The Unfilial Heir Who Tries to Kill Me Tempts Me - Chapter 52

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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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Episode 52.

Beyond the curtain, confused screams erupted. The sound of panicked people rushing past filled the air.
Good.
That side is Kaius’s job now.
I watched the chaos for a moment, then turned and slipped into the corridor heading the opposite direction.
There was much to do.
I had to free the people from the Prison before the Raven Crow members noticed the commotion, and dispose of every Black Mana Crystal.
If I knew the Raven Crow at all, they’d head straight for the Prison where the slaves were kept rather than bother extinguishing the Theater fire.
It was simpler to slip away with the slaves and the crystals than waste time suppressing the blaze.
They’d figure a slave market this size could be sourced anywhere other than Sandwiches.
“I need to hurry.”
From this moment on, time was life. I had to move faster than them, no matter what.
I called to mind the map Jac had drawn and cut through the labyrinthine corridors once more.
The path from the Stage to the Prison was twice as complex as the path from the entrance to the Stage.
Since the Stage connected to an Emergency Exit, they’d deliberately altered the layout to keep the slaves from escaping.
Efficient, those heartless bastards.
Let me think—Jac said to turn left at the fork where the barrels were stacked, and the Prison should be right there.
After passing the last fork, I slowed my pace deliberately.
Then, in the next moment, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“What in the world…?”
Cages—cramped, narrow things—were stacked deep within a vast chamber.
Looking closer, I realized these weren’t human cells at all. They were animal transport cages, the kind used to move bears or lions.
And every single one was filled with people.
“These sick bastards….”
Words failed me.
How was this even possible?
Had they truly abandoned their humanity?
The captives inside the cages stared at me with terror-filled eyes as I suddenly appeared before them.
Hunched beneath the low ceilings, unable to straighten their spines, they curled themselves even smaller at the sight of me.
Rage boiled in my chest, but I had no time for anger.
I crouched down beside the nearest cage.
“Listen, are any of you hurt?”
“W-who…?”
“No time for introductions. Can you walk? I’m going to free you—get moving, now.”
This time I straightened up and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
“I’ve left Luminescent Stones along the escape route. Follow them and you’ll make it safely to the back exit. Once you’re out of this building, head straight to the Commercial District. Somewhere crowded, understand?”
The confused gazes of people huddled in darkness snapped toward me in unison.
“Wait, what are you even talking about…?”
“I’m saying I’ve come to rescue you.”
I pulled out the Pocket Watch from my pouch and glanced at it. Five minutes had already passed. Time was running out.
“Do you understand? Leave now. Don’t look back—just get out of this building and run for the Commercial District!”
The Raven Crow never revealed their identity carelessly. They wouldn’t throw themselves into the thick of Sandwiches’ crowds of tourists just to recapture escaped slaves.
Besides, by now Leoni would be in the Commercial District. I was certain she’d help these people without question.
“Move to the side, all of you.”
I picked up an Iron Crowbar lying nearby and began striking the lock on the nearest cage, again and again.
After about twenty blows, the loosened lock clattered to the floor.
“Come on, hurry!”
The people cramped inside stumbled out with bewildered faces. I waved my hand urgently, signaling them to run.
“Go! Run for the Commercial District and ask for help!”
“Y-yes!”
Adults clutched children, young people supported the elderly, and they scrambled away, following the Luminescent Stones I’d laid out.
I repositioned the Iron Crowbar and broke the lock on the next cage.
One, two, three, four.
After smashing five, the feeling drained from my hands and my arms trembled violently.
This was unbearable.
If I could just use Magic, this would be over in one move.
But the moment I did, the Raven Crow would sense the Mana flow and come pouring in here.
Even I didn’t have the confidence to protect all these civilians and fight the Raven Crow at once.
I reached the sixth and final cage, gripping the iron crowbar tighter. A young woman and a small child were locked inside together.
“Step back with the child, please.”
The woman curled her body around the girl, shielding her.
“Breathe.”
Just this one left to break.
I swung the crowbar down with all my strength against the lock.
Clang, crash!
“Ugh!”
But I’d spent so much force that the impact reverberated through my palm—I couldn’t bear it and dropped the crowbar.
Capillaries in my hand had burst; blood was rising to the surface.
“Are you… are you all right?”
The child nestled in her mother’s arms asked anxiously.
“I’m fine. Stay close to your mother—it’s dangerous.”
As I picked up the crowbar again, biting back the stinging pain—
“Move.”
Boom!
Someone grabbed my shoulder and yanked me aside, then brought the cage down in my place.
The iron bars shattered and rolled across the floor in seconds.
I lifted my head, confirmed the identity of my rescuer, and my eyes went wide.
“…Kaius?”
What is he doing here?
“What about the emergency exit?”
“I handled it, so I came back.”
He answered in clipped tones and ushered the mother and child out of the cage. His dry gaze then shifted to my hand gripping the crowbar, his sharp eyes narrowing.
“You said you’d handle it yourself—and this is your method?”
“No, this is—”
Before I could finish, Kaius’s frown deepened and he snatched the crowbar from my grip.
“Any more cages left?”
“No, that was the last one.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Kaius hefted me onto his shoulder without ceremony, as though I were cargo.
“Wait, wait just a moment!”
Why the rush?
“What.”
“Before we leave, I need to deal with the Black Mana Crystal. It has to be somewhere here.”
Evacuating everyone would mean nothing if the crystal remained—they could source fresh slaves immediately and create new Mutants. As long as it existed, the threat persisted.
I had to dispose of the crystal and buy whatever time I could.
Kaius fell silent for a moment.
He didn’t seem particularly pleased by my words, but unfortunately I was draped over his shoulder like cargo and couldn’t read his expression clearly.
After a pause, he let out a low sigh.
“…Can you pinpoint where?”
“Give me a second.”
I braced myself against Kaius’s back and stretched my upper body backward to survey the escape route.
Everyone should have gotten out by now.
“Let me sense it.”
I carefully released my mana. A thin violet mist, gossamer as tissue paper, spread across the entire building.
Fortunately, I felt no sign of people—but in one direction, the aura of Black Mana was intensely thick.
“There’s a basement below here. If you head eight o’clock, there’s a storage room—the crystals are piled up there. There’s quite a lot of them.”
“All right. Hold tight.”
Hold what?
Put me down first.
We need to go underground.
But those words never left my lips.
Crash!
Kaius swung his sword hard with one hand, and the floor directly ahead collapsed entirely.
In the blink of an eye, a massive chasm opened to the level below.
“Down we go.”
“Wha—?”
With a firm grip around my waist, Kaius jumped into the darkness.
“Ahhh!”
You madman!
Who in their right mind charges blindly into the basement like this!

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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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