Chapter 95
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Second Form -1-
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Clang-!
Enoch Skadi tossed the sword he had been swinging onto the ground and scowled as he asked again.
"Say that one more time... Dreitna? Not Bolt?"
"Yes. According to the reports, she's been seen moving around with three people, including the daughter of Baron Electra... but judging purely by influence, Dreitna seems to be the central figure."
Electra? He'd never heard of any baronial family by that name, so it held no interest.
"Hmm... So the younger sister of that Eclair Dreitna is currently at the academy?"
"In terms of grades or ability, she's not particularly outstanding for a sister of one of the Five Knights."
That must be why rumors hadn't reached his ears. Then again, if providence truly existed, how could two suns rise in a single household?
If a family produced two monstrous individuals, the already tilting balance of power would collapse entirely.
He had thought it was finally time for her—money cut off, pride discarded—to crawl back home somehow.
Instead of receiving help from her Bolt fiancé, she was hanging around with daughters from other families.
"So the weak-minded girl who was holed up in her room is struggling to salvage her spirit..."
"...Even so, contact from the Bolt Marquis family has been sparse lately. It might indicate some progress."
"Contact? Ah—right... that damned blood-clot bastard..."
Thinking of the constant whining letters from the Bolt family made his blood boil again.
A grown man who couldn't handle one fiancée, sniveling like that... Just looking at it painted a grim picture of the Bolt Marquis family's future.
"If you order it, I can send someone to the capital right away."
"Hm—hold on a moment. Dreitna... Dreitna..."
Her face might take after her mother's, pretty enough, but that massive scar couldn't be hidden. Even if she hid in the capital, he could track her down if he tried.
He desperately wanted to discipline her rebellion against her father and family head, but setting emotions aside, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The Skadi Marquis family was now nearly isolated—no allies left—due to past events and his seclusion mastering the Third Knight's swordsmanship, cutting off all external activities.
He knew he needed to attend events and social gatherings now, yet his thirst for power wouldn't let him step away.
Just a little more. Truly just a bit, and something would happen. That agonizing sensation drove him mad, keeping a sword in his hand all day.
"Whether good or bad, if I can make a connection with Dreitna... Leave her be for now. If a letter comes from Dreitna, bring it to me immediately."
No amount of social events or gatherings would let him even glimpse some families' faces.
Families riding the tide of the times held power that ignored titles, so the currently beleaguered Skadi Marquis family could hardly even rub elbows with Dreitna.
If his daughter was entangled with a Dreitna girl, it could turn into something valuable later.
"...Understood. Then, should we resume payments for her academy dorm and meals?"
Enoch Skadi gave a sly grin at the man's words.
"Shouldn't she handle that herself? If she sticks to Dreitna, she can keep corresponding via apology letters... or if she clings to that Bolt blood-clot, it might resolve nicely."
"...What if her rebelliousness leads to strange behavior or disgrace to the family? She might lure in sons from other noble houses."
To a noble like Enoch, it was absurd. There were lines of common sense in this world. No group was as sensitive to eyes and rumors as nobles.
"Ha! If she had the guts for that, she wouldn't have wasted her time holed up. No fool in this world would take on a worthless girl and shoulder both Skadi and Bolt Marquis families."
"Ptooey-!! Ugh..."
Is someone badmouthing me? My body, tempered by good blood, doesn't catch colds or anything.
My ears itch when I focus on it. Once this is done, I should swing by the Adventurer's Guild and hunt down suspects.
Too many candidates, that's the problem. But grabbing a one-eyed freak and beating him should clear my head.
Crunch- crack-
I kicked aside the bone-dry, rotting wood—devoid of any moisture—and pressed forward, step after step.
The start of Lofty Academy's second semester was right around the corner.
Time spent carefree flew by like an arrow. Faster than bullets in my past life.
I continued daily life and training with Rike. I wanted sticky, lingering time with Eclair often, but her busier-than-expected schedule meant only two meetings since that first day.
'Too bad...'
Amid her busyness, she was also tending to Chloe, leaving her frazzled. All I could do was cheer her on and help relieve her stress.
Eclair remained passive in bed, so I warmed the mood with talk, keeping things to vanilla acts without quasi-sexual play.
Even so, when the atmosphere heated, she unconsciously drove a man mad with teasing glimpses.
Rike and Eclair had different flavors, but both shared that terrifying allure—once hooked, no escape.
'No need to rush.'
This had its own charm and savor in the relationship.
Someday, like with Rike, Eclair would shed her passivity. We'd enjoy all sorts, then the three of us could frolic harmoniously.
That anticipation alone fueled this guy to grind endlessly with great mileage.
See? Even now, out here handling this long-delayed form business. Good job, me!
At the destination, I habitually opened my inventory and dumped out the iron chains.
Clatter—
"Hmm—"
This chain breaking was a first since I cut it myself with aura. Now fully repaired, seamlessly joined.
A useful lesson from the Limno fight: completely severed chain parts return not based on aura level? Repair time felt similar to when I cut it.
[Chains Imbued with Bewitching Haze]
Nothing beats these for range control and testing. Heartbreaking to see them snap uselessly.
Coldly, it was my skill issue. Better tool handling, and the old man wouldn't have severed them.
'Next time against that level, wrap the whole in thin aura? Might hold just barely once... Wonder if it syncs with form skill activation?'
Mulling tactics, I reached the spot.
The outside was dingy and dim; the cave inside pitch black.
A pond rotten from animal and human corpses. Crows the only birds, undead living like villagers—fits the forest's puddle perfectly.
Clink- plop!
I gauged depth by dipping the chain's end. Pretty deep; sigh escaped.
'Ah... Gotta stop with these filthy jobs.'
Think it every time, yet stripping and prepping to dive—when does my life ease? Now with a waiting woman, packing cleaning supplies is some relief?
Splash!
Naked, I dove into water too vile for words—no hesitation. Had to be done.
Swam swiftly to the hard bottom, gripped, then forced through a crudely holed gap beside, swimming on.
"Puha-! Ptui!"
Through the straight passage, surfaced elsewhere from my entry cave. Quickly out of filthy water, spat once from the grime.
Gurgle gurgle.
Pulled a holy-water-mixed canteen from inventory, rinsed face and hair simply, scanned around—picture matched the game perfectly.
Far off, a makeshift barricade of stacked rusty iron plates. Two zombies posing as guards before it.
Zombies clutched long rotten wood as spears—couldn't kill a child.
'...No need for clothes?'
Worried dangling bits might distract, I wore only tight underwear, barefoot on stone.
Warhammer in one hand, approached; zombies gurgled phlegmily, shambling over.
Dropped rotten spears, lunged hands-forward.
Grrraa-! Guuugh-!
"Good work. Now rest."
Splat!
Two thuds; zombie heads smeared the wall. Shook rotten blood from sticky blunt weapon, empty hand grabbed rust-eaten plate.
Greeeech!!
Forced wall iron screamed, tore free.
Made a person-sized gap, squeezed through—vast cavern gaped wide, welcoming me.
"Oh!"
A bit below: a murky green river flowed through something village-like.