Blood God Reborn as the Mudblood Heir

Chapter 55: 55: Blood Before Fire (2)

"Look at your condition, Dorian. You used a lot of mana. You are breathing hard. Your coat is torn, and you are bleeding from the side. If we fight now, you will definitely lose to me. Are you saying you can fight me and kill them at the same time? Do you have so much confidence in yourself?"

Dorian’s face changed.

Her words struck the truth.

He had used several spells while fighting Lucard. He had underestimated Lucard, then been injured by a hidden strike. The wound on his ribs still hurt. It was not fatal, but it affected his breathing. He could still fight, but fighting Celia seriously while also killing Lucard, Jenny, Jake, Peter, and dealing with Marovain guards was not simple.

Dorian’s eyes moved to Lucard.

Lucard was still on the ground, but he was not helpless.

That bothered him.

Dorian looked back at Celia and said, "Tell that bastard to beg for mercy and remove the spell he put on Adrian. Give me Jenny and Jake. I will give him a painless death."

Jenny’s face became pale.

Jake hid closer to Peter.

Peter gritted his teeth and raised his sword again.

Celia’s expression filled with disgust.

"You scumbag. You are thinking about girls at a moment like this. I will not let you harm anyone."

Dorian’s mana heated again.

"How dare you mock me?"

Celia’s silver mana started to gather around her hand.

"I am not mocking you. I am explaining what you are."

Dorian’s fire rose higher around his shoulders.

"I will kill everyone here."

Celia did not step back.

"If you fight me here, and if we go all out and fight to death, do you know what that means?"

Dorian’s eyes narrowed.

Celia continued, "Do you have the authority to do that? Do you have the authority to start a war between House Velkhur and House Marovain?"

Those words made Dorian stop.

The flames around him did not disappear, but they became slightly quieter.

Celia stepped forward.

"If we fight now, it will not be a simple duel. It will not be a hunting game in the capital where elders can laugh and stop us before someone dies. You attacked people under Marovain protection in front of our branch shop. You damaged Marovain property. If you force me to fight, I will treat it as an attack on House Marovain."

Her voice became sharper.

"Can your side branch carry that result? Can your father? Can your mother? Can your line endure the punishment if your actions start a conflict with another founding duke family?"

Dorian’s jaw tightened.

Inside his mind, he started thinking quickly. He was proud, but he was not completely stupid. House Velkhur was powerful, yes. It was aggressive, yes. It had strong fire mages and war magic, yes. But he was not the duke. He was not even from the main direct line. If his actions created a serious conflict with House Marovain, the main family might not protect him fully. They might punish his line to calm the matter.

He wanted to kill Lucard.

He wanted Jenny.

He wanted to show Celia that he was not afraid.

But starting a fight to the death with Celia in front of Marovain’s shop was dangerous.

Meanwhile, Lucard was watching everything.

His right hand was hidden near the broken stone under his body. While Dorian and Celia argued, Lucard had been gathering all the mana he could into his palm. He had already been building it before Celia came out, but now Dorian’s attention was away from him. That gave Lucard the moment he needed.

He was angry.

Not only because Dorian attacked him.

Not only because Dorian insulted Jenny.

Dorian was now standing in the middle of a perfect opportunity.

Celia had just explained the risk. If Dorian died here, House Marovain and House Velkhur would be pulled into conflict. At the very least, suspicion would fall on Marovain because it happened in front of their shop while Celia stood there. House Velkhur would demand answers. House Ravencroft would hide behind Velkhur. House Marovain would be forced to protect its reputation.

That meant attention would move away from House Vardros.

Lucard understood the situation in an instant.

If he killed Dorian now, both Marovain and Velkhur would be too busy watching each other. Ravencroft and Karswell would also become careful. The whole matter would become larger than a fallen baron family. Chaos would spread between great houses, and Lucard could move inside that chaos.

He would gain blood.

He would gain time.

He would gain cover.

Let them fight.

Let all the benefits come to him.

Lucard’s eyes became cold.

He did not waste the chance.

Dorian was still looking at Celia, thinking about whether to continue the confrontation. He did not even look at Lucard. In his mind, Lucard was wounded and half defeated on the ground. That was his mistake.

Lucard pushed against the ground.

His body moved like a released arrow.

The condensed mana in his right hand turned red as blood gathered around it. He closed the distance in one burst. Dorian sensed danger too late. His eyes widened, and he tried to turn.

Lucard’s hand drove straight into Dorian’s chest.

The sound was wet and horrible.

For one moment, everything stopped.

Celia’s eyes widened.

Jenny froze.

Jake stopped breathing.

Peter stared in shock.

The merchants hiding around the square looked as if their souls had left their bodies but remained nearby to watch because the scene was too terrifying to miss.

Dorian looked down.

Lucard’s hand was inside his chest.

It had pierced through the flesh and ribs and reached the heart.

Dorian’s mouth opened, but no words came out at first. His fire vanished from around his body. His mana pressure collapsed. The proud young mage of House Velkhur, who had been laughing a moment ago, now looked like a child seeing the edge of death for the first time.

Celia could not believe what Lucard had done.