The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 173

#173.

You have no idea, do you, how cowardly that sister is?

I made a silent protest and pointed to where Ebensev had been flung.

Fortunately, Ebensev was still stuck there, and Naaman was struggling to pull her out.

Ebensev seemed quite shocked and couldn’t easily get up.

Then Zerachiel tilted his head and asked, “Shall I take care of her?”

His voice was calm, but his eyes were full of murderous intent. It seemed the memory of being manipulated was still fresh.

I stroked his cheek and replied, “I can’t deal with her right now. It seems like only her soul is here, so it’s hard to kill her.”

Ebensev was currently separated from her body, making her somewhat untouchable. Seeing that she was fine even after being stabbed with the Severance Blade [a weapon designed to sever spiritual connections], it seemed the opportune moment would be when her body and soul were reunited.

If Zerachiel hadn’t awakened, we might have been helplessly swayed by them.

“So, we need to take her to the North.”

I had already asked Rachel to go to the location of Ebensev’s body.

Zachary had to guard the secret garden of Javis City in case something happened.

While Rachel watched over the body, we were planning to use Mishr’s power to teleport there instantly.

It would be too much for me alone, but with him, it would be no problem.

“That’s a shame…”

Zerachiel looked at Ebensev with a face full of regret, like he was dying to kill her right away. Seeing this, I quietly suggested, “But I don’t think we need to keep her in *perfect* condition.”

“?”

“Shouldn’t we at least break her arms and legs?”

“Ah.”

Zerachiel’s face lit up at the gruesome words. In response, Ebensev growled, “Do you think I’ll let you?”

She reached into her robes, as if to draw a hidden weapon.

But her arrogant attitude didn’t last long. Soon after, Ebensev uttered a flustered voice, “Uh, where is it?”

Her face turned white as if she couldn’t find what she was looking for.

Is it my turn to step in?

I cleared my throat and said, “Ah, are you perhaps looking for this?”

Following that, I smiled slyly and shook the Ruby of Binding [an artifact used to control or bind individuals].

Dling-dling―

The clear bell sound echoed throughout Mishr. Since there was no contract in place, it was just a normal bell sound, but it seemed to stimulate Zerachiel’s trauma.

He frowned and covered his ears. On the other hand, Ebensev trembled and shouted, “H-How did you…!”

She hadn’t even realized I was pickpocketing her.

From the beginning, I didn’t blindly follow her wishes without any preparation. They sent Tae-bi to Zerachiel in case of any possibilities, and I was focused on taking the Ruby of Binding from Ebensev.

The conclusion is that although I was somewhat shaken, I didn’t proceed without a plan.

In fact, I secretly swiped the Ruby of Binding when Ebensev approached earlier.

It was because I didn’t want to see her using Zerachiel as she pleased anymore.

At the time, she was so intent on taking my body that she didn’t notice my flashy sleight of hand.

Well, it’s understandable since it’s a skill honed through years of practice, yes.

After that, I tried to neutralize her by stabbing her with a knife, but Zerachiel intervened at that moment.

I calmly held my hands together and prayed, “God, please make me a great thief today too.”

“What are you doing?”

“Actually, I used to be a thief.”

I was caught stealing from the Javis family’s food storage. Afterwards, well, I stole so much that I don’t even remember.

Ebensev, who belatedly realized I was teasing her, stomped her feet and shouted, “You…!”

Ebensev was very angry that the situation wasn’t going her way. Well, if it was the Larien she knew, she would never have acted like this.

I deliberately smiled brightly and sneered, “They say even mountains and rivers change in ten years, so wouldn’t a beastkin [a person with animal-like features or abilities] change in a thousand years?”

“…”

“So, don’t even think about playing tricks with things like this anymore, sister.”

I’m very angry right now.

At my declaration, Ebensev staggered and tried to sit down. Seeing this, Naaman supported her and shouted, “Saintess Larien!”

Then he tried to pull out the Severance Blade stuck in her, but he couldn’t and struggled.

And I was also surprised in a different sense.

Huh? Who are you calling Larien?

I stared at Naaman with a dumbfounded face. He had no idea he was talking nonsense.

Rather, he retorted to me, “If you harm the Saintess, you will turn Hebel into an enemy.”

“We’re already enemies? Besides, why is that woman there Saintess Larien? She’s Ebensev.”

“Nonsense! She is the Saintess who has been practicing asceticism for a thousand years, waiting for her reunion with the Divine Beast. Hebel are those who help her!”

“Huh? Are you serious?”

I blinked and looked at Naaman and Ebensev. Ebensev was muttering something while gnashing her teeth. It was so gloomy that I couldn’t hear anything.

It seemed she had been deceiving Naaman by pretending to be me.

Then it’s only right to tell the truth!

I put my hand on my waist like a righteous knight and said solemnly, “I think there’s some misunderstanding. The one over there is not Saintess Larien, but her sister, Ebensev. Besides, strictly speaking, Larien is me, right?”

“What?”

Naaman’s eyes widened as if they were about to fall out. I opened my mouth whether he was confused or not.

It was because I had an urge to break his false beliefs.

“I don’t understand why you’re following that woman after destroying the Luden Temple with your own hands in the first place. You know very well that Saintess Larien is not like that, right?”

I was saying this because there was a portrait left in Hebel, but Naaman denied it.

“…That’s because she was corrupted. When she reunites with the Divine Beast and her wrath is relieved…”

“Ah, now that I see it, Naaman doesn’t even know what Ebensev looks like.”

“Yes?”

“I mean, the woman in your arms is Ebensev.”

“!”

“You said before you were waiting for a Saintess who could read special memories at the Mishr altar. What were you going to do if she appeared?”

“W-Well, she would become a great vessel for Saintess Larien…”

“Did the Divine Beast really reveal that? Before, you clearly said that a big change would happen in Hebel.”

“Th-That’s…”

Naaman also felt the contradiction in his words and trailed off, looking back and forth between Ebensev and me. It seemed he was firmly under the influence of Ebensev’s pheromones.

I threw down the gauntlet, as if driving a wedge.

“I dare to interpret the will of the Divine Beast―”

Following that, I pointed at Ebensev and said, “It seems the big change in Hebel is referring to the current situation: a person who impersonates Larien appears.”

“What…”

“You’ve all been deceived by my sister. The reincarnation of Saintess Larien is not that woman, but me!”

“!”

Naaman froze like a stone from the shock. Then Ebensev shouted, “It’s all a lie!”

“Oh my, my ears are going to fall off.”

I quickly covered my ears and frowned. On top of that, Zerachiel put his hand on mine and whispered, “Ew, yucky.”

First of all, it seems useless to cover my ears since I can hear all the sounds.

Ebensev’s struggle continued.

“Larien is me! If I was Ebensev, why would I order my priests to be killed?”

“S-Saintess.”

“That woman is Ebensev! She’s trying to seduce you and kill me!”

Naaman nodded, gaping. He looked blindly as if he had given up thinking for himself. It seemed it would take time to return to normal because he had been deceived for quite a long time.

But we didn’t have much time.

Ebensev shook Naaman’s shoulder and shouted, “Act instead of listening to useless nonsense!”