Episode 181: Ill-Fated Ties (3)
By noon, Athena found herself dragged outside, her arms firmly held by mercenaries.
They hauled her to the entrance of the mercenary camp and unceremoniously tossed her to the ground.
Lying face down in the dirt, Athena lifted her head to see Clea standing before her, a look of satisfaction on her face. Surrounding Clea were other members of the Sacred Blood.
“Athena, I’ve thought long and hard about your fate. There’s only one fitting punishment for you.”
Athena couldn’t help but let out a derisive laugh. Punishment? For being imprisoned without cause?
“Exile. From this day forward, you are forbidden from ever using the name of the Fafnir Mercenaries again.”
She had heard this from Clea the day before, so the shock wasn’t as great as it could have been.
…Or so she thought.
The Fafnir Mercenaries roamed the continent, and for Athena, they were the closest thing she had to a home.
Being cast out from her home.
Never again would she return to the place filled with memories of her father and mother.
With a glimmer of hope, Athena glanced at the other Sacred Blood members. Surely, at least one of her half-siblings would stand up for her?
But they all avoided her gaze. Some even looked at her with smug satisfaction.
”…”
Emotions surged within her, but Athena suppressed them all. She would not give Clea the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
“Your armor, weapons, and everything else given to you will be confiscated,” Clea added, pointing to the distance.
“Leave here with nothing.”
Gritting her teeth, Athena tried to stand, but with her ankle ligaments severed, she couldn’t manage it.
In the end, she had to crawl, dragging herself across the ground with her arms.
“That suits you perfectly,” Clea’s mocking laughter echoed behind her, joined by sporadic chuckles from others.
Then, a large shadow fell over Athena. She looked up to see a familiar face.
Ulrich Hopper, the Executioner.
Clea’s son and her temporary proxy, a half-brother.
”…What do you want?” Athena asked, her voice laced with thorns. Given her current predicament, she couldn’t muster a friendly response.
“Let me see your foot for a moment.”
Ulrich took hold of one of Athena’s feet, applying antiseptic and ointment to the wound.
“Ulrich! What do you think you’re doing?” Clea shouted, her voice filled with anger. Yet Ulrich remained unfazed by his mother’s fury.
“Mother, surely you can allow this small mercy.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Stop this instant!”
Despite Clea’s outburst, Ulrich continued to treat Athena. The medicine was effective, and soon the pain subsided, and her ankle began to move.
“I’d like to treat the other side too, but I don’t know how Mother would react. Forgive me for stopping here,” Ulrich said, handing Athena a crutch.
”…Do you think this will make me forgive you all?” Athena asked.
“I doubt it. I know it won’t.”
Athena couldn’t understand Ulrich’s actions. Why was he different when even his mother and the other siblings despised her?
But now wasn’t the time to solve that mystery.
With the crutch, Athena managed to stand, though her movements were unsteady with only one healed ankle.
She limped across the field, leaving her home behind.
Once she had turned her back on everyone, once no one could see her face anymore, Athena finally allowed herself to release her pent-up emotions. She cried.
She had always believed she could do anything, that she had the ability.
But it was all an illusion.
Without her father, she was nothing. Just an insignificant person.
Wiping her tears with her sleeve, Athena lowered her arm, no longer crying.
”…I will return one day,” she murmured softly.
“I’ll come back… and repay this humiliation.”
She vowed to return the disgrace she suffered today many times over. Especially to Clea Fowler, whom she would personally see to.
The young dragon swore vengeance…
“Athena!”
…when suddenly, a familiar voice called out from afar.
Athena looked up, her eyes widening.
Her father was running toward her, with Damian Haxen by his side.
“What on earth happened? Why are you here?” her father exclaimed, pulling her into a tight embrace and examining her condition.
“What happened to you? Why is your foot like this?”
Athena looked between the two men, her expression dazed.
Is this real? Am I not just seeing things?
Finally, she collapsed to the ground, sobbing.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. Daddy’s here now,” her father soothed, patting her back gently.
“Damian, take care of Athena for me.”
After comforting her for a while, the Mercenary King stood up.
He began walking toward the mercenary camp.
“N-no, this can’t be happening!” Clea shrieked, watching the Mercenary King approach.
