Chapter 31
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Command
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Scene 031
I couldnt breathe.
Every synapse in my body was screaming.
My heart felt like it would burst at any moment, and my legs wouldnt move as I wanted.
If I used Patience, it would be fine.
But I couldnt use it recklessly.
The moment I reached the limit of Patience would be my death.
A chill swept over me.
Blanche was approaching.
Im a bit surprised, Tristan. Have you learned some kind of protective magic?
I didnt step back.
My Pride wouldnt allow it.
How can a body without a single drop of mana produce such power?
Its just a struggle.
A struggle, is it?
Yeah.
I still want to live.
At that moment, I dont know how I looked to her.
Blanches advancing steps stopped.
She murmured with her head bowed.
I if you had ordered me to die back then, I would have died gladly.
I see.
Thats how Blanche would be.
She wouldnt have doubted it.
The orders given by Tristan.
Even if they were orders for death.
You said theres no need to forgive, didnt you?
Blanche trusted Tristan.
From the moment they first met until the moment he was shot and fell into the sea.
Perhaps even now, in this moment.
Blanche raised her head.
She looked at me with a face that could have been crying or smiling, I couldnt tell.
I agree. Youre not worth my forgiveness.
With those final words, Blanche charged at me.
Her fingertips gleamed ominously.
The tips aimed precisely at my nape and stabbed down.
Kaang-!
A sharp sound of metal scraping against metal echoed.
What blocked her long nails was my revolver.
I didnt miss the chance and released the mana Id gathered all at once.
Compared to a sage like Myohail or Wendy, who inherited the heros blood, the mana Id just gathered was a speck of dust.
But it was enough to make her upper body stagger.
The sharp nails bounced off.
Blanches eyes widened hugely.
?!
Still, Blanche lived up to her legendary assassin reputation.
From her disrupted stance, she immediately reached out toward me.
But by then, my revolver was already aimed at her abdomen.
At a distance she couldnt dodge even with her reaction speed.
The revolver spat fire repeatedly.
The fired Magnum bullets tore mercilessly into Blanches abdomen.
For an ordinary person, it would be a gut-shattering shot that killed instantly.
Even for Blanches superhuman body, taking Magnum rounds at close range would deal serious damage.
The distance between us grew as she staggered back.
I imagined her face twisting in horrific pain.
Unfortunately, my prediction was completely off.
This kind of thing doesnt hurt at all!
She was crying.
And with speed invisible to the naked eye, she threw something at me.
Pook.
The sound of something piercing my skin.
The sound didnt come through my ears but through my body.
Something hot overflowed from my mouth.
I quickly covered it with my hand.
It wasnt my wrath, pride, greed, or envy.
Ah damn it.
My palm was stained dark red.
Looking down, Blanches nail was embedded in my abdomen.
It had stabbed me like a sharp ice dagger.
A chill flooded my insides.
Just as the horrific agony was about to overwhelm me, I gritted my teeth.
You endure with Patience!
I focused all my mind.
I felt my ragged breathing slowly calm.
But the fatal wound remained unchanged.
Even Patience couldnt fully block this pain.
I yanked the nail out of my abdomen in one go.
The pain was so excruciating no words came out.
A bit of blood trickled from the abdominal wound.
It wasnt because the wound was shallow.
The cold had frozen it, stopping the blood for the moment.
If Id left it, the nail infused with spirit beast mana would have frozen my insides starting from my organs.
Then it would be irreversible.
Death.
The word flashed through my mind.
And as if reading that thought, a low voice sounded.
Tristan, you have only one way to live.
I looked up, and Blanche was staring at me.
The tears that had wet her cheeks were already dry.
Beg me to save you, Tristan. Order me to let you live.
It wasnt begging for life.
Blanche wasnt the type to spare someone just for begging.
She didnt harbor personal feelings toward her targets.
Only orders moved her.
Then I will let you live.
The ice-cold, ruthless assassin, Blanche.
She was showing me one last mercy.
I remembered the scenarios where Blanche killed me.
In none of them did she say this.
The blade of her revenge always judged Tristan without fail.
So there was only one reason left.
Blanche had changed.
Perhaps due to the influence of Bella Izarkhel, who had taken her in.
Good named characters spread good influence around them.
In the future, Blanche would be redeemed by Bella.
She would gradually gain human traits and use her abilities selflessly for the world, becoming a good named character.
But that was much later.
At this point, Blanche was a cold character who showed no emotions.
Dreaming of revenge against Tristan by Bellas side.
Yet the Blanche before me now was different.
Not completely, but faintly showing emotion.
As if one mask had been peeled off.
And I thought I knew the reason.
Blanche.
Blanche looked at me.
Her blue eyes were trembling.
She was shaken.
A crack had formed in her hatred.
If I ordered her to spare me now, she probably wouldnt kill me.
Thats the kind of character Blanche was.
But that wouldnt do.
I already gave you an order.
It was too early for her to forgive Tristan yet.
I had no choice but to say this.
Dont forgive me.
.
Blanche closed her eyes.
She stood there, earnestly chewing over my words.
I understand.
When her eyes opened again, the hesitation was gone.
Blanche informed me.
I will make you die in agony.
I was prepared.
Now that Id drawn out her hatred, it wouldnt end easily.
No, I had no intention of letting it end easily either.
I would resist desperately.
Against this damned fate.
It was just as I was gathering the surrounding mana.
Thats enough.
Where had he come from?
A man stood on the rooftop railing.
The sun was at his back, making his face hard to see.
Blanche asked warily.
Who are you?
A beast doesnt need to know my name.
?!
Ignoring the frozen Blanche, the man approached me.
Count Ruelverta.
Only then could I properly see the mans face.
Youll have to come with me from now on.
He had an impressive neat pomaded hairstyle.
If someone didnt know him, theyd think he was a noble of high status.
The question of who he was didnt come up.
No, there was no need to ask.
This man was also a character I knew.
But his appearance at this timing was a mystery.
Blanche, unaware of anything, grabbed the mans shoulder and said.
Dont interfere and leave. This is no place for an outsider.
A chill rose from her hand.
But the man showed no sign of surprise.
Outsider? Seems like youre mistaken. Youre the outsider. First-class murderer, alias
Beast of Severe Cold.
?!
Blanches eyes widened.
Youre the one who was chasing me?
Wrong. Thats not my business. Beast.
You! From earlier!
It was an insulting remark to Blanche.
But the man impassively delivered his message.
As if that was his sole duty.
From now on, I will secure the Counts safety. If you try to harm the Count, take me down first. Beast.
!
Unable to endure any longer, Blanche bared her teeth.
The severe cold reacted to her rage, surging toward the man.
Are you saying youll exclude me now?
Thats right. If youre a hindrance, Ill exclude you.
Ha You think Ill just stand by?
Youre hindering me? Got it.
The Imperial Guard Captain Marco Perigris tilted his neck side to side.
Show me what you can do, if you can. Beast.