In the next moment—
A chilling frost engulfed everything.
Even the ten storage warehouses for divine wine, the management tower, and the watchtower were all frozen solid.
From the illusion of the Nine-Tailed Ice Fox, countless ice blades shot out, suspended in midair.
The frozen members of the Soma Familia were pierced through instantly.
Crack—
Crack—
Crack—
A series of crisp explosions rang out as the ice sculptures shattered.
Lifelike statues crumbled into fragments, scattering into icy dust.
No blood.
No screams.
No pain.
In just an instant, the entire group was wiped out.
"Th-this… what…?"
Liliruca was completely stunned.
Before her eyes, the ground, the buildings, everything was coated in a thick layer of frost. Even the air was filled with delicate, six-pointed ice crystals.
This… was the terrifying power of the so-called legendary "Overlord."
"These were all just Level 1s, right? Is this the current standard of adventurers in Orario?"
Melvitore, her icy gaze now softened slightly, sounded somewhat disappointed.
She had expected some resistance—at least a proper fight. But this?
"…Melvitore-sama, what do you mean?"
"I… I don't understand."
Liliruca's trembling lips struggled to speak, but there was no pity in her heart for the fallen familia members.
Only satisfaction.
After all, back when she was with the Soma Familia, she was constantly exploited. Treated like a walking wallet by those stronger than her.
For them, squeezing the weak like her had become routine.
No one ever helped her. No one offered her shelter. In that twisted and toxic familia, she was seen as nothing more than a tool.
She had survived only by dragging herself through a mire of torment.
There were many days when she had wanted to end her life.
But she didn't.
She knew too well the searing pain of being slashed by a monster's claw.
She knew the agony of being kicked and beaten by adventurers.
The idea of even worse pain kept her alive—terrified of the unknown suffering that death might bring.
…
"Let's go."
"Soma's personal chamber is at the top of the tower, isn't it?"
Though the temperature had plunged, for Raven Eltharion—now Level 4—it meant nothing.
But Liliruca, still only Level 1, was visibly shivering.
"…Yes."
She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to endure the cold.
The three made their way through the frozen courtyard.
There, a short but stocky dwarf with bulging muscles came into view.
"Chandra-sama?" Liliruca immediately recognized him.
The dwarf glanced at the two people beside her, then said calmly, "Come with me."
Within the Soma Familia, Chandra Ist was the only one who had never bullied or harmed Liliruca.
Though he was also a Level 2 adventurer like Zanis, he had always chosen to remain neutral, neither helping nor hurting her.
Led by Chandra, they entered the main hall on the tower's ground floor.
There, Zanis was already waiting—with no sign of panic on his face.
"I heard the Demon Lord of Heavenly Descent was looking for me. What business might you have?"
His voice was polite, but behind the lenses of his glasses, his eyes flashed with malice as he glanced at Liliruca.
This traitor…
She actually brought outsiders to interfere?
He couldn't understand. Why would someone like Raven Eltharion care so much about her?
He didn't get it at all.
But…
Zanis wasn't like those mouthy fools from earlier. He knew how to act.
Which is why—
Raven didn't kill him right away.
"You took Lili's money and refused to let her leave the familia, didn't you?"
"That one million valis was a retirement fee I personally gave her."
Raven's voice was low, his eyes narrowing coldly.
The oppressive air made even Zanis, who had been calm, start to sweat.
"W-wait, let's talk this out."
"Erde, you want to leave the Soma Familia, right? I can approve it now. Come with me."
He didn't want trouble.
That woman with the fox mask—just thinking of the massacre outside made him shiver.
If this guy wanted Erde that badly, he could have her.
Just get rid of these two monsters as fast as possible.
"…You've misunderstood something."
"I wasn't planning to make a scene."
"But some things just… can't be ignored."
Before Zanis could reply—
Melvitore was suddenly behind him.
"Sleep."
Her icy voice echoed.
Before he could react—
Splurt—
Blood gushed from Zanis's mouth as his stomach was pierced and immediately frozen solid.
Chilling frost spread rapidly throughout his body.
"W-why…?"
A moment later, his lifeless body hit the floor.
Dead.
Chandra silently swallowed.
"I won't kill you. From now on, you'll be in charge of the Soma Familia."
"I don't ever want to see scum bullying the weak again."
Raven would never kill the innocent.
And Chandra, unlike Zanis, was a good man.
In the original story, he was the one who secretly released Lili from prison.
After Zanis's downfall, Chandra became the new captain of the Soma Familia.
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