#23

The Flower of Frenzy (狂亂花), engraved on the Jabisi crest, resembled a black rose but differed in that its stem, leaves, and petals were all black.

This flower grew from seeds that appeared at the birth of a direct descendant. When the moment of madness struck, the flower bloomed, darkening over time.

When all the black petals fell, the person would succumb fully to the madness. Therefore, it was the duty of the Jabisi head to commit suicide when only one petal remained.

Occasionally, a head might hide out of fear of death, which is why an heir was always in place.

As the head’s flower withered, the heir’s power grew stronger. Thus, if the leader went mad, the direct descendants had to use their lives to subdue the head.

Because of this, Jabisi direct descendants avoided each other. Forming unnecessary attachments could dull their blades.

Especially when the flower bloomed, the head could instinctively sense the scent of death in the heir’s pheromones.

A father’s decline meant his son’s rise. This was why the Jabisi direct descendants never had strong bonds or camaraderie.

Other families, unaware of this secret, viewed the Jabisi as heartless. Only the direct descendants and their attending physician knew about the Flower of Frenzy.

Devon’s provocation had touched a nerve. Zakari muttered coldly,

“You must be the one hoping for that.”

Surprisingly, the Page family, which had suffered the most during the Great Chaos, had also gained the most. Jabisi was under considerable restrictions due to the war’s aftermath.

“I was just expressing my concern.”

“Spare me your pretentious concern.”

Zakari was about to end the conversation when Devon continued,

“I hear your son’s pheromones are almost as strong as the first head of your family. That must be a big worry. Your family’s strength often brings a strong backlash. If your son goes mad, it would be quite problematic.”

Devon’s silver eyes gleamed with a sharp light. Zakari sighed deeply.

His ability to irritate was as sharp as ever. The insinuation that his son was a problem was also revolting.

Zakari responded with a radiant smile,

“Yes, he is very strong. So, I apologize in advance.”

“Apologize?”

“In case my son accidentally turns an entire territory into a wasteland. The neighboring North must be very worried.”

“Are you saying our North is afraid of your son?”

Devon snarled, his face contorting in anger. Zakari maintained a gracious smile as he said,

“Well, if not, then your interest in my son is quite overwhelming, isn’t it? He’s just a young black lion who hasn’t even reached adulthood yet.”

“That is…!”

“Sigh, it’s tough having such a capable son. You must be relieved to have a good son without any trouble.”

Zakari made a graceful gesture of apology before leaving. His words, though seemingly complimentary, had a sharp edge.

“That damn black lion…”

Devon muttered, clenching his fists in rage as he glared at Zakari’s retreating figure. One day, he would tear apart that arrogant black lion’s mane.

* * *

“So, it finally happened. I had a feeling this day might come… You should have mingled with him more carefully.”

Ivan spoke with a voice full of pity, as if he were addressing someone given a death sentence.

I sighed as I looked at the clear mark on the inside of my wrist. It wasn’t painful, but it was an unsettling mark.

It had been a week since Zerakiel bit me, yet the mark remained. If anything, it seemed to be taking on a pattern resembling a rose.

Specifically, the black rose on the Jabisi crest. It looked less like a bite and more like an intentional tattoo.

I held up my wrist and asked.

“This isn’t going away. Why?”

“Well, it’s not just a regular bite.”

“What do you mean, not just a regular bite?”

Ivan hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, while Melina avoided my gaze with an awkward smile.

It was obvious that this mark had some significant meaning.

“What is it? Tell me.”

“It’s better if you don’t know yet.”

Ivan replied, uncharacteristically tight-lipped. It was rare for Ivan, who was usually so talkative, to be so reticent.

Whatever this mark meant, it was clearly significant. Pushing for more answers didn’t seem like it would get me anywhere.

Zerakiel, the one who had left this mark, behaved no differently than usual. In other words, he was still his abnormal self.

Melina, meanwhile, fastened a lace bracelet around my wrist, covering the mark.

“For now, you can hide it with this,” she said, smiling sweetly. It was clear she knew what it meant too.

Great. So everyone knows except me?

I felt a bit left out, but if they weren’t telling me, it might not be that important. At least, I hoped that was the case.

Trying to ignore the uneasy feeling, I wore the bracelet without complaint. It had been a week since we arrived in Hebel.

In that time, I learned that the Page family did not bring a rabbit beastman with them.

It was strange. By now, Ella should be staying with the Page family.

In the original story, Ella was supposed to play a significant role in this event.

Hebel, the birthplace and resting place of the divine beasts, contained holy relics imbued with their traces.

Originally twelve in number, only ten had been found so far.

Due to Hebel’s unique geography, detecting these relics was extremely difficult. Even if found, they couldn’t be handled carelessly.

The relics chose their own masters and could attack if touched by the wrong person.

The discovered relics were safeguarded in the inner sanctum, a heavily warded treasury. Access to this sanctum was so restricted that even Naaman, the head of Hebel, could enter only once a year.

Inside this sacred space were ten relics, each possessing mysterious powers. Naaman would display them annually to assert Hebel’s significance.

Ella had not only found one of these rare relics but had also been chosen by it, making a huge impact.

Being the first beastman ever chosen by a relic, Ella had caused quite a stir. Even Naaman could only use the relics in a highly restricted manner, so her achievement was extraordinary.

Where did she find it again?

Without Ella here, that relic might remain undiscovered forever.

When I eventually leave the Jabisi family, I’ll need something to protect myself. The relic Ella found in the original story had abilities that would be extremely useful for my escape.

It could hide pheromones.

Ella had used it to safely hide her pheromones for a while. Unfortunately, she was eventually discovered by Zerakiel, which led to a tragic turn of events.

Anyway.

I possessed two unique pheromones, making this item absolutely essential for me.

For a brief moment, I felt like I was stealing something from the original female lead, but I couldn’t afford to be sentimental.

Having often cut off my nose to spite my face for the sake of others, I decided to be shameless this time. After all, wouldn’t the heroine end up with Heathcliff as her strong supporter?

To escape from Zerakiel’s lair, I needed to grow stronger.

Besides, taking this one thing wouldn’t tarnish Ella’s prestige.

Fortunately, knowing the original story, I already knew how to be chosen by the holy artifact. Honestly, as long as I arrived at the place safely, the artifact was as good as mine.

It would be foolish to miss this opportunity.

With a determined look, I clasped my hands together and said a short prayer.

“Lord, please help me be an excellent thief today.”

With this, I cast off the last vestiges of guilt and set off on my mission to find the holy artifact. Sorry, Ella, but I really need this.