Free Web NovelChapter 32: 32: A Bet! (2)
Adrian looked worried. "Father, why listen to him? Just punish him."
Baron Ravencroft raised one hand to silence him. After thinking for a moment, he smiled.
"Alright. I will show a little kindness to the fallen House Vardros. I will agree to your request."
Jenny’s face became more worried. "Lucard, what are you doing?"
Lucard did not look at her. "Keeping you alive."
Baron Ravencroft tapped his staff on the stone path. He said, "Show me what you have, Mudblood Vardros."
Lucard said, "Give me a minute. I will cast my strongest spell."
Baron Ravencroft laughed. "I will give you five minutes. Gather everything you have. I do not want you crying later that I did not allow you to prepare."
The guards laughed with him.
Adrian smiled despite his swollen face. Tina wiped her tears and looked at Lucard with hate.
Lucard lowered his head slightly, hiding his smile.
"This fool," he thought. "I will show him what I planned for."
Lucard stepped back and raised both hands. freēwebnovel.com
Red light began to gather around his fingers. To others, it looked like mana. To Baron Ravencroft, it felt weak. Strange, but weak. It looked like a small blood colored spell made by someone who had only touched magic recently. That made him even more confident.
Baron Ravencroft raised his staff and cast a defensive spell.
A gray bone shield formed in front of him. It had the shape of overlapping ribs, and black mist moved between them. As a Rank Three mage, his defense was far above what a Rank One mage could break. The guards relaxed after seeing the shield. Adrian became pleased again. Tina even smiled as much as her swollen face allowed.
Jenny, however, was terrified.
She did not understand Lucard’s plan. She only knew that if he failed, they would lose everything and still be taken prisoner. Jake held her hand tightly. Peter stood near them with his sword raised, his eyes focused on Lucard.
One minute passed.
Lucard opened his eyes. "I am ready," he said. "I will attack now." He said it loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Baron Ravencroft smiled. "Come."
Lucard’s eyes flashed red. Two red lights shot from his hands.
They moved like thin lines of blood colored mana. One flew directly toward Baron Ravencroft’s chest. The other moved slightly sideways, as if Lucard had failed to control it properly.
Baron Ravencroft saw both. But he did not worry about such weak attacks.
The direct attack struck the bone shield.
Bang!
The shield shook slightly. A small shock wave spread through Baron Ravencroft’s hand, making his fingers stiff for a few seconds. But that was all. The spell did not break his defense. It did not even crack it properly.
The second red light passed to the side and went behind him.
Nobody cared about it. To everyone, it looked like a missed attack.
Baron Ravencroft laughed loudly.
He asked, "Is that all?"
The guards laughed too. Adrian laughed with relief. Tina laughed sharply, and then winced because laughing hurt her swollen face.
Jenny’s face lost color.
Jake’s eyes filled with fear again.
Peter clenched his teeth.
Baron Ravencroft lowered his bone shield and looked at Jenny.
"You saw it. I took his attack. Now fulfill the bet. Hand over everything that remains of House Vardros to me."
Lucard stood there calmly. There was no worry on his face. Instead, a slow smile appeared.
Baron Ravencroft noticed it and frowned. "Have you gone mad? Why are you grinning like that?"
Lucard looked at him and said, "There were two attacks. You stopped only one. Has your greedy mind thought about where the other one went?"
Baron Ravencroft’s face changed.
Lucard’s smile became colder.
"Look behind you, you piece of old shit."
Baron Ravencroft turned around.
Adrian was standing behind him.
At first, he looked normal, except for his swollen face and broken pride. Then his body started acting strangely. His shoulders trembled. His breathing became rough. His hands moved toward his throat as if he could not breathe properly.
Baron Ravencroft’s eyes widened.
"Adrian?"
Adrian tried to speak, but only a choking sound came out.
Baron Ravencroft looked at the guards and shouted, "Stop standing there like fools. Get a doctor. Get a healer for my son. He looks sick."
The guards panicked.
Jenny also froze.
Jake hid behind her again, but he peeked at Adrian with wide eyes.
Peter looked at Lucard and understood that this had been the real attack.
Lucard raised one hand. Then he snapped his fingers. The spell took effect.
Adrian suddenly coughed blood from his mouth.
It was not a small cough. Blood spilled over his lips, down his chin, and onto his expensive clothes. He fell to his knees, clutching his chest. His eyes turned red with fear.
Tina screamed and moved away from him.
"Adrian."
Baron Ravencroft rushed to his son and grabbed his shoulders.
"What did you do?" he shouted.
Lucard’s voice was calm.
"Look at your son. I cast a spell on him. I can kill him with one thought. Do not try anything funny."
Baron Ravencroft immediately placed his hand on Adrian’s chest and sent mana into his body. He searched for poison. He searched for curses. He searched for death magic. He searched for wounds. But he found nothing he understood.
That was because Lucard had not used normal mana.
He had placed a blood spell inside Adrian’s body. The second red light had gone behind Baron Ravencroft and entered Adrian while everyone watched the first attack. It was not a strong spell. If it had been used against Baron Ravencroft directly, he might have defended against it. But Adrian was already beaten, shaken, and careless. His blood had been disturbed earlier by Lucard’s touch. That made it easier.
Now Lucard had a thin control thread inside Adrian’s blood. It was enough to make him cough.
Enough to stop his heart if Lucard wished. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Baron Ravencroft could not find it because he did not understand blood magic.
