Curse Mark

The road to the Imperial Capital, Artas.

Now sitting in their designated seats, the four people in the carriage enjoyed this time, looking out the window or occasionally chatting.

Since there were several routes to the Imperial Capital, Kyle deliberately changed the route a bit from last time, thinking that taking the same road would only make it less fun to look around.

Thanks to that, I discovered new villages that I hadn’t been able to visit before, and in the middle, I arrived at a place known as the Forest of Spirits and took a short break, enjoying this moment as a trip.

There’s no point in being serious anyway.

But at some point, the atmosphere in the carriage became a bit heavy, and the reason was none other than Vermillion.

“…….”

His complexion hadn’t been very good since we passed the Forest of Spirits and started to pick up the pace again.

Anise cautiously asked about his condition, wondering if he had a stomachache, but it didn’t seem like he had any pain.

As the three of them watched and reduced their conversation, Vermillion, who was good at reading the atmosphere, quickly noticed this and gave a bitter smile.

“I’m sorry, everyone. I guess the atmosphere has become heavy because of me.”

“No, Drake-gongja.”

“That’s right. More than that, is something wrong? You haven’t looked good since earlier.”

At Anise’s worried words, Vermillion lowered his eyes for a moment, then hesitated and opened his mouth.

He had been keeping his mouth shut because he didn’t want to show a weak side in front of the three of them, but he thought it would be better than ruining the atmosphere by being depressed alone.

“Actually, I’m a little worried about my father who visited a while ago. I’m wondering if something happened to the family….”

“I’m a little worried about that too. I’m worried that those bastards might be doing something stupid to the Drake family.”

“Yes, I’m worried about that too. Of course, if it’s the result of trying to carry those bastards on my back, I have nothing to say, but still, they’re my family….”

That’s how scary blood ties are.

No matter how evil the other person has done, you end up defending them and worrying about them just because they are family.

Vermillion was no different.

Although he had sworn to turn his back on the Eyes of Dawn with his own choice, and furthermore, to abandon his family and go down this path.

Even so, it wasn’t like he had lost affection for his family or was despising the members of his family.

“I think it’ll be okay for now. Kyle said that too, right? Those bastards are in a position where they have to borrow anyone’s hand right now, so the possibility of abandoning the Drake family right away is low.”

“That’s right. Especially if His Majesty the Emperor hears this information and takes action in earnest, those bastards will be driven into an even tighter corner. At that time, they will try to borrow even a cat’s paw.”

Until now, the Eyes of Dawn could act as if they were in a position above, manipulating the Drake family, only because their power was stronger.

Furthermore, if we assume that they are a group derived from the Order of the Sun, or the Order of the Sun itself is a huge corrupt group, the difference in power is clear.

But if Emperor Oswell listens to Kyle’s story and takes a full-scale stance against the Eyes of Dawn and, furthermore, the Order of the Sun, it will be difficult to continue like that.

Besides, that was what Kyle was aiming for.

‘If it really goes that way, it will be easier to find out about the Drake family.’

In any case, I can’t step in now unless I know the details of the story intertwined with them and the Eyes of Dawn.

But if the above assumption really happens and the degree of oppression of the Drake family by the Eyes of Dawn decreases, I might be able to take advantage of that gap to investigate the inside story.

And the best result would be that the Drake family was also being used by the Eyes of Dawn.

If that is established, even if I can’t forgive all the sins, the Drake family might be able to wash away some of their mistakes by helping to overcome those bastards.

If that happens, even if I don’t get a good look from those around me, I can at least gain the strength to stand up again.

‘If my reasoning is correct, it’s possible enough.’

Kyle sank into thought, recalling the last face of Persis Drake, the head of the Drake family and Vermillion’s father, whom he had met a while ago.

He doesn’t really like reasoning based on intuition and circumstantial evidence without any physical evidence.

But this time, I was sure that there was something in this story.

And perhaps the truth hidden inside is a more ugly and complicated story than he imagined.

‘I hope it works out well.’

Kyle cast his gaze out the window with a small wish.

The desolate road without any buildings disappeared, and small houses and fields began to continue.

Soon, when he saw the huge stone walls and the crowds of people coming and going through the gates in the distance, he realized that he had finally arrived at the Imperial Capital.

＊＊＊

The Drake family rules the Drake County, located quite far southwest of the Imperial Capital Artas.

The Brin River flows nearby, serving as a center of trade to connect Artas and the County, so despite being located in a remote area, it is one of the most active in exchange with other cities.

By accepting various technologies, the commercial aspect has also developed, and it is in charge of the center of trade in the western region, so the size and prosperity of the city are considerable.

At the same time, it is also a prestigious family that has produced a Magic Tower Master, so it can be said that the Drake family has a fairly high position within the Empire.

However, their hidden circumstances behind the apparent splendor were quite complicated and miserable.

“So, in the end, you couldn’t find Vermillion Drake?”

“I’m sorry. I went to the Liard family, but they said they couldn’t find him. It seems like he’s dead.”

A man bowing deeply in front of a woman wearing a navy blue robe, as if he were having an audience with the Emperor.

He was none other than Persis Drake, who had recently visited the Liard family and had a conversation with Kyle.

The woman who received his report nodded with her unique emotionless tone.

“If you’ve done that much, I can believe it. But remember, Persis Drake. If other members of the family try to interfere with our holy war again, I won’t be able to tolerate it then. Even if it’s you.”

“Keok…!”

As her cold voice continued, as if cutting through his skin, a painful groan flowed from Persis’s mouth.

As if he were being swept away by lightning and flames at the same time, Persis grabbed his shoulder and rolled desperately on the floor.

The pain was so severe that he rolled around for a while, then turned his eyes over and vomited up his stomach contents on the carpet.

Only then, satisfied, did the woman’s lips, hidden by her robe, draw a faint curve.

At the same time, Persis’s movements, which had been wetting the floor with gastric acid, stopped, and he fell face down on the floor in an ugly state.

“Cough! Cough…!”

“Oh my, I was a little too much. I was just trying to scare you for a moment, wondering if you had forgotten this pain and were trying to betray us.”

The woman smiled as she looked at him, who was only coughing dryly because he had nothing more to vomit.

It was a treatment that felt so cold and even cruel, but all Persis could do about it was barely hold on to his fading consciousness and nod his head.

“How could I ever do that…. So please, release your anger…. Cough!”

“Don’t worry. My anger has been relieved thanks to the fun show you just showed me.”

Even if you only see a bug writhing in pain, you would instinctively feel repulsion, but the woman even clapped her hands as if she was very happy and turned her body.

At that moment, Persis was barely able to smile in relief, even in his fading consciousness due to the pain.

It’s not because this pain didn’t continue any longer.

He was just relieved to realize that it ended with him, as he was worried that she might inflict this severe punishment on one of his precious children.

“I hope you will continue to show the same loyalty as now in the future. Persis Drake.”

Swish─!

Soon, when she disappeared and returned in an instant, satisfied, Persis barely reached out and stroked his shoulder again.

Because he struggled so much, his collar was slightly lowered, and a small tattoo-like thing was faintly visible between his fingers.

A mark like a sun being completed, with thick stems extending around a round circle.

The burning pain from earlier was still faintly transmitted there, but even so, Persis’s expression looked noticeably comfortable.

‘Vermillion, survive.’