The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 97

“Venom, tell Marabas it’s time to make his preparations.”

Venom had served Ithar since he was just a small child. The moment he heard his master’s lowered voice, he understood that the time had finally come.

Today marked the anniversary of Princess Iana’s death—a day so solemn that even mentioning it required caution. But for Ithar and his supporters, it was the day they had long awaited.

Ithar was already conducting the final checks on the movements of his loyal nobles, ensuring every step of the impending coup was perfectly aligned.

Marabas, who was officially recorded as deceased, was an unofficial participant in the rebellion. As always, it was Venom’s duty to deliver messages to him.

I appreciate the trust, but still…

As soon as Venom stepped into Marabas’s quarters, his brow furrowed. The heavy stench of blood and alchemical potions filled the room.

Among all those who had ever passed through the imperial palace of Traiha, Venom considered Marabas Rydell the one with the most relentless ambition and drive.

Why does Ithar trust this man so much?

Though he had no intention of debating morality—especially when he himself was about to commit treason—he still found Marabas’s magic excessively vile.

If it became known that he was using corpses from the mortuary as disposable shields, the victims’ families would rise in outrage. The same went for his practice of using human bodies as conduits to amplify Arete.

But the greatest problem is still…

Venom shook his head, forcing himself to discard that train of thought.

He had already subtly advised Ithar multiple times to distance himself from Marabas, but his master refused to abandon the genius alchemist who could grant him such immense power.

Venom could only hope that this decision wouldn’t lead to disaster. Steeling himself, he approached Marabas, who remained seated at his desk in complete stillness.

His eyes were open, yet they seemed unfocused, as if staring at something beyond reality. Their dull color reminded Venom of a dead fish.

Just as Venom hesitated, wondering whether he should speak first, Marabas broke the silence.

“The crown prince in Heil looks rather burdened.”

“He’s busy cleaning up the mess you made with Cordelia. What else could it be?”

Venom responded bluntly, but Marabas simply chuckled, as if amused by the implication.

“Ithar will soon obtain the Arete he has long desired.”

“Don’t disguise your personal greed as loyalty to our lord.”

“What does it feel like to speak of loyalty when you’re only hours away from committing treason?”

Venom clenched his fists, resisting the urge to grab Marabas by the throat, sever his mechanical arm, and toss it into a furnace. His hypocrisy was repulsive.

But keeping Marabas alive was Ithar de Traiha’s choice, not his.

“Don’t even think about pulling any reckless stunts. If you’re going to fake loyalty, see it through to the end.”

With one last glare, Venom turned and left.

＊＊＊

Hild stood frozen, staring at the old woman slumped against the tree stump.

Suddenly, the alchemists’ words flashed through his mind—Marabas had forced her body to age unnaturally.

Her unkempt, brittle hair, her cracked and broken nails, her faded eyes devoid of life.

His fists clenched as he tried to suppress the emotions rising within him, but his vision blurred. A mere few seconds of eye contact were enough for him to recognize the truth.

She was his lost wife.

“Cordelia. Cordelia…”

“Ah…”

A faint moan escaped her lips. Her frail body trembled as she struggled for breath, yet the Arete surrounding her continued to pour out in an endless stream.

By protocol, he should have restrained her immediately. But even if he were to die and be reborn, Hild knew he could never bring himself to do it.

“We need to alert the imperial guards. Handle her carefully.”

The Chaield guards secured her with ropes. Hild cautiously stepped closer.

And at that moment—

BOOM!

The old woman, who moments ago had barely seemed able to stand, suddenly bolted upright.

“Ugh… uhhk…!”

A choked sob escaped her lips, and in the next instant, a violent surge of Arete erupted from her entire body.

＊＊＊

Meanwhile, inside the banquet hall, the nobles felt a sudden tremor beneath their feet.

Since earthquakes were rare in Heil, their expressions darkened in concern.

“Could there have been a quake nearby?”

“I hope my estate wasn’t affected.”

“Well, everything seems fine now… Perhaps it wasn’t anything serious.”

Their unease quickly faded. The only ones who remained tense, their nerves taut with urgency, were those under Chaield’s employ.

Kyle, noticing the disturbance, briefly excused himself from his conversation with Enoch and called for Bruno.

“Hild should have reported back by now.”

“We just found him unconscious by a tree stump in the western garden. He’s being brought here now. Something must have happened.”

“Wait.”

Kyle shaded his eyes with his hand and gazed toward the horizon.

A group of figures was approaching—moving in an unsteady, unnatural manner.

The nobles, upon seeing them, let out horrified screams and scattered in all directions.

Marabas’s cursed corpses… Just as my sister predicted.

Since it was a formal event, he hadn’t been carrying a sword. Clicking his tongue in frustration, Kyle grabbed a few dessert knives from the table.

The imperial guards hesitated, their spears trembling. The figures advancing toward them had skin so pale it was almost translucent, as if all life had been drained from them.

“Do not retreat! Stand your ground!”

At Berd’s command, the imperial guards reluctantly tightened their grip on their spears, their fear evident. The undead, devoid of any sense of hesitation or fear, continued advancing at an unrelenting pace.

