She hadn’t explicitly confirmed anything, but the way she spoke in veiled terms was typical of Wallachian nobility. The human hunters felt a chill as they considered this shocking turn of events.

Perhaps it wasn’t Hesabel who had become the slave, but rather the Holy Grail Knight Isaac of Issacrea.

Perhaps the princess of Wallachia had seduced and now commanded the saint of the Codex of Light, the Holy Grail Knight, chosen by the Archangel.

Of course, this was all speculation. The human hunters weren’t foolish enough to be swayed by such conjecture alone.

After all, their life and death were still under the control of the current Duke, Hastel Gulmar. But the evidence of the Rite of Division in Hesabel’s hands was too compelling.

In other words, if Hesabel were to become the head of the Gulmar family, there would be no problem.

Hesabel knew this well and maintained her arrogant demeanor as she spoke.

“The current head is old and decrepit. She’s been holed up in her estate for hundreds of years due to her delusions, sending her successors to harsh lands and devouring them, refusing to leave. The sorry state of the Gulmar family now is because of her, is it not?”

The human hunters thought privately that the downfall of the Gulmar family had begun with Hastel Gulmar stealing the Rite of Division, but they remained silent on the matter. That silence indicated their tacit agreement to Hesabel.

In the Wallachian society, the succession of titles was often a result of internal consensus and conspiracy. This was why even dukes with powerful personal guards were assassinated, and why most murders were committed within families rather than by outsiders.

Whatever the truth was, only one thing mattered:

Whether Hesabel was truly fit to become the head of the Gulmar family.

A human hunter, bowing respectfully, asked Hesabel.

“Family matters should be resolved within the family, don’t you agree, My Lady?”

Hesabel’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

Isaac truly was a master of deception and intrigue.

Just by being by his side, she could deceive everyone like this.

***

While things seemed to be going smoothly for Hesabel, Isaac found himself in a far less pleasant situation.

Crack, smash! The Reaper’s scythe slashed and gouged through walls, trees, and any obstacles in its path, relentlessly pursuing him. Thankfully, it was now much smaller than before. Its reduced size also meant a smaller range of destruction.

But it was faster and sharper. It seemed that the condensed power had altered its strategy.

‘This is a bit troublesome.’

If only he could see the Reaper itself, it would have been better. At least then he could attack the scythe-wielding figure. But with just the weapon moving on its own, it was difficult to predict or counter its movements.

He couldn’t summon the Hidden Rite and call forth his tentacles to destroy it as he did at Kran Fortress.

Using his abilities in a prosperous city like this would draw far too much attention.

Moreover, the Hidden Rite didn’t transport him to a completely different world.

It merely created a veil that prevented external observation or interference. Everything caught inside that veil—buildings, people—would suffer real damage.

Clang! Kaldwin clashed with the scythe again, producing a deafening sound. The one relief was that, unlike before, the impact didn’t send him flying.

‘Is this thanks to Kaldwin’s transformation?’

It had the property of inflicting spiritual damage on the dead. Perhaps it was helping mitigate the Reaper’s attacks. It might have even taken on some properties similar to the Reaper’s scythe.

Boom, crash! As Isaac blocked another attack and was pushed back, he was suddenly greeted by the cool sound of waves and a refreshing breeze.

It was the sound of the ocean. He had reached the southern harbor.

If he could just run along the coast, he would reach the Bessia estate and find Leonora. But he wasn’t sure if he could talk to her while the scythe continued to dance on his back.

Just then, several things happened to solve Isaac’s doubts.

“Who’s there? What’s all this commotion?”

A group of soldiers in elaborate armor came running.

At the center of the group was none other than Leonora.

The disturbances throughout Odryf had naturally been reported to the Bessia estate. The quickest to respond had been Leonora, who was already on high alert. She immediately mobilized her troops and personally took command.

And now, she had arrived at the scene.

“Isaac?”

Despite the late hour and the distance, Leonora recognized him instantly. She couldn’t see his face, but she couldn’t forget the aura of golden energy that surrounded him. However, she also noticed something different.

“What on earth have you brought with you…?”

Isaac tried to speak to Leonora, but the Reaper gave him no such chance.

Screeeech! The scythe tore through the night sky with a shriek, slicing toward Isaac. The horrifying sound made even the soldiers falter, but Leonora was the only one who remained unfazed. She recognized the nature of the unholy curse and stepped forward confidently.

In her hand was a white coin engraved with a goat. It wasn’t made of metal but of processed bone, a relic containing a power that shouldn’t exist in the territory of the Codex of Light.

As the Reaper’s scythe swung toward Isaac again, Leonora flicked the white bone coin into the air.

“Not today.”

In an instant, as if snatched away by an invisible hand, the coin and the Reaper both disappeared with a soft swoosh. Isaac, who had been bracing for another attack, was stunned by the sudden turn of events. He immediately understood what had happened.

‘Death’s Reprieve? She used such a precious item on me?’

‘Death’s Reprieve’ was a relic that could remove the source of death for anywhere from half a day to a full day. It could only be created by the Immortal Order, and its paradoxical nature meant it was produced in limited quantities.

The Golden Idol Guild, which traded with the Immortal Order without hesitation, possessing such an item wasn’t surprising. But to obtain one, the guild must have paid a significant price.

Yet Leonora had used this precious relic, her last resort for saving her own life, without hesitation.

Leonora, however, showed no regret or hesitation as she looked at Isaac.

“You’ve finally made it.”

The words weren’t from Leonora or Isaac.

As if falling from the sky like a raindrop, Hastel appeared behind Leonora.