I Woke Up from Hibernation and Found a Husband - Chapter 75

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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 75
“It’s begun.”
From a high-rise building overlooking the Imperial Palace’s Banquet Hall in the distance, Tenel sat perched against the window, watching the soaring flames with a languid expression.
“Won’t Arcadia’s Master intervene?”
At Leon’s question, Tenel let out a scoff and shook his head.
“That one who bound their own feet with countless contracts with Berus? Sio cannot exert power within the Imperial Palace.”
As successive explosions continued, people poured into the streets and stared at the Imperial Palace in shock. Gregory, watching them from behind Tenel, thought the crowds resembled swarms of ants.
‘Well, we’re no different, I suppose.’
The wind flowing through the open window rustled his navy-blue hair.
‘I wonder how many will die today.’
A grand event where all promising nobles gathered. The nobler the bloodline, the higher the probability of being born with an ability. Appetizing prey inevitably attracted vermin.
“With such quality abilities assembled, we ought to harvest accordingly.”
The dead had no need for abilities, so their powers would soon fall into Umbra’s hands. This was groundwork that had been laid since long ago for precisely that purpose.
“What of those who drank the potion?”
At that question, Leon laughed with a metallic edge.
“They would drive a blade into their own kin’s back if it meant gaining an ability. They’ve eaten their fill and attended the banquet, so rest assured.”
There existed a certain type of insecticide.
When consumed immediately, the drug’s effects don’t manifest. But when time passes and those creatures return to their swarm, only then does it seep out and exterminate the entire colony at once.
The ability-manifesting potion circulating in the market was precisely that variety.
“Excellent! Splendid! The demise of this tedious Berus cannot be far off. Once the Underworld opens, all abilities will return to one and scatter anyway!”
Gregory quietly observed Tenel’s manic expression. Save for the color of his hair being dark, his face was identical to Sio’s.
‘His current appearance seems to be early twenties, perhaps.’
That Tenel’s appearance matched Sio’s was no mere exaggeration. A youthful visage barely past twenty. Whenever Arcadia’s Master altered their form according to their contract, Tenel’s appearance changed in tandem.
‘Is it because they are twins bound by fate?’
An ancient clan that vanished into history. Descendants of those who wielded sorcery—a power different from abilities.
One compromised with Berus and emerged to the surface, founding a guild called Arcadia. The other, consumed by a phantom’s thirst for vengeance, seeped into darkness under the name Market.
‘Similar yet dissimilar.’
Gregory laughed alongside Tenel, amused by that fate like two sides of a coin.
* * *
“Ugh.”
Rozina gasped and opened her eyes.
“What on earth is happening…?”
A deafening roar sounded, and her consciousness, momentarily scattered by the impact, gradually returned. The room was shrouded in darkness, the lights extinguished.
“Are you all right?”
“Claire?!”
Only then did Rozina realize she was pinned beneath Claire. Claire lay protectively wrapped around her as she lay on the floor. Even in the darkness, the luminous eyes of a predator flickered softly.
“What is happening?”
“I’m not certain. We’ll need to investigate from here on.”
The explosions and screams had not yet ceased. Something had clearly erupted within the Imperial Palace.
‘Was it the lighting that gave way?’
As Rozina’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, they fixed upon the shattered fragments of the light fixture scattered across the floor.
‘Did she take the hit meant for me?’
She pushed Claire’s upper body aside and rose to her feet.
“Did the light hit you directly? Are you hurt?”
At the question, Claire’s eyes widened momentarily before she shook her head vigorously.
“I’m perfectly fine. This much doesn’t even itch.”
This was Claire, who had grappled bare-handed with the Forest’s master. The decorative light, shaped like a tulip, hadn’t even left a scratch on her resilient skin.
Yet Rozina bit her lip with evident frustration and spoke.
“I’m sorry. And thank you for helping me.”
The heightened emotions from before the incident suddenly felt shameful, and Rozina averted her gaze. The genuine, unguarded conversation softened something within Claire’s heart.
‘Just like with Miss Isabella.’
