NOVEL NEXT Chapter 85 Death Is Too Little For You.
Marian sighed as she looked directly at Dantalian. She spoke while hearing Freytan's footsteps getting closer. "Are you sure about doing this?"
"Hmm? I am already doing it, so what's the point of your question?" Dantalian spoke, activating the Divine Hand with both hands hidden in his pockets.
"You know, I am a duchess..." Before Marian could continue speaking, a gust of wind blade passed in front of her eyes, cutting a small strand of her hair that fell in front of her eyes.
"You bitch, behave yourself. Freytan can't wait any longer for the show to begin," Amanda spoke, sitting on the floor with her back against the wall next to the un-frozen door.
"Freytan, calm down. It's not your moment yet," Fiona said, touching Freytan's shoulder and causing her to stop walking, her eyes completely focused on Marian's actions.
"Do you understand now? There is no power here, grand duchess Marian," Dantalian spoke, smiling as he looked towards the kitchen. "Isn't that right, Echidna?"
'What? Echidna? But how?' Marian thought, until she remembered the death of the three insects.
"Absolutely correct, Lord Dantalian," Echidna said, smiling as she saw Marian walking slowly towards her.
"Why? Why did you do this to me, my daughter?"
"Why? Are you still asking that?" Echidna spoke, her smile disappearing and only a somber expression remained. Her eyes, once filled with absolute devotion, now showed neither disgust nor any similar feeling. Only a simple serene gaze remained, as if the person in front of her no longer existed.
"Is your beautiful silver hair always like this, Echidna?" Dantalian asked.
"Stop talking nonsense, Lord Dantalian. This is not a funny joke..." Before Marian could continue speaking, something shocking came out of Echidna's mouth.
"No, it used to be blonde like my late mother's," Echidna spoke, twirling a silver strand of her hair around her finger as she looked directly at Dantalian.
The world seemed to turn gray for Marian. Her head felt like it would explode at any moment, and her body gave her the sensation that it would be crushed against the ground.
'Late? What are you talking about?'
'I am alive... I'm sorry, I really don't care about you.'
'Then why am I feeling like this? What is this awful sensation? Why are your words so heavy?'
Dantalian walked past Freytan and Fiona, holding Echidna's hand, and spoke, "Your moment has come. Enjoy it."
"Miss Freytan, please take care of this intruder in my house, if you please," Echidna spoke with an apathetic expression.
Fiona moved away from Freytan as she noticed small purple rays starting to emit from the hilt of her sword.
"With pleasure, dear client," Freytan spoke with a wide grin.
Dantalian looked at Echidna and whispered, "Are you sure about this? This is your last chance, after all, she's your mother."
"I appreciate your concern, but my mother died when I still had blonde hair at the age of twelve," Echidna looked at Amanda and Fiona, saying, "I think it's best if we leave now, right? I've always heard that Freytan is someone a bit cruel."
"He's right, girls, and we should also give Freytan some privacy," Dantalian said, starting to walk towards the staircase that led to the upper floors.
"Hahahahaahahahaha!" Marian got up, staggering, and looked at everyone in the room, saying, "I am still the Duchess, and now the people adore me. Even if they hated me before, as long as I am a Duchess, you will suffer something worse than death." Marian opened her arms with an air of superiority.
Everyone stopped moving, and Freytan stood in front of Marian.
'Come on, Dantalian, shout for your beloved servant to stop, let's go!!' Marian thought when the sound of flesh tearing was heard. Freytan had plunged the blade of her sword into Marian's left thigh.
Marian looked down, seeing the pink blade piercing through her left thigh from one side to the other.
'Huh? What is this? What's happening? I heard it and I see it, but why don't I feel any pain?'
"Can we?" Fiona asked, looking at Echidna.
"I already said she's just an intruder, do whatever you want," Echidna replied, looking at Dantalian and continued, "I'll go up first, okay?"
"Alright, we'll meet you on the top floor."
After Dantalian spoke, Amanda and Fiona burst into laughter.
'What? Is this a dream? What is happening?'
Freytan removed the sword from Marian's thigh, now targeting the right thigh, and this time, a small cold breath in the form of smoke came out of Freytan's mouth as she said, "Don't worry, you won't die. This is too little for you."
