[Trantor - Helga ]


    [Proofreader - Lucky]


    Chapter 185


    Isaac recoiled in shock.


    It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered the idea of marrying someone from Rehinar family.


    But it was the worst possible move.


    Bringing it up could lead to disaster.


    Kane adored his younger siblings.


    He would never consider sending them to the pce, rife with constant scheming.


    So, Isaac dismissed the thought.


    Instead, he settled for marrying Charlotte to Kane.


    “Stop spouting nonsense and go fight!”


    Richard led the Imperial Guards into the battlefield.


    Although Kesh Meyer had fled, the enemy’s momentum hadn’t faltered in the slightest.


    Such is the nature of the undead.


    When amander or leader is defeated, morale usually copses.


    But the undead showed no signs of weakening.


    In fact, their ferocity intensified.


    “Graaaahhh!”


    Skeleton soldiers hurled themselves into the fray, disregarding their own lives.


    The empire’s army engaged them in fiercebat.


    Crash!


    Thud!


    A brutal struggle ensued.


    A merciless cycle of killing and dying repeated itself.


    “First Division, form the magic circle!”


    “Second Division, ready the spears!”


    The Imperial Guards, along with knights and mages from the central nobility, reinvigorated the battlefield.


    The undead began to fall one by one.


    Likely due to being summoned by Kesh Meyer elsewhere.


    Meanwhile...


    Kane had caught up with Kesh Meyer.


    “You leech!”


    Kesh Meyer fired a burst of divine energy.


    But Kane dodged it effortlessly.


    “Ugh!”


    Kesh Meyer grew desperate.


    Nothing worked against Kane.


    Thud!


    In the end, Kane''s sword struck Kesh Meyer’s back.


    “Urgh.”


    Kesh Meyer copsed to the ground.


    Ten years had passed since his death.


    He had sworn revenge on Kane, yet now found himself fleeing.


    “Why... why do you always stand in my way?”


    Kesh Meyer roared in rage, his eyes aze.


    “You’re the one blocking my path, so I’m simply removing the obstacle.”


    Kane pulled his des from Kesh Meyer’s back.


    Squelch!


    Kesh Meyer’s eyes widened.


    The de had been swung multiple times in one fluid motion.


    Thud.


    Kesh Meyer dropped to his knees.


    "Anyst words?"


    "Even if… you kill me, I will rise again."


    "That won’t happen. I n to destroy even your soul this time."


    Kane''s Bloodsky des vanished.


    The space grew eerily silent.


    A blinding light enveloped the surroundings, only to dissipate momentster, restoring everything to normal.


    Fwoosh...


    Kesh Meyer crumbled to dust, just like before.


    Despite being resurrected after ten years, he once again fell to Kane.


    From the scattered dust, a transparent wisp began to drift toward the sky.


    sh.


    Kane''s sword struck the ethereal mist.


    Aaaaargh!


    A shriek echoed—a final cry from Kesh Meyer.


    "If the trial of the Room of Past hasn’t ended yer, it seems I’ll need to take care of the rest of them too."


    Kane turned and charged toward the undead army.


    With Bloodsky des in hand, he cut through the battlefield.


    Each swing of his de killed hundreds.


    The undead crumbled helplessly under Kane''s onught.


    The central nobles, witnessing Kane’s power after so long, felt chills run down their spines.


    "I had forgotten."


    "Forgotten what?"


    "The Blood Duke. Ten years ago, he single-handedly destroyed the floating city and eradicated the House of Sun. Watching him now brings back memories of that time."


    "Indeed, we forgot he is the God of War."


    There was no need for anyone else to intervene.


    This man, who could annihte an entire undead army on his own, was none other than Kane Rehinar, the head of the House of Guardians.


    The oue of the war was already decided.


    Thanks to Kane’s intervention, the Fresia Empire imed victory once again.


    * * *


    Kane stood at the entrance of the Trial again.


    “I didn’t get to say my final goodbyes... such a shame.”


    He had been transported here mid-battle.


    He had hoped there would be a chance for farewells, but there wasn’t.


    That left him with a lingering sense of regret.


    Having passed the Room of Past life, he was now back at the beginning.


    This time, Ray was with him.


    “Both of you are at the final trial.”


    It was the Room of Death.


    “Any hints about what kind of trial it is?”


    Ray’s question made Lami smile faintly.


    “Want a hint?”


    “You’d actually give one?”


    “Not a chance. You’ll just have to experience it yourselves.”


    A radiant light enveloped Kane and Ray.


    Rather than a portal opening, Lami forcibly sent the two into the Room of Death.


    “Give it your all and pass the final gateway. It’s the easiest trial of them all.”


    As the two disappeared, Lami murmured softly in their direction.


    * * *


    Kane opened his eyes.


    But even that simple act felt incredibly exhausting.


    The first thing he saw was the ceiling.


    It wasn’t a design typical of the modern era.


    He tried to sit up from his lying position.


    “Ugh.”


    “Please, don’t try to move.”


    Even lifting his body was a struggle.


    Turning his head slightly to the side, he saw a familiar face.


    “Desdemona...”


    He was startled by his own voice.


    It wasn’t the voice of his youth but that of a very old man.


    “What… what is going on?”


    “I’ll help you sit up.”


    Desdemona supported him as he moved.


    In the mirror’s reflection, he saw himself.


    White hair.


    Deep wrinkles.


    ‘Time must have passed significantly here in Tevend’


    The Room of Death wasn’t set in Kane’s original world but in Tevend.


    He turned his head again, an act that required immense effort.


