TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 17
“Please just get to the point.”
Kraush looked directly at Aria with the same expression.
“Did you suddenly want to hold onto a card you thought was discarded because it came back with various news?”
Aria stopped pouring tea from the glass teapot.
Then she looked at Kraush with a puzzled expression.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Mother, do you want to keep up that attitude even in front of your son?”
Her child, whom she had given birth to, was sent to the Green Pine Mansion and treated like a half-penny.
A typical mother would not accept that fact and would continue to visit the Green Pine Mansion.
However, Aria had not shown her face even once during the time Kraush spent at the Green Pine Mansion.
And that would continue until Kraush enrolled at Rahelrn Academy.
“Hmm.”
Seeing Kraush like that, Aria gently leaned against the table.
Then she tilted her head while cupping her cheek.
“My son has changed quite a bit since I last saw him. He’s almost unrecognizable to his mother.”
“Isn’t it natural for children to grow up quickly?”
“I know from Charlotte. Even when children grow up, they are still children to their mothers.”
Aria chuckled softly.
“But my son is quite different. It feels like I’m talking to someone almost my own age.”
“Is that something you should say to your son?”
“I wouldn’t say it to an ordinary thirteen-year-old.”
Ordinary.
Hearing that word, Kraush let out a wry smile.
“Would an ordinary son be satisfactory to you, Mother?”
The mistress of Balheim.
That position cannot be occupied by beauty alone.
Balheim, with the world’s greatest martial prowess, and the wife of Balrok Balheim, who is called the strongest head of the family in history, having reached the realm of the Celestial Four Strongest beyond the Ten Strongest Under the Heavens.
In some ways, it’s a position even harder to attain than that of a queen.
Therefore, Aria had gone through numerous political battles and emerged victorious in the political arena.
She became the mistress of Balheim at the age of twenty.
And fifteen years have passed since then.
She has steadfastly maintained her position as the mistress of Balheim, where all sorts of events occur.
But there, a problem arose.
The journey to reach that position was too harsh.
As a result, she lost many of her ordinary emotions.
The first thing she lost was her maternal love.
To her, children were merely people who existed to help her maintain her position.
She played the role of a mother, but if she judged that it did not help her maintain her position, she easily let it go.
She had Charlotte, a daughter who would protect her position for life.
So she was infinitely kind to Charlotte.
On the other hand, to Kraush, she only played the role of a mother without any maternal affection.
Her reason for calling Kraush today matched his words.
Because the recent rumors about Kraush were very different from his usual behavior.
So she called him to see if he had regained value as her child.
And in her mind, a bingo was ringing.
“Son, I like you no matter how you change.”
As she said that, she slowly took a sip from the teacup she had poured.
“The fact that you are my son will never change, no matter what happens.”
Blood is much thicker than the black tea she had just sipped.
It’s so thick that it could even be called a curse.
Knowing that fact, Aria smiled with her eyes.
“My son takes after me and is a stubborn person. I thought a day like this might come.”
And that was an undeniable fact.
Kraush’s stubbornness resembled Aria’s, and he had felt that keenly long ago.
“So if you’ve decided to become strong, aim to be the strongest. In Balheim, that’s the only way to survive.”
Even if it was the mother he had resented so much, the fact that they were blood-related did not change.
“And the real reason I called you today is something else.”
Aria said that and lifted a letter that was on the table.
The letter bore the clear emblem of Balheim.
“It was sent by the Patriarch.”
And that made even Kraush tense up.
“…What’s the content?”
“He said he will soon return from the Forbidden Zone.”
The Forbidden Zone, a place that has become an irreparable land due to the spread of World Erosion.
It was a place that was such a headache for each country that it couldn’t even be ranked.
Balrok Balheim was in one of those Forbidden Zones.
Alone, at that.
“And he wants to meet you once.”
For a moment, the emotion of ‘why’ flickered in Kraush’s eyes.
All he had done was something that barely surpassed the level of children’s play.
It wasn’t something that would reach Balak’s ears.
