Free Web NovelChapter 45: 45: The Fire Cousin
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While Lucard was inside the Marovain shop, House Ravencroft was not peaceful.
Black Raven Manor had become restless after Lucard and the others left. Guards moved through the garden. Servants whispered in corners. Healers rushed in and out of Adrian’s room. Baron Ravencroft had already tried several ways to remove the strange spell from his son’s body, but nothing worked. He had used death magic. He had used medicine. He had called a healer from the manor and a mage who understood curse marks. None of them found anything useful.
Adrian was lying on a bed with a pale face. His chest moved up and down unevenly. From time to time, he coughed, and a little blood came out from his mouth. It was not enough to kill him immediately, but it was enough to keep everyone afraid. The most terrifying part was that no one could find the source. His body did not have poison. His mana was not damaged. His bones were fine except for the injuries Lucard gave him. Yet his blood kept moving strangely, as if something invisible was holding his life in one hand.
Baron Ravencroft stood beside the bed with a dark expression. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
His fingers gripped the top of his staff tightly. He wanted to kill Lucard. He wanted to break every bone in that bastard’s body and throw him into the family tomb pit. But every time Adrian coughed blood, Ravencroft remembered Lucard’s words.
If anything happened to them, his son would die.
That was what made him hold back.
A healer checked Adrian again and shook his head carefully.
"My lord, I cannot find the cause. The young lord’s heartbeat is unstable, but there is no normal curse mark. It is not poisonous either. It is something affecting his blood directly."
Ravencroft’s eyes became colder.
"Then fix the blood."
The healer lowered his head. "I cannot, my lord."
"You cannot?" Ravencroft asked slowly.
The healer’s back became wet with sweat. "My lord, I mean this power is not something I have seen before. If I force healing magic into him carelessly, it may make the condition worse."
Adrian opened his eyes weakly and looked at his father.
"Father," he said, his voice trembling. "Do not let him live. He humiliated me."
Ravencroft looked at his son’s swollen face. His anger rose again. Adrian was his only son. His only heir. Seeing him beaten like that by a fallen family’s bastard was more than angering. It was shameful. If others heard about it, House Ravencroft would become a laughingstock among the nearby nobles. A baron’s son was beaten inside his own garden and used as a hostage by the Mudblood of a fallen house. It sounded like a joke told by enemies.
"I will not let this pass," Ravencroft said. "But you must stay calm until we remove whatever he did to you."
Adrian clenched the bedsheet. "He must die."
Tina Karswell stood on the other side of the room. Her cheeks were swollen badly. The healer had applied cold ointment, but her face still looked red and puffy. She had cried many times, but her crying had more anger than pain in it. She was not only hurt. She was humiliated.
She was Tina Karswell. The daughter of Lord Karswell. More importantly, her mother came from House Velkhur.
Even if her mother was not from the direct line of the family, she was still from a side branch of one of the founding families. That was the pride Tina had carried since childhood. She had used that connection many times to look down on other baron daughters. People tolerated her temper because of the Velkhur blood behind her mother. Even Baron Ravencroft treated her gently because he wanted the connection.
Now a fallen baron family’s bastard had slapped her until her face became unrecognizable.
Tina could not accept it.
She looked at Ravencroft and said, "Uncle Ravencroft, you do not need to fear that bastard. My cousin is coming today."
Ravencroft turned his eyes toward her.
"Your cousin?"
Tina nodded, and some pride returned to her swollen face. "Cousin Dorian Velkhur. He is from House Velkhur’s side branch, but his talent is very good. He came to Gravehold for a private matter and planned to visit us today. When he arrives, I will tell him everything."
Adrian’s eyes lit up slightly from the bed.
"Dorian Velkhur?"
Tina nodded. "Yes. He is already a Rank Four fire mage. He has awakened the Ember Core bloodline. That bastard Lucard will not even have a body left after Cousin Dorian burns him."
Ravencroft became silent.
House Velkhur.
One of the ten founding duke families of the Kingdom of Valoria. Their specialty was war magic, siege spells, and fire mages. Their family bloodline power was called Ember Core. Those with strong Velkhur blood could produce terrifying fire affinity. Their mages were known for battlefield flames and wall burning spells. They were aggressive, proud, and hungry for conquest. Their young heirs were raised like living weapons. They laughed loudly, drank heavily, fought often, and started duels over insults that normal people would have ignored for peace.
House Velkhur was not a family others wanted to offend.
Even a side branch member had more confidence than most barons.
Ravencroft thought about it carefully. If Dorian Velkhur was involved, then killing Lucard would become easier. Even if something happened, House Velkhur’s name could pressure others. House Vardros had fallen. Nobody would protect them.
Still, Ravencroft was cautious. He had been tricked once already.
Lucard did not look strong, but he was not simple.
Ravencroft looked at the guard captain standing near the door.
"Have you found where they went?"
The guard captain lowered his head. "Not yet, my lord. We sent men after them, but they left the upper district quickly. They entered the crowded part of the city. We are searching the inns now."
Ravencroft’s face darkened.
"Find them. They cannot leave Gravehold before the spell is removed from Adrian."
"Yes, my lord."
The guard captain left quickly.
Tina sat beside Adrian’s bed and looked at him with anger and pity.
