"What?" Rose's eyes widened and it seemed like she couldn't speak for a moment.

"You can leave if you like," I said.

It was contradictory to my words earlier, but I did what I like.

"I do not think you're actually that generous to let us simply leave," Rose said.

"What use do I even have for people like you?" I raised a brow. "I admit that your princess' powers are interesting, the ability of a Seer to see various outcomes is something that could compete with the gods—"

"So why are you letting us go if you know how powerful it is?" Rose frowned.

"Knowing the possible futures... change them, that much I am assured of," I said. "And besides, I'd rather carve out my own path than become dependent on a Seer. Many people have lost their way, their minds being torn apart by seeing the future. I have no need for such things."

"You're just saying that."

"Am I?" I raised a brow. "If you wish, you can leave in the morning when your Princess wakes up. There are horses in the stable for the two of you."

"... what if we choose to betray you and reveal your location once we leave?" Rose asked.

I smiled. "Seeing as how you continue to repeat your plans to me aloud, I don't think there's much to worry about."

Rose glared at me. "It's a threat."

"It would be a threat if you actually had the upper hand in the situation." I reminded her. "In this scenario, wouldn't you say that I'm giving you a chance... although I sincerely doubt that you'll have much opportunity to betray me."

Rose fell silent.

I didn't need to see her expression to know what was on her mind.

My encounter with the small group of Averon folks had already given me an impromptu explanation as to what was actually happening, but neither the Princess or Rose herself had said it.

Didn't they know that their presence would be like a marker?

I personally didn't mind it, I left a mark on the hunter and could kill him to prevent the man from revealing our location, but these two women on the other hand never said a word.

The Princess only insisted that she could help me... when I did not need to be helped.

"Fine, we're wandering fugitives."

"What else would you people be?" I rolled my eyes. "A princess on the run and accompanied by one mage who she calls her friend. This is something I've seen and heard before, not because I am a Seer like your friend, but because what happens right now has already happened before."

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Is that why you want us to leave? So you don't have to deal with us?"

"Perhaps? What good is it to have people who do not wish to stay here."

"Or is it because you can't actually protect us so that's why you wish for us to leave?"

My lips twitched as I looked down at her. "You think that I cannot protect you and that's why I am asking you to leave?”

“Yes.” Rose looked at me brazenly.

"Hilarious," I said and rolled my eyes. "It seems like you're completely blind as to who you're really working with."

Rose raised a brow. "We came here into your manor by ourselves and there wasn't a single danger or threat to us. The manor is in ruins and everything was a mess, there was the golden chains, but like the princess said, if you were actually a threat—"

I raised my hand.

Rose fell silent.

"I admit that this manor had been in a rather dire state when I had awoken, but did you not see how quickly I had restored it?"

"I've seen better."

"Oh, have you?" I asked. "Is there someone in the Averon Kingdom who can do something like I've done? Just you wait and see, once I'm done, you won't even get a whiff of mana for you to use. They don't call me the Blood Tyrant for nothing."

"Blood what?"

"It seems like my name has been forgotten, but if you look at history, I'm sure you'll see—the countless things and acts that I've done and where I caused misery."

"You're..."

"I'm not saying things simply because I can, but because I can actually do them. Step back and watch." I touched my hands against the wall and the entire room went dark, several dark red sigils traced themselves against the walls and restored into a glow. Outside of the manor, the broken gates restored themselves to their former shapes as the fences curled up with vines, thorns and roses.

"Do you feel it?"

"What is this...?"

"House Hawthorne was a loyal bloodline to whom are blessed with shadows and thorns. I've simply recreated one of their most favored spells, [Curse of the Rose Labyrinth] and if even a single person steps into the forest, they'll be lost."

"Do you really think people won't simply fly above and avoid it? Do you not know of Scouts, Adventurers who can navigate such things? What if people simply burn this entire place to the ground?"

I looked at Rose and almost couldn't believe it. This woman had just seen one of the most powerful moves of the House Hawthorne and yet was confident that it could be countered easily.

"Fine, let us go outside."

"You want me to leave the Princess."

"You insist that I'm powerless, so I'll have you know—" I grabbed her hand and teleported her into the stone path. I tapped my foot once and allowed the bright red barrier to appear before me and as expected, it was shattered all over.

And from that Bouw boy, there was a mark where his arrow flew through the barrier and shattered it. How insane, I had to admit.

It was as if I had let a small snake loose, and the chances of it coming back to bite me was actually high.

Well, that was for another day, Rose’s words dragged me back to the present.

"If you're powerful, wouldn't this not have happened? Wouldn't we have not been able to access this place."

"I've come to realize that you've been getting more sass. It almost seems like you've forgotten to whom you're talking with, brat." I glanced over to her with a displeased look.

Rose bit her lip and looked away.

Whether or not the Princess' words actually held true about Rose’s attitude, the thing I could see was that this woman had a rich personality. Not necessarily in a good or bad way.

Rose suddenly choked.

"Wait, what's that?"

"What do you mean?"

Rose suddenly covered her nose and looked me in the eye. She looked extremely sick and stepped back away from me all of a sudden for some reason. I didn't understand.