[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
Chapter 181: Bad Blood (3)
***
As the sun reached its zenith, the rcenaries dragged Athena out of the cell.
The rcenaries hauled her to the entrance of the rcenary camp and threw her to the ground.
Lying face down on the dirt floor, she lifted her head and gazed straight ahead.
Claire stood before her, her face twisted into a cruel smirk as she looked upon Athena. Surrounding her were the other purebloods and their expressions a mix of indifference and amusent.
“Athena.”
Claire addressed her, her voice dripping with venom.
“I’ve spent a long ti thinking about your fate. And I’ve decided on the only punishnt befitting you.”
Athena couldn’t help but scoff. Punishnt? From the very woman who had imprisoned her without cause?
“You are exiled from the rcenary company.”
“From this day forward, you will never step a foot inside the Fafnir rcenary Company.”
Having heard this from Claire the day before, Athena wasn’t entirely shocked.
Or so she thought.
The Fafnir rcenary Company never stayed in the sa place. They always road around the vast continent.
For Athena, there was no true place to call ho, no familiar place to return to.
The Fafnir rcenary Company was her only ho and her only family.
To be cast out from her ho was a devastating blow.
Her heart ached with the thought of returning to the place where her mother lived. a place she never wanted to visit, now forced to revisit.
With a glimr of hope, Athena’s gaze fell upon the other pureblood. Surely, one of her fellow comrades would stand up for her, and offer her so semblance of support.
But the pureblood t her gaze with cold indifference, so even sneering at her misfortune.
A wave of emotions surged through Athena, but she forced them down, refusing to let Claire witness her vulnerability.
“Your armor, your weapons, and all other possessions will be confiscated.”
Claire continued, her voice devoid of empathy.
With a flick of her wrist, Claire pointed towards the horizon, adding.
“You will leave this place with nothing.”
With her confidence damaged, Athena attempted to stand up but her ankle’s severed tendons prevented her from moving.
Athena was left with no choice and began to crawl. She was dragging herself forward with her arms.
“This is the most fitting end for a traitor.”
Claire’s mocking laughter echoed behind her, followed by the scattered chuckles of the other pureblood.
Just then, a towering shadow fell upon Athena. She looked up to see a familiar face staring down at her.
It was Ulric Hopper’s shadow. He was Claire’s son and acting head in the place of the rcenary king.
“What’s the matter?”
Athena asked sharply, her voice tinged with thorns. Given the situation she was in, there was little chance of a pleasant response.
“Just give a mont.”
Ulric Hopper replied as he lifted one of Athena’s feet. He poured antiseptic on the wound and applied ointnt.
“Ulrich! What do you think you’re doing?”
Claire exclaid upon seeing his actions. Despite her mother’s anger, Ulric Hopper didn’t even flinch.
“Mother, surely you can let do this much rcy.”
“Don’t talk nonsense! Can’t you stop this right now?”
Despite Claire’s temper, Ulric Hopper silently continued treating Athena. The dication proved effective, swiftly alleviating the pain and even allowing movent in the ankle.
“I’d love to heal the other one, but I don’t know how my mother would react if I did. Forgive for stopping here.”
With that, Ulric handed Athena a crutch.
“You think …… will make forgive you?”
“You won’t. I know that.”
Athena couldn’t understand Ulric’s behavior.
If her mother and other siblings hated her, why should Ulric be any different?
But now was not the ti for questions.
Athena stood up on crutches. Her movents were unsteady, as only one ankle was healed.
Athena limped across the field. She had left her ho behind.
When she turned her back on everyone, when no one could see her face.
Only then was Athena able to release her pent-up emotions. She could let the tears flow.
All this ti, Athena had thought she could do anything. She had thought she was capable of anything.
But it was all an illusion.
Without her father, she was nothing. She was nothing more than an insignificant human being.
Athena wiped her tears away with her sleeve. When she pulled her sleeve down, she was no longer crying.
“……I will co back soday.”
Athena murmured softly.
“I will co back and……get my revenge.”
She would repay the humiliation she had suffered today many tis over. Especially Claire Fowler, she would personally punish her with her own hands.
At that mont, the young dragon vowed revenge……
“Athena!”
……at the very mont she was about to do so, a familiar voice was heard from afar.
Athena raised her head and looked straight ahead. At that mont, her eyes widened.
Her father was running towards her. Damien was with him.
“What’s going on here? Why are you here!”
Her father hugged Athena tightly. He then examined her condition.
“You! What’s going on here? Why are your feet like this?”
Athena looked at the two of them with a dazed expression.
Is this real? Am I not seeing an illusion?
Then, Athena sank to the ground and burst into tears.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. Didn’t I co here on ti?”
rcenary king patted Athena’s back repeatedly and consoled her.
