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Chapter 119: Land of Death, Demonic Bloom

The moment I saw Fichte lying unconscious, my heart sank.

"Step aside."

Observing him closely, his breathing was normal, and his complexion was almost back to its usual state.

However, the chill emanating from his skin was more severe than before.

Rachel, closely observing my reaction, asked,

"Is there something you\'re concerned about? If you have any insights, please share your expertise."

Loren added,

"It seems even the Chief Healer has something weighing on her mind."

"Though it\'s embarrassing to admit, I don\'t know every ailment. Occasionally, there are concoctions or rare poisonous herbs in the world that defy common sense. In such cases, it\'s best to treat the patient based on the typical symptoms they exhibit."

"Are you saying there\'s a possibility of that now?"

Rachel shook her head.

"The chill isn\'t a fatal precursory symptom that would threaten his life..."

I tore Fichte\'s shirt open with urgency, cutting Rachel off mid-sentence. Staring at the black spots that had partially appeared on Fichte\'s upper body, I asked directly,

"...Have you ever heard of the Demonic Bloom?"

"Demonic Bloom...?"

Loren, who had been tilting her head in thought, suddenly raised her eyebrows and stood up.

"Are you referring to the Demonic Bloom from Land of Death?"

I cursed inwardly.

If Loren knew about it, it meant those damned things still existed even after 300 years.

The Demonic Bloom wasn\'t a specific poisonous herb.

It referred to any plant that grew in \'Land of Death,\' absorbing the demonic energy that emanated from deep within the earth.

It could be a flower, grass, or even an unknown weed.

When consumed, there were no immediate symptoms, but after a certain period, a chill would accumulate within the body, leading to unconsciousness.

And if another period passed, the accumulated toxicity would make it impossible to regain consciousness.

The most troublesome aspect of the Demonic Bloom was that it was impossible to distinguish by appearance or taste. Unless one was a highly skilled expert, it was difficult even to detect the Demonic Bloom\'s toxicity once it entered the body.

"If it\'s the Demonic Bloom... I know about it as well."

Suddenly, Rachel looked at me with a relieved expression.

"I understand why you were so worried. There are similar symptoms. However, this isn\'t the Demonic Bloom. There are clear differences from its effects."

"Do you have any potions?"

Rachel tilted her head and replied,

"I have some that I brought from the main house."

"I need something above the highest grade. Special grade would be ideal."

"I have some. But why are you suddenly asking for this?"

"Give it to him."

Rachel shook her head.

"Even if we use a potion, it won\'t make a significant difference. He\'ll recover on his own with time..."

"Just shut up and..."

I glared at her, cutting her off.

"Give him the potion. It\'s urgent."

As Rachel hesitated with a dubious expression, Loren spoke.

"Do as he says, Chief Healer."

"Yes."

Rachel went to a corner, rummaged through a box, took out a special-grade potion, and carefully poured it into Fichte\'s mouth.

A moment later, black spots gradually appeared on Fichte\'s previously unchanged complexion, slowly turning his skin an inky black.

"...!"

Rachel stared at Fichte with a shocked expression.

Sensing the ominous signs, Loren stepped forward and asked,

"What\'s happening, Chief Healer?"

"What is this...?"

Just then, black blood started flowing from Fichte\'s mouth, and his limbs began to tremble.

Shudder—

"Damn it."

I shouted towards the guards,

"Hold him down!"

The swordsmen rushed forward and seized Fichte\'s arms and legs. I immediately pressed my hands against Fichte\'s sternum with bone-crushing force and opened my circles.

Whirr—

Three circles spun in reverse.

Without delay, I manifested dark lightning and channeled it into Fichte\'s body. With a crack, his sternum caved in. Strange sounds escaped Fichte\'s mouth, and his limbs thrashed even more violently.

As the swordsmen moved to stop me, Loren shook her head. Guiding the dark lightning towards Fichte\'s heart, I commanded,

"Hold him tight, make sure he can\'t move!"

This wasn\'t the time to be distracted. Fichte\'s complexion grew darker and darker, finally turning a deathly ashen gray.

\'It is the Demonic Bloom.\'

There was no doubt. The Demonic Bloom\'s toxicity, accumulated within his body, had reacted to the potion\'s potent effects, causing this violent reaction.

However, something didn\'t feel quite right. Such a severe reaction shouldn\'t be possible from the Demonic Bloom\'s toxicity alone.

I spread the dark lightning throughout his upper body, eradicating the toxins. Any further delay, and the poison would have spread throughout his entire body, becoming untreatable.

"..."

After a while, only the source of the toxins near his heart remained. I detonated the dark lightning at the opportune moment, obliterating the poison and guiding the residual traces to Fichte\'s fingertips.