"The body of Marian began to tremble, but it wasn't out of fear, as she couldn't feel it.
"And also, if you were to die, everything Dantalian has done for this occasion would have been in vain, so smile and let's enjoy this gathering," Freytan smiled, while with her other hand, she reached into her bosom and pulled out a completely blank parchment with a single gray line.
Marian's eyes widened and started to tremble. "Where did you find that?"
"It's none of your business, assassin goddess of insects," Freytan replied, unrolling the parchment.
On their way to the second floor, Dantalian heard this and a flash came to his mind. 'So that's why I didn't see anything using the bonus on Marian. The assassin in that book was Marian before she became a duchess.' Dantalian stood still, trying to understand how each piece fit together.
"My owner? What's wrong?" Amanda spoke with concern.
Fiona looked around, not finding anything that could be dangerous. "My Master, what happened? Answer me." Fiona gripped both of Dantalian's shoulders.
Noticing Dantalian's state, Fiona spoke, looking at Amanda. "I remember you mentioned that this has happened before, right?"
"Yes, but never like this, and certainly not in this kind of situation," Amanda spoke, tears welling up in her eyes as her mind exaggerated the whole situation.
"Son of a bitch!" Dantalian spoke almost shouting, his eyes filled with fury.
"Hmm?" Amanda misunderstood, starting to cry. "Ahhh, did the master curse at me? Did I do something wrong?"
"Hmm? What? No, Amanda, calm down. It's nothing to do with you. I just remembered something related to the duchess," Dantalian spoke, glancing downward with golden energy covering his right eye. He could see the energy of Freytan and Marian, but there was nothing abnormal, just Freytan taking advantage of the situation.
"Something else? What did my owner remember?" Fiona asked.
"That's right, what is it, Master?" Amanda asked, her eyes still wet.
"Marian not only participated in the destruction of Freytan's clan, but she was also the main culprit and did it with her own hands..."
Echidna, who had returned to see what had happened, heard everything Dantalian said. "What are you all doing there? Let's go upstairs. You wouldn't want to hear screams, would you?"
Fiona and Amanda looked at Dantalian and saw him nodding, whispering, "Let's just ignore this for now. After all, Freytan is already taking care of everything personally."
Marian's body trembled as a small line of frozen blood trickled down her thigh. The cut inflicted by Freytan had been sealed by her own icy blood.
"Isn't it fascinating?" Freytan remarked, pointing the open parchment towards Marian. "Can you discern anything else within this ancient script?"
Marian maintained her composure and met Freytan's gaze. "I'm not sure what you're after, but you know the truth. Only the chosen few from your clan possess the ability to decipher its secrets."
Freytan scoffed. "Don't deceive me. You used a similar power on me, didn't you? A seal embedded within my very being. And now, as I witness this unfolding drama, I can confirm that it wasn't your beloved insects responsible, as all three of them have transcended into oblivion from your daughter's grasp."
A disapproving click of Freytan's tongue filled the air. "Tsk, what kind of monster turns her own daughter into a ticking time bomb and a mere puppet?"
blade of Freytan's sword crackled with small sparks, unleashing a relentless barrage of electrical currents that surged through Marian's delicate skin. Each jolt brought forth an agonizing discomfort, amplifying her helplessness as she watched the scene unfold before her. The realization struck her with a forceful blow - her body had been rendered completely immobilized, her every joint locked in a frigid vice grip. It was a cruel revelation that she had detected all too late, as the numbing frost had already spread its icy tendrils throughout her form. Marian's desperate attempts to move were met with futile resistance, the paralysis leaving her trapped in a horrifying tableau of torment and powerlessness.
"Why? Why after all these years did you come after me? Hasn't your clan replenished itself?"
Without uttering a word, Freytan withdrew her sword from Marian's thigh, raising her arm high. With swift precision, she made a small cut at the tip of Marian's nose and lips, causing the blood to trickle down and freeze within seconds.
"Replenish? Everyone in my clan is nothing but parasites, using your name. You made sure to thwart any possibility of its resurgence, or have you forgotten the effects of your little seal on me?" Freytan gripped Marian's face, applying intense pressure. Letting out a sigh, she spoke, "Consider yourself lucky that these facial wounds will be the only ones you bear, for you still have much to accomplish."