Meanwhile, Butler Winston, Jaro, Ren, Tomas and Pip were still thinking of the horrifying punishments they would face from the Lycannis Family once they caused trouble under the name of their young master. Their imaginations were spiraling in dark and miserable directions when Lazry's voice cut through their thoughts.
"What are you all thinking?"
They all jerked upright like they had been struck. Their eyes blinked rapidly, their faces stiff and pale.
Lazry tilted his head. "Why are you all acting like ghosts grabbed your ankles?"
None of them answered. They only exchanged looks with each other, silently screaming for someone else to speak.
Lazry sighed and turned to Butler Winston. "Winston, prepare my clothes. I want to attend too."
Their souls nearly left their bodies.
All five of them blurted out at once. "Y-young master!"
Lazry raised a brow. "What?"
Ren tried first, his voice cracking. "Young master, are you sure you want to… attend?"
Jaro swallowed hard. "Yes. Yes. Attend. You mean the celebration? The real celebration? The one with a lot of people who witnessed… you know… certain events?"
Tomas stepped forward, bowing his head. "Forgive us for asking, young master, but you… you won't… you won't do anything, right?"
Pip, who was shaking like a leaf, whispered, "Please say no… please say no…"
Lazry stared at them. "I already said I won't do anything."
They stiffened. They bowed. They nodded. But their eyes were full of terror. They did not trust his definition of "won't do anything." They had already seen him vaporize a man earlier. That counted as "nothing" to him.
Winston tried again, his voice respectful and trembling. "Young master, forgive this servant for asking. You truly… truly will not cause trouble? You will behave? You will sit quietly? You will not talk to anyone? You will not threaten anyone? You will not curse anyone? You will not stare at anyone until they faint? You will not call anyone stupid? You will not destroy the celebration hall? You will not vaporize anyone's son?"
Lazry blinked. "Why do you think I would do something?"
All five bowed so fast their foreheads almost hit the floor.
Lazry's lips curved in a small smile. "You all will do it."
Their hearts stopped.
They swallowed their saliva in unison.
"R-right…" Jaro said, his voice shaking. "We… we will… do… do it…"
"Do what?" Ren whispered.
"I don't know," Jaro whispered back.
Suddenly, Lazry waved his hand. "Let out the curse demon beasts."
They froze.
"Y-young master… you mean… the ones we're carrying… not our own pets?" Tomas asked, voice shaking.
"Yes," Lazry said.
Winston closed his eyes. "This is going to be bad."
Still, they obeyed.
Jaro stepped forward first. His hands shook uncontrollably as he opened the small sealed iron container he had been carrying all day. A ripple of foul energy poured out the moment the seal broke.
A monstrous bone demon curse beast crawled out of the container, its body made of jagged ivory bones that twisted like living metal. Its eye sockets glowed with a sickly blue flame. Its jaw clicked. Its limbs contorted into impossible angles.
Jaro shrieked and fell backward using his butt. His personal curse beast—a small slime—instantly leaped onto his chest and hid there, whimpering.
"W-why didn't Butler Winston tell us we were carrying this thing!" Jaro cried.
Ren's mole spirit clung to his shoulder like it was about to faint. Even Tomas's old dog spirit growled in fear, its fur standing. Pip nearly bolted out of the room, clutching his squirrel-sized wisp like it was his only lifeline.
"That's a bone demon," Tomas whispered. "Even if it's the lowest rank, we can't just fight it. This thing… this thing eats curses."
Before any of them could react, the bone demon lunged toward Jaro, claws extended.
A small flash of light shot out of nowhere.
The bone demon's head exploded cleanly.
The body collapsed like a puppet cut from its strings.
Everyone froze.
Jaro slowly turned his head toward Lazry. "Y-y-young master…"
Lazry tilted his head. "Why are you all terrified?"
No one dared answer.
"Next," Lazry said lightly. "Let out the other ones you're carrying."
Their souls deflated.
They obeyed. One by one, they released the creatures hidden in their containers. Strange demonic beasts. Twisted spirit beasts. Abnormal bone creatures. They crawled or slithered or leaped out, each one radiating malice.
Lazry's six-eyed demon dog beast emerged from his shadow with a quiet growl. Its six glowing eyes narrowed, two focusing on each target.
The room shook.
With quick, precise bursts of curse power, the demon dog blasted each beast in the head. One by one, every cursed creature fell lifelessly. The demon dog calmly dragged their bodies, eating them without hurry, like a quiet dog having its afternoon snacks.
Jaro, Ren, Tomas and Pip stared with trembling admiration and horror.
"He treats that thing like a pet…" Ren whispered.
"And it obeys him like a puppy…" Pip whispered back.
Tomas nodded slowly. "Young master Lazry… is terrifying."
For the first time, they looked at Lazry with genuine admiration. Not just fear. Admiration.
Winston finally returned with the celebration clothing and held them out. "Young master, your attire."
Lazry took it. "Alright. Let's go."
…
Soon, they arrived at the Lycannis Family estate. The moment Lazry stepped inside, countless heads turned. Everyone recognized him. After all, he was the only son of Eldra Lycannis, the strongest woman in the family and the strongest curse beast conjurer in the entire world.
Whispers traveled through the hall.
"Young master Lazry is here."
"The lonely one."
"The talentless one."
"The disappointment."
"But still the heir."
Even so, everyone greeted him respectfully. They bowed. They smiled politely. Then they quickly looked elsewhere. To them, he was harmless. Useless. Harmless again. Not worth their time.
Lazry didn't mind.
He walked calmly, hands behind his back, his small group trailing behind him with nervous steps. He scanned the hall without much interest.
Then his eyes landed on someone.
Elder Grude Lycannis.
The old man walked like a heavy storm. Cold eyes. A face carved by battle. His presence pushed away the surrounding air. His followers walked behind him with rigid postures.
Lazry froze.
His stomach dropped.
He had vaporized Elder Grude's grandson Gruig earlier that day.
Lazry swallowed. "This is bad…"
His group instantly panicked.
"Young master, bow!" Winston hissed.
"Bow!"
"Bow right now!"
Lazry slowly lowered his head.
Elder Grude walked past him.
He did not stop.
He did not look.
He simply snorted and walked by with his followers.
Lazry blinked. "H-huh…?"
Tomas whispered. "Young master… he didn't kill you."
Pip whispered. "Why not…? He should have… He really should have…"
Ren slowly shook his head. "Maybe… maybe he didn't care about Gruig."
Jaro gulped. "Or maybe he has bigger problems."
Lazry's breath steadied. His fear faded… and something sharp replaced it.
He slowly lifted his gaze.
And then he saw someone.
A person who should not exist.
A person whose presence made his heart clench like a fist had grabbed it.
A person who explained everything.
A person Elder Grude feared more than the death of his own grandson.
Lazry's eyes widened.
His breath stopped.
"So that's why he ignored me…" he whispered.
Because standing across the hall… was someone unbelievable.