Black Killer Whale Baby [EN]: Chapter 167

I retrieved Tus.

I accomplished one of my most important goals.

And as for the ingredients to cure Father’s illness, which was another goal, I was able to achieve it smoothly while the black panthers were distracted.

Every plan was very successful—so successful, in fact, that it couldn’t have gone better.

However, as the Dragon’s Bride, I couldn’t just easily return.

Of course, I had thought about this in advance.

However, just a moment before that…

“Everyone, listen carefully. The black panthers are about to use their last resort.”

When I read the original work, the ‘power of the earth’ used by the black panthers was almost like cheating.

One of them is.

“They’ll think they have nowhere to retreat, so they’ll pay a great price and use one of their abilities.”

It is the ability to scan ‘everything that is touching the ground’.

This includes both objects and people.

‘In the original story, they used this ability when Lily was kidnapped.’

However, even for them, this ability wasn’t easy to activate.

As I said, they have to pay a very high price.

“Aside from how you know that… do you also know the price?”

“Yes. So I also know that it’s an ability that can’t be used easily.”

I explained to Levi while lost in thought.

‘They probably used it once to find Lily.’

Since they couldn’t infinitely increase the detection range, they would have only found out that Lily wasn’t in the Dragon City.

But now, they must have judged that there was no way to find the Dragon Duke by running around.

They must be anxious.

To determine whether the Dragon Duke is in the Dragon City or near the city, they have no choice but to use this ability again.

“Father, I have a favor to ask.”

“Tell me.”

“From now on, please keep Tus, Ekion, and Lily’s feet off the ground at all times.”

However, even such a cheat-like ability won’t work if you know how to deal with it.

Why?

Because only beings touching the ‘ground’ will be detected.

It’s clear.

They will definitely use this ability to find the Dragon Duke.

And they will realize one thing and be embarrassed.

Because the Dragon Duke will not be felt anywhere in this city.

“I’ll do it right away, since we’re on the subject.”

When Father waved his hand, Tus, Ekion, and Lily floated into the air.

“Ah!”

“It’s okay, Lily. It’s not dangerous.”

When I said this to Lily, who was looking at me with a tearful face, the child’s expression relaxed.

As for Tus and Ekion, no matter what happened to their bodies, their eyes sparkled with trust towards me.

“…Do those guys who look exactly alike have the same expressions too?”

They’re like twins.

Tus was trying to teach Ekion, so he was doing the same as Ekion.

Atlan secretly shook his head. He saw everything but pretended not to notice.

“Good. Keep it like this, Father. And Drex.”

“Yes.”

“Did you find the person I mentioned? Any contact?”

“Yes. I found them, but there has been no contact yet.”

“Really? Can I meet them right away?”

“Yes, I have identified their location and movements, so it is possible at any time if you wish.”

The person I asked about was none other than the second child of the Black Panther family, ‘Palaya Panterion’.

Didn’t he say that he was the only one who took Lily out and made her run away?

As expected, when Palaya’s story came up, Lily’s expression became bright.

Her cheeks were flushed and excited, and she had something to say, but she couldn’t because she was being cautious.

“And Levi, did you and Atlan find out what I asked you to find out?”

“Are you referring to the structure of the Dragon’s Castle retainers?”

Levi nodded once and continued.

“Yes, I found out and also looked for people who matched what you said…”

I had been wondering about Ekion’s situation and found it strange.

The Dragon City and the Dragon’s Castle weren’t built in a day or two.

There is a countless history, and there are territory residents and retainers who are proud of this and extremely respect the lord. They were the Dragon Duke’s hands and feet and a great power.

But why were there no retainers next to the Dragon Duke while he was sick and in seclusion?

Why were the imperial family and the land beastmen of the capital involved in the Dragon Duke’s confinement and surveillance?

‘There must have been a power struggle.’

My guess is this.

Clearly, the imperial family initially stepped in to protect the Dragon Duke, and there must have been retainers who opposed this decision and attitude.

‘The Dragon City has a strong independent character.’

And what if the imperial family and the land beastmen had already purged or suppressed these extreme retainers?

“It’s as the princess and I expected.”

