Ch.176Pride in Vanity (3)

“Operation Venatti Annihilation.”

When we were about to begin in earnest, I received a request.

The one who made this request was none other than Amelia.

The girl who was assigned to take the lead in the operation.

“Judas.”

She pronounced my name clearly and deliberately.

As if trying to hide even the slightest hint of her unease.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Hmm?”

“When we infiltrate the mansion and confront my uncle… let me take my turn.”

“…That doesn’t seem like a particularly good idea. Deron Venatti is not an opponent to be taken lightly.”

“I know. He’s one of the continent’s top ice mages.”

“You will be no match for him, Your Highness.”

“Promise me.”

Her hand gripped my sleeve.

Though the villainess’s shoulders were trembling, her eyes remained calm.

Like the prayer of an old captain facing a tidal wave.

“Promise you won’t interfere.”

“……”

“It’s my duty. And at the same time, my last remaining stubbornness.”

“You might get seriously injured. Or even die.”

“I don’t care.”

Her answer came without even a hint of hesitation.

Perhaps this was her final dignity.

“Because there are things I absolutely must know, and things I must accomplish.”

Eyes deep with endless blue.

In those serene ripples of water, the present moment was reflected with perfect clarity.

The narrow-eyed boy looking down at her absently, and…

A starlight that refused to be extinguished in confrontation.

I couldn’t ignore the girl’s brilliance.

“So, promise me.”

She shone so brightly it was blinding.

As if I might fall under her spell at any moment.

“Even if I get hurt or die… promise you’ll respect my wishes.”

That was nobility.

Pride wrapped in the name of vanity.

That’s why I couldn’t refuse.

Her determination reflected on the water’s surface was still as beautiful as a winter flower.

I could only nod with a faint smile.

As if understanding that sublimity.

“…If that is your wish, gladly.”

At the same time, I prayed.

For this fragile girl of mine.

“May…”

May.

May your pride be an affirmation of life.

May there be a calling in that vanity.

“May there be no regrets in your duty.”

I whispered.

***

“I’ve come to take back what’s mine. Your name.”

A voice flowing through the corridor.

Under the moonlight beyond the window, we stood before our target.

The curtains fluttered in the passing winter breeze.

“…Amelia?”

The man stared at us blankly.

Deron Venatti.

The atmosphere was chilly.

Amelia glared at the enemy of her life with cold eyes.

Her uncle, the object of her resentment, was so hateful to her.

“……”

Was he assessing the situation?

Deron’s gaze was carefully checking the corridor.

He seemed to be wary of any forces that might be waiting in the vicinity besides us.

But there was no sign of anyone else.

“Hmm…?”

And for good reason.

The only ones who had made it up to the corridor were just the two of us.

A gleam appeared in Deron’s rolling eyes.

As if he had been tense for nothing.

“Ha… I was worried, but there really are just two of you?”

The man burst into laughter.

Following his scattered breath, frost gradually spread at his feet.

His confident blue eyes looked directly at us.

“So.”

More precisely, at Amelia.

At his niece, a card that had served its purpose.

“What brings you here?”

“I told you already.”

“Name… I see, you must be angry about what happened to Rusca.”

“You tried to eliminate her. And me as well.”

“Adults have their circumstances. Besides, Rusca was the one who stabbed us in the back first.”

“No… you were the one who betrayed us. Ever since our parents passed away.”

“…Ha.”

The man sneered.

Then he covered his mouth, revealing his hideously twisted lips.

His eyes looked at her as if examining discarded trash on the street.

Then he asked.

“So, what do you want me to do about it?”

So brazenly.

The temperature in the corridor instantly dropped.

The exhaled breath immediately turned into white vapor.

“What can you possibly do?”

“……”

“A half-wit who couldn’t even keep her own position.”

“I’m going to take it back now.”

Sring-

The ice formed at her fingertips soon transformed into a frozen blade.

Amelia aimed the gleaming blade.

At the same time, she gave me a look.

‘Is she telling me not to interfere?’

I nodded.

I had promised, after all.

Though I would step in if things became dangerous, for now I wanted to observe.

To hear the girl’s story, ringing with such venom.

Indeed, could you reach the end of night and season?

I stepped back.

“Fine, come at me.”

Deron remained composed.

He too was deploying his mana, wrapping magic around his palm.

Amelia threw a question at her uncle.

It was a brief inquiry.

“I have… one question.”

“Now of all times?”

“Our parents’ accident, were you involved?”

The mysterious accident.

The sudden death of the previous Duke and Duchess of Venatti.

Both then and now, the truth had never been revealed.

It was simply recorded as an unfortunate accident.

-The Duke and Duchess have passed away.

-The cause of death remains unknown, but investigations suggest a carriage accident…

No one could know the truth.

Except for the temporary head of the family who managed the incident at the time.

That person answered.

“What if I was?”

“…Then further conversation would be meaningless.”

Amelia took her stance.

In those blue eyes, a cold venom gleamed.

“It seems you two are all there is… you’re underestimating your uncle too much.”

“You’re enough for me. You who couldn’t even reach father’s feet.”

“Unless you brought the Imperial Knights, you can’t capture me.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“You’re stupid, just like your father.”

The two aimed their magic at each other.

The fluttering blue hair flickered with the moment.

Tap!

Her step launched from the ground.

And the next moment.

Clang-!

With the sound of collision, ice fragments scattered.

Betrayal, pride, and Venatti… that was the moment when all those things reached their conclusion.

The two vain ones swung their cold blue blades.

***

Deron Venatti.

One of the empire’s top ice mages and the temporary head of the Venatti family.