‘Perhaps.’
Did his father see something?
Balrok Balheim is someone who has entered the realm of a demigod.
He might be able to see something close to a prophecy through the stars in the sky, and in that process, he might have seen something in himself.
“Stay at the Main House until he returns.”
Upon hearing the order to stay until his father returned, Kraush looked up.
Aria had the expression of someone giving a natural command.
“Was that written in the letter?”
Kraush asked her directly.
“Huh? Well, it’s not written, but.”
“Then I will return to the Green Pine Mansion.”
When Kraush declared he would return immediately, Aria showed a surprised reaction for the first time.
“Oh, son?”
“Isn’t the Green Pine Mansion where I was originally assigned? Both you and the Patriarch agreed to it.”
Saying that, Kraush smiled, a smile very similar to Aria’s.
“I will come when the Patriarch calls. Or.”
And Aria realized today that Kraush was more stubborn than she was.
“The Patriarch can come himself.”
Kraush, who casually said something that no one would dare to say, opened the door.
“Then I will testify about the unusual symptoms of the World Erosion and return.”
Aria, shocked by his previous statement, couldn’t stop Kraush as he walked out of the room.
Leaving Aria behind, Kraush, who had stepped out of the room, sighed.
This is why he didn’t want to meet his mother.
Her existence was uncomfortable for Kraush too.
“I hope I can finish my work soon.”
It was amusing to feel like he wanted to return to the Green Pine Mansion, which he had found so tedious.
Perhaps that’s why the face of the expressionless chick came to mind unintentionally.
‘He must be reading a book again.’
It was while he was thinking such thoughts.
Kraush encountered someone walking towards him at that moment.
It was the maid who had been in charge of Kraush’s room, and she immediately bowed her head upon meeting Kraush.
“Mr. Kraush, the World Erosion Investigation Team Sephira has requested your assistance.”
“The timing is perfect.”
I should go and give a lively testimony.
* * *
World Erosion Investigation Team Sephira.
They are experts in World Erosion and an organization composed of talented individuals sent from various parts of the world.
These are the groups supported by the joint efforts of the four kingdoms, various small countries, and even the empire.
‘That’s why Sephira holds the highest authority when it comes to investigating World Erosion.’
Therefore, even Balheim had to comply unconditionally with Sephira’s investigation.
If they didn’t want to make enemies of all nations, that is.
“You’ve arrived.”
As Kraush opened the door and entered, a stern-looking woman was standing there.
She was wearing the Sephira uniform with a puffed-up front and holding an envelope.
The number engraved on her chest was Grade 4.
Considering that Sephira’s ranks go from Grade 9 to Grade 1, a person of quite a high rank had come.
Well, given the nature of the matter, it was only natural.
“You are Kraush Balheim, correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
As the other side took a businesslike attitude, Kraush responded in kind and sat in the chair.
Sephira will be a necessary group in the future.
Their knowledge related to World Erosion is unrivaled.
So, he had no intention of getting on their bad side.
At least, not until that guy who would ruin all of Sephira appeared.
‘It should be fine for now.’
That guy’s active period is a bit later, after all.
So, Kraush decided to focus on the woman in front of him.
At that moment, Kraush saw a small black mole on her neck between her hair.
Kraush, who had been staring blankly at the black star, suddenly felt like laughing.
“?”
When Kraush suddenly started laughing, the Sephira investigator turned her head.
She looked at Kraush suspiciously, and Kraush leaned back in his chair leisurely.
So, this is where the Immortal’s Servant was.
To think it was this close.
“Immortal.”
And the moment Kraush mentioned that name, the woman’s body stiffened.
“I’d like to make a deal with you.”
The small black mole on the woman’s neck.
It was none other than proof of being the Immortal’s Servant.
Originally, it wouldn’t be visible, but Kraush had absorbed World Erosion into his body.
As a result, he began to see who the Immortal’s Servant was.
“You’re bold. To think you planted a servant in Sephira.”
