The Strongest Curse Master-Chapter 221: Accepting The Inevitable

"Is this about the Sole Ring? I thought your family had taken care of that matter," Matthews asked, her sharp gaze flicking between Delores and Janice. She knew that, aside from the nobles lusting after the Sole Ring, no one would be desperate enough to attack a direct descendant of the McSuile family in their territory.

At Matthews’ words, Janice’s cheeks reddened with guilt. She hesitated before admitting, "I was planning to lock the ring away in the family’s treasure vault for good… but I started having doubts. I think it’s less of a cursed item and more of a cursed tool—one with a powerful dormant curse on it. I wanted to study it for a while before sealing it away, but… I got busy and forgot."

Delores sighed but didn’t dwell on Janice’s mistake. Instead, she voiced her real concern. "That’s not the issue right now," she said, her tone serious. "What I want to know is—how did they find out that you didn’t lock it away like the family agreed with Duke Lambert III?"

When the McSuile family confronted the Duke about one of his vessels attacking Aurelian Eyes, a direct bloodline descendant, he had offered them the Sole Ring as compensation—granting them control over it for the next 300 years.

Of course, the McSuile family had been well aware of the Duke’s true motives. He was using them to keep his heir position open, waiting until his country’s wager with the Monarch was settled. If all went according to plan, his daughter could return home as a hero and reclaim what was rightfully hers. Still, the deal was too good to pass up. The Duke had also granted them any trade concessions in his country, meaning they could expand their business operations there under his direct protection for the next three centuries.

From the business point of view, storing the ring away in their treasure vault for a few hundred years seemed like a small price to pay. It was a no-brainer—no one would be foolish enough to attack the McSuile family’s main house, where their treasure vault was heavily guarded by veteran void-tier curse masters.

But no one had expected Janice to go against family orders. Instead of locking the ring away, she had kept it with her, determined to study it, believing it wasn’t just a cursed item but a cursed tool—one masked using a dormant curse.

"Evil Eyes should be able to handle them in a few minutes," Matthews said nonchalantly, already having decided on her next course of action. She turned to Lola and ordered, "Pack your things—you’re heading back to your town with us."

She had made up her mind. With Janice confirming that Ace didn’t have a high-level dormant curse on him, he was no longer considered a threat to mortals around him. That meant he could reunite with his family—at least until it was time for him to leave for C.I.B. training camp.

"Okay," Lola nodded, relieved that she could finally go home. But at the same time, a wave of sadness hit her wondering if she would ever see Janice and Delores again.

Just then, Ace—who was still on the floor, leaning against the wall—suddenly vanished, swallowed by his own shadow. Both Matthews and Delores reacted instantly, but they were a fraction too late.

"Damn it!" Matthews cursed.

"Ace!" Lola and Janice cried out in fear.

Soon a dark figure materialized on the ceiling, upside down, rooted in the shadow of the chandelier holding Ace in their embrace. Their sharp claws were wrapped tightly around his neck. The figure’s voice was low and menacing as they issued their demand to Janice "Hand over the ring if you want the boy to live."

Matthews and Delores tensed. This intruder hadn’t just appeared—they had been lurking in the hall for a while, long enough to gather intel. They knew exactly how much Janice valued Ace’s life, which was why they had gone straight for him instead of targeting Janice herself who was beside him. It made sense since Janice wasn’t defenseless—she might only be a mortal-tier curse crafter, but underestimating her would be a grave mistake.

"Hurry up and kill him so I can kill you," Matthews taunted, her tone ice-cold as she put the C.I.B.’s no-negotiation policy into action.

No one objected—not even Janice.

Lola, however, hesitated. Her fists clenched at her sides, her breathing uneven. The only reason she hadn’t spoken up was because she wanted to believe Matthews had a plan. But what she didn’t realize was that Matthews genuinely had no intention of negotiating for Ace’s life.

The intruder ignored Matthews entirely, well aware of how psychotic C.I.B. agents could be. Instead, they focused on Janice—she was the real target here. After all, she had openly admitted to possessing the Sole Ring. There was no need to waste time on bystanders.

Janice felt the weight of both the intruder’s and Ace’s gazes on her. Her eyes hardened with resolve. "You heard her," she said, her voice firm. "We don’t negotiate with criminals or terrorists."

This wasn’t just a C.I.B. rule—it was a standard rule in nearly every faction in the World of Curses. Their descendants were raised with the understanding that, if captured by the enemy, they should be prepared to die rather than be used as leverage.

Janice was no exception, despite being the direct bloodline descendant of the McSuile family. After all, in a family, everyone had to make sacrifices and poll their weight, regardless of their status.

Locking eyes with a dumbfounded Ace, she gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Ace," she said softly. "Please… find it in your heart to forgive me. I promise to take care of your family for the next two generations."

Lola’s breath hitched. It was only now that she was beginning to realize—Matthews and Janice meant every word. They had already accepted Ace as dead.

Just as she was about to step forward and take matters into her own hands, Sonia yanked her back and shook her head. "It’s his fault for getting caught," she muttered bluntly.

Lola’s eyes widened. The sickening realization hit her like a punch to the gut. Ace was already dead in their eyes.

Then—boom!

Th𝗲 most uptodate novels are published on ƒгeewёbnovel.com.

The intruder’s head exploded like a smashed watermelon while Ace landed effortlessly on his feet, catching the cursed tool that had dropped as the intruder’s corpse dissolved into the air.

For a moment, silence filled the room. Then—Sonia shot up on her feet, jumping in excitement, practically vibrating with a sense of validation.

"See?! I was right!" she yelled.

"I told you guys!"

"It was all an act!"