#63

 

“Right now, you’re the one in danger, young master. Who exactly do you think is at risk?”

Despite Rudy stomping his feet in frustration, Hiscleif remained unmoved. Watching Hiscleif head toward the black pillar, Rudy cursed under his breath and shouted.

“Please, I’m begging you!”

“If you’re that worried, go on ahead.”

“Do you really think I can do that?”

“There’s no other choice. If it really is a rampage and we don’t stop it now, the Great Chaos will happen all over again.”

Hiscleif gave a somewhat heroic answer as he started to move, although he hid the fact that his true motivations were far from noble.

“Damn it!”

Rudy couldn’t abandon the young master he served. In the end, Rudy gave in to Hiscleif’s stubbornness and said,

“Fine, but we’re only confirming the situation and then leaving immediately if it looks dangerous.”

“Sure. Just confirming.”

With those words, they rushed toward the direction of the black pillar. As they neared it, a sudden white light began to envelop the black pillar, purifying the pheromone poison that had been spreading.

The sight of light and darkness swirling together caused Rudy and Hiscleif to stop in their tracks. It was an awe-inspiring, overwhelming display of power.

* * *

The moment I unleashed my pheromones, I could see the poisonous tattoos that had spread across Zakari’s body begin to fade.

‘It’s working!’

Seeing this, I poured all my strength into channeling more pheromones toward Zakari.

I heard a cracking sound within me, as though something inside was breaking, but I was too focused on saving Zakari to care.

“Ugh!”

I saw Zakari’s red eyes gradually turn back to their golden hue. Then, the blank look in his eyes faded, replaced by the light of awareness.

“Whi…te weasel?”

At any other time, I would have scolded him to use my proper name, but now, I was relieved. It meant Zakari was regaining consciousness.

But my optimism was short-lived.

Suddenly, Zakari’s eyes turned red again, and sensing danger, he began trying to break free from the chains. At that moment, I felt my strength drain, and a sharp pain surged in my chest.

“Ugh.”

A metallic taste filled my mouth. I was certain I had internal injuries.

‘Why on earth am I risking my life like this… for what glory?’

Zakari’s strength was overwhelming. The pheromones emanating from him were still threatening.

I was going to lose this battle of strength if things continued like this.

Sweating profusely, I looked at Zakari. His power was so immense that cracks had already begun forming in the silver chains binding him. Just as I was about to reinforce the chains with new ones—

*Clang—! Crack!*

The tightly wound chains snapped, and the sound of metal tearing through flesh sent chills down my spine.

Zerakiel had always prepared for this moment. His father’s madness had progressed far faster than any previous head of the Jabis family.

That’s why he had to grow stronger before his father died. He had poured his heart into his training, suppressing his emotions, and working tirelessly to master the use of pheromones before reaching his full maturity.

He thought he was fully prepared.

But when he saw his father rampaging right before his eyes, Zerakiel froze.

It was far more horrifying and terrifying than he had imagined.

The thought that this could be his own future weighed down his legs.

And that moment of hesitation dragged him deeper into despair.

“Cersia?”

Before he could stop her, Cersia had already rushed toward Zakari. The next moment, a radiant burst of pheromones enveloped them both.

The powerful pheromones he had felt from Chichi when she first bit him now wrapped around Zakari. For a moment, Zerakiel nearly fainted, his body going weak from the overwhelming sensation, but he quickly drew his sword and sliced his palm.

As blood dripped onto the ground, his foggy mind cleared. Zakari, too, was subdued by Cersia’s pheromones.

It was then that he noticed it.

“!”

The deadly toxin of the “Flower of Frenzy” was weakening, and Zerakiel’s lips trembled.

The only way to stop a Jabis in full rampage had always been death. It was the only way to stop the rampage caused by the cursed pheromone toxin, and it was why the Great Chaos had happened in the first place.

No one had ever reverted back from that state. Death was always the only salvation and peace.

Yet, somehow, Cersia was performing a miracle right before his eyes.

Who was she, exactly?

As Zerakiel stood in stunned silence, he noticed the chains binding Zakari were beginning to break.

Without thinking, Zerakiel lunged at his father and drove his sword into Zakari’s shoulder.

*KRRRACK!*

The sickening sound made Cersia squeeze her eyes shut. Blood splattered as Zerakiel coldly watched and moved between her and Zakari.

While Zakari groaned and clutched his wounded shoulder, Zerakiel grabbed Cersia by the shoulders and shouted at her.

“Are you insane?”

Cersia trembled as she stared at him, startled by his sudden outburst. Looking into her innocent, calm eyes, Zerakiel couldn’t believe she had almost just died.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“Zerakiel…”

“What makes you think you can just run in like that? Do you have any idea what the Jabis family is?”

He had never been this furious in his life. The indescribable anger overwhelmed him as he unleashed it all on Cersia.

“Don’t interfere in something you can’t handle. He’s far beyond your ability.”

The words came out sharper than he intended, and he immediately regretted it when he saw the hurt expression on Cersia’s face.

Fearful of what he’d done, Zerakiel bit his lip and fell into silence.

After a moment, Cersia gently touched his cheek and asked, “Zerakiel, are you okay?”

That was when Zerakiel realized it wasn’t Cersia who was trembling—it was him.

Despite the harsh things he had said, here she was, asking about his well-being. Zerakiel felt himself begin to crumble.

His grip on his sword weakened as he mumbled, frowning, “You almost died. …You know that, right?”

Cersia looked into his trembling golden eyes. Seeing the fear in Zerakiel’s gaze, she realized how recklessly she had acted without thinking.

“I know.”

“If you knew, then why…!”

“But I thought you’d save me if things got dangerous.”

“What?”

“You’re much stronger than I am, after all.”

Cersia smiled brightly, and Zerakiel felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.

“That’s not something you can just assume…”

Yet, the angry words he wanted to say wouldn’t come out. Strangely, the fact that she trusted him so much brought him a sense of calm.

Meanwhile, Zakari lay on the ground, writhing in pain.

Zerakiel had stabbed him and released his pheromones, paralyzing him. Zakari’s movements had slowed as a result.

Just as Cersia was about to step forward again, Zerakiel blocked her path. His eyes flashed with determination.

“From here on, I’ll handle this.”

“But…”

“This is my responsibility. It’s something I have to do alone, without anyone’s help.”

The seriousness in Zerakiel’s voice made Cersia hesitate.

My responsibility.

It was the unavoidable fate that had been laid upon Zerakiel from the moment he was born into the Jabis family.

A family bound by the brutal choice to be killed by their own blood rather than suffer at the hands of another.

But Cersia knew the truth. She knew that deep down, Zerakiel didn’t want to kill Zakari.

In the sequel that had come to mind, she had seen Zerakiel’s inner thoughts. Ever since that day when he had no choice but to kill his father with his own hands, he had been broken.

Living each day like someone who had suffered a fatal wound that could never heal, slowly dying inside.

‘I won’t let that happen.’

With renewed resolve, Cersia met Zerakiel’s cold gaze and shot back,

“Is that really what you want?”