Noble Chain Assault Incident (4)

"You're not scary at all!"

Ashton froze for a moment, unable to process Erin's words. He stared at her blankly.

She glared up at him with fierce, unyielding eyes that refused to break under his venomous, one-sided violence. Ashton let out a hollow laugh.

"Ha!"

"Aak!"

Ashton grabbed Erin by the hair, yanking her to her feet and forcing her to meet his gaze up close.

Slap!

He swung his wrist with all his might, striking her cheek hard. Her head snapped to the side violently. The spot where his palm connected burned with stinging pain, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and blood filled her mouth.

Despite the brutal blow, Erin didn't scream. She clenched her teeth and endured it in silence. Ashton grabbed her hair again, wrenching her head back to face him. With genuine bewilderment, he demanded,

"What the hell gives you the guts to act like this?"

Even after the one-sided beating left her body a battered mess, Erin's expression didn't crumble. Far from submitting, she glared at him with even greater defiance.

He knew she was training in swordsmanship and magic under Eunhyeon and Iliana, so he'd prepared thoroughly. He'd gotten word that her protector, Eunhyeon, wouldn't be picking her up from Aiter, and he'd bided his time for the perfect moment to kidnap her.

With mana-sealing cuffs blocking her magic and restraints binding her limbs, she was just a frail 17-year-old girl. But what was this attitude?

In every way, he held the advantage, yet she refused to yield. That single defiance grated on him.

"You think that guy is gonna come rescue you? Ha! Dream on. This is my private hideout—no one from the ducal family, not even my father, knows about it. You really think he can find this place?"

"……."

Ashton scowled at Erin's silent glare.

Those eyes again.

Like she was looking at a filthy bug, full of contempt.

He was a noble. Heir to the Armitas dukedom, destined to become the kingdom's second-in-command, the Minister of Military Affairs.

How dare the daughter of a criminal scum look at him with such disdain? That was the expression he should be wearing when looking at her.

"Why do you keep sticking out like a sore thumb? You should thank your lucky stars you're still breathing and just crawl into a hole like the bug you are."

Erin clamped her mouth shut, saying nothing.

"The ducal family showed mercy, not pursuing you under joint liability for your father's embezzlement and that damned black mage brother's crimes. You could've just quit school and hidden away like the lowly commoner trash you are."

Slap!

Ashton's hand struck her cheek again.

"What's your deal, clinging to others and refusing to drop out? What good is learning swordsmanship and magic? You think the kingdom will hire a commoner like you as a knight or mage? Know your place, you arrogant bitch!"

'Oh no. No.'

'No! Don't! Please, I beg you!'

'Ah…….'

Something invaded Erin's body, mind, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and soul—everything. Her fading consciousness lost control of her body, extinguishing like a snuffed candle.

In her last thread of awareness, Erin desperately called out to one man.

'Hyeon... please help me.'

But her plea never left her lips. Instead, a sinister sneer came from the 'something' that had seized control of her body.

"Ha…."

Erin's tightly shut mouth opened, one corner of her lips curling up in a faint, mocking laugh.

Ashton flinched at the unexpected expression and glared at her.

"What the hell are you smirking at? Did the beatings scramble your brains?"

"You."

"What?"

"You were scared of her, huh?"

"……!"

Erin wore a sneering smile that laid bare Ashton's psyche. His raised arm trembled as he prepared to slap her again. Spotting the first flicker of agitation in his face, Erin knew she'd hit the mark.

"You were uneasy because she was learning swordsmanship and magic from that man, still attending school. You had no idea what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she was thinking."

From the moment he'd heard Erin planned to keep going to Aiter, his mood had soured. Unbeknownst to her, as time passed and she grew differently from others her age, she became quite the topic among the students.

A commoner girl with no prior proper training suddenly returned after her family fell apart and a mysterious disappearance—now matching nobles in knight and magic classes with rapid progress.

And her blossoming beauty only fueled the rumors. Word spread from noble children to their families, and even among the parents.

What if she graduated, became a kingdom knight or mage? What if she was honing her skills for revenge against him—the one who'd effectively destroyed her family?

The fact that her teacher was Eunhyeon, the man who'd effortlessly overwhelmed him before, only amplified Ashton's anxiety. Hearing even his half-siblings Alex and Elenoa frequented the Black Witch's mansion where she trained turned unease to suspicion, suspicion to false certainty, igniting this reckless act.

Before she could grow further, draw more attention, and become too conspicuous, he had to eliminate her now.

"You were afraid that if she grew strong and got hired by the kingdom, she might expose how you used her father to embezzle public funds."

"Bullshit! No way the kingdom hires the family of vile, monstrous criminals like you!"

"Is that so? You sure about that?"

Ashton's words were pure bravado.

In truth, nobles who'd heard of Erin's astonishing growth through their children were watching her closely. Her rapidly improving sword skills, solidifying magic foundations, and maturing beauty had even sparked sympathy among some nobles.

Amid suspicions that she might be tainted like her embezzling father and black mage brother, many pitied the powerless girl left like an orphaned duckling. If they recognized her talent and growth, supporting her wasn't impossible.

