The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

Pure white rain covered the world.

The fearless flames gradually subsided.

As the fire completely extinguished, leaving only hazy steam, Marquis Hashir trembled.

“Th-This…”

Despite casting all sorts of spells, he achieved nothing.

“That wench is coming.”

Growing anxious, the Marquis lashed out at his subordinates.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and prepare!”

His subordinates toppled wooden barrels. The blood that spilled from the barrels soaked the ground, then gathered in one place like a river.

The magic circle, greedily absorbing the blood, emitted an ominous light beneath Zenox’s feet.

Seeing Zenox unable to move, the Marquis curled his lip.

The spell he had placed on the Krassium mansion for a year was still in effect. One final spell, and he would fall under the brainwashing.

After confirming the magic circle had fully absorbed the blood, the Marquis drew upon his magical power.

A dark red aura enveloped the forest, then poured onto Zenox.

The Marquis immediately cast the brainwashing spell along with his loyal subordinates.

Zenox’s body shook violently, as if struck by an arrow.

As a red light flickered in his golden eyes, the Marquis let out an exclamation.

“I did it!!”

Though there had been many hardships and setbacks, they had finally succeeded in casting the brainwashing spell on Zenox.

Before he could fully savor his joy, the sound of breaking branches came from behind.

Reflexively turning his head, he saw Rubenta Krassium standing there.

“Zenox.”

Rubenta called out to Zenox in a gentle voice.

Zenox, who had been frozen still, slowly raised his head and met Rubenta’s gaze.

Instead of fierce hostility, his emotionless eyes turned towards Rubenta, who smiled.

“I’m glad you’ve returned.”

Zenox was the world’s most powerful sword, but an uncontrollable weapon. And only after countless efforts and patience, such a weapon had finally fallen into his hands.

As Rubenta was lost in emotion, Marquis Hashir immediately demanded the fox orb.

“The promised reward?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll give it to you.”

Despite the impatient attitude, Rubenta answered leisurely.

Zenox had the fox orb.

Now that Zenox had become Rubenta’s puppet, he could simply order him to hand it over.

“Where is the fox orb?”

When the tightly sealed lips didn’t open, Rubenta’s brow furrowed.

“Zenox. Kneel.”

Even at Rubenta’s command, Zenox didn’t move.

For a moment, a smile flickered across Zenox’s lips.

Surprised, Rubenta looked again, but his face had already returned to expressionlessness.

Had his will not yet been fully erased?

Unable to be certain if the brainwashing had taken effect, Rubenta’s face hardened terribly.

“Marquis.”

At the chilling voice, Marquis Hashir flinched.

“N-No, that can’t be.”

The brainwashing spell had definitely worked.

Was it because they had prepared hastily that the sacrifices were slightly insufficient?

As he tried to find what was wrong, a dark red aura flowed out of Zenox’s body as if being rejected.

Far from settling in his body, the magical power was being pushed out.

Marquis Hashir’s face turned pale at Zenox’s powerful will resisting the spell. At this rate, he would be not an obedient doll, but a bomb that could explode at any moment.

It seemed the pre-prepared blood and body parts were much less effective.

But they couldn’t use animal blood.

“We need more fresh blood and flesh!”

“How many more victims do you intend to make?”

The one who answered Marquis Hashir’s cry was not Rubenta.

The Marquis and Rubenta turned around simultaneously.

“Laria Rohan…”

Marquis Hashir murmured blankly.

Laria immediately examined Zenox first.

Not much time had passed since he fell under the brainwashing spell, as the magical power hadn’t been fully absorbed. Moreover, the magical power was being pushed out of his body as if resisting.

It was an incredible display of mental strength.

As the situation unfolded according to Ishel’s prophecy, Laria immediately drew upon her magical power.

It was all within the expected range, and she could certainly break a brainwashing spell of this level.

“Damn it! Seize her gems first!”

Marquis Hashir suddenly shouted.

‘He noticed.’

The Marquis knew she drew magical power in exchange for gems.

But that didn’t change anything.

The attack spells aimed at Laria all dissipated without even grazing her clothing.

When his final struggle proved ineffective, Marquis Hashir clutched his head.

“Wh-What should I do…”

At that moment, Rubenta, who had been observing the situation, gestured.

Though they hadn’t sensed any presence, dozens of men appeared from somewhere and surrounded them.