It wasn’t difficult to find out while the black panthers and land beasts were busy looking for the Dragon Duke.

“I heard that there was an incident about eight years ago where many meritorious subjects and retainers were expelled from this place.”

“It’s obvious.”

To take over an organization, you must first cut off the leader’s hands and feet.

And if the leader was a newborn child? It would have been easier for the beasts than chewing raw meat.

I was sick of their baseness.

“Some were expelled outside the city, and some were expelled to the outskirts, as the princess expected.”

“The situation doesn’t look good, so they probably tried to get rid of them quietly when they had the chance. It’s obvious.”

I frowned and pressed my forehead. Don’t get angry. Don’t get angry.

‘We have the upper hand now anyway.’

“Among them, who is useful?”

“I’ll have to meet them to know, but… there is one person who meets the conditions you mentioned.”

I glanced at Ekion.

I asked Ekion first.

“Ekion, do you remember someone who was always by your side when you were very young, before you were trapped in that damn building? Even just one person.”

Ekion tilted his head for a long time at this.

“Tus, I remember! There were quite a few!”

“Really? What about Ekion?”

Ekion said one word after a long time.

“…Brown hair.”

Ekion is basically indifferent to his surroundings and people.

If someone remained in Ekion’s memory, it means they tried hard.

“The person I chose is a ‘land turtle beastman’ living on the outskirts of this city.”

When I found out, it turned out that the chief butler of this castle was not the human who greeted us every time we arrived.

‘I knew something was off. The expelled people were all quite capable.’

Their resentment must be enormous, so now it was my turn to use this resentment to deliver the final blow.

Of course. That’s right.

‘The fact that the orcas are here will be your worst nightmare.’

* * *

“You’re going to use the ability?”

“Yes, Father.”

Duke Panterion was lost in thought for a long time.

“You know very well what the price is, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know.”

Asuel nodded with an expressionless face.

However, in the eyes of the always heartless first son, flames of anger and resentment were flickering.

“Father has already used that ability once to find Lily, so I will use it this time.”

The father and son were spending a day that felt like ten days.

Not only the black panther father and son, but also the members of other land beast families who came here under the Emperor’s secret order must have been equally anxious.

The situation they were experiencing for the first time was absurd, but resolving it was a matter of urgency.

“I will try to find the Dragon Duke using the detection ability through the power of the earth.”

Fortunately, Asuel Panterion, as befitting his reputation as a powerful successor, his body was not yet fully ripe, but his potential for the power of the earth was outstanding.

“Father, will you allow me?”

Of course, it was also possible to search the Dragon City.

“I allow it.”

Asuel did not forget the humiliation he suffered in Peseum. Perhaps it would follow him like shackles on his ankles for the rest of his life until he paid it back.

Sharp fangs meshed with the lower teeth, making a chilling sound.

The person who gnashed his teeth was expressionless.

There was someone who was also consumed by anger like Asuel but watched the calm Duke Panterion.

A boy standing quietly in one corner of the room, the boy’s face was distorted.

‘Hmm, what are they all doing?’

The boy’s name was Palaya Panterion.

‘It would be strange even if they said they would find Lily. Well, it’s not a bad thing for me.’

Palaya thought.

‘I wonder if our baby squirrel escaped well? I hope she went far away.’

He thought that he seemed to be the most worried about Lily here.

* * *

The power of earth and the power of water are incompatible.

Because of this, strangely enough, if you experience each other’s power countless times, you instinctively feel, ‘Ah. That bastard is using some kind of power.’

‘You could say that each other becomes each other’s detection radar?’

Unfortunately, the black panthers in this round have not yet experienced war.

They have not sufficiently experienced the power of water of the orcas, whom they consider inferior.

If this is their downfall, then it is their downfall.

“…Do you feel it?”

“Yeah. What about you?”

Because I felt the moment they started detecting with the power of the earth.

I chuckled.

‘It’s as expected.’

Atlan stared at me with a sullen face. The second child, as befitting the person who stood on the front lines in the war.

He had fought fiercely with the black panther, especially that second child, Palaya Panterion.

“It’s faint, but a little? I feel a sense of disgust or unpleasantness. Is this it?”