“How… how did he return… No, this can’t be real… What are you all doing? Kill him at once! That’s not him! It’s a monster in disguise!”
Clea shouted at the Sacred Blood members.
Their faces showed confusion. The aura, the power—it was unmistakably the Mercenary King.
But how could he be here when he was supposed to be unconscious in the tent?
The Sacred Blood members hesitated, unable to act.
Seeing this, the Mercenary King’s expression darkened.
Suddenly, he vanished, and in the blink of an eye, every Sacred Blood member was struck and sent flying.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
They hit the ground, coughing up blood. The internal injuries were severe.
“You fools! Can’t you even tell if I’m real or not?” the Mercenary King roared, reappearing in his original spot, seething with anger.
“Clea Fowler! How dare you pull this kind of stunt in my mercenary band!” he shouted, advancing toward Clea. Her face turned pale as she faced his wrath.
Then, someone stepped in front of Clea. It was her son, Ulrich Hopper.
“Move aside! Or I won’t spare you either!” the Mercenary King warned, his face a mask of fury. Ulrich simply looked at his father in silence.
“Do you think you can protect your mother just because you’re my son? Fine, you’ll pay the price too!”
The Mercenary King gathered his power, but suddenly, Ulrich knelt before him.
“Father, please forgive me. It’s my fault for not stopping Mother.”
Ulrich’s apology only fueled the Mercenary King’s anger.
He kicked Ulrich in the stomach, shouting, “Yes! It’s your fault! You didn’t stop her! Do you see the result of your inaction? Do you see what happened to Athena, that young girl?”
The Mercenary King began to beat Ulrich. It wasn’t just venting anger; he seemed intent on killing him.
Ulrich endured the violence silently, even as he coughed up blood.
“Stop… please stop!” Clea couldn’t bear it any longer and stepped in front of the Mercenary King. He paused, glaring at her.
“What right do you have to be angry at Ulrich?” she demanded.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Have you lost your mind?”
“You were the one who favored Athena over the others! Always protecting that girl!”
“Favoritism? Yes, I favored Athena. Let’s ask the others, then.”
The Mercenary King turned to the other Sacred Blood members.
“Speak up! Were you all so upset about my favoritism toward Athena? Go on, tell me!”
The Sacred Blood members were silent.
The Mercenary King was known for his favoritism, but his criteria were clear.
He valued ability.
He might disregard incompetent children, but he never neglected those who achieved results.
“It seems the others don’t share your view, do they?” the Mercenary King growled at Clea. Her face showed her surprise.
“Is that all you have? Just because… just because you were always looking for Athena’s mother…”
“You insolent woman. Is that why you tormented Athena?”
The Mercenary King looked at Clea with contempt.
“I told you from the start, I only wanted your body, and as long as you satisfied me, I’d reward you accordingly.”
Clea’s face flushed with humiliation, but the Mercenary King had no intention of sparing her feelings.
“You lived a life of luxury thanks to me, and yet you dared to harbor such thoughts? I won’t let this go unpunished!”
“Ka, Kal…!”
Clea urgently grabbed the Mercenary King, but he quickly shook off her hand.
“Listen up, you fools!”
The Mercenary King shouted at the Sacred Bloods.
“I was an idiot to think I could leave the mercenary band in the hands of people like you! But now, I’m certain!”
He turned to Athena and declared, “From today, Athena is my successor!”
The long-vacant position of successor was finally filled, causing a stir among the Sacred Bloods.
“F-Father! But she’s only a high-class…,” one of them blurted out without thinking. In an instant, the Mercenary King kicked a stone from the ground.
The stone, charged with his power, struck the Sacred Blood in the chest, sending him flying back, coughing up blood.
“Anyone else have a problem with my decision?” The Mercenary King scanned the room. The Sacred Bloods fell silent.
“Ulric.”
”…Yes, Father,” Ulric said, forcing himself to stand.
“How do you plan to atone for what happened?”
”…Take my head.”
“That would be too easy a punishment. From now on, you will assist Athena. Protect her with your life.”
“I will follow your command,” Ulric replied, bowing his head immediately.
With the situation settled, the Mercenary King shouted at the group, “What are you standing around for, you idiots? Get out of my sight!”