Chapter 50
Chapter 50
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Cleansing the Curse
-----------------------------------------------------------------
High Priest Pastinus stood before the black earth, thickly steeped in the curse Anima had left behind.
The horse carrying him tossed its head and neighed. Soothing the steed as it backed away, the High Priest dismounted.
A viscous black liquid, thick enough to scorch even the soil, followed Anima's form, corrupting the ground.
If left alone, even the healthy land nearby would soon turn into wasteland.
Pastinus extended a hand holding his heavy staff toward the black earth, which still seemed to spew forth its curse.
Thud. The staff gripped in his wrinkled hand struck the ground.
From the tip of the High Priest's staff, a white light began to spread.
The final roar of the already deceased Anima sharply tore at Pastinus's ears. To him, it always sounded like the wail of a demon on the verge of being dragged to hell.
"Return to the primordial realm whence you came."
The old man's voice was as weighty as his years. Rich experience emanated from him, and at the same time, Anima's black energy began to fade bit by bit, centered on his staff.
The High Priest stood ramrod straight until every trace of black had vanished. Purifying Anima's remnants required exactly that much divine power—not too little, not too much. Divine power drained from Pastinus's body in precise measure. After the ritual concluded, the hand holding the staff trembled slightly as he lowered it.
"I hope Duke Aren will be pleased."
It seemed he had already earned the duke's ire, but what could be done? As High Priest, he had merely spoken what needed to be said.
"Now, let's head back. The Duke is waiting, and we may have much work ahead."
Pastinus stroked the nose of the old horse, which looked displeased at being dragged to such a place.
The ground embracing Anima's corpse—which had even dyed the falling snow black—now appeared miraculously purified by the High Priest's divine power.
"……."
Tarik, Theodor's subordinate who had watched silently without making a sound until the High Priest completed the ritual, unfolded his arms behind his back.
"I will escort you back to the mansion, High Priest Pastinus."
"No need. We'll arrive without delay, so there's no reason for you to trouble yourself following."
"I was ordered to bring you personally."
"Where would this old man go? I'll go without fail, so return to your master without worry."
"……."
In the end, Tarik quietly withdrew. Of course, this didn't mean he would let Pastinus go against Theodor's orders.
With his guard detail minimized, Tarik chose to follow at a discreet distance in silence. Since the High Priest didn't want close protection, this was the only option.
He might appear unassuming, but this old man possessed the greatest divine power among all humans.
Pastinus, too, knew he couldn't sway the young commander's stubbornness. Pretending not to notice Tarik trailing behind, he leisurely entered the city heading from the borderlands toward central Aren.
If all went well, he might even meet that girl again before sunset. Or perhaps he could set up camp nearby and savor the tranquil night air.
Life was always so dual in nature.
He was the High Priest who had condemned the girl's heterochromatic eyes, yet he knew he had no right to do so from the start.
A subtle smile played on Pastinus's lips as he hummed an ancient poem and urged his horse onward leisurely.
"That's enough for today."
Claude checked his watch and closed the book. Only after he yawned and stretched did Lara review today's lessons once more before setting down her pen.
"What a model student's attitude."
Claude said inwardly pleased. The problem was that Lara ignored over half of what he said outside lesson hours. He'd told her to ask him if she had questions, but she clammed up even more.
What was the issue?
Claude rested his elbows on the desk and stared fixedly at Lara, who avoided his gaze.
Perhaps their first meeting still left a bad impression on her.
'Well, I did more to earn her dislike just yesterday.'
The memory of enjoying two hours of freedom leaving Lara and Rin alone made even Claude at a loss for words.
Come to think of it, this girl was truly beautiful.
Not quite his type, but objectively, Lara was doll-like in her prettiness. Her long silver hair cascading to her waist was mystical in itself. The fragile aura that seemed like it might vanish added to it.
When she sat quietly expressionless, she exuded a cool air—perfectly suited to Aren's winter mansion. Who else could fit better? Yet when she occasionally smiled before Theodor, she softened in an instant.
