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[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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Chapter 46: Forced Subjugation (1)
The next day, Kwon Hanul and Catalina Blaga met at the dungeon entrance at the agreed-upon time.
“You look even more beautiful this morning, Lady Catalina Blaga!”
“Thank you for the kind words”, Catalina Blaga replied with a warm smile.
Kwon Jiseok, grinning sheepishly, leaned over and whispered to Kwon Hanul, “Hey, what’s with this vibe? Why didn’t she react to my pickup line? That was gold, right?”
Kwon Hanul flinched. That was supposed to be a pickup line?
“It’s nothing.”
“Still, what’s with this weird atmosphere?”
Ignoring Jiseok’s confusion, Kwon Hanul headed toward the gate.
Ruyn Aspadam was already waiting ahead.
“I’ll go in first.”
Without looking back, Ruyn Aspadam stepped into the gate.
“Well, that was anticlimactic.”
Muttering to himself, Kwon Hanul entered the dungeon as well.
Ruyn Aspadam was nowhere to be seen—he must have gone far ahead already.
“Is he that desperate to beat me?”
Clicking his tongue, Kwon Hanul activated the power of the Bloodline of the Vassal.
His eyes turned a deep crimson.
* * *
Ruyn Aspadam, now inside the dungeon, first moved far from the gate before stopping.
From his pocket, he took out two fist-sized dolls.
Placing them on the ground, the dolls suddenly transformed into people with a puff of smoke—one a young girl, the other a middle-aged man.
“Ugh, this feels unpleasant somehow.”
“You endured well, my lady.”
Relic – World of Dolls
A legendary (AA+ rank) relic that, with mutual consent, allows a person to be temporarily transformed into a doll. Though it has limited uses, Catalina Blaga spared no expense deploying it for this mission.
“So this is the dungeon you mentioned yesterday?”
The girl glanced at Ruyn Aspadam. He remained silent.
The middle-aged man scowled and barked at him.
“Insolent wretch! Lady Nadia asked you a question!”
“…Yes. This is the dungeon I spoke of yesterday.”
“Watch your tone!”
The man exploded again, only calming when the girl intervened.
“Uncle Del, please. He’s just a vassal. They only show loyalty to their master.”
“But Lady Nadia, you are of pure blood! All vassals must serve and obey the Purebloods—it's the law of our house!”
The man, Del Blaga, was still visibly seething.
“Besides, isn’t this entire mess his fault? If this incompetent fool had done his job properly, everything would’ve been resolved smoothly.”
Ruyn Aspadam glared at Del Blaga, who sneered back.
“What? Did I say something wrong? Look at me like that again, and I’ll pluck those eyes out myself.”
Objectively speaking, Del Blaga was far weaker than Ruyn Aspadam.
But vassals could never defy the power of the Blood of the Vassal. As a fervent blood relative of House Blaga, if Del truly commanded it, Ruyn Aspadam would be forced to obey—even if it meant losing his eyes.
“Uncle Del, let it go. We have a job to finish, as ordered by Lady Catalina.”
“Oh dear, I nearly lost myself there.”
Del Blaga quickly reverted to a smile, as if he had never been angry.
The stark shift in demeanor was understandable. This girl, Nadia Blaga, was one of the rare young Purebloods of House Blaga.
“Then, my lady, please assist this vassal. I shall go and hinder that man—Kwon Hanul.”
“No, I’ll go to Kwon Hanul myself.”
“Pardon?”
Del Blaga grew anxious.
House Blaga had very few Purebloods compared to other noble houses. Nadia was the first born in 30 years. He only wanted her to take on safe tasks.
“I’m curious about the man Lady Catalina has taken an interest in.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry. I have this.”
Nadia revealed a necklace—a relic imbued with a stealth skill.
“Well then, I’m off~”
Cheerfully, Nadia disappeared in the direction where Kwon Hanul had gone.
“Please, let nothing happen to her…”
Del Blaga watched her go, his expression filled with concern. He soon turned to Ruyn Aspadam with a cold glare.