But before she could linger in that warmth, the violent crashes echoing from outside grew ominous.
‘Theodore and Kenneth—I’m not worried about those two.’
It was Melissa who concerned her. Claire’s expression darkened.
‘She should be with Baron Hooper.’
Remaining isolated without knowing the situation could prove even more dangerous. Claire checked that the door remained intact before speaking to Rozina.
“We need to leave. Can you move?”
Rozina nodded without answering. Confirming she stood behind her, Claire carefully opened the Lounge door.
“Aaaaaaahhhhh!”
“My arm! My arm!”
“Ellie! Where is Ellie!”
Outside was akin to hell itself. Those already fallen, the wounded fleeing in trails of blood, people searching for companions lost in the chaos. And.
“What on earth is that?”
Rozina clamped both hands over her mouth to stifle a scream. A mysterious creature of unknown origin moved among the people.
‘A monster?’
A bipedal form of crimson-black. It appeared less like a living creature and more like a mass of pure energy.
Thin threads of black and red energy undulated like mist, forming a structure resembling the human body. Those with abilities could be seen resisting and attacking it, but their efforts proved futile—the creature’s regeneration was far too swift.
‘Is it someone’s ability?’
While searching among them for Theodore’s whereabouts, a sudden, tearing shriek pierced the air.
[Kieeeeeek!]
‘We’ve been spotted.’
One of the creatures noticed the two of them and twisted its form toward them. Claire clicked her tongue and hid the trembling Rozina behind the door before stepping forward.
“Claire.”
Rozina called her name softly in anxiety, but there was no fear in Claire’s expression. She tore away part of her dress hem for easier movement, then wrapped the fabric around her fist.
[Kieeeee!]
‘If its regeneration is strong, I’ll destroy it completely before it can heal.’
She felt the feral instinct of her beast nature rising, but she deliberately did not restrain it. Her fist drove into the creature’s face as it wielded fingers unnaturally long as whips.
‘Not yet.’
The monster, sent flying backward and embedded in the ground, tried to rise, but Claire swiftly mounted it and stomped its arms with her feet, preventing it from raising its upper body.
‘I’ll end this now.’
Followed by a relentless barrage of strikes.
Erased before it could regenerate, obliterated before it could move. After repeating this dozens of times, the creature’s movements ceased before long.
‘Is it finished?’
Claire retreated from the creature without lowering her guard.
‘A strange existence. It lacked even the minimal life force one could sense from a demon.’
With each impact of my fists, I could tell—this was merely a mass, a concentrated aggregate of some form of energy.
‘Just in case it can regenerate again, I’ll move quickly for now.’
Rolling my stiffened shoulders in a wide circle to loosen them, I turned back toward Rozina.
“That’s enough. Let’s go. You mustn’t stray from my side.”
“H-hic. Uh-uh. H-hic.”
Rozina, her face drained of color, hiccupped as she followed in Claire’s wake.
‘My, she was quite frightened.’
Unaware that Rozina’s hiccups were the aftershock of my relentless assault, Claire pressed forward toward the Royal Ball Hall.
“Theodore!”
“Claire!”
Fortunately, finding Theodore proved effortless. His figure, commanding the remnants of the explosion through House Voltier’s abilities while dispatching the creature, stood out even from a distance.
“Ah, you’re safe!”
Within the defensive line established by Hooper and Theodore, Melissa’s eyes glistened with tears. Claire exhaled a short breath tinged with relief.
“I’m grateful you’re unharmed. Rozina, you’ll be fine staying beside her.”
Having sent Rozina to Melissa’s side, Claire returned to Theodore’s position.
It seemed scarcely any time had passed since the initial explosion, yet Theodore had already gathered several nobles and Knights, constructing an efficient defensive formation to protect the vulnerable. It was the bearing of House Voltier’s heir, one who did not fear the frontlines.
‘His former self now seemed like a lie.’
The image of that gaunt boy flickered and dispersed like smoke in an instant.
Today, his silhouette as he faced battle appeared reassuringly solid.

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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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