Bloody Odyssey

Chapter 87 87: Northern Beast

The guards reached for the woman.

She flinched—not away from their hands, but toward her child, curling her body around the small, still form like a shield of pure desperation. Her tears fell onto the boy's pale face, tracing clean paths through the dust and grime of the road.

"Please," she whispered. Not to the guards anymore, but to everyone. "Please."

The guard's fingers closed around her arm.

"She's with us."

The voice was calm and unhurried. It cut through the noise of the restaurant like a knife through silk.

The guards froze.

Every head turned.

Dax had not risen from his seat, nor had he raised his voice. He simply sat at his table, a skewer still in one hand, his dark eyes fixed on the scene at the entrance with an expression that could have been curiosity—or something far more dangerous.

Madeka's hand paused in his hair.

Nadia's golden eyes narrowed.

The guard at the entrance—the one with his hand on the woman's arm—swallowed hard. He had heard the stories. Everyone had heard the stories. Godfall was not a clan you crossed, nor one you argued with.

"I…" He released the woman's arm and stepped back. "My apologies."

The guards returned to their posts.

Customers in the restaurant showed their discontent. At the far corner, a hooded figure sat with his face unidentifiable. A wrapped weapon—presumably a spear—hung at his waist.

He watched the commotion carefully, his eyes sharp. He looked toward Dax's group, sensing a familiar intensity—something he had only felt from the truly strong. To him, the guards were nothing, but the two women beside Dax radiated power that made him wonder why they followed this man.

In less than a fraction of a second, Dax appeared like a ghost beside the woman, surprising everyone present.

From above, he had already seen the child's condition. His Origin Eyes worked almost like an X-ray scanner, piercing through the small, choked body.

"What is your name?" Dax asked gently, offering her a soft smile.

"Th-Thilda, sir." Her eyes widened with desperate hope. "Please, sir—I need treatment… or money to save my child. He is dying."

"Let the child be. Bury him. There is no use." A man holding a chicken drumstick spoke with open disgust.

Others in the growing crowd nodded in agreement. "You are just being overly selfish," a woman said. "Let him rest in peace."

The commotion drew the attention of the restaurant owner—a beautiful woman dressed elegantly, her aura carrying the mature grace of someone who had seen much. Two guards, one male and one female, stood beside her.

But she didn't react immediately.

Byako… which Godfall is that? she thought, eyes locked on Dax.

…Based on the lack of mana fluctuations, he should be the rumored clan heir, the man with dual blades behind his back spoke with uncertainty.

The elegant woman remained silent. Caution burned deep in her eyes.

That man is dangerous.

She chanted a spell that instantly disoriented the space around her, then spoke to a strange, transparent, April-like fish that materialized beside her.

"Observe him for me."

The fish swirled around her once before drifting toward Dax.

In a blink, Madeka felt a faint gust. A broken mirror appeared in her hand, revealing exactly what had just passed.

She remained silent.

"I never believed a woman would say this to me." Thilda's heart ached. She wanted to curse the crowd but couldn't muster the strength.

"You are not selfish, Thilda." Dax smiled at her gently. "You are just a mother."

His guards were surprised by Dax's actions from the start. This child could only be resuscitated by a high-ranking purification spell.

I wonder how he got holes in his heart. Dax placed his hand on the child's chest.

"Don't mind them at all." From thin air, he manifested a bottle of crimson liquid and slipped it into the hand that clutched her son.

Without hesitation, Thilda uncorked the bottle and fed the liquid to her son. The boy drank weakly.

Dax looked up at Nadia and rolled his fingers. In less than a minute, the untouched food on their table was neatly packed.

At the center of the crowd, he vanished, reappearing beside his group.

Later that day, Nadia rented out the entire space of a renowned inn. At first, the owner thought it was just some haughty young lord making a joke—but when four gold bars were placed before him, he screamed in shock.

With frantic haste, he ushered all his customers out, offering the brightest smile he could manage.

Occupying four tables, the group conversed while Dax continued to enjoy his meal. He ate the leftovers from before and ordered more.

He ate slowly, yet like magic, all the food disappeared. Opposite him, Madeka sat watching him with quiet intensity.

"Daxy, I thought you said your burdensome trait has been fixed." Her tone was that of a concerned wife.

"It hasn't been fixed. It has evolved." Dax's voice carried rare satisfaction. "Déka, you don't know how happy I am to finally feel satisfied."

Nadia was surprised by their strange conversation and the unfamiliar term "trait." She looked to Dax, wanting an explanation, but he said nothing.

"Da—" she began, then hesitated.

"Ask whatever you want, Nadia," Dax said without looking up.

"It's not that I intend to intrude, but I've heard you talk about traits, and now it's come up again… I just wanted to ask."

"I see. It's not bad to know." Dax set down his fork. "I will explain using your body. What do you experience when your body comes into contact with any form of light?"

"…My body sucks in those light particles for energy," she answered, not entirely sure.

"Good. That intensity you feel under light—especially the sun—triggers transformation, thanks to the addition of chlorophyll to your genetic code."

The job of chlorophyll is to absorb enough nutrients from the sun.

Nadia's eyes sharpened.

"That is what is responsible for your growth. I would classify your trait under the plant class."

Instead of filling the void in her mind, the explanation only left her wanting more.

"Instead of asking questions, why don't you take a bite?"

Dax raised a spoon filled with food to her mouth. Not wanting to turn him down, Nadia ate.

Just then, Madeka walked over, pulled out Dax's chair, and sat directly on his lap. Like a jealous wife, she raised food to his mouth and began feeding him in silence.

"He's not a child, Madeka," Nadia said, jealousy clear in her voice.

The guards watched the commotion with amused eyes.

"The young lord is like a jade dropped from heaven. Even the beauties of heaven and earth pursue a taste of his grace."

One of the guards sang praises with his eyes closed, while the others laughed and splashed wine as they cheered.

The bright atmosphere left the inn owner stunned. He had never expected such a lively scene from this group.

"Why the fuck is this inn closed?"

A drunken man wearing high-tier gear stumbled in. He was clearly an adventurer.

Everyone's gaze turned toward him. The inn owner stormed out in panic.

"Oh, Logan? You are here." Why this of all times? The Godfall guards had paid him handsomely, but he couldn't simply turn this man away. He looked at Logan with shaky eyes.

I can't offend this man.

Logan was a rank 7 battle mage and a known figure across northern Bertha.

—Logan. The Northern Beast.

"What is he doing here?" Alfonzo muttered warily. "His aura is intense."

He glanced toward Dax, expecting a reaction—but instead saw Dax calmly smoking through a wooden pipe, filling the air with smoke like a dragon.

"What do you mean the whole building is rented out?" Logan's voice rose. "Who dares to block my way?"

His aura burst forth intensely.

With haste, the innkeeper stepped aside. He barely had any mana and was just trying to survive. He couldn't afford to take a hit from this man.

Nadia glanced at him sideways as if he were nothing.

While Madeka smiled like she had just seen prey walk willingly into a trap.