I knew you would say something like that.

Oliven looked at Ethan with an expressionless, subdued face. When he forcibly erased his smile, a faint light appeared on Oliven's face, like an immature child.

It doesn't matter if you accept the apology or not. The only important thing is that I followed what Master said.

Really? Then you can go out now that you've achieved your goal well.

At Oliven's words, Ethan smiled brightly and gave him a congratulation.

The exit door is over there.

Ethan even kindly pointed at the door with his hands to Oliven, who was standing still despite being told to leave. Oliven calmed down and said sarcastically, trying to calm his churning stomach.

Make sure you appreciate that Master takes pity on you guys who have that dirty power. Your life is like a parasitic worm that feeds on the sacrifice of Master, isn't it?

Really? That's something to be thankful for.

At Ethan's calm reply, Oliven's face hardened terribly. Ethan saw that expression and laughed out loud.

What? Is it not the response you want?

Oliven clenched his fists and glared at him. Because he realized that nothing he said could shake that man. It was as if Ethan was looking down on him and laughing at him.

If you want to make me angry, you'd better find another way.

Isn't it miserable? Getting Master's attention firsthand by using your misfortune.

At Oliven's words, Ethan tilted his head for a moment. Should he be miserable about that? He decided to take his misfortune very sweetly. After closing his eyes and sleeping deeply in the arms of Sarah, who shed tears instead of himself and opened her arms to him.

Not at all. Rather, the more pity Sarah takes on my misfortune, the better. Only then will I be able to hold on Sarah.

Ethan's voice was blatantly possessive. Ethan was ready to go through misfortune, again and again, to make Sarah come here. If the misfortune could keep Sarah by his side, he was willing to do so.

!

It was only then that Oliven was able to recognize the sullen and filthy feelings that the man had for his master.

How dare someone like you to try to have Master?

Why? You must have lost your master to me because you couldn't do that, right?

Who lost!

Oliven tried to generate mana in his hands, but with all remaining self-control, he stopped. If he used magic against Ethan Ambrosia here, his master would immediately notice and run to him. Then, Oliven didn't know if he would really be hated by his master. He took a deep breath, trying to control himself.

Listen carefully, Ethan Ambrosia. There is no salvation without a price in the world. The more terrible your power is, the more it will cost.

That man did not know what the price the Master was paying for Ambrosia's power. Oliven had no intention of saying that. As long as he destroyed it before Ambrosia's power devoured his master.

If you find out who's paying the price, you'll realize. That you don't deserve it

Oliven gave the last chilling warning, smashed open the door of the office, and left. Ethan sat still and stared at the door Oliven had closed. At Oliven's last meaningful words, he muttered while narrowing his eyebrows.

Pay the price

There were times in his life when the feeling of foreboding stood out sharply. This was the case, for example, when a foreseeable misfortune awaited him with its mouth wide open. The larger and deeper it was, the clearer the form of foreboding became. Then Jade came in through the door Oliven had left.

Aiya, My Lord. The disciple of Countess Millen-nim who just left. His face looked super amazing.

Sir Harper.

Yes.

What did the priests say about Sarah's health?

Surprisingly, they said it's the same as usual?

As usual

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Yes! The priests went back saying it was a miracle, but don't we know? What kind of person is our Countess Millen-nim? Just a simple flick of her finger! And she had recovered.

Jade said with a surprising smile. However, Ethan's face became subtly hardened and lost in deep thought.

That's strange.

What? What are you talking about?

Obviously, the magic stone I saw at the Imperial Palace that day contained the power of Ambrosia. So much that the power inside me fluctuates.

Sarah woke up later and said that the magic stone was what she had made for research in the magic tower. Her disciples stole it and caused the accident. That said, that day, Sarah was trying to deal with the power of Ambrosia that was about to explode.

I don't know how strong Ambrosia's power was, but to deal with it, Sarah suffered a blow enough to vomit blood.

Yes I really thought it was going wrong that day.

Jade also rubbed his arms, remembering Sarah, who had fallen into Ethan's arms and hanged like a corpse.

But was it the first time?

Pardon?

Ethan buried himself deeply in the chair at the eerie feeling that ran down the back of his neck. It was Sarah who used enough power until the point of vomiting blood to suppress Ambrosia's power. Until now, she used to sweat every time she made him the ring to restrain his power and when she infused her power into Claude, but he thought it was just the effect of using a lot of mana. Sarah also explained it that way. But, was that really all?

That guy just said that Ambrosia's power demands a price. He was a disciple who had studied this power with Sarah, so he must have known something.

Should I call him back and investigate?

He won't give me the answer I'm looking for. What are the other disciples doing now?

Each of them is actively seeking and cooperating with the needs in the mansion.

It's a trick to stay here. It's so cute. Try using them a little more.

Yes.

Jade bowed his head and hurriedly left the office. Ethan, who was left alone, closed his eyes, enduring the painful, throbbing headache.

'Don't leave anything precious by your side. After all, that filthy power will take it all away.'

His mother's voice, which he had been trying to forget, began to be heard again. And after that, he remembered what Oliven had just said a little while ago.

If I know who's paying the price, I see.

It sounded like Sarah was paying the price Ambrosia's power demanded. Sarah, who received Ambrosia's power and vomited blood to the point where she couldn't breathe, and someone who was paying the price. Something was turning little by little in Ethan's head.

'This power is the power that constantly craves and devours something living. The price that it is satisfied with is'

His hands, which had been placed on the desk, began to tremble slightly.

It shouldn't be.

Ethan got up muttering like that. There was something he had to check with his own eyes. As he walked out of the office and strode down the long hallway of the mansion, he thought of Sarah's face and her clear laugh in his mind, then the warmth of her embrace.

Sarah.

He thought her name rolling in his mouth was terribly sweet, but this time it was too bitter. If, if Ambrosia's power was slowly killing Sarah, would he be able to let her go?

Ethan stopped walking for a moment. Just the thought of letting Sarah go for a while made him suffocate. The fact that it was a feeling that he had never been told before, that it was only an awareness, that it was a feeling that had never bloomed and had never been seen made him terribly sick.

Oh my, Claude-nim! Duke-nim has come!

Sarah, who found him from afar, was walking with a bright smile while holding Claude in her arms. Seeing the woman as dazzling as the sun, Ethan realized. As expected, just as his mother said, he was just a cursed monster bastard.

'I will definitely be greedy. I'll be thirsty for an insatiable thirst.'

His curse grew on his thirst. So in the end, he wouldn't be able to escape this curse. Forever.