The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 70

#70.

At my stern threat, Tebi swallowed hard and quickly replied:

— Hebel! Hebel has a sacred object that can prolong your life!

“A sacred object?”

— Yes. With that sacred object, you’ll be safe until you reach adulthood.

“Hebel, you say.”

I readily released Tebi and sank into thought.

It was true that my power held a clue to curing Jabishi’s genetic disease, but for some reason, I seemed unable to properly digest that power.

‘Jerachiel seems too overwhelmingly strong.’

‘Indeed. Usually, if pheromones are too strong, the body can’t withstand it before adulthood and dies. Lady Jerachiel is so robust that she can handle all that power.’

‘You can actually die because of your own pheromones?’

‘Of course. In prestigious families, the survival rate becomes extremely low. The power they possess is so great that it sometimes burdens even pregnant women.’

Merina’s passing remark flashed through my mind.

It was clear that I, too, fell into the category of a body unable to withstand the power.

“Is that true?”

— I don’t lie about such things.

Tebi snarled. Judging by the distance she kept, she was clearly quite shocked by my earlier actions.

“Do you know the location of the sacred object?”

— Of course. It will be safely enshrined in Hebel’s vault, so rest assured.

Hmm. So that’s the situation.

I stroked my chin and pondered. I was in a situation where I had to steal a sacred object from Hebel’s vault.

Compared to finding Tebi in the well last time, the risk was far too great.

The vault could only be accessed by Naaman, the head of Hebel.

‘No. There is one instance where access to the vault is possible.’

I recalled Ella accessing the vault in the original story and smirked.

Thanks to Tebi’s existence being exposed, it might be a bit easier.

As I glanced at Tebi with a sinister look, she shuddered, sensing a crisis.

— What on earth are you planning?

“What else?”

Burglary is my specialty.

I, who had somehow dreamed of becoming a great thief, grinned ominously.

“Wait and see. An invitation will come flying your way.”

* * *

“Unbelievable.”

Duke Orban adjusted his glasses and palpated [examined by touch] Zacharias’s chest. The shoulder wound was not a major concern, given Jabishi’s monstrous recovery ability.

More surprising was that the pheromones that usually tormented Zacharias had noticeably subsided.

The potency of the pheromones had weakened, but it was originally an excessively strong power. The pheromones, which had been aggressive towards himself due to the backlash of the strong power, were now remarkably stable.

Moreover, the tattoo that had always been like poison had vanished.

“The Frenzy has truly disappeared.”

“So it seems.”

Zacharias chuckled and straightened his attire. The Duke muttered with a dazed expression.

“The flower in the secret garden turned white?”

“Yes. And the petals were still five in number.”

“Strange. A rampage before all the petals fell. It’s as if…….”

The Duke frowned and hesitated, but Zacharias decisively concluded.

“Like the head of the family who went on a rampage 100 years ago.”

As he said, this was the first time since the great chaos 100 years ago.

At that time, the head of the family, who had three petals left, suddenly went on a rampage, and the disaster began.

This time, the rampage occurred with five petals remaining.

Originally, the situation could have been even more severe than before.

But the appearance of the white ferret suddenly turned the situation around for the better.

100 years ago, it was difficult to identify the cause because all the petals in the secret garden had already fallen.

But this time, Zacharias still had petals left. Now, we might be able to find the culprit behind the great chaos.

The Duke asked for confirmation.

“Are you sure the Frenzy has disappeared? Is there any possibility that it’s dormant and could bloom again?”

It was a question of concern that Zacharias might go mad again if he plucked the petals in the garden.

At that, Zacharias shrugged cheerfully and presented a box. The Duke’s gaze turned to the box. Inside the glass box was a petal.

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t be standing here in front of you.”

The Duke’s face, in shock, began to contort like a demon.

“Have you lost your mind……?”

The Duke scowled and muttered coldly.

“What on earth were you thinking?!”

How dangerous that was.

To extract a petal in a state that was not yet certain. What if something went wrong!

It was clear that his mind went blank when he was too angry. The Duke could not easily calm his anger, nor could he open his mouth, and he just puffed and panted.

Meanwhile, Zacharias’s expression was more serene than ever. He slowly raised the corners of his lips and said.

“No. Everything is clearer than ever.”

“……Huh.”

“So rest assured, and now you must do what you have to do.”

Zacharias gestured with his hand, urging him to take it quickly. Judging by his unique, infuriating tone, he seemed to be fine.

The Duke reluctantly took the box.

Inside was a petal. The Duke’s mouth fell open at the sight of the unfamiliar Frenzy [the source of Jabishi’s genetic disease].

The petal was originally jet black.

The Frenzy petal in the box had turned white and was sparkling. Like a snowflake sparkling in the sunlight.

The sight of the color of death that had draped over Jabishi being replaced by a clear white light was utterly awe-inspiring. The Duke forgot his anger and murmured like a sigh.

“That record was true.”

At the word record, Zacharias nodded.

In Jabishi’s family, there was a record passed down through generations along with the genetic disease.

[I planted the flower I loved so much on my body, but the one I desire is not here.

The empty heart burns black, and I yearn for you who do not come.

Why did you have to love flowers, making me so miserable?

Every time flowers bloom everywhere, flames ignite within.

Even if I try to forget, I cannot, and it only becomes clearer.

I would rather be buried in this flower and die. I will destroy this season and die forever.

But even so, if by any chance,

the Frenzy regains its original appearance, I will finally be free.]

It was the last will of Vasily Biern Jabishi, the first head of the family.

Vasily was a madman who directly engraved the Frenzy on his body. He engraved the poison that killed himself simply because his dead lover loved flowers.

So Jabishi was sick of flowers. Because no matter how much he pulled them out, they stubbornly bloomed every spring.

That crazy bastard cursed and died.

Anyway, from that day on, Jabishi’s lifespan was shortened, and his life was destroyed as Vasily had wished.

It was only natural that many Jabishi, who faced the disaster helplessly, tried to find out what the original appearance of the Frenzy was.

But Vasily Biern, that madman, burned all records of his partner before he died.

As a result, they only managed to find out that the flower he had originally engraved on his body was white.

“We’ve finally found a clue.”

The corners of Zacharias’s lips curved slightly.

Although not certain, Cherchia’s pheromones were effective in restoring the Frenzy to its original state.

It not only suppressed the rampage but also prevented the flowering of the Frenzy, didn’t it?

Perhaps Vasily’s magic had faded over the generations.

If so, now was the perfect opportunity to break free from this wretched curse.

“Hurry up.”

“Yes. I understand.”

The Duke felt a great sense of responsibility and received the order. This task was very important to resolve Jabishi’s survival and past humiliations at once.

“I will find out as soon as possible.”

He put the box in his inner pocket with a determined face and stepped back. After that, Zacharias asked Herman.

“Where is Cherchia?”