After hearing the story of the bronze pendant, Emma’s tense shoulders finally dropped. She was genuinely happy and relieved that Ian was safe and out of danger. But as the relief settled, a dark anger took its place. If it weren’t for that lucky, mysterious artifact, her brother would have died in the mud, bleeding out alone in the dark.

​Why would someone do such a thing to us? she thought, her small fists clenching tightly in her lap until her knuckles turned white.

​"Anyway, can you tell me what has been happening in the estate while I was asleep?" Ian asked, noticing her white-knuckled fists and desperate need for a distraction.

​Emma took a deep breath to steady herself, her eyes hardening slightly. "There was a family meeting held yesterday to discuss the incident and figure out a plan moving forward. I don’t have much information about what they actually discussed, since Mother and Emily were out looking for a healer, and I refused to leave your side." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

​She frowned, her expression turning sour and resentful. "But I heard from Aunty Martha that the elders didn’t say anything of actual use. They just argued in circles. All we know is that the people sent to kill you were most likely from the Eden Assassin’s Guild. They are the only major guild operating in the western part of the kingdom. They don’t just kill; they are known for leaving specific, brutal calling cards. Judging by the angle of your wounds and how they crippled your leg first instead of going straight for your neck, they have a sick habit of playing with their prey, breaking their hope before going for the final kill."

​Ian’s eyes narrowed, his calculating mind racing through the variables. "If a professional, high-tier guild is involved, that means someone with deep pockets explicitly wants me dead. This wasn’t a random mugging. But who benefits from my death?"

​"Maybe it’s one of the rival noble families," Emma suggested, though she sounded unconvinced. "But honestly, that doesn’t make sense. If they wanted us gone, they would just wage open war or send their Mages to wipe us out. There would be no need for all the hassle of picking us off one by one in the dark forest. And since they hired a guild, their target was very specific." Emma let out an annoyed groan, rubbing her temples. "Ugh, I wish Adam was here. He could figure this out."

​Ian remained silent, but Emma’s words triggered a sudden cascade of Ian’s old, suppressed memories.

​Adam. The Patriarch’s only child, the rightful, undisputed heir to the Thorne family. But shortly after turning fourteen, Adam had fallen mysteriously ill. No one knew why. The family suspected poison and had even managed to get a priest from the Atlas Church to help him. But after treating Adam for just two days, the priest had vanished without a trace. Within two months, Adam’s sickness returned, completely destroying his vitality and leaving him even worse than before.

​Suddenly, the pieces clicked together in Kael’s mind like a perfectly solved puzzle.

​Wait a minute. If Adam dies from this ’illness’, the next in line to inherit the Patriarch’s seat would be me. That’s why they wanted me dead. And if I die... the one who inherits the position is Isaac, my Aunty Martha and Alarick’s son.

​Isaac was just a fifteen-year-old kid, the exact same age as his little sisters. He was easily manipulated. As for Aunty Martha, Kael couldn’t see her orchestrating this; she simply wasn’t the scheming type. That left only one suspect: Alarick Zennin.

​Alarick was a man who had married into his wife’s family—a cursed, powerless noble family with no political backing, only vast amounts of merchant money. Looking back through Ian’s memories, Alarick was always too nice. He was the kind of man who brought expensive gifts for the children, spoke with a soft, comforting voice, and always offered to handle the family’s heavy financial burdens when the Patriarch was stressed. He played the role of the perfect, supportive brother-in-law flawlessly.

​But to Kael’s sharp mind, a man who had everything to gain from a tragedy and smelled of that much forced kindness was instantly the prime suspect. Beneath those warm, uncle-like smiles hid a viper waiting patiently for the entire Thorne bloodline to die out.

​A sharp, icy killing intent flashed in Kael’s golden eyes, dropping the temperature in the room. So, it’s the uncle. But there is no need to rush things. Before I strike, I need to gather absolute evidence, or the family will tear itself apart defending him.

​"Aaah, can you leave me to rest for today? I’m feeling incredibly tired," Ian said, forcing a wide, exaggerated yawn to break his dark train of thought and hide the killing intent in his eyes.

​"Okay, brother. Try not to worry, the security inside the mansion has been tripled in case the assassins come back," Emma reassured him, standing up from the edge of the bed.

​"Ah, Emma, wait. Before you leave, I almost forgot to tell you something," Ian said softly. He leaned forward and whispered a few quiet, deliberate words directly into her ear.

​Emma’s eyes widened slightly, a flash of surprise crossing her face, but she quickly masked it and gave a firm nod. "Okay, brother. I will do that."

​After Emma left, clicking the heavy oak door shut behind her, Kael fell back onto the mattress. He really was exhausted, especially after spending nearly five hours squatting in the dark, making a complete mockery of himself by trying to cultivate naturally before he realized he could just use the system. His body demanded rest. Within moments, he was fast asleep.

​Meanwhile, in Comberton County.

​Outside the towering, opulent gates of the Comberton Magic Tower, a beautiful woman stood with a hollow, desperate expression. The tower itself was a marvel of the kingdom, pulsing with glowing blue runes and floating arcane lights that illuminated the wealthy district. Yet, standing in the shadow of such majesty was a woman whose world was actively collapsing.

​Dark, heavy circles bruised the skin beneath her eyes. Her usually perfect hair was scruffy and unkempt from days of travel. Only the fine silk of her dress hinted that she was a noblewoman; everything else about her posture made her look like a grieving beggar.

​It was Caroline Thorne.

​She had been standing there for hours, stopping every passing Mage to beg for their help to heal her son. She offered hefty sums of gold—fortunes that would make commoners faint—but the results were always the same. Some Mages were initially interested in the gold, but the moment she mentioned the Thorne family name, their attitudes violently shifted.

​They repelled her with disgust, pulling their pristine, rune-embroidered robes away as if her very presence would infect them with the Thorne family’s supposed curse. Some didn’t just ignore her; they went out of their way to throw harsh, mocking comments at her.

​"Look at how this kingdom has fallen, that a cursed rat like her can call herself a noble."

"Look at how she presents herself in front of the tower. Disgusting."

​Caroline heard every single venomous whisper. She kept her face serious and stoic, bowing her head respectfully to the arrogant Mages because she had no other choice, but inside, her soul was shattering. She had just lost her husband, the love of her life, and hadn’t even been allowed the time to grieve for him. Now, she was about to lose her son if she didn’t find a healer soon.

​"Mom!!... Mom!!.. MOM!!!"

​A young, frantic voice echoed down the pristine cobblestone street, shattering the quiet dignity of the magic district. Caroline snapped her head up. Sprinting past annoyed merchants and startled noblemen was a young girl, her dress caught in her hands as she desperately tried to catch her breath. She didn’t care about noble decorum or the dirty looks she was getting. It was Emily, Ian’s other sister.

​"What is it?" Caroline asked, her heart dropping into her stomach. Her expression tightened, bracing herself for the worst news imaginable.

​"Mom, I have great news!" Emily gasped, her face flushed with ecstatic joy. "Emma just sent an emergency pulse through the communication crystal. She said brother woke up! He is completely okay. She said he’s healed, Mom—there isn’t a single scar left on him!"

​Hearing those impossible words, the stoic mask Caroline had worn all day finally shattered. Tears of pure, overwhelming relief spilled over her eyelashes, flowing freely down her cheeks and washing away the exhaustion.

​"Let’s go back home," she whispered, her voice cracking as she instantly turned her back on the arrogant Magic Tower.