She hadn’t explicitly confirmed anything, but the way she spoke in veiled terms was typical of Wallachian nobility. The human hunters felt a chill as they considered this shocking turn of events.
Perhaps it wasn’t Hesabel who had become the slave, but rather the Holy Grail Knight Isaac of Issacrea.
Perhaps the princess of Wallachia had seduced and now commanded the saint of the Codex of Light, the Holy Grail Knight, chosen by the Archangel.
Of course, this was all speculation. The human hunters weren’t foolish enough to be swayed by such conjecture alone.
After all, their life and death were still under the control of the current Duke, Hastel Gulmar. But the evidence of the Rite of Division in Hesabel’s hands was too compelling.
In other words, if Hesabel were to become the head of the Gulmar family, there would be no problem.
Hesabel knew this well and maintained her arrogant demeanor as she spoke.
“The current head is old and decrepit. She’s been holed up in her estate for hundreds of years due to her delusions, sending her successors to harsh lands and devouring them, refusing to leave. The sorry state of the Gulmar family now is because of her, is it not?”
The human hunters thought privately that the downfall of the Gulmar family had begun with Hastel Gulmar stealing the Rite of Division, but they remained silent on the matter. That silence indicated their tacit agreement to Hesabel.
In the Wallachian society, the succession of titles was often a result of internal consensus and conspiracy. This was why even dukes with powerful personal guards were assassinated, and why most murders were committed within families rather than by outsiders.
Whatever the truth was, only one thing mattered:
Whether Hesabel was truly fit to become the head of the Gulmar family.
A human hunter, bowing respectfully, asked Hesabel.
“Family matters should be resolved within the family, don’t you agree, My Lady?”
Hesabel’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.
Isaac truly was a master of deception and intrigue.
Just by being by his side, she could deceive everyone like this.
***
While things seemed to be going smoothly for Hesabel, Isaac found himself in a far less pleasant situation.
And now, she had arrived at the scene.
“Isaac?”
Despite the late hour and the distance, Leonora recognized him instantly. She couldn’t see his face, but she couldn’t forget the aura of golden energy that surrounded him. However, she also noticed something different.
“What on earth have you brought with you...?”
Isaac tried to speak to Leonora, but the Reaper gave him no such chance.
Screeeech! The scythe tore through the night sky with a shriek, slicing toward Isaac. The horrifying sound made even the soldiers falter, but Leonora was the only one who remained unfazed. She recognized the nature of the unholy curse and stepped forward confidently.
In her hand was a white coin engraved with a goat. It wasn’t made of metal but of processed bone, a relic containing a power that shouldn’t exist in the territory of the Codex of Light.
As the Reaper’s scythe swung toward Isaac again, Leonora flicked the white bone coin into the air.
“Not today.”
In an instant, as if snatched away by an invisible hand, the coin and the Reaper both disappeared with a soft swoosh. Isaac, who had been bracing for another attack, was stunned by the sudden turn of events. He immediately understood what had happened.
‘Death’s Reprieve? She used such a precious item on me?’
‘Death’s Reprieve’ was a relic that could remove the source of death for anywhere from half a day to a full day. It could only be created by the Immortal Order, and its paradoxical nature meant it was produced in limited quantities.
The Golden Idol Guild, which traded with the Immortal Order without hesitation, possessing such an item wasn’t surprising. But to obtain one, the guild must have paid a significant price.
Yet Leonora had used this precious relic, her last resort for saving her own life, without hesitation.
Leonora, however, showed no regret or hesitation as she looked at Isaac.
“You’ve finally made it.”
The words weren’t from Leonora or Isaac.
As if falling from the sky like a raindrop, Hastel appeared behind Leonora.