'Has she lost her mind? Why is she suddenly like this...?'

What unnerved him most was Erin referring to herself as 'her' instead of 'I'.

It felt like another entity had entered her body, overwriting her personality.

Spitting blood from her mouth while lying on the floor, smiling coldly at him—she no longer resembled the frail girl trembling in pain moments ago. Her mind was clearly twisting unnaturally.

"You had to tie her up and seal her mana because you were that scared of her."

"Sh-shut up!"

"That man said it: Being a noble means bearing the weight of countless lives. One choice can sway the fate of the people, and a single wrong decision from those at the kingdom's core can doom the nation."

No hatred or contempt lingered in the eyes staring at Ashton anymore.

"It's no place for an inferior lump driven by power lust and vanity, lacking real ability, making bad choices, shoving the blame on others, and just wanting the high seat."

Pity for Ashton filled Erin's expression as she continued. The 'something' that had read her memories smirked through her face.

"That was about you."

"Shut up."

"Trash like you being nobles is why this kingdom is rotting."

"Shut uuup!"

The humiliating words Eunhyeon had spat at him months ago replayed in his mind, churning his thoughts. His roar shook the warehouse as he lost all reason.

"How dare you! Who the hell are you to judge me!"

Ashton resumed his violence, kicking Erin relentlessly.

"V-Villad, sir! We have to stop him! She's gonna die for real!"

Grass whimpered to Orba, horrified by Ashton's inhuman brutality from afar. But Orba, lacking the courage to approach the half-mad Ashton, suppressed his rising fear and forced a calm reply.

"N-no way he's actually killing her, right? And so what if there's trouble? It's on Vice Duke Armitas's orders! No problem at all."

Even as he spoke, doubt gnawed at him, but Grass reluctantly nodded, shaking off his unease with forced bravado.

They'd only followed orders: kidnap Erin and bring her here. In return for a fortune in gold, they even got permission to do whatever they wanted with her.

They'd long eyed her beauty, plotting how to have her. They weren't in a position to refuse Ashton—and didn't want to.

After over ten savage blows from the frenzied Ashton, Erin's ragdoll body lay in ruins, broken like discarded trash.

"Hoo…."

"Haa, haa…."

Panting heavily, Ashton halted his assault. He sneered down at Erin, gasping thin breaths.

"You think that guy's coming to save you?"

"No need. That man doesn't have to come."

Erin's eyes flashed with murderous intent as she glared at him.

Vrrrrm.

"Huh?"

The mana-sealing cuffs on her wrists rattled and vibrated.

It was the telltale sign when someone tried to channel and release mana, only for the cuffs to block it midway.

"Ha! Told you it's useless. With those on, you can't use mana."

"That's by your standards."

As Ashton said, the cuffs were blocking her mana release. But every tool had limits.

If she kept pushing overwhelming mana output beyond those limits...

Crackle!

The cuffs finally shattered, unable to withstand the mana surge.

"N-no way!"

Anyone could think of wearing down durability with sustained high mana output to break them—but countless improvements made it impossible for criminals to generate that much.

Maybe one of the continent's handful of high-rank mages could, but how much mana could a 17-year-old ordinary girl output?

It would've been impossible for the old Erin—or even moments ago. But now, she was utterly different.

Her limb restraints in tatters, Erin rose fluidly to her feet. Her body bore cracked bones and vivid bruises from near-fatal abuse, yet she acted as if it were nothing.

Ashton instinctively sensed something gravely wrong and tensed, glaring at her.

"The air here reeks of dust and stagnation after so long."

"What... are you?"

Erin closed her eyes.

Blue mana seeped from her body, enveloping her. Bruises on her face, split lips, bloodied cheeks—all healed flawlessly, as if never there.

The three men watched in stunned silence, their faces twisting in horror.

"Wh-what the...!"

Erin opened her eyes and strode gracefully to Ashton, grabbing his throat in one fluid motion.

"Gurk!"

With inhuman strength unfit for a 17-year-old girl, she hoisted him off the ground. Ashton clawed desperately at her hand, but it didn't budge.

"Wh-what's happening...?"

"Hurry and stop her! If something happens to the vice duke!"

Unable to process Erin's sudden change or the threat to Ashton, Villad stared blankly. Grass urged him on and charged at her.

And the moment he glared at Erin—

"Huh?"

The blue mana swirling around her condensed into her body.

As her form glowed brighter blue, Ashton's struggles weakened, suspended in her grip.

Simultaneously, his body withered, mana and vitality drained. His frame shriveled to skin and bones.

Recalling recent rumors of serial assaults in the capital causing such phenomena, Grass paled.

"No way…."

Before he could process it, the situation escalated. The condensed blue mana around Erin began taking form.

"What the hell...?"

Fox ears covered in deep blue fur like her hair. Nine shimmering silver-white tails swaying from her waist.

A chilling, mature feminine expression utterly unlike the Erin they knew, glancing coldly at the two men while threatening Ashton.

The males couldn't approach the transformed Erin; they could only gape.

In that instant, the divine beast—the gumiho—within Erin had revived, using her body as a vessel.