Episode 101

To his surprise, Yellin’s ears were long and pointed.

“Is the Ishtar family actually of elven descent?”

In his previous life, Zeke had never heard of the Ishtar family being descendants of elves. Upon closer inspection, only a few members, including the head of the family and Yellin, had pointed ears.

Zeke had once had a companion from the Ishtar family in his past life. Through him, Zeke learned that the Ishtar family, much like the Drakers, valued pure bloodlines. Those with the mark of pure blood were believed to possess greater power and could rise to prominent positions within the family.

Now, he finally understood what the mark of pure blood was.

At that moment, Jamila Ishtar, the head of the family, clapped her hands, and the doors opened to reveal an enormous hot pot being wheeled in. Attendants placed it in the center of the round table. Inside, a mysterious red broth bubbled like molten lava.

The rising steam carried an intense spiciness that was almost overwhelming.

“What is this?”

The food they had eaten earlier had been mild, but this banquet dish exuded a spiciness that was hard to handle. Karus, sitting next to him, had already turned pale just from the spicy air.

While Zeke examined the food, the attendants carefully ladled the red soup and its contents into bowls in front of them.

Jamila spoke again. “Today is a joyous day permitted by the law. Let us all enjoy the heavenly taste bestowed upon us by the Earth God.”

With Jamila’s words, the members of the Ishtar family eagerly picked up their utensils and began to eat the red soup and its contents.

“Hoo! Hoo!”

“Sssip!”

Everyone’s faces flushed as they ate the soup, sweating profusely. Zeke and Karus watched them with curious expressions.

Yellin, sitting next to Zeke, gestured for him to eat, mimicking the action herself. When Zeke nodded and picked up his spoon, she too ate the red soup with a satisfied expression.

Zeke eyed the suspiciously oily soup before taking a spoonful to maintain his manners as a guest.

“Gah!”

It felt like his mouth and throat were on fire. The shock of the unfamiliar spiciness left Zeke speechless, and the Ishtar family mistook his silence for savoring the flavor.

Zeke closed his eyes and quickly focused on his healing factor.

“Get better, get better.”

Fortunately, the healing factor worked even against the spiciness. When Zeke opened his eyes, Ezgi, sitting nearby, looked at him with a surprised expression.

“Are you okay?”

The soup was loaded with “Reaper Peppers,” known as the Earth God’s blessing in Ishtar but called the devil’s spice elsewhere.

Seeing Ezgi and Yellin’s curious faces, Zeke nodded with a calm expression. “The flavor and umami are excellent. It seems to reflect the long tradition and history of the Ishtar family.”

The Ishtar family members nodded in admiration at his words.

“Blessed by the Earth God.”

“A young man who truly appreciates spiciness.”

“Impressive.”

Ezgi, impressed, added, “That’s amazing. According to past records, outsiders often reacted rudely to this blessed dish…”

“Ugh! Z-Zeke, this is p-poison!”

Ezgi watched Karus clutch his throat after eating the soup, her eyes filled with disdain. “That’s the kind of reaction recorded.”

Without a word, Zeke pulled out a potion and poured it into Karus’s mouth. It took a while for Karus to rinse his mouth and regain his composure.

“Gasp, gasp, Z-Zeke… I almost died.”

Leaving Karus trembling at the sight of the red soup, Zeke took a deep breath and had another spoonful. The electrifying sensation numbed his tongue, mouth, and throat.

“Why on earth do they eat this?”

Still, to win their favor, Zeke continued eating the soup. Without his healing factor, his throat would have been swollen shut by now.

Once Zeke grew somewhat accustomed to the spiciness, he decided to make a bold move. “What gives this its spicy flavor? Is there more?”

Jamila looked surprised. “I’ve never seen an outsider enjoy the taste of Reaper Peppers. Bring more Reaper Peppers for Sir Zeke.”

An attendant brought a small bottle of red powder to Zeke. The tiny bottle was worth as much as a lump of gold.

Zeke generously added the Reaper Peppers to his soup, turning the already fiery red soup even redder. The Ishtar family watched him with pride.

Having finished the hellish soup, spicier than any the Ishtar family had made, Zeke wiped his mouth with a napkin, looking satisfied.

“That was truly an excellent meal, my lord.”

Jamila nodded with a pleased smile. “You possess many admirable qualities, Sir Zeke. If only you weren’t a Draker.”

Zeke thought that only the Ishtar family could openly criticize the Drakers like that.

As the attendants cleared the empty hot pot, a fragrant, refreshing tea was served. This time, Zeke genuinely savored the aroma, sipping it slowly.

Then, the head of the family addressed Zeke. “So, Sir Zeke, when do you plan to marry Yellin?”

Zeke nearly spat out his tea. “Marriage? What marriage?”

He focused all his attention on recalling his actions to understand Jamila Ishtar’s words.

“I haven’t heard anything about marriage in Ishtar’s laws.”

Suddenly, Yellin stood up, vehemently gesturing her disagreement to Jamila without speaking.

The head of the family addressed the defiant Yellin. “Yellin! Are you planning to defy the law? You said you’d marry any man who could best you! Behave in a manner befitting the rightful heir of Ishtar!”

Listening to their exchange, Zeke pieced together what was happening.

“Damn, so this wasn’t just a welcome for a guest but a test for a potential son-in-law.”