She reminded him exactly of that girl from his memories.
Lara sensed Claude's gaze and finally looked up.
Their eyes met, and Claude flinched. Those eyes, the source of her misfortune, weren't frightening at all, but they undeniably held a strange power to captivate.
The High Priest yesterday had spouted nonsense about her, but humans often did stupid things.
'Those eyes are definitely dangerous.'
Such eyes were rare. Both humans and beastkin were fools, and plenty went mad. Wouldn't they stimulate the collecting urges of such degenerates? Already, unpleasant faces flashed in Claude's mind, and he shook his head vigorously.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing. Was anything from today's lesson difficult?"
"No."
"I see. Haha. Good."
She's so sharp.
Regardless, Lara's progress was smooth without a hitch. Her pace was so quick that Claude had to overhaul the curriculum midway.
At the start, she had clearly lagged behind Rin, but now she far outpaced her.
'At this rate, my victory is assured.'
He hadn't forgotten the bet with Lara. The promise to have her read every book in her room within a month—and the reward that would naturally fall to him as winner.
His judgment to never gamble without odds was proving helpful once more.
'Hmm. It's no fun.'
Thanks to such a diligent student, he'd achieve his goal effortlessly. Boredom before easy tasks was one of Claude's bad habits.
'The bet's reward was the loser granting the winner one wish.'
At least thinking of the reward made it bearable.
Claude's personality was versatile in a good light, fickle as boiling water in a bad. Even he had one flaw.
"Lara. I have a question."
Claude tossed a line at Lara, who had finished organizing her notes. Perfect bait for the innocent girl to bite without suspicion.
"Yes. What is it?"
Success. Claude smiled with his eyes.
"Where were you before coming here?"
He hadn't gleaned much useful from yesterday's talk between Theodor and Lara. So he asked directly.
Lara found Claude's question a bit odd.
Why was he curious about such things? But there was no reason not to answer, so she did.
"At Laden Orphanage in Laidets."
"Laden Orphanage?"
"Yes."
"Hmm... I see."
The only one surprised by Lara's words here was Rin, who was tidying her writing tools.
Rin had assumed Lara was some noble lady. Even upon becoming her maid, she hadn't questioned it.
She knew the lady of Duke Aren's mansion was human, not beastkin—which made her believe she was of even higher status.
Then, when she'd asked about Lara's hometown in the carriage last time, was this what she had been about to say?
"Lara. If anyone asks about your secrets from now on, don't answer so honestly."
Claude intended to teach her a useful skill.
A simple, basic one at that.
Never volunteer information that doesn't benefit you.
Being this frank would only make her easy prey.
"Why?"
Lara, unfamiliar with Claude's "conversation skills," struggled to understand.
Claude propped his chin on the table and grinned at her.
"A bad person might use your info to put you in a tough spot."
"...Is that why you asked, Claude?"
After careful thought, Lara countered, making Claude's eyes widen.
"What? Haha, you're really something. I'm not a bad person, Lady Lara. That's a fact."
"...You're a Wolfkin too, right, Claude?"
"Finally asking? You're impressive. I thought you'd forgotten all about it."
As Claude teased, Lara averted her gaze slightly.
"I knew you weren't human."
"Really? Not sure if you're perceptive or not."
Well, he'd made it obvious.
Lara had realized Theodor wasn't human at some point. Probably that night of moonlight at Mason Hotel when he'd warned her.
He didn't know exactly what happened, but the lycan's black specter invading Theodor's mansion stemmed from info Claude had leaked to the lycan.
She must have pieced it together then.
That she was the sole human dropped into the beastkin world.
"Right. I'm a Wolfkin like Theodor, from the Renar Family—one of the five Wolfkin houses. Oh, and longtime friends with Theodor."
Having answered candidly, Claude judged it time for the second lesson.
"And Lara. Mix in a well-crafted lie into stories. Or even a hard-to-believe truth. That way, you'll end up holding their throat."
Lara stared straight at Claude.
"Are you like that too, Claude?"