"……Wood?"
How did he get here?
There's no way Nikan would bring Wood with him if he were in his right mind. Then it hit her.
'He must have snuck in.'
Since there were several carriages carrying the reward money, it was clear that he had hidden in one of them to get here.
Navia's gaze fell on Wood's cheek. The long gauze applied there suggested a deep and long wound.
Navia snickered.
"Coming to find me again, coward who can't do anything on his own?"
Wood bristled for a moment but then scoffed at Navia as if she were a joke.
"Keep blabbering, you stupid girl."
Wood pulled out a magical tool.
"Do you know the best way to deal with someone like you? It's to strike without giving any chance and make it instantaneous."
"……!"
"So, I've specially prepared this magical gun, what do you think?"
The magical gun was a tool that condensed magic power and fired it at an immense speed when the trigger was pulled.
It was a weapon that wouldn't work well against a seasoned magician, but it was devastating against inexperienced magicians or ordinary people.
At the sight of the gun, Navia's expression hardened.
'Magic that manifests and disappears before it can be absorbed is a weakness of Black Prince. This magical gun is definitely a disadvantage for me.'
"I can't forgive you, a mere commoner, for humiliating me and leaving a scar on my face?"
Moreover, Wood's eyes were filled with murderous intent.
It was certain that he would shoot at her.
Navia calmly observed him and then showed the reaction Wood liked most, to catch him off guard.
"Oh, brother, I was wrong!"
As Navia begged with a trembling expression of fear, Wood burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Hahaha! You should have begged like a worm earlier, you idiot!"
The feeling of superiority!
Wood was exhilarated by the thrilling sense of superiority, having a life in his hands, to manipulate as he pleased.
Just trembling because he pointed a mere magical gun!
Swoosh!
Then Wood was engulfed in shadows. The shadow immobilized his limbs and threw the gun far away.
"Agh! What is this? Go away! Go away!"
Wood frantically waved his hands to shake off the shadow clinging to him.
Navia had already dropped her pitiful expression.
"You're unbelievably stupid, Wood."
After being outsmarted, he was still so vulnerable.
Witnessing Navia's cold expression, Wood's face flushed red with rage.
"How dare you, you insect...!"
"That insect talk is getting old. Study some more, Wood. That's why the Lady Lucia you're so passionately in love with only sees you as a joke."
"Shut up! I'll rip that mouth of yours!"
Navia was about to leave the room after binding him with the shadow.
Thud!
Suddenly, Wood, who had shaken off the shadow with magic, grabbed Navia's hair and pulled her back.
"Ugh...!"
'So, contact like this doesn't allow for magic absorption.'
It seemed that she needed skin-to-skin contact to absorb magic.
Navia, with fire in her eyes, lunged at Wood. If she could just make contact, she could steal his magic!
"You filthy commoner, how dare you!"
But Wood, aware that Navia could steal his magic, quickly backed away and threw her to the floor.
He picked up a lamp nearby, intending to throw it at her.
Crack!
"Ah!"
At that moment, something kicked Wood in the stomach.
Navia, lying dazed on the floor, barely let out a faint
At that moment, Wood's stomach was kicked by something.
Navia, who was curled up on the floor letting out faint moans, suddenly raised her head when she heard Wood scream.
'Why is he acting like that?'
She didn't understand the situation very well, but she realized that now was her chance to escape.
Navia quickly ran out of the room while Wood was still out of it.
Her whole body ached.
She hadn't slept at all for a whole day, and on top of that, her nerves were on edge as she was wary of the outside, so her head felt like it was being stabbed with needles.
'I have to go down to the first floor. Everyone will be gathered there. If I can just get there, Nikan will stop his son if he's in his right mind.'
And Margaret and Schleman would definitely help her.
Navia was certain that there were adults who would save her, even though she hadn't realized it properly.
"Ugh!"
At that moment, something yanked her up.
Her body, which had been about to be dragged downstairs with her mouth covered, was pulled up.
"Ugh! Ugh!"
Navia struggled with all her might and checked who was dragging her.
