Chapter 76
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Odelia quietly closed her eyes.
And inhaled.
The chaotic flow of Magical Power within Beloa slowly began to organize itself, little by little.
The frenzied momentum of the rampage gradually subsided.
As if a fire consuming a mountain was extinguished by pouring rain, the blades of Magical Power raging within Beloa's body began to quiet down one by one.
They no longer tried to burst out from within, nor did they mercilessly tear into her.
The light moved to the core of Beloa's heart.
The tangled Magical Power deep within her heart rippled, then, accepting the energy of Purification, began to return to its original place.
A cycle was being completed.
A cycle of embracing pain, gently dissolving it, and returning it to life.
The principle of fallen leaves becoming soil and blooming into flowers again.
And within that light, Beloa quietly closed her eyes.
She, who had been unable to even scream in agony, fell into a silent sleep as if fainting.
But everyone there could tell that her breathing had found peace.
When the light of Purification completely disappeared, silence fell over the banquet hall.
Then, the Magic Engineer who had first sensed Beloa's Magical Power state exclaimed in awe at the wondrous sight.
"The rampage has completely subsided!"
"The tangled flow of Magical Power has returned to its place. But how...?"
No one could accept the current situation.
Beloa's rampage had been calmed.
Gawain Cardell, of the Cardell Family, the so-called Descendant of the Dragon, had not even attempted it, but she had done it.
The Third Princess.
And not with Ancient Magic, but with her own unique ability.
Odelia's hand slowly fell from Beloa's hand.
Her movements were calm, and her expression was as composed and serene as usual.
As if she had just taken a light stroll.
Her breathing wasn't even labored.
It was at that moment.
A wave of admiration and shock spread like ripples among the nobles who had been watching with bated breath from beyond the guest seats.
"So, this is the Purification ability..."
"Hmph, I thought a miracle had happened."
"This... perhaps it really is an ability bestowed by God. Another form of Divine Power, perhaps..."
"If you look closely, it seems quite similar to Ancient Magic. The golden halo of light, and the way it instantly suppresses the side effects of Magical Power backlash."
And the next thought was the same for everyone.
'Isn't it a higher ability than Ancient Magic?'
Odelia simply held Beloa's hand and quelled everything without a word.
Without any preparation.
On the other hand, Gawain had been making excuses until just before, saying that it was a delicate operation that required Magic Circles, Magic Engineers, and Magic Engineers to defuse the crisis.
Therefore, the difference was even more starkly compared.
'If the Third Princess of Cardell has manifested this unique ability for the first time...'
'Isn't she, in fact, closer to being a Descendant of the Dragon?'
The guests looked back and forth between Odelia and Gawain.
No one said it out loud, but the flow of thought was similar, and the end was ultimately heading towards one conclusion.
Gawain keenly sensed the atmosphere.
Those insignificant things dare to ignore me.
A Purifier, a mere tool that I will use and discard.
They praise her, exalt her, and look at her as if she were superior to me...
...At this rate, I'm going to lose everything.
He swallowed his anger and turned to Odelia.
"You look very tired, Odelia."
And desperately, he tried to exploit the only remaining weakness.
To her, who was enduring the pain alone without showing it.
"Is your heart hurting again?"
"......"
Gawain pointedly indicated Odelia's hand, which was tightly clutching the fabric over her heart.
There's no way you're alright.
I know better than anyone what the price of that power is.
"Does it hurt a lot? Did you swallow blood again like last time?"
"......"
"You're already so weak, and if you use your ability on top of that, your insides must be twisted... Isn't your condition as precarious as Beloa's right now?"
Gawain hid his malice behind concern, wearing the mask of a brother worried about his sister.
"Blood, swallow blood?"
"Was she that weak? This is, much more than I thought..."
Amidst the murmuring of the guests, Gawain, feeling triumphant, opened his mouth again.
"How many times have I told this brother not to overdo it..."
"No."
But Odelia cut him off firmly.
"I have to overdo it. My sister's life is at stake."
"......"
"And I didn't overdo it that much this time. Organizing the tangled flow of Magical Power from within isn't that difficult. I didn't use much power."
Gawain gritted his teeth.
Even so, he barely maintained the affectionate smile of a brother towards his sister.
"...Yes, I understand your feelings. But it breaks my heart. It pains me to see you struggling like this..."
At that moment, a doctor from the Excepcion Family, having heard the news, rushed in in a flurry.
He briefly examined Beloa's condition and said.
"The flow of Magical Power has returned to normal. However, it will take some more time to recover."
Gawain heaved a sigh of relief and turned to the doctor.
"Would you please check on Grand Duchess Excepcion as well? This child always hides it when she's in pain. It seems she has overdone it again today."
His intention was obvious.
It was a ploy to reveal to everyone Odelia's condition, suffering from the side effects of Purification.
And it was at that moment.
"Gawain Cardell.A low, deep voice stopped him.
With just that one word, the noisy banquet hall fell silent.
Archduke Ludeviel Excepcion.
He suppressed the space with a single syllable.
"Enough."
The voice sounded indifferent.
But there was a clear intent to kill within it.
It was not an openly raging anger, but an infinitely restrained threat.
Like a predator that makes you stop breathing just by looking at it.
"I will take thorough care of my wife's health from now on."
"What does that..."
"From today, this person is not Odelia Cardell, but Odelia Excepcion. The mistress under the protection of the Excepcion Family, symbolizing the Excepcion Family."
"......"
"Not the Duke's sister, but my wife."
Then, without hesitation, he pulled Odelia into his arms.
So close that she had no room to breathe.
As if locking down the boundary between her and himself so that no one could encroach upon it.
