the name was personally chosen, it carried affection.
“Father.”
Cain flinched at Seth’s call. He disliked being addressed as “Father.” There were times he had shouted for Seth to call him “Former Master” instead. But now, he seemed so disinclined to converse that he ignored being called “Father.”
“There’s someone I wish to marry. She’s bright, strong, and far too good for someone like me.”
“…”
“Will you attend my wedding?”
As Seth’s words ended, a heavy silence fell. Cain stared at the fireplace as if he had heard nothing.
At that moment, cautious footsteps approached.
It was the young man who had gone to fetch drinks. He silently placed a warmed wine before the two seated men.
“This is mulled wine with cloves. It’ll warm you up, so please give it a try.”
Seth nodded in acknowledgment. After hesitating for a moment, the young man introduced himself.
“I… I’m Ned Raywood. You probably don’t remember me, but we’ve met a few times before.”
“No, I remember. You were introduced as the most talented among the branch families. Didn’t you graduate at the top of your academy class?”
Seth’s recognition made the young man, Ned, blush. Smiling shyly, he replied,
“Yes, though that’s all in the past now. I apologize for speaking out of turn. I only wanted to congratulate you on your upcoming marriage…”
“A lowborn woman, isn’t she?”
The cracked voice suddenly interjected. Startled, Ned turned his head. Cain, who had been gulping down the mulled wine, sneered as he continued.
“I heard you bought an orphan girl because no decent woman would marry a cursed man. Rumor has it she’s as vulgar as her origins—extravagant, arrogant, and a disgrace to the family.”
“…”
Seth stared at his father with an expressionless face. Cain hurled his empty glass at him.
“Marriage? Do as you please! If beasts want to pair off, how could I stop them? But don’t you dare show me that disgraceful sight! How dare you!”
Cain’s shouting turned into a coughing fit. His body convulsed violently, making him look as though he might cough up his insides.
“My lord!”
A panicked Ned rushed to Cain’s side, rubbing his back and offering him water. After a flurry of activity, Cain’s coughing finally subsided.
“Are you alright?”
Exhausted from the fit, Cain weakly nodded. Ned, now looking distraught, helped him sit more comfortably in his chair. To an outsider, it might have seemed like Ned was Cain’s son.
“Ned Raywood.”
“Yes?”
At the quiet call, Ned lifted his head. Seth, sipping his wine, smiled faintly.
“Thank you for looking after the former master. I sincerely appreciate it.”
“I… I…”
Before Ned could respond, blood erupted from his chest. He collapsed lifelessly in an instant.
An invisible blade.
Varisada’s ability to kill with mere intent had claimed another victim.
“You… You monster…!”
Cain, now splattered with Ned’s blood, glared at Seth with wide eyes. His trembling finger pointed accusingly at his son, though no words came out.
“A cheap poison. Raywood must have been poorer than he appeared.”
Seth set his glass down, having tasted the wine again. Cain’s face twisted into a grotesque expression of rage.
“So now you frame people and kill them?”
“If both you and I were to die, Ned Raywood, as a member of the branch family, would become the new Duke of Elmaier. Why pretend to be innocent now?”
Cain’s lips pressed tightly together.
He had never intended for Seth to inherit the title of Duke. However, after being unjustly stripped of his title due to the former King’s schemes and Seth’s subsequent military achievements in the 7th War, Seth had become the Duke of Elmaier.
Enraged, Cain had sought someone suitable from the branch family. That person was Ned Raywood.
Cain had planned to make Ned’s child the next Duke of Elmaier. Given the curse of the Wailing Sword, Cain believed Seth could never have a healthy heir, making it easy to strip him of his succession rights.
But Ned, foolishly believing he could become Duke himself, had made a critical mistake. He had underestimated the monster he sought to poison.
Seth picked up Cain’s fallen glass from the floor. After sniffing it, he chuckled.
“This one contains a chronic poison. It seems you didn’t intend to kill me outright. That’s a relief.”
“You’re a demon immune to poison!”
As the master of the Wailing Sword, Seth was unaffected by poison.
If not for that, Cain would have fed him every poison in existence.
Placing the glass back on the table, Seth spoke gently.
“Stay in the White Tower until everything is resolved. It’ll be more comfortable than here.”
The White Tower was a prison for royal and high-ranking noble offenders. Cain glared at Seth without a word.
“Come in.”
At Seth’s command, knights burst through the doors. With a gesture, Seth indicated Cain.
“Escort him to the White Tower. Treat him with respect.”
The knights roughly lifted Cain to his feet. Even as he was dragged away, Cain glared at his son with eyes full of hatred.
The moment Cain disappeared, Seth coughed briefly. Maurice’s face turned pale as he noticed the blood on Seth’s lips.
“My lord!”
“It’s just the backlash from using the sword’s power.”
Seth casually wiped away the blood. Maurice frowned at the mention of Varisada’s power.
“What happened?”
“The former master insulted her, and I got angry.”
Seth gave a bitter smile. He hadn’t realized he could be provoked to such anger. Returning to his usual demeanor, he issued orders.
“Arrest the entire Raywood family and search their estate for evidence. Finish everything within two days so we can return.”
