Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill

Chapter 380: Assassination

A few months passed.

The war in the Frontier showed no sign of ending. Reports kept coming, and every one of them carried the same message.

More losses with no sign of clear victory.

What troubled many people was the Empire’s silence. They watched from a distance and did not move. It felt as if they were cold spectators, sitting high above and watching the suffering unfold.

During this time, Ethan was extremely busy.

The family’s fiefdom had expanded several times. New cities were already planned, but progress was slow. There were too many things to handle, and every matter needed attention.

Ray was away, and Rina was busy with trade meetings. Most of the burden fell on Ethan’s shoulders.

Rathlos was there, but he was still inexperienced in handling delicate matters. His way of dealing with problems was too direct and too crude. Ethan often had to step in and smooth things out.

As for Ruthiana, the name had already disappeared. The integration was complete, and a Duke had been appointed to govern the region.

The Duke was an old right hand of the Emperor who had retired from the court. Now he would oversee this land.

Ethan did not feel at ease about it. A knight who had lived long in the shadows was hard to understand. No one knew what kind of man he truly was. Peace might not stay peaceful for long.

During these months, Ethan’s own strength had also changed.

All the new wives had become pregnant. Once they settled in the estate and experienced this life, all thoughts of running away disappeared. Comfort and safety were strong chains.

As rewards, Ethan received many potions, and their effects were clear.

Sophia, his first love, had broken through to the Advanced stage and even reached the middle of that stage. Lia had reached the peak of the Intermediate stage. Diana was almost at Master rank as it was easier to pass through hurdles as long as the Mages gathered sufficient strength.

Amidst this,Julia had stepped into the King stage, which gave Ethan great reassurance. Claira, who had started late, was at peak Beginner stage but would soon break through. Rina was also close to the King stage.

As for the new wives, their natural potential was low. Except Mira, who had D rank potential, the others were E rank. Ethan first gave them potions to raise their aptitude. They all managed to become Knights, but Mira showed the most improvement.

She was a born fighter. With Julia guiding her, she grew fast and steadily.

Then there were the children.

Herion, Nera, and Miranda had reached the Intermediate stage. Leo, Mera, and Ash were at middle Beginner stage.

But Wales…

That boy gave Ethan a headache.

He was only at the early Beginner stage. The problem was not just his level. The boy kept hiding away and practicing with a flute, trying to tame small monsters here and there.

Once he had tasted the power of taming,he had completely let go of the training.

Ethan rubbed his forehead and sighed.

Wales was gentle and quiet, and he avoided conflict. But this world was not gentle. Strength was not optional.

Ethan stood by the window, looking over the estate grounds where children trained and guards patrolled. His chest felt heavy.

“Nah… I need to guide him,” he muttered softly. “He can’t stay there hiding inside his shell.”

There was worry in his eyes.

He was a father first, then a Lord.

And he knew that the world outside would not show mercy just because someone had a soft heart.

The next morning, before the sun had fully risen, a few figures moved quietly toward the back of the Blanks estate.

Mist still hung low over the grass. Dew clung to the leaves, and the world was quiet in that fragile moment before the day began.

Soft music drifted through the air.

A gentle flute tune.

Wales sat on a flat stone near the pond, his small back slightly hunched and his legs folded. His fingers moved carefully over the holes of the flute. His face was serious in a way children rarely were.

In front of him, three small beasts sat calmly.

A horned bluish wolf lay with its head raised, ears alert. A small wyvern rested nearby, its tail curled and wings folded.

They simply listened.

Wales was adjusting the notes when he suddenly heard a faint rustle from the bushes.

His brows tightened.

Before he could react, the small beasts stiffened. The wolf let out a sharp growl and the wyvern lifted its head.

“What happened?” Wales whispered.

“Grrrrr!” the horned wolf roared.

Then Wales saw several figures move in a blur between the trees.

“Intruder… Rocky, go!” Wales shouted.

SWISH!

The one-horned wolf shot forward with brutal speed. Its claws tore across the ground as it lunged at the shadows.

At the same time, the wyvern screeched and tried to take flight to draw attention.

But before it could rise, a bolas made of thick rope and heavy stones shot through the air. It wrapped around the wyvern’s wings and tail. The creature was dragged down and slammed hard onto the ground, struggling.

“Wyv—!” Wales shouted in panic.

He looked around wildly and only then noticed how many men were already surrounding him.

“Kekekeke… Where are the other beasts?” a hoarse voice said.

A thin masked man stepped out. His eyes were wide and restless, and his grin stretched too far. His movements were twitchy, like he enjoyed the fear.

“Why don’t you call them?” he mocked.

It was still early. Wales had come here to practice, far from where most of his beasts were kept.

He had never expected anyone would break in here.

“You… How did you get here?” Wales asked, his voice shaking.

The horned wolf roared again and attacked, but another masked man kicked it aside with force. The wolf rolled and crashed into a tree.

Wales’ heart dropped.

He ran forward without thinking. “Stop! Don’t kill him!”

“If you came for me, then take me!” he shouted.

“Who said we are here to take you?” the masked man laughed, his voice high and twisted.

He raised a dagger.

“We are here to kill you!”

SHOOT!

The dagger flew from his hand.

Wales flinched a bit

Time seemed to slow down and the world narrowed.

Instead of fear, his mind suddenly felt very clear.

How did the assassin manage to come here when the security was tight to frightening degree.

‘Wait..’

‘You… You are here to test me, sent by Dad, right…?’ he thought in confusion, believing the blade would stop before hitting him.

But it did not.

SWISH!

The dagger struck his left shoulder.

Wales’ body froze in shock. He stared down at the blade buried in his shoulder. Warm blood began to run down his arm.

For a second, he could not breathe.

Then—

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

A sharp, bone-chilling scream tore out of his throat.

The masked man tilted his head and laughed softly.

“Kekeke… So this is the beast boy? So weak,” he said, licking his lips.