The once-elegant banquet hall, where sweet melodies had filled the air, was now consumed by the chilling clash of steel. An ominous tension gripped the room.

Kyle wasted no time reaching Amel, gripping her hand firmly. Even after layering protective Arete around her, he couldn’t shake his unease.

“Lady Claire, I’d appreciate it if you could stay by my fiancée’s side.”

Without question, Claire grasped Amel’s hand and led her toward Lienne. Kyle then turned to Vanessa—who, as expected, required no lengthy explanations.

“Fifteen times.”

“Yes! I will protect my lady with my life!”

Satisfied with her response, Kyle turned to face the horde of undead—Marabas’s mindless puppets. Despite the brief encounter, the guards were already being overwhelmed.

Kyle hurled a knife, striking down one of the undead just as it was about to bring a rock down on a wounded soldier.

“Are you all right?”

“Y-Your Grace… Thank you… Argh!”

The soldier groaned, clutching his wrist. Kyle retrieved the fallen man’s sword and passed it to him before ordering Chaield’s personnel to treat his injury.

They’re losing ground faster than I expected.

Many of the guards were too rattled to fight effectively—understandable, given that their opponents were half-decayed corpses. Worse, the nobles in ceremonial attire were too busy fleeing, further dampening morale.

Even Berd, who was wielding a sword purely for show in an attempt to impress Lienne, seemed brave by comparison.

Astonishingly, the fiercest fighter among the attendees wasn’t even a knight but Pershue Diane, who had only recently reentered high society.

Kyle knocked another undead unconscious before calling out to Count Diane.

“The undead are under Marabas Rydell’s spell. They have no will of their own and only move according to his commands. They won’t stop unless their bodies are completely destroyed.”

“This seems to be tied to Cordelia as well. For Hild to be taken down so easily…”

“I’ve summoned the alchemists. Once they arrive, they should be able to break the enchantment. Until then, we have no choice but to fight them as they are.”

The number of undead was staggering. At this rate, the battle wouldn’t end anytime soon.

And another problem was arising—some of the guards and servants had started recognizing the faces of the reanimated bodies.

“Vincent…? But you—”

“Ivory, didn’t you die just last week?!”

“My child…”

Horror spread among the ranks as the realization sank in—these were the corpses of their own people.

Count Diane, who had been ready to cut through the horde, hesitated with a grimace.

“Marabas certainly picked an interesting assortment of bodies. Under these circumstances, it will be difficult to destroy them.”

“…”

Kyle landed a precise strike, knocking another undead unconscious, but they kept coming.

Clang!

Amel watched as a knight used the hilt of his sword to knock out a teenage-sized puppet.

The undead were now slipping through the defenses more frequently, making direct attacks on the women. At this rate, they would never be able to hold their ground.

How in the world are there this many corpses in the capital?

Muttering about how cremation should be mandatory wouldn’t change anything now.

The imperial guards stationed to protect the noblewomen were visibly exhausted. Amel handed them water as she discreetly listened to their thoughts.

“Damn it, these things just keep coming. How the hell are we supposed to knock them out one by one?”

“I’ll be stabbed before I even get the chance to aim for their weak points!”

Meanwhile, it seemed Marabas had grown stronger—or perhaps he was squeezing more power out of Cordelia. Either way, the situation was rapidly worsening.

Fortunately, there haven’t been any casualties yet. If that’s the case… I should take the risk before it’s too late.

Amel discreetly pulled Vanessa aside. Seeing the deadly seriousness in her eyes, Vanessa immediately panicked.

“My lady, are you hurt anywhere?”

For once, it wasn’t about the extra pay—her concern was entirely genuine. Amel dusted off Vanessa’s coat with a small smile before asking:

“Vanessa, what would you do if I were injured?”

“…Why are you suddenly asking something so sentimental?”

Her grumbling response starkly contrasted with the thoughts Amel could hear.

“If she’s gone… I’ll be alone again.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“I can protect her. I will protect her.”

That was enough.

Amel clasped Vanessa’s hands, meeting her gaze.

“Vanessa, will you protect me?”

“…I told you to stop reading my mind without permission.”

“Thank you for considering me a precious friend. Now, about that box I gave you—want to open it now?”

Vanessa averted her eyes, fumbling inside her coat. Her flushed cheeks, however, betrayed her emotions. Carefully, she lifted the lid.

And in that moment, Amel heard her thoughts once more.

“A precious friend…”

“She’s so beautiful. I want to protect her myself.”

Vanessa’s mouth fell open as she beheld the necklace inside. Her fingers instinctively reached for it.

The instant she touched it, a pillar of radiant light engulfed her.

“M-My lady! What is this?!”

Amel took a step back with a knowing smile. Vanessa, overwhelmed by the electrifying energy coursing through her, had yet to realize what it truly was.

“Oh, that necklace? It’s called Flashroot. Claire personally brought it from Traiha—it contains an Arete crystal.”

“…!”

“You did promise to protect me, didn’t you? You’ll keep that promise, right?”

Vanessa Maybrandt—also known as the Master of Blinding Light.

It was finally time to witness the power of one of the strongest forces in this world.

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