The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 40

#40.

I couldn’t help but doubt my own existence. The fact that I, who didn’t even appear in a single line of the original work, possessed the same pheromones as the female lead was quite unusual.

“A healing type…”

Zerachiel murmured quietly as he picked me up. Familiar with being placed on his palm, I glanced at him anxiously.

“So that’s why.”

“Pardon?”

“Hmm, it seemed a bit different.”

Zerachiel stroked me with a thoughtful expression. He seemed to be muttering something to himself, but I couldn’t afford to pay attention.

‘If this gets out, won’t I be in real danger?’

To have a healing-type pheromone, which is said to be rare even among special pheromones, was terrifying. If this fact were to spread, it was obvious that many would try to target me.

Even Ella’s whereabouts are currently unknown. belatedly understanding Tabby’s words that being in Jabishi was the safest, I despaired inwardly.

‘This can’t be happening!’

It seems I’ve somehow stumbled into the female lead’s role.

Forget living comfortably; my life is still a survival game.

* * *

“How is your health?”

Zachary shrugged at the question from Duke, his physician.

“The same as always.”

“The speed of the madness is quite significant. Are you aware of this?”

Duke’s voice was full of concern. The rapid progression of the madness was equivalent to Zachary’s remaining lifespan being short.

“Now there are only about six or seven petals left.”

Duke pointed to Zachary’s upper body. The Madness Flower was blooming on Zachary’s chest. Or rather, it was in the process of blooming, one petal at a time.

The number of petals exactly matched the number of petals falling in the direct line’s garden.

When all the petals in the garden fall, the Madness Flower engraved on the heart will fully bloom, and thorny patterns will spread throughout the body like poison.

There were no exceptions for any of the direct line. The Madness Flower, blooming like poison within the body, would eventually cause them to lose their reason and go berserk.

It was the Orban family, from a branch of Jabishi, who discovered this. Therefore, the physician of Jabishi has been produced by the Orban family for generations.

Orban had been researching Jabishi’s madness for generations and possessed the most information. Thus, Orban was the only branch family that knew of the existence of the Madness Flower.

Even the other branch families did not know the exact details of the madness. They only knew that the direct line had a hereditary disease called madness.

Zachary concealed his pheromones, and the Madness Flower tattoo on his chest disappeared.

The Madness Flower tattoo was a mark that only appeared when pheromones were used. He had been releasing pheromones for the diagnosis.

“Yeah, it’s obvious when I see my damn memories disappearing bit by bit.”

“You’ve already progressed to the amnesia stage…”

Duke sighed softly.

There were stages to the madness.

First, personality disorder, where one’s mood fluctuates and they sometimes become a completely different person.

Second, an obsession with a particular being.

Third, amnesia, where memories disappear bit by bit.

Finally, the destructive instinct to eliminate all pheromones.

In Zachary’s case, the symptoms started the moment Zerachiel was born. This was earlier than usual, as symptoms usually appeared when about two petals of the Madness Flower had fallen.

Therefore, the response was inadequate, and he almost killed his newborn son with his own hands. Fortunately, his mate was Rachel Han, a honey badger, so he survived.

The Han family, the honey badger clan, was characterized by their innate strength and powerful martial prowess. It was Rachel Han who beat Zachary down to protect her son, even after giving birth.

After regaining his senses, Zachary was shocked. He experienced the symptoms of madness for the first time at the happiest moment.

After that, it was a well-known fact that Zachary wandered outside the castle until Zerachiel could humanize [reach adulthood]. It was an act of self-imposed isolation, fearing that his personality might change again and kill his heir.

Once he could humanize, he would at least be able to handle enough pheromones to protect himself.

But the tragedy did not end there. After Zerachiel humanized, another symptom began.

That was obsession. Zachary was terrified to see himself obsessing over Rachel.

The speed was faster than any other family head. It was a situation where the next symptom could occur at any time.

In the end, the incident of him sending her back to the Han family was very unfortunate.

Perhaps it was due to the influence of the previous generation. Everyone knew that the previous head mistress had lived almost in confinement.

“If the third symptom has already appeared, it’s really dangerous. You should refrain from using pheromones as much as possible. In Zachary’s case, the speed tends to increase the more you use pheromones.”

“More nagging. …Just in case, tell Zerachiel to prepare. At this rate, I might not make it past this year.”

Duke groaned softly at Zachary’s nonchalant words about his death. After sending Rachel back, Zachary had lived an even more reclusive life.

It was as if he was treating himself like a germ, as if the other person would catch the disease if he approached.

The reason he kept going outside the castle without giving anyone his side was all because of that.

“Lord…”

“That guy will be able to do it without hesitation.”

Zachary gave a bitter smile. Of course, Zerachiel would be able to kill him without hesitation, even now.

It was the worst father-son relationship among the direct line of Jabishi.

It was natural, since they were in a relationship where they almost killed and were killed at the moment of birth.

Because of that incident, Zachary avoided Zerachiel excessively, and Zerachiel never approached Zachary first.

So there was almost no conversation between father and son. It was only recently that they had no choice but to talk a lot because of the white ferret incident.

It was fortunate in a way. At least that guy had someone to rely on.

It bothered him that it was a weak ferret, but blood is thicker than water. At least he didn’t want his son to bloom and wither the Madness Flower alone.

It was a separate issue from succeeding as the head of Jabishi.

It was a situation where he had made his son an outcast due to his own incompetence.

He kicked Rachel out when he was at an age where he missed his mother’s arms, and he even made him experience being almost killed by his father from the moment he was born.

He couldn’t help but feel guilty every time he saw Zerachiel acting like it was nothing. That severe mysophobia [fear of germs] might also be post-traumatic stress disorder caused by a shocking experience.

He didn’t know things would turn out this way when the guy, who liked to be alone as if he didn’t deserve to be loved, brought a white ferret.

Now that it has come to this, he had to create a position for Chichi, no, Chelsea, while he was alive, so that she can survive even next to the monstrous Jabishi.

But he couldn’t rest assured. How could that small and delicate thing like a white bean endure?

He was very worried because of her small body that seemed like it would fly away with a flick.

While he was pondering, Duke asked quietly.

“Is that why you’re rushing the young master’s marriage?”

Zachary stared at Duke. His eyes were full of worry. His graying hair seemed to represent his agony.

He was the physician of the previous head and had been with Zachary since the moment he was born. His concern must be immense due to the clearly different rate of madness progression compared to the previous head.

Zachary chuckled and retorted playfully.

“It seems like your retirement is approaching. How about handing over the physician position since my son is already grown up?”

“Lord.”

“Why would I worry about my son when my own life is hanging by a thread?”

“…”

“I’m most worried about my own life, my life.”