Bloodline is a Cheat Code - Chapter 84

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 84
He was far too energetic for his age, scurrying about like a child until Serpina Rosena bound his hands and feet with her restraint magic, only then granting him permission to speak.
“A man who’s lived over a hundred years can’t undo this? I feel like I could break free whenever I wanted and crawl right out.”
“If Seri tells me not to break free, I’ll remain bound even if I have to crawl into my grave.”
“Then crawl in.”
“First, explain the situation to Tiae properly. You only gave her the bare minimum.”
“Ah, so I’m Tiae now?”
I’d heard Flotie and Tiae before, but Tiae was something else entirely.
When had we become so close?
Ever since learning that Lucian Advein was the Crown Prince, I’ve been speaking to him with formal respect, yet he immediately dropped formalities with me.
I suppressed the extreme aristocratic impulse to question his status and composed myself.
I’d thought I was someone who didn’t care about such things, but I suppose I was wrong.
“So what was that earlier?”
“You know curses originate from dark magic, right? And that dark magic unfairly bears the blame for it. So as a renowned dark mage, I’m making these efforts to improve perceptions of dark magic…”
“Get to the point. My mood is far from pleasant right now.”
When Lucian Advein openly showed his displeasure, Cruide let out an awkward cough. It seemed he was only now realizing he’d been too flippant.
“My apologies, Tiae.”
“Show respect to my fiancée.”
“…Rather, Lady Flotie. It appears to be a high-level curse cast through sight rather than through food. It’s difficult to notice unless the target is exceptionally perceptive.”
He’s certainly eccentric, but he does seem to be a renowned dark mage. The fact that he deduced that much in such a short time proves it.
The sword that had borne the brunt of Lucian Advein’s fury was now nothing but powder, leaving not a trace behind.
“Sister, was that sword hilt made of mana stone?”
“It was. Heavy swords strain my wrists, so I infused it with mana to make it lighter.”
So that’s the method she used.
Typically, sword hilts are decorated freely according to the owner’s preferences, incorporating many minerals and gems.
Serpina Rosena had seized upon that diversity, processing mana stones as if they were jewels to craft her hilt.
“Clever, Young Duke. That means you can wield such a heavy sword like a rapier.”
When Lucian Advein expressed genuine admiration, Serpina Rosena turned her gaze away as if embarrassed.
I could feel how much she’d changed from the sister who once paid no mind to praise or acclaim.
“Seri, surely you’re not getting embarrassed over such compliments?”
“Be quiet. Don’t mind my expression.”
“Do I not deserve praise for detecting the presence of that mana stone in such a vast space, Your Highness?”
Whether this dark mage listened well or not, he quickly turned his gaze as Serpina Rosena commanded and began fawning over Lucian Advein.
If he truly lived over a hundred years ago, he would have had no connection to Lucian Advein at that time.
The fact that he didn’t recognize him at first made that clear. Yet now, standing before him, he was being so blatantly ingratiating—it was rather suspicious.
Lucian Advein seemed to share my opinion, crossing his legs with a displeased expression.
“I’m not sure what my praise would do for you. Setting aside that I have no intention of offering anything, you’ve been suspiciously ingratiating yourself with me since earlier, and I absolutely despise those who hide their true nature and act slick.”
“Hide my nature? I am a person whose inside and outside are completely the same.”
“Yet you cling to me with excessive devotion despite my lack of power and standing. I’m beginning to doubt whether I should entrust my fiancée’s diagnosis to someone like you.”
Lucian Advein’s eyes turned cold, and he pulled his lips into a thin smile.
Though he certainly lost points by drawing a blade on me from the very start, there’s something about him that strikes me as suspicious.
He glanced back at Serpina Rosena as if pleading for her help, but she turned away from him without the slightest pretense.
“Does ‘having the same inside and outside’ mean one must split open the interior to verify it?”
“No, surely not. On the way here, Seri spoke so many wonderful things about Your Highness that I simply felt I must make a good impression. That’s all I was thinking.”
“Wonderful things?”
“That he’s intelligent. That he wields a sword well. That he seems to cherish his younger sister. And above all, there was talk that he would become a far better Emperor than Vincent Advein. Ah, Vincent Advein is the Crown Prince now, isn’t he? His Highness may not know, but after he became Emperor, he was nearly recorded in history as one of the most incompetent rulers ever. It’s perhaps fortunate the Empire collapsed before the historians could finish writing those records. After all, they’re all dead now. Haha!”
He truly does seem to be someone whose inside matches his outside.
I took Lucian Advein’s hand as he stared at the dark mage before us, his expression suggesting he had no idea what face to make anymore.
“I think it will be fine.”
“Flotie.”
“If someone thinks before speaking, surely their words wouldn’t be ones that hasten death with every syllable. Don’t you think? He seems like a man who simply blurts out whatever comes to mind based on his mood.”
“Your single word carries more credibility than dozens of words from that man.”
Serpina Rosena nodded in agreement.
Apparently unaware that this was an insult to himself, he gazed at me with a grateful expression.
“To defend me so thoroughly. Being Seri’s sibling, you truly are a warm and gentle lady despite that cold appearance.”
I’m not normally the type to attach meaning to every single word and grow angry over it.
And above all, being misunderstood because of one’s impression or expression happens quite frequently.
Yet hearing it from this man somehow irritates me. I keep wanting to ask Serpina Rosena how she ended up choosing such a person.
“I hope you’ll offer an explanation before my willingness to defend you diminishes any further.”
I regret that I cannot simply tell him to shut up.
Perhaps noticing that even my voice had grown subtly cold, he continued his explanation in a somewhat melancholic tone.
“This curse doesn’t cause instant death or inflict pain. Without me, you might never have realized you were cursed until the moment of your death.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
Serpina Rosena’s voice, which had seemed to regain composure and ease while resting against me, froze instantly.
Even the sun of the Holy Kingdom could be frozen by her voice right now. Without even turning to look, I’m certain Lucian Advein wears a similar expression, so I won’t bother confirming and adding to my fatigue.
“In other words, whoever cast this curse did so assuming the youngest princess of Rosena would die young.”
It’s not as surprising as I might have expected.
Once I threw myself fully into political strife, I naturally anticipated being caught up in dangers of this magnitude.
Especially if I resolved to reach a position like that of Crown Princess, not merely as a subordinate or supporter.
Considering how the women of the Imperial Household have met their deaths thus far, my only now being cursed is rather… wait, hold on.
“Excuse me, Mage. Lord Den?”
“I’d prefer to be called Rudie. Even if I can’t call you Riti, surely I can manage that much, can’t I?”
“Ah, yes, Rudie. I have something I’d like to ask.”
“Flotie, speak quickly. I’m growing anxious waiting like this.”
Lucian Advein, who had been sitting right beside me, suddenly leaned toward me with urgency, as if he hadn’t been sitting in that stiff posture at all.
I expected him to be angry or coldly frozen, but his expression was filled with worry.
What can I do? He’s only going to worry more now.
“Is this perhaps a curse where someone gradually drains away one’s life force?”
“Something like that. Very similar. You’re quite clever!”
Cruide, who clapped his restrained hands in apparent amazement, let out a soft laugh and opened his mouth to speak.
“That is a very ancient curse. However, the one afflicting the Lady is somewhat different. At a precise moment, it will drain all of her life force at once.”
“Why is it different?”
“Because her body is not healthy enough to have her life force extracted gradually. Even if we attempted to drain it bit by bit, the Lady would have died instantly.”
“I see.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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