Chapter 17.2

The prisoner swallowed the scale, and seconds later blood began to spew from his mouth.

He staggered, clutching his chest as fire burst forth from his mouth. The flames coiled around the death-row inmate’s body, swallowing him whole until nothing remained but ash.

The stench of burning flesh filled the air. A horribly nauseating smell.

A chuckle came from behind the bars.

“That’s why I said it wouldn’t work.”

Agni’s eyes were devoid of any emotion. More heartless than the look one might give a stone on the side of a road.

Agni’s eyes were void of any emotion, colder than the look one might give a stone on the side of a road.

“See? That’s what you get for messing with that stuff, kid.”

“…What do you know?”

Lucion bit his lip.

He just wanted to save his mother and cure her illness.

Lucion had only wanted to protect her.

“I know you made a stupid choice.”

For a split second, Agni’s black pupils narrowed into slits, contracting so fast it sent a shiver down Lucion’s spine.

“Agni, enough.”

Khalid’s hand fell over Lucion’s eyes as he exhaled a heavy sigh.

“It’s a pity. Your only son doesn’t seem like he’ll make it past twenty.”

“Agni, watch your words.”

“Khalid, you know it too. Anyone who touches a dragon’s artifact isn’t meant to live past twenty.”

Lucion bit his lip harder. He knew. No one knew his body better than he did.

Still, why did hearing it make him feel so awful? Why did it feel like Agni was casting a curse on him and sealing his fate?

CLANG!

“What do you know, snake-eyes?!”

“S-snake-eyes?”

“What if I do make it past twenty? What then? Should I rip out that smug tongue of yours?”

Agni let out a chuckle of disbelief. Lucion’s glare was sharp, too sharp for a kid.

“…What the—? This brat’s got a nasty temper. He’s just like you when you were a kid, Khalid. Are you sure you weren’t the one who gave birth to him?”

Lucion clamped his hands over his ears. Listening to Agni’s nonsense wasn’t worth it.

Exasperated, Khalid rapped his knuckles against the iron bars

“Agni, quit fooling around and get out.”

“Why? It’s kinda fun in here.”

Agni smirked in amusement. “You have no idea how satisfying it is to crush those perverted little bastards who can’t keep it in their pants.”

“Join our house. I’ll grant you anything you want.”

“And in exchange?”

“I want you to watch over Lucion. You know how to make a medicine that can slow down the curse, don’t you?”

“Hmm. Yeah, I do.”

Agni’s gaze slithered toward Lucion. His eyes gleamed like a snake’s as he weighed the offer.

“Going there myself is too much of a hassle. But I’ll tell you how to make the medicine. Sounds like fun.”

The way his eyes lit up—like a child finding a new toy—made Lucion’s blood boil.

What had he done back then? Kicked the bars again? Sworn at him with everything he had?

Didn’t matter. Agni had only laughed at Lucion’s anger.

As Lucion recalled that moment, his fists clenched. From the very start, something about Agni rubbed him the wrong way.

Those eyes that spoke of death.

Eyes that expressed pity without a shred of warmth

Eyes that measured his worth like he was an object.

Eyes that always looked down on him.

‘I hate it.’

But most of all…

Agni’s interest in Edith—the way he found her entertaining—made Lucion’s stomach turn.

‘Edith is mine.’

She was the first person who had ever stood solely by his side. Not one of his father’s pawns, but his and his alone.

Lucion Frost’s wife.

That was Edith.

Unaware of his own behavior, Lucion was revealing just how possessive he had become.

Crack. His lip split, and the metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth.

Lucion glanced down at his hands. They were pale, soft. Hands that had only ever held a pen.

Hands that couldn’t protect anything.

If things stayed like this, and if something were to happen to Edith, he would be powerless to stop it.

That was unacceptable.

So Lucion made up his mind.

“Oscar.”

“Yes, Master Lucion.”

“Get me a sword.”

Oscar’s eyes widened. He immediately understood the meaning of Lucion’s words.

His master was silently burning with resolve.

‘He’s changed. He’s made up his mind’

And it was because of Edith.

Oscary smiled softly as he looked in Lucion’s eyes, seeing the newfound determination there.

“It will be extremely difficult and painful. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“I don’t care.”

As long as he could grow stronger, the pain didn’t matter.

And one day, no matter what—

He would drive his sword straight through that damn bastard’s face.