Chapter 84

Chapter 84
Chapter 84: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“The pendant?”

Though her expression remained baffled, Clarentia grasped the neck ornament precisely as Lion instructed.

Then…

*Vwoom.*

A faint resonance hummed from the sword’s edge, as though it were answering the metal piece.

“…!”

Lion had picked up on the sound, meaning Clarentia certainly couldn’t have missed it.

“Try holding it a fraction closer.”

There had to be some hidden mechanism embedded within the design.

‘No matter the circumstance, it is a family relic. It wouldn’t simply vanish into thin air.’

Undoubtedly, the former head of the household had intended it so.

Thus, Clarentia’s grandfather had deliberately concealed it in a secure location.

Ironically, that safe vault simply happened to be outside the borders of the Baidantis Domain.

Had that not been the case, an ordinary piece of jewelry would hold no grounds to be treasured as a Duke’s heirloom.

If it reacted solely to the Holy Blade, concealing it would have posed little challenge.

Following Lion’s advice, Clarentia gradually brought the adornment nearer to the weapon.

The vibration heightened, causing even the wall decorations to sway helplessly in response to the tremor.

And then…

*Flash!*

A blinding glare erupted from Clarentia’s grip.

‘Not from my hand…’

Upon closer observation, the brilliance emanated directly from the blade.

An overwhelming rush of light poured from the translucent steel, flowing straight into Clarentia’s hand.

It felt as though the weapon were purging everything it had accumulated over time.

‘My initial suspicion was spot on.’

What else could a sword be if it strips away a person’s vital traits in exchange for granting power, if not a demonic blade?

Yet, through Lion’s perception, the Bydantis Holy Sword categorized not as a dark weapon, but as sacred steel.

What demanded particular attention was how it claimed emotions as collateral.

This implied that fulfilling specific criteria would allow those lost attributes to be reclaimed.

And naturally.

The pendant fulfilled that very function.

Perhaps the reason Clarentia’s mother wore that specific piece…

‘It must have represented the destination the Duke’s father intended for her to return to.’

Lion finally grasped the true significance of that place.

It was never the private quarters of the Baidantis family lord.

Clarentia Bydantis.

The sanctuary her mother envisioned was none other than the embrace of the daughter she had raised with tender care.

Though belatedly, it was fortunate that restoration was still within reach.

Lion offered a soft smile.

Even though she had experienced little parental affection growing up, she deeply understood this surge of warmth.

After all, she had crossed paths with numerous individuals here who genuinely cared for her well-being.

『 The true power of the lost pendant has been unleashed.』

『 The Bydantis Holy Sword returns what it took as collateral to its original owner.』

Eventually, the radiance and tremors faded away, leaving the chamber wrapped in absolute quiet.

“…”

Clarentia wore a look of profound astonishment.

Her eyes widened, and the vacant lifelessness in her gaze vanished.

Moments later.

Moisture welled along her straight eyelashes before quickly receding.

Even amidst such a turbulent emotional storm, Clarentia shed no tears.

‘She will require time.’

Years of agonizing hardship could not simply be erased overnight.

She lacked the luxury to weep freely just yet.

Would it not take years, perhaps even longer, for her emotional scars to truly mend and close?

Even so, faint marks would inevitably remain.

She would have to learn to coexist with those remnants.

It functioned as a solitary assignment she had to shoulder alone.

It also served as the inevitable price for eliminating her foe.

‘Quite harsh, all things considered.’

Since the events had already transpired, nothing could alter the past. She could only feel relieved that recovery had progressed even to this degree.

Regardless.

“My congratulations, Marquis.”

The years had proved unforgiving, but today warranted a celebratory toast.

Lion extended her sincere congratulations to the Marquis of Bydantis over her recovery.

『’Lost Pendant’ has been restored to its rightful place!』

* Restore Emotions to the Worn (Complete)

『The original owner of the pendant expresses her gratitude.』

『Congratulations! You have guided one life toward the light.』

『’Lost Pendant’ mission cleared!』

A series of notification windows materialized before his sight.

The detail that stood out most was the message indicating the original owner’s thankfulness.

‘You are most welcome.’

In the quiet of his heart, Lion paid silent respects to Clarentia’s mother.

He could only imagine the heartbreak she must have endured watching these events unfold from beyond the grave, unable to find true peace.

‘And yet, the system claims I guided a life toward the light.’

It hardly felt like such a monumental feat, did it?

『Claim reward.』

『A gift box has been acquired.』

『Please inspect your reward within a secure location.』

A neatly packaged gift box materialized inside his inventory.

‘A secure location, you say?’

As expected, this hidden quest clearly yielded a significant item.

Lion dismissed his inventory interface and cleared the notifications.

He resolved to unwrap the gift box only after returning home.

—

“……”

Having begun to master the tempest of rediscovered feelings swirling within her mind, Clarentia slowly unsealed her eyelids.

While her heightened reactions had stabilized somewhat, a cascade of thoughts rushed forward.

The initial realization that struck her was introspection.

‘I had no idea I was operating with such cold calculation.’

Ever since assuming the role of Family Head.

No, from the very moment she executed her own elder brother with her own hands, Clarentia’s heart had begun to freeze over.

From that juncture onward, Clarentia deployed any necessary measure to shield her house and her people.

Whether calculated, merciless,

or even if it meant slowly eroding her own soul, she paid it no mind.

Attending Lion Asteri’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony served precisely that objective.

Regardless of past history, the Asteri Family possessed far greater wealth and influence than the reigning Imperial Household.

That alone wasn’t all. They retained the legendary prestige of standing alongside the Hero to vanquish the Demon Race.

No entity dared provoke the Asteri lightly.

That motivated her journey.

