The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 22

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This world is home to countless magical systems.
Some draw power from legends and folktales, others borrow strength from Great Beings through prayer, while still others manifest from the collective consciousness of the masses, and many more besides.
Among these is Bloodline Magic, which can only be wielded by those of specific bloodlines.
The Twelve Ducal Houses maintain their power within the Kaines Empire precisely because they can wield this Bloodline Magic.
So, what kind of Bloodline Magic can the heirs of the Duke of Aster, also known as the Great House of Star Succession, use? Of course, it is the star magic.

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Cutting through the night’s darkness, Sharki led her Dragonkin unit through the moonlit sky.
Flying at the front, Sharqi felt the cold wind as she looked in the direction of her goal, the imperial capital of Kainesfried.

“Everyone, stay vigilant. Even at this altitude and with our concealment magic, there’s no guarantee we won’t be detected.”

In response to Sharki’s words, her long-serving subordinate gave a smile.

“Don’t worry, Lady Sharki. Unlike those fools, we know our place. We’ll slip into the Imperial Capital quietly, under the humans’ noses.”

The subordinate’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he uttered the phrase “know our place.”
The so-called Draugr-type, while not inferior in ability, were still looked down upon and ostracized by the Full Dragons, those who possessed the complete dragon form, who derisively called them “Half-Dragons.”
However, Jagan, the former commander of the Western Front Army, had been a revolutionary among the Dragonkin. Recognizing the strengths of Half-Dragons like Sharki, he had promoted her to division commander.
But now that Jagan had been slain by the Hero, the Western Front Army of the former Demon King’s Army, composed primarily of Dragonkin, had reverted to its old ways.

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(So they haven’t lost their nerve.)

Sharki knew that infiltrating the Imperial Capital with a small team would be no easy task.
Moreover, Sharki understood that assassinating the Hero, even in his newly born state, would be exceedingly difficult.
Yet she also knew that this very moment was the Hero’s weakest, and that with each passing moment, he would become increasingly untouchable.
If they were to eliminate the Hero, now was the time.
But suddenly, an anomaly occurred.
Her body grew heavy, and her wings refused to move as she willed.
It felt as if invisible chains had wrapped around her entire body, multiplying her weight several times over. This sensation struck Sharki and her subordinates like a physical blow.

“What… is this…?”

Sharki’s face twisted in shock as she desperately tried to flap her wings.
But the air had become as heavy as lead, and her wings, unable to resist the weight, were dragged downward.
Looking around, she saw her subordinates struggling similarly, their faces contorted in pain as they lost altitude.

“A trap…!”

Gritting her teeth, Sharki channeled her Magic Power, attempting to break free from the binding.
But the restraint defied even her magical strength.

“Lady Sharki, at this rate, we’re going to crash!”

One of her subordinates cried out in panic. His wings were only partially extended, throwing him off balance.

“Stay calm! Try to stabilize yourselves!”

Sharki barked orders desperately, frustrated by her own inability to move freely.
Even the wind currents had shifted, as if the very atmosphere had gained mass.

(Th-this power… It’s got nothing to do with unstable flight conditions…)

And in that moment, as the ground rushed up to meet her, Shalki saw it—a vision of a “great being”
It was a woman.
A woman with long, black hair, consumed by fury.
Her bloodshot eyes widened as she glared at Sharki and her companions.
Why was she directing such rage at them?
Sharki couldn’t understand, but the woman’s fury was undeniable.

Gritting her teeth, she extended an arm toward them, marking them as her sworn enemies.
Sharki didn’t want to be caught.
What would happen if they were captured by such a thing?
If we’re defeated by the enemy, we’ll lose our lives—that’s something I understand and have prepared for.
But this… was that even an enemy?
As she fell, Sharki sensed something divine.
The last thing she thought was, “Have we angered the gods?” before she and her companions were slammed into the earth.

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(W-where am I…?)

Sharki’s consciousness returned, and she immediately grimaced.
A dull ache spread through her entire body, making it difficult to move.
When she opened her eyelids, her vision blurred, and the starlight seemed to flicker.
The cold earth pressed against her back, confirming she was lying prone.

“Where am I… what on earth…”

She barely managed to squeeze out a voice and slowly raised her body.
She surveyed her surroundings and gasped.
Her subordinates lay strewn about in gruesome disarray.
Their wings were twisted at unnatural angles, their armor shattered into pieces, and pools of bl00d formed dark stains on the ground.

“No… this can’t be…”

Sharki rose on trembling legs and approached her fallen subordinates.
Their faces were pale, their eyes fixed on the void.

“Hang in there! Open your eyes!”

She pleaded desperately, but there was no response.
One by one, she checked the others, but found no survivors.

“Everyone… everyone’s dead?”

