Chapter 142 - 115: An Irreconcilable Grudge for a Dead Husband (Part 2)

Chapter 142: Chapter 115: An Irreconcilable Grudge for a Dead Husband (Part 2)

The answer was no.

Lian smiled and reached out, patting Lorne Jackson on the shoulder. The fallen noble was a truly handsome youth, rivaling even Lian’s own looks from back in the day. ’But with my extra Charm bonus, I’m obviously a cut above now,’ Lian thought.

"Welcome back, Lorne Jackson. From now on, we’re family."

Lorne Jackson paid no mind to the blood staining Lian’s hands, his gaze falling instead on the head Lian was holding.

"I also have Uncle Chris to thank. It was his sacrifice that saved me."

Hearing Lorne Jackson say this, Lian began to laugh.

Then, everyone from Green Shade Territory began to laugh along with him.

The other nobles, feeling it would be odd not to, began to laugh as well.

The atmosphere became surprisingly lively, with everyone seemingly swept up in the joy of the moment.

Lian placed Khrish’s head back on his neck.

Catherine said to Mina,

"Have someone give Uncle Chris a proper burial. He was a benefactor of the Jackson Family."

"The great Uncle Chris."

Dora added playfully.

Servants quickly carried the body away and cleaned up the bloodstains in the hall.

Only after Mary’s departure did the banquet seem to truly get into full swing.

The nobles and Knights began to revel.

Lian even saw many unfamiliar young noblewomen. Like fluttering butterflies, they quickly captured the attention of Green Shade Territory’s officers.

Even the ever-serious young Alex Pool found himself in the arms of a beauty.

This made Lian wonder, ’Am I a bad influence on my team?’

’Alex Pool didn’t used to be like this.’

Lian and his new brother-in-law, Lorne Jackson, drank and chatted cheerfully until Lian finally drank him under the table.

It was clear that Lorne Jackson was truly overjoyed.

Throughout it all, Mina didn’t dare ask about her sister, Grace, until she volunteered to help Lorne Jackson back to his room.

After helping Lorne Jackson onto the bed, Mina finally asked cautiously,

"Young Master Lorne, is Grace doing well over there?"

"Grace... oh, my Grace."

The drunken Lorne Jackson reached out and grabbed Mina, clearly mistaking her for someone else.

"I’ll never abandon you, Grace. We’ll be together forever."

Mina, who had an aversion to men, shuddered, pushed Lorne Jackson away, and fled the room.

Just as she reached the door, Mina saw Catherine, Lian, Dora, and a Priest.

Her cheeks flushed as she looked at Catherine in shame.

"Miss Catherine, Young Master Lorne is asleep now."

"Mm."

Catherine responded with a hum, and Mina moved to stand behind her.

Catherine turned back, looking at Lian with concern.

Lian gave a firm nod.

Catherine gently pushed open Lorne Jackson’s door.

The group entered the room.

Lorne Jackson was fast asleep, his breathing deep and even.

The Priest approached his bedside and began to examine him.

"I hope this is all just in our heads."

Catherine nervously tightened her grip on Lian’s hand.

Lian put an arm around her shoulders, letting her rest her head against his broad chest.

The sight of the loving couple made Dora and Mina, who were standing nearby, a little envious.

Dora and Mina exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away.

Mina seemed to sense something, but she couldn’t speak of it.

Dora seemed to sense something, but it wasn’t her place to say anything.

They shared a moment of mutual understanding. Perhaps they could become friends.

Lian didn’t think he was imagining things. ’If Mary didn’t use the Ripper to take Lorne Jackson’s heart, it means she wanted him dead all along.’

The questions of how, in what manner, and where he would die were things Lian had to consider.

’If I were Mary,’ Lian mused, ’I would arrange for Lorne Jackson to die in Blue Moon Castle. Then, I could accuse Catherine of murdering her brother and launch an attack on her in the name of avenging my husband.’

’That must be the real reason Mary left Lorne Jackson here.’