“Mr. Kraush, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
The investigator glared at Kraush menacingly.
But her menacing gaze did nothing to intimidate Kraush.
“Let’s not play dumb. I’m the only one who can erase your immortality.”
And as soon as those words followed, the investigator’s expression began to change slowly.
Then, her face began to change completely.
Her hair, which had been jet black, turned into a fiery red, and her pupils also blazed a bright red.
It was a pupil that reminded one of a reptile.
As several more black moles appeared on her neck, a deep breath escaped from her mouth.
“Hmph.”
Just that was enough for Kraush to feel a different kind of pressure emanating from her entire being.
Cold sweat beaded on Kraush’s back.
Even though Kraush wasn’t intimidated by the pressure, his body reacted reflexively.
Although it was just the spirit of the Immortal temporarily transferred, not the Immortal itself.
She exuded such an overwhelming aura.
“Child.”
And the words that came out of her mouth made even the composed Kraush stiffen for a moment.
“Are you a Regressor?”
Regressor.
Upon hearing that word, Kraush’s thoughts came to a halt.
A Regressor certainly included Kraush as well.
But the true Regressor was someone else.
Arthur Gramalte.
He was the true Regressor.
‘Does this guy know about Arthur?’
No, that couldn’t be.
If she did, she wouldn’t have asked if he was a Regressor.
It was more likely a probing question, knowing of the existence of a Regressor in some way.
At the same time, Kraush realized why Arthur had sought out the Immortal to kill in the past.
‘Because the Immortal knows about the existence of a Regressor.’
How she knew was a mystery, but it must have been a secret that should never have been revealed to Arthur.
Because of the regression.
“I don’t know if I’m a Regressor or what, but do you think I’d admit it if I were?”
“For a human child to boldly propose a deal to me, it can only be a Regressor.”
Saying so, the Immortal began to chuckle as if she had figured everything out.
“What I was looking for was something else. I came to see who was erasing the World Erosion I had cultivated, but I ended up catching something unexpected.”
Madness in raising the grade of World Erosion.
It seemed that her reason for doing such a thing had nothing to do with the Regressor.
Whatever she was looking for, the Immortal wore a very arrogant expression.
“A Regressor erasing my immortality? How ridiculous. Are you trying to show off to me, who has transcended time, with your petty boasts trapped in the cycle of time?”
And it seemed the Immortal completely misunderstood him as the Regressor.
‘But I’m only a half-hearted Regressor.’
He was not the true Regressor.
The true Regressor was none other than Arthur.
Arthur, who had gone through the same rounds as Kraush, no longer existed in this world.
However, Arthur existed in this world.
‘The fact that my stolen regression disappeared is proof of that.’
Kraush’s regression had disappeared.
‘Skills are unique abilities that only one person in the world can possess.’
Ignis was contained in Kraush’s Black Hood, but not regression.
Because Arthur in this world possessed regression, Kraush’s regression was erased.
So, the true Regressor was still Arthur.
‘I still don’t know which round of Arthur he is.’
But it was certain that he didn’t know Kraush had regressed.
“Was the world you’ve seen enjoyable? Did experiencing regression make you feel like the world was yours? How laughable. All that’s left for you is emptiness.”
Looking at the Immortal who was mocking him with laughter, Kraush remained silent for a while.
And after a while, Kraush raised his hand.
It was at that moment.
A pen that had been on top of her envelope was now in Kraush’s hand.
The Immortal paused upon seeing it.
Because he knew well that what Kraush had just done was neither Aura nor Magic.
“It’s a Skill.”
And Kraush openly declared that it was a Skill.
Kraush lightly twirled the pen and looked at her, who was frozen.
“And it’s a Skill that can steal even your Immortality.”
At the moment he revealed that fact, the Immortal’s both eyes shook violently for the first time.
“Shall we have a conversation now? Crimson Garden.”
An Immortal who wants to erase Immortality.
“With the only person who can erase your Immortality.”
That was the World Erosion Being standing before him.
Crimson Garden August.