    What came into view were many people.


    They looked at him with sorrowful expressions.


    They’re my descendants.


    Each of them bore a resemnce to him.


    Even the retainers of the Rehinar family were present.


    Among them was a man who looked strikingly like Daniel, as well as children who bore an uncanny resemnce to Mikhail and Eki Hughes.


    At least I must have lived well in this life. Seeing so many who mourn for me…


    Of course, not everyone seemed pleased by his presence.


    But the majority looked upon him kindly.


    “Do you have anything you wish to say?”


    “You’ve kept your beauty, as always.”


    Despite the passage of time, Desdemona hadn’t aged a day.


    She looked just as she had before.


    “Are you cracking jokes now that it’s near the end?”@@novelbin@@


    “I used to joke before, too.”


    Perhaps his vitality was returning because the mournful expressions around him brightened.


    Kane began piecing together his memories.


    Something must have gone wrong with Rehinar.


    Their sorrow was not only for his impending death but also for the turmoil within the family.


    His descendants were embroiled in conflict.


    A feud between the children of his first wife, Desdemona, and his second wife, Charlotte von Fresia.


    So this is my trial.


    Can I resolve this in my current state?


    A body on the verge of copse.


    If it were the old days, he would have crushed the situation with sheer power.


    But now, his body was far past its prime.


    Is that child the source of the trouble?


    All of his descendants had the Blood Rune.


    Among them, one child stood out to him as particrly exceptional.


    ‘Irel Rehinar, Charlotte’s grandson. At the age of 15, he bears Blood Bond (third form of Blood mana)’


    All those with grievances seemed to side with Irel Rehinar.


    However, he faced strong opposition because he wasn’t the legitimate heir of the family.


    In Rehinar, the strength of the first bloodline reigns supreme.


    This had always been an immutable truth.


    With the full power of the familyes the duty to protect it from external threats.


    Yet the so-called legitimate heir of the family, a boy named d Rehinar, bore only the first form of Blood Rune at the age of 20.


    “Come to think of it, where is ta?”


    “It’s been a long time since he vanished. We assumed there was a reason for his silence all this while.”


    “Find ta. The one who wins his loyalty will lead the family.”


    One of the retainers, clearly displeased, shot to his feet.


    “What nonsense is this? My lord must have lost his mind in his old age!”


    “You insolent whelp! Watch your tongue! Do you even know where you stand to utter such drivel?”


    The factions shed.


    Voices grew louder.


    usations and shouting ricocheted around the hall.


    This is aplete mess.


    Desdemona remained silent, her strength allowing her to stay out of the bickering.


    “Why aren’t you stepping in to stop this fight?”


    “My only concern is you.”


    “They’re fighting because you refuse to mediate.”


    “When you die, I’ll die too. I can’t keep helping our children forever. If they can’t protect themselves, they have no right to bear the Rehinar name.”


    Her words were cold but true.


    Their bond was sealed by contract.


    Although she was a vampire, she served him as her master.


    While the bond allowed them to share power, it had one critical w: if the master died, the contractor would also die shortly after.


    This was the Vampire''s Oath.


    A romantic yet cruel pact.


    But she was entirely satisfied with it.


    Had Kane not saved her, she would have spent eternity in the shadows, doomed to die there.


    “Haaa... even speaking is exhausting.”


    “Lie down. It’s only going to get noisier.”


    “That’s not an option.”


    This was the Room of Death.


    It was a trial for him.


    If he solved this problem, would the trial truly end?


    It could be a trial different from what he had expected, so it was better to finish it quickly.


    I never gave Blood Sky des to anyone. But then again, it’s a weapon made of my own blood, so it would be difficult to pass it on before I die. But do I even have the strength left to pull out Blood Sky?


    Unlike before, worry came first.


    Was his mind weakening because his body had weakened?


    Before taking action, he was filled with concern.


    He tried to channel the blood mana.


    There was almost no mana left.


    It was serious.


    After all, he was 90 years old now.


    Emperor Isaac had already passed away.


    He had lived a long life.


    ‘But still, I was once the strongest in the continent. Even if I have no mana, can’t I still use the mana of nature?’


    He recalled memories from the past.


    The feeling when he used his crest in the Room of Present.


    Even without mana, he had defeated monsters by drawing on the surrounding forces.


    If there was no mana in his body, he could use the energy around him.


    His malfunctioning mana heart began to beat faster.


    His once-dead eyes began to stir.


    sh!


    Kane’s eyes glowed red.


    “Everyone is so loud.”


    The house shook.


    A rumbling sound came from the earth itself.


    It felt as if an earthquake had struck.


    Marble shattered and rose into the air.


    Desdemona, who was beside him, widened her eyes.


    A person with no mana, on the verge of death, was now using mana.


    “H-Husband!?”


    At her astonishment, the once-bustling House of Lords fell silent.


    No one could grasp the situation.


    They were simply taken aback by Desdemona''s reaction.


    "Was it you, the one who dared to speak against my words?"


    Kane turned his head and red at the middle-aged man who had voiced hisints.


    The man, trying to conceal his panic, confidently spoke up.


    "The Rehinars have a tradition of making the strongest bloodline the head of the family. But to elevate d Rehinar, who has no talent, to the position of head—it''s unthinkable."


    "Isn''t that boy the heir to Rehinar?"


    "If he’s the heir, he should be strong, shouldn’t he? Yet, d is the weakest among the bloodline. No, he''s a Durd."


    "A Durd... It''s been a while since I heard that term."


    [Trantor - Helga ]


    [Proofreader - Lucky]