CH 17

The cursed power of the Ambrosia family grew stronger the more it was used. No family record found where this power originated or what and how much it could destroy.

'This power is a blessing, but it’s still lacking. Ambrosia can take possession of everything in this land if this power grows.'

Ethan's father, the previous duke, did anything to further develop this power. He noticed that he could increase Ambrosia's power even more by using someone with the same power. The previous duke was trying to increase his power, but he was overwhelmed so violently that he was devoured by this power and died.

'......Don't refuse it, Son. Accept it. What will remain without this power? You have to do anything to get what you want.'

In the last will of the previous duke, there was a filthy ambition and obsession for the power of Ambrosia. Ethan couldn't stand it because it was terrible. The predicted future for himself and Claude was just around the corner. The same was true a month ago when he was out of control.

The moment the power of Ambrosia appeared in Claude, the child fell ill. It was something that could happen in the process of instinctively rejecting the power. Ethan caressed the forehead of the feverish, nonsensical child, and could feel his forgotten strength suddenly increase in volume. Even though Claude's power was not strong enough to make him explode yet.

'Claude's power is too strong. He could be a monster worse than his father.'

Ambrosia's power gradually drove people crazy and gnawed at their minds. Thankfully, thanks to the ring Sarah gave Ethan, he was able to control his mind that was about to go mad, being dyed by Ambrosia's power. If it wasn't for the ring, Veron and Ronda's expressions wouldn’t be the only things that disappeared.

He could feel it when he held Claude in his arms for a while yesterday. He could feel the power that he had been controlling with the help of the ring was about to go wild once again. And when he used it one last time dealing with the First Prince's spy, the ring was completely cracked and lost its powers. Since then, he had been controlling the flow of the power to the extreme. So right now, Ethan was busy restraining the power that ran rampant in him.

"The ring, there's a crack."

Sarah noticed this and looked at the Duke with a new look.

'It must be difficult to control his power.'

It was impossible for an ordinary person to lead a daily life in this state. It was surprising that he was living such a difficult life without showing anything. Perhaps he had lived his whole life suppressing and restraining himself.

"That's right. Thanks to you, I've gotten into the habit of living comfortably, so it's a bit difficult to restrain myself now."

Ethan gently acknowledged his condition. So he stepped back and warned her not to come closer. However, Sarah was not the type to give up so easily.

"Is my mana harmful to the Duke?"

"It may be. Because this power covets something stronger."

"Then I'll get closer once more, so feel the flow of power."

Sarah strode closer to Ethan without hesitation. Ethan opened his eyes wide without even thinking of backing down due to her reckless behavior. Sarah grabbed Ethan's hand and moved closer.

"Don't run away."

"...... Aren't you afraid? My power could explode again."

He could already feel the power boiling inside him. From his fingertips caught by Sarah’s hand, he could feel the great power she had.

Come on, come on, let's eat that power. Eat it and make it mine.

The instinctive desire of the cursed power within Ethan ran rampant.

"I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of the Duke. I'm not afraid of the power of Ambrosia that resides in you. Not at all."

"Why?"

"Because I'm strong. Maybe more than the Duke thinks. I'm strong."

A voice that was filled with confidence. That firm and strong echo. In a way, words that could be said to be arrogant leaked through Sarah's lips. He had to shake off this grabbing hand, saying that it didn’t really make sense, but he didn't want to let it go, maybe it was because of his raging power.

"So, don't be afraid that the Duke will hurt me too. Don't worry about hurting Young Master Claude."

"Countess Millen."

"I'll protect you. Trust me."

Sarah said looking at the butler Veron and the head maid Ronda, who were also looking at them. Their expressionless faces when she first met them felt like a lie. They were now looking at Sarah and Ethan alternately with lively faces. The expressions of Veron and Ronda were colorful enough to easily recognize what was going on in their head.

"You've already seen the miracle once, haven't you?"

The sun shone on Sarah's bright smile. At that moment, Ethan breathed in briefly and looked at the scene. The hand which was held by Sarah felt hot as if it was on fire. Ethan's eyes, which had sunk deeply, trembled faintly.

So ridiculously, a woman named Sarah Millen appeared in front of him in a form that fitted exactly into Ambrosia. It was the most needed form for Ethan Ambrosia, and for Claude.

"......"

Ethan didn't answer. It had been a long time since he felt so embarrassed, and he recalled a time when he had been so defenseless.

"I'll help you temporarily. Let the rest be done when the Duke can spare me enough time."

Sarah raised her hand as if she had heard his answer. Her azure magic, which symbolized her, flowed from her palms. Sarah's mana penetrated through the large cracked ring. As more and more mana flowed into the ring, his power, which had been running rampant, gradually found stability.

"Haa…..."

A satisfactory sigh escaped his lips. It felt like his body was filled with pure energy. The boiling sensation subsided, and the desire in his head that had been whispering crazy temptation ran away with tail between legs.

"Look at this, I'm not hurt, and the Duke is getting better."

When Sarah let go of Ethan's hand, which she was holding tightly, a ring that had been transformed into a new one caught his eye. He remembered the first day he received the ring from Sarah.

"It really is."

It felt like being saved. Ethan could feel the feeling of that day once again.

There was no salvation without a price. She was a magician who knew about the power of Ambrosia and could use that power to take whatever she wanted. If such a person were not an ally but a foe, she would probably begin a war of blood and flesh that was irreversible. And he had been wary of her for six years, who could appear again anytime.

"You've become more comfortable, haven't you?"

Sarah smiled with eyes full of pure favor without asking him for anything. The sight of cold sweat flowing over her smooth skin was stuck in Ethan's eyes. Although she seemed to have done it casually, it would never be easy to control this cursed power. Nevertheless, he could see that she didn't show it at all, to the point where he couldn’t even imagine what it was intended.

"You are truly…...like a miracle to me and Claude."

Sarah's eyes widened for a moment at Ethan's words that came out like a sigh. But she soon replied with a smile, rolling the corners of her eyes.

"I just want to be like that."

Sarah, who finished her job, touched Ethan's necktie, which had originally bothered her. The crooked necktie gradually regained its neat appearance with a soft, gentle sound. Ethan looked down at Sarah's hard-focused face.

A petite woman, who only reached his chest, could calm the cursed power with a single touch. Sarah's hair, which had been messed up as she was rubbing her head on the nape of Claude's neck earlier, came into Ethan's eyes. Ethan inadvertently raised his hand and swept Sarah's hair down her ear.

"Ah?"

At his touch, Sarah raised her head with her eyes wide open. The spotless, clear azure eyes met Ethan's deep-seated eyes.

"Thank you."

Sarah slowly closed her eyes and smiled to express her gratitude. She took a step back and a look of pride flashed across Sarah's face as she looked at his necktie, which she had neatly rearranged. Then she returned to Claude's side with an easy step as if she had done her job. 

"......Haa."

Ethan let out a long breath that he had been holding back, and lowered the hand that had been holding Sarah's hair. Knowing that the woman named Sarah Millen held extremely strong goodwill rather than hostility, yet he was constantly on the lookout for her, making him feel like a fool. If her seemingly harmless attitude had been a hoax, even those who did not trust people well would have been shocked.

'Clearly, there must be another reason why she shows kindness. I need to find it.'

Ethan thought so and swept down the necktie Sarah had touched. Now he decided not to doubt Sarah's goodwill. However, if what Sarah wanted was in this Ambrosia, he decided to find it and hold it in his hand. It would be the driving force to make sure she wouldn’t change her goodwill. Because holding the reason for that goodwill was more certain than uncertain goodwill.