’Perhaps Mary planned this from the start. Her purpose in sending Lorne Jackson to Blue Moon Castle was always to leave him here. The incident with Khrish was just an interlude, one that didn’t affect her plan at all.’

’First, she tried to force Catherine to choose between her position as Lord of Blue Moon Territory and Lorne’s life. But being as cold-blooded as she was, Mary herself probably didn’t believe Catherine would give up her title for Lorne.’

’If Catherine was unwilling to give up her title, a rift would naturally form between her and her brother, Lorne. This rift would then pave the way for Lorne’s subsequent death.’

’So, even if Khrish hadn’t tried to assassinate her, Mary would have found another excuse to leave Lorne behind.’

’That was her second move.’

’As for the third move, that’s having Lorne die in Blue Moon Castle.’

’Vengeance for a murdered husband is a feud that cannot be reconciled.’

’Grace is just a smokescreen. She seems to be a leash on Lorne, but in reality, she’s meant to misdirect everyone’s attention.’

To confirm his suspicions, Lian needed to find a professional Doctor to examine Lorne.

With Lorne dead drunk, it was the perfect opportunity for an examination.

The Priests of the Church Court were not just Clergy, but also professional Doctors.

He was far more competent than Lian, who was just a half-baked miracle healer relying on clearing "red entries."

The Priest quickly diagnosed Lorne’s condition.

"It’s Demon’s Kiss."

"What’s that?"

Mina asked in surprise.

"It’s a poison. A single drop is fatal."

Dora answered her question, speaking before the Priest could,

"It’s a very special poison—colorless and odorless. A single drop mixed into a drink will cause the host to die half a month later."

The Priest nodded.

"Yes. There are no effects on the day the poison is ingested. The toxins gather in the body, multiplying and spreading until they reach a critical mass, at which point they erupt. For a normal person, this takes about half a month. Someone with a weaker constitution wouldn’t even last that long. I’ve just checked his condition. He has seven days at most."

"Seven days?"

Catherine collapsed into Lian’s arms. She couldn’t believe that just after being reunited with her brother, she would have to endure the pain of losing him all over again.

And this pain would last until the war broke out.

Lian’s suspicions were confirmed. ’No wonder I couldn’t see anything wrong with Lorne,’ he thought.

’A poisoned person doesn’t get a "red entry." Red entries are for catastrophic afflictions caused by supernatural Power; poisoning doesn’t count.’

It was like how Lian couldn’t tell if someone had hemorrhoids unless he pulled down their pants and took a look.

"It seems Mary’s plan was to leave Lorne here to die in Blue Moon Castle, using his death to start a war."

"Priest, is there an antidote?"

Catherine asked.

The Priest shook his head. "Demon’s Kiss has no antidote. Even if we were to replace all of his blood right now, it would not save him."

"That vicious woman, Mary... She’s despicable."

Mina clenched her fists, but there was nothing she could do but rage helplessly.

Now she was even more worried about her sister, Grace.

"Can’t even the Healing Technique save him?"

"That is correct. This is a very special type of poison. The Healing Technique can mend the most grievous of wounds, but it cannot cure someone who has been poisoned."

the Priest said regretfully.

Lian touched the ring on his finger, asking the Golden Goddess, Solaya, for her opinion.

’I can turn him into a Tree Monster. He’ll live for at least another twenty years that way.’

’A Tree Monster?’

’That doesn’t seem like a great option.’

Lian thought of the once ugly and ferocious Tree Monsters, now the equally ugly but docile Golden Trees. He suspected Lorne Jackson would rather die than become one of those creatures.

Just as everyone was looking grim, Dora suddenly spoke up.

"Actually... it’s not entirely hopeless."

"Can you save Lorne?"

Catherine looked excitedly at her best friend, the Witch.

Dora swallowed. "I can use a virus to kill all the toxins in his body... but he might become something... other than human."

"What kind of ’something’?"

Catherine and Mina both stared at Dora nervously.

Dora continued, "Something like a zombie, probably. See, when the virus kills the toxins in his body, it will kill other living cells as well. His heart might even stop beating. But I can guarantee that his brain will remain active. He’d be a zombie you can communicate with."