It was none other than Benny.
"If you don't die, I'll die. So please die."
Benny murmured in a ruthless voice, beginning to climb the stairs step by step.
'She's trying to drag me to the 3rd floor!'
That was absolutely not going to happen.
Navia bit Benny's hand hard.
"Ah! Is this for real!"
Benny's eyes flashed as she let go of Navia's mouth and started dragging her along the stairs like a sack.
Navia twisted her body with all her might, clawing at Benny's hand.
"Please!"
The unbearable pain made Benny scream and let go as Navia dug her nails into his arm and scraped down.
Navia, with a pale face, quickly escaped Benny's grasp.
Just a little more, and she would have reached the third floor.
"I have to escape."
It was then, as Navia hurriedly went downstairs, almost rolling down.
Thud! Thud!
The sound of furious footsteps approached.
"What magic did you use on me, you damned bug!"
In the meantime, Wood, disheveled and with murderous intent in his eyes, raised his gun.
"Die!"
Bang!
Navia tightly closed her eyes.
"……?"
Why don't I feel anything?
Navia, puzzled, slowly opened her eyes, smelling a cold, pungent scent.
'Huh? This scent is…….'
Suddenly, a black wall materialized before her.
No, it wasn't a wall, but a person.
As Navia lifted her head, she locked eyes with Lark, his expression full of annoyance.
"There's never a quiet moment."
As Navia stiffened upon recognizing him, Wood suddenly found himself bound and kneeling on the ground.
"Ah! Who are you? How dare you touch the successor of Agnis!"
Benny was thrown down the stairs, her neck caught in the shadows.
"Ah!"
Despite the chaos, Navia's gaze was fixed only on Lark.
'I shouldn't have caused trouble. And it hasn't even been half a day.'
'What should I do? What if he tells me to leave? I'm beyond redemption. Why do I always ruin everything?'
Navia's face grew paler.
Her lips trembled.
She felt like she was back in her childhood, unable to move as Philippa approached with a cane.
No, more like when she was bound and kidnapped, being told she was no longer needed.
Navia trembled like a powerless child.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Your Grace."
As Navia trembled and begged for forgiveness, Lark's expression grew even more grim.
"Enough."
His cold rebuke didn't reach Navia's ears.
It was strange.
'Why is there a ringing in my ears?'
Lark's voice was not properly heard, adding to her anxiety and nervousness.
Cold sweat drenched Navia's forehead. Her sparkling eyes lost focus and became hazy.
'My head hurts so much. It feels like it's going to split…….'
Navia, almost losing consciousness, unconsciously prayed.
"I did wrong. Please forgive……."
Then everything went dark before her eyes.
"Stop it, I said……!"
Thud!
Lark, furious, caught Navia as she suddenly fainted.
Then, people who heard the gunshot swarmed in like bees.
"Navia!"
Margaret called out Navia's name in shock.
"What is happening here?"
Nikan, puzzled, came up to the second floor and witnessed an unbelievable scene.
"Why the gunshot suddenly…… Wood!"
Why was his son, who should be at home, here, disgraced and bound? Wood stiffened as he screamed, then froze as he saw his father.
"Ah, father……."
Nikan looked down at his son, shocked as if he had been hit with a blunt object.
Why is my precious eldest son prostrating himself like a slave in this insignificant family full of trash?
How dare they! To the eldest son of Agnes! A deep murderous intent rose from Nikan's entire body.
"Why is my son like this?"
That question was directed to everyone in Eseled.
This wasn't something that could be overlooked. This was an act that deserved to be punished, even if it meant destroying this place.
"Why is Agnes's heir like this!?"
A dense aura of water surged from below Nikan's feet.
If he were to use his ability to its limits before his magic went out of control, he could flood this entire area.
The others, sensing his momentum, tensed up and prepared their magic.
Lark embraced Navia's unconscious body with both arms, holding her securely in his arms.
As he turned around, he saw a chaotic scene of people swarming in and causing a commotion.
'If I just eliminate them all, it should quiet down.'
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