As if knowing it was his story, Shakar made a small sound.

See?

His eyes seemed to be bragging, making me feel absurd. I deliberately turned towards Shakar and laughed ominously.

That useless, smart-headed wolf. Who was it that not only set you free from being subordinate to the Lupinus family, but also allowed you to stay by Merche’s side? How dare you brag without knowing gratitude?

“While escaping, I heard news from the main house…, the situation is not good.”

“Why. Is that crazy monster going around destroying everything as it pleases?”

“…They say someone has appeared who can control the monster.”

“Control? Control that crazy serpent monster?”

What kind of incredibly crazy bastard would do such a thing?

Muttering with a hollow laugh, he cracked his neck with a clicking sound.

As he sat up, the old bed creaked and screamed as if begging for its life.

“Merche. Be honest with me. That incredibly crazy bastard, it’s someone you know.”

I can tell just by looking at your eyes with their vaguely downturned ends. I used to see your face every day when we were at the Lupinus family, so how could I not know.

The current Merche was in an even worse mood than before he collapsed like a fool.

His feverish head was spinning hotly.

In his imagination, he was already busy stomping that ‘incredibly crazy bastard’ to a pulp.

Someone other than me is getting on Merche’s nerves?

It can’t be. As long as Rude is alive and breathing, no one else but him should be allowed to spoil Merche’s mood.

What the hell are they to exert a stronger influence than him?

Whether in a positive or negative direction, the one who should have the deepest impact on Merche should only be him.

“Who is it, that bastard.”

He urged kindly, hiding his surging bloodlust.

As if he was frustrated at not being able to confide in anyone, Merche also threw out a name without much hesitation.

“Joseph Benenum. Karla’s cousin and someone who once competed for the position of Benenum’s successor.”

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Joseph didn’t hide his excitement and clearly showed it.

A joyful whistle flowed out without him realizing it, and with overflowing leisure, he began to stroll with his hands clasped behind his back.

He spread his hands wide towards the sky that was turning reddish as the sun rose.

“Kuk kuk…”

The gold-rimmed ring on his thick ring finger shone luxuriously.

And what about the ruby embedded in the center?

It was a gem that would bring a future as splendid as its bright red color.

Thinking so, even this blood-red gem that he had found a bit ominous now looked dazzlingly enchanting.

-…I will entrust the position of family head to you.

Just like a stubborn old man. Joseph frowned deeply, recalling the wrinkled face.

It was only last night that he had succeeded in taking over the position of family head from Mariette.

It took much longer than expected.

She was so stubborn that if Joseph hadn’t grabbed Karla by the hair and threatened her, she might have held out to the end.

But it’s all over now.

Joseph stretched out his neck and glanced sideways at the basilisk with its tail coiled.

As long as that thing is there, he is invincible.

No one could rebel against him in front of the basilisk.

“…It would have been nice if the body was just a little smaller.”

He barely managed to stop that huge body from destroying the Benenum main house at the last moment.

From now on, it will be his right and duty to lead this family, so there’s no need to waste existing assets and build a new building while it smells of livestock, right?

“…Ah, that’s right. I almost forgot about that.”

Joseph, who had been sitting in the head’s office with a haughty attitude, jumped up.

-They say there is a safe in Benenum that only the family head can open?

-When everything is over and I come to find you, that’s when you open the safe. If you can handle that properly, I’ll give you Benenum. How about it?

Joseph. Don’t forget the promise.

The green eyes that had been smiling softly like a rolled-up ball of yarn flashed through his mind.

At the same time, a hint of fear, and an even bigger arrogance than that, passed by.

Benenum was already his anyway. So why should he tremble pathetically and crawl on the floor?

“Hmm.”

He looked down at the ruby ring on his right hand again.

As long as he has this, the basilisk moves according to his will. So he just needs to keep it and not let it be taken away.

Joseph, who had greedily twitched the corners of his mouth, headed to the bedroom to take a nap.

The bed with a fluffy wool blanket clung to his slackened body as if sticking to it.

Without resisting the drowsiness that came over him, Joseph closed his eyes as he was.

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Joseph. Arrogant and stupid Joseph. Hurry up and open your eyes.

Joseph, who had been lost in sleep, tossed and turned.

Strangely, his fingers tingled. As if something was fumbling with his hand.

In his sleep, something cool slowly brushed over the ring finger of his right hand that was flailing about.

“…Umm, ugh. Who dares to disturb the head of Benenum…”

The end of his words stretched out long in drowsiness.

Even then, Joseph was still sound asleep without sensing anything.

“Joseph.”

“…Hmm?”