“I’ll draw out the Mud Trolls. You kill him. Surely, you can manage something that simple?”
* * *
Nadia Blaga found Kwon Hanul quickly.
Only four humans were inside this dungeon. By using Bloodline of the Vassal, she sensed their mental energy and simply followed it.
She activated her relic’s stealth skill and began to watch Kwon Hanul from a hidden spot.
“So this is the man Lady Catalina wants as her next collectible?”
Honestly, an elder chasing after a younger man would normally be condemned.
But there was no hint of disapproval on Nadia’s face.
House Blaga is a family of dominators. The greatest source of pride was whom one could dominate.
“Even aside from that, no one can criticize Lady Catalina.”
Publicly, House Blaga was said to be ruled by a council of elders, not a patriarch.
…but that wasn’t the whole truth.
In reality, House Blaga functioned around Catalina Blaga and the elders.
“It’s because of her that our house even exists in its current form.”
The power and influence of House Blaga came from external connections—connections that Catalina built using the Bloodline of the Vassal and her feminine charm.
Because of this, even among the elders, her influence was absolute.
“She has excellent taste.”
Even from a distance, it was clear.
Kwon Hanul’s body was superbly trained, and his mana honed with incredible precision.
“He’s truly impressive.”
Modern hunters could easily raise their stats through system interfaces.
But mastering that power was another matter entirely.
Especially with mana—control differed greatly from person to person, even at the same level.
This was where talent and effort came into play.
In that regard, Kwon Hanul was near perfect.
“If it weren’t for Lady Catalina, I’d want him for myself.”
Nadia swallowed hard. Of course, she wasn’t foolish enough to act on that.
But the more she looked, the more drawn she was.
“…Haah.”
A deep sigh escaped her lips before she realized it. Her whole body felt flushed.
“Strange… He’s not even my type.”
She couldn’t take her eyes off him.
Then, it hit her—her behavior was identical to that of lower blood relatives when they gazed upon higher ones.
“No way… that can’t be, right?”
Of course not. That man was of the Hyukcheon Clan—he likely had Black Dragon Bloodline, so Bloodline of the Vassal shouldn’t affect him.
“Time to focus.”
She subtly activated her power, intending to drive all nearby Mud Trolls away from Kwon Hanul.
But then, Kwon Hanul suddenly looked in her direction.
“…Huh?”
Caught off guard, she froze as his eyes turned crimson.
“…Wha—?”
Before she could grasp the situation, her mind went blank.
* * *
<You have successfully dominated a lower-ranked vassal member.>
<Bloodline of the Vassal Synchronization Rate: 8% → 12%>
<Dominion power of Bloodline of the Vassal has increased.>
After dominating the Mud Trolls, his assimilation rate quickly passed 10%.
“Unlike Black Dragon Bloodline, I don’t gain new powers even after reaching 10%.”
Each bloodline awakened powers at different thresholds, so he wasn’t discouraged.
“Anyway… who are you, and why were you spying on me?”
Kwon Hanul’s gaze fell downward, where a girl sat dazed on the ground, staring at him.
“You’re from House Blaga, aren’t you?”
“Y-Yes! I’m Nadia Blaga!”
She blurted it out hastily.
“I’m a Pureblood of House Blaga! I’m 20 years old this year, and—”
Nadia began rattling off information Kwon Hanul hadn’t even asked for, as if compelled to answer everything.
“Quiet.”
At his command, she instantly fell silent, eyes scanning his face for any sign of displeasure.
“Did Catalina Blaga send you?”
Nadia nodded enthusiastically.
“Speak.”
“Yes! Lady Catalina Blaga sent me!”
“What was her goal? Did she order you to abduct me?”
“H-how could someone like me dare… I’ve never had such disrespectful thoughts, not once!”
“Only answer what I ask.”
“No! I was never given such an order!”
Under his control via the Bloodline of the Vassal, lying was impossible.
“Then why are you here?”
