#70

Tabby gulped nervously at my intense threat and quickly responded.

— Hebel! There’s a sacred relic in Hebel that can extend your life!

“A sacred relic?”

— Yes. With that relic, you’ll be safe until you fully mature.

“Hebel, you say.”

I released my grip on Tabby and fell into thought.

It was true that my powers seemed to hold clues for treating the genetic illness that plagued the Jabis family. But for some reason, I couldn’t fully harness that power.

 

‘Zerakiel’s strength is almost absurdly overwhelming.’

‘True. When pheromone strength is too great, the body often can’t handle it before maturity, leading to death. Lord Zerakiel is simply robust enough to endure that power.’

‘Wait, you’re saying people can die from their own pheromones?’

‘Of course. In prestigious families, survival rates are often very low. Their natural power is so intense that it can even endanger pregnant mothers.’

Melina’s words, spoken casually in passing, suddenly resurfaced in my mind.

It seemed likely that my body couldn’t handle the strain of my power, just as Melina had described.

“You’re not lying, are you?”

— I wouldn’t lie about something like this.

Tabby growled, keeping a cautious distance—clearly, my earlier actions had left her shaken.

“Do you know where the relic is?”

— Of course. It’s stored safely in Hebel’s treasure vault, so don’t worry.

Hmm. I see.

I stroked my chin, contemplating the situation. Of all places, the relic I needed was in Hebel’s treasure vault.

This wasn’t like finding Tabby in a well—it would be far riskier.

The vault was only accessible to Naaman, the head of Hebel.

‘Well, that’s not entirely true. There is one way to get into the vault.’

I recalled how Ella had managed to access the vault in the original story and couldn’t help but smirk.

With Tabby’s presence already revealed, this might actually work out in my favor.

Sensing my devious expression, Tabby shuddered, clearly alarmed.

— What… what are you planning?

“What do you think?”

Stealing from vaults happens to be my specialty.

Having unexpectedly become quite the adept thief, I grinned wickedly.

“Just wait. An invitation will find its way to me soon enough.”

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe it.”

Duke Orban adjusted his glasses as he examined Zakari’s chest. The wound on his shoulder was of little concern, thanks to Jabis’s exceptional healing abilities.

What was truly astonishing, however, was the change in the usually overwhelming presence of Zakari’s pheromones. The power that had always run rampant within him had noticeably weakened.

Though his pheromones were still potent, their aggressive nature—once so strong that they turned against his own body—had mellowed.

The dark, tattoo-like markings that had always spread across his skin had vanished completely.

“The Flower of Frenzy has truly disappeared.”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Zakari let out a faint chuckle as he straightened his clothes. The duke murmured in disbelief.

“You’re saying that the flower in the secret garden turned white?”

“Indeed. And it still had five petals remaining.”

“That’s strange. For a rampage to occur before all the petals have fallen… it’s almost as if…”

The duke hesitated, furrowing his brow, but Zakari provided the answer himself.

“It’s similar to what happened a hundred years ago, when the head of the family went on a rampage.”

He was right. This situation hadn’t occurred since the Great Chaos a century ago.

Back then, a head of the family who had three petals remaining had suddenly gone berserk, triggering a catastrophe.

This time, the rampage had come with five petals left.

Ordinarily, this should have been an even more severe situation than before.

Yet thanks to the appearance of the white weasel, the disaster had turned into a stroke of luck.

In the previous incident, all the petals had fallen from the flower in the secret garden, making it impossible to determine the cause.

But this time, Zakari’s flower still had its petals intact. This meant that the true cause of the chaos could potentially be uncovered.

The duke asked for confirmation.

“Are you certain the Flower of Frenzy has truly disappeared? Is there any chance it might reappear later?”

His question came from a fear that removing the petals from the garden’s flower might cause Zakari to lose control again.

In response, Zakari shrugged cheerfully and pulled out a small box. The duke’s gaze followed it. Inside the glass box was a single flower petal.

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t be standing here calmly before you.”

The duke’s face twisted into a grimace, a look of sheer disbelief.

“Have you lost your mind…?”

The duke scowled fiercely, his voice icy.

“What were you thinking, doing such a thing?”

As his furious outburst echoed, Herman, who had been standing nearby, broke into a cold sweat. But the duke paid him no mind and continued berating Zakari.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!”

“How could you take such a dangerous risk? Extracting a petal before we fully understand the situation… What if something went wrong?!”

Duke Orban’s voice was harsh, tinged with anger, but he couldn’t seem to find the words to fully express his frustration. His mind was blank with fury, and he could only glare at Zakari, his breath coming in sharp bursts.

On the other hand, Zakari’s expression remained calm, more serene than it had ever been. A faint, lazy smile curled his lips as he replied.

“No. Everything is clearer than ever.”

“…What?”

“So, you can rest easy and focus on your job now.”

Zakari beckoned with a casual flick of his fingers, urging the duke to take the box. His infuriatingly nonchalant tone suggested he was indeed as composed as he appeared.

Reluctantly, Duke Orban took the box from him.

Inside was a single petal. The duke’s jaw dropped as he took in the sight of the transformed Flower of Frenzy.

The petal, which had once been pitch black, was now a pure, shimmering white. It gleamed like snowflakes catching the sunlight.

The sight of the flower, which once symbolized the deathly curse that loomed over the Jabis family, now glowing with a brilliant, clear light, was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The duke forgot his anger for a moment, murmuring in disbelief.

“So, the records were true.”

At the mention of the records, Zakari nodded knowingly.

There was a story passed down through the Jabis family, alongside the inherited illness.

 

[I planted the flower I adored, but the one I longed for is not here.

My hollow heart burns black with grief, yearning for the one who will never come.

Why did I ever love flowers, only to be tormented like this?

With each spring bloom, flames ignite within me.

I try to forget, but the memories only grow clearer.

I might as well die buried in these flowers. Destroy this season, and die forever.

Yet, if by some chance,

the Flower of Frenzy regains its true form, freedom will be mine at last.]

 

It was the final will of Vasili Bjorn Jabis, the first head of the Jabis family.

Vasili had been a madman who carved the Flower of Frenzy into his own body, all because his deceased lover had loved flowers. He had willingly etched a poison onto himself that would slowly destroy him.

And so, the Jabis family had grown to detest flowers. No matter how many times they uprooted them, the flowers stubbornly bloomed every spring, reminding them of their curse.

That crazed man had unleashed a terrible curse upon his lineage before he died.

Since that day, the lifespan of the Jabis family had shortened, just as Vasili had wished, and their lives had been ruined.

Naturally, over the years, countless members of the Jabis family sought to uncover the true nature of the Flower of Frenzy, desperate to break free from the curse.

However, Vasili Bjorn, in his madness, had burned all records of his partner before his death.

As a result, the only thing they knew for certain was that the flower he had carved into himself had originally been white.

“We’ve finally found a clue,” Zakari said with a faint, triumphant smile.

Though it wasn’t entirely certain, Cersia’s pheromones seemed to have the ability to restore the Flower of Frenzy to its original form.

Not only had she stopped his rampage, but she had also prevented the flower’s bloom.

Perhaps the magic Vasili had cast had weakened over the generations.

If that were true, then now was their best chance to break free from this wretched curse.

“Make haste.”

“Yes, understood,” the duke replied, accepting his orders with a deep sense of responsibility. This mission was crucial—it had the potential to not only ensure the survival of the Jabis family but also to bring an end to their years of suffering.

“I will uncover the truth as quickly as possible.”

With a resolute expression, Duke Orban carefully tucked the box into his inner pocket and left the room. Afterward, Zakari turned to Herman.

“And Cersia?”