Chapter 108: Aunt-in-law (2)

Chapter 108: Aunt-in-law (2) Love Von Agres stared at him, her body subtly tense, lips parched as if the very breath had been stolen from her lungs. The invisible golden chains still restrained her limbs, holding her firmly in place. Her voice finally broke the silence, soft yet razor-sharp. "How...? How did you do that to me?" Arthur’s expression remained composed, regal even, as he replied smoothly. "Take a guess." She bit her lip so hard a trickle of blood ran down her chin. ’I can’t believe I actually thought it was a baseless rumour spread by his family just to avoid explaining his absence when the academy term began.’ She swallowed hard. ’Even if I try to convince myself it was just gossip, the man in front of me is undeniably Elite rank.’ Love couldn’t meet his gaze. ’Is that even possible? He was an Expert barely a month ago... and now Elite? The same Elite that’s the peak of humanity?’ She released a faint, breathless chuckle and slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. "Monster..." she whispered. Arthur smiled faintly. "I’m glad we’re on the same page." 『 You have activated your authority: True Bloodlust 』 Suddenly, an invisible weight descended upon the room. Love’s legs trembled beneath her even as she remained seated, sweat gathering at her temple. She raised her eyes once more to meet his, but the terror she felt in that moment was immeasurable. Something beyond human understanding. A being too radiant to be seen, yet too dim to shine. Too flawless to exist, yet too natural to be false. A creature without boundary or beginning. Her lips quivered, yet she still managed to whisper two words. "...You’re—God." Arthur’s gaze turned cold in an instant. "Where did you hear that word?" Love’s breath hitched. "...Looks like I was right." She lowered her head, her voice now reverent. "By now, you should’ve heard about my illness." Arthur didn’t respond, but his silence was more than enough. "After it reached the point of no return, I searched desperately for a cure. That’s when I stumbled upon a map leading to an artifact said to heal me." She lifted her eyes again, now filled with renewed hope. "The only issue is that only God can use it. I thought it was a fantasy... I thought maybe I should just give up. But now..." she looked up, awe washing over her face. "God stands before me in the flesh." Arthur’s gaze lingered on her, and with a single mental command, the bindings faded. Love didn’t hesitate, nor did she pause to gather her breath. She dropped to her knees. "Forgive my ignorance. Please allow me to pay proper respect." Around her, all her subordinates, the same men who had drawn blades against Arthur moments ago, knelt in unison. "I greet the One who inherited the power of the True Creator," she proclaimed. Her men echoed immediately: "We greet the One who inherited the power of the True Creator." Arthur looked down at her, satisfied. This wasn’t part of his plan. In fact, he had never imagined such a scenario unfolding. ’God, huh?’ he thought, his expression subtly darkening. Ding! 『 You have earned two infinite lovers 』 『 Zero’s and Love’s affection for you has reached infinite 』 Love, noting his slightly displeased expression, asked: "My Lord, what exactly brings you to us?" Arthur snapped back to focus. He leaned forward slightly. "As you said, I have the power of the one called God, but I know nothing about him. That’s what I’m looking for. Even if it’s just a clue to who he is." She nodded thoughtfully, still kneeling with a hand at her chin. "Makes sense that you’d want to know..." she looked up at him. "My Lord, do you have any leads? Or even rumors we can work with?" Arthur turned his gaze to Zero. Zero stepped forward and began to explain everything they had uncovered so far, or at least, the parts they were willing to share. From the whispered tales circulating in the southern territories to strange rumors of divine voices. Most details came from travelers and merchants, as well as what Eliya had told Arthur. Of course, she carefully omitted one crucial detail, that Eliya was a high elf. But all the information shared one common theme: "I heard the voices of God." Silver nodded as she listened. "I think I’ve heard that rumor before. Back then I thought it was nonsense..." Silver’s explanation was straightforward. According to a rumor from one of her beggar informants, there was an ancient city hidden deep within the southern ruins. It was said that if you prayed there, wounds would disappear. The sick were healed. Some even claimed the people there never suffered, that the very air carried joy. Arthur tilted his head. ’That definitely sounds like what people call a miracle.’ But it made no sense for something like that to exist openly while Agrat and Tessia did nothing. And he couldn’t rely on game knowledge. Nothing like this ever appeared in any route he had played. ’Won’t hurt to check it out,’ he thought, shifting his focus from nothing to Silver. "Do you know the area?" he asked, then rephrased, "Can you take me there?" Silver nodded slowly. "I can. But... there’s something you should know." Arthur raised a brow. "Inside the Holy City, you can’t use mana, force, or any kind of energy. Nothing." Arthur’s eyes narrowed. "Is that even possible?" "Yes, and no one knows why or how it works," she admitted. "It’s just the way it’s always been. Some say the laws of the world shift inside it, since God dwells there." Arthur regarded her carefully. "If that’s true, you can’t come with me. Mana is what’s keeping you alive." Silver’s expression darkened, as though she had just been denied the right to serve a worthy master. Arthur smiled gently. "Then rest, and wait for my return." She nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Master. I’ll mark the location on a map and wait for your return." He gestured for her to stand. She rose unsteadily, brushing the dust off her knees. "There’s one more thing I need to mention." Arthur, already moving to leave, paused. "There are... rumors," she said cautiously. "That the priests of that city have begun kidnapping young girls. They’re searching for the one who bears the blood of their ’Benefactor.’" She stepped forward, bowed, and handed him the folded map. After he accepted it, she raised her eyes. "According to them, they’re looking for the true priestess." "The true priestess?" Silver nodded grimly. "The one with the Benefactor’s blood will be forced to marry the priests and sleep with the males of the city. Since they haven’t found her, they’re in a foul mood, so it’s best to be cautious." Arthur gave a slight nod, acknowledging her warning. Then he turned toward the door. "When I return," he said calmly, "I’ll heal you." Silver’s lips parted. "But... won’t you need the artifact—?" She stopped mid-sentence as the light from the setting sun illuminated his face. He turned his head slightly and smiled. She stared a moment longer, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "...Okay," she bowed. "I’ll await your return, Master." The door shut behind him. Silver let out a long breath, placing a hand over her chest. "No matter what... good looks really are the best." Then she scoffed. "Janet must be so damn lucky. Having Master as her son-in-law..." She smiled like a girl experiencing her first crush. "I think being his servant and aunt-in-law is better than being just a mother-in-law." ------ The moment Arthur exited the flat building, he activated a high-tier teleportation spell and vanished to the ruins of the Holy City. Ordinary mages would need to travel quite a distance first before being able to teleport. But for him, all he needed was a general location and one identifiable landmark. "So this is the Holy City?" he muttered, completely forgetting that he had left Zero behind. The streets bustled with noise, filled with chatter and the usual southern trade buzz. Children ran around with bright smiles on their faces. ’That’s what they want everyone to believe.’ Even if others saw a happy city, to Arthur, someone who had once lived in a world of false joy, it was obvious. This wasn’t true happiness. No one’s smile quite reached their eyes, except for a few men loitering about, grinning like they’d won the lottery. It was genuinely sickening. Arthur’s expression darkened, but he restrained the urge to release bloodlust. He walked quietly along the outskirts of the crowd until a nearby conversation caught his attention. Two men, clearly merchants, leaned against a wall, speaking in hushed tones and laughing cruelly. "They finally found the priestess," one said. "She was with a group of friends, but the priests caught up with them. The girl thought she could use force in here." "Soon, the Wide Cleansing will begin," the other muttered, licking his lips. "Can’t wait, she looks like a virgin. Her female friends are real lookers too." Arthur froze mid-step. His jaw clenched. ’Vile scum...’ But that was all he could do. At this moment, he was no better than a mundane human with a few sword techniques. Yet that didn’t dull the rage. The rage of hearing such revolting creatures speak so casually—and being unable to do anything about it. He drew his hood further forward and walked past them silently, but just as he turned the corner, a phrase caught his ear, soft but unmistakable. "She’s the real daughter of our Benefactor... Bruce Springsteen." Arthur stood frozen. Utterly still. ’What did they just say?’ The space around him rippled. His eyes darkened as his head turned unnaturally to face the men. They flinched for a moment under his stare, then smirked. "Looking to join in on the fun?" The other man grinned. "He’s new, huh? Well, we can promise you—this batch won’t disappoint." The first burst into laughter. "What was her name again?" They exchanged a brief glance before muttering with a smirk, "Cass—" Arthur didn’t let them finish. In a blink, he stood before them and slit their throats with a dagger. Men emerged from around the corner, even though the area had remained eerily quiet. "It’s a murderer!" one shouted. Arthur faced the six men and pointed the dagger at them as bystanders began to gather. He couldn’t think. Reason had vanished the instant he heard that name. Now, only one thought remained: KILL! The young man in the blood-splattered cloak tilted his head slightly. "Are you part of them?" he murmured, not even bothering to conceal his killing intent. Yes, he couldn’t use mana, force, affinities, or most of his authorities. But he still had bloodlust. The men instinctively took a step back. Arthur asked again, his voice now cold and inhuman. This time, he didn’t speak in English, nor in the native tongue of this world, or even in the language of the Arcains. But in fluent Korean: "Which of you fuckers is the priest?" ─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───