“Damien, please take care of Athena.”
After comforting Athena for a while, the rcenary King stood up.
And he walked towards the rcenary company.
***
“No, no, that’s ridiculous!”
Claire shouted like she was having a heart attack, looking at the approaching rcenary King.
“H, how did you co back…… Ah, no…… There’s no way that’s real…… What are you guys doing? Why don’t you kill him right away? He’s a fake! He’s obviously a monster in disguise!”
Claire shouted at the purebloods.
A look of bewildernt appeared on the faces of the purebloods. This aura, this power, it was definitely the real rcenary King.
But why was the rcenary King, who had been passed out in the tent, here?
The purebloods hesitated, unable to decide what to do.
At the sight of this, the rcenary King’s face turned grim.
In an instant, the rcenary King disappeared. At the sa ti, every pureblood present here was hit and sent flying.
Bam!
Crack!
As soon as the purebloods hit the ground, they spat out blood from their mouths. It was no ordinary internal injury.
“You little bastards! Can’t you tell if I’m real or fake!”
The rcenary King, who had reappeared in his original position, growled in anger.
“Claire Fowler! How dare you pull such a stunt in my rcenary company!”
The rcenary King shouted as he walked towards Claire. Claire’s face turned pale as she t his anger head-on.
Then, soone blocked Claire’s path. It was her son, Ulric Hopper.
“Get out of the way! Or I won’t spare you either!”
The rcenary King said with an angry face. Ulric Hopper just looked at his father silently.
“So you’re going to protect your mother just because you’re her son? Well, I’ll make you pay for it too!”
The rcenary King raised his mana. Then, suddenly, Ulrich knelt down in front of the rcenary King.
“Father, please forgive . It’s all my fault for not stopping my mother.”
Ulrich’s apology only fueled the rcenary King’s anger.
The rcenary King kicked Ulrich in the stomach with the tip of his foot and shouted,
“That’s right! It’s your fault! It’s your fault for not stopping her! Do you see the result of leaving your mother alone? Do you see what happened to Athena, that little girl!”
The rcenary King began to beat Ulrich. It wasn’t just a simple venting of anger. He was really trying to kill Ulrich.
Ulrich spat out blood, but he silently endured the rcenary King’s beating.
“Stop…… Stop it!”
Claire, unable to bear it anymore, stood in front of the rcenary King. The rcenary King stopped punching and glared at her.
“What did I do to make you so angry?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?”
“You’re the one who discriminated against the children first! You were always protecting that little Athena!”
“Discrimination? Yes, I did favor Athena. But let ask the other bastards.”
The rcenary King shouted, looking around at the other purebloods.
“You guys tell too! Were you so upset that I favored Athena? Spit it out!”
The purebloods were speechless.
The rcenary King was a man of great discrimination. But his criteria for discrimination were very clear.
“No one is talking, huh?”
The rcenary King growled at Claire with contempt. Claire’s face was filled with confusion.
“Is that… Is that all? Oh, only Athena’s mother… that woman… I… I’m looking for…”
“You bitch. Did you harass Athena just for that?”
The rcenary King glared at Claire with disdain.
“From the first mont we t, I told you. I only wanted your body, and I promised to pay you enough if you satisfied .”
Embarrassnt flooded Claire’s face. But the rcenary King had no intention of considering such a Claire.
“But still you’ve harbored such ridiculous thoughts throughout your life? This incident will not be overlooked!”
“K-Karl…!”
Claire desperately grabbed the rcenary King. But he imdiately brushed off her hand.
“Listen up, you scoundrels!”
The rcenary King shouted at the rcenaries.
“I was a fool to entrust the rcenary company to fools like you! Thanks to you, I’m convinced!”
Turning to Athena, the rcenary King spoke.
“From today, Athena is my successor!”
rcenaries could only be deeply shaken when the successor position, which had been vacant for a significant period of ti, was finally filled.
“Father! Even if that’s the case, just a high-class… child…”
One of the rcenaries unconsciously spoke out. At that mont, the rcenary King picked up a stone lying on the ground and threw it.
The stone slamd into the rcenary’s temple, sending him flying back in a spewing blood.
“Is there anyone else who doesn’t like my decision?”
The rcenary King looked around. The rcenaries remained silent.
“Ulrich.”
“Yes, Father.”
Ulrich forced himself to stand up and replied.
“How do you plan to pay for what happened this ti?”
“…Please hit .”
“You can’t replace your punishnt with such an easy thod. From today, assist Athena. Protect Athena at all costs, even if it ans risking your life.”
“I will obey.”
Ulrich imdiately bowed his head and replied.
With the situation settled, the rcenary King shouted at those around him.
“What are you looking at, you assholes! Get out of my sight now!”
***
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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