"Whew."

A drop of sweat trickled down my forehead.

"Damn those bastards."

Blackish-red blood oozed from Fichte\'s fingertips and dripped to the ground. With a sizzling sound, it ignited, releasing a horrific stench.

"..."

Sensing the shocked gazes of everyone present, I sneered inwardly.

\'Those bastards really...\'

They hadn\'t just used the Demonic Bloom.

This was a move intended to kill Fichte without fail. The thought of the culprit lurking in the shadows, probably still gloating, made me scoff.

\'I\'ll drag you out, just you wait.\'

Looking at Fichte with his caved-in chest, I said,

"Let\'s get him treated first."

* * *

After leaving the aftermath to Rachel, I sat facing Loren and Celestine in the next room. Loren, who had been silently observing me, spoke without any preamble,

"This is quite embarrassing."

Surprised by her words, I replied,

"It\'s fortunate we weren\'t too late."

Loren shook her head.

"This isn\'t something I can simply overlook. A debt is a debt. If you have any requests, feel free to ask."

The moment Loren finished speaking, I asked,

"Do you have any illicit liquor?"

"Illicit liquor?"

Loren chuckled and shook her head.

"I\'m afraid we don\'t have any illicit liquor."

"Then any alcohol will do."

Loren gave an order to someone behind her, and a servant who appeared to be from Ardehain brought various kinds of alcohol. Loren opened one of the bottles and poured me a drink.

I downed it in one gulp, the fiery sensation of the strong liquor rising in my throat.

"How is it?"

"Not as good as illicit liquor, but it\'s decent."

"I\'ll keep that in mind," Loren said with a chuckle.

For some reason, Loren\'s gaze seemed rather friendly. I poured drinks for Loren and Celestine, then refilled my own glass. We drank in silence for a while.

Perhaps it was because Loren acknowledged me.

Even though she must have been curious, she didn\'t ask any questions.

After a few rounds of drinks, the door burst open, and Rachel entered. Loren turned her head slightly and asked,

"How is the Third Military Commander?"

"He\'s safe. He should regain consciousness within a day or two. And..."

Rachel bowed deeply.

"This was clearly my oversight. I apologize."

"It wasn\'t your fault, Chief Healer. Don\'t worry about it. Go and get some rest."

Rachel left, and we resumed drinking. When I was moderately tipsy, I asked Loren,

"I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"What is the Third Military Commander\'s relationship with Urgon? And what about his relationship with Elder Parin?"

Loren\'s eyes narrowed.

"I\'m curious about that as well. The Third Military Commander is a very private man, even within the clan, so there\'s little interaction."

"Is the Third Military Commander an important position?"

"Depending on the circumstances. He\'s one of the few who can operate independently."

"Hmm."

It seemed she truly had no knowledge of his connections. It was disappointing, but I had expected as much. Lotus Swordsmen generally weren\'t interested in anything other than swordsmanship, so it wasn\'t surprising.

Suddenly, a chill crept into Loren\'s eyes.

"My, my. This is quite audacious. The Demonic Bloom, you say? It means they were openly targeting the Third Military Commander from the beginning."

"I agree."

Traces of the Demonic Bloom were already present in the Third Military Commander before the banquet even started.

\'Nothing is a coincidence.\'

This was a blatant attack on Ardehain. A scheme specifically prepared for the Third Military Commander, who lacked mana, from the very start.

Emptying her glass, Loren declared,

"I never thought I\'d witness someone daring to deceive Ardehain right in front of me."

Lost in thought, Celestine suddenly spoke,

"The more I think about it, the more cunning it seems."

"It\'s not that complicated," Loren said, looking at Celestine.

"Celestine Ardehain, listen carefully. In times like these, there\'s no need for excessive thought. Just investigate everything suspicious. Uproot them completely. That is the way of Ardehain. Whoever it may be, we must clearly show them the consequences of daring to touch Ardehain."

Suddenly, a murderous aura filled the room. I knew how Loren intended to respond.

"I\'d appreciate it if you could wait a little."

"Wait?"

"There\'s something I need to confirm."

Just how deeply was Elder Parin involved in this incident?

"What are you planning to do?"

"I\'m thinking of deceiving those bastards myself. This was also an attack on our Samael. I can\'t just sit back and do nothing. Besides, deception is my specialty."

Loren gazed intently at me before replying,

"My patience isn\'t unlimited."

"One day will be enough."

"It seems you have something in mind."

"I\'d like to make a proposition."

"A proposition?"

Loren chuckled.

"A proposition, you say? I think you\'ve chosen the wrong word. I might listen if you called it a request."

"It\'s a proposition. It won\'t be disadvantageous for Ardehain either."