She concluded that forging an alliance with the magic-focused Asteri proved far more advantageous than clinging to the hollow prestige of a purely swordsman lineage.

Consequently, she zeroed in on the individual who appeared most approachable.

Coincidentally, an ideal pretext presented itself: attire.

Using new garments as a medium, she established a tentative bond.

And subsequently, by sheer coincidence, that individual was pulled into the Labyrinth.

A degree of genuine regret did register.

She felt it a pity that her younger counterpart, Rikshell Asteri, appeared so frail, reflecting a wholesome sibling bond.

It contrasted sharply with the bitter, throat-cutting rivalry among the brothers within her own household.

She did offer assistance. The task itself proved far from difficult.

However.

The thought “I must rescue someone facing mortal peril!”

did not constitute the actual emotion she experienced then.

‘It was driven entirely by cold arithmetic.’

She reasoned that establishing such a debt might yield strategic utility down the line.

Simultaneously, she wished to observe and analyze how a prominent Magic Family navigated such crises.

‘Yet this person…’

His actions stemmed from pure goodwill. Nothing more.

In truth, she refused to fully believe it until stopping by the Dwarf Village.

Clearly, individuals possessing warm hearts genuinely existed.

Yet nobility…

They maintained the firm conviction that high-ranking nobles could never be swayed solely by altruism or doing a righteous deed.

He likely shared that perspective.

Had he not learned it the hard way during his naive youth?

That placing trust in others yielded nothing but betrayal.

‘Still.’

Lion Asteri proved an exception.

He prioritized his companions above all else.

For the sake of a dwarf blacksmith named Mudu, he melted the stubborn skepticism of the Dwarf Village chief and reignited the passion of their entire community.

Even if calculated motives underpinned his actions, achieving such an outcome proved impossible without genuine sincerity.

Besides, further hesitation served no purpose.

In any case, the Head of the Family, Patrick Asteri, had already compensated far beyond what was required to settle the debt.

Lion hardly seemed oblivious to that fact.

On the contrary, he appeared all the more at ease because of it.

He operated purely in alignment with his own inner convictions.

Such a person…

Now she finally understood.

Had he desired personal gain from the pendant, he could have marched straight back to the fortress without detouring elsewhere.

Furthermore, had he not been the first to uncover the relic’s true value?

He could easily have kept the discovery to himself.

Had he chosen to exploit the situation, the rewards would have been immense.

In fact, remaining silent would have meant condemning Clarentia to an eternity of forgotten memories and lost attributes as punishment for wielding the Holy Blade.

Outwardly, the Magic Family and the Swordsmanship Family remained fierce competitors.

Thus, he possessed every opportunity to weaponize their vulnerability.

It wasn’t as though he lacked awareness of such methods.

‘He didn’t even need to craft and offer that bitter-sweet confection…’

The lingering trace of chocolate remained faintly on his palate.

Bit by bit, it had awakened her dormant senses.

Clarentia gripped the pendant with enough force to feel its intricate texture clearly.

That individual.

Lion genuinely intended to offer her solace.

In response to a single calculated favor, that person had repaid her a hundredfold—no, a thousandfold.

Driven entirely by simple compassion.

“How disgraceful.”

She felt a wave of shame realizing she had approached someone who aided her, Lion Asteri, through a lens of manipulation.

She lacked any clear way to return such profound kindness.

Simultaneously, an urge arose to keep him close.

It was entirely selfish, yet she felt that if he remained here, the Bydantis Domain might gradually grow a little warmer.

“Lion Asteri.”

She addressed Lion using her customary, composed tone.

“Yes?”

“How much longer do you intend to remain at Bydantis Castle?”

“Ah, now that the pendant has been delivered, I ought to be heading back shortly.”

Lion replied honestly, then paused mid-sentence.

“…Is that so?”

Clarentia’s expression carried a peculiar nuance…

‘Hold on. Is this perhaps…’

Lion recognized that look all too well.

Wasn’t that identical to the expression worn by a university professor or drill sergeant attempting to pressure someone into a permanent station?

An internal emergency alert triggered within Lion’s mind.

Mishandling this response risked trapping him here indefinitely.

Besides, Lion had numerous pending tasks awaiting his return.

He needed to inspect his rewards, plant evening primroses inside the labyrinth… and construct a walking trail!

“Perhaps you might consider extending your stay…”

Just as Lion scrambled to find a polite way to decline the Marquis’s subtle probing—

“My Lord!”

In a flash, the chamber door flew open, and a welcome savior appeared.

It was Jasper, the household butler.

“Oh, My Lord! Are you well? How do you feel? Did you suffer any falls or injuries?”

Ordinarily, he remained a timid servant who spoke only after carefully gauging Clarentia’s mood, yet currently, he had sprinted ahead of everyone to inspect her condition.

His eyes radiated profound worry.

“……”

Clarentia appeared to register this realization as well, cutting off whatever words she had intended to utter and closing her mouth.

“Marquis. I appreciate the sentiment behind your words, but I believe you are overlooking something important.”

Observing the scene, Lion offered a gentle smile and stepped back as though preparing to take his leave.

It felt as though the emotional tempest she had barely managed to settle was beginning to stir once more.

Her grip tightened around the pendant.

‘I was truly foolish.’

To Clarentia, her staff represented souls she was duty-bound to protect.

Consequently, she had lived under the rigid assumption that she could never afford to break down, and that even venting frustration was strictly forbidden.

She had isolated herself from relying on them entirely, almost to an obsessive degree.

Yet…

Witnessing the current reality.

Clarentia glanced toward the unlatched doorway.

Other attendants and maids peeked through the gap, their faces etched with genuine concern.

‘They were shielding me as well.’

Each from their respective posts.

She had convinced herself that her family had vanished entirely.

…That assumption appeared thoroughly mistaken.