After the previous Duke and Duchess passed away, he had taken control of everything in the ducal house in just a few years.

As such, he was quick-witted.

The same applied to the current situation.

‘For now… the corridor seems clear.’

The silent corridor.

The fact that he sensed no presence even after deploying his mana meant the surroundings were safe.

At least on the floor where he stood, there didn’t seem to be any variables.

Deron’s mind worked rapidly.

‘There’s no way there are just two of them.’

Though he pretended to be relieved, it was an act to induce carelessness.

Even if they were just kids who hadn’t even had their coming-of-age ceremony.

They wouldn’t recklessly charge into a duke’s mansion, especially just the two of them.

Whether waiting outside or having already infiltrated, it was right to assume there were forces besides the two of them.

The question was, whose forces were they?

‘For the Imperial family to move… it’s too soon.’

It would take at least two days.

The cultists had assured him of that.

Then the possible scenarios were…

‘…The Academy, perhaps.’

Yes.

It made sense if the Academy had stepped in as retaliation for the recent attack.

Gallimar, the continent’s finest educational institution.

Normally they wouldn’t get involved in such matters, but they had suffered the greatest damage from the Duke of Venatti.

Several faculty members had even died.

They had justification.

‘There’s also the possibility of a third force, but…’

Well, that didn’t matter.

Deron surveyed his surroundings.

Given the complicated situation, he needed to escape.

The secret passage hidden inside the duke’s office. He planned to escape through there.

After leaving the mansion, he would rendezvous with the demon worshippers.

Then he would hide his whereabouts until the promised day arrived.

‘When that day comes… I will reign as the emperor of the new world.’

His desire flowed darkly.

As he was lost in thought, someone suddenly appeared in his vision.

A blue-haired girl in tattered condition, barely standing.

None other than his niece, Amelia.

“Haa, haa…”

Rough, labored breathing.

The girl was in shambles.

Her once flowing hair had come undone, and her limbs were covered in cuts.

Especially her thigh, embedded with fragments, was trembling slightly.

No matter how stubborn she was, her weakness couldn’t be hidden.

Amelia was simply forcing herself.

“Ugh, urgh…”

Thud-

With a few groans, she supported herself with her ice spear.

The girl’s balance kept wavering.

Was it because she was outmatched in firepower?

Despite being an ice mage herself, she seemed to struggle with the cold.

Snowflakes fluttered on her pale complexion.

However, Amelia didn’t break her stubbornness.

“Absolutely… don’t interfere.”

She merely muttered.

To the golden snake guarding her side.

“This is… my… Venatti’s story…”

He thought it was meaningless resistance.

Watching, Deron clicked his tongue as if bored.

He had thought she was a somewhat intelligent child, but to show such a pathetic sight.

A foolishness too similar to someone else.

His brow furrowed.

‘Time to finish this.’

Deron concentrated mana at his fingertips.

Given the urgency, he intended to end it quickly without dragging it out.

Both Amelia and the blonde boy standing beside her.

‘Snakus, was it?’

He had heard rumors about him.

A genius who overwhelmed faculty members despite his young age.

A talent to succeed the Red Sword Saint.

A mysterious boy.

‘Well… there’s probably some exaggeration.’

As with any rumor, there was bound to be some distortion.

Genius, talent, mystery… humans tend to be fascinated by such topics.

The aura Deron directly faced wasn’t particularly strong.

Certainly, considering his age, he was an incredible raw gem.

But he was no match for the Red Sword Saint.

‘Don’t make me laugh.’

Deron himself had participated in the [Great War].

The sight of the star on the battlefield was beyond what human words could describe.

‘This will be easy.’

Deron sneered.

Even if the other side joined in, he was confident he could overwhelm them.

Of course, that didn’t mean he would be careless.

It was right to minimize variables.

“Well then, let’s end this.”

Wheeee-

Centered on his clenched fist, a swirling cold air.

White frost settled on the long corridor.

The final blow.

He intended to finish everything with this.

Both his brother’s bloodline and the snake kid who had interfered from somewhere.

The densely gathered mana soon became a compressed storm.

“Cough, ugh…”

“I’m sorry. If you see your father on the other side, please give him my regards.”

Mockery until the end.

He smiled.

As he clenched his fist, about to destroy the entire space.

Suddenly, Amelia’s lips caught his eye.

“Ha, haha…”

Despite being crushed by exhaustion, laughter escaped.

Deron paused at that meaningless response.

Had she lost her mind?

To laugh instead of begging in a situation where she was about to be killed.

His brow furrowed at such uneasiness.

“…This can’t be all there is.”

Ptui-

The girl spat blood and once again took her stance.

Her blue eyes were still gleaming.

As if they hadn’t even started.

‘What…?’

Despite her tattered appearance, her expression was full of confidence.

Even in a disadvantageous situation, she didn’t lose her composure.

Such dissonance was enough to raise Deron’s vigilance.

Their gazes crossed.

“Pride to life, bitter cold to betrayal.”

“…?!”

Crack-

Behind a familiar incantation, the girl’s spear shattered.

Those fragments revolved fiercely around Amelia.

Soon, her blue hair fluttered in the gale.

‘That incantation… no, impossible.’

However, as if to prove that impossibility.

From the girl’s hands, a brilliant light was rising.

Her red lips murmured.

“I told you.”

The vain one raised her hand.

Behind the shadow draped like a robe, black snowflakes scattered in the corridor.

The same venomous gleam remained in her blue eyes.

As a season.

“I’ve come to take back that name.”

Cloaked in night and winter.

Amelia stood with a completely changed atmosphere.