I Became a Sick Nobleman

***

Tap. Tap.

Ruel tapped his knee.

He prepared, but there was no attack.

They weren’t weak, but Cassion was too strong.

To be honest, even Ruel didn’t expect Nintra to be caught this quickly.

Watching the man kneeling under his feet, an arrogant smile hung on his bored face.

“Are you Nintra?”

Nintra looked at Ruel with confused eyes.

How can you be so weak?

If I break your neck now, you’ll die at once.

His hands itched.

“Answer.”

Cassion’s sharp voice brought Nintra to his senses.

“…Yes.”

“Even when you see Ruel-nim, you’re not polite. We should have a close, intimate conversation.”

Aris looked at Nintra with an unpleasant face.

“That’s enough.”

It didn’t matter whether he spoke informally to himself or not.

“How far can he go before the Mana’s oath takes effect?”

“Kill me.”

He had lost his mind and was forced to come here, but he had no intention of begging for his life.

“Don’t worry, I’ll kill you. But let me ask you a few questions.”

After speaking his words, Ruel inhaled Breath.

“I don’t intend to answer.”

“I’m slowly getting offended because I keep getting targeted and I don’t know why. There’s no one who speaks frankly. First, let’s hear why you guys are after me.”

“I told you I didn’t intend to answer.”

Ruel laughed at the grandeur.

“Your head is called the Great One. My existence is blocking the Great Step.”

He came down from his perch and lightly tapped Nintra’s cheek.

“It’s funny, I can’t believe that he’s Great because he couldn’t beat me.”

“Don’t insult him.”

Nintra’s eyes became fierce.

Undeterred, Ruel kept caressing his cheek lightly.

“Insulting? I just said a dog’s bark is just a dog bark. Great? That guy? He’s a coward who can’t even come to me in person. How can you say that? I don’t know what about me scares him so much.”

“Shut up. He can’t come.”

“Are his legs uncomfortable? Or is he sick like me?”

Nintra snorted.

“Disease? No, what is planted in your body is his mark.”

‘You said punishment last time, but now it’s a mark, what do you mean?’

Ruel adjusted his rhythm appropriately.

He moved his mouth slightly in surprise.

“Was it a mark, not a curse? So, wherever I am, can he figure out where I am?”

“Yes, you must disappear. Wherever you go, you won’t be able to get out of his eyes.”

“That’s strange. If this were just a mark, I wouldn’t have to suffer so much, you know.”

Nintra laughed.

He didn’t even know what was planted in his body and was spouting pathetic sounds.

“You should have died under His punishment. Your dirty blood is blocking his Great Start. But you will die, for sure.”

The word punishment was mentioned again.

Ruel guessed quickly and started talking.

“The punishment is… Is it some kind of curse? A curse that cannot be lifted by anyone except the one who cast it. The curse of slowly dying…?”

Nintra giggled, even showing his teeth.

Ruel looked very frightened.

There was no one wasn’t afraid of death.

Nintra felt exhilaration at Ruel’s terror. 

He laughed louder and shouting, “Yes! You will die! You’ll vomit blood with the sensation of being stabbed all over the body, experiencing dozens of diseases a day, and die miserably!”

‘Ah.’

Now Ruel felt relieved.

It was not a disease that was instilled in him, but a curse.

Fran’s examination, which said dozens of diseases were in a lump, was accurate.

“Who.”

Ruel’s lips drew a line.

Suddenly, his terrified expression disappeared, and arrogance shrouded his face.

Now that we’ve heard the truth of the disease, let’s hear the rest.

“Put this curse mark on me?”

Tap. Tap.

Ruel touched Nintra’s cheek again.

“…?”

Nintra could not hide his embarrassment when he saw Ruel’s expression that suddenly changed.

“You said he couldn’t come. So it doesn’t mean he hung this mark, now, who did?”

Murderous intent came from all directions.

Nintra couldn’t handle the murderous aura and trembled.

“Say it.”

Nintra’s mouth moved automatically when he faced the straight green eyes.

“T-The head of Leponia… Ugh!”

Nintra suddenly grabbed his head and suffered after speaking the words.

“…?”

It was different from the price of breaking Mana’s oath.

Black blood flowed out of his eyes.

“Ugh!”

Ganien pushed Ruel back.

He didn’t know the identity of the black blood, but it was very ominous.

“Stay back, Ruel.”

Nintra stopped scratching his neck and screamed.

Kuhuaang!

Black energy exploded out from his body and soon smashed through everything.

“Hold your breath.”

Shh!

Ganien swung his sword.

The black energy that filled the room disappeared with a single swing.

Whew.

A cold wind blew through the broken wall.

He’s gone.

“I will chase him. Aris, protect Ruel.”

Cassion flew through the broken wall.

“Please.”

Ganien followed after him.

Aris soon came to his senses when he saw their backs.

“Are you all…right?

Ruel’s gaze turned to the broken wall.

Thump. Thump.

Ruel’s heart beat faster when he saw Nintra colored with black blood.

It was different from fear.

It felt like his blood was boiling.

The mana filling his body became hot.

He felt instinctively that he had to get rid of it.

The shadow under Ruel’s feet wriggled.

“Aris.”

“Yes.”

“I’m going after him.”

“It’s dangerous.”

“Aris.”

When Ruel and his eyes met, suddenly goosebumps sprang up all over Aris’s body.

Ruel’s atmosphere was different.

It felt similar to when Ruel first controlled a monster.

Ruel rose from his seat.

There was a light in his eyes.

All the shadows around him moved in waves.

“It’s an order.”

It was reckless to take Ruel there now.

Knowing that, Aris bowed his head.

He couldn’t refuse the order.

“…I see.”

A shadow in the corner shifted.

Ruel inhaled Breath and said. “Hina, don’t try to stop me.”

The shadows movement soon subsided.