Moreover, Yellin was the rightful heir of the Ishtar family.

Zeke sensed things were getting complicated. The secretive Ishtar family would make any outsider marrying into the family one of their own to prevent the leakage of their secrets. This was why the Ishtar family remained a mysterious lineage for so long.

As Yellin’s silent protest grew more intense, Jamila’s voice rose in response. Zeke realized he might not be able to use the portal at all and slowly stood up.

“May I speak, even if it means being impolite, my lord?”

Zeke’s favorability with the Ishtar family was quite high at the moment. Jamila, having calmed down, nodded at Zeke.

“I apologize for showing such an unseemly sight in front of a guest.”

Zeke addressed the head of the family. “My lord, could you postpone the marriage between Yellin and me?”

Jamila’s eyebrow twitched at his words. Despite the favor he had gained, she was the head of the Ishtar family, a name that struck fear across the continent. She could make Zeke disappear without a trace with just a word.

Zeke spoke to Jamila in a calm voice. “I’m not saying I won’t marry. If I am to become part of the Ishtar family, I too have a hurdle to overcome.”

Jamila and the other elders of the Ishtar family realized what Zeke meant by asking for a postponement. Zeke was a Draker, and not just any Draker, but a pure-blooded one. If Zeke, a pure-blooded Draker, were to become a son-in-law of the Ishtar family, Arthur Draker, the head of the Draker family, would not sit idly by.

The thought of Arthur Draker brought a tense atmosphere among the Ishtar family members.

Jamila asked Zeke, “Are you saying you’ll seek Arthur Draker’s permission for the marriage?”

Zeke nodded. “It won’t be easy, but I will make it happen.”

Jamila pondered for a moment before sighing deeply. “Sending a daughter off to marry is harder than destroying a kingdom.”

Zeke addressed Jamila. “My lord, if you open the portal to the central continent, I will head straight to the Four Seasons Castle to inform the head of the family and obtain permission for the marriage.”

Reaching the central continent quickly was crucial now.

Hearing Zeke’s words, Jamila nodded. “Admirable, Sir Zeke. Your determination to risk your life for love is commendable! It’s a model for the young warriors of Ishtar.”

“What is she talking about now?”

Jamila continued, “You have a two-year grace period to persuade Arthur Draker. If you fail, the ravens of Ishtar will come for you.”

“Damn.”

The head of the family seemed determined not to let the marriage issue fade away. Zeke calculated his options from various angles.

In two years, he would be many times stronger than he was now.

By then, he would be more than capable of fending off Ishtar’s assassins.

With a voice full of confidence, Zeke addressed Jamila.

“Leave it to me, my lord.”

Jamila, along with the other elders, nodded in satisfaction at Zeke’s bold response.

Only Yellin, standing behind them, looked at Zeke with an expression of uncertainty.

The Ishtar family was known for their fiery temperament.

As soon as the banquet ended, they offered to open a portal for Zeke and his companions.

Only Zeke and Karus would take the portal, while Simon and Boris would stay behind and return to the south later.

The Ishtar portal terminal was small but boasted facilities that rivaled those of the central continent.

However, unlike other portals, the Ishtar portal required them to stand directly on the magic circle and wait for it to activate.

Karus examined the Ishtar portal with curiosity.

At that moment, Yellin and Ezgi approached the magic circle.

Ezgi stepped forward and spoke to Zeke.

“Sir Zeke Draker, remember the lord’s words. Ishtar never speaks in vain.”

The implication was clear: he was expected to return within two years with permission for the marriage.

Zeke nodded in understanding.

He then turned to Yellin and offered his thanks.

“Thank you for your assistance, Yellin Ishtar.”

Yellin seemed to ponder something before approaching Zeke.

She took his wrist and wrote something on his palm.

<I’m sorry things turned out this way, Sir Zeke. The marriage wasn’t my idea.>

Understanding her message, Zeke nodded and whispered back.

“I understand. It seems you have no interest in marriage, Lady Yellin.”

Zeke nodded again.

“I respect your wishes, Lady Yellin.”

Yellin looked slightly taken aback. Zeke was the first person to take her words so seriously.

Woooom!

Just then, the portal began to activate.

Yellin started to write something else on Zeke’s hand but stopped and turned away.

Ezgi shot one last warning at Zeke and Karus.

“I trust you know what happens if you mention Ishtar’s secrets to outsiders!”

Karus hiccuped nervously, while Zeke nodded reassuringly.

As the two stepped away from the magic circle, the portal slowly came to life.

Their destination was the Pansthas Terminal.

Zeke donned his iron armor helmet and steadied his breathing.

Woooom!

As the portal opened, Zeke and Karus were enveloped in light.

Rumble!

They felt as if they were being sucked into a bottomless vortex.

Their heads spun.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, their surroundings brightened.

Zeke was the first to open his eyes.

He found himself in a terminal with the architecture of the central continent, not Ishtar.

Beside him, Karus was retching on the magic circle, clearly suffering from motion sickness.

“Ugh!”

As Zeke watched Karus empty his stomach, he sensed something unusual around the shuttle area.

‘What is this?’

At that moment, knights who had been hiding in the shuttle area revealed themselves.

In their midst stood a knight in a Draker uniform.

A knight with wild red hair.

It was Abel Draker.