Re: In My Bloody Hit Novel - Chapter 553

Chapter 553: Arid’s Plan
Nora, leaning heavily on Old Fang, was led back to her room. In front of it, Eunid was pacing up and down. From the looks of it, he had been this way for a while now.

Nora, already feeling utterly exhausted, nearly passed out when she arrived at her door. She collapsed, and Eunid immediately rushed to help her. He raised his head to Old Fang, his eyes filled with concern and questions.

“Where has she been?” Eunid demanded.

“Training,” Old Fang replied simply, offering no further explanation. He bowed to Eunid in respect and then walked away.

As soon as Old Fang was gone, Eunid took Nora into his arms and carried her into her room. He gently laid her on the bed and tucked her in, ensuring she was comfortable. He then turned to leave, but her grip around his wrist was strong, despite her exhaustion.

He sighed softly, gazing down at her. Her face, though marked with pain and fatigue, held a determination that moved him. Without another word, Eunid lay beside her, bringing her into a close embrace. Nora, feeling his warmth and strength, relaxed and finally let herself drift into sleep.

Eunid and Nora’s relationship deepened significantly after that day. Nora no longer shied away from Eunid, and though she still did not speak much, she only ever talked to him and responded when spoken to by Old Fang.

This behavior change led to a confrontation with one of the elder maids, who felt that Nora did nothing but relax all day and should do some work. When Eunid heard of this, he ordered the maid to be executed, her severed head placed in the mess room where the servants ate lunch for an entire week to serve as a lesson.

After this, no one disturbed Nora again. Though she bore the title of a slave, she was the most free slave in the home.

When she wasn’t training in secret with Old Fang, she was accompanying Eunid as he trained. This was the Diligence virtue family, and the one thing no one joked about was training.

Even if he trained for hours on end in the open field, her eyes remained on him. For some reason she could not understand, her mind seemed to absorb every move he made, comparing his muscle movements with every technique she had read about within the family. What she did not know was that at a subconscious level, her mind was analyzing his moves and then optimizing them, generating better offensive techniques.

It was as if she was a filter to remove all the unnecessary garbage and replace it all with only the best.

Yet, she never once spoke about it.

When she was little, she had always watched her big brother train. But this was the very first time that such a thing happened to her.

It was as if for every attack that was made, she optimised it for the best or at least a hundred times better than Eunid performed it.

Of course, the more torturous the training that Old Fang made her go through, the deeper this process became.

To the extent that it was not just When Eunid trained. Sometimes, it would be in observing the way a butterfly flew through the air, or how a worm on the ground moved.

Even though these creatures had their skills from nature, in her eyes, they were not optimised to their full potential.

And she would sometimes feel the urge to want to teach them but would hold back.

Soon, even walking steps faltered in her eyes. And the urge to fix, to improve to optimize it. To make it better was always strong in her. But she held it back every time.

This continued for a long time until one particular day when a figure visited the estate.

This person was a young boy two years younger than Eunid, said to also be a prodigy of his generation in the Diligence family.

He was known as a genius. Despite being younger than Eunid, he was already at the peak of the bronze ranks, and rumours had it that in only a year, he would become a silver-rank expert.

His name was Arid, a son of a branch family of the Diligence family. And on this particular day, he had come with a bold declaration that surprised the entire family. Arid had come to challenge Eunid for the most important position in the family.

…

In the grand hall of the Diligence family’s ancestral estate, a heavy silence hung in the air. The room was vast, with high ceilings adorned with intricate carvings and ancient tapestries depicting the family’s long history.

Massive stone columns lined the sides, each one etched with the names of past patriarchs and their greatest achievements. The atmosphere was tense, crackling with the weight of tradition and the significance of the moment.

Arid, a young boy of impressive stature and undeniable talent, knelt before Milligan Beestone, the current patriarch of the family. Milligan, despite his illness, sat regally on an ornate wooden chair, his frail frame shrouded in layers of rich fabric. His eyes, though tired, still held a sharpness that commanded respect and authority.

To Milligan’s right stood Eunid, tall and composed, his expression unreadable. Near him was Old Fang, the family butler, whose presence always brought a sense of opac gravity and history.

On the other sides of the hall, formidable officers and elders of the family stood in silent anticipation, their faces a mix of scepticism and curiosity. Among them was Alfred, Eunid’s uncle, who wore a subtle smirk, hinting at his thoughts on the matter.

The gathering had been ordered by Milligan himself, prompted by a bold message from Arid. The young prodigy had declared his intention to exercise his right as a member of the same generation as Eunid to challenge him for the position of heir to the patriarch. This announcement had sent ripples through the family, stirring up old rules and rivalries.

Some elders whispered among themselves, finding the challenge absurd given Arid’s age and relative inexperience compared to Eunid. However, Alfred spoke up, his voice carrying a tone of authority and finality. “According to the rules of our family,” he began, “the current heir to the patriarch may be challenged three times by members of his generation. Among Eunid’s generation, only Arid is brilliant enough to make such a challenge.”

Milligan raised a hand, silencing the murmurs. His gaze fixed on Arid, and his voice, though weakened by illness, was steady. “Arid, you have chosen a difficult path. The position of heir is not only a matter of skill but of wisdom, patience, and the ability to lead our family through trials and tribulations.”

Arid bowed his head lower, his determination unwavering. “I understand, Patriarch. I am ready to prove myself worthy.”

Milligan’s eyes flicked to Eunid, who met his father’s gaze without flinching. The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the patriarch’s decision. After a moment of contemplation, Milligan nodded. “Very well. The challenge will proceed as our traditions dictate. May the best among you prevail, for the strength and future of the Diligence family.”

In this place, mulligan had not even acted like Eunid’s father, trying to use his authority to shut down Arid’s request. Instead, he had made it public, even inviting the elders to bear witness.

Eunid knew his father well, and he understood what Mulligan was trying to do.

After all, even though Eunid had proven himself wise enough to take over the affairs of the family, he was still lacking when it came to cultivation.

Which was the exact thing that Arid had over Eunid.

Meaning that if Eunid could prove himself regardless of having a weaker cultivation, his position as heir to the throne would be further sealed.

After all, there were many old men here that were rather very rigid on the matter of strength over brains.

But mulligan thought of the matter from a much different perspective.

With that, the tension in the room shifted, charged now with anticipation and the promise of a formidable contest between two of the family’s most promising young talents.

However, at such a time, Arid instead of standing up, spoke further.

“If i may, patriarch, i have more to say. A proposal.”

Those words made every one pause. This part was not something even Mulligan had anticipated.

“Go on!” He encouraged.

“I would like for the entire family to be present.” As he said this. Arid had an unusual smirk on his face.

It was obvious that there was more to this request.

After all, such a battle would only be observed by the elders and the results announced at a much later date so that both parties could save face.

Mulligan paused a bit. And then Arid spoke up, “of course if such a small matter is hoo much a problem for the patriarch, then I will concede request.”