Loren narrowed her eyes, displeased with my words.

"Ruin, you need to choose your words carefully. I\'m holding back because I owe you one, and I\'d appreciate it if you kept that in mind. Ardehain has nothing to gain from this."

"Of course. Ardehain can do whatever it pleases."

"You understand that well. Then why..."

"The reason I\'m making this proposition is that it won\'t be detrimental to Ardehain. Following my suggestion would also be a more entertaining approach than simply stirring things up. For instance, it\'s the difference between hitting someone on the back of the head and slapping them with style."

As I spoke, Loren initially shook her head in disbelief, but eventually, she burst into laughter.

"My, my. You\'re quite the unpredictable man."

With a smile, Loren rose from her seat.

* * *

Celestine, alone in the room, sipped her drink.

She didn\'t usually enjoy strong liquor, but now, the burning sensation as it flowed down her throat seemed to calm her startled heart.

\'Ruin Samael...\'

Every action that man had taken today was incomprehensible.

\'How is that even possible?\'

Lost in thought, she heard the door open. Loren, who had left with Ruin, returned.

"You\'re back."

"You\'re still awake? It\'s quite late."

Loren glanced at the drink in front of Celestine and smiled.

"It seems our Celine has a lot on her mind."

"I can\'t seem to fall asleep."

Celestine asked cautiously,

"Are you alright, Mother? You seem to be troubled by the Third Military Commander incident."

Loren sat across from Celestine, took a sip of her drink, and shook her head.

"Don\'t worry. I\'ll handle it. It\'s not something to be overly concerned about. Rather than that..."

Loren let out a laugh she had been suppressing.

"My, my. This is truly intriguing. It was a good decision to come here."

Celestine understood what Loren meant. After laughing for a while, Loren\'s eyes suddenly gleamed as she asked,

"What did you think of Ruin, Celine?"

"Hmm..."

"Tell me honestly, without holding back."

Celestine carefully considered her words, then spoke frankly.

"There are many things that don\'t add up. What I can say for sure is that I wasn\'t mistaken back then. It\'s hard to comprehend, but... I felt that overwhelming pressure from him once again. When he confronted you, Mother, I even felt suffocated. However..."

"However?"

Celestine bit her lip slightly.

"His confidence seemed a bit excessive, almost reckless. He made many remarks that crossed the line. And even though he knew your identity, he didn\'t hold back his words... It made me anxious."

"Oh my."

Loren nodded and poured more wine into her glass.

"Everything you said is correct, except for one thing."

"Which part?"

"You said he seemed reckless?"

Loren emptied her glass in one gulp before answering.

"He has earned the right to be."

Celestine, who knew her mother\'s temperament well, widened her eyes.

"What?"

"He did it on purpose. The Crazy Mage Squad Commander of Samael. From the moment he revealed his identity, he deliberately changed his tone. It wasn\'t arrogance, but pride. It was entirely intentional. Of course, if it were anyone else, I would have cut out their tongue..."

"..."

"But he\'s earned it."

Loren looked at Celestine and continued,

"There are many talented individuals in the world. Even you, Celine, were born with talent not inferior to your mother. Velusia\'s third child is also quite remarkable. But you see, men with that kind of spirit are truly rare. Especially at his age, it\'s almost impossible. That\'s not merely talent, but..."

Loren\'s eyes shone as she looked at Celestine.

"The aura of the man himself. It\'s like discovering a slumbering dragon."

Celestine stared at her mother with trembling eyes. She had never heard her speak of anyone in such a way. Not even the talented swordsmen of Ardehain, or the children of other noble clans, had ever been called a slumbering dragon.

"He\'s that impressive?"

"Of course, his current skills may be lacking."

"Then..."

Loren nodded.

"He\'s a man to watch in the future. It\'s worth maintaining a connection with him. He\'ll be a good rival for our Celine. If Celine is interested in Ruin, hmm, his clan background is a bit of an issue, but I suppose we could overlook that..."

"Mother!"

"I\'m just joking, joking. Well, not entirely a joke, but..."

"No, really!"

Loren looked at Celestine\'s flushed face with amusement and said,

"It\'s late. Go to bed."

"...Yes."

After Celestine closed the door and left, Loren, with a smile, swirled her drink. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and her expression hardened slightly.

Shiver—

She looked down at her arm; goosebumps had appeared.

\'What was that?\'

It was a faint sensation, yet Loren felt an indescribable sense of tension.

It was enough to trigger an instinctive alarm in her superhuman body.

An ominous feeling even she, with her vast experience, couldn\'t identify.

"Samael... I\'m truly curious."

With a delighted smile returning to her face, Loren continued to sip her drink for a long time.