The Hunted Regressor: My Heretic Saint System-Chapter 112: You Dare?

It wasn’t long before they reached their destination. One that, for whatever reason, had Felix stiffen up... But thankfully, their journey wasn’t much more eventful than that.

Before them was the manor, a somewhat gothic structure expected of Death.

As the gates creaked open, the atmosphere shifted, turning much colder.

Waiting in the courtyard were the siblings, Rollo and Tala, welcoming them.

Rollo looked like a taller, somehow more arrogant version of Lykos.

He was draped in furs that probably cost more than entire houses.

Tala stiffly stood beside him, her blue eyes bright, her fur-like hair long.

These two were much less wolf-like than Lykos, but that wasn’t the only difference, as they were Tamers, those with Irregular Runes.

In the Academy, students were taught only about the Elemental Runes, not the Irregular ones. Those were mostly exclusive to Great Houses and could rarely be found in the wild.

Though those Runes were far from many, it wasn’t much of an issue to those who needed them. It was mainly because Great Houses held a monopoly over them. So rather than a struggle, it was a source of pride for this Death Vassal House.

More than sixteen years ago, Lykos was born with his bloodline matching that of their Blessed the most. That, in turn, made him less of a Tamer and more of a wolf himself.

So, as his House expected, he was bestowed an Ice Root Rune on the day of his Ascension, not an Irregular Root Rune like the rest of his family.

His story was much like Ignotus’s, though very delicate and behind the scenes. After all, no one would publicly dare bully a House Death, and besides, Ice wasn’t far from a bad Element.

Still, that didn’t matter to those two before the group, as they weren’t a part of that ’no one.’

"Dear half-brother..."

Rollo started, his fake concern obvious.

"We’ve seen the Trial, and we’ve heard rumors of a demonic struggle near a town on the way to the Academy. I’m so thrilled at your survival, no doubt thanks to these sellswords and mercenaries with you."

He meant none of that.

"But it’s unfortunate that you’ve brought... such a colorful crowd to our doorstep. It’s a tad awkward, don’t you think?"

"A tragedy morelike."

Tala added, all monotone.

"Yet we must thank them all the same."

Lykos was about to speak, perhaps play along with their subtle noble game, but unfortunately for them, Ignotus was there, and he didn’t care for such things.

"How do you feel sending assassins after your ’half-brother’?"

His words made his own people and the two Tamers jump... a few certainly more than others.

"To be entirely honest with you two, I’ve never done such a thing, so I’m pretty interested. How does it feel?"

Rollo looked like he was a moment away from lashing out, but Tala raised a hand, stopping him.

"We don’t feel anything because we haven’t done such a thing. And, in the imaginary case that we did, we won’t lose much sleep over it."

The wolf-girl didn’t bother with their previous act any longer.

"One must consider the weight of the pack, you see. A branch that hinders the tree must be pruned so the roots remain strong. If my dear brother was so weak that he needed to be pruned, then it was only natural, no?"

She talked so eloquently that one might mistake her words for truth and expected consequence.

"You might think it cruel, but no, it isn’t about that. It’s about survival, a noble necessity... an Unblessed like you wouldn’t understand."

Lykos’s fur bristled, his hands trembling.

The siblings were actually justifying their assassination attempt as some sort of "noble necessity," right in front of him, as if he wasn’t even worth the effort of hiding it!

"Survival?"

Lykos gritted his teeth.

"You sent killers!"

"The Gods have only sent a solution for what could’ve been a problem."

Rollo corrected with a long sigh, having calmed himself down.

"Who knows? Perhaps they deemed that the future of our people shouldn’t be threatened by a pup whose existence and blood threaten the status quo. Your life is a small price for the stability of—"

"Okay, shut up. My ears are actually starting to itch."

Ignotus interrupted, stepping forward, making the sibling pause a second time.

They hadn’t really acknowledged Ignotus yet, likely dismissing him as some high-ranked servant or a sellsword without even looking at his face.

Ignotus didn’t care. He walked right into the center of their noble circle and stared Rollo down with an obviously annoyed expression.

"You two talk a lot for people who are no more than house pets... at least my family doesn’t call themselves House Death as you do."

Rollo’s eyes narrowed.

"Who is this? Lykos, your taste in companions has truly hit rock bottom..."

He looked down and muttered under his breath.

"Though perhaps I’m not one to talk, having been chasing that thing of Time recently. Though of low birth, his Rune was of interest..."

His gaze returned to Ignotus.

"Not something I’d say to the likes of you."

Hoh... Rollo brought up the bastard that Ignotus had killed... everything was more interconnected than he once thought.

"Listen, Fluff-Brain..." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Ignotus leaned in, ignoring the guards who reached for their hilts.

"It’s cute what you’re doing, really, but let’s be real for a moment. It doesn’t matter that your mother married the Death House Lord; you’re of House Wolf, a Vassal House to Death. That’s all you are, and it’s all you’ll ever be."

Tala gasped at the disrespect, while Rollo looked like he was about to burst a vein.

Nobody dared to speak to them like that.

"Hm. You’re playing at being Gods when you’re barely pets... quite ironic considering your specialization."

Ever.

"I don’t care about your ’pack’ or your ’survival.’ I care about who paid that Demon for the curse and those kids in the Trial. So, let’s skip the theater. DID YOU ORDER THE HIT? Or did you ask your parents and have them do it for you?"

Ignotus slammed a hand against the hilt of his sword, his eyes flashing with rage. He looked to be one second away from turning the courtyard into a slaughterhouse.

’Scaring them is faster than talking to them, and it’s fun to watch their eyebrows twitch.’

Rollo and Tala actually stepped back. It was instinctual in a sense. The sheer bluntness of Ignotus’s intent had bypassed all their noble training. They didn’t quite know how to respond to someone who didn’t care about their status or their veiled threats.

Their guards were prepared, however, eyeing Ignotus closely, a fraction of a moment away from pulling out their blades to strike him.

They would’ve done it if not for those behind Ignotus, who did much the same, more than them in number and strength...

Without their wolves, it was a guaranteed loss.

Fortunately for Ignotus and his people, these guards only belonged to the siblings. Those belonging to their mother were alongside her wherever she currently was, leaving the House much weakened.

If the siblings wanted victory, they’d have to stall for time and wait for the other guards to gather.

And so, they began to do just that:

"You... you dare threaten House Wolf?"