“I was told to ensure you defeat Ruyn Aspadam!”
“Why? Because of the White Soil?”
“No! Lady Catalina was worried you might doubt her capabilities because of Ruyn Aspadam, so she made this decision!”
Kwon Hanul furrowed his brow slightly.
The world was full of unknowns, but this seemed to have hidden motives. Why deploy a Pureblood for something so minor?
“Poor Ruyn Aspadam. No trust from his master, now utterly cast aside…”
Suddenly, a thought struck him.
“What happened to Catalina Blaga’s other vassals?”
At his question, Nadia looked puzzled, but answered.
“I heard you either joined Catalina Blaga’s secret knight order, Knights of Shadow, or you became a sacrifice.”
“A sacrifice?”
“Oh, not literally. It’s more like... slang. It means being used to test other blood-bound.”
Before Nadia Blaga could finish, thunder rumbled across the sky.
Kwon Hanul looked up sharply. The sky was a clear, radiant blue without a single cloud.
A bolt from the blue.
Only one person could cause such a phenomenon.
“Ruyn Aspadam?”
No sooner had the name left his lips than a lightning bolt struck from above. With an ear-splitting roar, the surrounding trees were reduced to ashes.
From within the flames, Ruyn Aspadam emerged, walking calmly.
It was after they had taken down their second Mud Troll.
* * *
“This mission is tougher than I expected...”
Del Blaga wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
He had underestimated the monster just because it was Gold-ranked. In reality, it was anything but easy.
Normally, these beasts were sluggish, but because they were in hibernation, even using blood-bound enchantments to lure them out proved difficult.
“Let’s take a short break.”
“No,” Ruyn Aspadam replied firmly. “At this pace, we’ll never surpass the number of Mud Trolls that Kwon Hanul has taken down. We need to move faster.”
Del Blaga’s face twisted in irritation. His tone was filled with disdain.
“A mere blood-bound dares to talk back to me?”
“Del Blaga. Watch your mouth.”
Ruyn Aspadam didn’t back down, glaring right back.
“I’m not just any blood-bound. I serve Lady Catalina Blaga. Don’t think some hot-blooded clan member can stand above me.”
“You’re unbelievable. Don’t tell me you’re acting all high and mighty just because you’re hiding behind Lady Catalina’s name.”
Even after hearing Catalina Blaga’s name, Del Blaga only sneered. Ruyn Aspadam flared in rage.
“Are you insulting Lady Catalina Blaga—?”
“You really think she won’t discard you soon? Wake up.”
Every muscle in Ruyn Aspadam’s body tensed. What did he just say?
“Discard me? What bullshit is that—”
“You know this already. There are many blood-bound, but Lady Catalina only ever favors one. And that favor doesn’t last forever. So what happens when you lose it?”
“That’s obvious! You’re either assigned to Knights of Shadows to serve her forever, or—”
Suddenly, it hit him like a blow to the head.
He remembered the moment when he was seduced by Catalina Blaga. Another blood-bound had defied her, and Ruyn Aspadam killed that one, earning Catalina’s approval...
“You’re going to be used as a test—to see if Kwon Hanul is worthy of her favor. And you dare to use her name to insult me?”
Ruyn Aspadam’s face went blank. He muttered under his breath.
“...Lies.”
“What?”
“That’s a lie. There’s no way Lady Catalina would abandon me.”
Del Blaga wore a bored expression. He’d seen countless discarded blood-bound lose their minds like this.
“I don’t have time for this tantrum. If you’re just going to whine, then—”
“No. I understand now.”
Del Blaga flinched. Ruyn Aspadam’s voice had turned chilling.
“I know what Lady Catalina wants from me.”
Then he began to laugh, shoulders shaking.
“This is a test. A test from Lady Catalina Blaga—to protect the favor that Kwon Hanul is trying to steal.”
Ruyn Aspadam straightened up. His face radiated murderous intent.
“I just have to kill Kwon Hanul. Then everything will go back to the way it was.”