“We meet again.”

Unlike Marquis Hashir, Rubenta calmly addressed Laria.

“It seems you didn’t drink the tea I prepared?”

“Mother asked me to tell you it doesn’t taste good.”

“Oh my. And I went to such trouble to obtain it.”

Rubenta smiled faintly at Laria’s response.

He looked around at the knights standing behind him, a slight smile on his lips.

“These are my cherished children.”

“…”

“I’ve raised and trained them myself since they were young.”

His gaze was full of affection, as if looking at precious gems.

“What do you think, for a great sorcerer like yourself?”

Laria examined the knights with tightly pressed lips.

Even to Laria, who was no expert in swordsmanship, they looked incredibly strong. Each one exuded a powerful aura, as if he had brought all his elite troops. Moreover, if they had been brainwashed with the Power of Words since childhood, their loyalty would be extraordinary.

Honestly speaking, she couldn’t guarantee victory if that many people attacked at once.

Laria bit the inside of her lip and glanced at Zenox.

The dark red aura in his golden eyes appeared and disappeared repeatedly. Far from losing his will, he was fighting against the spell.

As Laria’s gaze hardened, the smile faded from Rubenta’s lips.

“Looking at you reminds me of my brother and his wife. Righteous and honest…”

Laria quietly drew upon her magical power. He might be trying to catch her off guard before launching a surprise attack.

“Of course, I killed them.”

Laria’s aquamarine eyes shook greatly, like a stone thrown into a lake.

Rubenta Krassium had killed Zenox’s parents…?

As Laria wavered, the armed knights all drew their swords at once.

“Die.”

The moment Rubenta’s order fell, Laria immediately deployed a defensive barrier.

She had prepared for an onslaught of attacks, but.

Splash-

Without a single scream, blood erupted like fountains from various places.

“!”

Rubenta’s knights had all slit their own throats simultaneously.

Even Marquis Hashir froze, as if he hadn’t expected this situation.

“Marquis Hashir!”

The Marquis startled at Rubenta’s shout. Receiving his fierce gaze, the Marquis moved without time to think.

As the Marquis cast a forbidden spell, black smoke flowed from the knights’ corpses.

It was incomparably more turbid and heavy than the fire smoke.

Eventually, as if the end of the world had come, the sky turned a dark red.

The light gathered in one place and struck Zenox like lightning.

“Zenox!!”

With Laria’s cry, Zenox’s body slowly crumbled. Her heart began to pound as if it would burst, like war drums signaling an enemy’s surprise attack.

The inexplicable anxiety finally took shape.

‘I must break it immediately.’

The brainwashing spell Marquis Hashir had cast again exceeded expectations. If she delayed even a little, his sense of self would be stolen.

The gems in her pocket shattered, bursting forth with multicolored light.

Magical power swirling like a whirlwind poured onto Zenox.

Boom-

Laria’s body was pushed back.

The magical power had been completely deflected.

Like a crouching beast rising, Zenox slowly stood up straight. His red eyes, empty instead of their brilliant gold, turned towards Laria.

It felt as unfamiliar as facing a different person.

“Ha, haha… Hahaha!”

Rubenta’s laughter echoed through the quiet forest.

Laughing with his head thrown back, Rubenta let out a long breath.

“Ah, finally.”

Sacrificing the elite troops was a last resort.

But it wasn’t regrettable at all. One steel sword is stronger than dozens of wooden swords, after all.

Rubenta approached Zenox, who stood like a puppet with cut strings.

Laria, frozen in shock, immediately cast a spell.

A barrage of light arrows poured towards Rubenta. 

But before they could reach him, the arrows were cut down by Zenox’s blade and scattered into the air.

Zenox, sword in hand, took a step forward.

It looked as if he was trying to protect Rubenta.

“Perfect.”

Expressing deep satisfaction, Rubenta gently wrapped his arm around Zenox’s shoulders.

“Just keep obeying my words like this.”

As he uttered the Power of Words, Zenox’s eyes grew even more clouded.

Though it was said the Power of Words didn’t work well on direct Krassium descendants, it wasn’t completely ineffective. Rather, in a situation like this, it was more effective than on anyone else.

“I’ll make you the Emperor of the Wolf clan.”

Revealing his ambition without hiding it, Rubenta finally gave Zenox his first order.

“Kill Laria Rohan.”