“I told you to keep your promise. But why did you break the promise you made with me?”

At the refreshing whisper, the sleep vaguely dissipated. The moment his swollen eyes met the sharp green light looking down at him.

“…Ahhh! Aaahhh!”

Crack. A creepy pain spread from his fingers throughout his entire body. When he came to his senses late while screaming, his ring finger had already been cut off along with the ring.

Shik. Shiik.

The basilisk, which had been quiet, inflated its long body and raised its head.

Soon, a pair of eyes that were like a disaster, torn bright red, lit up. The red light filled with murderous intent slowly looked down at the ground it had torn apart.

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Have I finally gone completely insane?

Karla, who had woken up in the middle of her sleep, wrapped the blanket tightly around her body and looked at the mess outside the window.

“…Crazy Joseph.”

Saying he can control the basilisk?

Then what the hell is that rampaging monster?

“…Iller, we’re all going to die! Wake up quickly!”

If there was any silver lining in this misfortune, it was that after receiving the position of family head, Joseph didn’t care at all who Karla lived with.

So Karla also openly brought Iller and let him sleep by her side without minding Joseph’s gaze.

“Iller! Do you want to die in your sleep? Please, wake up now!”

She had brought him here for fear that something might happen to Iller, who was already grumbling, out of her sight. But it looked like she would have to carry a burden.

Forcibly carrying Iller on her back, Karla moved her body more nimbly than ever.

…Grandmother. Where are you, Grandmother?

Suddenly, worry seeped in, and she ran around calling out for Mariette.

Then, Iller, who had been quietly carried on her back, suddenly opened his pale eyes.

“No, why is he making a prophecy at a time like this?”

Karla was startled.

Rolling his eyes back like that was a symptom of when Iller made a prophecy.

Sure enough, Iller, who had been shaking and trembling for a while, grabbed the shaking back tightly and commanded firmly.

“Please deliver the ring.”

“What ring? Huh, huh… I’m sorry Iller, but if you’re going to make a prophecy, can you be a little more specific? We’re all about to die here.”

“The ring you were going to give to Lady Merche as a gift. It’s in your possession right now, Miss.”

“…Gulp. Gulp. You, how do you know that?”

She hadn’t told anyone. She wanted to see Merche’s transparent reaction after giving it as a surprise gift.

Her blank, unfocused eyes crossed with Iller’s hazy eyes. Iller continued to prophesy.

“Give it to Fabio Ardor. If you ask him to make sure to deliver the ring to Lady Merche, he will surely grant your request. Don’t worry, Miss. If it’s him, he will never fail.”

Look over there.

The tip of Iller’s finger pointed in one direction.

There, Fabio Ardor was riding a pegasus and chasing the basilisk with all his might.

“…Oh, this is crazy.”

While being startled by the prophecy that fit perfectly, Karla followed as told for now.

She blocked Fabio, who was running with his arms wide open. Fabio, who hurriedly stopped the pegasus, frowned and reproached her.

“…What are you doing now?”

“Hey, Lord! Could you please deliver this to Merche?”

She threw up a smooth leather pouch.

Despite being quite a small pouch, Fabio caught it without difficulty.

“You must! We’ll all live if you deliver it, so please do me this favor just this once!”

For some reason, her hand reached out on its own.

Surprisingly, Karla had a great talent. The talent to swiftly slap the firm buttocks of the pegasus and then quickly slip away!

She stepped away from the bewildered Fabio.

Then, she vigorously waved her hand towards the pegasus that was running away, snorting.

I don’t know what it is, but I hope you succeed!

She believes in Iller’s prophecy, which has never been wrong even once so far.

Her gaze, filled with earnest wishes, followed the white back of Fabio’s head as he moved away.

[This is the timeline separator]

Fabio traversed the vast land in a daze.

-Fabio? Where are you going, the basilisk is over there!

-You have to buy time, Huana. I have somewhere to go.

Huana, whom he met on the way, was going wild, saying he had lost his mind.

Her argument was what trick she, with weaker authority than him, could use to deal with a monster that only appeared in myths.

He knew that too. In fact, he felt like he had gone a little crazy to some extent.

Even though he knew it was neither logical nor like an Ardor, Fabio galloped without stopping until his mouth tasted bitter.

It was like destiny.

An unbelievable sight is unfolding before his eyes right now.

The sight of a group of snakes huddled together like one body, crawling in a line towards one place.

A miracle like a bolt of lightning from a pegasus, which is hard to deny as anything but the will of the heavens.

He didn’t know why, but he was convinced that at the end of these snakes, that woman would be there.