The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 167

Black Lion Family’s Strongest Daughter-in-Law (167)

#167

Indeed, the power of sacred objects wouldn’t work in Mishir’s water. Recognizing that fact brought a sense of relief.

If there were any issues with the transparency, Ella and Heathcliff could also be in trouble.

I stared intently into the water.

‘By the way, where did Ebensebe go?’

I always thought she was reflecting there, but was I wrong?

I spent a long time looking, not knowing what role this space played.

Suddenly, the water began to glow.

“Oh.”

Following that, I discovered something in the water and widened my eyes.

The place the water reflected was the Mishir altar. And what surprised me was Zerachiel was there.

Zerachiel was tied to the altar, his limbs bound. He had some kind of collar around his neck, and he looked precarious, as if he had lost consciousness.

“Zerachiel…!”

I shouted, but my voice didn’t seem to reach him.

Then someone walked up beside him. Black hair and black eyes.

Ebensebe made direct eye contact with me and grinned. Then she waved her hand.

As if telling me to come here.

I was angry at Ebensebe’s nonchalant appearance, but I held it back.

Because Zerachiel was being held hostage next to her.

I already knew that she could move me over there. So I coldly retorted.

“Ebensebe, stop playing around and move me over there.”

But Ebensebe crossed her arms and acted leisurely.

“I can’t do that. The one in a hurry has to come and find me.”

“Move me right now!”

I slammed the water with an angry face. Waves rippled through the water, distorting the figures of Ebensebe and Zerachiel.

Even with my command, Ebensebe didn’t use her power. Rather, she covered her mouth with her hand as if to tease me, and burst into laughter.

The reason why she wasn’t moving me there, even though she could, was obvious.

She’s enjoying my suffering.

The Ebensebe I met in that world was somehow very twisted. It was understandable, considering she had been trapped in a cave for a thousand years.

“Is it fun to torment me?”

Ebensebe grinned at my question, a reaction as if there was no greater pleasure. She answered with a non sequitur [a statement that does not logically follow from the previous one].

“I finally understand everything now. Why it was so difficult to find you.”

“You remember.”

“Yes. I remembered a little while ago.”

“Faster than I thought.”

I chuckled. The ‘memory’ she was talking about meant the me I met in that world.

In fact, from the moment I found out that I was the one who advised Ella to discard the pheromones over there, I had already half expected it.

I couldn’t know the exact timing, but I knew that the time would come when Ebensebe would realize she had met me.

I had already taken measures over there in preparation for that. Of course, I couldn’t control the timing, so I hurried to Hebel. It was to prepare for any possible situation.

Then Ebensebe said.

“You really came. You said you’d come and kill me.”

“I didn’t say it like that.”

“Didn’t you? You said it with your eyes. That you wanted to kill me.”

Ebensebe smiled slyly and sneered. I had no intention of denying it.

Since the other person was being difficult, there was no need for me to be polite. I said, leaning on one leg.

“You’re awfully relaxed, knowing that?”

“You’ve changed after all.”

Ebensebe frowned and muttered. She didn’t seem to like my changed appearance very much. The more she did that, the more brazen I became.

“While you were trapped in the cave, I went through quite a lot.”

“But can you kill me? Your precious Black Lion is in my hands, you know?”

Ebensebe stroked Zerachiel’s cheek as if threatening me. The moment I saw that, I lost my reason and growled. It was difficult to find peace of mind when it came to matters related to him.

“Don’t involve a third party in our affairs anymore.”

“This kid is the only one who can get involved in our affairs. I kindly explained it to you last time, but have you already forgotten?”

“That doesn’t mean the Divine Beast will come back.”

The smile disappeared from my sister’s face when the Divine Beast was mentioned from my mouth. Her eyes flashed.

“You made him leave.”

“He didn’t intend to stay long in the first place.”

“No. If you hadn’t turned away from me, that wouldn’t have happened.”

“If you hadn’t tried to use me, that is.”

“Don’t speak carelessly!”

Ebensebe visibly agitated and growled.

As expected, she was sensitive to the story of the Divine Beast. Just like I was anxious about Zerachiel.

It wasn’t just her who knew me well. I also knew how to shake her well. I just wasn’t doing it.

“…Answer me one thing. Was it you who killed Bobby back then?”

I had always been curious. Where did Bobby get so hurt? And why did he die?

– The reason Larien was kicked out of Hebel was all because of that kid. Because that kid sent the Black Lion to separate Larien from the Divine Beast.

– From the beginning, Bobby entering Hebel and meeting you were all Ebensebe’s schemes.

Tabi said that Ebensebe and Basili were in cahoots [conspiring together], but I didn’t think so. Perhaps the bad reputation of Basili among the sacred objects was Ebensebe’s trick.

It seemed like she would have done anything to put the blame on Basili.

So it was a question I was half sure of. Because I think I know my sister’s ways now.

Then and now, Bobby, Zerachiel, would have just been used. Because of the words spoken by my sister’s snake-like tongue.

That’s because my sister’s pheromones had cunning characteristics. She would create clones or subtly seduce the Suin [beast-people] and control them like dolls.

Ebensebe didn’t deny it. Rather, she sneered as if asking if I knew it now.

“Then who else would it be but me.”

“……”

“You still don’t know anything. I’ve always hated that about you.”

After hearing Ebensebe’s confirmation, I felt like even a shred of sympathy was disappearing.

I glared at my sister coldly and retorted.

“It must have been hard. Hanging out with someone you hate.”

“Yes. I hated it so much.”

Ebensebe smiled brightly like a blooming flower. That felt rather eerie.

“So let’s end it now. If you’re curious about the truth of that day, come here. I’ll be waiting here.”

I stared at where she was. It was definitely the Mishir altar.

The reason why she tied Zerachiel to the altar and lured me there was obvious.

‘First, I needed a vessel to contain my soul. After that, I have to take back everything I lost.’

‘I’ve been waiting for you. The one who was supposed to be the sacrifice was you, not that kid. I’m just using that woman to buy time. I needed a body to wait until you came.’

According to what Ebensebe said, she wanted both me and Zerachiel.

So it was dangerous to have a three-way meeting according to her wishes. But if it wasn’t now, there wouldn’t be a good way to capture her.

‘Is she trying to take my body over there?’

Maybe Zerachiel over there wasn’t real, but an illusion. She had Spinel of Illusion, after all.

Thinking about the various possibilities made my head complicated.

I glanced at Zerachiel, who had collapsed on the altar.

‘He seems a little thinner.’

The Ruby of Binding was something that consumed a lot of mental power. There was no way there wouldn’t be damage to either the one being brainwashed or the one doing it.

Already in that world, my sister had tried to imprison Zerachiel and start something.

What my sister wants is clearly Jabesi’s pheromones.

Originally it was mine, but it was a part of the power I gave up to save Basili.

Among the existing pheromones, it resembled the power of the Divine Beast the most, so it was natural for her to covet it.

So I knew that my sister couldn’t easily kill Zerachiel. If Jabesi died, the power within him would also disappear.

When I didn’t move easily, Ebensebe urged me.

“Oh my, you even have time to spare.”

“……”

“If you’re late, your Bobby will die, you know?”

“……”

“Really. Should I show you?”

With those words, Ebensebe gave off an ominous smile and pointed her sword at Zerachiel.