“Tch.” Del Blaga clicked his tongue. “He’s completely lost it. Useless now.”
Del Blaga activated the power of the blood-bound and gave an order.
“Ruyn Aspadam. Restrain yourself.”
Blood-bound were bound by absolute obedience to the Blaga family’s bloodline.
A commandment every Blaga clan member knew.
But—
“Move aside.”
The command had no effect on Ruyn Aspadam.
Del Blaga blinked rapidly. What was happening?
His eyes turned pink as he pushed the blood-bound power to its limit.
“Ruyn Aspadam. Restrain yourse—”
Lightning grazed Del Blaga. In an instant, his head vanished.
* * *
“Kwon Hanul... Where is Kwon Hanul?”
Ruyn Aspadam looked around wildly, extending his senses to find him.
Then he smiled.
“Found you.”
Blue lightning coiled around him.
The lightning shot skyward, then fell toward Kwon Hanul’s location.
A storm of electricity leveled the surrounding area.
“Kwon Hanul!”
Ruyn Aspadam tore through the debris, advancing toward him.
“I’ve come to reclaim Lady Catalina’s favor!”
“Ruyn Aspadam! What do you think you’re doing?!” Nadia Blaga shouted furiously. “You disobeyed Lady Catalina’s orders and acted on your own! What happened to Uncle Del?!”
Ruyn Aspadam threw something to the ground—the head that had once been Del Blaga rolled across the dirt.
Nadia Blaga shrieked, “You dare... Uncle Del!”
Her eyes turned blood-red.
The pure blood-bound power awakened.
“Rip out your eyes. Now!”
But nothing happened. Panicked, she screamed again, “Didn’t you hear me?! I said, rip out—”
Ruyn Aspadam vanished and closed the distance in an instant, his fist swinging.
“Ah—?”
Nadia Blaga saw her life flash before her eyes.
The moment she accepted death, Kwon Hanul stomped the ground.
Black Dragon Ascension Art – Basic Form
Smashing Style – Original Flow
The ground between Nadia Blaga and Ruyn Aspadam split. A wall of dragon energy surged upward.
Ruyn Aspadam stopped his punch and backed off, clicking his tongue in frustration.
“Th-thank you...”
“No thanks. Just get out of here, now.”
Nadia Blaga’s face flushed.
“Y-you’re saving me?”
“Stop babbling. Just go.”
He wasn’t sure if he should let someone of pure blood die, so he drove her off.
“Oh, and don’t speak of what happened here. Ever.”
Nadia Blaga nodded and ran for the gate.
Ruyn Aspadam stood still until she was gone. Kwon Hanul looked surprised.
“You’re not chasing her?”
“I don’t take my eyes off prey. Once I kill you, everything goes back to normal.”
‘You touched a clan member and think that’s acceptable?’
...He almost said, but the madness in Ruyn Aspadam’s eyes made him stop.
“You came here to kill me?”
“Yes. Kill you and reclaim Lady Catalina’s favor.”
“I never had it, and I don’t want it.”
“Stop playing games.”
Ruyn Aspadam stepped forward, bloodlust and mana swirling.
A formidable enemy. Even if he gave it his all, Kwon Hanul wasn’t sure he could win.
“I guess I can’t hold back.”
Kwon Hanul opened a pocket dimension, retrieved Aryontae, and equipped it.
The armor wrapped around his body.
“Futile.”
Ruyn Aspadam scoffed. Then Kwon Hanul raised a hand.
“Wait. One thing I want to check.”
“Begging for your life? You were once the object of Lady Catalina’s attention. Die with dignity.”
Kwon Hanul pointed at the ground.
“Head down.”
“Cut the cra—”
Thunk
A short, solid sound. Ruyn Aspadam’s knees hit the ground.
“...?”
No time for questions. His forehead struck dirt.
As the earthy scent filled his nose, Ruyn Aspadam realized.
He was bowing.
“I just tried it on a hunch,” Kwon Hanul mused, looking down at him. “It worked?”
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[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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