Modret's mind screamed at the danger before him. He had never expected to face another assassination attempt so soon.
"I was poisoned too?" The entire attempt felt completely different from the crude ambush he had encountered before. This time, everything was meticulously planned.
From calculating that his parents would be away today, to preparing an aromatic meal laced with concealed poison, and even assigning a maid who acted pitiful and harmless, it was all a calculated effort to lower his guard. Every step had been flawlessly orchestrated.
Modret was horrified. This was no amateur. He was facing a professional assassin, a cold and calculated expert. There was no time to dwell on his fear, not with the venom now surging through his body like a raging wildfire.
His limbs turned weak, trembling under the weight of paralysis. Even the smallest motion became a herculean task. He groaned, and just then, his heart skipped a beat as a familiar sensation rippled through his being.
It transported him back to a distant memory, a time when he had been nothing but a helpless infant. Once again, faint golden scales shimmered across his skin, but now they appeared more refined and resilient, as though they had evolved to suit his growing strength.
A low growl escaped Modret's lips as he crouched low, his eyes locked onto the maid who now stared at him in shock.
"A monster?" she whispered with a trembling voice, her face contorted with disbelief. "The young master is actually a monster?"
She hesitated only for a moment, then suppressed the shock in her heart. Her orders were clear. She had to bring back Modret's head. Whether he was a monster or not meant nothing.
With a sudden blur of movement, she lunged forward.
The dagger in her hand gleamed under the dim lighting, slicing through the air toward Modret's throat.
Even though he had never received formal training in either of his lives, instinct took over. He twisted to the side just in time. The blade barely grazed his neck.
To her surprise, a sharp metallic clang echoed in the room. Her eyes widened in astonishment.
"What? His skin is as hard as steel?"
She gritted her teeth. "I cannot delay any longer. There must be no flaw in the plan. Time to activate my ability."
Her voice was no more than a mutter, but Modret caught every word with unnerving clarity. A chill crept down his spine.
An ability user. Could he possibly survive this?
Fortunately, the partial awakening of his bloodline was suppressing the effects of the poison. He could still think, still move, albeit sluggishly.
Thoughts raced through his mind as he tried to come up with a plan, but she gave him no chance.
A glowing green light flared across her body, and her movements became even faster.
"A speed-type ability?" Modret's pupils contracted as he flung himself to the side.
Bang!
The dagger pierced into his back, the force sending him crashing into a nearby wall. Pain erupted across his spine and spread like wildfire. His head spun and he teetered on the edge of unconsciousness.
The maid smirked triumphantly. "Finally dead. He lasted longer than I expected. I still can't believe he had a beast's bloodline."
She stepped closer, her voice calm and indifferent. When she reached him, she raised her dagger high and swung it toward his head.
Bang!
A mist of blood exploded in the air. The force froze her in place.
It was not Modret who had fallen.
It was the maid.
Modret crouched like a wild beast, growling softly. His fingers had transformed into long claws that still dripped with blood. His golden eyes glinted with a terrifying gleam as he stared at the maid whose face remained frozen in a victorious expression.
Yet deep in her eyes was the flicker of disbelief, as if she could not accept that her neck had been crushed by the bare fist of a child.
Crash.
Her head lolled to the side as a crimson fountain of blood sprayed across the floor. Her body slumped lifelessly beside him.
As her presence faded, the scales on Modret's skin slowly began to retract. His strength ebbed away, and he collapsed to the ground.
His limbs grew stiff, and the poison began to resurface with a vengeance. His eyelids felt impossibly heavy as unconsciousness claimed him.
A series of system notifications echoed faintly.
[Obtained a shadow servant.]
[Obtained a D-grade movement ability.]
[Gained 100 shadow fragments.]
The fairy hovered nearby, her tiny form flickering with dim light. Though she could not interact with the world, she silently prayed for Modret's survival.
Just then, a servant stepped into the house. She was one of those responsible for cleaning.
The moment she saw the bloody scene, her body went rigid. A bloodcurdling scream tore from her throat.
Her scream echoed through the estate, drawing in a flood of servants who came running from every corner.
Realizing the severity of the situation, some servants immediately turned and rushed toward the meeting hall where Donald and his wife were currently gathered with other nobles.
Bang!
"What?" Donald stood abruptly, stunned by the servant's report. Anna's eyes widened in horror.
White flames erupted from her body, incinerating the table and chairs. She vanished in a flash of light, moving at blinding speed while silently praying for her son.
If anything happened to Modret, she would show no mercy. Everyone in Azarel Manor would pay with their lives.
Donald chased after her, his heart pounding with fury. That was his only son.
When they arrived, the servants parted instantly, letting them through without a word.
The room had already been cleaned. Strangely, the maid's corpse had vanished without a trace.
Modret had been washed and placed gently on his bed. Sitting beside him was a woman in pristine white robes.
Anna's gaze fell on her son's chest, noticing the steady rise and fall. Her shoulders sagged with relief.
"Healer, how is my son?" she asked, masking her fear and fury. The pain of knowing her son had survived two assassination attempts was difficult to bear.
The healer gave a faint smile. "You need not worry. He was poisoned with a neutralizing agent, but I have dissolved it. His life is no longer in danger."
A shaky breath escaped Anna's lips. As long as he was safe, nothing else mattered.
Turning to the servants, she demanded, "What happened here?"
The maid who had first discovered Modret quickly stepped forward and recounted everything she had seen.
Anna's eyes narrowed. Her tone dropped.
"You will take responsibility for what happened here," she said coldly. Then, she raised her hand and slashed the air.
A burst of white flame surged forward and engulfed the maid. She turned to ash before she could even scream.
The other servants turned pale with fear. Anna cast them only a fleeting glance before returning her gaze to her son.
The remaining servants scurried away, terrified by the ferocity hidden within her calm appearance.
But Anna no longer cared what they thought. She had vented her rage. Now, she sat beside Modret, watching him with tender eyes filled with both love and worry, waiting patiently for the moment he would open his eyes again.