A sob escaped from deep within her throat.
These were her loyal comrades, who had fought alongside her for years. They had shared her ambition and risked their lives to follow her. Now, they lay before her in mangled heaps.

“It’s my fault… I…”

Overwhelmed by guilt, Sharki collapsed to her knees.
At that moment, she heard a faint groan.
Sharki snapped her head up, straining her eyes in the direction of the sound.

“Is someone still alive?”

In the darkness, she spotted a barely moving shadow.
Sharki rushed over.
Two of her subordinates lay there. One was conscious despite a deep wound, while the other gasped for breath.

“Lady… I’m so glad you’re safe…”

She gripped the soldier’s hand tightly as he spoke in a weak voice.

“Don’t talk! I’m going to treat you now!”

She pulled out her medicinal herbs and tried to administer first aid. But her hands trembled, and her panic made them clumsy.

“It’s alright… Lady Sharki… you’re more important than us…”

“Silence! I won’t abandon you!”

She desperately tried to staunch the bleeding, but it wouldn’t stop. Her Magic Power was nearly exhausted, leaving her unable to use healing Magic.

“Why… why did this happen?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the cold ground.
Their plan had been flawless. They had taken every precaution during their stealth operation. Yet, what had driven them to this desperate state?
Sharki stood up and scanned the surroundings again. The night wind rustled through the trees, their leaves whispering in the darkness.
There was no sign of the enemy anywhere.

(If that was a trap, then the enemy must be nearby…)

Doubt crept into her mind.
But before she could dwell on it, a new emotion bloomed within her: a bitter mix of anger and grief. Fury at the enemy who had subjected her subordinates to such a fate, and despair at her own powerlessness.

“I won’t forgive them… I absolutely won’t forgive them!”

Sharki clenched her fists and bit her lip, not minding the way her nails dug into her palms.

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Taking a deep breath, Sharki tried to regain her composure. Her top priority now was to evacuate the surviving subordinates to a safe location. There was no time to waste.

“Alright, we’re leaving immediately. You’re the only ones left alive… I can carry two of you.”

Suddenly, the air grew taut. The temperature plummeted, and the wind died down, as if time itself had frozen.

“What… what is this feeling?”

Anxiety gnawed at her chest. Sharki slowly tilted her head upward to gaze at the sky.
In the pitch-black night sky, a single point of darkness appeared, even darker than the surrounding night.
It gradually grew larger, descending toward her.

“No way…”

She instinctively tried to assume a defensive stance, but her body was battered and her Magic Power depleted.
Still, she clenched her fists, determined to confront the looming threat.
The descending entity was silhouetted against the moonlight.

(Is this… a human…?)

She squinted her eyes in disbelief.
No mere human could exude such overwhelming pressure.
Moreover, no matter how you looked at it, its appearance was human, a child at that.

Yet the oppressive force…

The boy landed softly on the ground and stood motionless.
Dust swirled upward as a cold wind began to blow again.
Sharki’s throat went dry with tension, rendering her speechless.
The figure remained still, its gaze fixed on her.
The silence weighed heavily, her heart pounding so loudly she could hear it in her ears.

“Who… are you…?”

Sharki managed to choke out, barely able to force the words from her throat.
The boy remained motionless, staring at Sharki with an expressionless face.

“Answer me…!”

Sharki’s voice trembled with a mixture of desperation and terror.
But there was no response to her question. Only a cold gaze fixed upon her.
As the silence stretched, Sharki slowly backed away, her anxiety growing. Should she flee, or should she fight? Her body was battered, and she had exhausted her Magic Power protecting herself from the fall. She was completely drained. Even if combat was out of the question, she wasn’t sure she could even escape.
Just as Sharki’s panic reached its breaking point, the boy spoke.

“Hmm, three of you survived.”

His voice was sweet, yet icy, echoing through the air.

“Impressive for such inferiors. It’s clear… you’re are Demon, aren’t you? I’m human. Good. Now we have a reason to kill each other. I’ll permit your resistance. At least entertain me with your futile struggles.”

In the next instant, Sharki collapsed to her knees.
An even greater, more crushing weight than before descended upon them.
Naturally, neither the wounded Sharki nor her subordinates could withstand such a force.

“Oh? The two inferior ones are dead. I’m sorry, they were so weak I just killed them! Hahahaha!!!!”

The gravity chains of the Geo Pole Star Mother Heavy Chain Formation—Terra Cradle, a manifestation of the Earth God’s wrath, remained active.
The boy—Hein Sera Aster—could have literally crushed Sharki and her subordinates with a mere inch to spare.
Hein was toying with Sharki and her group, and he didn’t even consider it wrong.
Sharki, crawling on the ground, stared at the remains of her subordinates—the same subordinates she had been conversing with moments ago.
Popped eyeballs, shattered teeth, cracked armor.
The gruesome scene ignited a thunderous rage within Sharki.